Hope you like this next installment!
Elena stood up, put her dressing-gown on and made her way to the large living-room just opposite her room, blinking as she switched the light on. Rufus had ordered that the Turks have their own private lounge where they could rest away from the other employees of the Shin-Ra Company, and right now, Elena thanked him more than ever. She couldn't sleep, and had decided that it was better to stay awake in front of the television with a beer, instead of staying all alone in her room looking at the walls.
Opening the fridge, Elena reached in and grabbed the two first beer cans, walked away, before deciding to walk back to the fridge and empty it of the last piece of tart. She had brought it to work just the day before, and had had to stop Reno from wolfing it down all by himself.
- Well, now there's only you and me, you piece of pie! she said aloud to the darkness, before sitting down on the sofa.
She suddenly stood up again with a small cry of surprise, and noticed that she had just sat on one of Rude's shades. He might be one of the tidiest of them, but that didn't stop him from leaving those sunglasses everywhere. And didn't stop Reno from breaking them with uncanny accuracy, no matter where they were...
Elena picked them up carefully and put then on the table, among the empty beer cans and the sock that Reno swore wasn't his, before switching on the television.
The blank screen glared at her for a moment before the reruns came on; Elena opened the beer and sat back down, looking at images of Rufus explaining the reason for the explosion at the main headquarters of the Bradford society and that as soon as possible, ShinRa would send out a reserch party to determine the exact cause of the accident.
- I hope you're holding up alright guys..., sighed Elena
- I'm sure they're fine.
Elena jumped and saw Tseng in the doorway, his usually perfect hair slightly rumpled, a hastily-downed dressing-gown on him and a tired look on his face. Opening up the other beer, Elena motionned to the sofa, and both Turks sat in silence, watching the depressingly happy adverts.
It just felt so..wrong, them being here, and the others being...somewhere else... Tseng felt the sofa quiver, and turned to see Elena crying into her beer, suppressing small sobs. Why couldn't he cry as well, he thought as he cradled Elena close to him. Was he really as insensitive as Reno thought he was? Or was it just that he had more hope than Elena did?
- It's going to be fine, Elena...just wait and see...it's not the first time that they've been in trouble, is it?
- But I...I've got this horrible premonition, Tseng... What if...what if this time, we can't get them out of it?
- Do you have so little faith in them, Elena?
The blonde Turk stared up at Tseng, before a small smile trembled on her lips.
- I'm sorry...I'm sorry...
- Elena, Rude's the toughest person I know of, and Reno's luckier than anyone I've ever seen. So don't worry, ok? Don't worry...
Tseng continued to whisper words of hope in Elena's ear, until he realised that she was breathing heavily, sound asleep. Smiling just a little, he switched the television off, cutting short a programme on chocobo diseases, and pulled the heavy sofa cover onto both of them. Morning would come quickly...
ooOOoo
A loud crash resonated through the blast site, and Rude opened his eyes with a start, trembling slightly as the cold hit him. He'd obviously fallen asleep while watching the snow, and his legs started screaming at him. Maybe both were broken after all...
Oh well, at least the concrete slab was stopping the bones from moving too much; he should perhaps tell Reno that moving the slab was a bad idea after all... Reno! Where the hell was he?
Rude craned his neck around but night had definately settled in and he couldn't see a thing, even with the electric wires flashing on and off and the feeble glow from the streetlamps.
- Reno! Where are you?
There was no answer, and Rude cursed all he could, still straining to see something in the darkness around him. Where had Reno gone off to now? He hadn't tried to climb out of the window to get help, had he? The thought struck Rude with all the force of a well-placed punch; Reno was quite capable of doing such a stupid thing, and had done several stunts like that in the past.
Rude knew that broken limbs meant nothing to his partner when he felt that something had to be done and he was almost suicidal at some times... But this time, Rude knew that if Reno had done something like that, he might not live through it... What had Reno said one day?
A pro doesn't sacrifice his life for his mission; that's an idiot.
But this wasn't a mission...not any more. When would he learn to take care of himself instead of worrying about others all the time?
Grunting, Rude tried to ease himself from under the slab but to no avail.The slab of concrete held him prisonner. For Shiva's sake! He could break down solid wooden doors so why couldn't he get off the ground?
He suddenly hit something soft and cold with his hand, and wondered what it was. And it was only when he heard the softest of breathing that he understood and called out, a glimmer of relief in his voice. But relief soon gave way to worry, as Reno refused to answer. Reno always answered when Rude called, even if he was sleeping...It was that special link they had.
- Reno! Reno, wake up! For Shiva's sake, wake up!
There was still no answer from the silent shape, and Rude reached out as far as he could, caught hold of something and pulled towards him. With a slithering sound, Reno slid across the floor and into Rude's grasp, still deathly still, his open shirt revealing pale, cold skin.
Rude cursed himself as he tried to rub a bit of warmth into the redhead's body; why hadn't he forced Reno to put his jacket back on? They both knew the dangers of hypothermia, and even the Mako treatment the Turks received wouldn't do much good past a certain stage.
- I said wake up Reno! Get it together buddy!
The slight body in Rude's arms started to shiver, and a pair of green eyes slowly opened, still bleary and vague.
- Ren...are you ok? Say something!
A flicker of light in emerald pools, then a slow grin.
- Somethin'...
Rude smiled in utter relief; if Reno could be stupid as soon as he opened his eyes, then he was going to be fine. He just had to get warmer, or else he would fall asleep again. He reached out to grab the jacket under his head, but changed his mind and drew Reno closer to him, cradling him in his arms.
- Rude, man, I'm glad t'see you too, but couldn't this wait until we get out of here? teased Reno through chattering teeth.
- Shut up...
ooOOoo
The snow had started to fall again, and Rude turned his attention to the small body curled in his arms.
- You ok, Ren? Reno?
- Wha?
- Dammit Reno! Don't go back to sleep! Talk to me!
- Can't...think.
- Doesn't make a change for you, does it?
But Rude's attempt at humour gave out; Reno was getting colder and Rude didn't know how long he would stay awake this time. - Just talk to me, anything...
- W'ya' wan' me t'say?
- I don't know... Tell me...tell me how you go your scars.
- Mm...?
- You never told me how you got your scars, tell me about them.
- N'much t'say.
- I don't care, tell me about them. You've got to stay awake Reno...or you'll die.
The blunt sentence opened Reno's eyes, and he curled up a little more into Rude's arms, feeling warm hands around him.
- It's a real short story man...happened years back, before I even thought of workin' for ShinRa. I was just this cocky, arrogant, loud-mouthed brat, who thought that everythin' was his to command.
- Weirdly enough, you haven't changed that much buddy..., grinned Rude, relieved to hear Reno's voice.
Reno's smile was heard as he replied.
- Hell no! But now, I can be a cocky arrogant, loud-mouthed brat! And besides, you love me like that!
Rude didn't answer but just squeezed the little redhead tighter, taking care not to bruise those fragile ribs. Reno was a deal stronger than he looked, but broken bones stayed broken.
The redhead snuggled deeper into the other man's chest, and Rude winced slightly as something cracked inside.
- Like I said, not much of a story really... I'd wandered into Nibelheim, looking for somethin' to do, I was only what...14 at the time? 14, 15...can't really remember. And anyway, here I go, without a care in the world, into this bar and ask if they had a job goin'.
-Reno the barkey...what a picture.
- As I was this cocky, arrogant, loud-mouthed brat, I didn't really ask...more ordered. And as I was this cocky, arrogant, loud-mouthed brat, I didn't want to take no for an answer, and ended up challenging everyone there.
Rude suddely had a vivid mental image of a young teenager with messy blood-red hair, a cocky grin, clothes three sizes too big and green eyes flashing defiently round him, standing his ground against Nibelheim's tougher low-life. He chuckled at the image and was echoed by Reno's sleepy voice.
- Looks like you got the picture...this stupid kid without a muscle to his name, offerin' to punch any of the drinkers all the way to Wutai.
- You really said that? Rude's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
- Hell yeah! Who were they t'say no to me, the great Reno Tarshil?
- I've said this a lot, but you're completely suicidal Ren.
- Yeah? Y'think I'm suicidal now? Y'should've seen me back then! Man...
- So then what happened?
- What d'ya' think? Just after I'd said that, I get this tap on the shoulder, and there's the biggest, and I mean biggest guy I'd ever seen... 'Course by now I'm havin' second thoughts about this great idea o' mine, but I can't just back down now, can I?
- Bad for your reputation, definately..., grinned Rude.
- What reputation? But yeah, can't just walk away, bye guys, been a pleasure, sorry 'bout my big mouth... So I'm standin' there with this mountain lookin' straight at me, and I say, would he like me t'give him a one-way ticket to Juno. And he says yeah sure, he'd love to see me try.
Rude felt Reno shake in his arms, and thought for a second that his redheaded friend was crying. He was about to ask Reno to stop, when he suddenly realised that those weren't sobs he was hearing, but supressed laughs. Reno was laughing as hard as he possibly could.
- You didn't think that I was that much a fuckin' dolt, did ya'?
- I can't say I didn't suspect it... So what happened?
Reno sat up, still in Rude's arms, and leaned against the stocky Turk's shoulder, his breath coming out in whisps of smoke as he spoke.
- What do you think happened? Got my ass whipped, didn't I? I swear to ya' man, I never saw the floor so much in my whole life! Thought I was pretty good as street-fightin' went, but that didn't stop him from beaing my face in proper... So here I am, lying on the floor, spittin' blood by the lungful and hopin' I'll pass out, and the guy kneels by my face with this fucking twisted grin on his face...
In the vague orange glow of the streetlights piercing the early morning gloom, Rude could see Reno's eyes, slitted pools of emerald as he remembered. Reno stayed quiet for a while, before reaching into his trouser pocket and retrieving a crushed cigarette, lighting it with all the ease of the long-term smoker before speaking again.
- So this guy kneels next t'me and takes out this knife from his pocket, tellin' me that this is my punishment for actin' like a man when I'm just a dog, and cuts me. He cuts real deep and it feels like I'm goin' t'scream, it hurts so fucking much, but I don't say a thing, don't even let one fucking tear fall. And when it's over, they throw me out into the street. How's that for an endin'?
- Real sweet buddy, perfect bedtime story.
But Rude had heard the venom and the deep-lying grudge in his partner's voice, and he could guess that the story didn't end there.
- Say, what time d'ya' reckon it is? asked the redhead, suddenly changing the subject.
- I left my watch in my trouser pocket. The rescue-teams will be here for 6 am, knowing Rufus...and judging by the light, it's about 3 am. Think you can survive another three hours, Ren?
- If you pretend you're a pillow, I could almost believe I'm back at ShinRa...when the heat's off, o' course.
Rude shook his head and grinned as Reno snuggled back into his arms; then he just closed his eyes, his head resting half on Reno's jacket, half on Reno's arm.
TBC...