Chapter 3
Reno felt like he would never be able to move without pain again. He was out of the hospital at least but he was quickly beginning to wonder if this was any better. The doctors had sedated him before Rude came to pick him up. Rude had said that the doctor had given him strict orders that he was NOT to be out of bed for ANY reason in the next three days. Tseng had reinforced it by threatening to give him three months worth of paperwork duty when he was recovered if he didn't follow the doctors orders to the T.
When the doctor had told Reno the extent of his injuries when he had woken up in the hospital Reno had been disappointed. It was just a bar fight, he must be getting soft. He had broken ribs which had bruised and almost punctured a lung, stitches in several places, a wrenched knee, a cracked cheekbone, internal bleeding from where he had been kicked in the side, a concussion, severe bruising along his back and shoulders and throat both inside and outside which made speaking very difficult, and to top it all off a broken finger. Reno counted his blessings that it wasn't the middle finger that he needed desperately to express himself since he had trouble speaking.
He had woken up in his bed with Rude sitting in the corner reading a book. "What time is it?" Reno rasped. Rude looked up at him "Five thirty".
Reno groaned and rubbed a hand across his forehead, wincing at the pain that eve that motion brought. "Are you hungry?" Reno blinked at Rudes question.
"No, not really, thirsty though."
Rude got up and went to the kitchen. He returned with a glass of water and a straw. Reno moved to sit up but Rude halted him motioning for him to lay on his side. Reno found it was easier than sitting up to drink. When he was through he laid back onto the pillow with a sigh. Rude took up his chair again. "You keeping a bedside vigil or something?" queried Reno with a raised eyebrow.
"I know you, the second you are without supervision you will disobey every order the doctor gave you." He picked up the book again.
"Aww come on man, give me a little credit. I'm fine, you know how docs are, always making it sound worse than it is." Reno's normally flippant tone was somewhat subdued by the weak shake that crept into his voice. The room became very quiet and tension spread through the air. Reno looked over at Rude who's face was impassive as ever. Reno knew he had said the wrong thing when Rude carefully removed his glasses and set them on the bedside table. Oh yeah, he was pissed.
"Reno, you were beaten unconscious in a bar. You, a Turk. Don't act like this is nothing. You were almost killed and it wasn't even on the job!" Rude was livid. His gray eyes watched Reno intensely to see if his words would hit home with his partner.
Reno winced as Rude's words hit a sore spot in his pride. Rude stood and came over to the bed. "What I want to know is why you let it happen." Reno looked up at Rude sharply.
"What the fuck are you sayin?"
Rude sat next to Reno on the bed, his demeanor almost threatening. "You know the way people feel about the Turks, yet you have always managed to avoid trouble. I've seen you sense the mood in a room before the people feeling it do, and you are quick to get out of danger if you're not on the job. Not to mention that you could have done more to defend yourself. I know you were outnumbered. But I can't believe that you didn't kill at least one of them on the way down."
Reno closed his eyes "You know me too fuckin well" he sighed. Rude lost his anger at the sound. He put a hand gently on Reno's shoulder. "So?" he pressed.
Reno looked up at him. "I guess I just let it get to me ya know? We've been doing Shinra's dirty work for so long, but now Shinra isn't what it used to be. The Turks don't really have a purpose any more. We did everything for 'the job', well the jobs just about over and what do we have left? Nothing."
Rude didn't know what to say. Reno was very rarely this serious and thoughtful, at least outwardly. Rude knew that behind the over confident, cocksure charm that Reno portrayed there was a lot more underneath. He didn't want to admit that Reno was right either.
"That's not a reason to let this happen" Rude said softly.
Reno just snorted and rolled his eyes. "Go get some rest and some dinner Rude. You don't have to keep watch over me. I wont go anywhere or do anything okay?"
Rude stood and retrieved his glasses from the bedside table. "You will call me if you need anything." It was more a demand than a question.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Get outa here and let me sleep."
Rude left, quietly almost closing the door behind him, leaving it slightly ajar. It was times like this that he was glad for once that he and Reno shared and apartment.
A/N Before anyone can get the wrong idea. I love Reno, really I do.
