Written for the 9 themes challenge in the 3measures-community in LJ.

i. theme #1 "camera obscura"

A drinking night out in the town with Barret has gone long. Tifa sent Marlene back to the bar hours ago, with Denzel's protective hand in hers. Now her eyes are liquid and her smile comes easier, staying on longer, and her laugh tinkles in the hazy smokes of Sector 6.

"I should be working, y'know. I have my own place to run," she laughs, not quite convincing enough for Barret to let her go home. He orders another round of Wutai's specialty, deep red liquor that glows like materia, and burns its way down his throat.

"If I let ya go alone on a night like this, ya'll jus' start mopin' around again." Barret's words are not as cheery as they sound, and for a moment, Tifa feels the piercing pain of bad conscience for letting her friends worry about her. So she lets out another tingling laugh and tosses her hair over her shoulder, gulping down the drink he has bought her. Stars burst in her eyes and even though she is the drinking master of the slums, she has to show her respects to the liquor makers of Wutai.

"Some strong stuff, this..." she murmurs and inhales languidly. The lights have turned brighter and the noise more pleasant, and she is starting to enjoy herself (to forget why she is here, to not think of him for one night).

And then it happens.

"Can I join you guys?" The slow, familiar drawlmakes Tifa cock her eyebrows at him amusedly, as Barret growls behind her. Not waiting for a response, the newcomer takes the seat next to her and orders whatever it is they are having.

Seems like there is more than one misery drinker in Midgar today. Then again, you never know with Reno – he might have just not gotten laid tonight.

"Since when did you want to spend an evening in our company?" Tifa asks casually. She is not quite uttering out the fact that they have not met in a long time and are not exactly in what you would call friendly terms. Certainly, there have been life-savings and cooperation on both sides but that does not mean that grudges cannot be borne.

Ignoring the question – both the one voiced aloud and the one left in the shadow of the other – Reno sips the red drink, not yet as sloppily as Barret. "What's the occasion, then?" he asks and wonders at how her eyes glow and how her lips relax in a smile.

"Nothin'," Barret retorts angrily. Tifa does not quite know when the dislike has seeped into his voice. "We're jus' havin' some fun; ya have a problem with that?

Reno laughs in a way that makes Tifa think he is stupid, or just somewhat slow, even though he is all but that. "No no no, just asking. Don't get all pissed, will ya?" He scratches the back of his head and looks somewhat awkward. There is sadness in Tifa's eyes and anger in Barret's, and Reno does not really know why he is here.

For sure, the woman is pretty and nice to look at, but she also carries the something that only those withone-sided expectations carry. Disappointment and not-yet crushed beliefs dwell deep in her eyes, and he knows that he cannot carry the weight of the shadow behind her smile. Elena would tell him to do it – save her – and do it well, because she is a girl and girls think these things are easy. Rude would tell him to fuck her or not do anything at all, because women are too much of a hassle to deal with outside the bedroom.

So Reno downs a few more drinks and considers his possibilities, coming up with no sensible solution at all. Tifa takes his advances as what they are – playing, no more – and drinks no longer.

And when the morning arrives, they go home alone.