I Tried- Chapter 18
A Lack of Lust
Reno didn't realize he was laughing until they reached another stairwell. It hit him with no little certainty that he liked the Turks. He even felt like he could get used to some of the people, provided that they weren't going to scream at him. Reno fell quiet; the others were joking and didn't quite notice. They all stopped at the top of the stairs, turning to look at Reno. The silence drew on for a while longer then was fitting.
"Are you alright Reno?" Scarlet asked, honestly concerned.
He didn't really want to talk about it with them, so Reno changed the subject quickly. He threw on a smirk and eyed Scarlet. "Nice dress."
Her eyes narrowed immediately. "Fuck you, Reno." Came the nearly comically huffed response.
Reno didn't miss a beat. "Okay. Now?" He was about to say something else, but Tseng tripped him. Reno fell down the one remaining flight of stairs. It wasn't a great tumble; he wasn't hurt besides his pride. Reno was rewarded with the upside-down view of the three Turks smirking at him. He stared up indignantly at them.
Tseng extended a hand to the ruffled red head and smiled.
Reno accepted, making an exaggerated show of cracking his back. "What was that for?"
The reply was simple. "My eyebrows."
"This is the conservatory." Scarlet said as they walked into a large room filled with instruments and mirrored walls. There was good lighting and a smooth wooden floor throughout. Scarlet made her way to a stereo that sat in a corner. She noticed Reno's perusal of the piano. "All Turks play instruments. It comes in handy with a lot of our work."
"Good for Turks." Reno snorted. He reminded himself again that he was not supposed to like these people. His defense of them had simply been because he disliked Heidegger on sight. "I already play piano. I know plenty of classical to last an hour. So what am I doing here?"
"The same thing that I am doing in this blasted dress. You need to learn to dance." Scarlet's tone matched his.
"What?" Reno's idea of dancing was basically sex with clothes on.
"Tango to be exact." She motioned to Reeve. "We'll show you first, then I will be working with you. This is important. So pay attention." She pushed a button on the stereo.
Reeve brushed past Reno while the younger man simply watched from across the room. He extended a hand to Scarlet and pulled her closer to him. There was something there when the two moved. Tango was a dance that was deliberate and sensual. This, however, wasn't what Reno noticed, there was a sensation of holding back from the two of them, as if they wanted something to come from nothing.
Then the song ended and the mood ended with it. Reeve and Scarlet went from what looked like longing people back to Turks. The transition seemed so practiced that it made Reno wonder if it was just the dance that made them seem that way.
"Do you get it?" Scarlet asked. Her voice was too flat to show disappointment if she felt it.
Reno nodded, again unsure of what to say.
She nodded crisply. "Okay then if you two gents will excuse me I have to corrupt a minor."
"Right. Tseng, let's go make sure that ShinRa isn't pissed about the armory." He turned and looked over his shoulder at Reno. "Be good Reno. You're almost done for the day."
About an hour later Reno was dancing as if he had formal lessons his whole life. Scarlet was an excellent teacher. She would stop every so often, moving Reno's hands or telling him about Mrs. Collider, the woman who would be Reno's way in.
Once he got a chance to talk to her, Scarlet wasn't that bad really. She wasn't expressly open or nice like he felt Reeve could be. She was more practical then that. Scarlet was totally honest with what she was and herself and apparently making the best of it. She would even joke with him. "She won't let you do that, move your hand from my ass."
"Fine." Reno responded in mock offense.
They shared a laugh- he was beginning not to notice how annoying it was. "What's a matter baby? Not used to being shot down?" Scarlet quipped.
Reno stiffened. "Don't call me that."
"Get used to it. This bitch will not even ask what your name is. She will probably christen you 'Tiger' or something." Her simple acceptance was back, along with a slight urge that Reno do so also.
Defeated, he took a deep breath. "Fine, just can you use my name?"
Scarlet looked at him for a few moments, trying to read his face. The song was over before she responded. "Sure, Reno."
It was late before Reno made it home. Padre was up though, regardless. His dark eyes held some knowing. "I heard, Reno, where you've been."
Reno started and froze to the spot before slowly turning to face the priest. He didn't want to sound dismissive, but there was too much on his mind. Too much depended on this for him to add any more doubts to it. Even if he could add doubts, Reno didn't think that it would cancel out his biggest one. He doubted if he could change his mind. As a result, Reno pretended that he couldn't care less. "And?"
"Don't trust Reeve." Padre ground out, Reno's tone obviously angered him. "The man was a whore and a thief and he will always be one."
Reno blinked; more offended then he thought he would be. "So?" the young man snapped. "What's that make me then?"
"I thought you were better then this!" Padre snapped, rising from the table and slamming his fist against it. "What am I supposed to tell your daughter if you don't come back? Or did you forget you have a child to take care of?!"
"I am trying to take care of her!" Reno thundered back. "I'm trying to take care of everyone, it isn't fucking easy to feed a family of four you know that?!"
From above them, in Reno's room, Suzanna started to cry. Reno and Padre stared at each other for half a minute. Then, without a word passing between them, Reno stormed up the stairs to take care of his daughter.
Morning had already dawned over Midgar, though in the Turk lounge there were no windows. Only the clock on the wall foretold the time- eleven. Tseng and Scarlet were lounged on a couch that seemed out of place in the pristine ShinRa building. In fact, the entire Turk lounge was more battered and threadbare then the rest of the building. A refrigerator hummed in a corner behind a bar, inside was filled with very little to eat and quite a lot that they shouldn't drink on duty. A large television was constantly on and glowed from in front of a worn short legged table in front of the couch. A dartboard was hung on the wall, attached to it this week was an already hole covered photograph of Doctor Nathan Hojo.
Reeve was not in his usual place with his feet propped up on the kitchen table, playing with something. The bits of electronics were on the table waiting for his return. Of course, Reeve would be returning with Reno in tow, tonight was the night they were going to hit Mr. Razel Collider.
Scarlet sighed, leaning forward. Though she stared at the TV, she wasn't really watching it. "I don't like doing this…" She sighed.
Tseng arched his brow a bit at her. While the hair was starting to grow back, Tseng still looked as though he'd had a bad wax job. "You have a bad feeling? That's nothing new."
"No." She muttered, chin in her hands. "I wish we didn't have to use Reno for this. His father wouldn't be happy to know about this."
"Why?" Tseng asked. "I'd rather have him with us then the damned slums. At least here we eat everyday. Here you can keep an eye on him and that daughter of his."
"Scarlet's hazel eyes drifted to the dartboard. "That sick prick would love to know what we know. He could already know. So making Reno a Turk is the only way to keep him safe. And Reeve and I are going to be leaving for the desk jobs next year. You need a third." She was trying to convince herself, though neither her or Tseng needed to say that.
"Don't worry, when Rude gets back from Junon, I'll make sure Reno doesn't annoy him." Tseng responded of the missing Turk. Rude was a quiet man, there was worry that Reno's boisterous personality would clash with the way Tseng and Rude were beginning to do things. Rude had been bidded into the program by Scarlet herself when he was only twelve. Since then he had been undeniably loyal to the Turks, never complaining. However, Rude was loyal to the Turks specifically. Not necessarily to ShinRa. In fact, the big man had been known to punch Palmer or Heidegger out on more then one occasion. It was that part they worried about. It was all too easy to picture the six foot six, nearly three hundredpound Rudeknocking the skinny Reno out.
This earned a laugh. Scarlet shook her head. "I've already filled Rude in, he's promised not to wring Reno's neck."
The door swung open just as the words left Scarlet's mouth. Reeve walked in followed by an amazingly presentable looking Reno. Though he looked a bit uncomfortable and pensive, the young man certainly didn't look his age. His hair had been cut, though he had insisted his bangs stay a bit on the longer side. While his eyes traveled the room one could see that he had lost the common "street rat slouch" and was standing with his shoulders square. He smirked at both Tseng and Scarlet before flopping down on the arm of the couch next to Scarlet. "Who's gonna wring my neck?"
The two Turks blinked at him and then made sounds of shock. "Well," Tseng started, "you cleaned up shockingly well. This may even work."
Reno walked down to the front desk. He had checked in, as ordered, under the name Riley Mollinar. The girl at the front desk gave him an overtly flirty smile as he asked for the manager. She then giggled in the back room for about two minutes and finally she showed the manager out.
"Mr. Mollinar?" The manager was a tall, pretty, brunette woman, around her late 20's. She had a worn expression on her face, as though she really found banquets a nuisance.
"Yes, you are the manager then?" Reno asked in a bored tone. It was an effort to see this place and not be in shock. The hotel that his mother had called home was seriously a roach hole. This was Buckingham palace, or the city of gold. He pulled being blasé off well.
"You can call me Alise." She smiled innocently and extended her hand to his. "Pleasure to meet you Mr. Mollinar."
Reno accepted her hand, turned it over and kissed the back of it. The woman blushed slightly, though she gained composure quickly by tucking the hand in her pocket.
Reno's smirk was honest amusement, this was too easy. "Just Riley, pleasure is all mine, I assure you Alise."
"I'm sure you want to warm up. This way to the piano." She said quickly. The ballroom was being set up by at least thirty workers. There was so much going on that Reno was hard pressed to keep his aloof air. Ice sculptures were being lifted onto numerous banquet style tables. The snacks on the tables had to cost more then everything Reno had ever eaten in his life. There were seven open bars, being busily attended by red bow-tied bartenders. He almost ran into Alise as she stopped near a door by the stage.
"This is where the piano is." Alise opened the room, oblivious to Reno's perusal of the room. "After you?" she held the door.
Reno walked in, not paying much attention to her as she listed off the important guests that would be attending the party. –"Of course the ShinRas, there are also some-"
Reno waved a hand at her from behind the piano. "I've been told. I just want to play, eat, then leave. I have to be in Junon in the morning. I don't care for upper class company." He sat at the piano, running an index finger up the keys. "No offense." Reno amended carefully, just in case he had said something offensive. He remembered that he wasn't supposed to be rude or too polite, but that they were supposed to like him and forget him. Of course, it was confusing enough to say that, let alone put it to practice.
"None taken. Between you and me these people bug the hell out of me. They make it a point to rub the fact that they can buy my yearly income and not bat an eye in my face every time they come into town." She walked back to the door and pulled it open. Then she smiled a bit at him. "Have a pleasant stay yourself while you are here." She shut the door as she left Reno alone.
"Don't count on it, Alise." He said to the piano.
Reno scanned the crowd as he played, looking for his target. It didn't take long to find her; she was staring at him like a lioness. The word "lioness" fit Mrs. Collider perfectly. She, and the group she was with all had similar shapes to them, something- as Reno had pointed out before- that looked like a Barbie doll. Though in the face, she looked far more calculating then a plastic toy. She had sharp green eyes and a lean frame that wouldpush one to guess her chest had been added onto it at a rather high price.
The entire group of women that Mrs. Collider was sitting with had the same hungry expression. It was as if they only got a real chance to get out at these parties. They were overly flirty with the male staff, leaning forward at inappropriate angles so they could show off as much as possible in their low cut gowns.
Her dress was in the most recent fashion of Junon and the most risqué of the group. It was a dark midnight blue at the top, small star-like patches of baby blue speckled it starting at her small waist, turning the bottom of the gown baby blue. It had a scandalously high slit up the left side, and the right side of the dress laced up, revealing a perfectly tan line-less body.
Reno noticed them start talking the minute he sat at the piano. He wished that he could read lips so he knew what they were saying. Of course, he thought again, maybe he didn't really want to know.
At the next table were the woman's husbands. They ranged from honestly attractive to mildly overweight. All were engaged in animate conversation and oblivious to their wives roaming eyes. Or perhaps they simply didn't care. He wanted this evening to be over, Reno still couldn't believe he was going to do something like this. He chose then to ignore them and closed his eyes to play. However, the moment he closed his eyes he started thinking about Bethany and how much she had really loved to hear him play. Without changing the expression on his face, Reno bit his tongue. Thoughts about her didn't seem to belong where he was.
He wished that he could have just played the piano and left. He debated doing just that, taking off at all speed and going back where he came from. It took all of Reno's efforts to make it to the bar. He got the bartender's attention with a quick bob of his head.
The bartender responded in kind. "What can I getcha?"
Reno thought for a moment and then ordered the strongest thing he could think of that wouldn't look too out of place. "Brandy old Fashioned. Low on the ice."
The bartender laughed. "Getting smashed to spite the rest of us? Heh. At least you don't have to talk to them."
Reno forced a laugh because it seemed to be a place that he should. "Hey, I'm just the piano player, they didn't pay me to be sober."
Reno leaned on the bar, surveying the crowd. Mrs. Collider glided up past him, she turned over her shoulder to smile at Reno and swirl her half empty drink. Then she sat at the empty booth, closest to the bar.
The bartender handed Reno his drink. "Anything else?"
Reno flipped quite a few more bills then needed to the man. "Yeah get that lady in the blue dress another one of whatever it is she's drinking. Keep the change."
He must have been used to getting a good deal of money for things like this. Other then the renewed cheer in his voice, the bartender was unfazed. "Yes sir. Keep it quiet like?"
"Sure." Reno said with a fake grin as he drank.
Reno wasn't sitting at the bar for very long when a waiter walked up to him. "Sir, the lady in the blue dress would like to make your acquaintance."
He blinked, not expecting things to be this easy. Of course, the Turks had told him that all he had to do was show a little interest in her. Reno started over to the booth, taking another drink and a deep breath. All he needed to do was feign interest? Fine, he'd be faking the whole evening anyway. "What is a beautiful young woman doing all alone this time of evening?" He asked.
"Well hello. Did you come to keep me company?" She purred, sliding over to the corner of the booth to make room for him.
"If I may." Reno sat down, turning over to look at her. He ignored the smug look on her face, the one that said she knew he was ever so interested in her. His eyes settled on the extremely large diamond ring on her left hand. Pretending to be surprised, Reno arched an eyebrow. "What a silly little husband you must have, to leave you unguarded." He said lightly.
"Yes, but he's a filthy rich, silly little husband." She looked Reno over a few times before leaning close to him. Her left hand drifted to her lap and her right arm was supported by the back of the booth. "You aren't as silly I take it?" She moved a bit closer; Reno could smell some strong perfume on her.
"Hardly." He continued to sip his drink, wishing for about 200 more of them. "I just thought that you looked lonely." He looked at her again out of the corner of his eye before sitting the empty drink glass down. "Shame for such a lovely figure to be a wallflower."
Her right arm was close enough now, to touch him. Mrs. Collider began to play with the arm Reno's jacket. As she felt his muscle under the fabric she smiled. "Not very little either, huh, Tiger?" She smiled, proving Scarlet correct in her predictions. "What do you expect from all this? I am a married woman after all." Her inviting tone told Reno she wasn't thinking about being loyal to her husband.
"Ahh, but that's when this can be the most fun, no commitment." Reno placed one elbow on the table, turning to fully face Mrs. Collider. He forced his left hand to travel up her forearm before falling down to her knee. "Unless of course, you aren't interested."
"You think because you buy me a drink I owe you a dance?" She toyed with her honey gold hair, pleased with herself.
"Well, just a courtesy m'lady. If you don't want to I will leave you be." He moved his head as if he was looking for another woman.
She wasn't about to let Reno walk off, every wife in the place seemed to want to dig their claws into him. "Do you tango?" Mrs. Collider placed her hand over his, guiding it up above her knee.
He moved a bit closer to her and said in a husky tone "Depends on where you want to tango." Her perfume was way too strong, it was almost as abrasive as her personality.
"I'll have to take you for a test run on the dance floor first, Tiger."
Reno had to fight from jumping to his feet or, more appealing, telling this bitch off and informing her that he had a name. Instead he plastered a smirk on his face and extended his hand to her. She took it as though she was a victorious monarch. Reno could already tell he'd be spending a long time in the shower when this evening was over.
He danced with this woman, pretending to want her, pretending to care if she wanted him or not. She didn't notice that he wasn't really looking at her. She didn't notice that he shuddered when she touched him, or she misread the signs. He went through the motions with grace, trying to shut down his inner voice. It wouldn't be silenced. Even though he didn't want to be there and Bethany was dead, Reno felt as guilty about this as if she was standing there watching him. Even though he was being forced, Reno still felt like he was cheating.
He moved his hand about her hip and whispered. "I think that we may be causing a scene. Perhaps we could take this elsewhere?" He couldn't stand this any longer. He had to get it over with.
Thankfully, she nodded. "You'll do." With that she pulled him to the elevator.
The doors didn't have a chance to close before she pressed up against him, making Reno fall backwards against the wall. She gave him no time to stew about the "you'll do" comment, nor did she give him much room to breathe. He forced himself to respond to her, grabbing her hands from the front of his pants and throwing them above her head. At first, when he pinned her against the wall, Reno tried to close his eyes, to pretend that this bitch was someone else.
She pushed back, laughing at him. Reno's eyes opened then, he couldn't pretend this was Bethany. If she wanted to play rough he'd play. Once again Reno slammed Mrs. Collider against the wall, she remained this time, her hands busy with un-tucking his shirt. As disgusted as it made him, Reno let her.
Once in the room, Reno realized immediately where he was, the Turk diagrams had been flawless. He noticed a spare keycard on top of a desk in the corner of the room. The door closed swiftly behind him, Reno turned looking at Mrs. Collider as she leaned on the door. "Uhm-" he started, wishing he could back peddle out of there.
"Getting skittish, stallion?" Mrs. Collider splayed her fingers out on his chest as she spoke. They stepped together and she started to remove his jacket.
"Just wondering about your husband," Reno allowed the jacket to hit the floor. "I would hate to be interrupted." he lied.
"Is that all?" laughing, she pulled his tie gently, leading him further into the room. "Don't worry, Tiger. We haven't shared a bed in years." She pulled the tie harder, bringing Reno's head down to hers. Serina Collider's eyes pressed shut, her hands trailed over his shoulders.
Reno's eyes were wide open. He wasn't going to bother to pretend.