I got reviews! YAY! I've never had a quicker reaction to a fic…besides that of my hikari…. --;
BIG thanks to all who gave me feedback for the R&E pairing! Especially those who took the time to e-mail me! It was VERY, VERY close but…well, you have to read to find out! ;P
Disclaimer: Me no ownie FFVII. Or I'd have Advent Children by now…..
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"I don't know what set me off first
But I know what I can't stand
Everyone acts like the fact of the matter is
I can't add up to what you can…"
--"Papercut"
Linkin Park
E L O Q U E N C E
Chapter 2--Dreams and Debates
"Damn it, boy! Can't you do anything right!" The child cringed as the plate fell to the dirty floor, food spilling. "You expect me to eat that!"
There was no answer from the young boy. The man glared as he stood from his chair. "Why don't you say something? You too busy cryin' again?" No response.
"Huh!"
"B…because…"
"Ooh, you gonna say something?"
The boy's head snapped up, fists clenched at his sides. "Because you're not worth it! I'm not you your slave! I'm--" The child's brave standoff was abruptly ended as the man grabbed him by the collar and pinned him against the spider webbed wall.
"Not worth it, eh?" Alcohol reeked in the man's breath. They boy just glared defiantly back. "Who puts the food on the table in the first place, boy?"
"Me and Tana do! You just--!" He was quieted again with a firm shake.
"I oughta teach you a lesson, brat." His hand raised.
"Papa! Don't!" A young girl ran into the room and clung to her father's leg. "Please don't hurt him! Brother didn't do anything!"
The man's glare didn't lessen as he continued to stare down the boy. "You're just lucky, kid. If I see her every time I look at you and remember…you'd be gone long ago." He released the tattered shirt. With not one more word, he went back to the couch and in front of the TV, beer in hand.
The boy glared as he turned to the kitchen and began running warm water for the towering mound of dishes. The little girl watched, worn teddy bear in her arms.
"Brother, you don't hafta."
"If I don't, no one will. I refuse to let you live in a total pigsty, Tana," he answered, not looking up from the suds. The girl, Tana frowned slightly.
"Will you come outside with me?"
A sigh. "Can it wait?"
"No!" With a determined look on her small face, Tana grabbed her older brother's hand and dragged him out the front door. The dingy alleyways surrounded the small house. Tana sat down and smoothed her rumpled dress. Ragged passersby summoned the energy to smile slightly at the sight. She looked over at the boy.
"C'mon! Sit with me!" He smiled and did so, his sister cuddling closer into his small form. It was quiet besides the constant rumbling of the mechanical city.
"Brother?"
"Hmmm?"
"Mommy came to see me last night."
Sadness flickered through the boy's eyes, adding a hard flint of maturity.
"Tana…you know she's…"
"Yeah, I know! But she comes and talks to me!"
He sighed and gave in. "Okay." Looking over the smoke filled streets, he protectively pulled his little sister closer. "Y'know, one day I'm going to get you outta here. I promise."
She smiled and held up her teddy bear. "Teddy says 'I wanna hug big brother Reno too!'"
He smiled lightly. "Toys don't talk either, sis."
Her happy face fell into shadow. A whisper escaped her lips; "…I don't talk anymore either."
"What?"
She looked up. Blood covered all her features, dying her white dress crimson. "You didn't come back. I won't talk either…"
He screamed.
--
Reno sat up with a start, heaving for breath. Years of training kicked in and the Turk quickly gained control of himself. The redhead squeezed his eyes shut and he held a hand over his face. Why now?
"Tana…" He rested his head in his hands, the light of the clock silhouetting his form in the dark. I'm sorry…
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"WHAT!" The exclamation echoed throughout ShinRa Inc. Tseng cleared his throat at an attempt to catch his subordinate's attention.
"You heard me, Reno. Ms. Turner is in no condition to take care of a child. There isn't anything a person can do with a broken leg."
"Just put a shock collar on the kid or something," Reno grumbled, falling into a chair. Elena, however, had the complete opposite reaction.
"A little girl living with us! It's going to be so much fun!" she squealed.
"Fun like a hangover," the redhead grumbled, sunglasses falling from their usual perch onto his nose. Rude merely shrugged.
"It's just for protection purposes," reminded Tseng as he handed the paperwork to Rude. "By the way," he continued, eyeing the redhead. "There will be absolutely no alcohol in the apartment while the child is there."
Reno just grumbled. Rude flipped through the file, Elena trying to look over his shoulder.
"But why us?" the tall Turk questioned. It wasn't a complaint, just an indifferent question. Tseng sighed and rested his chin on laced fingers.
"No one in the upper offices wants to get tangled up in this. Besides, don't you think we'd make better guardians than Scarlet, Heidegger (or God forbid) Palmer?" They shuddered.
"That won't happen," Elena said protectively.
"Don't get too attached," came Reno's bland reply. The three looked at him. He shrugged and raised a hand. "For all we know, we could get the order to terminate her at any time. This is only temporary." Elena swung back to Tseng awaiting his counter. But the Wutain sighed and nodded.
"It's true. The choice is the President's." Elena's dark eyes looked to the floor. Feeling a little on the guilty side, Tseng stood up and looked out the window. The sprawling city of Midgar loomed before him, millions of pounds of metal and concrete lost in the polluted haze.
"Pick the child up at 1800 tomorrow. Your schedules are free until then." With that, the three were dismissed.
--
Elena practically bounced down the hallway in glee, the two men behind her following with slightly less energy. Rude glanced out of the corner of his eye at his melancholy partner, but did not say a word.
"You know!" chirped Elena, turning back to the others, "we'll need to get more food and stuff if we're feeding another mouth. Pizza every night isn't good for a growing woman."
"You take care of it," dismissed Reno, waving his hand. "I'm gonna hit the gym." The other two watched his departing back; one with a concerned curiosity and the other in a snit of irritation.
"Well, geez," spat Elena, hands on her hips. "What crawled up his ass and died?"
Rude gave no reply, then shrugged. "Why don't you take care of the food? I'll take care of him."
Elena sighed as she pivoted on her heel. "Fine, but nail him one good for me, 'kay?" He just nodded.
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"Damn. Stupid. Higher. Ups!"
Reno accentuated each word with a vicious punch to the bag. He leaned back, guard up. Why'd we get stuck babysitting? He lunged forward, bandaged fists slamming the burlap. On the outside, the redhead didn't look like much, especially without his uniform, but he was a Turk for a reason. And when he was aggravated, he packed a punch. He wiped his face on his arm and fluffed his shirt for air. Recovering his guard, he glared at the bag.
"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!" The last word was emphasized with a heavy roundhouse kick. Somewhat calmed, he slowed and caught the bag's return. Stupid, he thought bitterly, chest heaving.
"Need a spot?" Rude questioned, entering the gym, also in workout clothes.
Trademark smirk in place, Reno put up his guard. "If you can take it, big guy."
"Try me," was the bland reply as the taller Turk positioned himself behind the bag.
Without another word, Reno launched a barrage of punches and kicks against the workout equipment, not holding back. Rude took it all straight faced. Then he initiated conversation. "What's got you so worked up?"
Without a pause, the redhead countered, "What do you mean? Regretting your offer?"
Rude fought a grimace as the vibration from a nasty kick trembled though the bag. "What about your behavior with the Boss and Elena?"
"Like I said before…" he gasped between breaths, "we're not trained to be babysitting some kid. Especially a former enemy's brat."
"It's an order, nonetheless."
"I took it, didn't I?"
"It's not like you had a choice." Rude barely managed to duck as a kick nearly hit him square in the face. "Reno!" But the smaller Turk had already turned away, grabbing a towel. Rude sighed as he rubbed his now-red arms.
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The night came without further excitement. The Turks' apartment was fairly quiet, besides Elena's random curses from the kitchen. Rude peeked over the case files at the blonde. She had insisted she needed to 'warm-up' her cooking abilities before the child, now known as Cheyenne Lange, came to live with them. However, it was not matched with much success and the kitchen had become the newest war zone for the ShinRa rookie.
Shaking his head, the bald man looked over at the clock. It was nearly eight o'clock. He hadn't heard from his comrade in almost seven hours. And in the mindset the two had separated in, Rude was slightly concerned. He was well aware Reno could take care of himself. Still…
"Damn it!"
He looked over at Elena, who had dropped a boiling pot of water over the floor and was now running her hand under the faucet. Setting the folder aside, Rude stood to assist.
Tseng emerged from the shower, rubbing a towel through his long hair. He sweatdropped as he watched his subordinate's actions. No wonder I rarely come home. "I'll get the mop," he sighed.
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The door opened erratically, as if the person behind it was having difficulty. A rumpled figure stumbled through the door. He was halfway through the entryway when he remembered to turn back and close the door. A light suddenly flickered on. The redhead blinked dumbly at the sudden intrusion. "Turn that damned thing off."
Tseng shifted in his chair and did not comply with his subordinate's wishes. "You're drunk."
Reno shrugged. "Whatever makes you think that?" he replied.
"You reek of it." The Wutain shook his head. "I thought I told you to lay off the excessive drinking. I can't afford to lose a person like you."
"Pffst. Whatever." Reno waved him off and proceeded to stumble off to his room.
"What's bothering you?"
The redhead sighed and leaned against the doorframe. "Nothin'. Why? You are Rude are too frickin' paranoid."
Tseng stood and walked over. "Your behavior has been even more unusual than normal. If you're distracted by something, tell me. I need you working at full capacity."
Reno blinked, aqua eyes flashing in the dim light. Then he turned away. "I'm going to bed."
The black-haired man did not interfere again as he watched the smaller Turk close the bedroom door behind him.
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(Date and time not recorded)
I'll never be like him. I swear it…Tana…I'm sorry…I shouldn't have left…I should've been faster, stronger…I couldn't save you…I'm so sorry…
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YC: Ah, the plot thickens…sorta. Next time, the kid arrives and soon after, the murder of President ShinRa and the emergence of President Rufus ShinRa. What lays in the future for the Turks and their newest charge at the hands of the new ShinRa dictator? Let's see…