Past and Present
Ivory Keys
AN: I own nothing in this story, including the songs. This is for MysticSpiritus so enjoy. Please R&R.
I will love you as long as I can; however long that may be…
Quote from The Last Unicorn
As Reno opened the door to his home he noticed his wife's absence. Normally she would be lounging on the couch or training in the backyard but she wasn't at either of those places. It was when he was passing thorough the hallway that he heard a soft piano chord being struck. A melody soon came drifting to his ears along with his wife's soft voice.
"I am a king's daughter,
And if I cared to care,
The moon that has no mistress
Would flutter in my hair.
No one dares to cherish
What I choose to crave.
Never have I hungered,
That I did not have.
Reno made his way up the stairs towards the sound of Tifa's voice, realizing that he was heading to the attic. Opening the doorway softly so she wouldn't stop her song, he peered in the room. Tifa was sitting on a bench before an ebony piano, her fingers dancing over the keys, the melody produced sounding plaintive and melancholy. Reno then listened more intently to her song.
"I am a king's daughter,
And I grow old within
The prison of my person,
The shackles of my skin.
And I would run away
And beg from door to door,
Just to see your shadow
Once, and never more."
Tifa stopped her singing and the music died shortly after that. Reno leaned against the open doorway and looked at her. Her skin gleamed in the sunlight as she stood up along with her sable hair and as she looked down at the ivory keys Reno caught a glimpse of tears.
"It's been awhile since I've heard you play, Tifa." At his voice Tifa turned around to face him, hands rubbing her face to get rid of her tears. "Why are you crying?"
"My mother used to sing that song to me." Tifa said softly, eyes lowering to the attic floor. Reno walked over to his wife and embraced her gently. Tifa nestled her head in the crook of his neck, her arms returning his hug. "What was your mother like?" Tifa whispered a few moments later. One of Reno's hands moved up to his face, his fingers tracing over his crescent shaped scars lightly and his mind went back to his first memory.
The slap rang out in the tiny kitchen and Reno watched his mother's body fall to the ground. She tried to get up but the man slapped her again.
"Please…do what you want with me but spare my child…please…" The man responded by kicking her hard in the ribs. Picking up a glass, he broke it over the counter and held a jagged edge up to her brown eyes. Reno ran out from the cupboard then and tried to attack the man but a back handed swipe sent the child flying, blood streaming from two cuts underneath his eyes. As Reno passed out, he heard his mother's agonizing screams as the killer started carving out her eyes. The man was laughing while he did it.
"If you have any last words for your son, say them now."
Then he heard her voice.
"Reno…save yourself…please live…live for me…you have to stay alive…Reno…"
"Reno, are you alright?" Reno was brought back to the present at his wife's question. Looking down, he smiled at her.
"Yeah, just remembering the last time I saw my mom." Reno's voice started breaking at his next words. "She gave everything for me Teef…" Tifa hugged onto her husband even tighter. A few tears landed on her face and she looked up. Sobs were echoing from Reno's mouth and he pressed his forehead to hers.
"Fuck, this hurts so much." Reno whispered.
"I know." Tifa replied, kissing him on the nose.
"I'm sorry; I'm being selfish aren't I?" Reno remarked a few moments later.
"No, everyone feels like crying now and then. And I wouldn't want you to bottle your emotions up anyway."
"Well I'm feeling better now. Although I do have one request…" Reno said, a small smirk appearing on his face.
"And what is that?"
"Sing with me." Tifa nodded and together they sat on the piano bench, Reno starting to play an old duet. He then started singing the first verse:
"'I am no king, and I am no lord,
And I am no soldier-at-arms,' said he.
I'm none but a harper and a very poor harper,
That am come hither to wed with ye.'
Tifa's soft voice then followed after Reno's.
"'If you were a lord, you should be my lord,
And the same if you were a thief,' said she.
'And if you are a harper, you shall be my harper,
For it makes no matter to me, to me,
For it makes no matter to me.'
Reno smiled at Tifa before he began his final lines of the song.
"'But what if it prove that I am no harper?
That I lied for your love most monstrously?'
Tifa leaned in close to his ear then and whispered the last part of the song.
"'Why, then I'll teach you to play and sing,
For I dearly love a good harp,' said she."
"I didn't know you could sing so well." Tifa remarked.
"Well I don't practice in the shower all the time like you do but I manage." Reno replied. Tifa's face turned crimson and Reno chuckled. "I love you Tifa." Tifa sighed in contentment then and laid her head in Reno's lap, humming a song while looking up at him, a beaming smile on her face.