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It was well past the dinner rush when Reno rested on one arm to stare down the remainder of his drink.
All by his lonesome, he was seated at Tifa’s bar while the liquor continued to coast and his mood soured. Between Elena and Rude, both of them failed to tell him about the separate plans they’d both made that evening. None of which included him.
“Bunch of ingrates,” he muttered. Reno turned his attention to his phone to discourage the feeling, all while the static from the bar TV hummed overhead. Random news blips flicked across the screen and every now and then he’d catch one. ‘Edge on the Rise!’ the chyron read, followed by another, ‘Life Finds a Way in a Brand New City!’ He then watched clips of Midgar refugees dashing from one newly paved avenue to the next, right beside some bright and shiny new building somewhere in the nascent city.
“Buh…” Reno mumbled under his breath, “This place just got started. Can’t get any worse…” Then, in remembering his most recent mission to the ruins of Midgar and then Rufus’s latest reports on some new and incurable disease only darkened that notion. “Not yet anyway…” he breathed.
Still annoyed, he hadn’t noticed the last few Seventh Heaven patrons skipping out the door, not until he fully turned to witness an otherwise empty room. Stunned to realize he was the only one left, he sat up. What the hell?
Confused, he saw Tifa suddenly appear behind the bar counter when he turned back. She was carting boxes to restock what she’d heaved from dry storage, but – why was she in such a rush?
“Hey…” he asked, “What’s going on?” and his question surprised her.
“Oh,” she said, “Didn’t you see the sign on the door? I’m closing early.”
Without another word, she pivoted back to what she was doing which made him wary. How did everyone else have plans that night except him? The last place he thought he’d be told to leave might have been Seventh Heaven, but here he was, politely being told to shove off. To be fair, it wasn’t like she was kicking him out for bad behavior… No, he’d made nice enough times with her now, ever since she first opened the new bar in Edge, that she now played nice with him.
Undeterred by her silent suggestion to go, he thought of something new to delay the inevitable.
“Interesting…” he said. He hopped off his stool to help her. “What’s the occasion?” he asked, which she didn’t answer. She kept looking towards the front while he put up chairs. Was she waiting for someone?
“Cloud’s in town?” he asked which, visibly, she bore a sign of discontent.
“No…” she muttered. In her own way, he could tell she didn’t want to answer that either, “I just… I just need to get out, you know...”
Oooh…
“You?” silver-tongued, Reno was eager to coax every bit of information from her, “Where are you going? And with who? Girl, er– guy?”
A subtle grin cut across her face. She wasn’t expecting him to be so nosey. Nonetheless, she was grateful for his help, so she rewarded him with an answer.
“I’m meeting a stranger actually – but it’s not a date.” She was pointing at him when she said it and playfully, both of her eyes cut to slits. This, while his stare grew wide.
“Don’t–” Already she preempted his next words, “I’m just hanging out, Reno. This is someone who helps me, that’s all.”
No fucking way…
“Who is it?” Intrigued, Reno couldn’t help himself, “Did you just say ‘stranger’? As in you don’t know this person?”
Before she answered, he countered her again, “Say, I’m helping you, does that mean I get a date?” which made her laugh.
“Reno, you’re funny…” Her back was to him when she chuckled, so she missed him looking especially peeved. Apparently hanging out with him was laughable… Was it really that hard to imagine, let alone try?
“Reno, here, I’ll show you,” she said. By the time she turned to him, he reset his gaze. What could she possibly show him…
“Do you know about ‘Missed Connections’?”
Now his face was dismayed. “Tifa…” What the absolute fuck, “Are you talking about ‘Missed Connections’… on RedsList?”
She snapped her fingers while she drew closer with her PHS. “Yes!” she shouted, “You know about it?”
…Yeah, he thought to himself. Everyone who’s face-down in a ditch somewhere knows about it…
“Ooooh, you mean the anything-goes-website-where-you-can-post-your-random-bullshit-for-anyone-to-buy with a nice little subsection dedicated to stalkers? Yeah…”
He’d heard of it.
Understandably, his next words were brief and a touch more severe: “Tifa, you’re gonna die,” which made her balk.
“Reno…” she’ll be fiiiiine… “You’re ridiculous. You and Yuffie both said the same thing.”
Vigorously, Reno nodded his head in agreement with the best friend who wasn’t there, but Tifa didn’t see. She was too busy studying her phone.
“Tifa… don’t do this,” he said. Too bad she failed to hear him either. He was being genuine for once, but she was much too taken with the post.
“Here,” she told him, and finally, there on her PHS, she showed him. “This person’s really nice,” she said, “And I’m relatively familiar with them…”
With a look of absolute dread, Reno accepted her device to read:
Missed Connections
to the girl with the big heart, cute smile - m4w (Edge – Seventh Heaven)
⸻⸻⸻
to the beautiful babe I helped in your bar,
I’ve seen you so many times and wanted to thank you for being such a great gal.
every time you smile brightens my day. When people leave your presence I bet they want more
I hope me helping you lightened your load.
If you ever want to hang out, get in touch
the delivery guy
Slowly, Reno lowered her PHS to witness her gorgeous smile. Tenderly, he watched her say, “He’s so nice, I’ve only dealt with him a few times, but he’s seriously the nicest guy.” Her face was so sweet – and Reno’s was not.
“How many times did you just say ‘nice’?” he asked.
He was serious.
“The delivery guy? Tifa…” Even with a fraction of Reno’s training, anyone would know this post was fake. It already read like it’d been cobbled together by some third-rate prompt machine. “You have a thing for delivery guys, don’t you?” he asked, “Seriously, Tifa, anyone could write this. How do you know this is the right person?”
Tifa sighed when she took back her phone. “No, Reno, it, it’s him…” Suddenly she wasn’t nearly as chipper as she’d been, and maybe Reno killed the mood. Hey, if she was lonely, he could help her with that–
“Listen,” he told her, “I’ll do you a favor – blow this person off to come hang out with me. I promise you, you will have way more fun with me than you would with this… person.”
He was still unconvinced whomever this person said they were wasn’t true at all. If one word could describe what Reno just read, ‘dubious’ was best. But still, Tifa shook her head.
“The sitter’s on their way,” she said quietly, “And I already saw this person earlier. I told them I would come.” As though the mere mention of ‘sitter’ stirred something from above, audibly, Reno heard Marlene and Denzel run down the stairs before they both appeared at Tifa’s side.
“Oh?” Both Marlene and Denzel made the same face when they saw Reno.
“I thought you said Bethany was coming…” Denzel asked.
“No, she is,” Tifa said, “She’s just running a little behind, but she’s on her way.” Again, Tifa sighed, “I need to get ready…”
For a moment, she glanced at Reno’s drink still at the bar before she spoke to him next. “Don’t feel like you have to leave just yet,” she told him, “You can finish your drink before you go…” And just like that, Tifa turned towards the stairs in case Reno said anything more that might dissuade her.
That meant he was alone with the kids…
Sharply, Reno turned on his heel to stare at them both, and the children stared right back. Silence fell between them.
“You’re not that man…” Marlene eventually said, which made Reno blink. To Reno it sure seemed like Marlene had more to say.
“The delivery guy?” he asked, “Yeah, no. I’m not that guy.” But Marlene and Denzel already knew that.
“He’s not very nice,” Marlene said, and beside her, Denzel nodded.
…Hold up…
“That’s not what Tifa said,” Reno murmured, and strangely, Marlene whispered back, “Tifa doesn’t know it, but he’s different around her. He's actually really mean and not nice at all–“
“Neither of us like him,” Denzel said, and firmly, Reno lifted his head toward the stairs. Did Tifa know that?
“…huh…” Reno muttered before his eyes settled back on them. “How do you know he’s not nice?” he asked, and then, to humor them he said, “Is he meaner than me?”
But neither of them laughed. “You’ll see,” Marlene replied which made Reno flinch.
“Will you follow her tonight?” she asked. Marlene bore zero expression and neither did Denzel. They were both asking Reno for a very special mission and – with nothing better to do – why the hell not?
From that moment on, it was all business. Playfully Reno replied, “I’ll need a disguise.” He actually didn’t need one but was eager to know what they’d say should the requirement trip them up.
“We have one,” Denzel said, and Marlene beamed. Did these kids plan for this!?
“Alright,” Reno muttered. Genuinely he was impressed and blown away by all their seriousness. He knew these two kids really cared about Tifa but trusting him to pull her out of this weirdness, now this, Reno did not foresee.
“As soon as Tifa leaves,” Reno said, “It’s go-time,” and they nodded.
“Do what you must,” Marlene whispered before all eyes jumped back on Tifa who descended the stairs.
Both of Tifa’s adopted children showered her with praise over her quick dress, all while Reno stared. Sweetly, Tifa stepped toward Marlene and Denzel for hugs before she took one final look at Reno with the expectation he’d leave.
Instead, Reno looked her over with a face so grim.
“That dress is too short,” he told her, which made her laugh. Sweetly, Tifa tilted her head to the side, “Thanks, dad…” but the joke was on her.
“It’s fine,” Reno said, “I’ll just know what to tell the police when they ask what you were wearing the night you went missing…” Understandably, he deserved the swift punch she delivered to his chest next, yet he smiled and laughed when he offered her one last thing.
“I’ll stay with the kids until the sitter comes,” he said, and Tifa froze.
“You sure?” she asked, and he nodded.
“Seriously though, tell me where you’re going so I can tell the sitter,” he said, which was way too smooth.
Both of his comrades nearly gasped with glee, and coyly, Tifa eventually turned to the bar to pick up a note she’d left for the sitter. Promptly, she handed it to him, and on it, her number and the place she intended to go was scrawled in pink.
“Bethany should know this,” she said, “But… you can show it to her, just in case.”
Gingerly, he took it to read, but he heard her whisper her thanks when she walked towards the front next. Sure enough, he saw her leave, marveling at the strappy red dress he’d undoubtedly be able to spy from a mile away.
“Alright, you two,” he told his cohorts the second Tifa was gone, “Show me what I’m wearing.”
-----
Twenty-odd minutes later, the sitter showed, and the young girl was so confused by the well-dressed man who expeditiously left the bar as soon as she stepped in. Bethany was still watching him through those clear glass panes when right beside her, Marlene and Denzel shot past. Both of them caught the door just to shout, “Good luck!”
A short while later and five blocks over, Reno found himself at the same outdoor eatery Tifa neatly wrote in pink. Not more than two tables over from him sat his intended target with Tifa tragically underwhelmed with her drink. Her finger traced the rim of something red, while across from her sat an especially brutish man with an expression so dim. The delivery guy…
Keenly, Reno’s ears were piqued, trying in vain to hear exactly what was said. The space wasn’t terribly crowded or noisy with people, but Reno was adamant that he not be seen. All three of them sat like that for some time but, no thanks to his outfit, there was no way Reno could sit any closer without stirring trouble.
“This is your costume,” Marlene had said to him back at Seventh Heaven.
Her and Denzel held up his ensemble and he’d stared. Maybe he should have clarified?
“I said I need ‘a disguise’, not a costume… This is too obvious,” but Marlene and Denzel didn’t agree.
“She’ll have no idea it’s you,” they both said.
“Trust us.”
Delicately, Reno opened his mouth to dislodge another piece of synthetic fur that weirdly found its way there. The imitation mink coat was anything but subtle, but neither were his cat-eye frames – the black ones Marlene insisted on with the exaggerated wings.
“We have to do something about your hair,” Marlene had said, “If we could hide it a little…”
The lightning bolt headband honestly felt like too much. But Marlene said it was fierce, so it stayed.
No one would know it was him…
Internally, Reno patted himself on the back if he managed to keep up this façade. Sure, people had stared, yet somehow Tifa hadn’t noticed him.
He turned a little towards her table with the intention to peek, except there was hardly any light out aside from the strobing streetlamps on the corner and the tiny lit candles at each table. Fuck – no thanks to his shades, he couldn’t see!
Vision impaired, he leaned again into hearing their conversation instead. Brute Man hadn’t stopped talking about himself for the past thirty minutes, which led Tifa to force the softest giggles as though she was intrigued. Gods she was bored, which made Reno laugh. Suddenly, Tifa got up.
“I’m just gonna call the sitter,” she told the Brute, “I have to make sure the kids are tucked in…” but Brute Man thought that was stupid.
“Tiffany, it’s early and they’re fine–”
“It’s Tifa…”
Reno failed to contain his laughter again and forced one hand to his face – wow, Brute Man sucked – which was fine because Tifa stepped away as though she hadn't heard a thing. As far as Reno could tell, Tifa’s ‘non-date’ was going ‘swell’. The kids would be pleased. Momentarily, Reno glanced down at his table, a huge toothy grin still plastered on his face, when suddenly, there beside him, Brute Man took a seat.
Vexed and still hidden behind his shades, Reno’s eyes shot to this new person at his table, and even in the dim light he could see–
“Hey,” Brute Man spoke. His voice was coarse and deep, akin to gravel if rocks could talk, “I’m Rex.”
The man shoved his hand toward Reno to shake, but Reno didn’t take it. Unsure of what was happening, Reno thought there’d been a mistake, but Brute Man spoke again.
“I noticed you’ve been sitting here for quite some time,” the Brute said, “You’ve been quietly laughing at me and my wife.”
…Uh, what?...
“Who?” Reno asked, and the man answered.
“Who what?”
Confused, Reno shook his head. Finally, he took off his sunglasses, wondering if he’d been spying on the wrong table this whole time. Nope. Tifa wasn't at her seat but that was definitely her purse. And the person who was sitting beside him right now was… Rex?
For a moment Reno didn’t speak. “…Did… did you just say Tifa’s your wife?”
“Yeah,” the man answered Reno’s question so quick, “You know her?”
“Yeah, um…” What the fuck was Reno supposed to say to that? “Yeah, so, she… she’s not married,” Reno said, and that’s when he’d fucked up. Rex was pissed.
The man blushed a full-body red, which was scary. The veins in his forearms pulsed like an experiment from Deepground which visibly laced up through the rest of his arms and face… He became an actual red flag.
“Are you her gay best friend or something?” The man leaned in with so much force and a cadence so fierce, that Reno’s natural response was a mewling, “Me?”
“Yeah,” the man glared at Reno’s attire. He was so convinced that he’d made the right assessment, “I mean your outfit is stupid. It looks like two children dressed you–”
“What?” Reno looked down at what he was wearing. What he was wearing was timeless and chic… like a velvet painting blessed with the lurid image of wild Chocobo running free underneath a tepid and wind-swept sky (regardless of two children having dressed him). Just like Denzel and Marlene had said, aside from Rex being a complete asshole and a total bigot, he was just plain mean. Unsure of how to deal with this man without the next few seconds coming to blows – like the godsend that she was, there was Tifa.
“Reno?”
Even though his cover was blown, Reno was relieved to watch her angelic presence float into frame. Visibly, her arms were crossed, except she didn’t seem all that surprised to see him.
“What are you wearing?” she asked, “… Because it’s fabulous.”
If Reno could make any subtle hint to tell Tifa to flee, he couldn’t think of one until Rex fully turned to her, “Oh yeah, I was just talking to your gay best friend here.” The man was talking to her while he thumbed a hulking finger toward Reno. Behind him, Reno deliberately mouthed the word, “RUN” to Tifa.
Between what Rex had said and Reno’s gesture, Tifa was confused.
“Um… So the sitter told me I need to come home…” She was the worst fucking liar, “One of the kids is sick.”
Reno’s eyes darted to Rex who was a fucking imbecile. “The girl or the boy?” Rex asked, “You know what, it doesn't matter — isn’t that what the sitter’s for? Can’t she deal with it?” but Tifa shook her head. Even to Reno, the delivery of her one-word answer to the Brute was so satisfying and sweet: “No.”
Rex heaved a sigh and then stood over Tifa as though his presence might scare her, and just like before, Reno watched.
“Fine,” the man told her, “I’ll walk you home,” except Tifa said no to that, too.
Flinching, Rex’s ‘nice-guy demeanor’ completely fell, much to Tifa’s dismay.
“You’re cheating on me, aren’t you?” the man seethed. He was pointing at her, and (just as confused as Reno) Tifa had no clue what to say.
“We…” she really didn’t know and her words scattered, “We’re not together…” Understandably Tifa was miffed when Rex interjected next, “You’re a fucking bitch…” and, unthinking, Reno’s next phrase was an impulse.
“Cock…” he blurted. Reno almost begged the guy to say something stupid again, just to take the heat off of Tifa, and as expected, the man whirled on him.
“I don’t hit women,” Rex said, “So you’re lucky you’re gay.”
Reno wasn’t too keen to argue with the man about that, but he was eager for Tifa to leave with her shielded behind him if it could be helped. This guy was insane! He probably had a human-sized cage back at home with Tifa’s name on it. Suddenly, this entire debacle had turned into a rescue mission and Reno had to act quick.
Instantly, he showed off his usual unbuttoned dress shirt when he got up to drape his coat around her. He stripped himself of his headband in a fury, too, when he decided Rex wasn’t worthy of the red dress, meanwhile Tifa said and did nothing in a stupor while she watched. She eventually followed Reno’s guiding hands after he picked up her purse and started shoving her toward the adjacent street, and then the rest of the world.
With an expression of pure rage, Rex let them leave, though his snarl caved to something desperate and weak the further they left.
“My coat would have looked better on you!” he cried, only to hear Reno’s last retort, yards and yards away.
“Shut up!”
-----
Seated in a brightly lit and grubby diner, Tifa’s tender gaze never lifted from that spectrum of grays stationed right outside her window. She was still wearing the ankle-length coat Reno gave her when she sighed. Right across from her sat Reno, still perusing the menu in their booth. The waitress was patient when she thumbed her notepad, and finally, Reno rattled off what he wanted. Eventually his eyes settled on Tifa when she hadn’t ordered.
“Did you eat at that outdoor place?” he asked, but Tifa shook her head and quietly uttered that she wasn’t hungry.
Loosely, Reno hung his head before he pivoted to the sweetheart who was waiting. “Doesn’t she come here all the time?” he asked. He pointed at Tifa who seemed surprised, and the woman nodded. “Do you know what she usually gets?” he said, and the waitress smiled and nodded at that, too. “May we order that?” he asked, and the woman quietly answered “yes” before she left.
Alone again, Reno turned his focus to Tifa who gazed at him sweetly.
“How do you know I come here?” she whispered, which made Reno snort.
“You’re the one who told me about this place,” he said, “You know… the first time you kicked me out?”
Tifa actually chuckled when she recalled the memory. The incident might have happened a year ago.
“…You were such an asshole that night,” she muttered, and of course, Reno nodded remembering the first time he walked into her newly built bar and was promptly told to walk right the fuck out.
“I was,” he said, now pouring creamer into his coffee, “I’m still making it up to you though…” And his smile was genuine when he said it. Sweet.
For a moment, Tifa lightly stared when he started making her coffee, too, and she hadn’t stopped him. “Why did you follow me?” she asked, and he shrugged. He’d never narc on his sources.
“You have some really awesome kids back home,” he told her, “And, based on what you told me, I thought it was important that you come back to them in one piece…”
Her face was expressionless while she listened, but maybe a little embarrassed. “That guy was a prick by the way,” he said which made her flinch, “You didn’t deserve anything that he said to you.” Tifa’s eyes followed her drink when Reno presented it to her and he asked her to sip.
“I’ll stay with you until you get home if that’s okay. I don’t trust that that guy won’t look for you after all that…”
Her eyes lifted from the fragrant steam to his pupils before she said anything. “Go on,” she told him, but he didn't understand. “Tell me that ‘I know how to pick ‘em’,” but Reno wouldn’t. Instead, he inhaled and shook his head.
“Nope,” he said. “I’d honestly been sitting there long enough to know things weren’t going anywhere with him anyway. I think you knew that long before I did though,” and he was right.
“He told me he didn’t like cats,” she muttered before she took her sip, and sternly, Reno answered, “Dump him.”
Laughing, she nearly choked. “Reno…” she coughed, “I told you it wasn’t a date…”
“I know,” he said beaming, “And neither is this one.”
-----
Time flew by back at the diner and soon they both walked back to Seventh Heaven.
Throughout their time together, Tifa wore the mink coat as if it’d been her own, and noticeably her smile was more present. For whatever reason, the way back was especially meandering when it should have been a straight shot, but Reno never questioned it when Tifa chose the path. To him, she might have been delaying the inevitable, like not wanting to turn in for the night or go home. She seemed eager to chat about things he'd scarcely heard of from her side of life; the bar, the kids, and sometimes old memories that often bordered on theirs and how they “met”. It was fun.
“So…” Reno asked her, “What compelled you to meet up with this Rex guy again?” He’d asked her that before, but Tifa failed to give him a true answer. Maybe this time would be different?
“I told you…” she said it so plain and simple, “I needed to get out.” As though she couldn’t do that on her own?
Hmm. Her answer sucked just as much as the first time. Whatever the case may be, Reno prayed to god it hadn't been for sex. Not with that guy anyway…
“What’s happening with you and Cloud?” he asked next, knowing full well that her answer might be do-or-die. Based on her first reaction back at the bar, he half-expected her to stomp off, not answer him at all, or ask him to turn and leave, but she didn’t.
“He’s just not here.” She sounded so frustrated, which Reno didn’t expect. “And I need someone who is.”
Reno thought that answer over, all while Seventh Heaven neared. She was put off by Cloud. As though she was fed up and devoted to finding someone new…
“You said ‘need’ not ‘want’,” he asked, “Why?” He didn’t know Cloud hadn’t been there for weeks, nor had he returned any of Tifa’s calls after the last one they’d had. The same one where she insisted they just be friends.
“Because that’s what I need,” she whispered, “Those are my terms.” Briskly Tifa looked up to see her brightly lit bar sign right across the street. She was about to turn to him and say thanks, but Marlene and Denzel raced out the bar front in a hurry, smiling and waving at them in relief.
“Hey!” Tifa didn’t like seeing them up so late and unattended at that hour. They practically dashed across the street just to greet her. “Where’s Bethany?” she asked, and Denzel grinned, “She’s sleeping!”
“Oh…” Anxious now, Tifa stalked towards her bar next while Reno smirked and followed close behind. Reno’s gaze quickly shifted from left to right before he went inside. Still no sign of Rex. Good.
“Tifa, go wake up Bethany!” Marlene said as she bounced beside the bar towards the stairs. The little girl pointed toward the second story and, coolly, Tifa eyed her.
“You and Denzel should be asleep,” she told them, though she still walked up the stairs to fulfill the little girl’s wish, “And what did I tell you two about playing with Mr. Vincent’s things? No more playing with his headbands or coats…”
Reno didn’t think he should move any further when he stopped inside the bar, but when he did, Marlene and Denzel motioned for him to come up.
“She’s alive!” Denzel whispered to him, along with Marlene, “Thank you!”
Now up the stairs, Reno stayed put while Marlene and Denzel ran to their room, exactly where Tifa had gone. Soon the same young girl from earlier appeared outside their bedroom door. Keenly, she was listening to Tifa who asked her to wait. The girl nodded and closed the door back. That’s when she saw Reno.
“You…” she uttered. She stepped toward him, “You were here earlier, weren’t you?”
Reno shrugged though the girl went on, “No, you were, I remember your face and hair.” Seemingly, she was half-asleep, and yet she found the energy to speak, “How was you and Tifa’s date?”
Grinning, Reno chuckled. He didn’t feel like correcting her, so he beamed despite the irritation thinking she might have confused him with ‘the delivery guy’. “It was fine,” he said.
“That’s so good to hear,” her words twisted through a yawn, “When you left, the kids said you’d both have a great time. Tifa’s so sweet… You should consider yourself lucky.” And, still staring, maybe he did.
Both of them turned now to watch Tifa run from the kids’ room to another just down the hall. “She must have just put them to bed…” the girl whispered. That’s when she pivoted in Tifa’s direction. A moment later, Tifa bounded back with a fistful of gil for the girl.
“Bethany, thank you,” she said. She passed the girl what she had, and soon they both headed towards the stairs for Tifa to see the girl out. Tifa glanced at Reno when they went by, and asked him to, “Stay.”
Kindly, he did as he was told, while he heard them descend. In waiting, he wondered exactly what he was doing, but soon Tifa reappeared a few moments later. She presented him with his work jacket that he’d left downstairs but, absent for once, the mink coat was gone.
So now, standing before him, he saw Tifa exactly how she looked when she first left – and maybe just as hopeful. She said nothing, though visibly she really wanted to. She just hadn’t found the right words to say.
But then there was Reno who beat her to it.
“Did you have fun?” he asked, “Despite the rough start?” and he watched her nod.
“I did,” she said, “…And you?”
“Yep,” he said, “Best… non-date ever.”
Smiling, she murmured, “…Same.”
While he’d been waiting, Reno spied the last room Tifa came out of and guessed it’d been hers. He’d never been to that part of Seventh Heaven before and was taking mental notes each step he went. Aside from the sincere fear he had of Rex attempting any sort of break-in, other thoughts continued to crowd his mind. Had Tifa been any other person, it would have been so easy for Reno to make the suggestion, like subtly asking if he could take her to bed just to see what she’d say. Because it might have seemed like she wanted to, hence her even taking her chances on a guy like Rex in the first place… He knew her well enough that, by definition, Tifa was ‘in need’ of no one – not even Cloud – yet the closer she got to Reno that night really spoke to something he knew. And yet… he wouldn't chance it.
Because she'd just gone through that shit with Rex AND he didn't want to die.
So instead, his eyes jumped to a second set of stairs that went up.
“Where do these go?” he asked and intrigued, Tifa’s eyes leapt to them, too. This was Tifa’s best opportunity to say, ‘thank you so much’ and ‘good night’, but instead what she did surprised even her.
“It goes to the roof…” she said, “Do you want to see it?”
-----
On the rooftop, Tifa felt a hint of embarrassment when she’d picked up the third piece of trash that’d billowed up from the street. But she knew Reno didn’t care. Scattered all over the top were semi-circles of fold-out chairs, all sun-bleached and toyed with by the kids, like being placed in silly fort shapes just for fun. Playfully she’d asked Reno, “Can you tell who really rules the roost here?”
She held out a beer to him next that she’d poured downstairs, and he took it.
By that time, they’d already spent nearly an hour up there before Tifa realized it’d gotten too cold. Initially, when she first presented the space, she swore there was a heat source, but, lo and behold, there was none. In the interim, Reno offered her his jacket, but she shrugged him off and told him she’d return from downstairs with something warmer. Quickly she ran to her room to change, followed by grabbing drinks from the bar below for them both. Then, right before she went up, she checked her phone just to see. She’d already blocked Rex’s number, so she missed too many tearful voicemails and just as many woeful texts (‘take me back!’). She couldn’t wait to send that change-of-delivery request in the morning, pushing for a new driver… Anyways, just like normal, this would have been the time that she’d call Cloud, but – not tonight.
She exhaled when she put her PHS away, anxious to know what the hell she was doing, including why she was so eager to return to Reno. This was all just for fun, she told herself… that's it.
Minutes later, she'd returned to him and he gave her his thanks when he accepted his drink. Casually, he watched her take a seat by his side when she grabbed a chair. That’s when he saw just how much she’d changed. Now in warmer attire, the dress was gone, but this Tifa was comfortable, familiar. Eventually, he wrenched his eyes away to innocently watch the stars.
“I never closed my tab out with you,” he said, “I assume you added this to it?” but Tifa shook her head.
“No,” she muttered, “You paid for me back at the diner when you shouldn’t have. So we’re even.” For a moment Tifa paused before she finally asked him that burning question she’d had downstairs. “The kids put you up to it, didn’t they?”
She inhaled when she leaned her head against the back of her seat, and sternly, she gazed at him. Brows peaked, he looked right back at her. There was no way he’d lie to her.
“No.”
Psych, he could.
“You are such a liar…” She said it through her teeth, only to watch him smile and take a generous sip. “Keep drinking,” she laughed, but he tilted his head forward to a creeping pour just to show her he might.
Finally, he stopped to speak, “You know what, Tifa – it was me. I’m the one who wrote that psychotic ‘Missed Connections’ post, knowing it was the only way to get you out of the bar – I set you up with Rex, the idiot delivery guy, just so I could swoop in, in that AWESOME COAT I stole from the kids, save the day, take you out, and show you a good time – only to bring you back here, knowing I would finally have my way with you if I tried. My plan was fool-proof…” Even as a maniac, his words were sincere, “And you fell for it.”
Already inches from his face, he watched Tifa lean in.
“The kids told you to do it,” she whispered, and of course his grin kicked up.
“Tifa, you have no imagination–”
“You’re right,” she said, “Because I don’t have the mind of a child,” which made him laugh.
“Damn,” he grinned, “You are MEAN.”
He cut his eyes, but even then, she knew he was full of shit. Eventually his expression flaked the longer she kept that stare. “Fine,” she told him. She’d concluded he’d never give up his source, “I appreciate what you did, but you didn’t have to–”
“You’re lonely,” he told her, which she wasn't expecting nor wanted to hear. He’d said it so proud, too, as if he really knew, when he had no business in telling her that at all. And maybe Reno could lie, but she wouldn’t.
“No…”
Psych, she would.
This time, Reno was the one to assert the obvious. “Liar…” he breathed, just as close as she’d been to him. It wasn’t like he meant to put her on the spot, but he too wanted to know where any of this was going. It sure seemed like she was asking for something Cloud wouldn't foster, not with his absence, and if so, did that mean she was done with him for good? Because if yes, Reno could tie her over if that's what she ‘needed’. A one-time thing he’d be willing to provide – or do again if she asked?
Reno eyed her when she didn’t respond with another ‘no.’ More and more, his growing suspicion felt right, and no one would blame her if she wanted to.
“It’s okay,” he told her next, “I’m just surprised you haven’t kicked me out,” and maybe she was, too – but this was Reno she was talking to, which understandably made her wary. She wasn’t keen on having anything between them be so transactional, not with their history. Bartering booze for late-night eats was one thing, but what he was edging towards was different, at least to her. She could tell he might have wanted it, too, what with his carefree nature and knowing gaze, but deep down, she’d just dealt with crazy and didn’t know enough about Reno to confirm he wasn’t either. She honestly had no more room for anything she might regret. Not anymore, and absolutely not with him. So, no, she’d have to trust him first, which understandably took time.
Those were her terms. He’d just have to wait.
Still hopeful when she hadn’t replied, he grinned. “It just means you like me...” he teased, and she scoffed.
“Reno…” she chuckled to show him she was no fool, “Who are you seeing right after this?” She’d said it so calmly that of course, he hesitated to speak. Interesting… already she was putting him through the first test of faith. She expected him to have fully hooked up with someone else that night had he not followed her at all, or he might still, just as soon as he’d leave her. In waiting, she was impressed when he hadn’t flinched.
“Nobody…” he said which she might have believed, “I will have to leave you though because of work. I’m Healen-bound tomorrow with the President, and then who knows after that…” Unlike Rex, Reno wasn’t stupid or psycho. He knew she was subtly saying ‘no’ and respected it. She wasn’t so easily persuaded either, which he admired and liked. He could try her patience again at a later date, where they’d simply pick up where they left off. And who knows? Maybe they could be lonely together, and that would be fine.
Once again, he casually set his gaze on the stars, almost envying the idea of staying in one place just like her. She’d taken it for granted it seemed, but maybe he wouldn’t. He'd also thought about what she “needed” right after she’d said it, realizing then that he'd be no different from Cloud every time he left town for work. There was no way she’d ever be with him, not like that. Still, they could have fun.
“But I’ll be back…” he told her grinning, “And if Cloud isn’t here, ready to kick my ass or make my life a living hell, then we'll hang out.” Briefly, he looked around the space. “We should hang out up here,” he said, “Then you won’t need a sitter,” and just as smiley, Tifa liked that notion.
“Sure…” she whispered. It seemed like she was still rallying for one last thing, maybe right before he’d leave. “So, I’ll see you soon?” she asked, and without hesitating, it was as if he’d read her mind.
Already, he’d gotten up and reached for her arms, and in accepting, he pulled her close to wrap her up in his. Surprised, she felt a little smitten when he’d given her the tiniest thing she actually wanted and needed that night. But then, right before he let go, he whispered, “If you have any problems with Rex, just tell me,” and laughing, she pulled away.
“I'll be fine,” she said, which he likely knew to be true. She told him she’d already blocked the man, including just how done she was with Missed Connections.
“Good,” he said, but then she joked, right as she motioned for him to follow so she could walk him out, “…Reno, you won't write about this on there, will you?” and, grinning, Reno thought for her sake he just might:
Missed Connections
to the piece of shit, big, dumb idiot, answers to “Rex” (Edge)
⸻⸻⸻
You were the dumbass who didn’t appreciate my sartorial choices.
No one likes you.
Go fuck yourself.
❤️
