Chapter 9
By Crystal Snowflakes
Author's Notes: I'll hopefully have a Reffie one-shot out next week. I've been planning one and I've started writing it. Either way, enjoy! Oh, and Happy New Years!
Disclaimers: I don't own Final Fantasy 7.
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He gave a cocky salute to Cid as his smirk widened. "Now it's slightly better... Three against a dozen. Not bad."
"Three? Why Reno, I knew you had horrible education, but this? There's only Highwind and you." Gabriella smirked.
"Right above you." Reno grinned as cocked his head in a playful manner then readied his gun and fired right into a man's head. At that very second, Yuffie dropped from the roof and swiped her conformer in a circular motion, killing two and wounding one. Cid, with a shout, ran towards Harold and began fighting with him, dodging all the swings of his thin Wutain sword. Reno shot another two in the head before he fought hand to hand with Gabriella.
In just a few minutes, Yuffie had managed to kill off all of the men. Reno glanced over at Cid, who was still unable to kill Harold and shouted, "Yuffie! Get away of here with Cid! I can handle them."
"Hell no! I'm not leaving you with these shitheads!" She replied as she watched the battle going on.
"Get the fuck away Yuff. I can handle them, go!" Reno yelled as he blocked a kick aimed at his face.
Gritting her teeth, she gave a nod to Cid and glanced at Reno once more, hoping that he'd be safe. His eyes met hers for a mere second. Then she turned away and left.
Harold began approaching Reno and Gabriella shot a glare his way, "Reno's mine. I'm going to kill him with my own hands..." Then her clear blue eyes shone wickedly, "So that scrawny pest... Your new conquest?" She asked, a smirk on her lips.
Reno blocked another blow of her leg as he crouched and swung his leg in a full circle.
Gabriella jumped, "Yuffie Kisaragi, the Lady of Wutai, member of the rebel group AVALANCHE. And now, the girlfriend of Reno Chalmers, the commander of the Turks." She grinned, "Not bad. But I always thought Reno Chalmers was a ladies' man."
"Still am. Always will be." He replied.
She snorted, "Doesn't seem like it."
He shrugged, "Think what you want." He glanced at Harold, "Where's Steve?"
She waved her hands aimlessly, "Somewhere in his office, probably. Maybe stuffing his face full of chocolate. Who knows?"
"Would it be wrong to assume that he's your boss?"
She smirked, "No it wouldn't be. He is our boss." Then she pulled something out from her back. "Should we finish this?" Her knife shone in the sunlight.
Reno too, smirked. "Now would be a good time." Taking his time, he took out his electromag rod and charged it.
The first strike, the rod illuminated the knife.
The second strike, the knife flew from her hand.
The third strike, the rod hit her squarely on her right shoulder.
Gabriella hissed in pain as she tried grabbing the knife and standing up. Reno kicked her hands away and then the knife farther away as he pushed her back down. "You couldn't beat me ten years ago before my Turk training. What the hell makes you think you can beat me now?" Frowning, his hand reached his gun and pointed it backwards, about to shoot when he heard another sound.
"Fucking coward." Yuffie scowled as she kicked Harold in the back and set her foot on his back.
"What the hell are you doing back here?" Reno asked her.
She shrugged, "Just seeing if you're all right, Turkey." She rolled her eyes, "Yes, yes, I know you knew this guy was behind you." She added pressure on her foot, "But ya know, I just couldn't resist saving you and then making fun of you afterwards." She gave a grin.
"Where's Highwind?"
"Safe." She replied.
Harold struggled, trying to stand up. Yuffie, rolling her eyes again, let go of him. He stood up, glaring at her, a look filled with hatred. "We'll fucking tear you up, piece by piece."
Reno, too, let Gabriella go. "First of all, Harold, I see quite a few things wrong with your statement. You couldn't even go two against me. Secondly, even if you could, you couldn't beat Yuffie one on one. Lastly, with practically every member of AVALANCHE standing right behind you, you don't have a fucking chance."
Harold snarled, "I'll drag you fucking ass down to hell with me."
Reno shrugged coolly, "Am I suppose to be scared from your threat?"
Behind them, Tifa readied her gloves, Red growled, Cloud was prepared to unsheathe his sword, Rude and Elena had their guns out and Cid, once again, readied his spear.
"We want to know where you are keeping our friends." Yuffie said as she looked at Harold with contempt.
"There is no way we would tell you, even if you threaten to kill us." Gabriella stood up slowly and walked towards her knife, then sheathed it. Then she smirked, "Farewell."
The next second, a puff of smoke had appeared and when it disappeared, both Harold and Gabriella had vanished.
"We were fortunate that Reno and Yuffie had been in time to save Cid this time..." Red said, after recovering from their departure. "From this moment on, I want everyone to have someone with them at all times."
Everyone nodded in agreement. "Who the fuck was that whore in that skimpy Scarlet-like dress?" Cid muttered harshly. "Same with that moronic wannabe Turk in a black suit." He didn't seem too joyful that he had been saved by a Turk.
A smirk appeared on Reno's face. "That Scarlet dress look-alike was Gabriella Ross, and the wannabe Turk in a black suit was Harold Berry."
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"So we've settled that Tifa is going to stay with Cloud while I am staying with Cid." Red said. "So that leaves Yuffie."
Yuffie shrugged, "I can always stay with Reno."
Tifa shot her a look, "Don't you think you've hung around him for as much as necessary? You are welcomed to come with Cloud and I."
"Naw." She shook her head, ignoring the look on Tifa's face. "I'm all right." She put her arm around Reno's as she gave a grin, "I'll stay with this Turkey."
Red shook his head, giving up the argument. "If that's what you want Yuffie."
"WHAT?" Cid spat out his cigarette. "We're letting the brat go with the Turk? For all we fuckin' know, he's the one doing all the kidnapping!"
Cloud gave him a look, "As much as I don't trust Reno here, he was with us when Barret got kidnapped, and he was with Yuffie when you were going to get knocked out. He saved you. If Yuffie wants to stay with him, that's fine with me. It's her life, she can do as she pleases."
"And what about Reeve? He wasn't with anyone then." He asked gruffly, knowing he had pretty much lost as he started walking towards the exit. "I swear," He muttered to himself, "That brat better just be fooling 'round with that Turk or she's gonna find herself cursed at."
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"Yuff?" Reno asked as he stared as his monitor.
"Yeah Turkey?" She twirled around in the chair.
"I've gotta head out and do something."
She raised her eyebrow, "Do what?"
"Turk business." He replied curtly. "Be a dear and go have dinner with 'Lena. I'll see you tonight sometime."
"Elena? Why Elena? And for that matter, why can't she go? And when tonight?"
He sighed, "'Lena because I'm going to be going with Rude to find some shit out about the Saw and I don't want you alone. She'll be with you until I come home tonight, and I don't know when. She'll take care of you."
She huffed, "I can take care of myself well enough."
"So could Wallace, but he's gone now."
"Why couldn't have Elena gone instead of you?"
"You're being really difficult here babe."
"I know." Yuffie stuck her tongue out.
He chuckled, "I want to take care of them. Personally." A smirk appeared, "So like I said, be a dear and go have dinner with 'Lena."
"What if I decide to be difficult again?" She asked in a teasing voice, her eyes playful.
"Well..." He started, "I'm just going to have to gag you and tie you to a chair."
Yuffie chuckled, "All right then Turkey. Go now and come back early. When's Elena going to be here?"
"In a few minutes. I'll leave whenever she gets here."
"Do I get a goodbye kiss then?" She grinned.
Rolling his eyes, he asked, "Now?"
"Do you want Elena to see it?"
Without answering, he walked over to where she sat and kissed her on the mouth quickly, "Now, be nice." Then he stood up and looked at the doorway. Half a second later, it opened up as a blond pushed it.
"Reno. Yuffie." She greeted.
"Heya Elena." Yuffie replied.
Reno nodded her head, "I'm going to leave now. Just take care of her, go out for dinner, whatever. Put it on my tab if you want. Just bring her to my house and wait till I get back whenever you're done."
Elena nodded, "All right. See ya, and take care."
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"So..." Elena cut her cajun chicken, then looked up at Yuffie, "Is there anything between you and Reno?"
Yuffie looked up from her dish of baked mushroom ravioli, "To be truthful... I don't really know." She said, "I'd like to think that we do, since I think I really like him, but at the same time... I really don't know. I've asked for a chance, and he said that we could try... But... I don't know if he's just saying that to get me off his back or if he's actually interested. Or maybe he's just entertaining me."
Elena looked at her, surprised, "So you asked for a chance and he actually said he'd try?"
She looked thoughtful for a second, "Well, no, I was telling him how I thought we had something going on that felt special, and all of a sudden, he said he'd try. I know, yeah, I never expected him to say that either... I thought he'd just blow it off and tell me to get lost... But, I was surprised." She continued on, "I always thought he loved women and never wanted to settle down, not that I'm expecting him to, but imagine my surprise when Reno Chalmers said he'd try. For me, a member of AVALANCHE." She chuckled.
Elena nodded, "I can imagine your surprise. I'm surprised right now as it is. I can't believe..."
"Maybe Reno isn't as bad as we think he is."
"On some levels, no, Reno isn't as bad as we think it is. He may be a cold and calculating murderer, but he can certainly be a great friend, and maybe if he lets himself be, a good boyfriend."
Yuffie chuckled, "I think he'd be a good boyfriend. I can't imagine him getting a girlfriend and abusing her or whatnot."
"Well, we'll see, won't we?" Elena grinned.
"I don't even know if he thinks of me as a girlfriend or not. For all we know, Gabriella might be right. I might just be another one of his conquest."
"It really doesn't seem like it."
"Why not?" Yuffie asked, interested.
Elena shrugged, "From the way he acts around you, I don't think you're just going to be another conquest." Maybe a fling, she thought to herself. "And plus, with the way he allows you to stay over at his place... I don't think there's ever been a girl that's been able to do that with him."
"Maybe it's for my safety that he lets me stay over..." She paused slightly, then added, "but do you really think so? That I won't just be another conquest, I mean." She asked.
"I don't know. I don't want to give you false hope, you know... But like I said, we'll see." Elena raised her cup of hot water like a cup of red wine, "Let's hope it's different this time."
Yuffie, too, raised her cup, "Let's hope so."
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When Reno returned home, he found his comrade and a certain ninja on her couch. The ninja was napping, breathing softly while the other one looked at him. "How was it?" She asked.
He shrugged, "Couldn't find them anywhere. They're probably not from around Midgar. Nobody seems to have seen them, or claims that they haven't anyways. Since they're probably not from here, it's going to make our job a lot more difficult than it is." When he looked at the other woman, his eyes softened ever so slightly. "How was Yuffie?"
"Not bad at all." Elena gave a grin. "She was fun to be around. Surprisingly fun, actually. She didn't threaten to kill me every two seconds like the rest of those jerks, and plus, we really amused ourselves talking about you."
Reno raised his eyebrow, "Well, you must be talking about my charming looks."
Elena almost burst out laughing, "Please Reno, just go look at yourself in the mirror. Charming? More like hideous."
He shot a glare her way, "I am not hideous."
"Are too." She chirped in.
He gave a huff, "Think what you want. Yuff thinks I'm charming and attractive."
She snorted, "According to Yuffie, she said you were ugly."
"She's a liar." He said in a mock sulking tone. "You women are all against me."
"Only because you're hideous."
Reno threw his hand in the air dramatically and gave a big sigh, "You're just jealous of my good looks." He gave a wink at Elena, which made her want to shudder and retch. "Either way, I'm carrying the lazy brat to bed. I'll come out and have a nice chat with you afterwards." He approached Yuffie, who was still sprawled on the couch. Putting one of her arms around his neck, he then slipped one arm under her legs and the other behind her back. Then stood up, carrying her along and walked towards his room.
"Reno?"
"Yeah?" He turned around slowly, one eyebrow raised.
She cleared her throat, "I don't know what's between you and Yuffie..." She paused, searching for words, "But... She's a good girl. She's still young and naïve. Please don't do anything that might hurt her... And for the love of Tseng, please don't treat her like a common whore. She deserves much more than that. She deserves much more than how you've treated every single other woman you've dated before."
"I know." He looked down at her, "I don't know what's between us either."
"And just a reminder... She is the Lady of Wutai. If anything happens to her, I can't guarantee that your head will stay where it is right now."
He looked up at her, "Thank you for that reminder, but I am well aware that she is the Lady of Wutai, which is exactly one of the reasons why I don't know what's between us. Even if I feel for her, which I don't know if I do, before you ask, I don't think anything can happen. She's supposed to marry some rich Wutain, not a cold-blooded Turk that's not even of Wutain descent. I don't think it will work, no matter how much we try."
"I see..." Elena replied, then gave a playful grin, "So thinking of marriage already, are we now Reno? I can see that you can't wait."
He rolled his eyes, "Real mature 'Lena."
She laughed softly, "I know. Either way, I won't bother you anymore. Have a great night's sleep. I'll see you tomorrow, maybe."
"Do you want me to drive you home?"
She shook her head, "No. You've got the Lady of Wutai to protect from those big bad Saws, remember? I'll be fine."
"Right." He nodded, "Well, be careful. Phone my cell when you get home."
"Yes Father." She gave a chuckle, "I'll see you sometime. Night Reno."
"See ya."
He watched as her figure left his house, then went to his room to put down the young ninja down. Checking to make sure that his cell was turned on and had enough batteries, he put it on his bedside table, and laid down on the vacant spot.
For the next half an hour, he laid there listening to the soft snoring of his companion, watching her chest rise up and down with each breath and thinking of the things that had happened within these couple weeks.
He didn't fall asleep until a certain blond had phoned him up and told him she was safe home. When he did hang up though, he found his arm curling around a certain someone's waist while he pulled her towards him. "G'night babe."
Yuffie, in her sleep and possibly in la-la-land, muttered quietly, "night..."
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Author's Notes: Sorry for the one day late update. I was out the whole day yesterday, so I didn't get to finish it, plus the fact that I had to edit it, not that it makes much of a difference since I still get so many wrong :P Either way, once again, Happy New Year! Have a great day, and I'd like to tell you all how much I detest school! (I'm going back to school in two days...) Sucks that the Winter break was over so quickly... Oh wells. I'm looking forward to Spring Break.
-Crystal Snowflakes
Monday, January 03, 2005
