Reno wiped a drop of saliva from his chin as he stood back to back with Tseng, watching the demons that made their lives hell circle them like wolves. Reno kept one eye on the wolves and one eye on Tseng as he counted down the minutes until the bell rang and they would have their freedom. He felt Tseng slam into his back as he took another hit and felt a strange mixture of pain and pride as Tseng stayed on his feet despite the fact that his breaths were coming in shorter and shorter gasps. Reno had done his best over the past few weeks to teach Tseng to fight for himself and the dark haired boy was getting better at punching back, something Reno delighted in as much as he loathed the idea of Tseng having to protect himself. Reno envisioned himself as Tseng's protector and with every blow Tseng took and gave he felt the severe pangs of failure.
Reno slammed his fist into the face of a demon that strayed to close, inciting another heated skirmish. There was always a careful pattern to the fights, a pattern Tseng followed but Reno lashed out against. Reno punched, kicked, and bit without any warning or provocation while Tseng waited for the wolves to come to him. Reno figured that Tseng's method of fighting was probably better if he was interested at all in self-preservation, but Reno didn't give a damn about himself. He only worried about Tseng and had taken home more black eyes and bruises than he had ever acquired before. The upside to his pain was that Tseng felt less, or at least should've felt less. Reno watched his quiet friend carefully, noting every spot where a blow landed and checking it later for bruising with or without Tseng's permission. It was always hard to tell which of the purple spots were new, but Reno could see healing beginning to take place now that the damage was flowing onto him instead. He knew that not all of the bruises were from their fights and had to wonder just how Tseng was getting hurt. He kept him at his house later and later in the evenings, giving him less time to be alone and unprotected, but still Tseng had new bruises.
It was the cuts that scared Reno the most. The thin scabbed over ridges that flowed over Tseng's back, stomach, and arms and probably other places that the boy wouldn't let him see. He always clicked his tongue as he carefully cleaned the cuts like his mom had taught him to, gentle swabs with disinfectant before a row of bandages dressed the nude wounds. The next day Tseng's band-aids were always gone and Reno soon stopped putting them on, realizing that it was futile and for some strange reason made the small slices worse. Reno didn't know what happened to Tseng during the few sleeping hours they were apart and no matter how much he pried, Tseng wouldn't tell him. He didn't give up though, constantly needling Tseng while the dark haired boy sewed the rips in his shirts closed. Reno was amazed by Tseng's quick fingers as they drew needle and thread through fabric with expertise, showing a surprising and somewhat frightening amount of practice. Reno always felt over the thin rips in his shirt with awe when he failed to differentiate the new thread from the old. Tseng offered to teach Reno how to sew, but on top of the general tutoring Reno needed to keep his grades afloat he saw no use in trying to learn. His excuse was that Tseng knew how and his skill would suffice. Reno exchanged the knowledge he gained from Tseng with as much protection and care as he could offer, taking more than his fair share of damage during their before, during, and after school skirmishes and soothing the angry wounds that appeared every day. The bruises and cuts didn't stop blossoming across Tseng's features, but they did start to heal. Reno vowed that he would someday make them stop completely. He would find the source that he hadn't been able to name and give it hell for the constant torment Tseng shouldered in silence.
The bell rang and Reno grabbed Tseng's shaking hand in his own, throwing one last punch before dashing into the building with his friend in tow. He walked Tseng to the boy's next class even though it made him late for his own, leaving him at the door with a smile and a wink before dashing off to his own as fast as his lanky legs could carry him. He worried about Tseng constantly when they weren't together, knowing that the quiet brooder was at least somewhat safe while in the classroom. Reno only felt truly calm when Tseng was within arms reach and able to be protected, even when he failed to perform his duty.
Tseng watched Reno dash off with a sad smile, hoping that the retreating back of his boisterous friend wouldn't disappear completely during the time he was away. He was always, always afraid that Reno would someday stop being there to greet him. That his smiling face would one day turn away from him in disgust. Tseng didn't know why Reno stayed, why Reno took the abuse that was meant for him. There was no noticeable motive for Reno to be around him when everyone else shunned him. He tried so very hard to tell Reno that he just wasn't worth all the extra effort, all the care Reno took with him. His own selfishness kept him from pushing Reno away though, something that he was ashamed of. Every blow that hit Reno made him feel sick to his stomach, the nausea stemming from his own helplessness as Reno seemed to want nothing more than to take his beatings. He tried to do everything he could for the red-head, knowing that he took more than his fair share from his overly-gracious friend.
It was still a strange notion for him, having a friend. It was an experience he would trade for nothing, no matter how much he hated himself every time Reno swept cool hands over throbbing cuts and bruises. He watched with wonder as his black bruises turned purple, noting the concerned look etched onto Reno's face as cuts he wouldn't explain seemed to appear overnight. No matter how much Tseng wanted to tell Reno everything, he kept his home life to himself and refused to say a word about it when Reno prodded him for information. He didn't want to see the disgust that would inevitably swim through Reno's eyes once he put the pieces together and understood what was happening after he made it home.
Tseng spent as much time at Reno's house as he could, working diligently on their project and trying to give Reno a reason to stay friends with him after they finished it. They were supposed to launch the beautiful rocket in class soon and Tseng put his heart and soul into the cylindrical object, praying that he could work hard enough to prove his worth. Every evening after their visits ended he felt his soul stay with Reno, driving away in the blue sedan piloted by Reno's mother as his heavy feet plodded towards his inconspicuous home and waiting parents. Some nights he was lucky and they didn't wait for him to come home, leaving before he could show his face. Those nights he lay awake fearing that if he closed his eyes they would pounce on him, darting from the shadows to destroy all the careful work Reno had put into healing his battered body. When they had seen the band-aids Reno had gently laid across his back they had ripped them away and re-etched the lines, deepening the harsh wounds. No matter how much more they punished him for trying to fix the hurts, he couldn't tell Reno to stop. He wanted Reno to help him, even though he felt like scum unworthy of the tender care bestowed on him.
Tseng waited impatiently for the class to end, ticking down the minutes until he would see Reno again. Once the bell rang he jumped from his chair and bolted out the door, scanning the halls for a shock of red. When the bright red splotch shone through the mass of comparatively dull colors he dashed towards it eagerly. Once he reached Reno his arm was grabbed and he was dragged down the hall with a smile, bumping into people on all sides as Reno led him to his locker. Tseng didn't use a locker and wasn't even sure he had one, if he did he had never seen it. He liked Reno's locker though. It was papered with posters and notes and crammed to the brim with papers and pencils, so full of odds and ends that it would barely shut. The locker was more personalized than Reno's room and it practically screamed his name, mostly because the hinges squeaked when the door was wrenched open. Every time the locker door swung forward a mountain of papers and pencils rained down on them and Tseng rejoiced in his friend's unashamed messiness.
Reno picked up the pile of fallen items and stuffed them back into his locker with a smile as Tseng laughed beside him. He never threw anything away and it was rather unsurprising that he had managed to accumulate so much needless junk. From the paper jungle he pulled out a large metal lunchbox, slamming the door shut quickly before the avalanche of clutter buried them alive. Reno took Tseng's hand again and dragged him outside, happily prattling away as Tseng let him lead. If he had tried to drag anyone else the way he dragged Tseng he probably would have had his head knocked off of his shoulders, but Tseng didn't seem to mind. It put a happy bubble inside his chest as he pulled Tseng towards the only corner of the campus where they could sit and eat in peace. He sat Tseng down next to him and opened his lunchbox, setting the double lunch he had prepared for them out on the grass. He jumped as Tseng ran a finger over his back, confused by the contact with bare flesh. He sat still as he felt the gentle touch move down, still touching his skin. "Did my shirt rip again?" He couldn't feel any pain from the scratch, but the soft finger pulling across it was almost too much sensation for him to bear. It sent a chill up his spine and he tried to contain the shiver that ran through him.
Tseng nodded as he traced the slightly bloody cut on Reno's back, slightly fascinated by the appearance of the mark. "You're bleeding." Tseng was confused. None of the demons used knives, blood was too conspicuous to their purpose. He had never seen them drawn blood and how Reno had obtained the thin, leaking scratch on his back was a mystery to him.
Reno pulled Tseng's hand away from his back, examining the bloody tip of his finger with a scowl. He pulled a napkin from the lunchbox and wiped the blood away as Tseng simply stared at him, transfixed by the small red stain forming on the back of his shirt. He sighed as he tried to preempt the question he knew was coming. "I'm fine Tseng, don't worry about it alright? We both know I've had worse."
"How did they cut you? They don't carry knives." Tseng grabbed the napkin and began blotting the blood off of Reno's back before it could stain the fabric further, hoping that he could repay the kindness given to him in some way. Reno shivered under his touch and he stopped, thinking he had hurt the red-head. When Reno continued to tremble he frowned and continued his gentle swaps across the cut. Whenever he shuddered under Reno's gentle hands from the sting of the cut Reno always continued, making sure the cut was clean before he stopped. Tseng wanted to make sure he cleaned the scratch as properly as his limited resources allowed. "Do you have a band-aid?"
Reno dug through his pocket and pulled out the small canister of band-aids he kept with him. He always carried them now, especially since the demons had begun singling him out when Tseng wasn't around. Reno knew he was far more fun for the insatiably violent packs of their peers to attack because he fought back. A target that responded to the arrows landing in its middle was far more entertaining than the one that lay cold and dormant under the onslaught. He tried to cover up all the extra rips and tears he received for defending Tseng's honor when the boy wasn't around to hear the slights, but he knew Tseng wouldn't stay oblivious to the fact forever. Someday all the extra sins the demons engraved into his flesh would be impossible to hide, but until then Reno would take the punishment. So far they had only cut him a few times, mostly when they were angry to have someone standing between them and their punching bag. Reno stood his ground though, knowing that eventually his insolence would be punished with far worse than a few thin cuts.
It was hard for Reno to stay still as Tseng pressed the napkin painlessly against his cut. His entire body wanted to arch into the touch, a reaction he always had to keep under control while he was around Tseng. Whenever Tseng came within arms reach of him Reno felt like a magnet, inexorably drawn to his battered angel. He didn't understand the near insatiable need to touch that came over him while he was around Tseng, but he didn't question it or try to fight against the desire. Self-restraint was not one of his strong points, but he felt he was doing well compared to how he wanted to act. He didn't let himself get carried away with his fragile friend, knowing that Tseng was too shy and confused to truly understand what Reno wanted. Reno wasn't ashamed of the want he had for Tseng, knowing since the second he had first seen him that he had no choice but to need him.
Reno cleared his throat as he pressed the band-aid into Tseng's waiting hand and lied smoothly. "I don't know how they cut me. I didn't see any knives and it didn't hurt so I didn't notice. I was more worried about the fists going for my front if ya know what I mean." Reno gave a shiver as Tseng peeled back the torn fabric of his shirt and gently made sure the bloody wound was clean and dry, his hands careful and tender as he acted like Reno was fragile and might break.
One thing Reno truly liked about Tseng was the fact that he always cared more about Reno's needs than his own, doing his best to make sure Reno's grades stayed high and his clothes stayed whole. Reno's mother absolutely loved the influence Tseng had over him and she used it to her advantage, telling Tseng to give Reno instructions he otherwise wouldn't have heeded. When Tseng told him to do something, Reno did it without putting up a large fuss. His room had never been cleaner.
Tseng's lips pursed, the annoyance and anger he felt for the bastards who dared leave a mark on the red-head showing clearly on his normally expressionless face. Reno and his mother were the only people on the entire planet who ever saw anything but the stoic mask he wore to protect his tender insides from the daggers that were constantly thrust at him and he didn't have words to describe the bliss their company put him in, brightening his days to a luminescence he had never felt before. Still, no matter how much he loved them, he was always afraid that they wouldn't want him anymore someday. It had happened with his real family already and he didn't want to risk it happening again. He took no chances with his taped together heart after the dreadful transition that had battered and nearly destroyed both his mind and body. He was still on the ever shortening road to his breaking point, the limit to the pain and suffering his young body and mind could take being stretched and cracked on a daily basis. Reno was softening the harsh blows to his mind with every kind smile, bringing him back from the edge of the soulless abyss he had been teetering on.
"Aren't you the one who told me I had to watch all sides for an attack?" Tseng smirked despite the seriousness in his voice, knowing that Reno often gave advice he himself wouldn't take. It was one of his more endearing and infuriating charms.
Reno sniggered and jumped as Tseng slipped a band-aid over his back, smooth fingers grazing his sensitive skin. He loved how relaxed Tseng was around him, feeling free to talk and even be sarcastic. He turned and tapped Tseng's nose with a wink. "Do what I say not what I do." The face Tseng made in response to his feather-light prodding made him laugh aloud, unable to hide the smug satisfaction he always felt when emotion broke through Tseng's stoic veil.
Tseng brushed Reno's hand away and rubbed his nose as the gentle tapping made it itch. He drank in Reno's amused laugh happily, unable to get enough of the kind laughter that was for him but not directed at him. There was a mirth to Reno's laughter that made Tseng's own chest bubble with the element and in no time at all they were tittering like school girls as they tried to eat their lunch. They joked and ate, for a short period of time simply enjoying being alive. Their simple pleasures soon faded as the crunch of feet on grass permeated their porous laughter.
Tseng should have known their peaceful solitude would be encroached upon eventually, watching the fast moving demons with distaste as he helped Reno pack up their lunch. He hurried to drag Reno to his feet and get them away from their now worthless hiding place but was knocked to the ground before he could gain his bearings. He lashed out impulsively as he watched one of the filthy demons grab Reno by the hair and was brutally kicked for his efforts. He rolled to his hands and knees even as the lung emptying kicks tried to force him back to the ground. Reno struggled and yelled for him to run as the metal lunchbox collided with his skull but Tseng refused to flee like a coward, even when blood started to sting his eyes. He grabbed the bloody lunchbox as it made its descent towards his face and pulled the demon to the ground with him, biting, kicking, punching, and scratching every foul inch of the beast that he could reach. Sounds of Reno doing the same reached his ears as he used the dented lunchbox as a weapon against the now bleeding demon below him. He heard Reno yell with pain and launched himself from the cowering form of his demon, lunging for the sharp fanged monster that was tracing a knife down Reno's pale chest.
Reno squirmed as he was put into a very effective headlock, watching the two scenes unfold around him helplessly. Tseng, quiet, calm, beautiful Tseng, was bleeding and screaming with rage as he caused more damage than Reno would have ever thought him capable of. Reno couldn't concentrate long on the harsh sounds of metal against bone as his own discomfort peaked. His shoulders were wrenched backwards and his arms were dangling helplessly above his head, flailing at the elbows as he desperately tried to free himself. One of the hands rendering his arms useless shifted and withdrew a knife from a deep pocket as the other hand kept his movements futile. Reno squirmed and writhed, trying to show as little fear and emotion as Tseng did when he was taking damage. He heard the gentle snick of the knife being flicked open and couldn't contain the fearful whimper that pushed past his lips. His struggling became more frantic as the knife poked into his chest and pulled a sharp cry of pain from his throat as it drew a thin line through his shirt and down his chest. A harsh voice whispered in his thrashing ear. "Why couldn't you just keep ta yerself kid? None of this would be happenin' if you'da just kept yer trap shut and laughed with the rest of 'em." Reno felt the knife drag lower and stopped his struggles so that the knife wouldn't go any deeper than it already had. His very organs pulsed with fear as the shallow scratch wound down to his stomach, threatening to stab through his suddenly thin flesh and pierce his delicate insides. He felt a heavy weight crash into his side and whimpered with relief as the knife was pulled from his chest. He landed on the ground and curled in on himself as his blood dripped from the gash in thin red rivulets, staining the green grass below him.
Tseng took the knife in his hand and plunged it deep into the arm of the monstrous creature beneath him as he smashed the barely recognizable lunchbox against a thick skull. A few bloody tainted tears leaked from his eyes as he viciously attacked the fiend that had laughed while it cut open his Reno. He didn't stop until he could barely lift his arm, unable to recognize the blood splattered face whose eyes rolled up at him. He wiped his dented forehead on the back of his hand, unable to differentiate his blood from the blood of the fiend that had splattered onto him.
Pained whimpers reached his ears and he crawled towards Reno, ignoring the demon's threats as it picked itself and its sobbing companion up off of the ground. He gave an empty retch as the taste of blood filled his mouth, his shaking arms still pulling him towards Reno. Reno was curled in on himself, hands trying to hold in the blood running slowly from the thankfully thin wound. Tseng rolled Reno onto his side and examined him head to foot, sighing with relief as he found that there was only one short gash causing his friend pain. A few drops of his own blood dripped onto Reno's already stained shirt, tiny crimson roses blossoming alongside the red river already running down the white fabric.
He pulled Reno to his feet, both of them needing to use the other for a crutch as they turned shaky footsteps towards Reno's home. No one stopped them as they left the bloody patch of grass behind and left the school and its horrors behind. There was no going back to school after what had just happened outside its doors.
Tseng curled one hand around Reno's waist and pressed the other against the bleeding line in his friend's chest, silently pleading with Gaia to make the wound stop crying crimson tears. He could feel Reno's hand alongside his own and watched the blood drip from between their intertwined fingers as he led them home, his steps heavy and staggering. A gentle thump pounded against his hand, the pulse constantly reassuring him that Reno was very much alive in his arms. The vital thud of Reno's heart against his hand gave his relentless fear less power. Once their steps turned into Reno's driveway he sighed with relief, knowing that there were enough band-aids and washcloths to dress wounds twice as deep as what Reno had sustained inside the welcoming brick home before them.
Reno tugged his keys out of his pocket and let them in, his hand leaving a bloody print on the doorknob. He shut it behind them and kicked his shoes off, motioning for Tseng to do the same. No matter how hurt he was there was no way in hell he was going to track dirt and mud into his mothers house. They staggered up the steps and into his bedroom, practically throwing themselves into the bathroom he had all to himself. Reno sat on the edge of the tub and cradled his bleeding chest, whimpering with the stings every pound of his heart pushed through the wound. He knew the cut wasn't enough to kill him as it was already starting to stop its bloody tirade, scabbing over as it congealed shut. He sniffed and tried to control his whimpers as Tseng ripped open his shirt, buttons flying in all directions. A cool cloth was pressed over the wound and it gently passed over the bloody spot, soothing as it cleaned the angry flesh.
Tseng worked quietly, all of his focus on Reno and the rip in his middle. He payed the drips of blood falling into his eyes no mind as he tried to fix Reno's hurt. He could tell Reno was doing his best not to cry, but he had given in to the tears that dripped down his nose before they had ever reached the house. Worry plagued his mind as vividly painful memories of his father making the same type of incision across his chest sulied his thoughts. He tried to stop the sanity shattering remembrances that made his hands tremble as he cleaned and covered the thin scratch like Reno had done for him after his pain-filled encounters with his parents. The flood gate to his dammed fears had crashed open and refused to close, his rationality drowning in the swirling tides of unpleasant memories and remembered hurts. It wasn't until Reno's cut was papered over with bandages that he started to relax, the fear ebbing slightly as their cause was taken away. He kept his hands on Reno's chest as blood continued to drip slowly over his nose, trying to control his frightened sobs as they shook his thin frame.
Reno watched Tseng's blood tear stained face as he pulled bloody hands from his torso and wiped them clean. He cleaned the cut that seeped above Tseng's brow and bandaged it before wrapping his arms around the shaking boy as his own pain faded. He felt fingers dig into his back as he held Tseng close and murmured quiet reassurances into his ear as he held the frail, trembling frame close. Tears soon mixed with the blood stains on his shirt and he cradled Tseng to him as tight as he could, waiting for the quivering body in his arms to still. He felt a short whisper brush across his neck and he shivered slightly. "What Tseng?"
Tseng lifted his head to look up at Reno, needing to meet his eyes as he spoke. "I'm sorry." It was all he could think to say, and he didn't feel it was enough.
"Don't be! You're not the one that cut me." Reno brushed one hand over Tseng's cheek, catching a few tears on his fingers. He stared at wet black eyes and nearly lost himself in the undeniable urge to kiss Tseng's soft face dry. He licked his lips and moved down, ready to obey the demands of his desire despite the consequences. A harsh knock sounded on the door and he pulled away quickly, rocketing to his feet to open the door before his mother could. Reno didn't know why, but he didn't want her to know about his feelings for Tseng. As far as she was concerned Tseng was his best friend and nothing more. Even Tseng didn't know about his feelings, but Reno figured that the near kiss just moments ago probably shone some light on the matter. Eventually he would have to talk to Tseng about it and let him know before he did something stupid and pushed him away. He had only managed to keep his hands to himself because of his undeniable fear that Tseng would be afraid or disgusted by his desires.
Reno had never seen his mothers lips stretched so thinly. She scowled down at him as she examined their tattered shirts and bloody band-aids with distaste. "I want an explanation now."
Reno took a deep breath and began his hasty narration of their story. "We were eating lunch and these guys jumped us and one of 'em got Tseng and the other one got me and Tseng beat them both up with my lunchbox but not before the first guy tried to cut out my guts we're okay though 'cause we bandaged each other up see?" Reno pointed at the bandages that coated his chest to prove his point.
His mother's face fell and she looked between the two with a worried expression. "You were attacked during school hours? On school grounds!?"
Reno rolled his eyes at her before answering. "Ma we get attacked during school hours on school grounds every day!"
Her lips drew into a tighter line and she wrapped him in a hug before moving to give Tseng the same treatment. "You shoulda told me! I'm callin' the school! There's no way this is goin' ta continue on my watch!"
Reno grabbed her arm as she moved to leave the bathroom. "Ma that'll only make it worse! They're already after us 'cause we exist, why give them an actual reason ta wail on us?"
Reno's mother shook him off of her arm and shook a disapproving finger in his face. "Don't ya tell me what ta do Reno Sinclair! Your principal will get a call first thing in the mornin'!" She ruffled his hair kindly, mussing it so that the untidy red-spikes splayed in all directions. "I gotta work double shifts tonight so I won't be able ta call today. I want you boys ta stay in the house though, no going out ta try and blow up that rocket alright? If it's alright with Tseng's parents he can stay the night since I won't be around ta drive him home." Mrs. Sinclair gave Tseng a warm smile before leaving the room. A kind good-bye chased after her and the boys listened to the gentle hum of her car as it pulled out of the drive.
Reno turned back to Tseng with a happy smile. "So how about it? Wanna sleep over?" He couldn't have asked for a better plan for the evening. If Tseng stayed at his house all night then he could protect him and none of the harsh gashes that crisscrossed Tseng's body would reopen without his permission. Reno's head swam with the happy thoughts of an undamaged Tseng and he let his hopes raise to the ceiling as he eagerly waited for Tseng's answer.
Tseng was still crouched on the floor in the same position Reno had left him in, confusion running through his mind as he tried to concentrate on the words being spoken. He tried to shake the heady feeling that kept his legs from pushing him upright but failed, deciding to stay on the floor until the feeling passed. He was sure that Reno had just been seconds away from kissing him and that made his head spiral out of control. The fact that he was being offered a safe haven for the night only increased the strange euphoria and he didn't hesitate to answer. "Of course!" He paused as he remembered what Reno's mother had said about his parents, knowing that calling them was out of the question. He quickly thought up a lie to try and keep Reno from making him reveal his home life. "My parents are out of town right now, does it really matter if I call and ask them?"
Reno shrugged. "If they aren't going to notice who cares?" He took his ruined shirt and tossed it into the trash-can, knowing that no amount of bleach would be able to remove the bloody stains.
Tseng sighed with relief and raised himself up on shaky legs, wobbling slightly as he stood. He smiled as Reno reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him downstairs and into the kitchen. Reno busied himself making food, trying to recreate the lunch that had been destroyed while Tseng watched him with unguarded interest. They ate happily, trying to pretend that nothing had happened at school or in the bathroom. After dinner they watched television, lounging on the couch together as they joked and laughed. Tseng couldn't have planned a happier way to pass the time if he tried.
They almost fell asleep on the couch, Reno jerking to awareness before he managed to doze with his head in Tseng's lap. He turned off the TV and dragged Tseng off of the couch, guiding his stumbling friend up the stairs. Tseng yawned as Reno tossed him some spare pajamas, pulling them on while Reno tactfully averted his eyes and changed himself. He pushed Tseng onto the bed and cuddled up beside him after turning off the light. Reno rested his head on Tseng's chest, grinning happily as warm arms surrounded him and cuddled him back without hesitation. He listened to Tseng's breathing even out as he fell asleep, the pain of the day completely forgotten as he lay in his angel's arms.
Author's Note: This story has the least dialogue of any story I have ever written ever! I hope that doesn't bother anybody but if it does, too bad! :) So far everyone seems to like this story, so I'm going to keep it going! Thanks for all the kind reviews!