Chapter Ten
The two surfaces were in complete contrast of one another. One was smooth and silky, almost creamy in complexion. The other was gruff and worn from years of abuse. The tears that flowed down both were surprisingly similar. In the silence that followed the momentous blasts, the blood red room of Rufus Sin-Ra sank once again into silence, silence broken by the soft sobs of a woman, who Rude had freed, and the raging cry of a broken man. A man who, within the span of two months, lost his love, and his best friend. No one moved for a while. Finally, after time had passed, Spike got up, lit a cigarette, and moved to the window. Through the mist of tears, he saw the night sky, filled with stars and wondered, "How can the heavens be this beautiful on the night my partner and best friend is killed?"
Raising his arms skyward, he let out an animalistic roar so brutish and bestial, the other occupants of the room jumped at the sound. Whirling around, Spike raised his gun, extended his arm and trained his sights on Rude.
"You bastard! You and your partner let my friend die!" Spike flung the gun down and sprinted across the room, letting loose a roundhouse that would have floored Rude, had Faye not caught his kick and held onto the leg.
"Spike, don't," Faye implored.
"Women! This is why you never should have joined us to begin with! Had you never come, Jet would never have fallen for you and given his life for you! And now," Spike continued, the red mounting his cheeks rivaling that of the room.
"He wha-?" Faye stammered, letting go of Spike's leg.
"He loved you, Faye! He loved you with his heart and soul. It's been like that for months, but you never realized, and now, it's too late. He's dead, gone and dead! And you have the audacity to defend these scum bastards? You-you bitch!"
Faye stepped nose to nose with Spike and cracked him hard across the jaw. Snapping out of the hysteria he was in, he wryly grinned.
"I like a woman who can kick my ass," he said, "Thanks, I needed that. But, seriously Faye," he continued, "Why are you stopping me from killing these bastards?"
"They were against my capturing and didn't know what was going to happen tonight. They thought that Rufus would try to hold you guys, not kill you. Reno, here, was going to fire right after Rufus looked at him, but didn't get the chance," Faye motioned to Rude as she continued, "Rude had already loosened my restraints just in case you and Jet needed to make a getaway. They were helping us."
After she finished, Rude, who was usually a silent one, stepped forward.
"Mr. Spiegel-"
"Just Spike, ok?" Spike interrupted, hostility still lacing his voice.
"Right, Spike," Rude corrected himself, "Look, things went awry tonight. I'm sorry. From what Faye told us, you and him were very close. You can only chalk what happened tonight up to chance and bad luck. We never planned for this. Take some comfort that at least you took Rufus's life as well."
Stepping up to the taller man, Spike grabbed the front of Rude's blue jacket and seethed, "There is no comfort when my friend lies dead."
Drawing his gun, Reno aimed it Spike.
"Whether you like it, bud, you have allies," Reno stated.
"Guess this is what they say when they say 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer," Spike wryly smiled.
A few days later, in the Bebop
Slamming his gun down on the table in the living room of the ship, Spike bellowed over the tumult.
"Guys! Stop this crap! Dammit, Barret! Just sit down and shut your mouth for more than five seconds!"
Abruptly, the shouting stopped. The main issue was that Barret didn't want the Turks, Rude, Reno, and Elena, to join the group. He was still sore about Sector Seven, as was Tifa and Aeris, and he didn't trust them. Barret did most of the yelling. Reno quipped back, agitating the big man, while Rude calmly smoked a cigarette and Elena kept downing drinks. The rest of Avalanche stood silent.
"I love how this man takes command. So strong and vibrant."
Tifa and Spike had spent a lot of time together the last few days. She loved to hear him talk and talk. True, it took some prodding to make him talk, but she loved the prodding as well. She knew this was not the time to tell him that she had a thing for him.
"What could I say to him? 'I'm sorry your friend died. Want to go out on a date?' God, Tifa, you need to get a grip." She thought to herself. In time, maybe he would look at her like she did at him. All she needed was a little time. She shook herself out of her thoughts as Spike addressed the whole group.
"Look, if what Aeris and Red say is correct, we don't have much time. We need to go and face Sephiroth and beat him. Are we all ready? Good. We leave tomorrow for the Northern Crater."
He didn't see the glowering eyes that flashed green from the corner of the room. Cloud didn't like being second to this man, and he didn't like the looks Tifa was giving Spike. He would end this, if it meant his death. He would avenge his pride that had been killed when Spike had saved Aeris and Avalanche had been under Spike's seeming command. He would not let this happen.
The two surfaces were in complete contrast of one another. One was smooth and silky, almost creamy in complexion. The other was gruff and worn from years of abuse. The tears that flowed down both were surprisingly similar. In the silence that followed the momentous blasts, the blood red room of Rufus Sin-Ra sank once again into silence, silence broken by the soft sobs of a woman, who Rude had freed, and the raging cry of a broken man. A man who, within the span of two months, lost his love, and his best friend. No one moved for a while. Finally, after time had passed, Spike got up, lit a cigarette, and moved to the window. Through the mist of tears, he saw the night sky, filled with stars and wondered, "How can the heavens be this beautiful on the night my partner and best friend is killed?"
Raising his arms skyward, he let out an animalistic roar so brutish and bestial, the other occupants of the room jumped at the sound. Whirling around, Spike raised his gun, extended his arm and trained his sights on Rude.
"You bastard! You and your partner let my friend die!" Spike flung the gun down and sprinted across the room, letting loose a roundhouse that would have floored Rude, had Faye not caught his kick and held onto the leg.
"Spike, don't," Faye implored.
"Women! This is why you never should have joined us to begin with! Had you never come, Jet would never have fallen for you and given his life for you! And now," Spike continued, the red mounting his cheeks rivaling that of the room.
"He wha-?" Faye stammered, letting go of Spike's leg.
"He loved you, Faye! He loved you with his heart and soul. It's been like that for months, but you never realized, and now, it's too late. He's dead, gone and dead! And you have the audacity to defend these scum bastards? You-you bitch!"
Faye stepped nose to nose with Spike and cracked him hard across the jaw. Snapping out of the hysteria he was in, he wryly grinned.
"I like a woman who can kick my ass," he said, "Thanks, I needed that. But, seriously Faye," he continued, "Why are you stopping me from killing these bastards?"
"They were against my capturing and didn't know what was going to happen tonight. They thought that Rufus would try to hold you guys, not kill you. Reno, here, was going to fire right after Rufus looked at him, but didn't get the chance," Faye motioned to Rude as she continued, "Rude had already loosened my restraints just in case you and Jet needed to make a getaway. They were helping us."
After she finished, Rude, who was usually a silent one, stepped forward.
"Mr. Spiegel-"
"Just Spike, ok?" Spike interrupted, hostility still lacing his voice.
"Right, Spike," Rude corrected himself, "Look, things went awry tonight. I'm sorry. From what Faye told us, you and him were very close. You can only chalk what happened tonight up to chance and bad luck. We never planned for this. Take some comfort that at least you took Rufus's life as well."
Stepping up to the taller man, Spike grabbed the front of Rude's blue jacket and seethed, "There is no comfort when my friend lies dead."
Drawing his gun, Reno aimed it Spike.
"Whether you like it, bud, you have allies," Reno stated.
"Guess this is what they say when they say 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer," Spike wryly smiled.
A few days later, in the Bebop
Slamming his gun down on the table in the living room of the ship, Spike bellowed over the tumult.
"Guys! Stop this crap! Dammit, Barret! Just sit down and shut your mouth for more than five seconds!"
Abruptly, the shouting stopped. The main issue was that Barret didn't want the Turks, Rude, Reno, and Elena, to join the group. He was still sore about Sector Seven, as was Tifa and Aeris, and he didn't trust them. Barret did most of the yelling. Reno quipped back, agitating the big man, while Rude calmly smoked a cigarette and Elena kept downing drinks. The rest of Avalanche stood silent.
"I love how this man takes command. So strong and vibrant."
Tifa and Spike had spent a lot of time together the last few days. She loved to hear him talk and talk. True, it took some prodding to make him talk, but she loved the prodding as well. She knew this was not the time to tell him that she had a thing for him.
"What could I say to him? 'I'm sorry your friend died. Want to go out on a date?' God, Tifa, you need to get a grip." She thought to herself. In time, maybe he would look at her like she did at him. All she needed was a little time. She shook herself out of her thoughts as Spike addressed the whole group.
"Look, if what Aeris and Red say is correct, we don't have much time. We need to go and face Sephiroth and beat him. Are we all ready? Good. We leave tomorrow for the Northern Crater."
He didn't see the glowering eyes that flashed green from the corner of the room. Cloud didn't like being second to this man, and he didn't like the looks Tifa was giving Spike. He would end this, if it meant his death. He would avenge his pride that had been killed when Spike had saved Aeris and Avalanche had been under Spike's seeming command. He would not let this happen.