Chapter Text
“Of course, sir, I’ll get them copied right away,” you say, picking up a pile of papers from Tseng’s desk and carrying them out of the Turks’ office. What you don’t notice is Reno’s eyes on you all the way across the office until you’re out of sight out of the door.
“Very subtle, Reno,” Rude teases him, snapping him back to reality with a jolt.
“Dunno what you’re talking about,” Reno shrugs, trying to play it off as if he wasn’t just staring shamelessly at Tseng’s new assistant.
“Mhm. So you’re trying to tell me you don’t have a thing for the new girl?”
Tseng’s sharp ears hear this conversation, but he decides to stay out of it, not wanting to waste his time on office gossip.
“The hell I do!” Reno protests, but he’s betrayed by his cheeks flushing almost as red as his hair, “She’s boring. Goodie two-shoes, always prim and proper. Ain’t my style, you know that, partner.”
Rude notices his friend’s blush, of course he does, but he knows Reno isn’t going to budge on this; he’s clearly in denial, and stubborn enough to hold firm even when Rude can see right through him and he knows it, so he just replies with a noncommittal, “Mhm,” before getting on with his work. Reno, on the other hand, huffs, pouts, and then announces he’s going to get some air and a snack before getting up and sauntering out of the office.
Once he’s alone in the corridors beneath the Shinra building, he sighs and stuffs his hands in his pockets, muttering softly to himself,
“Thing for the new girl, what am I, 12? I don’t do crushes, was just enjoying the view, is all. Thing for the new girl… pfft, bullshit.”
He’s still in a pretty foul mood even once he’s grabbed a chocolate bar from a vending machine, and for once he decides to sit in the cafeteria area to eat it rather than immediately returning to Rude’s questioning back in the office. He grabs a coffee, then plops down on an empty table to enjoy his snack. His Turk suit ensures he gets the table to himself - not everyone knows what the Turks do, but there are enough rumours around the place to ensure most people give them a wide berth - and once recaffeinated and refuelled he’s starting to feel a bit better again. However, his thoughts are still preoccupied by you and by Rude’s earlier teasing as he makes his way back to work. He’s getting into the elevator to go back down to the Turks’ floor when he sees an all too familiar face heading towards the closing doors,
“Ah-!” you gasp in dismay as you see the doors closing, and Reno surprises even himself by pressing the button to hold the door for you. Noticing this, you run to the elevator and slip inside, a pile of papers in hand and a grateful look on your face.
“Thank you, sir,” you say, a little breathless from running.
“S’nothin’,” Reno replies with a shrug and a lazy smirk, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets, one foot crossed over the other, as he tries to downplay it, “Figured ya wouldn’t want Tseng on your back for takin’ too long.”
“He’s not so bad, really,” you reply with a soft giggle, one that’s way too damn cute, which is something Reno definitely didn’t notice or think.
“For you maybe,” he smirks, a playful glimmer in his eyes, “Probably likes ya cos you do things by the book.”
“And yet you’re his second in command, so he must like you too.”
“Are you implying I don’t do things by the book? Darlin’, I’m hurt,” he gasps, feigning offence, but the grin gracing his features betrays his words.
“I never said it was a bad thing,” you smile, before adjusting the neat pile of papers in your arms with a hint of a grimace. Reno’s brow furrows slightly; they look heavy,
“Need a hand with those?” he offers, surprising himself for the second time in about as many minutes. You’re obviously taken aback by his offer, too, if the look on your face is anything to go by,
“I- I should be okay, but thank you,” you say politely, and it’s obvious to Reno that you’re just saying that because you don’t want to put him out or overstep, since he’s technically your senior.
“Nah, c’mon, they look heavy. Gimme those,” he insists, carefully taking the pile of papers off you. He doesn’t miss your small sigh of relief as he does so, or how you give your arms a little shake to ease them. The pile isn’t even that heavy, at least not for him, and he’s surprised by the little skip his heart makes at the realisation of your strength difference. Not in an insidious way, but more in a protective way, which is even more surprising to him. He ignores all of that, though, and flashes you a grin,
“See? Much better, right?”
“Yeah, much better,” you admit, smiling, “Thank you sir.”
“You don’t gotta worry about that sir bullshit when it’s just you and me. Reno’s just fine,” he tells you, and he finds he means it. Usually he’s not overly bothered by subordinates, or being called sir, but you’re not just some dumb security officer who’d probably forget to breathe if given half the chance; you seem smart, and actually know what you’re doing. You have a different set of skills to his, but you have skills nonetheless, and he can respect that. Plus you’ve got a pretty face, but that’s just a side detail he’s noticed, nothing really important. He’s got eyes, after all. Speaking of eyes, he notices how yours widen in surprise when he insists on you calling him by his name,
“Oh, well, uh, thank you sir- I mean, Reno.”
Oh. His name sounds nice on your lips. Wait- the hell it does. It’s just his name, it’s literally nothing. He clears his throat and adjusts his grip on the stack of paper,
“Yeah, don’t mention it,” he says, muttering a bit and cursing his pale skin as he feels his cheeks flush slightly pink. If you notice, though, you don’t say anything, and you shuffle your feet in place slightly, almost as if you’re nervous,
“So… how long have you been a Turk?” you ask, a little tentatively.
He almost laughs, you sound so shy and uncertain, but he doesn’t. Instead he flashes you a lazy smirk, “Think I joined when I was about… I dunno 14, 15 maybe? So like 13 or 14 years.”
Your eyes widen in surprise at his answer, “Woah, about half of your life, huh?”
“Damn, yeah, guess so. The Turks have been pretty much all I’ve known. Wouldn’t change it though,” he says, and he means it; having grown up as a slums kid, pretty much alone after his parents died, the Turks are like his family. No, not like, they are his family.
“What was it like, joining so young?” you ask him, seeming genuinely curious. It catches Reno out; not many people take this much of an interest in him and not just his face, pecs, and… other things. He doesn’t show his surprise, though.
“Better than rotting in the slums. Y’know enough about the Turks to know we don’t just sign up, right? Got dragged in off the streets after picking the wrong target in some petty crime. I got told I had skills that would be useful to Shinra, so it was either join the Turks or rot in jail. And when you’re choosin’ between a job with great pay that’ll get you outta the slums, or dying of boredom in a cell, you choose the job. Best decision of my life, not that the bar was that high before that.”
“You’ve had such a different upbringing to me,” you say, eyes wide with wonder. If Reno didn’t know any better, he’d almost say you look impressed.
“Heh, coulda told you that one for free, princess,” he smirks, “You don’t strike me as a slums kid.”
“I’m not,” you admit, “And I’m definitely no fighter. But I’m glad I can help you guys out. Even if it’s kinda from the outside as I’m not actually a Turk, it’s nice to feel like I’m doing something.”
“You ain’t an outsider,” Reno insists immediately, feeling more protective than he’d expected, “You work in the office, so you’re one of us. Anyone says different, you come tell me.”
“Oh- y-yeah, I’ll make sure I do. Thank you,” you say, your initial surprise giving way to a warm smile.
“‘Course,” he grins, as the lift reaches the Turks’ floor, “C’mon, we gotta get back to work.”
He leads the way back to the office, forgetting that he’s still got the pile of papers in his hand until he sees Rude’s face as you enter the office together,
“Got a helper?” Rude asks you, a hint of an amused smile gracing his usually serious features.
“Aha, yeah… they were a bit heavy and I bumped into Reno in the elevator. When he saw me struggling, he offered to help.”
Reno feels his cheeks flush bright red as you say that; he doesn’t usually help people like this, and Rude knows it. He shoots Rude a look that screams Say a word and I’ll kill you before glancing at you with a grin, “Couldn’t leave a damsel in distress,” he says playfully before plopping the pile on Tseng’s desk and making his way back to his own seat, his heart doing a stupid little flutter when you laugh softly at his words.
“Well, I appreciate it,” you say warmly, before looking around to decide where to sit to finish off some reports Tseng wants you to do. Reno sees your gaze find the chair next to him, but you’re obviously not sure if you should actually sit there or not,
“Have a seat, darlin’, I don’t bite,” he says, his smile playful but surprisingly warm. He bites back the “unless you want me to” comment that’s on the tip of his tongue, not wanting to make you uncomfortable if you’re not open to a flirty comment, and also knowing Tseng would have his head for it. Judging by the sharp glare that his boss shoots him simply for what he did say, he knows he made the right call. Reno’s smile widens further when you do indeed come and sit next to him, laying out the reports on the desk to have a look through. Barely a minute has passed before Reno pipes up,
“Whatcha workin’ on?” he asks, leaning over to look at the reports you’re checking through and grimacing.
“Reno,” Tseng warns, speaking up to intervene for the first time, “I believe she’s trying to focus.”
Both you and Reno recognise that as a thinly-veiled warning to the second in command, to keep things professional in the office.
“Yeah yeah, was just askin’,” Reno grumbles, before flashing you a subtle smirk, which you surprise him by responding to with a smile. Satisfied with this, and not wanting to make a fool of himself or draw yet more questions from Rude, who he can see is silently smirking to himself anyway, Reno gets on with his own work, casting glances across at you from time to time. He’s gotta admit, you are pretty. Not the type he’d usually go for, you’re more girl next door and genuinely pretty rather than outright sexy like the people he’d pull on nights out, but then again none of what he’s feeling towards you screams one night stand. Not that he’s feeling anything for you, of course. Again, he’s just enjoying the view, nothing more.
Having said all that, by the end of the day Reno’s decided he’s going to do something very out of character for him; he’s gonna ask you if you want to hang out. Not go on a date, just hang out. He’s being nice; since you said you felt like an outsider, he’s just helping you to feel like part of the team. That’s all. He hasn’t seen a new car in the car park since you’ve started working for the Turks, which makes him think that you must take the train, so he packs up quickly ready to head off and wait for you out of sight of the others. He knows Rude has plans to head over to the Bald Bar in Junon tonight, which is a blessing in disguise as he knows his partner would probably want to hang out otherwise, so he says his goodbyes to everyone, tells Rude to, “Have fun with the shiny heads,” and takes his leave, but instead of heading back to the car park once he’s out of the elevator he heads out of the main entrance to the Shinra building and sits on one of the benches outside, hoping he’s right that you’ll come out this way to take the train.
Five minutes later, he gets his answer as you come out of the building, a coat on now and carrying your work bag. He casually calls your name, and thankfully you hear him, obviously surprised to see him as you look over at him,
“Hey sweetheart,” he says, finding that his heart's racing a bit as he saunters over to you, though outwardly he's a picture of confidence, “Was hoping I’d catch ya.”
“Oh? How come?” you ask him, your innocence almost frustratingly endearing to him. He’s not used to girls like you and for some reason he can’t get enough.
“Ah, nothin’ serious. Was just wondering if you wanted to hang out sometime? Outside of work?” he asks, a lazy smirk on his face that doesn’t betray how tense he is as he waits for your answer. You’re obviously surprised by his question, if your expression is anything to go by, but once you’ve got over your initial shock you smile,
“I’d love to. That’d be really nice, actually.”
He can’t help himself, his eyes widen in surprise and a genuine smile graces his lips, “Really?” he asks, then catches himself, clearing his throat and regaining his usual composure, “Ahem, I mean, sounds good. When are you free?”
“It’s probably too short notice for a man as busy as you but I’m actually free tonight if you are? Either that or this weekend?”
“Tonight’s good,” Reno says before he has time to overthink it, “If you give me your address I could pick ya up around 7? Actually, the hell are my manners? You want a lift home?”
“Are you sure?” you ask him, “I don’t wanna put you out or anything.”
“You’re good, plus it means I’ll know the way for pickin’ you up later. Two birds,” he grins.
“In that case, I’ll take you up on that, thank you,” you smile, and he leads the way back around to the car park where his car is.
When you get there, he breathes a sigh of relief that’s imperceptible to you when he sees that Rude’s car has gone, so he won’t be facing any scrutiny from his best friend today. He leads the way over to his car, a sleek, black, sports saloon that’s obviously quite expensive, and you climb into the passenger side as he takes his place behind the wheel. As Reno sets off, with your directions, towards your place, you settle into what would best be described as idle but pleasant chatter, and all too quickly he’s pulling up outside your apartment building,
“Well, here you are, sweetheart. 7pm still good for ya?”
“Yeah, 7’s good. Thanks again for the lift, I appreciate it,” you smile as you get out of the car, and Reno summons every bit of self control to stop himself staring at your ass as you do,
“Any time. I don’t live too far from here so if you ever need a lift to and from work, lemme know. You’ll need my number for that though…” he drawls, flashing you a grin.
“Suppose I better take that from you, then?” you offer with an amused smile, getting out your phone. His smile brightens when you accept, and you exchange numbers before Reno leaves you to get ready, and heads home to get ready for the totally-not-a-date himself.
When he gets back to his place, Reno also tries to decide where to take you; a restaurant might be too much, but he also doesn’t want to seem too low effort by just going for a walk, plus the weather could ruin that. He thinks on it for a bit and then lands on the idea of going bowling, as it’ll seem nice and casual, but you also get to have fun as just the two of you and there’s the potential to go for a drink or something afterwards if it feels right to. He pulls out his phone to text you,
“Heya sweetheart, how’d you fancy bowling?”
He stares at the message for a moment, debates putting a kiss at the end, decides on doing so, to be friendly of course, and then sends it. You reply pretty much straight away,
“Bowling sounds great! I’d love to shit talk you buuut I’m not very good 😂x”
Reno’s heart skips a beat for two reasons. Firstly, you returned the kiss (which totally doesn’t matter, obviously), but secondly, your tone is so different. You seem almost playful, and you swore. Not that swearing’s a big deal but you’re so prim and proper at work that Reno’s never imagined it before. Your reply floods him with excitement of seeing you more relaxed outside of work, a feeling he puts down to looking forward to hopefully making a new friend, so he sends you a quick reply,
“Better not be expecting me to go easy on you, princess 😉 see you soon x”
And then he goes to get ready. He totally doesn’t overthink his outfit at all (he does) but settles on black ripped jeans that aren’t skinny but are just the right amount of fitted to make his ass look amazing (if he does say so himself), a low-cut white t-shirt that shows off his pecs and is fitted enough to show his toned figure, white sneakers and a black leather jacket. He takes his goggles off and makes sure his hair is looking perfect, then sprays some cologne, puts some eyeliner on and is good to go. He gives himself the once over in the mirror and gives a self-satisfied smile as he knows he looks damn good, then he heads to his car to make his way over to your place, just in time to pick you up.
He parks up and texts you once he’s outside, then sits back in his seat to wait for you. Outwardly he seems relaxed, but his eyes never leave the entrance door to your apartment building as he waits for you to appear. And when you do… well shit, he might actually be in trouble. You emerge looking really pretty wearing a nice t-shirt and denim jacket, and… leggings. Oh god. His mind inadvertently drifts ahead to when you’ll be bowling in front of him in those and- nope. This is a totally platonic thing getting to know a coworker, nothing else. As you get closer he also realises you’ve done your makeup; nothing fancy, some foundation, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, etc, but the way you’ve done your eye makeup really brings out your eyes… he quickly shakes that thought off too, instead plastering on his trademark smirk as you get in,
“Oh hey, long time no see,” he teases, which draws a soft laugh from you.
“Yeah, it’s been way too long,” you say playfully, then you add, somewhat shyly, “I like your outfit, by the way.”
Well… shit. Reno’s face lights up into a genuine grin before he can stop himself, and he glances across at you,
“Aw, thanks princess. You’re lookin’ pretty good yourself,” he replies, not so subtly giving you a quick once over. His sharp eyes don’t miss your blush when you thank him, but he doesn’t mention it either, instead starting the car to head to bowling, and trying to ignore the hint of warmth in his chest that he just made you blush with only a look.
When you get to the bowling alley, Reno pays for the booking, and insists it’s on him when you offer to pay for your half, then you head down to the lane you’ve been allocated. You insist on him going first, much to his amusement, so he grabs a 12lb bowling ball to use, wanting decent weight but also wanting it to be light enough to get decent speed on it, and manages to get himself a spare to open the game,
“You didn’t tell me you were this good!” you protest playfully. Reno grins; you’re obviously relaxing more around him now and he loves it. Wait, no, likes it. No love around here please and thank you. Can’t be too careful,
“Eh, didn’t wanna scare you off,” he smirks, not even trying to hide how smug he feels at getting a good start. You shake your head with a chuckle and go to grab a bowling ball, not realising that Reno’s eyes are on you the whole time. When he sees you pick up a 6lb ball, he snickers, which causes you to turn around with an indignant look on your face,
“What?”
“That it…?” he teases you, cocking his head towards the ball.
“Not all of us are super strong like you, y’know,” you pout, and he can’t help the genuine laugh that escapes him when you say that,
“You sayin’ I’m strong, huh? Can’t say you’re wrong,” he says, playfully puffing out his chest.
“Oh stop flexing,” you scoff, but you’re smiling, and Reno’s absolutely loving it as he steps closer to you and boops your nose, causing you to laugh and bat his hand away,
“Distraction tactics, sweetheart. Gotta beat ya somehow.”
“If you say so,” you chuckle, and although you’re trying to play it cool, Reno smirks as he notices you’re blushing again.
“Mhm, I do. Go on then princess, take your shot,” he says, quirking a brow at you with a smirk.
“Yeah yeah, alright, mister impatient,” you smile, and it’s obvious you’re a little flustered but trying to play it off. When your ball goes straight into the gutter, Reno can’t stifle his laugh, and you turn to him with a frown,
“Not a word, mister,” you scold him as you grab another 6lb ball to take your second shot, which is better but still not great: a 6.
You do eventually settle into the game, but Reno still wins comfortably, something he’s very proud of,
“Heh, never in doubt,” he grins.
“Yeah yeah, I’ll give you more of a game next time.”
“Next time, huh?” Reno asks, his heart doing an annoying flutter in his chest at the implication that you wanna do this again sometime.
“Oh- yeah, next time. If you wanna as well of course,” you say, your cheeks flushing pink.
“I wanna,” he says, and for once there’s no teasing; he’s being genuine, “It’s been fun, spending time with ya outside work. You’re way more relaxed.”
“I am?” you ask, a spark of curiosity in your gaze.
“Yeah, you are,” Reno admits, then decides to push his luck somewhat, since you both seem to be having fun, “Hey, d’ya fancy stickin’ around for a drink maybe? If you don’t gotta get back for anything, that is.”
“Yeah, definitely. I uh… don’t drink alcohol though, is that okay…?”
Reno can’t help but smile; of course you don’t drink,
“Ain’t a problem, sweetheart, as long as you don’t mind me having one?”
“Of course I don’t mind,” you smile warmly, a smile that makes Reno’s heart do an extremely unfamiliar flutter. He doesn’t get like this around people, ever. Especially not someone who he’s not even on a date with.
“Great! In that case, I know a good spot,” he says, and leads the way out of the bowling alley with you close behind.
It doesn’t take long to get to the place Reno mentioned. It’s a nice, cosy little bar in a quiet little street in Sector 8, and it’s relatively quiet, too. You order a mocktail and Reno gets a whisky, and insists on paying again; he figures it’s the least he can do, since it was his idea, or at least that’s what he tells himself. You find a quiet corner of the bar and get settled into a little corner booth, Reno sliding in next to you. He silently curses himself when he slides a little too far and ends up right next to you, your legs touching, but when you don’t move away or look uncomfortable he stays right where he is. Out of politeness, of course,
“So, how’re ya finding working with us so far?” he asks you, curious as to what Tseng has you doing all day.
“It’s good, to be fair. You’ve all been so welcoming, and although most of it’s paperwork, I’m really enjoying it so far. It’s kinda cool to have the inside scoop on what the Turks get up to, y’know?”
“Surprised you’re comfortable sitting here with me, if you know what I do for work,” Reno admits, a hint of self-deprecation in his tone, and takes a sip of his whisky. He’s not lying, either; being a Turk makes relationships… difficult. Relationships with anyone, not just romantic ones. He can’t exactly go around telling people what he does for a living; firstly, it’s classified info most of the time, and secondly, he knows people would run a mile if he casually mentioned that part of his job involves, well, killing people. He loves being a Turk, despite this, and wouldn’t have things any other way, but it does mean he’s not exactly close to anyone outside of the Turks. And yet here you are giving him the best of both worlds; you work in the same department, so you know his job and yet you’re still here hanging out with him, but at the same time you’re not actually a Turk, and as much as Reno loves his found family, spending time with someone who hasn’t seen all the shit he’s seen is… nice. It makes him feel kind of normal for the first time in… well, as long as he can remember, actually.
“It’s your job,” you say simply, not expanding further, but that, and the fact that you’re still sitting here with him, is enough for Reno right now.
“Fair enough. Hell, I’ll take it,” he says, mustering up a smirk as he lifts his whisky to his lips once more. He notices out of the corner of his eyes that your eyes are fixed on the glass the whole way, and dares to give you a cheeky wink. He doesn’t miss how you blush and look away, preoccupying yourself with having a sip of your own drink.
“How is it?” he asks you, not wanting to push you too far.
“It’s good. Very sweet. Wanna try some?” you ask, offering the glass to him.
“Huh… cocktails ain’t usually my thing but sure, why not?” he smiles, his heart doing that weird little flutter again when his fingers brush against yours as he takes the glass from you. He takes a sip from the straw, and is surprised by the pleasantly sweet flavour, “Y’know what, that’s pretty nice,” he says, handing the glass back to you, “All sweet and fancy, like you.”
He regrets the words as soon as they’re out, because he’s not meant to be actually flirting with you. But then he sees your shy smile and the pink flush that rises to your cheeks, and realises that he might actually be okay with it. For now.
“You flatterer,” you chuckle, trying to play off the effect the compliment had on you, “Besides, I’m not that fancy.”
“Eh, to an ex slums kid you are,” he says, glancing at you out of the corner of his eye as he finishes off his whisky. The whisky, though absolutely not enough to get him drunk (he’s holding off since he knows he has to drive you home in a bit), was definitely a double, and he can feel himself relaxing slightly and allowing himself to think more freely. You really are pretty, he realises, in an understated way where you don’t have to try too hard to catch his eye: you just do. He realises that, although you look fantastic, you could’ve turned up in scruffy loungewear with no makeup on and you’d still be beautiful. Wait- beautiful? The fuck? He shakes the thought off yet again as you reply,
“Huh. Guess I’ve still got a lot to learn about you,” you say softly, though not in a bad way; you seem quietly curious, and Reno likes that.
“Well I’m more than happy to share. The stuff I can share, anyway,” he says, knowing you’re more than away of the Turks’ need for confidentiality. You’d have had to sign an agreement about that when joining, since you also handle sensitive data.
“As much as you’re able and willing, I’ll happily listen to,” you smile, finishing off your mocktail too before setting your glass down on the table, “Hey, Reno…?”
Reno’s heart skips a beat at the way you say his name all soft and sweet, “Yeah, sweetheart?”
“Thanks for a great night. It’s the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”
Huh… that gives him a warm fuzzy feeling that he’s definitely not accustomed to, but he grins,
“Anytime, darlin’. I’ve had a great time too.”
You smile at that, then seem to hesitate for a moment. Reno’s not stupid, he can feel something crackling in the air between you, and for the first time he finds himself wondering how exactly you’ve read tonight, and the invitation to ‘hang out’ that he left ambiguous. He’s about to say something when you, obviously quite nervously, lean your head on his shoulder, and the words die in his throat, his heart hammering in his chest. Oh.
He only hesitates for a split second before deciding screw it. He wraps his arm around your shoulders, holding you close against him, rests his cheek on the top of your head, takes a deep breath, and closes his eyes, just letting himself enjoy the moment. He also doesn’t miss your sigh of relief when he doesn’t pull away or ask you what you’re doing. For the first time possibly in his entire life, he’s not actually sure what to say; his heart is hammering so hard in his chest that he’s almost certain you’ll be able to hear it, and that strange fluttery feeling has come back tenfold, but this is nice, and hell, he’s actually gonna let himself have a nice moment for once.
Neither of you break the silence for a little while, just enjoying being close to each other, but eventually Reno reluctantly speaks up,
“I suppose I better get you home, huh…?” he asks, his voice coming out softer than he’d expected.
“Yeah, probably,” you reply, your voice even softer. Reno glances down to look at you as you turn your head on his shoulder to meet his gaze and oh- It takes everything in him to not kiss you. But, thankfully, he’s only had one drink, so he’s able to keep it together enough to not do that and make a complete fool of himself. He holds your gaze for a moment longer before giving you a gentle squeeze,
“Alright, c’mon princess, let’s get goin’,” he says, and you both reluctantly move apart and stand up. Reno lifts his arms above his head to stretch after sitting down for a while, and he swears he catches you looking when his shirt lifts slightly to reveal his abs, but again he doesn’t say anything. It’s not like him, but he keeps quiet for two reasons; one, he has to work with you, and doesn’t want to make things awkward, and two, he doesn’t want to ruin a good thing or a good night if you don’t appreciate being teased like that. So instead he smiles slightly to himself then leads the way out of the bar into the cool night air.
It’s chilly, but pleasant, in the streets of Midgar, and the cool breeze helps clear Reno’s head of the thoughts that were swimming around in there while in the bar. He glances at you again, looking all pretty in the moonlight, and keeps trying to process just how nice a night he’s had; since it’s not a night with any expectations of a hookup at the end of it, he’s actually been able to be himself, instead of trying to pique your interest or turn you on, and he’s enjoyed it way more than he’d expected to. He never really spends an evening one-on-one with someone new, whatever their gender, without the assumption that it’s going to end in sex, but with you that just wouldn’t feel right, somehow. Not because he’s not interested, he’s kind of accepted the fact that he does find you attractive, even if he’s nowhere near ready to figure out where exactly the feelings lie, but because it wouldn’t feel right. You’re obviously not a one night stand kind of girl, and Reno finds himself wanting to do this again, and not ruin it by hooking up with you the first time you’ve spent time together outside of work, assuming you'd even sleep with him at all. Because of all these thoughts, he’s quiet for a while, but you seem deep in thought, too, and you walk the streets in a comfortable silence. When you get back to his car, Reno grins and plays up being the gentleman, holding your door open for you,
“You carriage awaits, ma’am,” he teases you, and is delighted when you respond with a playful curtsy,
“Why thank you, good sir,” you smile, before getting into his car.
Reno once again has to fight every habit he’s formed over the last 10ish years to not make a move on you on the drive back to your place; not placing a hand on your thigh while driving, not stepping up the flirting, not even hinting at wanting to be invited into your place, all of it is new and unusual for a man so accustomed to casual flings and one-night stands, despite this not even technically being labelled a date, but he manages, and all too soon he’s pulling up outside your apartment building,
“Well… guess this is me,” you say, and Reno can’t help thinking that you seem somewhat hesitant to leave, again sparking hope inside him, that he quickly squashes down and ignores, that you might be in some way interested in him. Which doesn’t matter anyway because he’s not looking for anything, duh. He does, however, notice how dark it is around your apartment building, and he furrows his brow before asking,
“Hey, uh, princess? Mind if I walk ya up to your apartment? I ain’t gonna try nothin’ I swear,” he adds hastily, “But I’d feel better knowin’ you’re home safe.”
You’re obviously taken aback by his offer, and Reno internally panics for a moment when you hesitate, for what must be no more than a second but to him feels like an entire week, but then you smile,
“Actually, that’d be great please,” you say gratefully, before adding, clearly a little embarrassed to be saying so, “I uh… get kinda creeped out by the corridors in there at night.”
Reno hums in understanding, “Yeah, I get that. Can’t be too careful. I gotcha, though.”
“If there’s anyone I trust to protect me, it’s a Turk,” you smile. As Reno catches your eye he realises you’re being serious, and he feels a swell of pride in his chest,
“Damn right. C’mon sweetheart, let’s get you inside,” he says, getting out of the car as you do the same. He stays close by you as you head into the apartment building together, his body language relaxed but his keen eyes keeping a lookout for anything out of the ordinary. Thankfully, there’s nothing, and you reach the door to your apartment without issue. When you do, you turn to him,
“Well, guess this is me,” you say, and Reno meets your gaze with a lazy smile,
“Guess so. Thanks for tonight, sweetheart, it’s been fun,” he says.
“Yeah, it has,” you smile, then tentatively ask, “Are you a hugger?”
Reno’s eyebrows raise slightly in surprise for the briefest moment at your words, and then he smiles,
“I can be,” he says playfully, offering his arms out for a hug and trying to ignore how his heart is once again hammering in his chest.
You immediately take him up on that offer, wrapping your arms over his shoulders as his arms wrap around your waist. He squeezes you tightly, a strange surge of protectiveness going through him now you’re in his arms, and his heart does what feels like a backflip when you rest your head on his shoulder. You smell incredible, and you fit in his arms so perfectly that he doesn’t really want to let you go. He tries to stop that thought, like all the thoughts he’s had all night, but with you here like this it’s impossible to deny that he feels something for you. He’s not ready to explore what that is yet, but it’s definitely something. He doesn’t really want to let go, but he also doesn’t want to make things weird, so after a few more moments he pulls back, meeting your gaze with a smile, his head still spinning,
“Thanks again for tonight, sweetheart. I’ll see ya tomorrow.”
“Yeah, see you tomorrow, Reno. Thanks for inviting me out tonight, I’ve had a great time.”
“‘Course. We gotta do it again sometime,” he smirks, giving your hair a playful ruffle before finally turning to go, “Night, princess.”
“Night, Reno. Text me when you’re home safe?” you ask him, and he glances back at you, touched by your care,
“Sure thing, I’ll let ya know,” he says, then gives you one of his trademark salutes and takes his leave, his casual saunter down the corridor completely hiding the tumultuous emotions inside him. Shit, he’s in trouble.