Chapter Two
Aura awoke the next morning to silence. Yawning, she sat up, realising that Reno must still be asleep. She got dressed and went quietly out into the living room. Reno was sprawled across the couch, the blanket down around his hips and his vibrant hair splayed wildly across one of the cushions. She smiled and headed into the kitchen to start making breakfast.
She turned on the stove and got a frypan out. Not long later she was dishing out eggs and bacon onto two plates and carrying them into the living room. Reno was still asleep across her couch, so she nudged his foot. "Shift it, yo." She said loudly, sitting herself on his feet when he didn't move them immediately. He groaned and flailed a bit before eyeing her balefully.
"Unpleasant morning person." He muttered.
"Oi. Don't be mean. I made you food." She retorted, setting his plate on him. He sat up, looking at the plate with interest.
"Okay, better..."
"Thought so." She smiled, chewing on a piece of bacon.
They ate in silence for a few minutes before he stretched and she looked over at him. "What's your plan for today?" he asked.
"Gotta go get some stuff from the markets." She replied, licking some grease from her fingers.
"Can I come?"
"If you want..." she replied, "It's going to be boring... I just have to get some stuff for potions..."
"Are you kidding? That sounds fascinating..."
She eyed him. "Righto..." She watched him grin at her and return to cleaning his plate off. She then took the plates to the kitchen and washed the dishes quickly. "I'm just going to shower before we go..." she told him, heading back through the living room on her way to the bathroom.
"Take your time." He replied, folding the blanket he'd used during the night.
Reno put the blanket he'd used away and then listened until he heard the shower running. He then straightened himself in the mirror by the door and stepped outside. A quick glance at the neighbour's yard had him smiling. Perfect.
He strode across the yard to the fence separating the properties. The elderly man watering his garden looked his way and raised a hand in greeting.
"Morning, yo!" Reno called.
"Good Morning to you..."
Reno watched as the man approached the fence.
"You're Maati?" he asked, looking the man up and down surreptitiously. He was a portly man, Reno would have guessed him to be in his mid sixties. Still had most of his hair, and seemed to be able to move fairly easily.
"That's me."
"I'm Reno."
"You're Aura's friend..." Maati said, his pale blue eyes now looking Reno over critically.
"Yeah."
"I know about you."
"...what do you know?"
"I know you found her that house and that you help her out..."
"True."
Maati moved closer until he was standing right at the fence. "... what do you want?"
Reno nodded, he could appreciate wanting to get right to the point.
"Does Aura have any... other... friends... who visit her?"
"Men, you mean?"
"Men, women... whatever."
"Not that I've seen." Maati said, "Sometimes people come here looking for her to heal them, though."
"Does that happen often?" he asked, wondering if it were a good idea for people to know where she lived.
"Getting more common..." Maati mused, "Now that people are getting sick..."
"Okay..." he nodded, "So... she's okay...?" he looked at him, "I mean, when I'm not here...?"
"Seems well enough..." Maati looked long and hard at him. "I drop in on her from time to time... to see how she is."
"I appreciate that."
"I expect you don't get much time off..." Reno watched Maati look him over again, "It's a good idea... you not coming in uniform."
"Come again?" Reno asked, his face carefully neutral.
"You heard me, boy."
"I don't know what you're talking about, yo."
"Fine. But you keep in mind this neighbourhood wouldn't take kindly to any meddling by ShinRa."
"I would expect as much." He said simply.
"I don't care what you do as long as you take care of that girl in there." Maati gestured at Aura's house. Reno just nodded simply. "I'll watch her as best I can for you."
"Thank you." Reno backed away from the fence and Maati returned to watering his garden. Turning back to the house, Reno went inside.
"Hey," Aura said, coming into the living room, drying her hair with a towel. "You ready to go... or do you want to fix your hair..."
"Like I could go out in public looking like this..." he grinned, gesturing at his hair that was still looking like he'd just woken up.
"I dunno... could have been the look you were going for..."
"I think you know me better than that." He grinned, heading for the bathroom.
It wasn't long later that they were walking up the street to the small but busy market. "Oh..." he heard Aura murmur, before she was weaving off between people toward a stall with her basket. Reno blinked and tried to keep up. By the time he got there she was thanking the old woman running the stall and putting a small bag in her basket. She smiled at him, "Next."
"Okay." He replied, following her back into the crowd. He looked around, instinctively taking in everything from people entering the street from nearby side alleys to children running from stall to stall, weaving in between unsuspecting people who were not keeping a close enough eye on their purses.
They'd gone past three more stalls before Reno's eye caught on a group of four men having a hushed discussion on a nearby corner. He couldn't quite place what it was about them that caught his attention, or why just looking at them seemed to trigger a rush of adrenaline throughout him, but he couldn't shake the feeling at all. Seeing Aura heading right in their direction, he stepped quickly up beside her, putting an arm around her shoulder and gently steering her away from them. "Let's just go this way, yo." He said quietly. He watched her green eyes flick at the men and then up to him.
"What's wrong with them?"
"I dunno." He replied, "Just... something..."
"Okay." She nodded and then stopped at another stall. "I need some bottles for potions..." she said, directing her attention to the wares on display. Reno turned back to watch the men on the corner who seemed to now be arguing with one another, but trying to remain quiet enough not to make a scene. After a few moments, they turned and went down the alley and through some side door which was then slammed shut. Reno blinked, not knowing what to make of it. He then took Aura's basket from her as she bought some bottles and set them in the bottom of it.
"Oi."
"I'm helping." He replied easily.
"I'm perfectly capable..."
"Yes, but I feel useful now."
"Fine." She sighed, and he watched her try to resist a smile. "I need to get some fresh food."
"Okay." He followed her to a few more stalls, all the while looking back at that alley.
After Aura had visited all the stalls she needed to, they wandered slowly back up the street. Reno stopped to look at the building to which that door belonged. "Is this a bar?" he asked Aura who nodded. "... do they do lunches?"
"Not unless you want to get propositioned by half the whores in town." She murmured.
"I think I can handle the attentions of a few ladies." He grinned, seizing her hand and pulling her inside.
"Reno..." she complained.
"Yeah?" he looked at her. She sighed. "Ten minutes, I promise." He smiled.
"Okay." She sat at a small table and he headed off to order some drinks.
Leaning on the bar, Reno lounged comfortably, looking around the room and assessing everyone in it. When he did not see the four men from the street he eyed another door behind the bar, clearly leading further into the building. When the barkeeper came to take his order, he gave it easily, giving the man a friendly smile.
"Is there a bathroom for customers?" he asked lightly.
"Not during the day." The man replied after a moment.
"Ah."
"There's one down the street..."
"That's fine."
He nodded when the drinks were placed on the bar before him and he paid the man quickly before heading back to the table where Aura sat. He sat opposite her so that he could see the entire room. He passed her a glass and surveyed the room again.
"What are you doing?" She asked him simply. He looked at her to see her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Uh..."
"Yes?" she waited.
"I don't know, exactly."
"Right..."She nodded and he looked past her when the door behind the bar opened and the four men from the street came out. Laughing loudly as they made their way to a table in the far corner of the bar, they yelled orders to the barkeeper and Reno sat straighter, suddenly more alert as he watched them. "Reno," Aura leaned across the table toward him, "You're acting like you used to when somebody was gonna get knifed."
He closed his eyes and tried to relax. "I feel like... something is going on here."
"Like what?" she asked softly. He shook his head. "... Like... the attacks against ShinRa?" she whispered. He looked sharply at her.
"What?"
"There are rumours... that... meetings are held here..."
"Aura!" he hissed "Why didn't you tell me that...?"
"You didn't ask, yo." She replied, leaning back. "Also... I know you. I knew you'd come running down here to look..."
"So?"
"So, I didn't want you getting yourself killed." She said, staring at him.
"Aur..."
"Shut up, Reno." She cut him off and he blinked.
"Aur..."
"Shh!" She hissed, making some weird hand gesture that he stared at for a second until he realised that one of the men in the corner had gotten to his feet and was now calling to everyone in the bar to listen to him. Reno looked at him. He was of medium height, and was probably around Reno's own age.
"We're having a party tonight, boys!" he called and Reno blinked. "Anyone who wants to get involved needs to be back here at nine tonight!"
Aura shook her head slowly while Reno watched the room, noting those who cheered in response to the announcement. It was evident that some people in the bar understood the meaning behind the announcement more than others.
He watched as several women got up from their own seats at the bar and head across the room toward the men in the corner. "Oh, our big, strong heroes!" One simpered loudly.
"Yeah, baby." The one who had made the announcement replied, pulling her onto his lap. She giggled loudly and Reno almost laughed at the disgusted look that crossed Aura's face when she turned to look.
"Here's a lesson to you, lads!" Another of the men called to the rest of the bar. "The Cause gets you the ladies!" He laughed when another of the women seated herself on the table right in front of him.
"Yeah, if you pay them."Aura muttered. Reno smirked. He finished his drink and continued to survey the room. He heard the door open and a moment later his hair blew into his eyes as a breeze swept through the room. Pushing his hair back he looked at Aura to see that the blood had drained from her face, leaving her paler than usual. Looking toward the door, he watched the person who had just entered stagger toward the bar. They could both spot a junkie without a second glance.
Looking back at Aura who seemed nearly frozen, he got to his feet. "Come on," he murmured, taking hold of her sleeve and tugging her up. "Let's go..." He picked up the basket and walked her to the door. He watched her look back over her shoulder stiffly, before he'd moved her out the door onto the street. She didn't speak until they were halfway down the road.
"Been a while since I've seen a junkie."
"Yeah..." he nodded, "This isn't their usual area..."
"Mmm."
"You okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Yeah?" he asked, watching her from the corner of his eye as they walked, "Will you be more than fine if I sing to you?"
She gave a small smile and he grinned, starting to sing some random song in a high pitched voice. He'd wondered from time to time how Aura's reaction to junkies or drugs of any kind was coming along these days. Back in their days on the steet, he'd saved her from some junkies who were trying to inject her with some crap or other, and since then she'd been terrified of anything to do with it. Since there weren't as many junkies in Edge as there had been under the plate in their old slum, he'd been hoping that her fear would lessen. He guessed it hadn't.
Soon enough they were back at Aura's house and he watched her unpack the things she'd bought. She put everything away silently and he continued to watch her.
"Aur..." he began and she turned to look at him. "Are you really alright?"
"Yeah." She nodded.
"Just... The junkie..."
"Not even thinking about him." She answered. He must have looked confused because she shook her head, "I know you're going tonight... back to that bar..."
"Yeah." He agreed. She gave an annoyed hiss.
"You're going to get yourself killed. Reno, that's what they do. It's what they're all about and they like it."
"I know." He looked at her, "That's exactly why I'm going back." He watched her face as she obviously bit back what she wanted to say next. He understood her frustration. She thought he was being an idiot, running head first into a situation he had no control over. It made sense. He did that a lot. But this wasn't one of those times. He couldn't tell her that he'd be perfectly fine because he could beat the shit out of everyone in that bar if given the chance. He could try and appease her, though.
"I won't be going alone."
"No?"
"No."
He watched as she stopped herself from asking anything more. "Fine." She murmured. "Just... don't be an idiot."
"I'll try my very best." He grinned. His grin faded when she didn't smile. "I promise."
"Okay." She breathed. He stepped forward and hugged her, then kissed the top of her head when he felt her arms come around his waist.
"It'll be fine." He murmured, holding her firmly.
"If I turn on the TV tomorrow to see you're dead, I'm going to kill you."
"Duly noted."
She looked up at him and he let her go. "Okay..." he said, straightening himself. "I should go."
"Okay."
"Yeah... here, I brought this." He took a small pouch of Gil from his pocket and gave it to her.
"Uh... I don't need it. I can live off what I make selling potions."
"Just in case." He replied, pressing it into her hand. She let out a huff and took it. He nodded and headed for the door, pulling his old jacket on again.
"I want to know." She said from behind him, "Tomorrow... I want to know that you're okay..."
He looked back, to see her leaning against the couch, watching him. "Yeah." He nodded, "Okay."
"Good."
He gave her one last look before he headed out the door and quickly up the road. He headed straight for Healin Lodge, eager to tell Tseng what he'd learned about the recent attacks on their people. If he were fast enough, then perhaps Tseng could get Rufus to sanction an official mission for them all to head to that bar tonight to check the situation out. Hell, he knew he'd be going anyway, with approval or not. It was just too good an opportunity to pass up. They couldn't just sit back and do nothing while every day more ShinRa employees were attacked and killed. Okay, so they weren't doing nothing, but they hadn't had a lead this good since it all started. He saw no reason why this wouldn't be given full approval.
As it happened, Tseng had the same opinion Reno did. The dark-haired man had hurried off to find Rufus as soon as Reno had finished explaining what he'd discovered, and so Reno sat waiting with Rude and Elena in the relaxation room.
"There's no way we won't be told to go." Elena commented, "I mean, this is a chance to learn so many things. Who's involved, what their plan is... even a base of operations..."
"Yep." Reno commented, putting his feet up on a table.
"Of course, we could learn none of those things." Rude put in, looking at Reno. Reno shrugged.
"Worth a shot, yo."
They fell into silence, thinking, until Tseng returned and informed them that all four of them would be visiting that bar tonight. Reno jumped up.
"Alright. Let's all go and make ourselves sexy."