Had it really been all these years since he disappeared? Reno reclined back in his chair, pulling open a drawer and ruffling through the papers, yanking out his treasure. It was the only picture he had left of him, an identical pair of emerald eyes gleaming drunkenly back at him as their flaming red hair melded into one giant mass. It had been their eighteenth birthday, a day they'd always promised each other would be theirs alone to share. The day they officially became adults. Reno's finger slowly trailed the red streaks beneath his eyes welling with longing, reminiscent tears. Vivid recollections danced through Reno's head, laying in a chair in some shoddy back alley tattoo parlor with him as they got marked, his counterpart with little triangles under his eyes contrasting the bright red streaks under his own. They did it for their mom, he recanted, to help her tell them apart as much as they took sport in confusing her. Reno wiped away a stray tear that worked it's way down his cheek. Damn he missed him.
"Who's that?" Rude inquired from behind his partner, leaning against the back of the chair. It was Reno's birthday today and the Turk always became withdrawn on this special day. Mildly curious, both Rufus and Tseng had sent him to investigate the cause of Reno's abnormal behaviour every year.
"My twin brother," his voice was soft, thoughtful, "Ale. This was our eighteenth birthday. The last day.." his eyes grew dark, "I ever saw him."
Rude knelt down beside his partner, coiling a strong arm around his scrawny waist and craning to look at the twin faces broadly grinning from the photograph. Never since he'd known Reno had the man discussed his family. He'd mentioned in passing he used to have a brother and a mother he had lived with as a child but made no effort to elaborate. Casting down his shades, Rude saw the hurt embedded deep in Reno's eyes. He could only surmise they must have been close.
"What...happened?" he asked cautiously, Reno shaking his head.
"I... really don't know. He just disappeared." He chuckled weakly, "Sounds stupid don't it? He was there one day and the next night.. he left and just.. never came back."
"No.." Rude held him tighter. "Do you think he's still in Midgar?"
"I honestly don't think so, Rude. He just vanished. Up and gone like magic." he tucked the picture away in his desk and withdrew a ring from the depths of the cluttered drawer. He slid it on his left middle finger, slowly rubbing the glinting shard of fire materia embedded in the metal. He showed it more closely to Rude, a circular pattern resembling some sort of weapon was engraved around the stone.
"Was this his?" Rude gently laced their fingers, bringing the bony pale hand to his lips.
"Nah. We each had one." His grip tightened around Rude's, "I just.. wish I knew if he was okay or not. After all this time one would assume he'd dead but.. but he can't be. That's just not Ale. My brother had one hell of a temper, a real firestorm if he wanted to be." Reno's smile returned, cradling Rude's hand against his chest. "I know he's still out there.. I know he is." Rude leaned in and gently kissed Reno's forehead, gently carressing the ring around his lover's finger. He drew the redhead close to him, Reno slowly relaxing to the deep bass beat of his heart. Reno shook as he chuckled, a devillish glint in his eyes as he looked up at his partner.
"Ya know, partner. You weren't my first."
Rude cleared his throat, "You.. and Ale?"
"Yep." Reno snuggled back against him, "he was good too."
Rude chuckled, "Not something I needed to know."
"Awww," Reno rolled over and reclined against his shoulder, toying with the tie. "Ain't it every man's fantasy to fuck twins?"
Rude just rolled his eyes and replaced his shades, nuzzling Reno's bright red hair. "You must have been two of a kind."
"Yep." Reno brought the ring to his lips, a shock running through him as the stone heated up against his mouth. Flames rose to tease his lips hungrily, coaxing a soft moan from Reno's throat. Never burning him, heat washed throughout his body and the rich, sulfur scent of his elder twin suddenly filled his nose. Closing his eyes he could envision the mischievious glow of identical emerald and hear the light, arrogant voice echo in his head. When his eyes slid open and the ring descended back into the desk, Reno could only smile, staring out the nearby window over the smog-darkened cityscape.
"Yep.. two of a kind."