2. Love.

Reno sometimes hated what he had to do for his job.

His jade green eyes scanned the floating crowd, marks covered by careful layers of foundation and greasepaint. The annual Solstice Ball was not the first event he'd attended so far, nor was it the first he had done so in drag. His eyes were done up to mirror Wutaian women's.

That's right, the slender redhead was going as Tsengs date. The Wutaian man was posing as he usually did, a reclusive investor, with his girlfriend. Reno would smile politely, not speaking a word of Common. He was the perfect Wutaian lady, decked out in a formal kimono, fake boobs (explosives) and in general being the Turks discreet armory

This job usually fell to his female coworkers, but this year Tseng had chosen him. He could feel several guns on his left leg, hidden by the layers of material and a Conceal Materia. Tseng squeezed his hand as they drifted, Reno smiling sweetly and nodding. His kimono fell to conceal the sword in his left sleeve and the staff collapsed on his right arm.

No one had a fucking clue. The Turks mixed with the crowd flawlessly, just another face. Elena was dancing with Rude on the floor, Rod and Cissnei on the other side of the room, talking amiably near Rufus. Several other Turk pairs drifted about, all inconspicuously marked by a navy color scheme.

Reno was fucking bored! He nearly fidgeted but forced himself not to. If all hell broke loose it was his job to arm his fellow Turks accurately. He had on his uniform under the kimono, and the thing was easy to slip off. That didn't assuage his boredom however, and he looked at Tseng pleadingly.

"Can I have your attention please?" someone said into a microphone, and all the dancing stopped. Everyone looked at President Shinra standing at a small side podium. "I would like to thank you all…" Reno tuned out the rest, ignoring the man in favor of scanning the crowd. He noticed several men, and a few of the wait staff exchanging glances and some sort of signal. He had all of three seconds to react.

"oh, shit." he whispered, and Tseng reached into his sleeve for the nine mil he had there for the man.

His warning was too late as the windows blew in, admitting black clad figures as the people on the floor pulled out guns as well. Reno sliced the obi, the Kimono falling to the floor as his explosives were tossed to Rude, who also caught the brass knuckles on the harness strap. Cissnei got Rekka from his back, and guns were tossed to the other Turks, all in the space of two heartbeats.

Then he was moving. People screamed as the gunmen fired into the ceiling, and Reno downed het nearest one. He was out cold when he was done, and he moved on after cuffing him to a support beam. His job was to gather live ones for questioning now.

He grinned maniacly as the party fell to shambles. His magrod was used judiciously, various attackers being taken down.

He may sometimes hate what he had to do for his job, but he Loved his job.

The redhead was whacking another man over the head when he saw something that made his blood run cold from a battle high. A woman was drawing a gun on Rufus, and he reacted the only way he could. Rufus never saw it but he felt the redhead crash into his back

Reno spat blood on the floor, coughing. He looked down at his side, where he'd taken the bullet. Black was staining his navy uniform as Rufus fell to support him, calling out his name. Tseng had shot the woman, disabling her hand and legs.

"Reno? C'mon kid, say something!" Tseng hissed as the pandemonium halted. God bless Elenas materia skills. The woman had cast a strong Stop spell on everyone but the Turks and assailants, giving them room to work. All in all it had lasted about six minutes.

"got me good yo. I think it hit something important…." he hissed then, coughing up more blood. "yeah, definitely hit something important." he tried to stand, but Tseng and Rufus both held him flat as paramedics rushed in. the world seemed to be surrounded in water, the lights blurring for Reno.

"boss?" he asked, tugging in the mans sleeve, and both of them looked down. "please don't fire me…fucking love my job yo." he said weakly, smiling. Rufus nodded, taking his hand and squeezing it as the redhead passed out, Tseng waving for a paramedic.

Reno came to two days later in the hospital, blinking blearily at the ceiling. He heard a voice, and tehn a bald head came into his view, blury as it was.

"you okay little buddy?" he asked softly, letting him know that they were alone.

"yeah. What's happened?" he asked, trying to sit up but wincing as he felt a dull ache in his abdomen.

"That bullet ruptured your appendix, Partner. You nearly went into Sepsis and liver failure." the bald man said. He was only ever this talkative around Reno, who'd been his partner for about eight months of the ten he'd been a Turk.

"Just great yo…but the Prez and Rufus and the party?" and Rude smiled at his friend.

"No one was killed, only one investor was injured. You did good. If not for you looking around like that more of us would have ended up with air holes." he said, just as Rufus and Tseng and Elena burst into the room, looking worried.

Rufus shook his hand as he informed him that he was now on semi-active duty, deskwork until he healed. Reno swore creatively as the others laughed, or in Tsengs case, politely chuckled. He also thanked him for saving his life.

"didn't even think yo. Woulda done it for any of ya."

That was when Reno realized something. He didn't love his job. He loved his friends. He was happy, genuinely happy laying on this evil cardboard mat and watching his friends, no his family just be there like no one had before.

It was a good feeling.

Hi all! this is chapter two, and I'm eally excited. I was looking at my demographics this morning and I have a bunch of hits and a fave already! luffles readersSo, on to bisuness. I'm looking for constructive criticism. My whole point for writing this thing is to improve my style and such, so i'm going to be experimenting. So if i could get feedback from you guys that would be Epic.

Thanks yo!

Rabid