Rude jerked awake as he heard a pounding on his window. He pushed the blankets back and got up out of bed, padding across the threadbare rug and the polished boards, yanking the curtain aside. He gasped, the apparition outside the window looked for a moment like a ghost, before the shock of red hair gave it away as his best friend. He pushed the window open and yanked the other in. Reno was not in good shape. His lips was split, his left eyes was going purple and swelling up, his clothes were ripped and freshly stained and, while attempting a casual expression replete with nervous smile, his cerulean eyes shining with sheer terror. His gaunt form shook violently and he panted, almost hyperventilating, as if unable to recognise that he was safe.
Rude put his hands firmly on his friend's shoulders, staring into his eyes "Reno! RENO!" he whispered loudly, desperate not to wake his parents up "Reno! Breathe! Breathe... come on, you're safe now...it won't kill you to relax..."
The redhead shuddered in his grip, but slowly calmed, his paper-white hands coming up to wrap around the other's reassuring solid arms as if checking he was there, was real. Gradually clarity returned to his eyes, but the terror didn't fade.
Rude hugged him tightly "Shiva, Reno, what happened?" he whispered "It doesn't matter, whatever it was, I'll help you, I won't let them take you away, I won't let you be caught... we can keep it secret..."
Reno's bony arms wrapped tightly around the other, clinging to him, unwilling to let go of his rock, his Rude. "I'-... i' weren' me..." he managed to stammer eventually, gulping back tears "Hones Rude... i' weren' me...". Usually he found it easy enough to hide behind his happy-go-lucky facade, fool people that he was ok, even Rude fell for it sometimes, but he was too shaken now to waste time with acting.
Rude nodded "Okay... it's ok Red..." he hoped the nickname would remind the other who he was talking to.
Reno gulped, still shivering "S- Summat bad..." he whispered "Bu' i' weren' me..."
Rude nodded "I'm sure it wasn't you... what happened? Who was it?"
Reno closed his eyes and whimpered "M'... m' Mum..."
Rude flinched and yanked him closer to his body reflexively. He may only have been two years older than the other, but already he was determined to protect him, not to let him slide down that slippery slope to the half-life of the slum zombies, living in a drug-fuelled haze and selling their bodies for the next hit with no thought for their survival, no care other than that next rush, that next high, that next escape. He was determined Reno would be better than that.
"What happened?" he eventually whispered.
Reno shrugged, shivering "Kane caugh' up wi 'er..."
It had been her own stupid fault, thinking she could take on extra clients without him knowing... but she'd only been doing it to send Reno to school. That's what she'd told him anyway, he wasn't sure he believed her. What if she had been though? What if she had been trying to change things, trying to do the best she could for him? And he'd done nothing. Just stood there, watched as she backed away and tried to calm him down as he raged, waving the gun in the air, listened as she'd pleaded for her life and his, apologising desparately, with tears shining on her face and thickening her voice, smelled the terror and apoplectic anger thickening the atmosphere. When the explosion had shattered the air rendering him temporarily deaf, his eyes had squeezed shut in feeble resistance to the horror he knew would await him, but he had still been able to taste the bitter powder and the tang of blood hanging heavy in the air.
The redhead forced a shaky smile through chattering teeth, eyes shining brighter with unshed tears "Splattered 'er brain up the wall..." he sniffed, swiping at his nose with a grimy hand "Stupi' cow... she.. she ad i' comin..." he finally broke down in tears and threw himself back into the others arms. Rude sat down on his bed again, guiding his fragile friend with him, holding him tightly.
Reno stared down, still sniffing, unable to met Rude's eyes, determined to find the strength to tell the rest of it. He was not weak dammit, he wouldn't let this break him.
"Then... Then 'e star'ed on me... said summat 'bou' takin' mum's place... sa I ran..." He lifted his head, the familiar glint of fierceness returning to his eyes as he met the other's gaze. His tone was low and deadly, brooking no argument. "When 'm a Turk...", he whispered, "'m gonna kill 'im...".
Rude felt a shiver run down his spine. He knew somehow that the other would do it, no matter what it took, Kane was a dead man walking. He knew his Reno, and when he got like this, nothing would stop him, not even five men three times their age deciding to take Reno's only toy. He remembered what had happened that time, took a deep breath, squeezed the other's hand and whispered the only thing he could:
"I'll help you. I'll have your back."
Reno gulped away the last of his tears and looked up, meeting the other's deep tiger-eyes and his serious gaze, his own eyes seeming wider, more intense than usual with the tears in them still magnifying the light. He managed a weak smile and squeezed back.
"I know i'. Thanks yo."
Rude smiled.
"Anytime."