Cid directed him to the house and once inside took his jacket.
"I ain't having ya drip all over mah floor. Wait here an' I'll go get ya a towel."
Cid disappeared into the back and Reno looked around his fellow pilot's house. It was a bit messy, but he expected as much. Several flight manuals loitered here and there. Blue prints and crumpled drawings were thrown over the top of a well worn desk in the corner of the dinging room. The kitchen had a few dished piled in the sink and the carpet was an odd green, but over all it seemed rather roomy and homey. Not like Tseng's off duty that was a sterile white or Rude's which was filled with antiques you afraid to move near. This was nice.
Cid returned to the mat and handed Reno a beach towel. "The bathroom is that door over there, you might wanna take a shower to make yerself get warmer faster. You got clothes in that garbage bag?"
Reno looked down at the bag and pulled out his duffel, "Yea, I put it in the garbage bag so it wouldn't get wet."
"I'll put some tea on while you get warm."
Reno walked to where he had been directed and shut the bathroom door behind him. He peeled the ice soaked clothing off of him and climbed into the shower. The warm water made his body ache from the prolonged cold, but it felt good. He used the shampoo that was in the shower, but dug out his conditioner that was in his shower pack. He wanted to shower until the hot water was gone, but he figured as a house guest he should be respectful of the man.
He climbed out after all the soap was gone and dried himself roughly off. He took a look at himself in the mirror and resolved that he needed a bit of a shave. It all reminded him of the times he spent at Rude's house after a long night of drinking. He already began to miss those days and they weren't even that long ago. He got dressed in the pair of sweats and Shinra issue blue pocket T-shirt and stepped out into the dining room. He tried to drag the comb he had through his hair, but it was a battle harder than any he had faced before.
Cid saw the man and gave him a light smile, "Lookin' a bit warmer I see! Here. I made some tea for us, bafore we head to go get yer scrap metal."
Cid gestured to the freshly cleared dining room table and the two cups that sat there. Gingerly Reno sat opposite Cid and watched as the man happily poured the hot water into the overly large cup.
Reno looked at the tea as it steeped, it smelled familiar. He waited for the Captain to take a drink before he did, an old habit that he was glad he had been taught at this point.
"Vanilla Chai from Wutai, eh? Tastes like it's from the Eastern Trade Company. Did Yuffie give it to you?"
Cid looked horrified for a moment, "Yes. How did you-"
"You can only get it from Wutai and they don't like to sell this brand to anyone but those from the area. It was one of Tseng's preferred drinks when it got cold."
Reno added three table spoons of sugar and fell quiet. He remembered the first time he had it well because it was the only time he felt alienated. He had tried it in a cafe and wanted to buy some but they refused, until Tseng went over and bought it for him. That day he taught Reno how to prepare it properly with the traditional pot to cheer him up after the rudeness in the shop. It had been one of the more interesting days with his boss. Cid's preparation way was good, but nothing compared to the traditional way and the alienation he had felt then was nothing compared to recently.
"Thank you. It's very good." Reno said softly.
Cid leaned back in his chair and pulled out his pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He fished out two and offered Reno one of them. It wasn't Reno's preferred brand, but he wasn't going to turn it down. The two smoke and drank is silence until the Captain cleared his throat.
"So where were you headed when yer chopper broke down?"
"Junon and then eventually Mideel."
"Where were you coming from?"
"Wutai. I just dropped Tseng off there."
"Is that why you didn't call him to come get you? What about that other fella or the blonde?"
"Rude is in Northern continent with his family and Elena is in Cost Del Sol with hers."
"Y'all just jumped ship?"
"There's no ship to jump. There's nothing left to fight for so we all went out separate ways for now until we find something."
"So is that where your from? Junon?"
"No. I lived in Midgar all my life."
Cid almost dropped his cigarette, that meant the man before him had nothing. The two let silence fill the room before Reno awkwardly coughed and tried again at conversation, "Weren't you living with someone?"
"Shera. I told her she didn't need to stay here anymore. I was a big boy and had seen space. She lives somewhere near fucking Nibelhiem now."
Reno nodded and put out his cigarette out in the ashtray on the table. Cid stood and walked to the window that was in the dining room and sighed.
"Fuckin' weather. I doubt we're gunna get yer chopper today. The weather's gotten worse."
Reno looked out and sighed as the sleet was now coming down as ice.
"We'll go get'er in the mornin. 'Til then I guess I'll show ya to yer bed."
Cid walked into a small den and pointed to a pink and white fold out sofa. It was worn but no springs poked through. "There she be, ol' reliable. Vince says it gives'em back problems, but anything would when ya sleep in a fuckin' gauntlet and cape. It's jus' after lunch time. You eaten anything yet today?"
"Naw, jus' the tea you made me yo."
"Shit, yer already skinnier than that brat Yuffie, you miss any more meals and their won't be nuthin' to ya! All I have is sandwich makin's. That sound good to ya?"
"Anything sound good to me. I ain't eaten a real meal in a while, so sandwiches sound great."
Cid bit back a frown, "Well, you jus' sit tight here. The television works, but yer gunna need to be a bit patient with it."
Reno nodded and sat on the couch, wrapping himself in the afghan on the back of the couch and turning on the television.
Cid was in the kitchen midway through making a few assorted sandwiches for himself and the Turk when his PHS went off.
Opening it answered with a grunt, which was customary among him and the man on the other end.
"Cid, I just passed by Rocket town with a delivery and saw the Turk's chopper, is everything alright there?"
"Shit, Cloud I know it's there and I ain't worried. It's jus' the redheaded one and he dun mean any trouble that I know of."
"Oh," Cloud sounded a bit shocked and worried, "Well, where is he and do you need back up just in case?"
"Well, he's sittin' in mah livin' room watchin' TV and I think I can fuckin' handle 'em. His chopper broke down on his way to Junon. He swung in to get supplies and ask for mah help in fixin' the chopper. "
His response gave him stunned silence from the other end for a moment. "And you told him yes?"
"Have you seen the fuckin' weather? The only dumbfuck I can fucking think of that is stupid enough to go out traveling in it is yer dumbass. Now, if YOU want to come YOU can, but I dun wanna see you bringin' the rest of Avalanche down here for one lousy Turk. Besides you should keep in yer damn foolish head that Shinra is dead. Their company is gone. Yeah, they may have almost done in the world, but unlike those of us that got out before they did that, there are a few who weren't so fucking lucky. We all played our part and now the fucking world is better for it. Maybe we all need a chance at a new start, including the redhead in the other room."
Cloud was silent, "He was alone?"
"That's what I think I fucking implied."
"I know your right Cid. I know Shinra is gone and I have been trying to get those left in the world to forgive those that didn't have a choice. I was only asking because of the direct role he played and the reputation that precedes him. If you trust him, then I do."
"That's good. We all were once a part of Shinra and I think that many people forgot that when all was said and done. As soon as the weather clears, I'll help him fix his chopper and then I'll send him on his way."
"Alright, take care Cid."
"Take care? You dumbfuck! Yer the one out in the goddamn fucking storm of the fucking century an' you go callin' me up askin' 'bout if I'm okay? Git yer ass back home and get warm you dumbshit!"
He heard Cloud chuckle before he hung up. Briefly he prayed that he wouldn't need to call for back up, but pushed it aside and finished making the Turk and himself lunch.
**Here's Chapter 2. Hope you all enjoyed it! I am editing Chapter three, so I should be putting it up shortly. Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated!
~CR