Living in the Past
Maybe it was anger that kept her with him. The others, even Cloud, who had led them, all tapered back into reality. They faded back into the backdrop of life, living well, retired heroes. Of course they could go back to doing whatever; they had only fought for a year.
Not her, she'd been fighting for over twelve years now. Tifa looked down into her glass from beside Barret. She was used to him being there. His large shoulder rounding out next to her head was like a wall. They didn't say anything. He'd been quiet most of the day; always he was after fighting with Marlene. But she wasn't a little girl anymore.
She had been about to say something to him when he growled from beside her.
Then she saw him. How could she miss him? Bright red hair stood out even in the dim bar. This is what they wanted. What they needed, they needed to fight. They were still AVALANCHE. As one, Tifa and Barret got up and followed that shock of red hair from the building.
She hit first, she was faster. The red head took her fist from the side and back of his head, he fell to the ground. Wasting no time, Reno was still fast. He flipped to a crouch and those icy blue killer's eyes glared up at them…
…from over a priest's collar.
Tifa's hand covered her mouth. She'd just hit a priest.
Barret's mouth worked before he spoke. "What the FUCK are you doin?"
Reno stood and brushed off his long cassock. "I was walking home." His voice no longer had that bitter edge to it. But it was the same voice, the same man who had killed their friends.
"What, you think that jus' cause ya claim ya found God yer forgiven!" Barret screamed from beside her. His big voice bellowed around them. Tifa found herself still to shocked to move.
He looked down, took a deep breath and shook his head. "I am not looking for forgiveness from you."
"Oh, then what? Trying now to save yourself after kill'n Biggs, Wedge and Jessie?" The gun attached to Barret's arm clicked ready. "Or can you pretend they didn't happen? What the hell makes you find God now?" That gun leveled at Reno's chest.
"That's the funny thing about God, Barret. He waits for us to say we are sorry and then, he takes us back."
Tifa watched Barret's face. Anger, Hate, none of it faded, but slowly, resolution found a place. The gun clicked again and pointed to the ground. "I still fucking hate you, you know that?"
Reno nodded, "then thank you, for not killing me." He then turned to Tifa, though his smile lacked the way he had looked at her in the past. "People change, I'm not telling you to. But maybe, rethink yourself sometime." With that, Father Reno Capellirossi turned and left them standing in the alley.
AN: Thirty minute challenge fic. I really liked how it came out, so here it is.