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Empress & Concubine	By : tinkerheck Category: Final Fantasy VII > General Views: 1952 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII from the Final Fantasy Universe, or any of its forms or related media. I do not own these characters. I spent money to learn about this series, and I make no money in borrowing it.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
++++++++ Please see disclaimer & story notes in chapter one ++++++++
++++++++ chapter notes ++++++++
I fly beta-less. Please forgive the typos.
As always, thanks for reading!

+

Empress & Concubine

Chapter Two

Midnight Snack

+
Reno – Turk (title), Martial Artist (nonspecific), and Sex Machine (alleged) – was bored.
He agreed to come to this club only because the mission was nearly over and Elena was begging to go out. Since Tseng was still in charge and could authorize their expenditures, all she had to do was flash those sweet brown puppy eyes at him and bam, a night out at the Gold Saucer. Or at least, the outskirts of it.
Normally, he and Rude would’ve gone on their own to find a nice pub where they could play a game or two of pool over beers. But Rude was dead, killed, gone for nearly two years now. He bit back the thought.
Reno didn’t relish the idea of the loud teenager music and the dancing, not to mention the fru-fru pansy drinks and the shallow crowd. But spending the night alone in his expensive suite playing video games was not appealing either.
He knew the bartender Kelly, at least, having been in her establishment a few times before. She was pretty, blonde and cool to chat with.
Glancing over at Tseng and Elena in their private corner booth, he noted they were swapping saliva yet again, and he groaned.
You know, he thought, It’s not so much that they are doing that. It’s that she wanted to go out to this damn club, and now all they are doing is that, and they could have just stayed in their suite and done that without me having to watch them. Doing that.
Thank you, now he could add horny to his list of problems. He glanced back to the bar. “Kelly, can I have another gimlet? Please?” he whined.
“Reno, baby. You can have as many as you want. Why do you sound so miserable?”
“That,” he spat, tossing his head in the happy couple’s direction.
She looked at the amorous Turks, grinning when she looked back at Reno.
“Jealous much?” she teased.
He scoffed, but then his face crumbled into fake tears and he sobbed “Yes!” before putting his head down on the bar.
Kelly snorted a laugh, picked up his head by his crazy red spikes, wiped off the bar under his face, then put his head back down. “Do not get your alligator tears all over my lacquered mahogany, you freak.”
Reno sat up, laughing. “Say Kells,” he drawled.
She stopped, leaning on her bar. The look on her face suggested she knew what was coming.
“Yes?” She was smiling at him far too sweetly.
“You’re a beautiful woman, I’m a devastatingly handsome guy.”
She nodded. “Well, you got the first part right. But do go on.”
“There is absolutely no reason why either of us should go home alone tonight.”
She bit the inside of her lip, shaking her head. “Who says I am going home alone tonight?”
“Ditch him. I promise it’ll be so worth it,” he leered.
She placed a hand to her heart. “Flattered, truly. But, I am not going to ditch her, and I don’t play for your team, sweetie.”
He pretended to cry again.
“Reno,” she said, already weary of the conversation. Kelly reached out to his shoulders and physically spun him on his stool to where he was facing the packed dance floor. “Now. There is a whole sea of beauties out there just waiting for you to knock them over with your considerable, if not occasionally forced, charm. Just don’t go for the one that’s wearing the purple tube top that’s masquerading as a dress, because she’s mine. And make sure you pick one that’s legal, okay?”
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, pretending to be disinterested.
All of a sudden some sort of thrasher metal pop crap started blaring out of the speakers near the dance floor, and the people there – kids, all young, younger than me, stupid kids - all gasped and screamed like the number one hit had just come on the radio. Reno rolled his eyes. They were doing a kind of body slamming, stomping thing.
They looked like idiots and it hurt his eyes.
On the side of the crowd, a short young woman with short black hair was struggling to get off the dance floor. She was wearing loose green shorts, a tight black tank top and heavy black boots. Something about her looked oddly familiar to Reno and he narrowed his eyes.
Then he saw the reason why she was struggling. Her arm was attached to some guy’s hand. He was trying to pull her back into the throng. The little thing yanked back in retaliation, but hard. The jerk stumbled forward and was forced to come out of the pit with her. But the asshole still refused to let go of her, and her pretty pixie face went dark with rage.
That was when Reno recognized her.
Shiva’s blue butt, his brain screamed, that’s Yuffie Kisaragi! With no hair!
He hopped off the barstool and straightened his jacket. He glanced up to see that the bartender had been watching him. He winked at Kelly, silently saying spotted me one, and she smirked back at him, replying good choice that.
Reno turned and headed towards Yuffie’s dilemma. At the very least, he was going to rid the ninja of the asshole kid. Hopefully she’d keep him company for a while afterwards, but if not, that was cool too. He just couldn’t leave a comrade in need like that.
Reno crept up close enough behind Yuffie so that he could hear what she was saying over the thrashing music. He wanted to make absolutely sure she did not want this kid bugging her before he interfered to make just exactly that happen. He remembered she used to get a bug up her ass whenever her fellow male comrades would come to her defense.
Except for Valentine, he thought. She seemed to like it when he did it.
The punk still had the tiny ninja’s upper arm in a vice. Stupid, kid. Very, very stupid. He glanced past Yuffie’s ear at Reno, obviously unsure about the redhead’s intent.
“I said, let go, you asshole! I wasn’t dancing with you! I was moshing. That’s with everybody, ya know?!” She wrenched her arm free and rubbed it, giving the young man another deathly glare, one that he foolishly assumed she could not live up to. Said asshole’s lip curled defiantly, and he was about to grab her again when Reno spoke, and the punk froze.
“This guy buggin’ you, Princess?”
Yuffie twisted to look back then up at him, her face registering shock. Reno’s pulse went up a notch when her expression immediately changed to one of happy recognition.
“Turkey,” she whispered saucily.
For two seconds, it was like Asshole wasn’t even there. In fact, it was like no one else was there. He grinned back, just a lopsided twitch at the corner of his mouth, and stared at her pretty face.
Later, the thought would occur to Yuffie that Tifa Lockhart just may be a clairvoyant. That crazy Turk… orange hair... I look hot, in a bar... Reno, walking into a wall… She’d have to thank her best girlfriend later for giving her such a spectacular haircut.
“Princess?!” Asshole yelped, forcing them out of their private reveries and back to the present. “Whassat supposed to mean?”
Reno looked from Asshole back to Yuffie, who was still looking back at him, but her expression had changed to one of pleading. She bit her lower lip, and he caught himself staring at it before he looked back into her eyes.
“It’s just a nickname, you idiot.” Reno sighed, reluctantly dragging his eyes away from hers to look at the punk. His whole demeanor toward the boy said you aren’t worth the air you breathe.
Asshole sneered. “What – so now you’re sayin’ you know this little guppy? Get the fucka’ ways from my catch, old timer.”
Yuffie rolled her eyes. Now she was getting mad.
Oh yeah, there’s our little ninja.
Reno had to stop himself from smiling. Yuffie turned back to Asshole, her hands clenched into tiny iron fists.
“You so did not just call me a fish.”
Uh oh.
Reno was sure this was going to get ugly if he didn’t interfere. He placed a large hand around Yuffie’s arm – not at all like the way Asshole had grabbed her, she noted… Much more gentle. Reno’s hand felt good.
Reno pulled Yuffie back so that he could jockey himself between her and Asshole, then his hand relaxed his hold. The skin on his palm was warm and dry and kind of scratchy, and it felt delicious as it slid down her smooth bare arm. Yuffie shivered inwardly. She tried not to look down at their joined hands where Reno had laced her fingers with his, and was hiding it from Asshole behind his back.
Reno sighed. “Please watch what you’re calling the lady, okay? I may have to get violent.”
“Yeah. Okay. Whatcha gonna do, rooster, peck me to death?” Asshole quipped, crossing his arms.
“Maybe you didn’t hear me, punk,” Reno said, low and angry as he leaned in - and down, as Asshole was a good four inches shorter than the Turk. Aqua eyes glinted dangerously in the low light of the club, and Asshole blinked when realization slowly dawned that he’d fucked himself good this time.
They held those positions for about four seconds, when Asshole suddenly sputtered “my mistake”, and walked away from them very quickly.
They watched him go, Reno smirking at his retreating back. He looked down at Yuffie, who had closed her eyes and was exhaling like she’d been holding her breath.
He shook their still-joined hands. “Hey, Yuffie… You all right?”
“Yeah, it’s just…” she stopped. Yuffie turned and smiled up at him, genuinely. “I’m just trying to remain incognito tonight, Reno.”
“Yeah, what’s up with that?”
When her beautiful smile faded, and she didn’t respond, he let go of her hand and scratched his chin. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t stop myself from interfering… I know you ninjas like to fight your own battles.”
He grinned down at her. His reward was witnessing a spectacular blush decorate her pretty face.
Yay me, I’m not a sexist pig and she isn’t throttling me, he thought with glee, remembering one particularly amusing time when the post-battle quarrel between Yuffie and Cid Highwind had been worse than the battle itself.
He took her hand again. “Let’s you an’ me get a drink, Sugar, and you can tell daddy all about it.”
In a pathetic attempt to stop herself from smiling, she bit the inside of her mouth as he pulled her back towards the bar.
+
“Well, they looked cozy,” Yuffie said, voice dripping with sarcasm, as she watched Tseng and Elena leaving together. She turned back to Reno. “When did that happen?”
“I dunno,” he muttered disgustedly, “Nineteen Forty-five, maybe? Another please, Kells,” he said, pushing his empty crystal tumbler towards her. “And get the lady anything she wants.”
“Um, can I have another Apple Martini? Oh, and my backpack too, Kelly, please.”
“Sure, Yuffie,” the blonde answered. She grinned, glancing from Turk to ninja, came to her own private conclusion, and disappeared to the other end of the bar. Reno took out his credit chip and glanced at Yuffie.
“You know Kelly?”
“Yeah, I’ve been in here more than a few times since they opened. She always stows my gear for me so that I can blow off some steam for a few hours without worrying about my stuff getting filched.”
“You said backpack – you out on WRO business?”
“Now, Reno dear,” Yuffie snickered. “You know that employees of Shinra and the WRO are not permitted to discuss missions with each other unless we are mutually on said mission.”
“All right, all right…” he said, smiling. Reno swiped his credit chip at the bar terminal and put it back in his jacket pocket. Yuffie watched him closely, paying attention to his hands and the chip – and where he stashed it.
Reno narrowed his eyes at her. “You gonna try an’ swipe that, Princess?”
Yuffie bit the inside of her lip again, blushing. “Old habits, Turkey.” She smiled at Kelly, who brought their drinks and then placed Yuffie’s backpack on the bar next to her drink. Taking her martini, Yuffie swirled the swizzle stick absentmindedly. “It’s just... is that Shinra issue? Cuz I gotta get me one of those.”
“Rufus gave it to me, yeah. I’m on a mission, anyway.”
“Reeve’s never given me, or any Avalanche member I’m pretty sure, a credit chip for a mission.” Yuffie scowled. “Don’t we rate?”
“Well,” Reno quipped, cracking his neck casually and speaking in a haughty tone, “perhaps it’s because I’m accustomed to a more civilized lifestyle. As I recall, you and the other freaks spent most of your time sleeping in dingy cots or on the ground. Right?” Reno gave her an exaggerated shiver.
“Um. Well, luxuries were never really the point for us.” Yuffie looked down, smiling nostalgically. “Other than kicking ass and avoiding ass-kickings, not much else really mattered… at the time.”
He regretted bringing Avalanche up. Not when he was trying so hard to…
What exactly are you trying so hard to do here, again? Reno thought, and swallowed hard. Never one to linger, his thoughts moved on.
Yes. You are now officially pursuing Yuffie Kisaragi.
Reno cleared his throat. “So, the backpack. How much longer are you gonna be here?”
“Um… Well, I was going to take off pretty soon. Find a nice resting spot before it gets too dark.”
Reno frowned. Suddenly, he was not happy with the idea of her sleeping outside, unprotected. He knew perfectly well the ninja could defend herself, but still… It bothered him – and on a level he didn’t expect. He was already starting to feel possessive.
It’s her eyes. She’s always had beautiful eyes. Not to mention that perfect little ass…
“Uh-huh… Then, it’s off to - where did you say, Princess?”
“I didn’t, Turkey. I didn’t.”
Reno quirked an eyebrow, smirking.
“I’m back on the road tomorrow morning, latest. What I’m doing isn’t WRO, but it’s still classified. Wutai-classified, ‘kay?” Her tone was cheery, but matter-of-fact, letting him know that any further details were off limits.
He smiled softly, knowing it was time to change the subject before he lost any chance he had with her. Whatever it was he was trying to go for, anyway. He still wasn’t sure.
That bothered him too. Normally he knew if it was going to be a one-time thing. But he’d never really gone after a comrade before. Flirted, yes, but never pursued with serious intent.
Serious? Oh shit. Yes, I did just think that.
He decided that there was no sense arguing with himself. Not to mention that it potentially implied he’d gone insane.
Here we go…
Reno leaned in close next to Yuffie, putting a hand on her bar stool for leverage, right next to her hip. He was nearly breathing in her ear, and she suddenly remembered how horny she actually was. She would have melted right there on the spot, flowing right into his lap…
Unfortunately, he picked the wrong subject, yet again.
“Okay. So ya can’t talk about it. But… Little Princess Yuffie Kisaragi, in a bar? What would the Emperor say?” he asked, but he was very quiet about it – making sure no one else heard him.
He was being discreet, she had to give him that. But she didn’t want to be reminded about who she was, either. She wanted a night of fun.
“I couldn’t give a flying fuck what he or anyone else thinks about my personal habits, Turkey,” she blurted out, voice cool and monotone. Her mood had shifted. She glared at him just a little, their faces still close. Even though he knew it was just the subject that’d set her off, it bothered him that she’d stopped flirting.
“Sore subject, huh? I’m sorry, Yuffie. Won’t say it again.”
She nodded, looking back at her drink without smiling. “Don’t get me wrong. I love my father very much. But sometimes…”
“Tell you what. You stop calling me Turkey, and I won’t mention Wutai, or your pops, or use the word ‘Princess’ again. Deal?”
She pursed her lips, trying to hide a smile, stirring her swizzle stick.
Very perceptive, Reno.
“Deal,” she said, looking back at his face, still so very close. He saw her glance from his eyes to his lips and back again, and then she smiled. He pulled back just enough to get his hand off her bar stool.
Whew. There we go! That’s better… Damn she’s cute.
“In any case, Reno,” she said, putting the emphasis on his name and making his brain twitch, “I’d better get a move on before-”
“You should get a hotel room. And you should go out to dinner tonight. With me. If you’re gonna be walking all over Gaia tomorrow, you’ll need your protein, ninja.”
Yuffie smiled, shaking her head.
He wants sex, she thought, her mind turning to Reno’s reputation. Come to think of it, I want some sex too… But sex will have to wait. Besides, he’s kinda like a teammate. On a team that still kinda includes Vincent. That could get sticky...
“Thanks all the same,” she said, downing her martini, and nodding a goodbye to Kelly, who nodded back. “But I really do have to get going before it gets too late.” Yuffie stood up to leave, sliding off her stool and shouldering her pack in the same smooth move. “Thanks a lot for the drink, Reno. And, really, for handling that asshole. It was great to run into you. I’m outta here,” she said, winking at him.
Reno stood up immediately with her and grabbed her hand.
“Awwww,” he drawled, pouting, and she felt her knees go weak.
She swallowed hard. Why was it so difficult to leave him? Why was his charm, of all things, working on her?
Yeeesh, I must really be hard up, Yuffie thought. Then again, he always was pretty hot. Skanky, but hot.
“C’mon? Pleeeeeease? Just stay and talk with me. I thought we were getting along pretty good here!”
He smiled at her that time, genuine, all boyish charm. He wasn’t displaying an ounce of the harsh sarcasm she remembered him for – nor had he, all night long, now that she thought of it. He’d teased, flirted, probed for info, but there had been no insulting comments about her past life as a thief, or her height, or her age.
Other than growing up, which she had no control over, she hadn’t changed all that much… maybe he had.
She didn’t respond – what could she say? Reno shook his head, clearly disappointed. “Sorry, I get it,” he said, sitting back down, “You can’t talk about it and you have to go. Be careful, anyway.”
Yuffie felt bad. The guy was still pouting. She touched his arm, and he swiveled the stool back around easily, as though the slightest pull on her part would have had him at her feet. Massaging her toes.
She shivered at the thought. Gods! And my feet really are killing me. Maybe he’s hard up too, she thought with relish. This could work out. One quick - and from what I’ve heard, fantastic fuck - no commitment, no hard feelings, stay friendly, don’t have to call him after…
“Reno, don’t be like that. I want to, really,” she grinned up at him. Her hand slipped down his sleeve and brushed against his fingers before retuning to her side.
“But what, Yuffie?” He smiled easy. And he didn’t call her Princess. Just like he’d promised.
“I’m… on the road. This was a just a stopover, on the way…” No, don’t tell him any more! There will be too many questions… “Ah, I just haven’t had a real bath or slept in a bed for about three days. I’m not exactly… uh, fresh.”
“You smell pretty good to me,” he said.
“Reno,” she whispered, embarrassed. A small blush crept up her neck and settled very nicely in her cheeks, just above the grin. His heart thudded when she looked down at her feet, then looked back up again, all rosy cheeks and shining eyes.
She continued on. “Plus… Well, I don’t have dinner wear. Kinda isn’t backpack-friendly clothing, ya know?”
“Uh-huh… So, do you plan on getting a room for the night? Because… while you turning me down for dinner isn’t making me happy, that part is really bothering me.”
“But I’ll be on my way again by tomorrow. It’s not worth the money me getting a room for just that. But then, I hadn’t planned on coming in here, either. It just happened!” she shrugged, smiling. “Nice to see you again, though.”
Reno knew she was past her teen years, but he couldn’t figure out when Yuffie Kisaragi, brat-ninja-thief, had gotten so attractive. Maybe she always had been. He was just too preoccupied flirting with chesty Tifa Lockheart and coddling sensitive Elena and bedding the endless line of slutty bimbos to have noticed.
“Yuffie. This is precisely why you don’t get a credit chip when you go on missions. You have to live like you need one. Let me demonstrate: Pretty little thing like you sleeping on the hard, cold ground? Tsk tsk,” he admonished, delicately tapping the tip of her nose with a fingertip. “And for the third night in a row? Unacceptable.” He took her pack from her and shouldered it, downed the rest of his gimlet, and grabbed her hand.
“You just come with me, and Reno will take care of all your troubles,” he quipped as he pulled her out of the bar.
She offered him no resistance. His hand - warm and large and strong, just like when he’d gotten rid of Asshole – felt really nice. It reminded her entirely too much of Vincent’s… Not that she’d ever held Vincent’s hand. She’d just looked at it a lot.
‘Bout the same height, too. She sighed, Tall, good-looking, charming loner… Oh, no…
She looked down as they exited the darkness of the club, squinting at what was left of the sunlight. A small dread set in, thinking she may be making a horrible mistake.
But why? A mistake for me personally… or because of Vincent? Dammit…
Reno remembered Yuffie having been a chatterbox, so when she just held his hand and silently fell into step next to him, he looked down at her to make sure she was all right.
“You okay, Yuffie?”
“Sure,” she said, smiling up at him. “Could use a little coffee, though. Uh, where are you taking me, Reno?”
He smiled. “Someplace already paid for, with boutiques, they got fancy girl-clothes there, and I can get you yummy coffee drinks, and you can get cleaned up if you want ‘cuz there’s a bath tub…”
And a bed, he thought, swallowing hard. Don’t say that. Not yet, anyway. Shit… I want her already. Keep cool, Reno.
When Yuffie didn’t respond, he felt a small surge of panic. Maybe he was moving too fast. Wouldn’t surprise him… Reno looked down at her. She was still smiling, but looked a little nervous, too.
He squeezed her hand.
“I didn’t mean anything by that, Yuffie. I’ll leave you alone for an hour or so while you work your girl magic. Then I’ll come back. With caffeine,” he grinned down at her. “And then we can decide where I’m taking you out for dinner, okay?”
“Treating me to all this isn’t going to interfere with your mission, is it? Because if it does and Reeve and Rufus find out I will be in so much trob-”
“Mom and Dad won’t know we did anything,” he joked, not clarifying which boss was which parent, “and don’t worry about my mission. Everything is under control and it’s all good.”
+
Yuffie Kisaragi sat soaking her tired little ninja body in hot, soapy water. After three days of traveling, which had included stowing away on a very dirty cargo ship from Junon harbor to the Gold Saucer, it was absolute heaven. She had been in the tub musing over nothing in particular. The hot water and the jasmine scented bubbles had felt so good, smelled so inviting, that simply diving in and scrubbing the dirt away so that she could get out and get dressed as quickly as possible held little meaning when she felt the heat sinking right into her marrow. Reno was totally right, this was truly doing her a world of good, even if the reasons why were things he couldn’t comprehend and probably wouldn’t want to.
She knew she was in for a lecture when she squared off with the council again. They’d go on about her too-short haircut and her wanderlust lifestyle, her lack of feminine graces and anything else they could think of to make her feel powerless. Yuffie vowed she would think of this moment, this beautiful hot bath that she was taking in an unmarried man’s hotel room. She would keep her attitude cavalier, and it would piss the hell out of them.
Godo will be proud of me.
Fully relaxed, she closed her eyes and sank in to the water until her mouth was immersed and she breathed in hot fragrant steam through her nose, just above the water line. She remained still, and took in what had happened so far that night.
It was a very posh hotel. They’d entered the lobby on the ground floor, which was full of windows and sunlight. There were trees and plants everywhere, with a huge waterfall spilling into a pond filled with koi and antique loose change, long since abandoned in favor of the credit system. The waterfall and pond rested between two curved gilded staircases that went up to the first floor, which was buzzing with shops and commerce. To the sides of the stairs were the front desk on the right and the elevators – glass, no less – on the left.
Most sections of the Gold Saucer were nowhere near this affluent. Here, it was a playground for the wealthiest of all Gaia. Yuffie was not fond of this crowd. She had only stopped at Kelly’s bar because night would be falling soon, and she wanted a hot meal before disappearing into the wilds between the Gold Saucer and Cosmo Canyon.
Nanaki had sent word ahead to prepare for her arrival. They would transport her to the Southern tip of Wutai Continent. After that, she only had three more days of hiking through her own lands and she’d be back by her ailing father’s side.
The hotel Reno was staying in was definitely upscale. Not that she wasn’t used to a fancy life in Wutai, being Princess Yuffie, but everything there was traditional. It wasn’t posh. She preferred her villages where the people were true to themselves and respected the land. Despite being the heir to her nation’s throne, the posh life had never suited her.
A Princess simply does not stow away in dirty cargo ships. She smirked evilly, her mouth still below the water line. No, but a ninja does…
After a quiet and slightly uncomfortable-in-a-good-way ride up to the third floor in a glass elevator, Reno opened the door to room number three-two-three, holding it open and letting her slide in past him. “Ninjas first,” he’d teased.
All she could manage was a gasp. He truly knew how to live.
There was of course more gilding, but also dark polished wood, purple velvet-covered couches and chairs, a huge window looking out over the city, and a king sized bed covered in more crushed purple velvet – she swallowed when she thought of it now, and managed another blush despite the hot water. There was also a stocked mini-bar with a fridge.
Reno was really throwing her for a loop, being sweet and funny. They were always bickering during the days of Sephiroth. Despite the fact that he (and Rude) had been the ones that had saved her from Don Corneo, she’d behaved like a little bitch and he had been a total fuckwad.
Things do change, she reminded herself, biting her lip to keep from grinning too hard.
Right off the bat, he called down to the concierge for more towels and ‘girl things’ as he’d put it, making Yuffie snicker. Then he smiled, and leaned away from her to ask for something else, she didn’t know what.
It didn’t matter. She was too engrossed in all the posh to really notice.
When he got off the phone, he was kind of shy, telling her there was booze at the bar and drinks in the fridge if she was still thirsty. She’d said okay, and asked him about the coffee.
“Nah, the stuff they got in there is pretty bad. I’m gonna go out and give you your privacy anyhow, I’ll get you some good coffee when I’m out. I know a place. Say, about an hour?”
“Sure, that’s way more than enough time. My hair takes like ten seconds to fix now!” she laughed nervously, fingering the wisps behind her right ear. Now she was getting shy.
He looked down at her, smiling. “I like this on you,” he said, touching her barely-there bangs. “It suits you. Shows off those pretty eyes.”
She bit her lip, and looked away smiling.
He’d paused for a moment, watching her. Clearing his throat, he said he was off, just as housekeeping came up with the towels and toiletries.
The maid laid out the things in the bathroom, and Yuffie stood there, feeling horribly provincial and useless. She doubted she could ever get used to such a lifestyle.
The maid had brought a Jasmine-scented toiletry set and a citrus one, and told Yuffie that she should feel free to take them both with her when she checked out. Then she mentioned that the dresses would be up in a few more minutes, “So if you’d be gracious enough to wait until they have been delivered before you take your bath that would be good, yes? You are free to try on as many as you’d like.”
Yuffie was confused, and questioned that, so maid answered, “Mr. Reno, he asked for us to bring up some clothing in your size that would be suitable for a night on the town?”
“Oh,” was all she could manage.
What a guy. Then she thought about how the conversation must have gone when he was trying to describe her size to the concierge.
+
When Reno returned with coffee, Yuffie was dressed to go, wearing a dark red flouncy sundress that fell to just above her knees. She found a nice pair of sandals to go with it, too.
Reno stared. Simple. No fuss with her. And she still looks fantastic.
“You like?” she asked, twirling once. “Good enough for eating out?”
“Man, don’t you clean up nice. You look great, Yuffie,” he said, grinning. He handed her the coffee. “I know just where to take you, too.”
They walked a few blocks to a restaurant that specialized in seafood, holding hands and gabbing about nothing in particular all the way. Yuffie was a little shocked to find that she was already completely relaxed with Reno. She wasn’t thinking about her dad, or Vincent, or even Wutai. Just listening to the sound of his voice seemed to do the trick.
Reno requested a private table just in case anyone recognized his bright hair, or that he had royalty on his arm. Yuffie needed to be a civilian tonight, and while he didn’t know the reason why, it felt right helping her.
The hostess sat them at a table in the back party room. Despite the late hour, the front room of the place was still bustling, but there was no one else in sight where they were.
Their waiter, an adorable kid in his late teens, brought them water and menus. At first he seemed quite thrilled to have customers all to himself in the isolated room, saying “Hello! I’m Lee, I’ll be your server tonight” with a graceful smile.
Lee was obviously Wutainian to Yuffie’s eyes, and it didn’t surprise her one bit when he took one good look at her, gasped, averted his eyes, fell to one knee, and remained in that position.
Reno was about to haul them out of the restaurant when Yuffie put a hand on his arm. “It’s okay. Lemme handle this,” she whispered, winking at him.
She stood up, holding out her hand, palm down. She said something to the boy in Wutai, and he stood up, but still would not make eye contact with her. He took her hand and kissed her knuckles.
Yuffie said something else that made Lee laugh and he finally looked at her directly. She continued speaking, and he nodded now and again, blushing. He said a few things to her as well, but he spoke so softly Reno could barely tell he was speaking at all.
He wondered if that was the custom in Wutai, speaking in hushed tones when addressing a royal. Hushed tones was not something he was good at.
Their conversation went on for a bit, then Yuffie said something while tossing her head in Reno’s direction. The boy nodded at her, then he stood and bowed to Reno.
Not knowing what was happening but also not wanting to be impolite, the Turk stood up and returned a little bow back to Lee, very stiffly. Reno looked at Yuffie, with a face that said help?
She nodded happily at him, her own expression saying just right, Reno, so he sat back down.
Lee turned back to his princess and shared a few more words with her in their native language, then he smiled at Reno and left.
“We okay, then?” asked Reno, flapping his napkin open and laying it across his lap.
“We okay,” she teased. “I told him that you are my bodyguard and we are secretly in love. By the way it’s your birthday did you know - that was the bow, there, and I think it will get us free cake! I actually know him, or at least the group he belongs to.” She snapped her napkin out with a flourish. “I don’t have to worry about him giving me away. They are exiles.”
“Exiles? What, from Wutai? Why would anyone get exiled from there?”
She shook her head sadly. “No. Exiles by choice, actually. Things are happening there… Things that are going to have to be dealt with, and soon. Bad things. There is a very conservative movement gaining ground. Lee is gay. The group he left with is filled with artists, activists, environmentalists, many others, some just like Lee – a young kid that has been made to feel helpless and isolated by the people surrounding him. Lee and the group he is with, these are citizens that exemplify our diversity as a nation. We could not afford to lose any of them. I was very vocal, very publically vocal, in my disappointment over their treatment. That didn’t go over too well with some people.” She shook her head.
Gods… she sounds so much more polished than I remember her to be.
“The Emperor chew you a new one?” Reno sounded completely sympathetic.
“No, no. Godo and I actually see eye-to-eye on many things. He’s pretty liberal for an old man. He just wants more commerce in Wutai, so that we can stand on our own again, and he’s gone to great lengths to try and get us there. I want Wutai to be more like we were before the tourist trade – pastoral and powerful. That’s me an’ Godo’s main conflict. But the movement,” she said the word as though it was dripping with poison, “considers people like our cute waiter deviants of the state. Although they have no official political power, they do have some numbers, and they can make life hell for you if there are too many of them hanging around your village and you aren’t… Well, whatever it is they want us to be. Something militant and drab olive, I suspect. I have yet to figure that one out.”
“What’s Godo going to do?”
Yuffie paused. He’s not going to do anything. My poor father is going to help me deal with it as much as he is able and then he is going to die and I will have to deal with it on my own.
“I… I don’t know.”
+
Yuffie and Reno flirted, laughed, scarfed appetizers, danced, kissed and drank, all alone in the privacy of the party room, dragging the night out into a long couple of hours before they were ready to order.
Lee kept the others at bay, keeping his Princess’s secret to himself. He didn’t really buy Yuffie’s shtick about her escort being her bodyguard – her ninja prowess was well known – and he wasn’t sure about the in love business either. But it was obvious they were more than friends, and he secretly hoped his sovereign-to-be would get lucky with the tall, gorgeous redhead.
But Reno wasn’t paying enough attention to see that she was ready to get lucky.
Oh Leviathan, was she ever ready.
“I’ll have the steak and lobster combo, with potatoes and green beans. Order whatever you want, Yufs, but make sure you get some protein.”
He was obviously hungry, as he read over the menu with zeal and was not really paying attention to her now.
“Oh, I plan on getting a whole lotta protein tonight.”
Nothing.
She turned to Lee, shrugging. He’s not getting it.
Lee was hiding a smirk behind his ticket book. She nodded at him sarcastically, throwing a thumb in Reno’s direction. “I’ll have what he’s having,” she sighed.
“Very good, miss,” said Lee. Reno was still preoccupied, and Yuffie shook her head at their waiter. She had to squint as the young man turned his ticket book to her and pointed to a tiny little box that said ‘take out’. He smiled expectantly at her.
She smiled back, biting her lip.
“Um, Reno?”
Reno continued perusing the menu, moving to the dessert section as he absentmindedly said “Hnn?” to Yuffie in response.
She bit her lip again, shy, no longer able to hide the smile or the blush.
It’s now or never, girl.
“Can we get this to go?”
Eventually, after what she’d said sunk in, he turned and stared at Yuffie. He found she was eyeing him like he was the hot, juicy, satisfying steak she’d just ordered. He was stunned into silence. Reno nearly choked on his own spit as he had to remind himself to breathe.
Lee did a great job at biting back his smirk, but he kept looking from Reno to Yuffie, watching to see how it would play out.
Reno cleared his throat, set down the menu, threw his linen napkin on top of it, smiled reassuringly at Yuffie, then looked up at the Lee, saying, “Absolutely. Pack it up, Garçon.”
Triumphant, Lee X’d the take out box dramatically while quipping “Yes, sir!”, then walked off smiling broadly.
They just sat there staring at each other for a long moment.
Yuffie finally smiled at him, now more flushed than ever, and said, “You be sure and give him a really big tip, Reno.”
+
Yuffie had to admit, that despite his (maybe undeserved?) manwhore reputation, Reno had done a fabulous job containing his excitement. From the moment she had informed him, albeit allusively, that he was going to get laid tonight, they’d had to wait.
Somehow they managed to stop staring at each other and they got up from their table at the restaurant. Then Reno paid the bill and they waited for the food to be boxed and bagged. Lee had done what he could, hissing the urgency to the chefs behind the kitchen doors, but still… cold, live lobsters first had to be made into hot, dead ones before they could be counted as food.
Then there was the long, torturous walk back to the hotel. Hands were held, then arms were linked, then shoulders stroked, then bags were simply dropped to the sidewalk and there was some clingy hugging and passionate kissing. There were protestations of stop that and keep walking or we’ll never get there and I need to breathe now and oh my gods, can this take any longer?
The answer to that last one was yes, because then came the really difficult ride up in that damn glass elevator where they still couldn’t make out because everyone would have seen them doing it.
Bare, sweaty flesh pressed up against public glass, ew.
Reno began to lose his cool, though, when the elevator finally dinged and the doors slid open like molasses and they fled the little glass prison and turned into the hallway, running straight in the direction of room number three-two-three.
There was no one else in the hall, so he shoved the bags of food into Yuffie’s hands, and picked her up, tossing her over his shoulder as he ran down the hall to the door. She giggled as he fumbled with the key card. His hands were beginning to shake, but he got the damn door open and he set her down as gently as he could manage, pulling the door shut and grabbing the food from her hands.
Yuffie just stood still and laughed. He was moving so fast that she didn’t want to get in his way out of fear of being knocked down. He ran to the fridge and threw the bags in, swung the door shut and ran back to her, all in one fluid motion.
He picked her up again, this time marriage-style, and kissed her thoroughly. That made them both very dizzy, and his path to the bed became a bit of a struggle. It only got worse when she starting playing with his hair.
“Aren’t you hungry? I thought you were hungry,” Yuffie keened, whispering in his ear and weaving her fingers through his crazy red locks. She tugged on the strands and bit his earlobe softly.
She already wanted him inside her.
“Starving,” Reno said through clenched teeth, leaning over the velvet bedspread and laying her out before him. Her hands let go of his hair, and slipped down to his broad, sinewy shoulders. She pulled, bringing him down with her until he was almost on top of her. He had no choice but to straddle the sides of her body, on his knees, to avoid laying on top of her.
Eager, Yuffie tried to pull Reno closer again, but he resisted, not wanted to crush her despite how badly he wanted to crush her against him.
This wasn’t some unnamed bimbo underneath him and he wanted to be sure that she knew his respect for her was intact, and still would be come morning – if they lasted that long.
He wanted it to last that long. Longer, even.
She was royalty. She was a comrade. She was a friend. Not trusting himself with her yet, he placed his hands palms-down on either side of her shoulders on the bed and looked at her, silently pleading for her consent.
Yuffie bit her lip again. She was frustrated that they weren’t even naked yet, but she knew she was going to have to give him a signal, something like permission, before he’d go any further.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she used his body to pull herself up and off the bed. As she arched her back and rubbed the entire length of her torso against his, she kissed him with everything she had.
He felt every inch of her through that little dress, and he moaned into her mouth while lowering her back to the bed.
Yuffie’s ankles and toes responded, flexing and tightening with want, until she finally couldn’t stop herself from popping her legs out from between his thighs and wrapping them around his waist. He felt her amazing ninja muscles stiffen against him, and Reno suddenly realized he’d be a very lucky man if she didn’t cause his brain to explode before morning.
+
It was just before four in the morning when they both woke up with growling stomachs.
Reno got out of bed, sauntering over to the small refrigerator to get some of their dinner. Yuffie got up on her elbows and watched him moving, quietly admiring the view.
“Do you want some of the veggies? Or just the meat?” he asked, leering back at her.
“I need some protein.”
“You mean you need some more protein,” he muttered sarcastically, smiling to himself. Unashamed, she snickered loudly from the bed.
“Lobster and steak it is, then.” He grabbed a plate and tossed one tail and steak on it, along with a knife and two forks and a linen napkin.
“Um… I meant to tell you earlier… about Rude,” she offered as he sat back down on the bed and handed her a fork. “I’m sorry, Reno. I never got the chance to tell you how bad I felt for you. I was in Wutai doing… some royal crap, I don’t know, when it happened.”
“Oh… yeah. That day sucked. Thanks,” he said, clearing his throat and kissing her once on the lips. “Best partner ever. At least he didn’t suffer much. But I still miss him.”
Yuffie smiled, squeezing his forearm lightly. She could tell she didn’t need to say anything more about it. Reno cut both of the meats into several pieces and held the plate between them. It grazed Yuffie’s bare knee and she gasped.
“Ah! Cold,” she laughed, rubbing her knee.
“Eh, sorry. I’m having trouble concentrating. You are very distracting.”
Yuffie smiled at him, and speared a chunk of lobster. She plopped it in her mouth and gave a satisfied hum while chewing, and Reno smiled in return.
“Good even cold, ain’t it?” He claimed a piece of the steak. “I love this restaurant,” he said around his charred cow.
“Oh, by the way, thanks,” she said, also with food in her mouth.
“For what?” He reached over with the napkin and wiped her chin.
She swallowed, smiling. “I’ve won the pool at the WRO.”
He frowned. “You’ve lost me, gorgeous.”
“I had you down for dark auburn. I win,” she grinned cheekily.
He nearly choked on a bit of lobster. Yuffie giggled and pounded him on the back. “Gods above...” he wheezed, coughing. “It’s good to know you folks at the World Regenesis Organization are working so very hard.”
She snickered as she sat back down in front of him. “So do you just lighten the top then, or what?”
“I’ll never tell.”
They continued to eat in silence for a bit, smiling and stealing glances at each other.
“Um, Yuffie?”
“Yeah?”
“I… I know the Emperor’s not doing too well. That what’s going on with you?”
Yuffie glanced up at his face, right into aqua eyes so sincere they were painfully pretty. He was trying to get her to open up. She looked back down at the plate and kept her eyes on it. Spearing a piece of the steak, she muttered, “Not many secrets amongst the elite of Shira and the WRO, are there?”
He shook his head, afraid he’d overstepped her carefully placed boundaries. “I didn’t mean to pry, Yuffie. I just–”
“No, no. It’s okay. I’m not mad. But… yeah. Godo’s sick, and I gotta go home for now. He needs me, I guess. Gonna need me more if this damned movement thing…”
She put the piece of steak in her mouth, stopping herself from saying anything else.
Reno cleared his throat. “I’m actually done here – with the mission, I mean, so I have some time to myself. I won’t be able to get us a helicopter, but I could put off going back to Shinra HQ and go with you tomorrow… if you wanted.”
She smiled nervously, looking back up at him as she swallowed. Vincent goes to see Nanaki pretty often. After our little altercation, he may even be there right now.
If her beloved gunslinger was there, strolling into Cosmo Canyon on Reno’s arm could lead to a whole mess of sour grapes. She simply did not want to deal with that.
“Reno, that is so sweet, really,” she whispered, kissing him for good measure. She was trying to keep the emotion from tightening her voice. He’d heard it, though.
Running into her crush aside, there were other reasons he shouldn’t escort her. “I should go alone. There’s this big attitude in Wutai right now about not accepting foreign aide. If I show up with a Turk, well… I don’t think blurting out ‘no no no he’s not here to help us he’s just here to fuck my brains out’ will win me any popularity votes.”
He snickered.
“And… What with Godo’s illness, it’s going to…” she had to stop, swallowing hard and clearing her throat. “It’s gonna be a difficult enough visit.”
He’ll find out why soon enough, she thought, when the Turks and Rufus Shinra get their coronation invitations.
“Okay. I gotcha,” he whispered, squeezing her hand.
She laughed quietly and shook her head, a thought suddenly occurring to her as she put her fork down on the now empty plate.
“What?”
“Nothing. It’s just…” She exhaled. “It’s silly.”
Reno set the plate and the rest of the cutlery on the nightstand.
“Tell me,” he said, turning back to her and pulling her down with him as they got back under the covers. “Please?”
Yuffie snuggled in closer to him, shivering, wanting Reno’s heat again, everywhere, all over her, making her forget her own name. She closed her eyes and took a long, satisfied breath.
“You’re the first person who has offered to do that. Escort me, I mean.”
Reno frowned in the dark. “Who else have you told you’re going back?”
She thought about Avalanche, and Vincent in particular. “Everyone,” she laughed mirthlessly. “Everyone.”
He turned onto his side, fitting her front against his and rubbing the smooth skin on her back to warm her up.
“Idiots.”
“No, not really, they just totally respect my independent nature, and–”
“No, really, they’re idiots,” he muttered, slightly disgusted.
Then he kissed her, and she forgot her name again.
+
For breakfast, or technically brunch, they discovered that Lee had slipped in two very generous pieces of sweet white birthday cake at the bottom of the bag, which went splendid with some hot black coffee. There was also a note from their very smart waiter, addressed to Yuffie and written in Wutai script. Reno did not know what Lee had said to her in it, as Yuffie couldn’t even bring herself to read it aloud. But she had to wipe a few tears away after reading it. She folded it with utmost care and secured it in her backpack.
Reno had kissed her and said he wanted to see her again, and kissed her some more, but all she could do was sigh and smile. She tried to think about how fantastic the Turk had made her last real night of freedom.
She did not want to think about how she was off to commit the rest of her life away to the greater good of all Wutai. If she thought about that too much, she’d have to tell him, and she wasn’t ready to see a crushed look on his pretty face. She wanted to remember him just as he was now, happy and affectionate.
Lock the memory away and keep it perfect, so that you can re-live it in your mind’s eye later. When you will need such thoughts to get by…
Eventually Yuffie pulled away from Reno and left. She made it out the door of his suite at half past noon, not exactly on schedule but not really giving a damn, either. It’d be late when she got to Cosmo Canyon, and after midnight before she’d reach the bottom of Wutai proper.
She felt cold by the time the elevator door opened before her.
Now he was staring after her from the suite’s picture window as she walked away in the street below. He gripped the ceramic handle of his coffee cup so tight it was vibrating. Reno didn’t even flinch as a few drops of hot liquid dripped over the edge, burning his hand.
“C’mon Yufs… Look back, baby. Just once. Gimme one look, right over that beautiful bare shoulder.”
He held his breath. She kept walking.
And Yuffie just kept walking. She gripped her bag tighter. She wouldn’t look. She couldn’t. Couldn’t give him hope like that. It would be mean, and you don’t do mean things to the people you care about, right?
I wonder if he’s looking. Oh, GAWD, Yuffie! You dumbass! You almost turned and looked at him just to see if he is looking at you!
She sucked in a breath and clenched her eyes shut.
Don’t look don’t look don’t look. You’re never going to touch him again like you did last night I don’t care how hot it was so, just… Do Not Look.
She swallowed hard, trying not to think about how unexpectedly sweet he had been. She had imagined he’d be an animal in bed, and he had been, but only when called for. He had done all kinds of things with her and it had been… well, lovely. It registered in her brain that he wasn’t known for that sort of behavior, and now that she thought about it, she couldn’t remember ever seeing him with a serious girlfriend.
But it was there in his eyes… in his voice, his kiss, when he’d touched her within and inch of her life in bed, when he had scrubbed her back in the morning shower, and when he’d said farewell to her not five minutes ago.
He wants to see me again. What the hell was she supposed to do with that?
Setting aside the fact that she didn’t have the freedom to do that anymore, if they continued this he’d eventually want the one thing she couldn’t ever fully give him, her heart. She knew, deep down, it still belonged to Vinc–
Reno. We’re thinking about Reno here, girl. Unexpectedly sweet. And hot. He’d been hot, too. Ah, Leviathan… How the hell does this shit happen so fast? She sighed, feeling that loveliness building inside. She hadn’t felt that way in a long, long time.
Fuck it.
Yuffie halted in her tracks and rolled her eyes. She knew she was going to do something foolish even though she still had every chance to stop. She turned slowly, glancing sheepishly up at the window of the room they had occupied. The sun glare was so fierce that she couldn’t see a thing through the glass, but she didn’t need to see Reno to know he was watching her leave.
Yuffie allowed her heart to leap, just a little bit. She smiled softly at the window, and winked, then turned back to her chosen path and casually went on her way.
But back in the posh room that still reeked of really great sex, Reno – Turk (title), Martial Artist (nonspecific), and Sex Machine (totally confirmed) – gagged on a mouthful of coffee.
Yuffie had looked back at him. Fuck, she’d winked.
“Ha ha, YEAH! Who’s your daddy?!” he shouted, fisting the air, then yelped as half a mug of hot coffee scalded his hand.

+

tbc

+

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Empress & Concubine