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

[provenworth]

 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.

Comments

[provenworth]

"...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?"

[midgarhorizon]

"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?"

[provenworth]

"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?"

[midgarhorizon]

"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?"

[provenworth]

"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."

[midgarhorizon]

"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."

[provenworth]

"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..."

[midgarhorizon]

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."

[provenworth]

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."

[midgarhorizon]

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.

[provenworth]

"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."

[midgarhorizon]

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."

[provenworth]

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."

[midgarhorizon]

"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?"

[provenworth]

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?"