Jade opens the door when I knock and grins at me. "Look Uncle Reno," she says and spreads her lips with her fingers. "I lost my two front teeth."
"Oh wow! I bet the Faerie will bring you a new tooth brush!"
"I already got one, it has Mr. Moogle on it!"
"Nice!" She holds up her hand and I finish the high-five. She smiles at Vincent.
"This is Tseng and Elena's daughter, Jade. Jade meet Vincent Valentine."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Valentine."
I hear the crack of a pool ball from inside; Rude is already here. "You gonna let us in? Or do we have to stand outside all night?"
"You can't eat tacos on the porch, they're too messy. You'd better come in," she says, stepping aside.
I've never lost a game of pool before in my life, but because of Vincent, I can't concentrate worth a shit. He's sitting in Tseng's house wearing a Gaia-be-damned black t-shirt with his regular armor and leather pants and I can't stop looking at him. The fact that his hair is tied back in an elastic band he's stolen from my bathroom doesn't help. He runs the table with an impeccable sniper's eye against Rude, who swears repeatedly under his breath at me. "Fuckin' Reno, had to bring a shark to Turk Tuesdays."
I am saved when Elena brings out a large tray of food and everyone is drawn to it like a magnet. Instead of doing the hard work for us, she's placed each ingredient in its own bowl. There are meats and tofu, vegetables and rice, cheeses and sour cream, avocados and little green bits I can't name. The food saves me from drooling over Vincent. Elena gives us each four soft tortillas to start with. Jade goes first, and then everyone reaches for food, except for Vincent.
"What's wrong, Valentine?" Rude asks.
"I'm observing, I've never had tacos before. I want to see what everyone else chooses first."
"... Never?" Rude asks, slipping his sunglasses down his nose.
"It's easy, Valentine. Just put what you like in the tortilla, fold it, and eat it with your hands," Elena explains while making one. Vincent chooses tofu, cheese, avocado and vegetables – which is almost identical to mine. Before he can fold it, I plop a spoonful of sour cream on top. He raises an eyebrow.
"Trust me, it's better this way."
"I didn't see you put that in yours."
"I put it in first, it helps hold the whole thing together better."
"There's plenty of meat to share, Valentine, don't be shy. Or are you a vegetarian?" Elena asks.
"I don't eat meat anymore in order to honor life."
"Neither does Reno," Rude says grinning, "but that's because he's a cheap bastard.
I spit a block of tofu at his head. It hits his glasses and falls into his drink. "Not everyone had a privileged upbringin' in Mideel, and could afford things like meat."
"Your aim's improved, Reno," Vincent says, sliding us away from my ugly comments.
"Reno's lucky if he can hit the bowl when he shits," Rude taunts.
"Ha, ha," I say, in a cold unemotional tone
"Aw, did I hurt your feelings in front of Valentine?"
"Why are you all so obsessed with calling me by my last name?"
I look at Rude, who looks at Elena, who in turn, looks to Tseng. He groans. "It's because none of us have last names; it's novel," he admits.
"You don't use your mother's name?" Vincent is confused.
By the tight look around his eyes, I can tell Tseng has been dreading this conversation all night; he exhales. "Her family made it quite clear that if I dared besmirch the family name they'd kill me and all of mine."
"What has happened to the Wutai I knew?" Vincent shakes his head. "That would have been unheard of when I was a boy. I'm sorry you've experience such bigotry."
"You mean it's gotten worse over time instead of better?" Elena asks.
"Before the war, this would not have happened," Vincent recounts, his eyes lost in the past. "I'd already started working for Shin-ra when I was summoned to Wutai for a family meeting. My mother's sister's daughter – or my niece – was raped by an infantry man, but she opted to keep the baby. The family matriarch told us that Misaki's baby was our kin, and we should act accordingly. As a young hot-head, I was annoyed I had to waste my vacation time to hear something I would have done without being told –"
"Your niece's full name, what was it?" Tseng askes, his taco forgotten.
"Misaki Fukuda."
"That was my mother's name."
I stop eating, mid-bite, Rude clears his throat, and Elena puts her hand on Tseng's arm. Vincent and Tseng can't look away from each other. I swallow a lump of avocado, put my taco down, and sit on my hands so I won't do anything stupid.
"Tell me everything," Vincent says, his voice an incomprehensible monotone.
"Great-grandmother died when I was five. An uncle took over the family and drove us out, but not before he branded me."
Vincent abruptly slides back from the table and I can see fire reflected in his eyes. I go for my Electro-Mag Rod, but I realize it is back at the pool table. All I have is a plastic fork that'll do me no good. Vincent's lowers his head and both of his hands flex.
"My apologies," he coughs, and his head pops up. "It is unwise of me to feel this furious after using my Limit Break so recently; it always multiplies my stronger emotions to its own end."
"I've learned that being angry doesn't help," Tseng says, unaware of how close we came to being devoured.
"True." Vincent's smile is unnerving, and I feel sweat drip down the back of my neck; the Beast isn't completely subdued yet. "Reno, are you free tomorrow?"
"I was going to help Rude with his truck."
"Rude, I need to borrow your partner."
"Why do you need me, Vincent?"
"I need a lift to Wutai."
"Ok." I drag the word out.
"They won't listen to you," Tseng says. "They didn't listen to my mother."
"I have no intention of speaking to them. I'm simply going to update my family register. I will list you and Jade as my heirs. You may officially begin using the name Valentine."
Tseng's blinks are like some sort of Morse Code, they are so oddly irregular and quick.
"That's so fuckin' cool," I say and everyone laughs, but Tseng.
"That's not nec –"
"It is. Unless you don't wish to acknowledge me."
"No… I,… of course I do, but associating with me will bring you nothing but shame."
Vincent shakes his head and waves off the protest. He looks less murderous now that he has said his peace and made the decision.
"Tseng Valentine," I say. "Elena Valentine. Jade Valentine."
"Not as alliterative as my name, but they will do nicely."
