Rude frowned at Reno's disjointing, but frowned harder at the picture he was shown. "That's not mine," he said plainly.
"Mine. ..you. .sorta took him in after the mess." And he explains about Trish's abuse of the boy. themission he and Tseng had gone on that happened just before. ..then finally. .his eyes misting as he did, the events that happened afterward came out. ..maybe. ..maybe kinesic memory would trigger what nothing else would.
"I was shot." It was said as plain as day, no tone whatsoever leaning either positively or negatively. "By Josh." He paused, looking down before piercing Reno with suspicious eyes. "How do I know it wasn't you? How do I know you're not just telling me these things for your own benefit"
"Because he did THIS to me." He gestured at the huge incision in his chest, and the smaller scar underneath the right side of his ribs, "And Josh. ..never loved you like I did.. .I stayed with you. .in the ambulance. .and held your hand. .." The voice. ..the one telling him to hang on, that they were almost there. .would he recognize it as being Reno's voice with that raspy tone? He could only hope.
"Wouldn't surprise me if you did that to yourself..." Rude replied. For some reason, the idea of Reno injuring himself wasn't exactly a foreign concept in his mind.
"I do small-time stuff, yo. ..nothin' like this." maybe the flash of him being removed from the shower. ..or even the fight in midgar. ..who knew what memories would be triggered with the wild gesture that exposed the scars up and down his arms? the one above his right wrist. .that was from that fight. ..jagged, too jagged for a knife.
"Glass..." he said quietly, reaching out and gently touching the wrist scar. "You..." he frowned, then rolled over on the bed, facing away from Reno. "Don't push me to remember." It was obvious that he was, indeed, remembering that incident in particular. How much of it though... he wasn't going to say. Even if asked.
"It's good to remember. ..I want you to rememnber me. ..I love you, yo. ..more than I could ever say...I don't want to lose you to this. .."
He then embraced him from behind, as he had done that night, but instead of letting go when Rude tensed up. ..he held on for dear life, his cheek pressed against that mocha-toned flesh.
As every muscle in his body tensed, Rude inhaled sharply. "I said, don't. Push. Me." The words were spoken with an undercurrent of warning. He wanted to remember in his own time, not because some crazy redhead who liked to fuck himself up wanted him to just so he could get his rocks off.
Reno backed off, but hurt was clear not only in his expression, but his whole body language. ..his back so stiff one would think he'd snap. ..he picked up the cigarettes from the night table. ..the same brand Rude always smoked, and the silver lighter that had been a birthday gift to Rude from him. ..walking out, lighting up. ..body shuddering as he realized maybe he had pushed too far. Crazy? Yes, maybe he was. ..but he loved Rude with every ounce of his being, and he wanted him back.
With a heavy, angry sigh, he slapped the nurse call button. Within a minute, the night nurse was there. "I can't seem to sleep," he said with a tiny smile, "Could I get a sedative?" Before the redhead came back, Rude was already sedated and out like a log, a slight snore issuing forth from his throat.
Reno just sat, watching him sleep. ..still stiff, no way was going to be sleeping...not tonight. ..his whole chest flared with hurt, it felt like, eyes dry, he wanted to explode, to throw things, to drive Rude into remembering everything, but to do that would drive him away. ..so instead he sat, rocking, with no one to talk to, alone within his own thoughts and hating every moment of it.
Rude twitched in his sleep, a moan coming from his mouth as a hardness jutted from between his legs.
Reno twitched. .. Gods. .he wanted to. ..but should he risk it? He figured. ..how else to stir without driving him away? so he slipped over to Rude's bed. ..kneeling in between his legs. .kinesic memory of OTHER things perhaps might help. ..he lifted the gown, his mouth surrounding Rude's cock. .. that mouth was completely unforgettable.
A louder moan slipped from Rude's lips, but he didn't wake.
Reno deep-throated him, muscles vibrating.before giving that whisper-scrape of teeth. . .licking the piercing that had never come out, wrapping around it. ..flashes of the night at Tifa's maybe?
A hitched breath and Rude's eyes shot open. He lifted his head, looking down at the red hair between his legs. He glanced over at the wall clock, then frowned. Rude placed a pair of fingers in the redhead's mouth, scissoring them open to keep the teeth from biting down as he pulled himself from those lips. "Josh, do you have any idea what time it is?" he asked, voice gruff-sounding. "Some of us gotta fucking work in the morning..."
"I'm not Josh. .." with that he strode back over to his own bed, back going tight again. . .hurt he'd call him by that name.
Rude blinked a few times. He remembered... Josh, and everything before, but the time between that night the cops were called on him, the night Josh pushed it too far and earlier that morning? Blank. "R-Reno...?" he asked, remembering that the Josh lookalike's name was Reno. "I'm... I'm sorry..."
"'sokay, yo. ..I pushed it. .I shouldn't have." His eyes misted over again. ..he knew it was going to take time. ..but how much? "I was just hoping. ..you'd remember. .maybe the night at Tifa's. ..hell, I think I still have that tape, though of course. ..not with me." He sighed. .
"Who's Tifa?" he asked, laying back down on the bed, his saliva covered arousal still prominent through the thin blanket over him.
"Dark haired chick, big boobs, runs the bar down the street. . .you kissed her once, had her lipstick all over you. ..I was. ..just a little mad."
Rude frowned, brow furrowing as he tried to remember. Of all things, he should at least be able to remember the chick if she had such a great rack.
Reno gave Tifa a call. "Hey, Tifa, you still got a copy of the tape from THAT NIGHT? Yeah, you know the one I mean. . .."
The giggle over the line made Rude's cock twitch. "Haven't stopped watching it," she said, voice indicating that she thoroughly enjoyed the tape... more than once.
"Could I borrow it for a bit. ..maybe it would help jog something."
"Sure," she replied. "I'll send Denzel over with it." There was a little scuffle to be heard, then Tifa spoke again. "Someone wants to talk to you..." "PAPA!" came Rennan's voice over the phone. "Papa, I was so scared! You were bleeding and it was all over and it was SO scary!"
"I know, kiddo, but I'm. .well for the most part ok, still sore. ..you wanna talk ta someone else a second? Warning, he won't remember you right now, but maybe it'd feel better for you if you talked long enough to know he was ok, up to you."
"But I wanna come and see you and Papa Rude!" Rennan whined. "Tifa said he's better now and will come visit us soon. But I wanna see you NOW."
"Tell her Papa said you come. ..for just a bit, ok?"
"TIFA!" With that, the phone was dropped, only to be picked up again by the woman in question. There was some whispering, and a loud whine from Rennan before Tifa spoke into the line again. "Reno? I'm not sure how good of an idea it is to have him be around Rude when he's... like he is."
"It might help, I don''t know. .I already warned him Rude wouldn't remember him right now. .maybe it'll help him remeber a little, I don't know. ..but it's worth a shot, right"
Tifa sighed. She didn't think it was a good idea, but she couldn't argue with Reno. No one really could. "I'll be down there with Denzel, Rennan and the tape in an hour. Need to make these kids some breakfast first"
"Allright"
A loud "BREAKFAST!" was heard, distinctly Rennan's voice, before Tifa hung up.
Reno just turned, sighing, curling his knees up again. ..he appeared to be thinking
Rude stood, making his way slowly towards the bathroom without another word to the redhead.
Reno wanted to follow. ..so he did. ..another memory, maybe. ..they always showered together. ..the words "You got my hair" rolled off his tounge, completely unbidden.
Rude grunted, finishing with his business then turning towards Reno. "I'm sorry. I'd... I'd feel a little more comfortable with some privacy"
Reno strode back out, stung, and trying not to show it. .everything had changed. .
Rude leaned against the shower wall, letting the just above luke warm water fall over his shoulders. To say he was angry would be an understatement. However, he was less angry about not being able to remember than he was about how everyone seemed to be pushing him to remember.
Reno just walked back outside. ..he wouldn't start crying again, no matter how bad it hurt. ..no.. .he leaned against the wall, whispering "Fine. ..if he doesn't want to remember me. ..I guess it means I might as well just walk the fuck away. .it's not like he'd really care, is it?" But was he going to really convince himself of that?
Rude groaned, his hand snaking its way down between his legs at the hardness that had stayed there. He would take care of things one at a time. It was how Costans did it.
Reno finally just strode back inside, determination flarting in his eyes. ..He didn't care if he got hit, he WAS going to trigger something. ..he strode into the bathroom, stepping into the shower while Rude haad his eyes closed, and looked up at him with those soft, wanting eyes. ..calling his name in the way that made him shiver before taking his mouth to the area between balls and shaft that drove him insane.
To say Rude jumped a mile high would be the understatement of the century. His eyes snapped open, fingers clenching as he released his hold on himself. "What are you doing?" he asked, voice indicating nothing.
Reno sighed "Trying to help you remember something good.. .I 'm sorry if I triggered something bad last time, but shit. ..I'm tired of being without you. ..an'. .oh, fuck it, why do I even keep trying. ..? Nothing helps anyway." He stormed out, pacing the room.
Rude frowned, words falling softly, unbidden from his lips. "It's not like you to give up so easily..."
"It might not be, but I' tired of fucking getting hurt. ..tired of life beating me the fuck up, and tired of beating my damn head against a fucking brick wall with no result!"
"You think I don't want to remember?" There was that rising anger in his voice. "You think this is easy for me? I barely even know who the fuck I am! I've got people on one side telling me to take it easy, treating me like a child, then I've got people on the other side pushing me into things I'm not totally comfortable with." His breathing was harsh and quick as his hands continued clenching into fists, his first instinct to fight it out.
"Fine, I'll walk the fuck away, is that what you want? Fine. ..I'm outta here. ..it hurts too damn much to be here. ..with you. .but not you. .." His eyes filled, and he began to throw his things into bags. ..his back so damn stiff it was painful. ..
Rude's voice dropped back into that Costan accent that still showed up when he was really emotional. "Gonna just walk away? Must not mean as much to you as you said, amigo." It was like being 19 again, considering that's as far back as he could remember.
"I fucking do, but it's pretty damn clear you don't want me here, and what's the sense in pushing someone into something they don't want, right? They only resent you for it later."
Rude spread his arms in a 'well, what are you waiting for?' gesture. "You say you care, eh? Prove it, socio."
Reno walked into those arms..siezing his lips in a desperate kiss...his eyes leaking so hard the taste of salt would move into both mouths.
Rude pressed his advantage, claiming and dominating the kiss as much as he could. "Eh," he said softly when he pulled away, using a thumb to wipe one of the tear tracks away. "I promise... stay good and I swear I won't lay another hand on you... Te quiero..."
"I'm tryin' yo. ..It's so hard. ..I'm not Josh, yo. ..I'm me.. .I want you to love me for me. You're Mi Corazon." There is only one person who had ever called Rude that...to his knowledge. ..only one, and that was him.
Rude shook his head as if trying to get something to fall into place that wouldn't. It was there, he could feel it, but it was just out of his reach. "I remember touching him... but not you. You... you look so much like him..."
"The day of the counseling session. ..you freaked out on me. .but you realized. ..I wasn't him...and the night after our wedding. ..is when you called m that. ..you called me. .Mi Corazon. ..and I later called you that. ..when you came back to me..after the day on th ebeach, you and me and your brother. .I said that to you."
"Sam?" Rude asked, his face and eyes full of questions.
"Yeah. ..it was. ..onea those wierd things that come outta the surf an' sand an' bein' happy ta be alive. . ."
Rude shook his head, indicating that he didn't remember. He paused, trying to make sense of everything. "I... I loved Josh... but not anymore? And now I love you?"
"Yeah. ...we've been married. ..for almost 5 months. ..but we were together a long time before that... partners. ..You and Tseng were the ones tha found me. ..recruited me. ..I pickpocketed Tseng, ya'll chased me from Sector 7 all the way back to Sector 5 before you caught me. " He then unconsciously traced the scars on his face, remembering Rude chasing the kids off him. ..him leaning against the side of the buildin, rocking, his tears stinging the jagged slices under his eyes. ..how he'd been so gentle patching him up even though they had scarred, as Rude had predicted they would.
Rude's face showed infinite confusion. "Tseng... was my..." The word 'lover' just didn't feel right to say, but he had to know if he'd become some kind of whore since the age of 19.
"You kissed him once, but he trained you. ..just lilke he did me. ..it never went further than that one kiss, though, from what you told me."
"How did we..." Rude paused, unsure how to ask the question. "I mean, you just told me how we met met, but how did we, um, meet... like... more than working together meet?"
"4 nights after Rufus n' broke up. .. you didn't know why I was so upset. ..but ya tried ta comfort me. ..we went out, got completely an' utterly shitfaced. ..ended up falling into each other.. .I thought you were gonna clobber me, but you just dove in and stole another kiss. ..I ended up getting sick on your bathroom floor, and you helped me into the shower, washed me up, but then we ended up making out and finnally making love in that shower."
"You and Rufus... ShinRa?" Rude's eyes showed the shock that was also evident in his voice.
"Yeah, for six months.. "
"So... we drink... a lot?" he asked. "And we were... was that first time just... just because we were drunk?"
"No. ..I'd wanted to. ..for a long time, but was too scared to ask."
Rude looked down at his hands as if seeing them for the first time. "Am I really that scary...?"
"No. .not scary, just. ..hard to read."
The crease in Rude's brow as he frowned deepened. "Explain."
"You're so damn quiet, and you always wear those damn shades, and your face stays so schooled it's hard to know what you're thinking sometimes. . ..took me a long time to learn to read your body language."
"Am I that way with everyone?" he asked quietly.
"Pretty much. ...I know. ..a lotta stuff you've done that might be why. ..Josh being but one.. . but yeah, you keep pretty tight leach on yourself most of the time. ..a coupla times you've exploded, but most of the time it's turned on people who very much deserve it."
Rude sighed, his knees going up as his hands went to the sides of his head, elbows resting on his knees. "You're telling me I'm such a... hard person. I'm not, you know." He glanced over at Reno.
"Not hard, just. ..you guard your feelings a lot, ya know."
There was a deep sigh with a slight shudder at the end of it. "Maybe I just don't like burdening people with my problems..."
"'smy job ta help. ..'swhat partners, friends, spouses are for, and I've been 'em all."
Rude was going to say something, but the door to the room made a 'click' sound, causing his eyes to widen. He unconsciously reached for his ankle, and finding no service pistol there, slid off the bed, falling into a fighting stance. He had no idea why it was so familiar to him, but it just... felt right to defend himself. "Hello?" Tifa peeked her head around the edge of the door, only to have said door flung open by a tiny redhead yelling, "PAPA!"
Reno gathered his son in his arms. "'sallright, aibou. .it's just Rennan and Tifa."
As she watched Rude slide back into his normal standing pose, she glanced over at Reno and his son. Seeing that the boy was currently completely enthralled with his father, she walked carefully up to Rude, her hands behind her back and a tiny smile on her face. "Hey, big guy." Rude couldn't take his eyes off the woman... this Tifa. She was, in a word, beautiful. He blinked, trying to keep his gaze on her eyes and not her... other assets. His command of language left him, so he just greeted her with a grunt and a nod.
Rennan blinked, looking up. "Papa said you wouldn't remember me. . .but you're still Papa Rude to me."
A tiny smile touched the corner of Rude's mouth. He tore his eyes away from Tifa to ask Reno, "Yours?"
"Yep, mine" He explains about Trish, and the mission where he'd been conceived, the whole shebang.
Rude just shook his head, sitting down heavily on the bed. "It's too much..." he said softly.
"Sorry, yo. ..'sjust. ..shit. ." He wasn't sure what to say, just gestured Tifa to take Denzel and Rennan for a snack.
Tifa nodded, shooing out the two boys, reassuring Rennan that they would see his two papas again before they left.
Reno took the chance, putting the tape on. ..this was a good memory. ..damn good one.
Rude watched as someone who could look like him, and definitly looked like Reno came into focus. He barely heard what little audio there was, his eyes widening and mouth getting dry as he watched what must have been himself swallow the redhead's arousal.
"That was your idea, by the way."
Rude's eyes flickered over towards Reno for a moment before a louder noise was heard from the tape. He watched as he and the redhead switched places, as he obviously spilling himself down the man's troat, and as he stood, still hard, fingers tracing over Reno's entrance.
Reno has to shift, he is PAINFULLY hard under the gown, and there is no way to hide it.
He squirmed slightly, his hands covering his lap as he watched himself lay claim to the redhead in the video.
Reno could TELL it was affecting Rude as it was him. ..he felt the bond tightening. ..he hoped Rude felt it too, even if he didn't know why.
When it was all over Rude was pink from the tops of his ears all the way down past where the hospital gown covered him.
"I want so badly to replay that night. . .it was fucking fantastic."
Rude didn't trust his voice. He wasn't as weirded out by watching himself do THAT with the redhead, but he was a little weirded out by his reaction to watching himself do THAT with the redhead.
"course your body is responding. ..it remembers what you don't.
Rude stood quickly, making his way just as quickly towards the bathroom, tossing an "Excuse me," before locking the door behind him. There was an intense pressure between his legs that needed some release.
Reno cursed, he had wanted to. .draw him closer. ..so he just sat on the bed, shaking his head, cursing himself for a million sorts of idiot.
Rude's hand worked furiously over his arousal, friction eased by a little of the liquid soap on the sink. His mind supplied plenty of unremembered images of the redhead in various positions under him to help him along.
He didn't WANT to take care of the problem himself. ..he craved Rude's touch so badly it almost hurt. ..a physical and emotional ache.
Within moments Rude spilled himself into the sink. He turned the water on, using one of the washcloths on top of the toilet to clean himself off. Once he considered himself just a little more presentable then he'd been when he first came into the bathroom, he unlocked the door and went back to his bed.
Reno had his back turned, knees curled to his chin, holding himself together by a thread. ..why is it every time he tried to trigger something which would draw them closer. ..it blew up in his face?
Tifa caught Reno's eye from the doorway, nodding that he should come out into the hallway... without Rude.
Reno strode out, just shaking his head. "I know, I'm pushin'. ..I. ..shit, I miss him."
"I can tell," she said softly, winking as she looked down at the tent in Reno's hospital gown. However, with the look the redhead gave her, Tifa sighed. "You... you have to let him come to you. Otherwise... he might remember everything and decide he doesn't want to go back to that... You know?"
"The problem is he's NOT. ..I doubt he ever will. ..if he never does. ..what then?"
"From what I understand he's making great progress for only being conscious for two days," she retorted. "But you have to remember, it has only been TWO days. Midgar wasn't built in a day."
Reno only shook as he leaned against the wall, then he punched it. ..he did NOT want to cry.
Tifa wrapped her arms around Reno from behind, her chest pressing against his back as she just held him. "How long was it before Rude would even say more than two words to you?" she said softly. "And how long after that before he would smile? Rude, he... he doesn't give his heart carelessly. You know that."
"He's had mine since the beginning. ..that;'s just it. ..I don't WANT to relive the year of Hell I had to before he would even give me the time of day. ..when the FUCK is life gonna stop shitting on me and cut me a fucking break?"
She squeezed him tighter against her. "He seemed to be talking to you just fine earlier," she pointed out. "I'm... I'm sure Rude feels it, that connection you two have, whether he knows what it is or not. But I KNOW he feels it. Otherwise... you're right. He wouldn't be giving you the time of day."
Reno leaned against her, his eyes dry, though his hands clenched together hard enough to drive his nails into his palms and draw blood. ..
"You just have to be patient," she said softly, reaching up with one hand to brush away a stray piece of hair that threatened to go into Reno's eyes. "Let him come to you. Be supportive... but not pushy"
"Can't help it. ..tired, Tifa. ..just tired. .. tired of everything going bad every time I make some progress. it's so hard NOT to push. . .crave his touch, not just for the obvious reasons. .."
"Listen," she said, turning Reno around to face her. "Maybe... maybe you need to try... courting him again or something." She smiled brightly. "That's it! Don't focus so much on what you had, focus more on what you two CAN have."
"Never was good at courting, Tifa. .we ended up together because of a sheer accident. ..if we hadn't fallen into each other that night.. .we never would have ended up more than friends."
Tifa wagged a single finger in front of Reno's face. "Nuh-uh-uh. There is no such thing as an accident when it comes to love"
"How the hell do you COURT someone who draws away every time you touch him. ..I just. ..I want back the progress we made. ..shit. ..is it so much to ask life gives that back?"
"Now you listen to me," she said, her strong hands resting on her hips. "We both know he's not exactly the touchy-feely type. Just... work around that. Consider it a challenge. Hell, consider it a mission if you have to."
He groaned. "I want it back how it was. ..I'm sick of getting fucked by life. ..fucking sick of it. ..why the FUCK should I have to work for something I should rightfully already have? Yeah, maybe I'm being childish, but don't I have the fucking right after the past fucking year?" Finally he calms down, trying to focus. "The problem is. ..it's hard for me to know HOW to work around it. .. I AM the type who touches to show what I feel."
Tifa's fingers tightened on her hips, fighting off the urge to just knock some serious sense into the redhead. Since when did she get deligated as marriage counselor anyway? "Look, how did you manage to snag his attention before? Just..." she waved her hand in a 'looking for the word manner'. "Just... do it again. Whatever it was."
"I got him drunk and got sick on his bathroom floor. ..:
Tifa couldn't help it; she burst into laughter.
"Well, it's true. ..and from there shit just sorta took off."
"Okay, maybe not an EXACT repeat of how you got him," Tifa said, calming down a little with Reno's seriousness. "Look, the doctor said he could recover in as little as two weeks or as long as two years. She's 80 certain he's going to make a full recovery. You just have to -- and I know you hate it -- have patience. Be there for him. Let him come to you. I know, I know, I said it before, but it's true and you know it."
"Doesn't help. ..and two years. ..shit, I couldn't handle two years of this. ..can barely handle two weeks. .." He knew he sounded like he was whining, but dammit, he missed him.
Her hands were on her hips instantly, a tiny fire behind her eyes. "If you can't have enough patience for this, how are you going to have enough patience for your child?"
He tried to center himself. "It's not the same, and you know that. ..you go through the year I have, and then you say to me what you just did. .." He was pissed off at the world in general right now. He paced, punched the wall again, Tifa could likely tell he was using the fury to stave off despair. ..like he had always done.
"Come on," she said with a tiny smile. "Denzel and Rennan are occupied by a human body puzzle, and when I left them they hadn't even gotten to the muscular system. Come next door and have a drink with me." It was the bartender in her talking, the one who always had all the right answers... at least for the drunks.
"Not supposed to leave. ..but fuck it. .." He unhitched himself from the last iv, grabbed his clothes from the closet inside the room, shrugging on his low-slung black pants, slipping on the shirt, and then the jacket. ..keeping the shirt half-buttoned and the jacket unzipped, as he always did. ..tapping his emr on his shoulder, standing in the door the image of the Turk Rude had known for seven years, even if he wouldn't realize it except subconsciously.
"Perfect," she replied, taking his offered arm with a giggle and leading him out the hospital, across the street, and into the bar there. "Guy who runs the place used to work for me back in Sector 7," she said conversationally.
Reno nodded. ..taking one last, long look back at the man he'd married. ..the one who didn't remember him, but he wished to God did. ..before he strode after her.
"Just a minute, Tifa. ..you want me to try to court him. ..I got something. . .but I need to stop by the jewelers a minute."
Tifa sighed good-naturedly. "A ring, Reno? He's not a girl, ya know. Maybe a... drill or some other sort of power tool would work better...?"
"Not a ring. ..something else. ..you'll see,"
"A new cock ring?" she asked, and with the look of shock Reno gave her, she raised her hands with a "What? I SAW that video, I'll have you know. More than once. I KNOW what he's packing down there."
Reno shook his head, stepping into the shop. ..when he comes out, he has a box with him, the box when he opens it holds a wrist cuff type bracelet of the finest Costan silver. ..within it were two stones in interlinked settings, one a bright fire ruby, the same color as his hair. ..the other a tiger's eye. ..the outside of the stone the same chocolate brown as Rude's eyes. ... the inside a fierce gold like the flecks those orbs carried around the pupils. ..the inscription read. "No matter what. ..we will always be as close as these stones. I will never forget. Reno.
Tifa let out a low whistle, followed by a tiny voiced, "Sap." She smiled widely, though, grabbing Reno's free hand and leading him into the bar. "I'd save that at least for the third date," she said teasingly. "'Cause that baby'll get you laid for sure."
"It was supposed to be an anniversary gift. .."
"Already?" she asked. Where had the time gone?
"I had it ordered. ..shit I orderd it the day we got married. ..was gonna pick it up on our one year. ..but hell, with how things are going. . ."
She shook her head, going from their table to the bar, ordering a pair of shots, then bringing them back. "Hope you like zombies," she said with a wink before raising her glass for a toast.
"It matches the one he gave me. .." Reno holds up the silver cuff around his own arm with the same matching stones. ..inside it said "Tu Eres Mi Corazon" in bold cursive lettering.
Tifa nodded. "To... to new beginnings," she said with a smile before clinking her glass with Reno's and downing the shot like the professional she was.
Reno handed a man the box. ..ten minutes later he'd be knocking on Rude's door. ..the box in hand. ..with a photo of Reno where he had the tiniest somewhat sad Mona lisa smile.
"I figured. .if I sent it when I wasn't there. ..he might receive it better, y'know?"
Tifa just smiled, standing to get them another shot. She neglected to tell Reno the name of the disgusting tasting thing, because she was certain he wouldn't take too kindly to being served a mind eraser.
Reno downed it. ..then strode back over. ..he wanted to see Rude's reaction to the gift. .."Thanks for letting me clear my head Teef."
"Anytime," she said, making her way towards where she last left Denzel and Rennan.
Reno strode back into the room, blushing slightly. .a little nervous. ..he saw the box on the table, but no Rude.. .
Rude walked into the room a moment later, dressed in a set of scrubs. "They took pity on me," he said with a nervous chuckle, gesturing at the the brightly coloured, obviously too small garments. He held in his hand his pack of cigarettes and lighter, and it was obvious he'd just returned from a trip outdoors for a nicotine fix.
"It was...for you. ."He gestured to the box.
Rude lifted his right arm. "I know." The metal shone brightly even in the dimly lit room.
"Did you liike it?" He he;d up his matching one.
A tiny, almost impercievable nod. "Seems we match more often than not," he said softly, going to sit on his bed.
Reno sits on his. "I'm tryin' ta be patient. ..I just miss you. ..crave you. .'shard not to wanna touch you."
Another tiny nod. "It just... it makes me a little uncomfortable when you get all... touchy feely..." he muttered.
Reno nodded, but his eyes track away. "I know that, but I'm used to you being comfortable being touched by me. ..this is gonna take a LOT of getting used to. ..and really, I don't wanna. ..it hurts being next to you, but not being able to, ya know."
I like..." Rude shook his head. "No, I NEED my space..." He knew it would hurt Reno to say that, but... more than he didn't want to hurt the redhead, he didn't want to be pushed and pushed towards remembering. It was like, when he couldn't remember things he felt he was supposed to, he was letting everyone down. And that just frustrated him, which made it even harder to remember, which just piled the frustration and anger on even more.
Reno nodded, walking into the bathroom, getting his own shower...he would NOT cry in front of him right now, no, he wouldn't. ..so he went in there and turned on the shower, hating himself for every moment. ..part of him still blamed himself for the whole thing, maybe,,maybe he deserved this?
Rude flopped back on the bed with a sigh. "Is he always so difficult?" he muttered to himself, picking up the newspaper that was on the table by the bed.
When he came back out, he got into his own bed, turning over with his back toward Rude, rolled up tight into a ball on one side of the bed, something else that spoke a lot of his emotional state at the moment, but again, something Rude would only know subconsciously at the moment. He'd taken two of the dream suppressents that had been in his coat pocket for some wierd reason he didn't remember why he'd put them there, and was soon in a deep, dreamless sleep. ..something if he wasn't smoking he seemed to be doing a lot of late.
Rude, on the other hand, was more focused on his own healing. While the wound to his chest had healed -- bullet, they told him -- he had a rather pink scar there, which sort of matched the others that crossed his chest, arms and thighs. And he could swear there was one on his left foot, too. Wonder what that was from? While he was contemplating his past injuries, the nurse came in and took him off his IV, telling him he would be cleared to return home on Monday. He smiled at her; she was a pretty little thing. Too young for his tastes, but still, she was aesthetically pleasing.
Reno didn't even turn when she came in, he was out, like a light.
"He's been sleeping a lot lately, it seems. ." the nurse noted that fact as if it might be important, making a note to herself to talk to the doctor about it.
Rude nodded, mentally noting that little purse her lips made when she was thinking. However, that thought froze in its tracks. Wasn't he with somebody? Shouldn't he NOT be oogling the pretty little nurse?
"I'll be right back, and dietary will be coming up with your trays soon, if you can get your husband to wake up long enough to eat it would be appreciated." With that she strode out to go talk to the doctor for a few moments.
Rude nodded, saying a blunt, "Reno," as he looked at that scar on his foot. Now, what could that have been from? The way the edge was clean, he could only guess a sharp object... Curiouser and curiouser...
Reno mumbled something along the lines of "Rude, 'sonly 5:30, let me sleep a little more, sheeze" before rolling over, rubbing his eyes, they were red-rimmed, and his whole face looked rather haggard.
Rude rolled his eyes. Contemplating the foot scar would have to wait. He slid off the bed to stand next to the redhead's. "Reno. Get up"
When he sat up, his look had a bit of "Why do you care?" just a bit, before he stretched, his ribs had begun showing a little, he ate little when his emotional state was in the shitter, something Rude often commented about when the weight fell...yes, Reno was obviously a very unhappy boy.
"Fine. Sleep through lunch." Rude tossed the comment behind him as he went back to his own bed and curled up with the newspaper.
And yes, that cut, cut deep, but he wouldn't say anything. Intellectually he understood, but emotionally, it was a different matter. But he sat up anyway, shooting hus husband a look that said "you know just how to cut deep, don't you." one that was a shade petulant.
Rude ignored the look. If Reno wanted to act childish about the whole matter, fine. Rude could be just as, if not more, childish.
Not a matter of wanting to, but he was a man in a fair amount of emotional pain who never dealt well with it, either slipping into depression, which he was slowly doing, or acting petulant and childish. so picked at his food when the trays came up, ignoring Rude the whole time, and curled back up to go back to sleep.
Elena shook her head from the doorframe. "Things aren't going well, I see"
Rude frowned, his grip tightening on his plastic fork. "And you are?"
"Just your co-worker for a long time. ..Elena Marshall, and oh, yes. .I remember. Noggin's not at the best at the moment. I know, he can be difficult when he's hurting.. But you know. .you might unbend, just a little. ..just a small touch at the moment it's needed goes a long way with him. Trust me on this."
Rude had no idea why he asked, but his mouth worked before his brain seemed to... "How's the baby?"
Elena's eyes turned sad. ." I lost it. .the day after you both were admitted."
"I'm sorry." What more could he say? He wasn't even sure how he'd known the blonde woman was pregnant.
"I haven't called Sam yet, I'm not entirely sure how to tell him."
Rude just nodded and grunted, going back to poking at his food. He really wasn't that hungry, but figured it was probably best that he at least eat.
"Looks like he's slipping into depression. .." Elena as always was right to the point. "He was always prone to it, not surprising considering how horrid life has been to him, really." She shook her head, she knew how hard this was, for both of them. "Like I said, unbend JUST a little...it'll go a good distance in the long run, trust me."
That frown returned to his face, his eyes saying more than his lips ever could. Why did he have to bend over backwards for this... kid? What was so special about the pushy little redhead that he had to cater to his every whim? Truth be told, the way Reno was acting in regards to Rude's problems was really pissing him off. How dare he expect Rude to fawn all over him about being depressed when Reno had done nothing but push Rude towards remembering something he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to remember anymore.
"He only wants you to remember you loved him, that's all. ..the rest of it really doesn't matter. .but I think I'll go... "
Rude nodded once, then went back to stabbing at what was supposed to be a lump of lasagne, trying to take out his intest frustrations on the poor food substitute.
Reno slept for the rest of the day, before the doctor came in to talk to him, something which he had suspected was going to happen, but had hoped wouldn't.
"Mr. Tarshill," she said with a nod. She indicated that she wanted him to follow her out into the hallway.
He followed. "I know. .I'm..being childish, or so he says. ."
She gestured towards the elderly man beside her. "This is Dr. Boswell. He's the psychiatrist who's been working with me in regards to Mr. Urar's condition."
"Pleasure," Dr. Boswell said, offering his hand to Reno.
He shook the hand, but had a feeling he was about to get told "back off" something not easy to do.
"I have been speaking with Mr. Urar on a daily basis since his recovery," Dr. Boswell said. Oh, how he hated dealing with spouses of those with mental illness. They tended to cope poorly with their change in lifestyle and occassionally fell into illness themselves. "He feels... frustrated, by your insistence of 'going back to the way things were"
"I'm sorry.. it's. .hard, ya know." Yes, he wanted it back, who wouldn't? "I do want it back. .."
"I do believe Mr. Urar will make a full recovery," the elderly man said. "However, nothing will ever be... as it was. There will always be a time that he will know he did not know. There will always be that fear that it could happen again." He paused. "I understand how hard it is, however... you must treat him with the utmost caution if you are to gain as close to 'normal' as you are familiar with."
"Yes sir...I just. ..want him to be comfortable touching me again. ..and letting me touch him. ..that's the worst part...
"Your insistence has begun making him resent your actions," Dr. Boswell said softly. "If you continue, I fear he will fully resent you as a person, at which point, he will NEVER be comfortable with your touch again." He hated being so harsh.
"Fine. ..I'll just stop touching him altogether and withdraw, which is what's going to end up happening anyway, and the probably go back to dealing with shit how I did before I met him. .seems it what he'd rather fucking have anyway." Hurting, damn right he was.. angry with the world, hell yes.
"Mr. Tarshill!" The elderly man's voice boomed through the hallways. There, that would get the boy's attention. "Have you sought any assistance with your end of this tragic incident? If not, I suggest you do so, and quickly."
The woman who'd been treating Rude stepped forward. "I believe what Dr. Boswell is trying to say is that this is a very fragile time in Mr. Urar's life. A wrong step could be disasterous for the both of you in the long run. Perhaps you should speak with someone we have on staff here..."
He shook his head. ."No. .and not sure I want to. . .no one understands anyway."
She reached out a hand to rest on Reno's shoulder. "What could it hurt? If nothing more, you might feel better getting your feelings off your chest."
"It was my damn fault. ." he whispered, guilt creeping into his tone
She pulled him into a hug, rather unprofessional, she knew, but if it could make the man feel even the slightest bit better...
"I got the man off me to save my own ass. .and that's when it happened. ..I just want to pretend it never happened
"But it did," she said softly. "And you have to accept that." She paused. "Please, if for no one else, speak with someone about this... for Rude..."
"I. ." and he shook his head. "We'd made so much progress. ..all of it gone. ..in one swoop. ..how else am I supposed ta feel?"
"I'm not asking you to change how you feel. I'm asking you to tell someone who can help you how you feel."
He shook his head. "It won't change anything...but I guess. ..it can't hurt."
She pulled away with a smile on her face. "Exactly."
"Allright. . get me in. ..even if. .Hell, you know my son's the only one holding me together really. ..an'. .I'm supposed ta meet the attoreney. .. let me know when I'm supposed ta go, please"
Dr. Boswell, having nothing more to add, nodded and walked back towards the psychiatric wing, fully intent on recommending his best underling to handle Reno's treatment.
He stepped back in, sitting on his bed, brushing his hair through, putting his game face on. . .waiting for Berry.
The woman could be heard coming down the hall a mile away, what with the sharp sounds her near stiletto heels made.
He went into his bag, he'd had Elena bring the stuff up.
She knocked harshly on the door. "Mr. Tarshill?"
"Come on in." He had everything settled on his lap.
The first thing Ms. Berry did when she walked in the door was thrust a piece of paper into Reno's face. "Are you responsible for the arrest of Ms. Kendrick?"
"She had some things in her posession that were not in the company's best interest for her to have. ..I however was not in on that assignment, though, no."
She shook her head. "And this?" She pressed another piece of paper into Reno's hands, this one with a photo attached to it. It was a picture of a rather bruised and banged up Josh, laying in a garbage dumpster.
"I didn't do that, no. ..in fact, he did this to ME" He gestures to the incision and the scar.
Another paper in Reno's face. "And this? Ms. Kendrick's house was the victim of arson shortly after she was arrested." To say Ms. Berry was fuming would be an understatement. Her quickly becoming open and shut case was just as quickly becoming a problem child.
"I have been here unconscious from wedsnday until friday, Ms Berry, I have been responsible for NONE of this. ..and I have left the building a total of ONE time since, something which Ms Lockhart can vouch for, as she was WITH me.
Then the thought struck him." The boyfriend. ..have you spoken with her boyfriend, Ms Berry?"
"Which one?" she snorted. "According to the last count, she had more men going in and out of that house than a strip club"
Reno handed her a photo "This one. ..he was at the square the day of the incidant in which my husband was injured." He also got the thought that maybe his boss might have had something to do with all this, but hoped not.
"I was not aware of that one," she said. "Regardless, due to your recent injuries, I managed to get the case pushed back until the end of the week... but I can't get that kind of favour again."
"Thank you. .I have everything, including the contents of the hard drive she stole, right here. She was intending on using my former employment, forced I might add, with Corneo in court."
"It is becoming more and more difficult to decide how this case will likely play out..." she muttered, jotting down notes on her legal pad.
"At any rate, I was not in on that assignment, Tseng specifically kept me off it, because if it had gone swirly it would have looked bad in court. ..very bad., and he wanted me to take no more risks than necessary. . .in a way I'm glad Josh got himself offed, even though I wish I'd been the one to do it."
"Mr. Miller is not dead."
"Damn, he should do the world a favor and get himself that way, fast." Reno, bitter. ..no. ..
"He claims a large man beat him, then raped him." She said plainly, gauging Reno's face for a reaction. "He tested positive with the rape kit."
"Wasn't Rude, he was not. ..shit. ...Sammy. ..or Eric. ." He remembered calling Eric the night of the incident.
Ms. Berry's face told Reno that he would tell her the whole story, or else she would drop his case.
"The night Rude was injured I called his home in Costa. ..Eric was. ..not happy, but half asleep. ..he said he had something for Josh. I didn't think about it until just now for obvious reasons"
"Does the whole family have a history of violence?" It was a rhetorical question... but she still wanted Reno to answer.
"Just he and Eric for the most part. .. Sammy was a good kid."
"I see..." Ms. Berry said, writing more on her legal pad. "I believe I have a little more research to do. Any questions before I leave?" She was in a hurry. She'd pushed back several appointments to meet with Reno Tarshill that day.
"Just tell me when you've found him. ..and we'll get this settled. ..friggin' Miller, messing up everything."
She nodded, and the harsh clicking over her heels got softer as she walked away.
He called Rude's folks, when Gladys answered he greeted her. and immediatly asked "Did eric or Sam leave anytime in the last four days."
Gladys' frown could be heard over the phone. "Sam went back to work three days ago, and Eric disappeared yesterday... Why?"
"Because a lot of shit has been going down. . "He faxed her the papers Berry had given her over the intraweb part of her phone, and then explained it. .everything.
"Eric couldn't have done it," she said, knowing instantly what Reno was thinking. "That report said it happened two days ago, and he was sitting in the living room all day with some new game."
"Rude couldn't have either. ..shit, what's the number where Sam's stationed?"
She passed the number along with a warning. "Don't get my boys all riled up about nothing, now..."
"I won't, I'm just checkin' some shit out. ..someone is desperatly tryin' ta make things difficult for me, an' I just wanna find out why."
"I understand," she said. "Take care of yourself... and Rudolph."
"Doin' m'best, ma'am." With that he hung up, dialing the number she'd given him.
"Make it quick!" came Sam's voice over the phone.
"Sam, some wierd shit's been goin' down. ..you know anything about it? I'm not accusin' anyone. ..I just wanna know why everything has suddenly gone bonkers." He explained once more everything Berry had told him and shown him.
"No time, Reno! Call you when I'm done with drills!" With that, the phone was hung up.
Reno sighed, just shaking his head. ..this shit was getting wierder. ..but hell, it was something to keep his mind off his OTHER problems for a while. so he simply yelled to Rude from the doorway." I'm gettin' somethin' other than hospital food, want anything\
"Pizza, please," he said back, turning on one of the random sports games on the television.
Reno cringed at the mention of pizza, the thought of the behomoth entering his mind for a moment, but he said "Sure" ordering ahead of time, everything but anchovies for his half, the meats with extra cheese for Rude, just like he liked it.
"Take your pistol," he said offhandedly... not entirely sure why, but he had a feeling something had happened the last time they had gotten pizza. Something... with a behemoth?
"Yea, I would, but I don't have it. it's in the locker downstairs, got my emr, though. ..I'll be allright, unless I run into whoever's making my life Hell with Rennan's custody at the moment."
"You're not as good a shot as me, anyway," he smiled, then paused. How could he know that?
"No, I'm not.. you put two bullets in the head of a behemoth" It was said completely off-hand.
"Couldn't do that again if your life depended on it..." he said softly, no longer paying attention to the game or to Reno.
Reno was out the door, leaving ama, of course, but at least recovered enough to movve around without tearing his stitching open, and it was good to see him wanting to eat and to get himself chewing on a problem he COULD solve. he headed out to the pizza shop to pick up his order. ..sensing someone was following him, but not knowing who.
The man who entered the pizza place as the redhead was leaving could have easily been Rude's twin... with hair. Long hair. Down to his waist long hair.
Reno said "Hold onto that order, please." before following him out. "You, hold on one second. . .I got a few words for you."
"Talk is cheap, and your former woman is expensive." With that, the man spun on his heels and took off running.
Reno gave chase, fuck no, he was not going to let this man fuck shit up. ..he caught up to him, and when he did, the man got an emr in the back of the head. "Now. ..you are going to answer a few questions, or next time I'm going to shove it up your ass."
"Depends on what your questions are," the man replied, his tone still holding that cocky suredness.
"Why are you trying to fuck up my chances of getting my kid back? And why are you trying to make it look like Rude's the one doing it?"
"Your former girlfriend owes me a great debt. She offered the child as payment, but that child was taken from me somewhere between here and Kalm. Somehow, he ended up in your friend's custody..." He laughed, pausing before he went on to the second question. "As for our dear, dear Rudy... he also owes me a great debt. One I intend to collect when the time is right."
At this point Reno got furious. . .really furious. ..with a roar he exploded with a strength he didn't know he had, spin kicking the bastard in the jaw. ..hard, knocking him down before turning on the emr, moving too fast to track, beating him with the business end in whatever place he could reach, finally ending with it in his mouth, turned up to full. "The police'll pick you up REAL soon. .with a tape of everything you've just told me in your pocket." He flourished the mini-deck he'd kept for wiretapping purposes and With that, he trussed the semi-conscious man up, sticking the tape inside his shirt pocket and calling the cops.
The small, shadow-covered form in the alleyway across the street stayed hidden, waiting for the redhead to leave.
But Reno didn't leave. .. he waited for the police, and after they arrived, he went to find the other one. .to see who it was.
The small form was fast, unnaturally fast, and seemed to disappear into the shadows without a single sound.
Reno tried to give chase, but he was falling victim to the shortness of breath from the shot wound Loz had given him a while ago and his most recent injury, and was unable to catch him. ..but at least the cop had the one guy. He called Tifa next. "Tifa, is everything all right there. ..be on your guard. someone's after Rennan."
Tifa's confidence came through loud and clear on the phone. "Won't get past me. Thanks for the heads up."
"You're welcome. ..you heard about the shit that's gone down, right?"
Tifa sighed, her bravado fading quickly. "Reno..." she said softly. She had to say it, she had to. "If this shit keeps going down... I'm not sure if I can be certain of Rennan's welfare in your custody..."
"It's not my damn fault that Trish is fuckin' shit up. ..or I should say people she's gotten herself inolved with."
"I know," Tifa said with a sigh. "It's just... Rennan needs as close to a normal home as possible. You have to admit he deserves at least that."
"I know. .." he sighed too. . "I want it too. .believe me. ..I'm time of getting fucked up the ass by fate.":
"Just... Just try to get this all worked out before the court date, okay?" she offered.
"I'm trying. .police have the big guy. ..one more is out there. They say Rude has a debt to them too. .I'd ask him about it, but for obvious reasons, I can't. ..do some digging, please."
"Intelligence isn't my specialty," she said with a tiny smile that could be heard over the phone. "I'm just a bartender... not a Turk."
"Allright, shit. ..I just don't wanna get the boss and Tseng involved, mostly because I don't want to jeapordize things for Rude more'n they are. . .just. . .if you catch onea those bastards, use some persuasion to see if you get some answers, you're GOOD at persuading people."
Tifa laughed. "So good of you to notice." She knew exactly why she was so good as persuading people. Sure, she was nice and easy to talk to... but having the assets she had certainly didn't hurt.
With that Reno strode back into the shop, getting the pizza and heading back, after hanging up he called Rude "Pizza's on it's way, sorry for the delay, ran into a little trouble on the way in."
Rude frowned. He could remember it wasn't the first time things had gone wrong when there was pizza for dinner. Maybe the just shouldn't get pizza anymore...? "What happened?" he asked.
"Ran into the people that have been responsible for my problems over Rennan.. ." He didn't tell Rude what they'd said about him, it would likely drive a deeper wedge, he didn't want that.
"And?" Even missing most of his memory from the time he was 19, he knew Reno was holding something back.
"They said something about you owing a debt,he was a big guy, looked a lot like you, long hair. ..he had a smaller guy with him, but I couldn't get a good look at him, he took off on me." Now, the description should have triggered something for Reno, and normally it would have, but he had supressed most of the faces of those of his former gang to save his own sanity.
"How small?" Rude asked, his tone flat. Perhaps his missing memories were a blessing in disguise; they brought those ones he did remember into far clearer focus.
"shorter than me, and thin."
"About the size of a child?" he qusetioned. "And the guy who looked like me... how many of the little ones did he have?"
"Just the one that I saw. .but yeah, the shadow was child size."
Rude muttered a name under his breath, then spoke again to Reno, his tone commanding. "Where did they take the guy?"
"Police station. . .meet ya there?" His tone said "We're still partners, it's my job to have your back."
A shuffling noise was heard as Rude quickly stripped off the scrubs he'd been given and pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt Reno had brought in an overnight bag for when his condition was better. "Where's it at?"
Reno gave him the directions, and he could be heard to be walking in that direction, pizza still in his hand.
Rude slammed his phone shut, his insticts guiding him more than his memory could. However, the images his memory supplied were enough to make him nearly push through the crowd of nurses that tried to get him to stop from leaving.
Reno damn near bumped into Rude as they arrived at the same moment. . .the pizza unfortunatly was a casualty. "Shit. ..oh well. . ." He asked the officer in front to allow them to see the big guy they'd just brought in no more than an hour ag
Somehow, Rude knew before they even got down to the holding cell what he wouldn't find. "Fuck!" he shouted, noticing the empty cell before turning to punch the concrete block wall.
"Fucker escaped. ..why the HELL weren't you watching?!?"
Rude's phone was open and dialing in a heartbeat. He didn't know exactly why he was doing what he was, but he just knew to trust his instincts. "Momma?" he asked when Gladys picked up the phone.
"I'm here, sweetheart, what's going on?"
"Where's Eric? Has he gone missing? How long?" he asked in rapid succession, hoping against hope his instinct was wrong for once "Since yesterday morning. . ."
Rude went quickly back up the stairs and out the door of the precinct. "Move fast and do EXACTLY as I tell you... and all three of us might live to tell this story to our kids..." he commanded back at Reno.
Reno nodded, sticking close behind him
"We need to blend," he mumbled, ducking into a clothing store and reaching for his wallet. Within 15 minutes both he and Reno had been reoutfitted to look more like the street kids they were going to be pretending to be. "Weapons?" he asked the redhead.
"Got my emr, and your pistol was in the overnight bag. ..I grabbed it, also got your gloves."
"No words. This is my baby. Let me do the talking." Rude turned to look back at the redhead. "And I mean it this time, Reno." This... this was familiar. A few scattered memories of missions with his partner filtered to the surface. However, none of those held that passionate overtone that Reno claimed was there.
"Yeah, gotcha"
His quick steps were taking him towards the Wutan Quarter of the city. The deeper they got, the more tension was evident in the set of Rude's shoulders.
A child stepped out of the shadows in front of them, not speaking a word. It was dressed head to toe in black, and neither the child's sex, nor age could be determined... even when it chose to speak. "Why are you here?"
"Where's Krastof?" Rude called, not moving, but cracking his knuckles as a warning.
"Who wants to know?" the child responded.
"Tell him... Rudy's looking for him."
The child seemed to disappear, and within minutes, a large man who greatly resembled Rude, with waist length hair, calmly walked towards them.
Reno bounced on the balls of his feet. ..it was obvious he was nervous, though Rude probably only knew a little of why. . .these were the guys who had sold him to corneo. ..and had done some unspeakable things to him several times before that.
"Well lookie what we got here" one of the little ones said "Two birds ha' come home."
"You have something of mine," Rude said, pointing at the eldest man there. He noticed that they were quickly being surrounded by... children, no older than their late teens.
"And you owe me a body," the man, obviously Krastof, replied flippantly.
"You don't get Eric."
A sinister smile crossed Krastof's lips. "Then perhaps you will give me another. When you left us, Rudy, we were in dire straights..."
Reno was suddenly grabbed, pinned face first against the wall in the alleyway Rude had led him into. ..the hands that had him pinned were HUGE, beefy, and the jeans he'd been wearing were torn in shreds from him. .the tiny raised mark that Rude had probably seen before but never asked about just barely visible under the ink on the base of his spine, it was something that looked almost like a bar code. ..mark of ownership by the Red Barons.
Rude supressed the jump that would have indicated his surprise. Acting off guard with Krastof was deadly... or worse. "You don't get them both."
Krastof tsked, taking a few steps closer. "It appears that technically, I can have them both. See, Anthony seems to have uncovered a new development in our little deal." He nodded to the large teenager, who pointed out the mark at the base of Reno's spine. "Seems he already belongs to us. Can't bargain for something we already own..."
Reno had no way of fighting, he was completely pinned. ..and he knew what was coming. ..knew very well. . he had been raped by the gang so many times as punishment for some misdeed or another. ..and when he felt hands parting his asscheeks he knew it well. ..he was going to be raped dry until he passed out. ...
Rude was quick in drawing his pistol, pointing it single handedly at this Anthony's head. "He goes any further and he loses both heads." He moved his aim down lower on the teenager.
"Are you still as good of a shot as you were, Rudy? You HAVE grown since then... have you compensated for all that extra muscle?" Krastof teased. "Perhaps we should ask the whore? Oh, Reno!" Seemed the man knew more than he was letting on. Not a good sign for the two Turks. "Tell me, my little man, has our Rudy grown any since we last met like this?"
"Sure as hell more than you, Kraptoff. ..did you enjoy raping me that night? I bet you did, you always were a sick fucker."
Krastof shook his head, tsking again. He made a gesture with his hand, and Anthony's hand moved quickly, smacking Reno on the back of the head and bouncing his face off the brick wall he was pinned against. "You will answer me politely, or you will be punished. You are aware of my punishments, my whore."
"Let him go," Rude ordered, still keeping the gun trained on Anthony. "This is between you and me. Not him. Let. Him. Go."
"Fuck you Kraptoff. .." his head was bleeding, his ears ringing. .."I swear to Shiva I will cut your balls off if you touch me."
Shiva can't hear you, boy," Krastof called over.
"Listen," Rude said, lowering his pistol slowly. "Let's make a deal." He suddenly remembered exactly how the previous meeting had played out years earlier, and it hadn't ended pretty for either of the boys. "You let Reno and Eric go... and you can have me."
A single, arched eyebrow raised. "Oh? How noble..." Krastof chuckled. "Now, why is it that I don't believe you? You've lied to me before, Rudy, and since becoming a Turk, I'm sure you've lied plenty more times. How can I know you'll be trusted?"
"No, Rude. .I can take this. ..but I. ..can't. ..take. ..losing you." He then let out a shriek as a feeling as if he was being torn apart siezed him.. ..that. .whatever it was didn't even feel like flesh and blood. ..but. ..metal. ..it was cold. ..like metal. ..and his eyes widened. ...one of the boys had been killed that way before. ..a bullet right up the ass that stirred their intestines into paste and ripped the rest of their internal organs apart before blasting its way out of their mouth. ..it had been an ugly, ugly death.
Two shots sounded, each with pinpoint accuracy. Rude was glad for all those times he decided spending quality time at the shooting range with his M9 pistol was a better waste of time than spending his free time getting drunk with Reno. Anthony dropped, bleeding profusely from the groin and the head. Rude did a mental check: 13 bullets left.
"Stop!" Krastof shouted as what appeared to be 20-30 children stepped forward quickly, unable to reach Anthony, Rude or Reno before Krastof had called them off. He straightened his cuffs, taking a deep breath before speaking again to Rude. "I see you are still an excellent marksman. I taught you well."
Reno fell, the rifle still firmly embedded in his rectum, shaking like a leaf, his eyes wide, his heart pounding like a rabbit's. ...terror clearly written across every line of his body. . .he curled up on himself in some gross parody of a cat. .. only dimly hearing the growl. ..then the feline roar as a flash of black and white lept in front of Krastof. ..standing in front of Reno and partialy Rude protectively, snarling. ..how he'd gotten out no one would probably ever know, though Reno could dimly hear Elena's voice calling out for the cat.
"Get this off me or you'll never find your brother!" Krastof hollered.
"Livewire!" Rude yelled, hoping that cat understood that if it cost him his younger, annoying ass brother... Reno would be very upset with Rude's putting his cat down in front of him. He didn't even stop to think why he knew the cat's name, or Reno's association with it.
"Livewire. ..come. .." the voice was weak. ...croaking. ..but the cat obeyed.. .
Krastof coughed as he slowly stood. "Ah, I see you remember..." Another cough and the man seemed rather unscathed. "Just remember, Rudy, if you kill me, you're also responsible for the deaths of all these children who will follow me willingly to the Lifestream..."
"Reno's injured. Let him go. It's me you want." Rude's words came through clenched teeth.
Reno before he passed out hit the tracker on his phone. .. the Shinra issued one that would tell Rufus and Tseng where they were, not the private one Rude had installed.. .there would be a team of Turk that would soon be on top of the matter.
Livewire meanwhile trotted back to Elena. ..whining, and mewing, and pulling on her pants leg.
Elena had heard the shots and was already running in that direction, Tseng with her, following the suddenly triggered blip on his phone.
"The whore deserves it," Krastof spat, irritated that the cuahl had split his lip.
"What's it going to take to get what I want?" Rude asked carefully. Things were quickly spiralling into a fashion he wasn't prepared to handle.
Michael TW Kelley: They would find Reno curled up on his side, unconscious and growing steadily more so, with a rifle stuck up his ass and his torn opening bleeding down his legs...
Tseng meanwhile gestured for Elena to gather up the children while he took out Krastof and made the extraction.
Rude's gun leveled on Krastof's chest. "Tell me where Eric is, or so help me, I will kill you." A tiny flash of movement from the corner of Rude's eye and he squeezed the trigger, the bullet lodging itself in Krastof's chest before Rude could even turn to see what had startled him.
The movement was a small figure, clad in black, that Reno would have recognized from when Krastof had followed him to the pizza parlor. The figure landed on Tseng's shoulders, a tiny dagger drawn, leaning down to whisper, "Too late, father," before plunging the weapon into the man's abdomen.
Tseng's eyes widened. "Shion?" before he pulled out the dagger, blood flowing from his mouth. ..gesturing Elena to take the child while he crawled off toward Rude. . .going into his pocket for a potion, finding one, he sippied it, healing the wound enough for him to move. .."Take my son out of here.
As Elena grabbed at the child's arm, she was cut by another tiny dagger, reflexively pulling her hand away as the pain hit. That gave the boy just enough time to slide back into the shadows, effectively disappearing and escaping.
Reno moaned softly, pain had brought him back into a semi-conscious state, he calls for Rude in a voice barely above a whisper, he is still trembling like a leaf. . ."Please. ..don't leave me. . ."
"Reno?" Rude asked, rushing to the redhead's side. He took in Reno's injuries, then chuckled slightly. "Give me a break. You've had bigger shit than that up there..." Rude paused, frowning... face full of concentration.
Reno blinked, "'scold. ..pull it out. .. but careful yo. .." he was sweating. ..his eyes still clouded, What he had taken might have been bigger, but not like this ..not in these circumstances. and the gun's surfaces were all rough, catching and tearing flesh. ..
Rude carefully worked the rifle from inside Reno's body, tossing it aside after checking that it wouldn't go off.
"I love you. " it came out softly, he was doing his damndest to still the shakes. ..biting his lip as memories spilled over him, ones he wished he could forget. ..remembering bleeding in the alleyway, Rude patching up his wounds. ..idly tracing the scars on each cheek with his own fingers.
Memories floated just below the surface of Rude's consciousness. He could almost feel them, wanting free of their entrapment.
Reno's eyes fluttered as he again said "I love you,baby. .."
Rude didn't answer... though a part of him wanted to.
With that his eyes folded closed, resting against Rude. ..knowing he was safe.