Reno sauntered out of Shinra's entrance and looked around, spying a certain Blonde waiting to cross the road.
"So, where you headed, Laney?"
She looked over her shoulder and smiled at the Redhead.
"Oh Hey Reno, just home, as always...what about you?"
"Nowhere in particular. Mind if I join you?"
"Yeah Sure, it's pretty late though, shouldn't you get home?"
They began walking and a chill wind washed through the streets, Elena shivered and rubbed her arms.
"Dang it's cold yo"
"I'll be up for a while; it's no problem. Want my jacket?"
Without waiting for an answer, the Turk shrugged out of his coat and dropped it onto her shoulders, Elena pulled it closer round herself and smirked.
"uh...thanks, When did you become such a gentlemen haha"
"I had a mom once ya know." ;D
They looked at each other and laughed…
"Must pay to be a Turk walking home alone at night. Guys won't mess with you."
"Don't be too sure about that, filthy Shinra dogs"
Both jumped, Reno taking a protective stance in front of Elena as the owner of the voice stepped into the light, grinning wildly. Reno took a step forward...
"What the hell do you want, pal? Move outta the way."
Elena's eyes widened as the thug pulled a large knife from his boot and pointed it at Reno.
"Your Turks aint ya? You guys work for that good for nothing Rufus Shinra"
She took a small step back, reaching into her pocket...
"What ya hiding for girly, think your boyfriends gonna watch yer back?"
The Blonde looked up and gritted her teeth, she attempted to move to the front but Reno stopped her…
"Why You..."
The Redheaded Turk took a step forward and gave the guy a short, sharp, shove in the chest.
"Hey, back OFF. You don't wanna tangle with Shin-Ra, I can promise you."
He reached into his own pocket and brought out his trusted EMR, resting it upon his shoulder and smirking at their opponent
"Or if you just can't 'help' yourself, I can always do you the honour of kicking your ass straight into the Lifestream."
Elena yanked out a pair of leather fighting gloves and slipped them on before glaring at the Man standing opposite her…
"Yup, cos you're dealing with the best of the best here punk, we taken out a lot worse than the likes of you yo"
"Sounds like fun, bring it on Shinra Scum!"
The guy lunged for Elena first, she moved into a defence stance and made to attack but Reno got in first, landing a solid kick to the guys wrist and smacking him across the face, away from her.
"Watch yourself, Rookie!"
"HA, Rookie? so your Girlfriend here's a newbie? Ah Easy"
He grinned and dodged a punch coming from Elena before taking a swing at Reno, just catching his cheek, however he was suddenly kicked in the stomach by the 'Rookie' and sent sprawling onto the floor.
"Easy? You are Gonna damn well Wish! You ok Reno?"
He looked up and wiped away the blood on his cheek
"Just fine. Head's up!"
The warning came too late for Elena and the thug caught her solid in the gut, sending her crashing into the wall of the alley they'd been forced into.
"Ha, Pathetic...What do you see in her? She's useless"
Reno growled under his breath and glanced to where Elena had landed.
"She's a Turk. That's more than you can say about yourself. You're just an assbag with an attitude problem."
He jumped at the guy, yelling over his shoulder...
"You ok Laney?"
"Just Peachy, Thanks!"
Reno smiled a little at her sarcasm and turned his attention back to the attacker.
"Ha, anyone that works for Rufus Shinra is nothing but a lapdog...AND I'M HERE TO GET RID OF YOU!"
Elena hauled herself up and wiped her lip...
"Damned Idiot"
She looked up in time to see Reno get smacked across the jaw and thrown off his feet, with a yell she leapt in to cover for him. The Turk stumbled to his feet, shaking his head, fury building up inside.
"I didn't sign up for this job."
"Well, allow me to put you out of your misery"
"Reno, WATCH IT!"
He lunged for Reno, knife raised and brought down fast, He shut his eyes as Elena jumped between the blade and Reno, gasping as the Metal tore across her back. She gripped Reno's shirt tight to ease up on the pain, knowing it wouldn't work. Her eyes widened and a trickle of blood spilt from the corner of her mouth.
"HAHA, Looks like the chick aint so useless after all"
Reno opened his eyes and met her painful gaze, he gritted his teeth as she slid to the ground.
"...ELENA!"
Reno leapt upon the man and began to pound every inch of the man's body that he could see. Elena rolled over, wincing slightly, watching as the thug struggled, freeing one hand to grasp Reno's slender neck and begin crushing it. The Redhead, choked and gasped for air, just managing to jerk free from his grip and plant a solid kick on the guy's nearly unrecognisable face.
"R...Reno...call for B...Backup yo..."
"Just shut it, Laney! Don't talk, you'll make it worse!"
Elena tried to pull herself up but the cut in her back was deep and she was losing blood, her once white shirt had begun staining red...
"Reno...don't do...it...Reno HEADS UP!"
The Turk turned just as the thug jumped up, he grabbed Reno's wrist and kicked the EMR from his grasp before landing a solid punch to his gut. Reno doubled up, coughing and gasping for breath...
"Be…quiet. Stay still."
He reached down and grabbed the Rod from the floor, placing himself between the thug and Elena, his face set, ready to kill.
"Looks like your girlfriends out of luck Turk, just leaves me and you to have a little more fun haha"
The man tried to get around Reno, to finish off Elena but Reno saw his plan straight of and attacked.
"Don't even think about it."
Elena grabbed a hold of the ledge and pulled herself up, reaching into her pocket for her gun. She cocked the weapon and took aim...
"Get the Hell AWAY FROM MY FRIEND!"
Then she fired.
Reno's body jolted backwards and blood sprayed onto the thugs face. He hastily wiped it off and looked up at Elena fearfully.
"Crap, I'm outta here!"
He turned and ran from the alley as fast as he could and Elena looked across at Reno, her blood running cold…
"Reno?"
His back was turned but she could see the dark stain slowly covering his back and her eye's widened in horror. She rushed forward and grabbed his hand, turning him to face her...
"RENO!"
The Redhead fell forward, his face landing in her shoulder and she wrapped her arms around his body, supporting him...
"...e...lena."
They both slid to their knees and Elena gently laid him on the ground, tears blurring her vision.
"No No NO NO NO!"
She brushed his hair off his face and looked into his eyes, so full of pain and she felt those tears overflow and run down her face. She tore her jacket off and pressed it against the wound, trying desperately to stop the flow of blood.
"Reno? Reno, oh god I'm so sorry...Please Stop...Please Stop"
She looked down at Reno and searched for his hand in the darkness, gripping it tightly.
"You stay with me Yo, You stay with me..."
He smiled very faintly up at her and gasped, trying to breathe.
"...h..hey. S'ok..."
Rubbing her face with her sleeve she looked down at him and placed her free hand on his cheek...
"Shhhh...shh...Don't talk..."
She looked over her shoulder, to the street and cried out;
"SOMEONE PLEASE, HELP ME!"
She knew he needed help but she just couldn't leave him...not like this.
She stroked his cheek and brushed away the tears that landed on his face...
"Reno...I'm S...Sorry...This is my fault..."
Reno opened his mouth to speak but all that came out of it was blood, washing over his tongue and spilling from his lips. Carefully, she shifted his position so that he lay on his side , freeing his throat of the crimson liquid and called out again.
"SOMEONE HELP!"
Reno's choking instantly died down to coughing and he looked up at Elena, pian drowning his eyes but he managed a small smile...
"s...s'ok...*cough*
"Come On Reno, you've been through...worse than this...Right?"
She used her free hand to wipe away the blood that had run from his mouth and shut her eyes tight, willing the tears away even though they had begun falling. She cradled the dying man's face as her vision blurred.
" You...You Can't...not today...pl...please Reno..."
Suddenly, Reno's gasping breaths became short sharp panting and he began to shiver violently.
"...it's...c-cold"
Elena looked up and reached for the coat she'd discarded earlier, the coat Reno had lent her, and covered him with it before laying down beside him and sliding her arms around his waist, pulling herself closer to him, relying on her body warmth to help…
"S...Sorry Reno...I should've never..."
She broke off crying and buried her face into his chest, Reno looked down at her and smiled weakly, shutting his eyes and pressing a bloody kiss to her forehead.
"...look at...look at...me..."
"Hey...Don't even think about it...Reno!"
She looked up at him, eyes glistening and moved her hand back to cradle his cheek, squeezing the other hand tighter and looking into his eyes.
"Please...Don't..."
"...don't you...blame yourself. You...h-hear me? It's...ok."
A Serious look crossed his face and his gaze locked with hers.
"How...How can I n...not? Reno..."
She looked into those beautiful eyes, normally bright Blue but shining pale Grey in the darkness of the alley and felt her heart tearing in two.
"You're...your dying...b...because of...me...
"Better you than...anybody else. If this is...the...last thing I see, well...*cough* hell, that's not such a...bad...deal."
He smiled faintly at the light blush that crept across Elena's cheeks and blinked a few times, slowly. He could feel it, he was beginning to find it difficult staying awake. No...not yet...
"Hey...HEY, No you don't, Stay awake Damn it!"
Elena tapped the side of his face with a trembling hand and shook her head…
"Reno...You Can't...Not now...please...Don't You dare...Leave me here Alone..."
"...make sure...Tseng knows...and Rude...knows...I'll see them around...kay?"
She looked up, eyes wide and she pulled him closer.
"...don't...Reno...don't say goodbye now"
Squeezing his hand she lifted her gaze to meet his.
"Please...you can't go now...there something I still need to tell you..."
The Redhead let out a rasping cough and winced before looking back at the beautiful girl in his arms…
"...you'd better...spit..it..out"
"Reno...I..."
Elena leant in close and pressed her lips against his tenderly, running her fingers gently through his crimson hair and bringing them back to caress his cheek. Reno's eyes widened a little before his hand came to rest upon her waist and he kissed her back with all the strength he had, desperately clinging to the one thing left in this world that he cared about. Elena pulled away softly and touched her forehead to his before smiling up at him.
"I love you Reno...so please...Don't Leave Me..."
Reno felt all the strength in his body vanish, he couldn't draw in a breath and smiled sadly at the Girl. He gave his last breath...
"I..."
Then, his suffering ended, his eyes slowly closed and he fell still in Elena's arms.
Her eyes widened and she sat up, turning him to face her, tears brimming.
"Reno?"
She gently shook the Redheads shoulders.
"Reno? Hey, c...come on...Reno..."
Realisation slowly sunk in and she began trembling.
"No Way...No...It...It can't be..."
She threw herself across his body, burying her face into his chest and clutching his shirt, gripping it tightly, her hand never once letting go of his...
"Reno...Please..."
"RENO!"
