cloud trailed the chopper for almost a half mile before dissipating, an open wound from which the earth was
bleeding. It sliced through the air like a surgeon’s knife, producing a low and hollow whistling sound in the
ears of the two passengers on the bike, which didn’t sound very different to the driver than the sound the
passenger usually made anyway.
Just that comparison caused him to kick the bike into a higher gear, switching over from a streak racing
across the grass to a crimson blur paint stroke across the canvas sky. The bike, when still, was a hulking
work of beauty, a mechanical beast with a mind of its own that could only be summed up using the word
passion. Somehow, though, when it was moving, that didn’t just change, it got better.
“Very impressive,” a sarcastic voice muttered behind Reno, instantly killing the menthol like buzz he’d
gotten from the acceleration, “the toy goes fast. We knew that back when you almost killed both of us, and
that random old lady. Wake me up when it does something new.”
Despite the sarcastic words, Reno could feel the hands of the Wutain ninja gripping ever tighter around his
waist, and the broad’s tits were pressed so hard against his back it was starting to lose its pleasant effect. For
a moment he wasn’t sure if the feeling of flying across the country side was worth the caustic remarks and
the iron grip, until he saw a speck in the distance suddenly loom up into a tree in a matter of seconds, and he
realized that it absolutely was.
They sped on, until the smell of salt was more than just a wind swept whiff of Reno’s cologne, and three of
the four possible directions they could go would end if them taking a dip in a very deep pool of water known
as the Gabrien Ocean. Grass and dirt turned to sand, and even more sand, but even as the less than desirable
terrain slowed the bike to speeds that may actually have been legal in some of the most liberal parts of the
world, Reno showed no intent of stopping as he skimmed the coastline, he eyes always dancing on the
nearest out croppings of rocks instead of any imposing objects that they might be about to slam into dead
ahead.
He felt the waist lock that was currently cutting off the circulation to his legs begin to slacken, and idly
wondered if Yuffie was actually beginning to enjoy the ride. It seemed doubtful, there wasn’t much he ever
did lately that she actually took pleasure in, besides the obvious. Sometimes he thought the Wutain hookers
he’d used to pick up had spent time with him out of more genuine affection than the materia hunter.
He cut off the power to the engine and allowed the chopper to drift across the sand until it reached a
particularly large coastal stone, and not surprisingly came to a stop just inches in front of it. Reno wiped his
hand back through his hair, passing through the legally required helmet that was no where to be seen to do
so, and then stepped off his bike. He quickly helped Yuffie to do the same, cautiously supporting her wrist
to try to achieve the unique blend of chivalry and respect that she always seemed willing to fight him over.
“We’re here,” he said quickly.
“Really?” Yuffie questioned, “I thought we’d stopped here because we were out of-”
“Stop.” Reno growled, his voice final. “Just... stop.” He honestly didn’t know why he bothered anymore.
Somehow a conquest fuck had managed to turn into two, which had turned into a week without leaving the
bed room, which had turned into a relationship. He felt more at place in a cubicle in front of a computer than
trying to be genuinely kind to a fellow human being who he’d been to bed with.
“Aw, don’t wanna pway?” Yuffie said, pouting out her bottom lip and using the baby voice that always
made him want to throttle her and fuck her silly at the same time.
“Maybe later. Right now, I’m hungry,” he gestured towards the small backpack, which contained the dinner
she’d promised to make. Eating out was like a second nature to the Turk, but he’d had enough hotel room
service and fancy Mideel spiced bullshit in the last few weeks that a grilled cheese sandwich sounded to him
like golden truffles. “I know a spot.”
Yuffie paused for a moment, trying to find the correct way to phrase a joke that insinuated that while he
knew a spot, he sure wasn’t able to find it, but the opportunity and the train of thought was lost as he simply
turned and began to walk away. She followed him indignantly around a rock, blinking as a sudden wet
breeze struck her eyes, and when her vision cleared there was nothing in front of her. Suspiciously, she
whirled on her heel, and then turned instantly back around, but no red heads popped out to rugby tackle her
with a handful of cold ice cubes and hot intentions.
“Reno?” she called out tentatively.
“Down here, eyes...” she heard a voice from somewhere around her knee, and looked down accordingly.
Sitting inside a natural inclove in the rocks was Reno, leaning back against the stone and letting his
sunglasses slide listlessly down his nose until they were almost falling up. Dropping her parcel, Yuffie took a
seat beside him.
“Eyes?” she asked.
“Yes. Eyes,” he responded, and to save having to hear her ask another question, he answered the obvious
one right away. “Some girls have huge tits, so that’s what they’re called. Tits. Some girls have incredible
legs. So that’s what they’re called. Legs.”
“And me?” Yuffie prompted, surprised.
“You’re short and pretty flat,” Reno said with a shrug, smirking, and receiving a hardy smack to the arm for
his efforts.
“So why not call me ears? I have as many of those as I have eyes.” Yuffie said, glaring at him, and grabbing
hold of her dinner package protectively.
“True, but they’re not as nice.” Reno countered.
Yuffie blinked. “I have nice eyes?” she asked.
“You have incredible eyes,” Reno confirmed, staring directly at them, and then their gaze met. His comment
hung in the air for a moment, one of the most complimentary things Yuffie had ever managed to get out of
Reno.
She burst out laughing.
“That’s it, we’re going home,” Reno growled, half rising to his feet. Yuffie stopped him quickly with a hand
on his arm, but her laughing didn’t subside for considerably longer. “What?” he snapped as she continued to
giggle, “Would you like to stick around in case there’s a button of mine you haven’t managed to push yet?
You hated the drive here, and you’re obviously not very fond of the person you made the trip with. Let’s go
home where there’s at least bars we both like.”
Yuffie sighed, about a half second away from resorting to putting her hands on her hips and stomping her
feet, and she really didn’t feel like dipping back into pre-teenhood to try to resolve this. “OK, what’s biting
your overly tan lined ass?”
“You!” Reno cried out in exasperation, wondering how it could have possibly been more obvious. “I don’t
actually give a fuck whether your happy or not, but the fact I can’t make you so is pissing me off?”
Taken aback, Yuffie only blinked.
“I surprise you with a date. I take my chopper out of the garage for the third time in all of it’s existence *as*
my chopper, and take you here- in time for a fucking sun set, no less! You don’t see colors like that in Wutai
City!- and I even try to compliment your eyes. And you laugh! What the hell impresses you? Does
anything?”
For a moment, Yuffie was worried she was going to burst into giggles again, but she managed to keep it
under control long enough to sit down and clear her throat. “Remember when we just got here?” she asked.
“No,” Reno muttered sarcastically, “I’ve forgotten in the five minutes that have passed.”
“Right,” Yuffie said, completely ignoring him, “and you got off that stupid bike of yours, and then helped me
off? But you didn’t lift me off, or pull me off, or just stand there and let me use you like a pommel horse and
lift myself off. You held my wrist and let me decide whether I was going to be pulled, lifted, or whether I
was going to do the lifting.”
She stopped talking. Suddenly aware that she’d said all she intended to say without getting a response, Reno
quickly replied. “Um. Yes. OK. So?”
“That.” Yuffie said with finality. “That impressed me.”
Reno stared at her, eyes open in a mixture of frustration and surprise. Finally, simply to break the quickly
mounting tension that sprung up as their gazes met, he growled in frustration and looked away, gritting his
teeth as he clenched his fists. “I hate you,” he finally managed, through a locked jaw.
“And I hate you too, sweetie.” Yuffie leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, not something either of them
was used to. His face stubble wasn’t the most comfortable thing pressed against her wind chapped lips, but
she could smell his after shave better when his neck was nice and close, instead of between her knees. “Let’s
eat,” she added, tossing him the bundle she’d prepared.
He caught it with reflexes honed by dodging bullets, surprised by its lack of wait. He quickly unfastened the
metal seal and peered inside at the contents of the bag. There was nothing but a large blue blanket, bound
into a tight little ball. He looked up at Yuffie in surprise, but she was already busy clearing the ground of
particularly painful looking stones to lay on.
Reno shook his head.
She irritated him more than anyone else on the planet.
But he loved the crazy bitch.