Moving On
AN: I own nothing in this story. Please R&R.
As I walked into the bar I was shocked at how dirty it was. Usually Tif kept the place spotless. I heard a rustling in the corner and saw the barmaid. She was sitting on the stool and was out like a light. She looked like she hadn't slept in days and had been hitting the booze a little too hard. I went up to the sleeping fighter and shook her gently.
"Tifa." She mumbled something and opened her eyes wearily.
"Reno? What are you doing here?" I grinned at her.
"I felt the urge for some booze and you always make the best drinks. Where's the two little rugrats?"
"They've been with Barret for a couple of months now."
"And where's Spiky?" Her lips tightened at this and she sighed heavily.
"I don't know. He just left one day and didn't come back. I tried to look for him but soon I realized that he doesn't care about me. If he did, he would have come back. I thought I could get over him but look at me, still waiting." She gave me a weak grin. "I'm pathetic, aren't I?" I placed my hand over hers to comfort her.
"No Teef, the only one who's pathetic is Spiky. Eat something and lay off the sauce for awhile, I'll go find him." She looked at me in confusion for a moment but then nodded. I left her there and once outside I whipped out my cell phone. "Rude, come by Seventh Heaven. Teef needs help."
"Understood." Satisfied that my favorite bartender would be okay, I went to the one place I knew that depressed jerk would be. A few hours later I'm standing in front of Aeris's church. I was never one for religion but I crossed myself as I stepped over the threshold. Better safe than sorry. And there he was, sitting on one of the pews, looking just as self absorbed as always. Coughing lightly I came up and sat down beside him.
"What are you doing here?"
"Can't a guy worship in a church?" He didn't reply. "You know I wonder how Aeris would feel if she knew you were here holding a damn pity party while a young woman's suffering."
"What happened to her?" Now I had got his attention.
"Oh you know the usual emotional scarring that comes from unrequited love."
"I love her."
"Whatever. I've seen Vincent look at that ninja brat with more passion then you've ever shown Tifa." His hand went to the hilt of his sword but I just grinned. "Not everything can be solved by a big ass sword Spiky. Listen Tifa needs you, not Aeris. Aeris is dead and she's with that Zach guy and they are both happy, understand?"
"You don't know what I've been through." Inwardly I sighed. I knew Blondie would bring the pity card into play. My image would be ruined after this but I couldn't lose my favorite barmaid.
"You know I wasn't always a Turk. I used to be a brat from Junon always looking for trouble and then I met Saya. She was great, always ready with a joke and had legs that went for miles. We were going steady for some time. One night when she was walking home some punks cornered her. They beat her to death but not before they had some fun." I clenched my fist at the memory but I went on. "The best part was why she was walking home alone. I was going to pick her up like I usually did but I had partied a little too much the night before and by the time I came out of my hangover, she was gone." I dragged out my wallet and showed him her picture. My eyes lingered on her wine red orbs and I remembered nights just holding her after our more intimate moments. When I saw Tifa for the first time I thought Saya had a twin sister she never told me about. Spiky glanced at the photo for some time before he gave it back to me. "And don't let this get out to anyone. I do have an image to maintain."
"Is that how you deal with the pain?"
"Yeah, for awhile after the incident I was like you, always moping around our favorite hangouts but then I met Rude and joined the Turks. The rest as they say is history and quite a few ladies would agree with that statement." He was silent for a while and this was pissing me off. "Well are you going to go to her or what?" He nodded and left the church. I had better get some free liquor for this.
A year had passed and I was in the neighborhood so I decided to go see how Tifa was doing. The bar was spotless and Tifa beamed at me from behind the counter.
"Hey Reno, long time no see." I noticed her round stomach.
"Man Teef, you've really let yourself go."
"One more crack like that and you'll be flying out of here."
"I'm just having some fun, Buddha-belly." I loved teasing Tifa; it's so easy to rile her up. Her right hand clenched into a fist and I saw the silver diamond band on her ring finger. "So how's Spiky, still moping around?" Her mood changed from pissed to happy faster than the ninja brat could speak.
"Cloud's fine. Thanks by the way."
"I do get free beer right?"
"I guess I could make an exception."
"Great." Just then Spiky walked in with a huge smile on his face. He looks better moping in my opinion. He wrapped his arms as far around Tifa as he could and started kissing her neck. "Get a room you two." They both glared at me and I grabbed an ice cold brew from its resting place on the countertop. "Well here's my first freebie. And Tifa, lay off the burgers, you're got a bigger gut then that freaking robot you guys are friends with." I ran out of there as soon as the words left my mouth knowing that Spiky would be behind me with his sword. With friends like these, I don't need enemies I swear.