Written for the FF Kiss Battle on Dreamwidth, in response to Mystiri_1's prompt Reno/Yazoo - Ambiguous.
Whenever I watch Advent Children Complete (which is often) I get the impression Reno and Yazoo are having a ball ^^
I'm afraid this won't make a lot of sense if you haven't seen the film.
Bite Me!
"Where's Mother?" says the one with long hair – the one who looks most like the original. Yazoo, according to the files.
Where's Tseng? Reno counters mentally. Where's Elena? What he voices though is a jagged insult that is the inevitable invitation – the excuse to get this party started.
The remnant looks at Reno as though his thoughts are audible, and smiles. This shadow of Sephiroth may not be human, but Reno recognises that look from years of street fights and bar brawls, and although he's scowling, he feels the corner of his mouth curve upwards. All right then. Paired. Bring it.
Sharp words are followed by blows and then kicks, Reno's perfectly executed front kick is blocked too easily, and Yazoo's back flip evasion is, face it, just showing off. Yeah, yeah, thinks Reno – flashy fucker. Try evading this! But his signature lightning roundhouse somehow fails to make contact, and as he strives for balance Yazoo's boot is in his face and he's flying across the street – never even saw that back kick coming. Reno picks himself up and charges towards Yazoo who jumps clear onto the roof of the nearest building – and that's plain cheating.
Reno snarls, lets his expression lie - so not impressed – as Yazoo looks down at him, not even out of breath, and whatever he's actually saying, the message in his eyes is clear: is that the best you've got?
No – not by a long shot – and Reno's up that building like a fucking lizard because he may not have supernatural powers, but he's fast. SOLDIERS always underestimated Turks, but there's a reason the Turks are still here, yeah, and Reno has the moves – Yazoo's losing ground. It's hand-to-hand up here on the rooftop, and there's a rhythm to this that Reno has missed lately – a beat that has slowed, now pulsing faster again. He looks Yazoo in the eye, and the remnant's smile is too knowing.
Reno swings the magrod and follows through with a right uppercut that meets nothing but air as Yazoo somehow gets around behind him and seizes his left wrist. Reno understands that until now Yazoo has merely been playing with him – that he has the same strength as Kadaj, if he chooses to use it. The unexpected touch of Yazoo's lips against his neck – the scrape of sharp teeth – is a jolt of something Reno has no desire to analyse, but he uses the surge of energy to break free – get his guard up –
Too late. And again he's kicked half into next week – landing hard on something marginally softer than the ground – shit – sorry, partner.
Reno and Rude brush themselves down, make with the talk, stalling for time because they'll never admit to being outclassed. Reno's going to get in one good kick if it kills him, because Yazoo is outright asking for it now. Where the hell does he get off with that – kiss? Bite? Whatever the fuck that was. Reno's flying jump-kick is a thing of beauty if he does say so himself – powered by speed and adrenaline – and he's never been this high. The impact almost takes him by surprise: Yazoo hits the ground and Reno experiences a brief moment of triumph before Loz's fist knocks him straight into Rude and right across the plaza. He staggers to his feet, blood dripping from his nose, and there's Yazoo tossing his hair, laughing. Reno sees red – along with all that black and green and silver – and Yazoo's fucking dead – but the world rocks with the force of an explosion above them, and Reno can only watch, horrified, as Rufus Shinra falls towards the ground.
And then he's not falling any more – and three miracles of life: Tseng, Elena, Rufus – none of them dead after all. Whose reunion is this supposed to be again?
Flying low over Edge, tracking Yazoo and Loz on those weird thrown-together bikes of theirs, Reno hits fire, scattering bullets, and murmurs Yazoo's words right back at him, "Are we having fun yet, huh?"
Yeah – now he's having fun. The Turks back together, a reason to fly and a legitimate target to shoot at – an opponent who knows how to hit. Reno feels the lifting of a two-year depression he didn't even know he had.
When Rude's rocket takes out the whole damn overpass Reno can't help smiling. Yeah – they're still in the shit – there's still the whole Sephiroth-is-coming-back mess to deal with – but that's Strife's gig. Reno's job is Yazoo and – holy crap! How did he –
Reno can't believe what he's seeing – Yazoo – on the bike – inside the chopper! Yazoo turns his head, looks Reno in the eye, gun levelled. He smiles.
This times it's the bullet that kisses – that bites. Reno swears, snatches his hand away, stung by the ricochet, but nothing worse. Did Yazoo miss? No. The bullet has severed the cyclic from its stick as neatly as a gardener dead-heading a rose. They're going down – that bastard Yazoo just wants to watch them crash and burn doesn't he? No remnant of Sephorith would go giving chances – and – shit, what's happened to Rude?
But Rude's hanging on – Rude always hangs on – and they fall out of the sky together. Reno shakes his head – half-stunned, but not badly hurt, as Rude drags himself to his knees beside him, and they watch the chopper spiral into the ground and explode. Reno grins at Rude – showing him the collective, still in his hand. Above them Elena waves at them from their one remaining helicopter, Tseng holding it steady, as always.
Time to put an end to all this. It's been a blast an' all, but Reno's never been much for second dates. Standing on the empty highway waiting for Cloud, Rude's improvised bomb in one hand, Reno touches the place on his neck where Yazoo's lips brushed his skin and remembers the sharp pressure of teeth. He shivers, wondering why he's still alive.
Who cares? He is – and not shooting him when he had the chance will be Yazoo's last mistake.
Cloud streaks past. Yazoo and Loz emerge from the tunnel. Yazoo looks up and registers the bomb lying in the middle of the road –
The explosion shakes the city and damn - Rude wasn't kidding – he really went and added fireworks!
That flashy enough for you, Yazoo? Reno thinks, laughing softly. That got enough bite to it, bitch?
Reno leans against the railing at Healen Lodge, watching the orange sunset turning the waterfalls to flame. He takes a long drag on the cigarette he probably shouldn't be smoking now that it looks as though Strife's saved the world again, and they might live long enough for it to matter after all.
Fuck it – it's been a good day. Boss is going to be fine after all. The latest threat has been eliminated. According to Tseng, who heard it from Valentine afterwards, Loz and Yazoo survived the explosion – took themselves out in a blaze of materia and glory, and almost took Cloud with them.
Reno smiles, thinking about Yazoo. Yeah - flash fucker. He could fight, though. The bruise on his neck still aches, but - honestly? Reno can't say that he minds.