Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, scenery, or towns; Square Enix does.
39 – Chains
Reno sank down until the warm water was just under his nose and made a contented sound. He wasn't usually a bath person, preferring showers instead; however, he couldn't deny that a good soaking was soothing. The three of them had been in the water for perhaps 15 minutes and in that time his muscles had relaxed and his head had stopped pounding. Soothing indeed.
The redhead slouched on one of the natural rock benches in the shallow end of Sephiroth's huge tub. It was more like a hot tub than a bathtub but he wasn't complaining. Currently the silver was seated across from him, eying Genesis, who was drifting ever closer. Instead of sitting the auburn floated motionless on his back. Reno couldn't tell if the man was awake or asleep. Perhaps he'd drifted off, thinking his companions wouldn't allow him to drown, which was true. The STC continued to drift toward Sephiroth and when he was within' range the silver leaned forward slightly and poked Genesis on the top of the head, sending the auburn back the way he'd come. Genesis smirked but kept his eyes closed. Guess he's awake.
With a chuckle the Turk brought his mouth out of the water and yawned, thinking the water's magic was a maybe a bit too calming. There was no way he should be tired. He'd gotten up less than two hours ago and had slept soundly the entire night, yet felt that he could fall asleep at any moment. Thinking conversation would be good he spoke but wished he would have put more thought onto it. Saying what was on his mind wasn't always a good thing after all. "Earlier ya said 'I'm hardly worried about being molested'. Why?"
"Excuse me?"
No sense turning back now. "Well, I mean ya said that after I promised no kinky stuff, but still, are ya not worried because yer confident you can take both of us yo?"
"Perhaps I simply took you at your word."
"Perhaps… or perhaps ya wouldn't mind us molestin' ya."
"Reno!" The water sloshed as Genesis righted himself and swarm toward the Turk and Sephiroth.
"What?" the Turk chuckled. "It was an innocent question yo!"
"Innocent my ass," the auburn grumbled. "That was the definition of a loaded question. Where are your manners for Gaia's Sake? There is a thing called tact. Heard of it?"
"Meh, tact is overrated. What's the big deal anyway?" the Turk said as Genesis slithered across him, sat on the bench to his left, and glared at him. "Oh come on, he's not pissed so why are you?"
"I'm not pissed; I'm exasperated by your rudeness."
"How the hell am I bein' rude? I was curious so I asked a simple question!" Reno snipped, not willing to admit he'd spoken before thinking.
"You know he's not good with certain things."
"He ain't an idiot either."
"You both realize I'm still sitting here, correct?" Both redhead's gaze whipped toward the silver and he chuckled. "Do you always fight like this?"
"Sorry Seph and we ain't fighting, we're bickering yo."
"I see. Do you bicker all the time?"
"I'm sorry as well and no, we don't bicker all the time, only half," Genesis replied.
"Half? Maybe a third," corrected Reno.
Sephiroth smiled, thinking they were still bickering. "So this is a normal event then?"
"Yeah, pretty much yo."
"Interesting."
"Anyway, didn't mean to annoy ya or make ya uncomfortable," the Turk stated.
"I know. I'm used to your bluntness and as I've previously stated I find it refreshing. That said, I must say your question threw me off."
"Heh, sorry."
"It's alright."
"So, eh, what's yer answer?"
"Reno!"
"What?"
"Why would you want to molest me?" the silver injected. The duo turned toward him and blinked slowly, expressions equally unreadable.
"Yer kiddin', right?" Reno said after a small delay. The silver's expression didn't change and he glanced at Genesis, whose face clearly stated 'you dug the hole, get yourself out.' Damnit. "Okay, let's be clear here, we'd never, I'd never do anything ya didn't want to do, so maybe molest ain't the greatest term."
"I understand what you mean by the word. Regardless, why would you want me, willingly or otherwise?"
"Eh, ya make it sound like no one should, or would, want you."
"I find the concept surprising and foreign and you dodged the question."
"I'm pretty sure I've already established yer attractive. Why wouldn't I want you yo?"
"You have Genesis. Isn't he enough?"
"Yeah Reno, aren't I good enough for you?"
"That's not- I didn- just forget it! Now I know why curiosity killed the cat. Damn!" As the Turk slipped lower in the water, sulking, he caught Genesis and Sephiroth's mischievous smirks. "Yer both friggin' screwing with me!"
"I wondered when your slow ass would catch up," laughed Genesis.
"I'm not slow! He's hard to read and you ain't much easier sometimes," the Turk defended himself.
"I was not screwing with you, I merely turned the table on you, as they say," grinned Sephiroth.
"Jerks."
"Now, now, don't be a poor loser," the auburn chuckled.
"Heh, keep talkin' and I'll show you a poor loser," Reno snickered. He was going to ask the silver why he found the idea of someone wanting him 'surprising and foreign' but didn't have the chance as Genesis spoke, abruptly changing the topic.
"I hate to say it but we should probably discuss our next move. Have you and Reno discussed anything?"
"Nothing concrete. Aside from the fact that it would be unwise to go after Hojo that is," the silver replied.
"What? Why?"
"We would draw unwanted attention to ourselves."
"So what? The bastard tried to kill me and you expect me to just leave it be?"
"Yes."
"I can't do that! I won't do that!"
"You have to Gen," Reno said quietly. "We all have to."
"It's absurd Reno! How many people do you think he's killed and how many more will follow? We can't just let him continue!"
"We don't have a choice."
"There is always a choice!"
"Not this time. Doing anything is best and for our own good."
"We aren't helpless," Genesis snipped.
"I didn't mean that we're helpless, I mean that it's the only chance we have. Like it or not it's our best option right now yo"
"Elaborate," Sephiroth said.
The Turk inhaled deeply. "When we talked about this the other day you said we have the upper hand and yer right. We have some knowledge but we need more. Knowledge is power but only if you have enough of it."
"Fuck knowledge," the auburn snapped. "I want him dead."
"You don't get it Gen."
"Then help me get it."
"During the Turk Desertion Shinra didn't want us dead because we went rogue, were supposedly traitors, or because we allegedly kidnapped Rufus. Simply put he wanted us dead because we know too much."
"What do you mean supposedly and allegedly?" Sephiroth asked. "The Turks did go rogue and you did kidnap Rufus. More than once I believe."
"Yer only half right. We did go rogue but never kidnapped Rufus."
"You didn't?"
"No. He was always in on it with us yo."
"Is President Shinra aware of that fact?" the silver asked.
"Yeah."
"I see. Still there is the matter of being rogues."
"True, but killing Veld and his daughter was supposed to absolve us of that, which it didn't."
"You didn't really kill him though," Genesis pointed out.
"True again, but Shinra doesn't know that. So far as he's concerned Veld and his daughter are dead. Hell, I thought they were dead for a while and lost it. Point is I was there and I believed it. Shinra wasn't there so there is no way he doesn't believe it."
"What happened to their bodies?" inquired Sephiroth.
"Once we got to Midgar we covertly switched 'em with some corpuses and burn 'em. Under Shinra's orders mind you."
"I see. The Turks that defected with Veld, they still have a Kill On Sight order against them don't they?"
"Yeah but that's not the point. The point is he wanted us all dead, whether we'd defected or not and regardless of what we'd done or not done."
"Why?" Genesis asked.
"Why indeed," grinned Reno. "We know too much. Like I said, knowledge is power and the Turks have a lot of it. We're a black ops group who not only specialize in obtaining information, we specialize in the use of it as well."
"What do you mean?" the auburn probed.
"Not only do we know where the bodies are buried, we know why. Course we also know the how but that's not nearly as important as the other two yo."
"In other words you believe President Shinra wanted the Turks out of the way because any one of you could effectively destroy the company."
"It ain't just President Shinra. Lot of department heads would breathe a lot easier with us gone and I don't believe I'm right, I know I'm right."
"Do you have proof?" inquired Sephiroth.
"Not really but think about it, not only did he not kill us he put his son, the very son who conspired with us, in charge of the department. Who in their right mind would put a group of purported traitors, and highly skilled ones at that, together like that?"
"No one."
"Exactly, which means he never really thought we were traitors in the first place. At least not all of us. That makes ya wonder why he and some of the others tried so hard to whack us. Gotta be because of what we know and what they're afraid we may have: solid evidence."
"Do any of you have any?"
"I won't speak for the others but I do. I have orders from department heads, reports, even video and audio in some cases." Neither SOLDIER looked surprised by his confession. "Needless to say I'm trusting ya here."
"That was a veiled 'don't talk or else' threat wasn't it?" inquired Sephiroth.
"If you wanna look at it that way, yeah." The two men grinned at each other.
"While all this is very interesting what does it have to do with the current situation? My situation," Genesis asked.
"In a way you're situation is similar to that of the Turks. You have knowledge that could probably destroy Hojo and perhaps the entire Science Department. Yer kinda like a loaded gun just waitin' to be fired."
"Which just gives him more reason to try and kill me again."
"Not if you act like nothing happened."
"What?" the auburn breathed.
"Seriously, the best thing you can do right now is act like nothing happened. He'll think you don't remember or he'll think you're playing the game."
"The game?"
"Ya know, the one where people leave each other be because each has dirt on the other. Usually results in a stalemate because both sides are afraid to make the first move because doing so is likely to end badly for both parties. If that's the case, why bother with it?"
"This isn't a game though."
"Unfortunately it is," Sephiroth stated.
"No matter how ya look at it if you act like nothing happened Hojo's probably gonna back off for fear of what you might know and aren't saying. Think of it as silent blackmail."
"That's a big probably Reno," sighed Genesis.
"I hear ya and I'm not fond of it either, but like it or not it's the best option. If we attack him we'll either die in the initial fight or in the aftermath. Let's face it, if we go after him he'll run straight to Shinra and tell him any number of things to get the fat bastard to come after us."
"Like what?"
"We're out of control, we're traitors, we're crazy. Whatever he happens to think of to convince Shinra we're dangerous and need to be taken out. Even worse he might want us alive to experiment with. Whatever the reason Shinra relies on the Science Department heavily and he'll come down on us like a fat Chocobo."
The three fell silent, considering their predicament and their options. None of them liked it but none could think of a better solution than the one proposed. In the end it was decided that once Genesis's condition was manageable and once Reno had spoken with some of his sources within Midgar, they would return to the city. From there they would do their best to gather intel and keep an eye on Hojo without drawing attention to themselves. The more they knew the better and perhaps an opportunity to destroy him one way or another would present itself.
Once everyone had scrubbed themselves clean the trio returned to the hut. Sephiroth began preparing a late breakfast while Reno and Genesis remained in the living room. The auburn sat in the chair, which was folded up, and the Turk flopped on the still folded out bed. The redhead lounged on his right side facing the kitchen and used his hand to prop up his head.
"Where are ya from Gen?"
"Where are you from?"
"Midgar, Sector 3."
"I'm from Banora."
"Don't they export apple juice or somethin'?"
"Yes. Banora White Juice."
"Never had it. Is it good yo?"
"I think so."
"I'll have to try it sometime then," the Turk idly replied. "Banora's somewhere in the Mideel Islands ain't it?" The auburn nodded. "What's it like down there?"
"Same as anywhere else really."
Reno squinted at the STC, sensing his guard was up. "I know you're touchy and have trust issues but I ain't asking for your life story or anything yo."
"What's that supposed to mean?" snipped the auburn.
"It means why are you being so defensive?"
"I… habit I guess."
Genesis watched as Reno laid his head down on his upper arm with a wiggle and a sigh. It looked like the Turk was on the edge of sleep but he knew better. "The weather in Banora isn't that different from Mideel. It's warm bordering on hot and can get quite humid. In general Banora is wealthier than Mideel though," he said after an interval of silence. "We have houses instead of shacks, the town is clear of debris, things like that."
"Yeah, I heard Mideel was kinda run down. Never been there though." The auburn shrugged. "Banora ain't all that big is it?"
"No bigger than a village really."
"I'd probably go crazy there yo."
"Why's that?"
"I'm a city boy. Takes a lot to amuse me."
Genesis chuckled. "Banora might be a whole in the wall but most find ways to amuse themselves. Mostly country bumpkin stuff, like climbing trees, picking apples, and exploring, but those things can still be fun."
"Guess that wouldn't be too bad. Probably safer than using construction sites as yer playground."
"You played in construction zones?" the auburn asked, eyes wide. The Turk nodded. "Did your parents know?"
"Dunno. If they did they probably didn't care. Both of them worked construction so to them it was probably perfectly normal."
"Well I suppose that explains why you're so agile."
"Maybe," Reno replied, thinking that the Mako running through his veins probably had something to do with that as well. He'd intentionally left that tidbit out of his earlier explanation, as well as a few other things. For starters, he wasn't sure how to bring some of it up. Secondly he figured it might be better to dole out information slowly, giving the SOLDIER time to process things.
"Breakfast is ready."
"About time!" the redhead chirped.
"You're enthusiasm for food has yet failed to amaze me," the silver chuckled as Reno eagerly plopped into a kitchen chair. Genesis sat next to the Turk with a grin. "There are green peppers, red peppers, and onions in the scrambled eggs. I hope you don't mind."
"Fine with me," Reno replied, licking his lips and sticking his tongue out.
"I don't mind," said the STC, eyeing a large plate with pieces of bread stacked on it. "What is that?"
"Arme Ridder. It is an ethnic dish with variations in Nibelheim and Kalm. Basically it's made by taking leftover bread, dipping it in a mixture of egg and milk, coating it in cinnamon and sugar, and then frying it in a pan. Some people pour syrup upon it while others eat it without."
"Sounds yummy."
"How the hell haven't ya ever had arme ridder before yo?"
"I don't share your keen interest in food."
"Come on, even Seph's had it before!"
Genesis shrugged. "When I was a child my parents didn't let me eat much junk food and in their eyes, anything and everything that was sweet was junk food. I did get the occasional pancakes or sweet roll for breakfast, but that's about the extent of it. Now I eat sweets but I don't go out of my way for them nor am I very adventurous in the kitchen."
"I wasn't allowed many sweets either," the silver stated.
"You were both deprived as hell," grumbled Reno, shaking his head. "All that stuff about sweets rotting your teeth and making you fat is crap. Unless you don't brush your teeth and do nothing but sit on your ass all day that is."
"I take it you were never denied the finer things in life?" Genesis asked as the silver began filling everyone's plates.
"Heh, my parents didn't give a damn what I ate. Besides, money was tight and junk food is cheaper than the healthy stuff so that was usually what was in the house." The auburn started to say something but stopped at a glance at Sephiroth. "Go ahead. He knows my parents sucked."
"Oh." Genesis knew it was stupid but for some reason he was annoyed. It hadn't been easy for Reno to tell him anything but he'd told the SSC? Jealous much? Obviously, but at the same time he was happy that the two were getting along. Can't win can I? "I-It's stupid really. I was just wondering if you had any friends."
"Friends?" The auburn nodded. "I had a few. Why?"
"Well, since your parents basically left you alone all the time I was thinking you must have been lonely unless you had friends."
"There were a few other kids in the neighborhood I ran around with sometimes. Other than that I was fine on my own."
"Do you still talk to any of them?" Genesis asked, watching the Turk shake hot sauce onto his eggs.
"Not really."
"Why not?" Sephiroth queried, unable to help himself. It was clear Reno wasn't entirely comfortable with the subject but his lack of information on matters such as friendship got the better of him.
"It's complicated," sighed the redhead, taking a bite of scrambled eggs. Genesis and Sephiroth exchanged a glance that he took to mean 'don't press him'. The look was too close to pity and he hated it. "Most of 'em ended up in gangs. Hell, one of them even runs one. If I talk to them now it's usually to gather intel and it's dangerous because none of them have a clue I work for Shinra. If they found out…"
"They don't like Shinra?" the silver asked.
"Not especially, but it ain't Shinra per say. It's more they hate any form of authority yo."
"I'm sorry," whispered Genesis, focusing on his food. Reno shrugged and he took a bite of the arme ridder. "Mmm, this is good."
"Heh, told ya you were deprived," Reno chuckled.
"You were right."
The Turk finished his eggs and moved onto the arme ridder himself. "You really need to quit so I can hire you as my personal chief Sephiroth." The silver smiled. "So Gen, was the transition from backwater boy to chic SOLDIER a painful one?"
"Chic?" Genesis giggled.
"Ya know what I mean."
"I do and no, not really. My parents were wealthy and I was expected to dress and act accordingly. Otherwise, I should be seen and not heard. SOLDIER isn't that different really."
"You were unhappy," said Sephiroth. It wasn't a question but a statement.
"Not entirely. It's true my parents and I didn't see eye to eye, especially as I got older, nor was I particularly fond of Banora and its inhabitants but it could have been worse. I had Angeal anyway and when things got really annoying at home I stayed with him."
"Yer parents were okay with that?" Reno asked, nibbling on a slice of orange.
"Must have been because they never said a word about it nor did they stop me. I used to think they were afraid of driving me further away but I'm not sure that had anything to do with it at all."
The auburn's words were quiet, giving Reno pause. He was interested in the man's background but it was obviously a touchy topic. Truth be told he was amazed Genesis had said as much as he had. Getting the man to talk about himself had always been like trying to tame a Mandragora.
Although the Turk wanted to know more about Genesis's parents and his relationship with them he decided not to push it. He couldn't tell if the man was angry, frustrated, or disappointed with them but he thought any of those could be a bad thing right now. Just because the auburn was acting normally didn't mean he wouldn't snap in a heartbeat. They were probably going to be here for a few more days more at least so he had time. "What was Angeal like as a kid yo?" he asked, trying to keep the conversation going but steer it into an area the STC was more comfortable with.
Scowling, Genesis finished his arme ridder and took a few bites of eggs. Reno wasn't stupid so the man knew he didn't want to talk about his past, but instead of letting the matter drop he'd started using interrogation techniques: if a topic is uncomfortable to a prisoner, switch it but keep them talking. Interrogators always tried to befriend prisoners while simultaneously keeping them off balance. He remembered a previous incident with Tseng and wondered if all Turks treated everyone as suspects in a crime.
Out of the corner of his left eye Reno fidgeted and rolled a sausage link around on his plate. Genesis froze, his own empty fork halfway between his plate and his mouth. He mentally cursed himself and fought not to physically slap himself in the face. He was the one with a problem, not Reno. The redhead hadn't been trying to interrogate him. The man just wanted to get to know him better, that was all.
Still cursing his overly suspicious nature and trust issues Genesis speared a piece of egg. As he lifted the fork his eyes landed on Sephiroth's. The silver's head was slightly titled and he had a curious expression on his face. It was part 'Genesis is a wee touchy', part 'I wonder if I should feel sorry for Reno', part 'what's the crazy STC going to do next', part 'maybe I should get out of the line of fire just in case he snaps', and part 'people are interesting'. A laugh started to bubble out of his throat and he quickly slapped his left hand over his mouth to secure it. His right hand still held the loaded fork and the egg jiggled as he silently giggled.
"I can still see the amusement in your eyes," Sephiroth stated in a dry tone. He sighed as the STC removed his hand and burst out laughing.
"I miss somethin'?" asked Reno, eating the last bit of sausage.
The silver shook his head. "Genesis apparently finds me amusing and has a tendency to randomly succumb to fits of laughter in my presence."
"Heh, there are worse things yo."
"True. He could randomly throw fireballs at me. At least that I could understand. He wouldn't be the first to find me a threat but he is the first to find me amusing."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Genesis gasped. "I know it's rude but I can't help it."
"I've grown accustomed to it," shrugged Sephiroth.
The auburn got himself under control and took a sip of orange juice. "It's still rude and I'm still sorry. I also owe you an apology Reno."
"Eh? Why?"
Genesis waved away the redhead's query. "In answer to your earlier question 'Geal hasn't changed much from when he was younger. He was always kind, tried to help everyone he could, and tried to get everyone to get along. Things didn't always work out or go as planned but he'd make the best of things."
"Guys like that usually likes a quiet life in a quiet town with a nice wife, a pack of kids, and a dog," the Turk commented.
The auburn nodded. "I used to whine and complain when I had to help with harvest. I hated getting apple gunk under my fingernails and having bugs crawling all over me but 'Geal never minded. He'd say that the dirt and grime was worth the reward of hauling in a good harvest. He once told me he looked forward to having kids and teaching them how to harvest and live off the land." Genesis's face fell then became a mask of anger. "It's because of me that he left such dreams behind and joined SOLDIER."
"He told the Turks it was because he wanted to do something that mattered," Reno commented, remembering when Elena had asked him why he'd joined up. His first response had been that he'd followed his best friend but the redhead wasn't going to share that.
Genesis snorted. "That may be what he tells people but it isn't why he joined. At a very young age 'Geal appointed himself my defender, my protector. He would run interference and reduce conflict whenever he could, but if that failed he would raise his fists and fight for me. From the moment I told him I was leaving until I stepped on the plane to the Eastern Continent 'Geal begged me to change my mind." The auburn paused and caught sight of Sephiroth's confused expression. "What?"
"You did not come to Midgar together?"
"Yeah we did. He followed me all the way from Banora to the airstrip, telling me it wasn't too late to change my mind. Once we got to the plane, I gave my bag to the pilot, hugged him, said goodbye, and got on without looking back. I sat down and a few minutes later he sat down next to me, right before the thing took off for Junon. I stared stupidly at him and started to protest. He didn't even have a bag for Planet's Sake! Before I could utter a word he smiled and said 'there is no way in Gaia I'm letting you do this alone'."
"He just got on a plane and left?" Reno asked, amazed. Genesis nodded. "What about his family? Are they all gone or something?"
"No. His mother and father are both still alive. He doesn't have any siblings or extended family though."
"So he just walked out of Banora and got on a plane with you without saying a word?"
"No, he'd already told his family goodbye the night before." The Turk's eyes widened and he chuckled. "I wasn't aware of that until we touched down since I was so upset with him that I didn't say one word to him the entire flight. When we finally landed I commandeered the first PHS I saw, which happened to be some poor dockworkers in Junon, and called Gillian, Angeal's Mom. I told her how that her son was an idiot and had run away with nothing but the clothes on his back. I kept telling her I was sorry because he'd followed me and that I'd do my best to find someone to take him back to Banora. She listened to my explanation and crying without a word as she was used to my, eh, temperament. When I was finished she told me she didn't understand, that Angeal had told them goodbye the night before and said that he would call them when we arrived in Midgar."
Genesis paused and leaned back in his chair. Sephiroth and Reno exchanged a quick glance, then their eyes landed on him once more and he laughed. "I swear that moment is forever burned in my mind. 'Geal was standing four feet in front of me with his arms crossed and a faint smile. The dockworker had long ago stopped trying to get his PHS back and just stood by, making sure I didn't take off with it. On top of that a small crowd had gathered, wondering why a short, skinny little redheaded kid was having hysterics on the dock." The auburn once again laughed and stretched his legs out.
"Anyway, after staring at 'Geal with my mouth hanging open for a minute I apologized to Gillian, told her I hadn't meant to worry her and that I had obviously misunderstood. Finally I hung up and gave the guy his PHS back. Angeal walked over, grabbed my bag, and headed toward our connecting flight to Midgar. On the way there he told me he never thought he'd be able to talk me out joining SOLIDER and had planned accordingly. He'd been saving money for months to purchase passage to Midgar right along with me. The night before I was to leave he had sat his parents down and told them that unless some miracle occurred, he was going to Midgar with me."
"I was stunned. I knew we were friends but I couldn't believe he'd left everything behind to stay by my side. During the flight to Midgar, I tried to talk him out of it. I told him he'd be miserable as a SOLDIER and that he should go back to Banora. He said 'we'll see' and we didn't talk for the rest of the flight."
Genesis paused and Reno figured he was taking a breather. When he didn't continue, he started to prompt him but Sephiroth beat him to it. "What happened next?"
"We arrived in Midgar," the auburn shrugged. "My original plan had been to spend a day or two in the city before heading to Shinra, but by that point I was so upset with Angeal that I just wanted to get it over with, so I marched straight to the Tower with 'Geal in tow. Back then, the first thing they did was take a small blood sample to see if you were compatible enough with Mako. After about an hour a woman came out, handed me a folder, and said 'welcome to Shinra.' Angeal sighed, stood, and said he'd to join as well. It wasn't until I watched him walk away with the woman that I realized he'd been hoping I'd fail the blood test and that we could go home."
"Ouch," Reno said.
"I was pissed at first too, until I realized I was doing the same thing he had done."
"What do ya mean yo?"
"While I waited I kept hoping he'd fail the test so he could go home. A few minutes after he left he returned and sat where he was before. After a while the same woman came out, handed him an identical folder, and told us to be in the lobby the following day at 09:00 hundred hours. We showed up and the first thing they did was hand us the SOLDIER contract. Without even looking at 'Geal I signed it and handed it back. He said 'guess that's it then' before signing his own and handing it over."
After a long interlude in which Sephiroth began clearing the table, Reno said, "Damn man, I don't know what to say."
"For a long time neither did I," Genesis chuckled. "At first I was pissed off. For years I figured he thought I was weak and pathetic and that was why he looked out for me, but to go to such lengths? I honestly didn't know how to handle it. I still don't really and I've never stopped blaming myself for what happened. We're still friends and all but things are a bit more strained than they used to be."
"Nothing that happened was your fault," the silver said, picking up the auburn's plate.
"You were listening, right? He only came to Midgar and joined SOLDIER because of me."
"Unless you can implant thoughts and control others actions the choice was always his. Perhaps he simply didn't have the courage to leave Banora and seek his future on his own so he convinced himself that he must keep an eye on you."
"Heh, you should listen to this guy yo," Reno chuckled, standing and heading to the kitchen sink. "He knows his stuff."
"You think he would have left Banora anyway?"
"I think he wanted to leave Banora but might not have. The easiest path in life is to do nothing except follow the one laid out before you. It is highly possible he would have done just that even if he longed for something else. You, on the other hand, refused to followed your preset path and perhaps gave him courage to do so himself.
"You make it sound like he's a mindless follower."
"That was not my intention. I'm merely stating that perhaps you solidified his resolve to seek bigger dreams than those he currently entertained."
Genesis crossed his arms in thought. He felt a lot better about what happened when put together the way Sephiroth perceived it. Angeal had always wanted to help people and while he helped the people in Banora whenever he got the chance, there was a whole world out there full of people in need. His family had been poor so it was unlikely he would have been able to travel on his own. On the other hand, by joining SOLDIER doors that were previously closed to him had opened. Now he could and did help people all over Gaia.
The auburn sighed and felt a pang of guilt in his chest. For two years he'd blamed himself for Angeal's joining SOLDIER and whether Sephiroth was right or not, he had a feeling there was much more to his friends decision than he'd realized. He claimed to know Angeal well but he was the one who had believed he was a mindless follower. Gods how well did he really know his friend? Even if Angeal didn't volunteer information wasn't it his job to ask? Yet he hadn't. I'm a piss poor friend. The thought struck a nerve but didn't bother him much because it was something he already knew.
As children Angeal had gone out of his way to help him and make him feel accepted. When others ignored him it was Angeal who offered a hand of friendship. When he was left out of group activities Angeal would find something for just the two of them to do. When he was sick Angeal would sit by his bed and watch over him. Simply put, no matter what Angeal had been there for him, but looking back he couldn't say the same for himself. All I ever did was listen. A good listener could be valuable and hard to find but surely a friend should be more than that.
"I'm going for a walk," Genesis said, standing and heading for the door. "Eh, by the way, what happened to my boots?"
"Dunno. Ya didn't have any when ya showed up on Mt. Corel yo."
"Was I, ah, clothed?"
"Yeah," chuckled the Turk. "You had yer uniform on but Seph trashed it and we put ya in that one."
"Fine by me," Genesis replied, not the least embarrassed that the silver had probably seen him naked. Privacy took a long vacation when one joined SOLDIER and he, like everyone else, had been forced to take public showers. On the other hand he was glad he hadn't shown up stark naked on Mt. Corel.
"I will look around and see if I can find footwear for you."
"Thanks Sephiroth and don't worry, I won't go far though on my walk." Reno and Sephiroth nodded from the kitchen and he exited.
Outside the sun was high in the sky and his skin instantly began soaking up the warmth. He walked down to the beach, then turned and walked along the water's edge, enjoying the salty tang that drifted to him. Sand squished between his toes and for perhaps the first time in days he felt well and truly alive.
Instead of banishing his thoughts he focused on them. While they were slightly depressing he knew it was something he'd put off for far too long. He wasn't sure if he was maturing, if his recent experiences gave him a push, or both, but he could feel parts of himself changing. Hopefully not for the worse.
"Yo." Reno bit his tongue to keep from laughing as the STC scrambled backward, lost his footing, and landed on his ass in the sand. "Didn't mean to startle you."
"Then you should have yelled," snapped Genesis, standing and brushing sand off his pants while glaring at the Turk. The man opened his mouth but quickly closed it. "You did call out, didn't you?"
"Heh, yeah." Apparently satisfied that he'd gotten as much sand as he could, the STC straightened and gave him a weak smile. "Lost in thought yo?"
"Clearly. Where's Sephiroth?"
"Amazingly enough he's sleeping. I got fidgety so I came out here. Don't think the guy's slept in a day or two, least I can do is not disturb him."
"You do have a problem with sitting still," Genesis grinned. He eyed the sky and realized the sun was at a different angle. "How long have I been out here?"
"Hour, hour and a half."
The auburn blinked. "I'm sorry. I didn't think I'd be out here this long."
"It's alright."
Genesis watched Reno as he walked to the water and stuck a toe in. The Turk started to roll up his pant legs when a thought struck him. "Why aren't you in uniform?" Reno chuckled and he scowled. "What?"
"Ya notice a bandage within minutes but it takes hours for the rest to sink in." The auburn made a 'hmph' sound and crossed his arms, making him laugh. "I'm off the grid. Wearing my uniform would kinda be counterproductive." Genesis's face twisted in confusion so he clarified. "Tseng labeled me Code Zero, which is like deep cover. Officially I'm still active but nothing is on the books and the whole point is to blend in."
"I see, and being in uniform would clearly label you a Turk." Reno nodded. "Why? I-I mean why the undercover stuff? Is it because of me?"
"I imagine," the redhead sighed. "Tell ya the truth I'm not sure what's up. I dunno whether Tseng is being paranoid or found something suspicious. I do know he talked ta Sephiroth so maybe he'd know more."
"We'll ask him when he wakes."
"Speaking of waking," Reno said, pulling out his PHS. He hit a few buttons, held the device to his ear, then pulled it away. Another button click and both could hear the call.
"Hewley."
"'Sup SOLDIER?"
"Reno? Gaia what's going on? I tried calling but it didn't go through. Where are you? Are you all right? Is Gen alright?"
The SSC's questions came out in a quick rush and Reno smiled, eyeing the auburn.
"Everything's fine Angeal."
"Genesis? Is that you?"
"It's me."
"Thank Gaia," Angeal replied, relief coating the words. "When did you wake up? Are you okay? Do you remember what happened?"
Genesis started to speak but Reno cut him off. "Sorry Angeal, we can't discuss this on the phone yo." There was no reply and the auburn glared at him. "I'm not tryin' to be a dick and I really am sorry but I can't verify the security of the line."
"I understand. But he's okay, right? You're okay, right Gen?"
"I'm fine Angeal."
"Guess that'll have to do for now," Angeal chuckled. "Can I at least tell your partner you called?"
"Yer still with Rude?"
"Yeah. The situation in Gongaga is under control and there was a minor situation in Junon so we stayed here. Tseng's here as well. You want to talk to him?"
The redhead's eyes locked with Genesis's, who smiled and nodded. "If he's arou-"
"How is the situation?" came Tseng's cool voice.
"Under control."
"Good. Stay put for now. We're heading back to Midgar tomorrow morning and I will contact you sometime after work hours."
"Alright yo."
"Do you still have your third?"
"Yep," Reno replied, knowing his boss meant Sephiroth but obviously didn't want to say his name.
"Make sure he is available as well."
"Will do."
The redhead's heard faint scratching then Angeal was back on the line. "Are Turks always so paranoid?"
"Not paranoid, just cautious yo."
The SSC chuckled. "Guess I should let you go. Take care of him okay?"
"I can take care of myself," Genesis snapped. Angeal chuckled. "'Geal?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for looking out for me."
"Wouldn't have it any other way. Stay in touch if you can."
The call disconnected and Reno put his PHS away, feeling a little guilty. He should have made the call sooner but with all the excitement it had slipped his mind. His curiosity was peaked as well. Whatever had happened in Junon was enough to pull Tseng out of a disaster site. It was obviously under control but damn he hated being in the dark. Probably as much as they hate you bein' in the dark. They were the ones that had to pick up the slack after all.
"That was a bit risky wasn't it?"
"Nah. One of the PHS cards we used while runnin' from Shinra is in my phone."
"What about the others?"
Reno shrugged. "They probably switched 'em back but unless they're acting really, really, suspiciously their calls won't be monitored." I hope. The Turks calls might be monitored since Shinra was still leery of them but he didn't see any reason why Angeal would be under their thumb. He did help us get until the building. Immediately after that thought he wished he had a laptop so he could check. Would help with other stuff as well.
"You okay Reno?"
"Shouldn't I be askin' you that yo?"
"I'm fine but you seem sort of lost."
"Heh, you were the one wandering 'round with yer head in the clouds." The auburn shrugged. "Want to talk about it?"
Genesis shook his head but abruptly stopped at the Turk's crestfallen expression. "I-I was thinking that just because Angeal is obviously willing to put up with my flaws that doesn't mean others will."
"Everybody's got flaws."
"I know but I'm starting to realize some of mine might be more detrimental than their worth. Or maybe it would be better to say that they used to serve a purpose, but now…" the auburn trailed off, waggling his right hand.
"What do ya mean?"
"Like the fact that I keep everyone at arm's length. At first it was a self defense mechanism but now it's so bad that I have to fight to let anyone in, even if only a little. If I keep going the way I am I'm going to end up being alone."
"You'll have me," Reno said quietly. He wanted to close the distance between them but held off. The auburn was opening up and he was afraid to spook him.
"For how long? How long will you put up with being left in the dark just so I can feel secure? You're already frustrated by it."
Reno's heart started to pound wildly and he swallowed a little too loudly. Panic will do that. His mind spun frantically, trying to find the words he so desperately needed. "I'm frustrated because I don't know how to help you."
"I don't understand. You have helped me."
"It's not over yet Gen. Right now I feel like I have a single piece to a thousand piece puzzle. I have no idea what connects to it, let alone what the picture is supposed to look like so I don't know what to do with it. It's frustrating because in my line of work information is everything. We gather tons of it because sometimes the pieces fit in the strangest ways. With you, I have little to no information so I keep trying to find more. Do you understand? I'm just floundering, trying to gather information so I can put the puzzle together. I'm not trying to push you or make you talk because I'm pissed at you or anything."
"You make it sound like you only want to know me so you can solve your puzzle."
"Damnit Gen you know that's not it," replied Reno, finally closing the distance between the two. He put a hand on each of Genesis's cheeks. "I do want to get to know you but as I said before I'm willing to wait."
"I'm not sure I'm worth it," the auburn said, smiling weakly.
"Dunno, but I'm gonna do my best to find out yo."
"Don't expect too much. I'm not anything speci…"
Genesis trailed off and his face went blank. He called the STC's name a few times but received no response. Not even a twitch. Was this what had happened when he'd become unresponsive? For that matter was this event similar to those or something entirely different? Before he could ponder it further Genesis jumped backward, his face a map of confusion, fear, and anger.
"H-he wanted to know what made me s-special."
The auburn had begun shaking and his words were rushed and chopped. He was staring straight at him but Reno had a feeling he wasn't seeing him at all. Hopefully he wasn't seeing Hojo but he had no way to tell. The Turk's feet were rooted in place by indecision. Should he try to snap him out of it or let him come out of it on his own?
"H-he said he'd find out and use it s-somehow." With that Genesis crumpled like a puppet whose strings were suddenly released and he landed on his hands and knees in the sand.
Reno was instantly in front of the STC though he was afraid of touching him. Shit I don't wanna spook him damnit. His dilemma was cut short as Genesis dropped on his left side, curled up into a ball, and put his head in his lap.
"I still don't remember everything but he thinks I'm scientifically invaluable Reno. He won't let me go."
The whispered words were filled with so much pain, sorrow, and hopelessness that Reno's throat tightened. He wanted to make everything better so badly his chest ached. A shadow fell upon them and he tossed his head back to stare at the passing cloud without blinking. Now is not the time to fall apart, he thought. Almost immediately, his emotions turned to ash as a rage so hot he thought it would burn him rushed though him. The force of his rage frightened him a little but he didn't stop it.
Genesis's body shook and a wracking sob tore its way past his lips. The storm raging within Reno quieted but did not disappear. It moved just below the surface and would be there when it was time for it. It gave the Turk strength, resolve, and courage. Someday I'll unleash you friend, he thought, gently stroking the auburn's hair. Hojo would mourn the day he was born when he let that leash slide from his hand, but right now Genesis needed him and he would do anything and everything he could to comfort him. Eventually they'd have to return to the hut and speak with Sephiroth but that could wait as well. Nothing mattered except the auburn and Hojo's eventual demise.
Side note: Yep, arme ridder is French toast, but since there is no France on Gaia, how could there be French toast yo? Heh.