A/N: Soooo... I'm supposed to move countries in a few days. A pretty stressful process as it is, and on top of that... I broke my leg this week. Why do anything the easy way, right? X| So, things are a bit frantic over here, and depending on a lot of factors, updates may or may not slow down for a while. Just FYI.
51. What Lurks in the Dark
It was a beautiful day to be out on the sea. The breeze made an even worse tangle of Reno's hair, but judging by the grin on his face, he didn't mind one bit. I certainly enjoyed the feel of it, the salty sea air against my face, and even the occasional startling spray as the speedboat skipped across the waves.
Isla Arbo was an emerald green dot on the horizon when we set out from the pier. Little by little, I could make out more details, like the steep cliffs rising along one side of the coastline and the strip of pale sand reaching around the other. The cries of gulls and other seabirds greeted us as our boat rumbled into the bay of the scattered community on the southern side. The lack of screeching humans was noticeable – on our way from the dock to the local restaurant, I only saw a handful of other tourists.
"Far as I know, the ferry only comes by here once a week," Reno said as we enjoyed a lunch of fried fish and fruity salsa. "Ain't exactly the sorta place tourists go for."
I looked around at the weathered wooden buildings peeling in the sun. We sat outside by the wall of the restaurant, in the shade of an awning. It was wide enough to cover the large, open window that served as the bar counter, currently manned by a few chattering locals. A couple, pale enough to be visitors like us, lounged under a tree near the edge of the forest. The scene was a far cry from the colorful hustle and bustle of the mainland resort.
"I guess Rude is the one who told you about it?"
"He's invited me over a couple times, yeah. His folks live a few minutes that way." Reno waved in the direction of the village road. "Both of 'em talk even more than I do, believe it or not."
I grinned at the thought. "I guess he showed you the caves, too?"
"Yeah, he knows all the best spots around here. Shame he ain't here this time, but the ones I know of oughta keep us busy for one afternoon. Speakin' of, I gotta check somethin' with Alberto."
Reno spent a few minutes chatting with the restaurant's proprietor. I wondered if Rude was the one who had taught him Costan. It was as difficult to imagine Reno as an attentive pupil as it was to imagine Rude teaching someone how to speak.
When Reno returned, he had a couple of flashlights in his hand and a pleased smile on his face.
"'Kay, we're good to go. Get ready for a good time, babe."
We headed out as soon as we had finished our meal. The trail Reno chose led us through the welcome shade of a lush tangle of woods. I kept wanting to stop for a closer look at the giant fronds and creeping vines, but Reno rushed me along, telling me I would have time to poke at the greenery on the way back.
At the pace he set, it wasn't long before we came out onto the seaside cliffs I had seen from the boat. Reno peered over the edge, then led me along another path that followed the contour of the cliffs, until we found the spot he had been looking for. The sun had dried the rocks and made it a quick and easy climb down to the white sand below – just enough to whet my appetite for the next part of our little adventure.
Reno pointed out a jagged hole in the rock underneath a jutting cliff, and with a grin I took off at a run along the hot sand. As we got closer, though, I felt a hesitation creep in. The mouth of the cave was tall and wide, but the light it let in shrunk into nothing before it could reach the back of cavern. I thought of the winged things hiding in the dark rafters of the reactor and shivered.
Reno looked out toward the distant sea, scanning the horizon, then checked his watch.
"We're good for time, but no point in wastin' it. Let's head in."
I shifted my weight from one foot to another. "Pretty dark, isn't it?"
"Well, duh. It's a cave, yo."
I switched on my flashlight for a quick sweep. The cavern was empty and shallower than I had thought, but at the back a tunnel carved a path deeper into the cliff.
"Are you trying to lure me in there so you can have your way with me?"
"C'mon, Fitz. Where's the fun in doin' it in the dark?" he protested with a smirk.
"Prefer the beach, do you?"
"Eugh, no thanks. The sand gets everywhere." He made a face and shuddered, then gave it some more thought. "Oh, hey, the boat! Speedboat out on the sea might be fun, yo."
The excitement on his face made me chuckle.
"You're a bit of an exhibitionist, aren't you?"
"Maybe," he drawled with a shameless grin. "Right now I got somethin' else to exhibit to ya, tho'. C'mon, in you go."
Reno nudged me forward with a hand on the small of my back. As soon as we entered the narrow tunnel, we had to rely on flashlights to guide our steps. I had expected as much; what I hadn't considered was how much it would remind me of my misadventure through the bowels of the abandoned reactor. The damp sand and rough, wet walls were nothing like the dusty concrete of Midgar, but the darkness and closeness and dead air were just as oppressive. My heart drummed faster and faster the deeper we went. Soon, my fingers sought out Reno's. I felt silly for it, but he squeezed my hand and held it.
The passage took us through several sharp turns and tight squeezes – a few of them too tight for comfort – until at last we emerged in a larger chamber.
"Wait here for a sec." He took a few steps forward until his torch swept across a pool of still water in the center of the cave. "Yeah, this is the place. Turn off your flashlight."
"Why?"
"You'll see."
As I fumbled with the button, Reno returned. He took my hand and led me to the edge of the water. I heard the click of his flashlight and we were plunged into darkness. I held my breath and darted my eyes back and forth, but everything was pitch black.
"I don't see anything," I whispered.
"Shh, it's fine. Give it a lil' longer."
I fell silent and waited. The occasional plop of dripping water echoed through the caves, but all else was still. It was so dark. Anything could be lurking in here with us.
Reno's fingers squeezed my hand gently, perhaps in response to my tightening grip. Then I noticed a faint bluish glow from below and realized he had meant it as a signal, not comfort. The color shifted like a prism, from green to blue to purple and back again. As the light intensified, I saw motion in it, a rhythmic pulsing in different directions. I leaned forward, gazing intently down into the strange vision. Jellyfish, I realized. Dozens of phosphorescent jellyfish, dancing in the pool.
"Pretty cool, huh? You like it?"
An incredulous sort of snort escaped me. As I looked up, I realized the glow was now strong enough to illuminate the whole cavern. Ripples of blue and green shimmered across the craggy walls, moving together only to come apart again in an ever-changing choreography. It felt unreal, like a scene from science fiction.
I had no words to answer his question. I cupped Reno's face and pinned his lips with mine.
"Whoa," he mumbled once I let him go, breathless but grinning wide. "Guess that's a 'yes'."
As I returned my attention to the glowing creatures, I lowered myself into a careful crouch. I released Reno's hand and placed both of mine on the lip of the pool, leaning over it for a better look.
"Careful, Doc. They sting like a sonuvabitch." With a chuckle, he sank down to his knees, supporting himself with his hands on his thighs as he peered into the water. "Learned that the hard way, yo."
"I've never seen anything like this," I whispered. "We had similar ones on Earth, but that was before my time. I've just seen pictures."
"Nothin' like the real deal, huh?"
I laughed and shook my head. A picture had never stolen my breath away. A mere photo could never make my pulse race or fill me with such an incredible, giddy lightness.
"Not even close."
I felt Reno touch my hair, caress it into place behind my ear. When I looked up, he was smiling.
"Happy birthday, Fitz."
A picture could never make my heart skip a beat.
Time lost its meaning as we watched the jellyfish dance. I had no idea how much time had passed by the time he nudged my arm.
"'Kay, gotta get goin'. Tide's comin'."
The return trip through the tunnels seemed much shorter. It was strange to step out into the bright Costan sun again. Not like waking from dream into reality, but more like slipping from one fantasy to another; between a vivid tropical paradise and a bewitching secret in the dark. We climbed the cliff and watched the tide roll in, listening to the songs of exotic birds in the palm trees at our backs while I basked in the afterglow of the experience.
Screw Rod and his sunsets. This was my kind of date.
Once we were back at the village, we hit the sandy beach nearby. The water was warm and Reno an enthusiastic playmate in the waves. I squealed like a schoolgirl. I giggled. I yelled bloody murder when he pilfered my bikini top and taunted me from the shore. I hadn't had that kind of fun for years. Before I knew it, a couple of hours had flown by.
"So, whaddya wanna do next?"
He was leaning back on his elbows, his long legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. His red canvas shoes sat on the sand beside him, next to the rumpled pile of fabric that was his t-shirt. We had retired to the shade, so his sunglasses were perched atop his head, keeping his hair out of his face. Despite the sunscreen, his cheeks were tinged with pink.
"Looks like working on our tans is out of the question," I said, brushing the back of my fingers over his hot skin.
"Yeah, 'fraid so. Sun and redheads don't mix too well, yo."
I dug out the sunscreen from my shoulder bag.
"I don't know what there is to do around here, really," I mused as I daubed a fresh layer on his face. "You're the expert on Costan delights."
Reno had closed his eyes, and his mouth curved in a lopsided smile.
"Well, how 'bout we head back to the mainland? Could grab some dinner, then hit the beach bars for a drink or two. Ooor... we could sneak away somewhere quiet first, maybe, and I could go spelunkin' in your love grotto–"
I smacked him in the arm.
By the time we got back to the Shinra villa, it was well into the evening. Just as the gate closed behind us, something skittered toward us. Several somethings, with far too many legs. I gasped and ducked behind Reno, grabbing his arm.
"Relax, babe," he sniggered. "It's just the saucer bots. They patrol the garden at night."
Oh god, those things. The security robots that had scurried around the corridors of Shinra HQ like squat metal spiders during Orca's attack. I felt like an idiot, but the hammering of my heart wasn't something I could control. I kept my eyes averted while the little contraptions scanned us with their single, red eyes. Hearing them scuttle away was a relief, but the sudden scare made it difficult to relax. The adrenaline rush was still in full swing.
"Sit down for a bit, Fitz," Reno said once we were inside the villa. "I'll get a drink for ya."
There was concern in his voice. He even pulled out a chair for me by the kitchen table. While he went to the fridge I sat down, feeling ridiculous. The tiny spider bots were still skittering about in my mind, dredging up old, dark memories from Shinra HQ. I did my best to will them away. This was not the state of mind I wanted to be in on my birthday.
Reno came up behind me and set down an opened bottle of something pale green and carbonated on the table.
"Thanks," I mumbled with a half-hearted smile over my shoulder.
"No prob."
He smiled back and straightened up. I expected him to fetch a drink for himself, but instead he hovered behind me.
"Y'know, I've always wondered. How'd ya get this?"
He touched a faded scar on my upper arm, tracing it with his light fingertips, and I went cold all over. In my mind's eye I saw my terrified eyes staring back at me in the mirror. I was strapped down and helpless, trying to shy away from the touch, but his fingers followed until...
With a gasp, I jerked away. Reno froze and stared at me with a startled look on his face.
"The hell...?"
I couldn't explain. I was too busy fighting the senseless fear surging through my veins.
"Fitz, baby, what's wrong?"
"Fuck!" I snarled and shot out of the chair to pace in angry circles. "I thought I was over this!"
"What's goin'–" He went silent and from the way his face fell, I knew he had remembered. "I did that once before, didn't I? When you were–"
"Yes!"
I hadn't meant to cut him off so sharply, but I just couldn't bear to hear him say it. Coming to a halt, I pressed the heels of my palms against my eyes, trying to focus on the flow of air, in and out of my lungs.
"Hey, d'ya need–"
He placed his hands on my shoulders. It was intended as comfort, I knew it was, but the panic lashed out again, choking my breath.
"Don't!"
I yanked myself free of his grasp, and put several steps between us. Reno's mouth snapped shut and there was a hurt in his eyes I had never seen before.
"Just... give me a moment," I added, hoping he could hear the regret in my voice.
If he did, it didn't matter. When I glanced up at him, his face had become an empty mask.
"I'll leave you alone," he said flatly, then all but bolted for the door.
"Reno!"
"Stay here," he called over his shoulder. "I'll be back."
The front door slammed shut. I stared in its direction as sheer bewilderment drove the flashback from my mind. Eventually my panic subsided, but instead I was caught in a strange state of disbelief, a disconnection from reality. The feeling persisted while I emptied the bottle Reno had brought for me sip by sip, trying to figure out how the evening had taken such a disastrous turn.
I wondered when he would be back. I wanted him back. I brought out my phone, but when I called, his ringtone sounded from the kitchen counter. He had forgotten his phone. He never forgot his phone.
I had a shower and changed into a teal sundress I had picked up during the earlier shopping trip. Soon I was all dressed up and ready for the evening, but Reno was still missing. All I had for company was the lingering feeling that none of this was real. I wandered through the rooms, unable to keep still.
The house felt cold and distant, like its owner. I couldn't stay here anymore, alone. I needed to go out somewhere. A café, maybe. A bar, or the beach. Anywhere with people around me, distractions from my thoughts.
A few minutes later, I was ready to head out. I scribbled a note for Reno and left it on the table.
Stepping out of the air-conditioned house was like walking into a sauna. The Costan evening was just as sweltering as the day, only without the brightness of the searing sun. The faint beat of something like salsa drifted up from the beach and mingled with the ceaseless chirping of crickets. Fortunately, their concert covered the clicks of patrolling metal legs. I kept my eyes on the gate and crossed the garden with hasty steps.
Once outside, I slowed and strolled down toward the music, staying close to the trees where the sand was firmer. Simply being outside was enough to ease the flow of my breathing. The cabins I passed were dark and quiet; the guests were likely out enjoying the nightlife. The sea was peaceful, too, its waves lapping at the sand at a pace that matched my own. It was a perfect evening for a romantic walk on the beach. Staring out over the water, I wondered where Reno might be.
The crickets really were very loud. That must have been why I was taken by complete surprise when someone threw their arm across my throat and pulled me into a chokehold. I bucked and clawed at my attacker's arm, but it was like fighting a statue. I didn't stand a chance. Within seconds, everything went dark.
