A/N: And here we are, folks! Lucky # 30! I just want to thank all of my wonderful reviewers: without your constant encouragement, I don't know how I would have made it through this challenge. To be honest, I'm sorry I could not come up with a better last entry for you all, but I figured as long as I was trying to get inspired, it would elude me. And hey, Fushia, at least I have time to finish that outline now!

Disclaimer: All profitables belong to Square-Enix.

Entry #30 Kiss - Velvet Box

She had tricked him into this.

It began with the planning. He wanted to get her something nice, something he knew she'd love. He'd scoured all of Edge, Costa del Sol, hell, even the Icicle Inn. When he's found the right shop, the salesman has attacked him: rhinestones and zirconium galore. But Reno had shaken his head. He was going to buy her something nice if it killed him, and as he examined the prices of some of the more expensive objects, he held the vague notion that it just might.

When he had selected it, he asked for a nice box. A velvet one, dark and purple, that was just big enough to slip into his pocket.

When he presented it to her over a nice dinner, she had been ecstatic. He had expected waterworks and lots of squealing, but he had definitely not anticipated her diving across the table, giggling into his chest.

Little did he know that he'd become her show dog for the next couple of months.

She'd shown it to Tifa first, who squealed in a manner as deafening as Yuffie's had been, informing him of a great job and that Yuffie would love and cherish his gift forever. Cid had said that it was as good as the ball-and-chain itself, and even Vincent had nodded in approval. Elena had stared blankly at the object, confused as to Reno's intentions, and even pulled him back after work one night to ask him if he was absolutely sure.

After all, she had jokingly continued, that object could be the death of him.

So when he mentioned that she looked fatter than normal one morning, he realized that Elena had been right. As he ran from the roaring creature, cringing at the sound of crushing metal and screams of terror, Reno could not help but question his decision:

An engagement ring would have been so much more safer than a rare Bahamut materia.

- End -

A/N: As always, please review! (And for those of you who have consecutively throughout the story, thanks so much!)