towerofanimus | Tonight the world is much smaller with room for only you and me.

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Tonight the world is much smaller with room for only you and me.

RCharacters: Elena

provenworth and Reno midgarhorizon
Setting: Floor 38; Lounge; early evening of September 16th
Format: Whatever suits your fancy!
Summary: After a rather...awkward interaction two days prior, Elena needs to clear the air - with the help of liquid courage.
Warnings: Drinking and feels and who knows what else? Drinking. Nudity. RATED M FOR MATURE

Two days. That was the time frame that she'd set before leaving Reno sitting in the library, watching her leave with with stoic face, perhaps just as unsure how react over what had happened as she was. And it was during those two days that she'd locked herself up in her room, replaying the entire scenario, analyzing every movement, every word, reflecting to her own actions and reasons for them. Reasons that took her back to the same feeling, the same thought, and it was getting her nowhere. But she couldn't let more than the prescribed time pass before talking to Reno again - if he chose to show up. She had been in such a hurry that she hadn't waited to hear his response, and the sound of blood thundering through her veins had drowned out all other sounds. There were things that had to be said, apologies to be made for her abruptness and her poor communication skills.

In preparation of their meeting, Elena had made a little trip to the bar the pair ran, taking three bottles of the minty concoction that they'd made and a pair of glasses. Realizing that she'd not offered details as to where or when they'd meet, she sent him a text with her location and what time she'd be there. Once sent, she took the collected supplies and went straight to the lounge. Finding it open, much to her delight, she chose a seat near the window in a far corner and lined up the bottles and the pair of glasses on an adjacent coffee table to the long couch. Moving the bottles into a proper straight line, she turned to the couch, adjusting pillows and mentally playing out who would sit where.

Turning to the long wall of windows, she paused to use the reflection, adjusting her tie and ran her fingers through her hair. Fingers played nervously with her jacket, dusting off invisible lint and dust, before moving back to the couch. Sitting down, Elena poured herself a pre-meeting drink to calm her nerves, downing half of it with three gulps before resting it in her lap. And then she waited, her hands holding her half-filled glass in her lap, watching the movement of the darkening clouds beyond the tower.

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Half of him wasn't expecting to actually be there. Expecting it to be all a joke, but even he had a hard time coming up with a reason Elena would have for putting on a joke like that.

Still, he paused a moment or two when he saw her on the couch, coming off of the stair case. Knowing she was there and that it really wasn't a joke just made his palms sweaty while he gathered up the courage to actually walk over and sit down.

It didn't work too well.

Minutes passed. After that scene with Yu, he wasn't sure he could handle this. Why had she-

Stop it.

Putting on a half smirk, he started forward purposefully, and jumped over the sofa to land in the spot next to her. It wasn't easy faking confidence he didn't feel, but he had gotten a lot of practice at it.

"Hey, Elena."

Patience had become one of her stronger suits over the years, though sitting there, waiting to see if he'd even show, it felt as if she was a rookie all over again. For all she knew, he could just blow her off. She hadn't exactly behaved appropriately last time and had turned off any potential - Potential what, Laney? Business partnership? The normal friendship that allowed after-work drinks? A relationship?

The answer wasn't exactly there, or perhaps it was and she just couldn't muster the thought. Or perhaps she was too afraid to give the thought an actual word, which would then give it a greater strength than just the idea. Furthermore, who was she to think that something as simple as a..a...a kiss could or would mean anything more than just one person seeking a different sort of physical contact.

You're thinking too much.

Rubbing the pad of her thumb against the rim of her glass, she slowly lifted it for another drink. However she stopped midway, hearing his steps before actually seeing him, and turned to watch him leap over the back of her seat and land beside her.

"...You came." Eyes blinked, clearly surprised, and her voice did nothing to deny it. A nervous, but pleased smile, spread across her lips. "I mean...Hey, Reno. I'm glad you came. Can I offer you a drink?"

Folding his arms, he frowned a little in mock irritation. "'Course I came," he said, ignoring the drink offer for the moment, "did ya not expect me to show up? Geez, Elena, I know I ain't the best with manners but that'd be rude, even for me."

See what he did there, making a joke? To break the tension...

The frown faded and instead he looked nervous, unfolding his arms to scratch his head. "Yeah, I'll take a drink... thanks."

Her eyes rolled at his question, head shaking slightly. "No, not really. I think you knew that if you didn't I'd end up kicking your ass later."

Humor was good, yes. That's a bandwagon she'll jump on to keep the mood from getting to serious. Leaning forward, she placed her drink down beside the empty glass, picking up the opened bottle to pour.

"Besides, I had no doubt that you couldn't say no to a drink," she returned, shooting him a teasing grin as she topped off her drink before pouring his. After pouring him an equally healthy helping, she lifted both glasses, pads of her fingers holding the drink up around the rim, and offered his glass.

"I have to admit, this isn't all that bad. I didn't think I'd like the mint, but it works."

"Thanks. Took a couple batches getting the mint flavor to not take over the whole damn thing..."

Taking the glass from her, a very slight frown formed, just enough to give his face a somber cast. "Elena, I make booze, I can have a drink whenever I want... you know that isn't why I'm down here." He cleared his throat ever so slightly. It seemed he was uncomfortable bringing up what happened.

"You're welcome. You know, I'm almost afraid to ask what happened to it. And maybe more afraid to think that you dumped the bad batches or that you drank it all."

Ah, right. That. Well, she knew it was going to come up eventually, and she had already half a half of a glass before he showed up - she had just hoped they'd be able to have a glass before having to bring up the incident from two nights ago. In an effort to to help prevent the tension from rising again, she gave a nervous chuckle.

"I'm aware of that. But I'd like to think it was my charming personality that brought you down here." Hoisting her glass up, a gentler smile formed in an attempt to ease away the frown. "Before we get started - A toast. To this gaia-forsaken tower and the interesting things it offers us."

Edited 2012-09-16 22:49 (UTC)

"....used it in mint candies." He gave her a look, and shook his head.

Oh, he saw her changing the subject, but he wasn't any more eager to actually start than she was, and despite the toast, he offered his glass for a good clinking, then downed the liquid in one go.

"Wasn't that a curse in Cosmo Canyon? Something about interesting lives?"

"Did you? Smart idea, so long as the kids don't get into it. Though...it would be interesting to see just how the two are a little tipsy..."

Despite the false bravado she was attempting to put on, Elena wasn't quite sure just how to get the conversation started and was attempting to use all the tricks she knew to carry a conversation on around the subject until both had been properly intoxicated enough that no fucks would be given.

An eyebrow lifted in mild surprise when he knocked back his entire drink in one go. Not to step down from an unofficial challenge, Elena brought her drink to her lips and, in an equally impressive show, downed her entire glass in a single go.

"Was it? I can't honestly remember..." Picking up the bottle, she quickly refilled both glasses. "To be honest, its been so long since I've been there. With everything that had been going on, I mostly hung around Junon, Edge, and Healin. Do you remember the curse at all?"

He gave her a look at the mention of tipsy kids, but it faded quickly. "Uh, may you lead an interesting life. Something like that. I've been to Cosmo before... with your sister. We were tracking down that talking red lion."

Taking another sip, he then set his glass down and settled back on the cushions. "Look, Elena, I got to say it now. Was it wrong of me to kiss ya back there?"

Elena returns that look of his with one of her own. Its all fun and jokes, she would never - ever - put those kids in any sort of danger. Odin help her, she felt an affinity towards them and, knowing all the shit she an Reno had been through, knew that they would be properly protected while they were taught.

There's a pause at the mention of her sister. That was a wound she'd never quite gotten over, but had learned to not let the mention of that ghost bother her. "Hnn. That sounds a little familiar..."

It was rather impressive how good the alcohol went down, the mint lingering as an after-flavor after each taste. She was halfway through downing the first half of her second drink when his question makes her choke. Her hand goes to her chest, hitting against her collarbone to help the drink down. When it finally does, she's gasping for breath, eyes wide, and she's staring at him with her mouth slightly agape.

"Geez, Reno, that was all of a sudden. I nearly choked." Clasping her drink tightly with one hand, fingers of the other brushed through her hair as she turned to face him. "No. And yes. Look, what I said wasn't exactly...correct. Or appropriate. And, to put all the cards out on the table, it felt good. Really good, actually, I won't lie."

Pulling her eyes away, she moved her attention to the black of her suit, her shield, her armor. Wetting her bottom lip with her tongue, she gave a short exhale, eyes carefully turning back to him, guarded. "You told me before that you were...familiar with what had happened during an incident at the Northern Crater, is that correct?"

Oh no. Elena, you didn't. Reno suddenly had a bad feeling about this conversation, and wished he hadn't shown up. But was Elena really going to pull the in-the-future card?

What was this about the Nothern Crater? If she'd told him, or if he'd known, he had forgotten about it. Sure, he generally knew of events that he never got to experience... and will never experience now, thanks to the Tower.

"...not, really. Most I know is that there was a mission. You were probably talking to Rusty... what's that got to do with ...this?"

And her heart stopped for a moment - realizing that she had perhaps gotten Rusty and Sparky confused with one another. Not only was that rude and insulting to each individual, but now she'd fallen into a figurative pit that would be hell to get out of. But she'd try. And, before things went too out of hand, she reached over, clasping his chin, and pressed a quick kiss before sitting back.

"Just..listen for a minute." In another quick gulp, the content of her glass was empty again, the alcohol a welcomed warmth in her veins. "There was a mission to go to the Norther Crater to obtain Jenova's head. And...things went wrong. Very wrong. We were ambushed by what we believed to be copies - no, remnants of Sephiroth..."

Pausing, she loosened her tie, working the first two buttons loose. Fingers held the fabric, trembling faintly, before she exhaled a deep breath and pulled the cloth aside to show the end of a thick, meaty scar that crossed over her collarbone and disappeared beneath the rest of her blouse. After a few moments, she released the cloth and pressed it back into place, covering the scar.

"I'm not comfortable being touched and especially when its a surprise and comes out of nowhere. That's why I responded how I did. You just...came at me and I didn't know how to react. But that isn't to say that, under the right conditions, that I can be okay with it."

Well, that... that was definitely not what he had been expecting. Grabbing her hands gently, he held them in his own for a moment before-

"I'm sorry." That was all he could think of. It being somehow his fault. He'd been the one mostly responsible for her after Tseng had been injured. This was probably his fault, too. "I keep thinkin' you're the same Elena I left back home, but you're not. And I keep screwing things up. ...and I kinda get the sense I somehow had a hand in that scar."

The touch was welcomed, fingers lightly pressing into his hands, feeling the smoothness of skin. A small smile, amused and reconciliatory, softened her features once more, lightening the heaviness that had weighted down her shoulders.

"Trust me, it wasn't your fault. We were...too comfortable, I think. We had thought the threat was gone. Clearly we were wrong and we paid a good lesson for our mistake."

Moving closer, she kept her hold of his hands, fingers continuing their gentle stroking. So, he hadn't been aware - so he was at no fault for what had happened. She had only reacted, body recoiling at the touch, no matter if it was friend or foe. It was only natural, something she would, in time, have to overpower. "Well, I think you know better now, huh? And you haven't done anything wrong, either. Okay? I should have told you the details and for that I'm sorry."

Releasing his hand, she gently placed it against his cheek, her smile widening. "That scar, and all the others with it, are because of my own failure. Not yours. You did your job just fine. But I have to ask...are you okay with it? With me? Knowing I'm not the Elena you left back home, that I'm...a little more damaged?"

"Turks don't get damaged. They just get a bit more seasoned." He corrected, finally offering a slight smile for her. "Otherwise... we'd just be a lot of broken people working a a fatal job for shits and giggles. Yeah... I'm fine with it, Elena. This is who you'd be if I'd gotten to that point, right? But-" he grabbed her hand again, "ya got to let me try my special trick with scars, all right?"

There's a short laugh, relieved that he'd finally offered her a smile. "Yeah, we would be. And Gaia knows the benefits didn't really compensate for the shit we ended up going through. No offense to Rufus or anything."

Her headed nodded at his question, fingers curling around his hand. "Yeah, this is who I'd would have been. A badass, capable of just about anything thanks to you, Tseng and Rude. Just a little...seasoned, as you put it."

Her grip tightened around his hand for a moment, breath catching. She hadn't thought about the idea of actually revealing her scars to anybody save the medical staff she'd been working with. The thought made her nervous, that she'd be so exposed to another person, but the thought that he would see her as a woman beneath the scars, as beautiful, brought a sense of hope.

"What...exactly is this special trick of yours?"

Now he was grinning. She took the bait, and he was all too happy to show her.

"Massage. Full body. Supposed to help regenerate tissue and break up hard knots..."

Her grip was answered with his own, and he leaned in a little, but this time not taking the chance. Not like last time, he wasn't going to startle her again.

"You'll forget you had one."

"...A massage."

Now, in the world of sexual innuendos and subtle suggestions, Elena wasn't an expert but she was far from naive. A mirthful, almost promising, grin formed.

"Is that so?" Mirroring his movements, she leaned forward as well. "I take it that it would work best if you got your hands directly on them. To work out those knots, right?"

"Yeah... but it's true, you know. It's what they do in physical therapy, remember?" The idea wasn't totally without merit, and what if Reno really did massage for healing?

Well... it was convenient, anyway. "Ya wouldn't mind it if I tried it on you, would you?"

"I'll take your word for it. I've been lucky to have not have to really need physical therapy."

Or, rather, she just didn't get the time. But that was semantics. Teeth bit at the inside of her lower lip, the little jolt of pain taking her by surprise. She could do this. It wasn't like he was some stranger that she did know or couldn't trust.

"No....I wouldn't mind, so long as you don't mind me having a little more to drink first. We going to do this here or can we go somewhere a little more private?"

Edited 2012-09-17 12:48 (UTC)

"Drink as much as you like, Elena. I get the feeling you'll need it. Scars like that don't heal easy..." Though from his tone, he didn't sound like he was talking about the one on her skin.

Out of all the people in the Tower, she surely could trust him to know exactly what she was going through. Broken bones, ripped flesh, burned skin. Those healed- it was the other wounds that weren't so easily fixed.

"We can go somewhere private if you want." Definitely did not want anyone walking in on them either, the Tower was bad like that. "My room's sort of full... ya want to try an empty one?"

"Don't we both know it," she returned, the relief visible in her posture. Shoulders, which had been squared and tight, loosened and rested naturally.

Its because he knows the trials and tribulations that came with their line of work that she could show him, that she felt comfortable knowing that unlike the majority of the population, he wouldn't recoil from them. And, perhaps, Elena believed that sharing that pain and the wounds that went to the core, that some healing would occur.

"I would prefer it, actually." Picking up the next unopened bottle, she opened it and took a quick swig. Nope, did not want that sudden surprise of being caught in such a compromising position. "Sure. Anywhere where nobody would accidentally walk in on us will work."

"Yeah... I know where there's an room we can use. We may have to move it back to my room after a while... if ya don't mind... haven't been sleeping well."

There was that ever so subtle implication he didn't mind having her stay over for breakfast. "It'll be worth it, though. Trust me."

"A-actually...my room is pretty vacant and Tifa knows the meaning of a tie on the door handle, so we can go there. Plus its right down the hall from your room..."

And, it was safest to stay somewhere that you knew was secure - to the extent it could be. It was daily routine to scour the room to look for bugs, wires, or anything mysterious.

"You haven't? Well, maybe we'll be able to cure that sleeplessness of yours tonight."

3...2...1. And, once again, the speaking before thinking Elena strikes again, and she's turning a few shades redder. Ah, but she wasn't correcting herself either, a little nod to his own silent suggestion.

"C'mon, you..." Without letting go of his hand, she rose off the couch, giving him a little pull. "Let us share this drink on the way and then you can introduce me to your magic fingers and that special trick of yours."

Fuck. Rusty did say this was more potent when drunk straight, but damn.

"Y-you know what I mean..."

Startled, he couldn't help but laugh softly even when she tugged on him. "You should drink more often, Elena. You're getting all flustered... I think I like it."

After that invitation, of course he'd follow her. He'd probably follow her off the edge of the Tower if she wanted. "Let's worry about that massage you're getting first."

Her face twirked into an embarrassed, haughty pout at his laugh, the color flaring slightly. Turning her head up and away, nose pointed into the air, she made an audible 'humph' noise, trying so hard to hide the fact that she was peeking out of the corner of her eye. Or that she really wanted to break out into laughter over the sheer silliness.

"Yeah, well...that's why I don't normally drink as much of this potent-ness in public. But...if you'd like to join me for drinks more often, you're welcome anytime..."

She's still pulling, walking backwards haphazardly through the lounge, taking another quick sip before offering the bottle to him. "Sorry - not sharing. Here. And don't think you'll get out of not telling me why you can't sleep or, Odin help you, I'll bug the hell out of you until you do."

She did the humph so well, he snickered. When was the last time they had laughed and joked like this? Back at Shinra HQ? That'd been a long time ago.

"Oho, well, putting it that way... guess I got no choice? You can get pretty annoying when you bug someone." Even that wasn't going to lower his mood when he took the bottle with his free hand and got a sip. "Mm... this is the refined stuff. I think Rusty did this one."

Memory was still sort of strangled, but he didn't really feel like checking his booze journal to see what batch the bottle came from. It wasn't really important.

"Damn right you don't. You're a fast learner."

Really, when was the last time they could be so relaxed and playful? There had been some times post-Meteorfall. But when Rufus fell sick to the Geostigma, there had been no more time for fun. Or laughing.

"One day I'll have to tell you how far I went with Rude until he finally took off his shades for me. Let me just tell you this - it wasn't pretty."

Grinning from ear to ear, she watched approvingly as he drank, mildly hearing his comments about Rusty and the contents of the drink. Fingers curled, pressing against warm flesh, pausing long enough so he'd almost bump into her. For which she did have a good reason for. Right when he got close enough, she was up on her toes and, quite boldly, stealing a kiss.

"Hmmm..." Eyes moved upwards in thought before she nodded and continued to lead him back to her room, looking back over her shoulder momentarily to speak. "Its a good blend, whoever made it. Tastes better that way, though."

Oh dear, if you get a slightly tipsy Reno laughing, it seemed that he would snort... bumping into her like that and being less one kiss. Still grinning, he let her, holding so still for her he almost didn't breathe.

"Babe... you talk too much, you know?" He teased when she started pulling him again. Taking a long stride he was in front of her, taking her hands- and then she was up in his arms, carrying her. "Now, let's get you that massage."

And it was precious and adorable and Elena was going to make it her life mission to ensure he did that more often. Because in this place, and the hell it brought, laughter was a rare commodity.

"Yeah, yeah. So I've been told..." And the comment was dismissed with a wave of her hand and a laugh. "You can quote it in my epitaph."

Damn that man's legs were long. For every two she took, he only took one, which meant that it meant little effort was required to keep up with her, much less overtake her. It was surely one of the reasons he was known as the fastest of the Turks. But why he was making the move to go faster left her a a loss, until both hands were caught in his and -

"Eeee!" Arms flew around his neck, if not in an overly-dramatic fashion, before she burst out into a fit of giggles, feet giving a little wiggle in the air. Pressing her lips lightly against his cheek before resting her head lightly against his chest, she grinned. "I think I like the sound of that. Careful not to drop me."

Edited 2012-09-18 10:55 (UTC)

"If you promise not to drop the bottle..." He replied, nuzzling quite close to her neck and ear.

Being here, with her, was one of the last things he'd ever expected would happen. He tried not to think about that, what they would have done in the time on Gaia. Even if they were immortal here, there was no point in what-ifs. "Hold on tight, okay?"

The stairs were only a minor inconvenience, he took them two at a time, passing through the floors quickly.

"Hey... did I ever tell ya I raced up the back staircase at HQ in record time?"

Her hand protectively clutch at the bottle she'd taken taken from his hand, pressing it tightly to her chest. "As if I'd let such a travesty happen!"

There's little moving or uncomfortable swaying as he moves up the steps, an impressive feat given the fact he was carrying nearly a buck ten in weight and was going up numerous flights of steps. Her free arm remained around his neck, holding firmly, as commanded, which also kept her face rather close to him. "Let me know if its too tight, okay?"

It was...odd, and a little weird, being carried bridal style by Reno through the Tower. Gaia be damned if she cared that anybody saw, there was something exhilarating about feeling wanted, needed. She had, for many years, been under the belief that there was time. Time for more drinks, for more adventures. That had been brought to an abrupt end and the lesson was one she reminded herself on as often as she could. Life was short, so you better enjoy it.

Laughing, she looked up at him with an incredulous look. "First of all, when would you ever have the time to actually do that? Those stairs last forever! And secondly, since you did, just what was your time?"

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Tonight the world is much smaller with room for only you and me.

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