Turks!
Reno
Chapter One:
I try and laugh about it
Hiding the tears in my eyes
'Cause boys don't cry

Author's Notes: Hey, well, what do you think? To tell the truth, I wanted to do this as a doujinshi, and I still plan to. I just have too much to draw right now, so it's going to have to wait... Um, anyway, what did all of you think of this chapter? Good? Bad? Author-should-be-sent-to-hell horrible? Well, I hope it isn't the latter... Because that would, well, suck. You know, I really need somebody who'll bug me to write nightly. Things would be simpler that way. So, if you guys send in feedback, I'll be forced to write because I'll know somebody cares... Yeah, so, start sending it! Oh, God, I'm rambling again. Anyway, I got the chapter title from a Cure song called 'Boys Don't Cry', in case you're wondering. Next chapter may take a while...

I just wrote this kind of as a prequal to Restoration, my other FF VII story. It's kind of like Reflection... Hm, only shows Reno's past. I'll be doing one for each of the Turks.

Forgive any misspellings!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Reno, but Square owns me, but I own all the original characters.

***

So you want to know about me? Must be a pretty pathetic bastard to want to know about my past. I don't even wanna know about my past. It's not all that unique or interesting anyway. It's best not to think about it... If you never look back, then it can't hurt you, eh? Besides, where are you gonna get if you spend all your time holding on to your damned past? It'd be best if you could forget it, but you can't... I would be slightly concerned if you could forget such a large part of your life. But, since you want to know, I'll tell you a little.

Just keep in mind that while my past isn't unique, it isn't what you'd call 'Pretty' or 'Normal' ... I grew up in the slums, afterall.

But anyway, my mother and father were great, but I was a spoiled little brat. If I didn't get what I wanted, I'd either run off or throw a fit. It was usually the former... Anyway, my uncle didn't like me or my father since he thought we ruined my mother's life and forced her to stay in the slums of Midgar. I was a bratty, arrogant little kid though, so I didn't let their words bother me. I hated it when Mom or Dad told me what to do... I hated authority figures, as I still do, so one day when they told me I was to go and live with my uncle for a month or two while they tried to gather enough money for us to move out of the slums, I decided to run off and live on my own. Yeah, like a ten-year-old can survive on the streets without resorting to some shitty things. Keep in mind, I lived in Sector Five, where someone was always getting murdered, robbed, et cetera. So, of course it wasn't safe for people to be on the streets at night (Actually it wasn't very safe on the streets in the day, but...) .

That's how my Dad died... And it's all my damned fault to. If I hadn't been such a spoiled little bastard, he'd still be alive. I remember it as if it were yesterday...


*****


The little boy run quickly down the street, enjoying the air that rushed past him and smiled happily when he saw a beautiful raven haired woman exiting from the house. She glanced around worriedly. "Mama!" The woman turned toward him and smiled happily, and knelt down as he neared to hug him.

"Reno, you know you shouldn't stay out so late! You had me worried sick, little boy."

"Um, sorry, Mama. I was out with some friends. But I'm not a little boy anymore..."

"Of course you are!" The woman said, then added with a kind, motherly smile, "You'll always be my little boy." Reno lowered his head and scratched the back of his head absently.

"Mama..."

"Come now, we should go inside now." With that, the two entered their small house. It was small, and it was dimly lit. It smelt of the dinner that was being prepared, which to Reno's senses at the time, was very nice. He turned and walked up the stairs to the left and into his room. He glanced around. It was the most messy room in the house. An unmade bed occupied wall against the window, a pile of papers, toys and clothes were piled on something that at one time in it's early life resembled a nightstand sat beside it, and littered across the floor were toys and clothing. He yawned and jumped on his bed. The boy rolled to his side to stare at the view of the window.

***

"Reno!"

Huh...?

"Reno, wake up!" Tiredly, the redhead rolled to his back and raised up on his elbows. He looked up to see his mother frowning.

"Dinner is ready, young man. After you have finished eating, your father and I wish to speak with you." Reno rised an eyebrow at this.

"What about?" His mother shook her head and turned to leave the room.

"I said after dinner, Reno." Reno shrugged and jumped off the bed, quickly making his way to the bathroom to wash up. He hadn't even expected to fall asleep.

***

Dori looked around sadly and sighed, taking a seat next to her husband. "I'm not sure if this is the best thing for Reno..." She said quietly. He was her son, and she didn't just want to ship him off, but money was tight.

"You know we can barely afford this house... I don't want our son growing up as a street thug."

"Neither do I, Roin, but he's still a little boy! He'll hate us for w-"

"Do you want him living on the streets?" Dori looked down, trying to hold back tears that were threatening to come. She shook her head as Reno walked in and sat down at the table.

Reno quickly noted the mood in the room. He sighed and wondered what was wrong. It wasn't often that they acted in such a manner. It worried him. The boy quickly ate his food and slumped back in his chair, awaiting the bad news.

"Reno, dear..." His mother began, calmly.

"As you know, we are short of money. We're not sure if we can keep our house, or keep food on the table for three..." Reno's head shot up, his eyes wide.

"What your mother's trying to say, Reno, is we think it's best if you go to live with someone else-"

"You're kicking me out?!"

"We don't want to, but we don't want you to grow up on the streets either, love. So it is best if you go live with your uncle Eluce." Reno clenched his fists in anger and stood from his chair, his eyes narrowing.

"No! You don't want me! Uncle Eluce is right! You hate me 'cause I kept you int he slums, right!? Well, damn you!" He screamed in a shaky voice, attempting to hold back tears.

"Watch your mouth, Reno! And you know that isn't true!" Dori said, standing abruptly from her chair. Reno didn't hear though, he was already running fromt he house. He ran down the streets, the cold air ripping past him, feeling as if it were slapping him int he face.

He passed several streets in a mad rush, eventually making his way into the bad parts of town. His muscles burned, his eyes burned, his jaw throbbed from where he had clenched his teeth for so long, his eyelids were beginning to grow heavier. He was tired, and he was broken. His parents hated him, his parents were shipping him off to relatives that hated him. The young boy collapsed down an alley way, drifting into unconsciousness the minute his head hit the pavement.

***

Roin searched frantically for his son. Where had he gone? He was extremely worried about him. He hoped he hadn't gone into the dangerous parts of town. The redheaded man sighed and rubbed his hand across his bearded face and walked into a telephone-booth. That's when he felt the cold metal pressed against his skull.

Roin swallowed hard as he slowly turned around to see a man wearing dark clothing, his emotionless eyes glaring into his. "W-What do you wa-" Before he could finish his sentence, the gun fired. The bullet instantly entered his skull, and his brain. The man stepped back and wiped blood from his face, then knelt down and began going through his pockets. It was easier than he had expected it to be.

***

Reno forced himself up tiredly, he felt cold and his energy still felt drained. He managed to crawl toward a wall to lean on. He glanced around, wondering where he was. He had been so angry, that he hadn't even noticed which streets he had taken or even if he was in the dangerous places. He stood up slowly and began to walk unsteadily. He just wanted to go home, but his muscles seemed not to want to obey him. He had run for what seemed like hours, and he was still very sleepy. It could wait until he found a safe place to rest though.

He walked slowly down the street, keeping his eyes glued to the ground. He jumped when he heard a shrill scream coming from a dark alley way. Now he knew where he was. Without giving it a second thought, he ran, his heart pounding, fear creeping into him. He felt like screaming, he felt like helping whoever was in trouble, but he couldn't. I'm a coward... go help...

What if it was just somebody who slipped? They wouldn't need my help then...

But you don't scream like that if you just fall...

Reno, go help! Quit being a coward!

No! Mama would be angry!

She hates you! Just go do it!

Reno shook off the argument with himself, and kept running. He tried his best to ignore the voice inside him that pleaded for him to go back, and he shoved the curiousity back as much as he could. It wasn't his problem!

He saw a some convience store ahead. He would be safe in there at least. His muscles forced him to slow down, though it didn't help the dull ache in his side. He stumbled back once he saw a foot sticking from the phone booth in front of the store and the blood quickly surrounding it.

Reno swallowed back the vomit that rose at the sight and continued walking toward it. If the person was still alive, he was gonna need help afterall! He gasped when he finally reached the door. Lying there was his father, Roin.

"Papa!" He forced in a whisper. He knelt down beside his father and felt for a pulse, praying there would be one. Of course, it was just foolish hopefullness. There was none. Reno frowned as the smell of the crimson liquid that surrounded him finally strengthened in one sickening gust. He ran out, vomitting up whatever he had ate that day. He stumbled, dazed, into the convience store and stared up at the clerk.

"Oh my, Gods! What happened? Little boy, are you okay?" She screamed once she saw his blood covered body. She run from behind it and rested her hands on his shoulder. Tears ran from his eyes, but his expression remained blank. He felt... Nothing. Just sadness, and that damned nagging voice reminding him that his father was dead. He lifted a numb limb up and pointed to the phonebooth without looking. "My Papa... h-he's... hurt..." Reno managed in a small voice, then added, "Help him. please." He couldn't breath, couldn't think, couldn't even speak. He felt dizzy, he felt sad, he felt like he was going to pass out.

And pass out he did. He fell to the ground, finally succumbing to his body's need for rest. The clerk gasped as she caught the boy in her arms and sat him down on the floor. She, then, quickly ran to a phone to call the police.

***

Reno slowly opened his eyes, only to groan and imediately shut them in pain again as blinding light flushed over him. He felt a hand resting on his forehead, forcing him to look at the person. It was his mother. "Mama..."

"Shush, dear," She whispered.

Reno complied for the time being, too tired to protest. He allowed his fuzzy memory to clear slightly. Soon the haunting memories and smells rushed to him. The scene of his father lying, dead, in his own blood, the smell of it. The horrible smell of gore. It was sickening still. He rose up quickly, surprising his mother. "Mama, what happened? Is Papa all right?" He asked, his voice filled with fear of the answer to this question. His mother looked down and sighed.

"Your father died, my son. There was nothing you or anyone could have done." Reno gasped, and stared blankly ahead. His eyes were wide, his mouth openedly slightly. He couldn't move, he was frozen. He felt like he had before he passed out earlier. He felt numbed.

"... Why... was he out...?"

"Looking for you... Didn't you already know that?" His mother asked, puzzled.

"He... died... because of me...? I... I'm the reason... Papa.... died..." He whispered, tears streaming down his face. He glanced down and sighed. He tried to push the pain back, but it wasn't working. It just wouldn't go away. What had he done? Because he had been angry, his father had died. He had died because of him!

"Y-You hate me, Mama?" He was afraid of her answer. What would she say? Would she turn him away? Would she say yes?

"No. I could never hate you." The older woman wrapped her arms around her son and gently ran her hands through his hair. He cried more openly now. Reno looked up to his mother who stared at him.

"With your father gone, there isn't anyway that I can take care of you, my son, which means you now have to live with your uncle Eluce. I called him a few hours ago and told him to pick up your stuff from my house... I'll be staying with him also. Only for a few weeks though. Once I gather enough money, we'll move onto the upper plate."

"... No! He hates me! I won't-" Reno was cut short when his mother pulled him up and stared directly into his eyes. He felt angry. He didn't want to leave his mother alone, and he wouldn't! It was one thing when his father was still alive, but it was different now. He didn't want her living alone in the slums.

"Reno, quiet! You'll do as I say!" Dori had to use all her strength to keep her voice low. She would be damned if she would allow her son to grow up in such filth. Afterall, if you live with filth, then you eventually become filth. She stood up and abruptly faced the wall.

"Just admit it, Mama! I ruined your life and you hate me for it! Just tell me so, so I can go on! Mama! I'm gettin' sick of this!"

"I'm going to go and get some dinner and wash up, Reno. Your uncle will be here soon," With that, she left, not looking back.

Reno exhaled and fell to his side. He forced himself to stop crying. It did no good, and he couldn't be weak if he was going to go and live with his uncle. Boys don't cry. Reno buried his head in his pillow and forced himself to fall asleep. Maybe tomorrow would be better, but he doubted it.

***

And that's how the hell I call a life begun. My mother and I weren't close after that... Even though I apologized endlessly for what I said. She always said that she wasn't angry at me. I also asked her way she was never upset that Dad died... She wouldn't say. She said he did something bad with another person. I didn't get it at the time, but now I do.

Bastard was cheating on her, and I also found out I had a little half-brother. Oh, and he was the cutest little drunken druggie I've ever seen... till I put a bullet in his head years later. I did it out of anger and a sort of revenge for my mother... Also, I was a little drunk at the time, too. I caught Hell from Tseng after that, but it was worth it. That may sound cold to you, but that's how I feel. My dear little brother was an ass, and he deserved to die. Much like you probably think I deserve to die right now. Think I'm cold? Shouldn't've tried to steal money from me, is what I say.

There are, afterall, some things you don't wanna do to a Turk. One is steal, two is insult, three is trust... 'Cause we'll kill you before you even have time to piss your pants in fear. If you get me angry enough, I could kill ya with a paper clip, if I had to.

Anyway, We moved in with Eluce soon after. What can I say? He was a bastard to everyone but my mother. As a matter of fact, I heard his wife died... Falling down the stairs. He claimed it was an accident. Yeah, right, bastard, explain the bruises elsewhere on her body. She didn't get those falling down the stairs.

I was quickly enrolled into the nearest school, and I kept good grades, and you know, I wonder sometimes how I even got into Highschool. I was drunk constantly through those years. Eh, and surprise! My IQ isn't equal to that of a retarded monkey, though some would say that. Elena definitely would. I would like to think of myself as quite an intelligent guy... Who just happens to enjoy going out to the bars once in a while. Eh, besides, Mom wanted me to get out of the slums, and after she died... I didn't want to disappoint her. I really had no choice, but to actually show up for school.