He never gave up on me
Summary: Tseng never gave up on Reno.
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't earn.
A/N: I am sorry if people consider the spacing strange, but I don't understand what is strange about it or how to fix it. If someone would like to explain it to me I would be more then happy to fix it.
…
"Tseng, I am assuming you have come to see the results of Reno's last test," Winston was the head Turk assessor, he hadn't served as a field operative for years and Tseng didn't like him one bit, but he remained respectful knowing that his student's future as a Turk depended on this man.
Tseng nodded, "Yes," he replied keeping his voice professional.
"Well I must say that I am appalled at the results of Reno's latest assessment. He is failing the course with flying colours that are almost as bright as his ridiculous hair."
Tseng clenched his fists, "And you don't think his failing may have anything to do with the fact that he is from the slums."
"Possibly, let's be honest Tseng, the slums do not offer the best in breeding."
"That is a gross generalisation. Reno is a hard worker who is always trying his best, he does every assessment to the best of his ability an-"
Winston raised his hand, "The best of ones ability is not always up to standard. I know you have wasted a lot of time on the boy, but you should now consider disposing of him as he will only weigh us down."
Tseng straightened his tie, "I want him to redo the assessment. I promise that this time he will pass."
"Tseng it will just be a waste of time. Dispose of the boy before he ruins your record," Winston turned to sorting his paper work, "You are one of the best Turks and you don't need a burden like Reno."
"Winston, I don't think you are listening to me. I said I want Reno to redo the assessment. If I have to I will take this before Veld to have Reno's case appealed."
Winston narrowed his eyes, "Using Veld once again to back you up. Really Tseng, when will you stand on your own feet?"
"If this concerned me I would be standing on my own two feet, however it is not me that is in danger here. Let Reno redo the assessment or Veld will get involved."
Winston glowered, "Fine. Reno has a week, if he doesn't pass that is the end."
Tseng nodded, "Understood."
Winston glanced at his watch, "You have one week from this moment."
Tseng turned and left.
Reno was in the rec room with the other trainee Turks, the older ones were in the lounge talking and working while the younger ones were taking full advantage of the games that ShinRa provided. They showed off their skills in the shooting games, Reno held the top two scores which everyone was trying to beat. Tseng stepped in and for a moment had to watch as Reno laughed with his friends, it was heart warming to think that the next generation were not prejudice like their elders, while their family would shy away from Reno because of his origins in the slums the kids treated him like everyone else. Reno was just so likeable once you got to know him.
"Reno," Tseng called getting the young man's attention, "May I please talk to you?"
The red head handed his gun to another trainee and moved over to his mentor, "What ya need?"
Tseng swallowed thickly, "You failed your assessment."
Reno lowered his eyes, "Do I at least getta chance to say g'd bye?"
Tseng rested his hand on Reno's shoulder, "I spoke to Winston and managed to strike a bargain. You have one week before you redo the assessment."
"What's the point? We both know Winston won't let me pass."
Tseng shook his head, "I know in a fair assessment you can pass. So I am going to make it so that Winston can't cheat and fail you. But for now you have to trust me. I want you to come to the gym at o-six-hundred hours for training, not only will you pass you will do it in spectacular fashion so no one can deny you passed."
Reno nodded, "Yes sir."
Tseng rested his hand on Reno's shoulder and squeezed, "For now, have some fun."
"What was that about?" One of the other trainees asked when Reno returned.
The red head shrugged, "Nothin' much, just that he wants me ta get up early ta train a bit with him."
Reno's friend smiled, "You are so lucky, I mean, you have the second-in-command as your mentor."
"Well he wasn't second in command when I joined," Tseng's promotion had been sudden when Veld's second in command was killed on a mission.
"Yeah, but I heard that when Turks get into high ranking positions they pass off their students to lower ranks."
"Well, I guess Tseng just ain't like that, to shake off responsibility."
Reno yawned as he stepped into the gym, he had been up since five-thirty and the other trainees wouldn't have to be up till six-thirty, he wanted to complain but he also knew that Tseng was trying to help him. The Wutain was waiting for him already dressed in his neat uniform, he looked professional as always and there were no traces of the early morning affecting him.
"Let's get to work," Reno would be able to get in an hour of training before breakfast and would then attend his normal classes, after classes were let out he would attend a further three hours of training before dinner and then one hour of study before he was allowed to spend time with the other trainees.
Reno nodded tiredly, "sure."
"Fifty push-ups," Tseng ordered. After giving him an 'I'm-not-impressed' look Reno obeyed and began to complete the push ups. When he reached forty-nine Tseng gave him the next order, "jog three laps of the gym," Reno obeyed but inwardly conjured up pictures of him beating Winston, if the fat pig hadn't failed him he would still be in bed. Reno yawned as he ran the laps around the room, Tseng patiently watching him.
"Done," Reno returned to Tseng only slightly puffed.
The Wutain nodded, "Another fifty push-ups then thirty sit-ups."
"Wha-?"
"Do you want to pass or not?" Tseng asked.
He had run a total of ten laps of the gym, done two hundred push-ups and sixty sit-ups when Tseng finally told him to go to breakfast. The day had barely begun and already Reno was exhausted. After eating and washing up however he felt refreshed and was able to get through the first half of the day before he began to feel worn out. At the end of the day he went to one of the training rooms since the gym was occupied, Tseng claimed that Reno did not need distractions.
"Do ten push ups then run to the bag and hit it ten times, run back and do ten more push ups repeating the process."
'Tseng, you are going to kill me before I do the assessment,' Reno thought as he followed through on Tseng's command.
Groaning Reno got down and began the push ups, Tseng placed his foot on the small of Reno's back, "Come on Reno, if you are going to do it, do it right," he said putting the slightest bit of pressure on Reno's back to make him work harder.
After doing the exercise ten times Reno collapsed onto his face, "Get up Reno," Tseng said tolerantly.
"Na thanks, I'm good 'ere."
"Get up Reno," Tseng repeated in the same tone.
Reno groaned rolling onto his back, "Tseng, I'm tired… I don't want to train anymore."
Tseng blinked at him, "Are you just going to give up then?"
"May as well, I could be tha best trainee and still Winston would fail me. What's the point in tryin'?"
Tseng scowled, "I didn't know I was training a quitter," he said turning away from Reno, "when I became second in command I was asked who I wanted to assign you to, and I said no one because I was going to keep training you, because you had potential and I thought I could focus it. But what you just said is making me re-think that."
Reno grunted, "You ain't going ta sucker me with one of your speeches."
"Very well let me be frank," Tseng said crouching down next to Reno's head, "you can throw as many tantrums as you want but I am going to keep ordering you to train. If you are not in the gym by five past six every morning I will go into the dorms and drag you out. If you do not turn up to afternoon training I will find you and not only will you complete your training you will be put on scullery duty in the cafeteria. Furthermore if you try to get out of evening study I will tie you to your chair and give you extra work. I have put far too much time and energy into training you and I will not let you just give up on me. Understood? Good, now I want you to do the exercise five more times."
Reno groaned staring up at Tseng, "What if I turn up and decide not to work?"
Tseng pulled Reno up by the back of his collar and forced him onto his feet, "Do you really want to know?"
'Why do we even have a hand book?' Reno looked at the despicable book, it was almost two hundred pages in length and dictated the code of conduct of all Turks, 'Who knew, 'do what ShinRa tells you no matter what and do it discretely' could be translated into two hundred pages of protocol?' The red head read over the book answering questions that Tseng had written out for him, while the Wutain was sitting at another desk filling out paper work.
Reno sighed, "I've finished."
"Good," Tseng didn't even look up, "Go on and read chapter three."
"All of it?"
Tseng nodded, "Mhmm."
Reno thumped his head against the desk, "Tseng," he whined.
"Reno," Tseng mimicked Reno's whining voice, "get to work."
Reno glanced at the clock, "Can I got now?"
Tseng followed his gaze, "You still have five minutes."
"Can't I get an early mark for finishing my work fast?"
"It doesn't matter how long it takes you to do your work Reno, all I care about is if it is done well," he cocked his eyebrow, "Is your work just done or done well?"
Reno swallowed, "Done well?"
Tseng put his hand out, "Well I'll mark it now," Reno put the sheet of paper in his mentor's hand and watched as it was marked, the Wutain looked up with a smile, "Well done. Ninety percent."
"So I can go?"
"No, you have two minutes so get reading."
"You have no idea where he is?" Tseng asked Dean, Reno's closest friend.
"Sorry sir, he said he was going to training when he left class and that was the last I saw of him," he shifted under Tseng's gaze.
Tseng nodded, "Thank you," he turned and left, 'Where are you Reno?' there was only two days left before he redid the assessment he couldn't risk losing out on any training time. The Wutain pulled out his phone and rang Reno's number but there was no answer, he tried to track the mobile but he was only led to Reno's room and the teen was not there, "Gods Reno…" Tseng shook his head in disbelief, "Where'd you go?"
"I heard you lost your student," Winston smirked at Tseng folding his arms over his chest.
"I haven't lost Reno. He isn't some pet or object, Reno has gone missing," Tseng corrected Winston coldly.
Winston waved his hand dismissively, "Perhaps he has a better head then I gave him credit for, he knows when to back down unlike his teacher."
"Tomorrow Reno will do his assessment and he will do it so well that even you will admit that he has passed," Tseng said walking away in search of his student who had been gone for an entire day.
"Ever optimistic," Winston shrugged walking away.
Tseng lowered his eyes, 'If only optimism forced Reno to return,' Tseng thought returning to his search, he couldn't let Reno fail, if anyone deserved a place in the Turks it was Reno.
Tseng paced the gym while Winston and the assessors stood waiting impatiently for Reno to arrive, he was meant to have been there almost an hour ago and it was obvious that his time was quickly running out.
"Tseng," Winston turned to the black haired Wutain, "he has five more minutes and then he fails, understood?"
Tseng swallowed nodding. There was no way Winston could fail Reno on his theory work, the red head had done that before he went missing and since there was written proof he had passed, but the physical component was a different story and it weighed far more then theory, "Understood," Tseng looked at the door with sad eyes, 'How could you do this to yourself Reno… Winston won't let it go. Once you fail he'll ensure that ShinRa troops and Turks are sent to find you and destroy you,' he turned to Winston, he had no choice but to admit defeat, he opened his mouth but stopped when the door opened.
"Sorry 'm late," Reno pushed his hair out of his eyes and headed straight towards Tseng, he brushed passed the man slipping a piece of paper into the Turk's hand, "Watcha need me to do?" he asked Winston and the assessors.
While they were all distracted by Reno, Tseng looked down at the note in his hand, 'Thank you for not giving up on me.'
Reno did as he was told completing each physical task with ease, the week worth of early mornings and constant training aiding him. Winston and the assessors finished and wrote their scores before Winston added them all together. The old Turk turned to Tseng, "Unfortunately Tseng, Reno did not pass."
"WHAT!" Reno and Tseng cried together the Wutain finally losing his composure.
"Yes, Winston please explain how Reno did not pass," everyone turned as Veld walked into the gym, "I heard about what was going on and decided to see how much of a disgrace this Turk was but it would seem that Reno is one of the best I've seen which begs the question, what do Tseng and I see that you don't?"
"S-sir," Winston stuttered.
Veld scowled, "I always wondered why Vincent kept you out of field work and it would appear that it was because you were horrible at that, now I see you are not suitable for administrative work either you and the assessors are corrupt and discriminative," he looked at Reno "Run along, Tseng and I have business to attend to."
Reno nodded moving towards the door but he paused with his hand on the knob, "Tseng," he met the dark brown eyes, "Thank you," he opened the door, exited and then closed it behind him. Next year there were five new assessors and no questions were ever asked.
…
A/N: Exactly 2,500 words not counting author notes. Please Review. Note: Favourites are much appreciated but they don't count as constructive feed back. XD