Hi guys! So...er... this is it. The last chapter of Bloodied Needles. I had major issues writing this and removed and reposted it twice or more often, because I wanted to make sure to get this right,especially because it's the first ever written piece of me that I wrote with this song of Nickelback in mind. I'm not even sure it fits. It did in my head...but see for yourself alrighty?
Reno: Naril does not own Final Fantasy VII the characters or places and most importantly not me! HA! Eat that you...#gets hit round the head by authoress# Ouch, dammit!
Savin' Me
Prison gates won't open up for me
On these hands and knees I'm crawlin'
Oh, I reach for you
Well I'm terrified of these four walls
These iron bars can't hold my soul in
All I need is you
Come please I'm callin'
all I scream for you
Hurry I'm fallin', I'm fallin'
[Chorus:]
Show me what it's like
To be the last one standing
And teach me wrong from right
And I'll show you what I can be
And say it for me
Say it to me
And I'll leave this life behind me
Say it if it's worth saving me
Heaven's gates won't open up for me
With these broken wings I'm fallin'
And all I see is you
These city walls ain't got no love for me
I'm on the ledge of the eighteenth story
And all I scream for you
Come please I'm callin'
And all I need from you
Hurry I'm fallin', I'm fallin'
[Chorus]
Hurry I'm fallin'
All I need is you
Come please I'm callin'
And all I scream for you
Hurry I'm fallin', I'm fallin', I'm fallin'
Show me what it's like
To be the last one standing
And teach me wrong from right
And I'll show you what I can be
And say it for me
Say it to me
And I'll leave this life behind me
Say it if it's worth savin' me
Hurry I'm falling
And say it for me
Say it to me
And I'll leave this life behind me
Say it if it's worth savin' me
There were few guards at the Shinra-warehouse in Sector 6. It had been cheaper to build it under the plate, but that also meant there was a greater threat of burglars. Still the security crew had not been prepared for a whole gang of teens barging in on them.
There had not even been time for them to take the safety off their weapons before the bunch of half-starved attackers were on them.
Not paying their fallen obstacles and heed, other than grabbing the discarded guns, the youngsters searched the building, opening every crate and boy they could find.
"There ain't nothing here!"
-"I knew Clive was talking crap, yo."
"Whatever, let's get out of here!" Another voice piped up when suddenly the lights came on, blinding them all.
The one second it took them to adjust their eyes, was enough for a barrage of bullets to take out three of them.
"Shit! Get behind the crates!" One of the voices of before shouted, but still only half of them made it to the relative safety of the wooden barrier.
"Damn, you were right, Reno. It was a trap."
"No shit? Gimme one of the guns, yo!" The redheaded teen threw back, catching the proffered weapon in midflight. Not taking time to aim, he fired at where he guessed the shots were coming from, the blowback almost knocking him off his feet. A choked scream told him he had at least gotten one of them before he dropped back behind their meager cover. "Man, this sucks."
"Clive sold us out, didn't he?" Someone asked.
"Yea, guess he got sick of waiting for the money we owe him...Had good stuff though, didn't he?" Reno grinned wryly at his own failed joke, turning back for a few shots. Again he could have sworn he had hit something but there were just as many bullets raining down on them as before.
A searing pain told him that one had hit him in the shoulder. "Suckers!"
Falling back down next to the others, he grit his teeth and grasped the injury tightly.
They were staring at him like deers caught in the headlight. Was he the only one who had expected something like this to happen sooner or later?
"We're not gonna get out of here, are we?" A black-haired boy asked, by far the youngest in their group.
"Naw, probably not." Reno glanced back towards those hidden snipers. In his opinion now was a time as good as any to kick the sack.(?) He glanced at his bullet-wound and poked at the entry. It did not hurt as much as he had expected. Then again he could not remember the last time he had been completely clean. Was there really any point in all of them ending up a body in a bag? Thinking quickly, he thought of the layout of the place he had studied.
"There's a backdoor down there." He nodded towards a few large rows of boxes. "I'll distract them and you try to get the hell outta here."
"What?!"
-"Don't be stupid, man!"
Smirking at their protest, Reno turned back towards their opponents and emptied the clip, hopefully finishing off a few more of them.
By the time he dropped back under cover, the others were already making a run for it, after all they all knew that first and foremost you had to save your own skin. He had not expected anything else, so he did not really care. What did bother him though, was that the bullets had ceased coming. Footsteps were approaching his hiding spot. Slowly, trying not to make any noise, his hand d into his torn jacket and pulled out his switchblade.
He did not dare to turn his head in the direction of the approaching attacker, but waited patiently for them to get closer. As soon as he deemed the distance small enough, he flipped the blade out and tensed. Then, not giving himself time to think, he launched himself at where the assailant was just rounding the corner to his hiding spot.
He must have surprised him, because he managed to tackle the guy to the ground and even had time to lift the knife before a huge hand wrapped around his skinny wrist and twisted. The knife dropped from his cramped fingers. Reno knew if he did not get out now, he was done for and in a reflex-action bit down with all his might on the muscled arm that had his in a vice-like grip.
His opponent grunted at the pain and loosened his grasp, which was all he needed to dart away.
Wiping the blood from his mouth that he had drawn, he rushed towards the door now only a few steps away from his reach. Maybe he would live to see another day after all.
He had not heard the shot ring, but suddenly he was lying face down on the ground, shaking, and could not get his right leg to support his weight.
"Little rat bit me!" A deep voice complained from behind him but he was busy trying to get air into his body through the pain to pay much attention to his surroundings.
"He's quick, that one!" Someone else spoke and he forced one eye open, to see shiny black shoes in his line of vision. He saw no point in trying to move. They were going to get him anyways.
"Get him up!" This new speaker had enough authority in his words that he flinched visibly. Two pairs of hands grabbed him none to gently under the arms and hoisted him up into a semi-standing position. The redhead winced because it worsened the pain in his leg. Maybe bullets hurt more in different parts of the body, he wondered randomly as he blinked up at two men studying him. One was sporting black hair and a dot on the middle of his forehead. He looked like he was not happy about something. Reno could not stop himself from smirking blearily at that. He thought it looked kind of odd on the otherwise immaculate suit-wearer. The other one was older, gray strands streaking his brown hair and a long scar from his cheek to his jaw and another one along the side of his face. The redhead blinked. They must have been more sloppily stiched than the ones he sported from his experiences with switchblades.
"What's your name?" The older one asked calmly after a while and searched his eyes. When the deep brown orbs locked with his slightly clouded greens ones, he could not help but feel like he really owed him an answer.
"R-Reno..." He clenched his jaw, telling himself it was stupid answering any of their questions.
"Reno...How old are you?"
-"I... I don't know..." He rasped despite his earlier thoughts, "does it matter?"
The man smiled at him.
"No, but I wonder what you're going to put on the forms you'll have to fill out. That is if you want to get out of here alive."
Reno stared at him, clearly not comprehending.
"Ever heard of the Turks?" The other one cut in, slightly impatient.
The teen flinched a little, despite himself. The Turks were bad news. He should have known it was them as soon as he saw the navy-coloured suits.
"I'm offering you a place as trainee." The older man re-iterated.
A long silence followed, in which the redhead actually managed to hold the other's gaze for a long while, but in the end he had to break eyecontact first.
"I got a choice?" He asked, staring at the splatter of blood on the ground where he had fallen just minutes ago.
"Well...I wouldn't say so, no. Our orders are to eliminate any of the burglars stealing from Shinra."
Reno bit his lip in thought. This might be his one chance to get out of here before he ended up like all the other unfortunate bastards who lived their short life on the streets of the slums in Midgar. Maybe he would even see the sunlight.
"Fine, yo." He muttered and looked back up. "But I got a question."
The older man nodded. "Shoot."
"How d'you tie a tie?"
*********
Somewhere along the line he must have managed to fall asleep, because the key in the lock startled him awake.
The ninja skipping in was happily chewing on a double-cheeseburger. The sight of food made him gag, but when his eyes fell on the ketchup smeared on her chin, he could not help but give a choked laugh. She only stared at him, obviously irritated.
"What's so funny, Turkey?" She asked, coming closer. The paperbag she had brought with her she simply placed on the floor.
"Just wondering how exactly you managed to be a princess." He smirked, voice still hoarse but a little stronger.
"Hey, I sure didn't choose my parents." She shot back, rummaging for a paper-napkin in the bag.
"Yea, well would you rather not have any?"
She quirked up an eyebrow at the question.
"Look Turkey, I know some people wish for my life. But I spent a hell of a long time in the wilderness, so I know what it's like to be by myself." She was still looking through the bag of food whilst talking. "I got you some food by the way."
She got the satisfaction of seeing him wrinkle his nose and his pale face turning green.
"I'm good." he muttered feebly and turned away to face the wall again.
"And the whole wilderness-crap, that's different." He spoke as soon as he thought he would no longer be sick on the spot.
"How's it different?" Yuffie asked around another big bite of her burger.
"You had a place to go to if you were in more shit you could handle. Try that in the slums you don't live very long." Reno told her quietly, eyes already falling shut again.
"Godo would never help me out if I was in a jam. You don't know what you're talking about." The ninja grumbled, thinking back to the conversation she had with her father just a while ago.
"Course not, princess. You're life's just a nightmare, hu? All that running around with so much money in your pocket's gotta be real hard." There was more anger in his voice than he had intended, but it was bugging him.
The ninja glared at the still weak redhead in his crumbled and dirty suit. What a sorry sight and he was giving her a lesson on life? she thought to herself. She shook her head. "At least I don't poison myself because I hate my pathetic life!"
"No, you just run away! It's not a huge difference is it?"
"Why did you even drag me into this?!" She snapped at him.
"I didn't. You came all by yourself." His back to her made it impossible for him to see her turn slightly red. "Ain't like I'm forcing you to stay, but then you'd have to go back to your father because you'd have no excuse to stay away. I heard you, ya know." He shot back at that moment wanting nothing more than for her to leave, so that he could have some peace. "Why don't you bloody grow up?"
"Yea well, I owed you one, but you know what? You're right and I'm gonna go now you ungrateful jerk." She snatched her rucksack, marching towards the door, not even sparing him another glance. "See how well you do without my help!" She shouted before slamming the door behind her. She would show him and all the others that she was grown up, that she could take responsibility. Stepping onto the street she wiped at her suspiciously burning eyes, already dialing Reeve's number, perhaps he could help her with that.
***
The sudden silence startled Reno, eyes drawn to the door she had just walked out of. He sat up slowly, staring after her, the bedding rustling with his every move. His arms were shaking, so he leant against the wall for support, letting his forehead rest against it.
"Shit." He hissed.
He knew he had fucked up again.
"Yo, brat! Come back in, I didn't mean it, okay?" The redhead listened for another sound other than his own raspy breathing. She had not left, had she? She had come back last time after all.
Emerald eyes darted around the room, what if he had another one of those episodes? He would be all by himself. And if this time it would not stop?
"This ain't funny anymore! Come back!" He brought himself to shout, but only more silence greeted him. A slight feeling of growing panic formed in the pit of his stomach.
"Yuffie?" He croaked again. There was no one around to hear him. He did not even have anyone on the contact list of his phone who he could call. Rude would never help him now. Not after he had lied to him for so long. He was alone.
Hastily he tried to push himself onto his shaky feet.
"Yuffie!"
The weakened legs could not support him and with a painful crash he tumbled to the floor, chin meeting the floor with a loud smack because his reflexes had not yet caught up. Tasting blood, he figured he must have bitten his tongue or something. Not that it mattered right now.
Tears threatened to spill but not from the impact. He had forgotten how much he hated being alone, having to time to think and reminisce. It was something he could not cope with, tried to avoid like the plague.
"Come back!" He choked out, when the pain in his jaw became bearable. His quivering fist hit the ground with a thud. The young ninja had been the only one to give a damn. She had been with him all this time, when even his partner, supposedly his best friend had walked out on him and then he had to go and drive her out.
He tasted more salt on his lips, if it was more blood or if the tears had finally started falling was not really something he cared to know.
"Shit!...I'm sorry!" It came out in a whimper as he started to crawl towards the door, giving up after collapsing breathlessly. It was useless anyways.
He lay there for what seemed like an eternity when his nose picked up the smell of the food she had left behind. She had believed in him, at least that was what he thought it meant, that she cared enough to bring him food. He turned his head and stared at the brown bag. It still made him feel sick, but he knew he had to force some of it down. He would finish it by himself. He had survived for so long by himself, he would manage a while longer, and then he would figure out what to do.
°°°FIN°°°
So,...uhm I realise that this is not exactly tragedy in the classic sense,...seeing as Reno's alive... but I could NOT kill him off. I thought... okay let's have some nice sense of hope at the end of this. Not sure if it worked but it sure makes me happy.
Also, I wanted this to be a romance originally, but I thought that it would take alot longer for them to acutally fall for each other. I hope you can see their on their way though.
Reno: So I'm free? #evil smirk#
No, I'm actually planning on a sequel!! It'll be called SAVIN' ME!!!
Reno: #faints in shock#
Oops, well I'm trying anyways. I only have the really bad feeling it won't be very original because...well the idea's been done loads of times... but tell me what you think, here's a quick teaser:
......Yuffie was still a little wide-eyed.
"Well,...didn't expect to see you again." She muttered, looking him up and down.
He flashed a little smile. "Yea...I'm a quitter these days."
-"Good for you. I hope it stays that way...as long as you're on the job. Not that I even need a bodyguard!"
"We'll see about that, princess."......
........
................."Oh, come on! It's safe here! There's far too many people to attack me!"
-"Shows how little you know about this kind of thing."
Sending her a quick glare, he checked their surroundings over once more and then turned towards her with empty eyes.
"The more people you have around, the smaller the chance someone will hear your screams for what they are."
Yuffie only gave a snort, settling back to enjoy the sun some more.
The redhead shook his head. "I don't think you get it."
He grabbed her left wrist which was closest to him and dragged her closer towards him.
She half-heartedly fought his tight grip, but mainly she was just annoyed. The cold glare he gave her was simply countered by her own.
"Listen, princess! I hate to break it to you, but you're a pretty girl. Do you have any idea what happens to pretty girls when they're kidnapped?.....