There was a middle of the winter, harsh one. Some Avalanche guys disturbing the order out here at sector 3 and Reno and Rude were sent to patrol. It was a dark cold night, hands of the red haired trembling, holding a paper cup with hot tea, his hands vestured with black leather fingerless gloves. His breath turning into a steam before his face, he hid into a black winter coat and dropped the hood low, his eyes almost disappearing under it.
"I hate the winter. I hate the winter. I hate the winter." Reno was repeating, getting a sip from the cheap vending machine beverage.
"You are not paroling." Rufus came behind the corner, also freezing but standing straight, proud and pretending nothing's wrong.
"I'm not sure if I'm still alive" Reno rubbed his nose that turned red.
"Stop playing up, we were sent here to do a job…."
"Nobody called us for six hours, no Avalanche around, not a damn stray outside. I'm going home, my head is killing me!"
"You are not doing such a thing." His partner stood before him. "We were sent here to work."
"Seriously, man, I'm dying!"
Reno complained some more and they went to the pub's bar that wasn't too crowded at that time, it was about midnight. Waitresses gossiping, a few tables taken, light was dim, homey atmosphere, wooden benches candles on the tables.
"What would be for you, gentlemen?" a short dark haired girl with a big cleavage and wide smile came to serve them.
"The strongest tea you have with double rum" Reno was rubbing his hands one another.
"We are at work, you can't drink." Rude reminded him.
"Watch me."
The other man made a sight and nodded.
"Make them two."
"Coming up!"
"Tseng is at his office now, filling papers."Reno was still getting thrills from the cold, and inside it was nice and warm.
"Tseng is the director."
"When I become a director, I will order all the employees to work from the office."
"Here's your order!" The girl came back, looking at Reno, who didn't even see her face.
"We'll pay now." Rude got out his wallet. Will call you if we need something. This is just a cold, man, stop overplaying it."
"The fact that I can recover faster doesn't mean I don't feel all of it."
Reno wasn't best friends with the cold. Still nobody from the leadership called, so he got a large sip from his tea and rested his head on the pillows.
"I'm going back on duty." Rude felt so good inside, but he had to be outside, checking for Avalanche, it was his job after all.
"Come on, man, it started snowing. Even Avalanche isn't that stupid going out in this weather."
Reno was right, an hour passed, not a soul outside on the main street.
Some quiet music was playing, midnight passing, Reno could spend the night here if Rude wasn't there, poking him, like a little annoying angel on his shoulder.
"Remember when we saw that dragon a few years ago?" Rude suddenly asked.
"A-ha" Reno answered, dreaming of a hot tub with bubbles.
"Do you really think Sephiroth killed it?"
Reno moved to his place, his eyes wandered around the place.
"I don't know. Why?"
"If a Soldier can kill that thing… I mean, what is he? What did they pump him with?
"You jealous, partner?"
"I'm thinking, if he can slay a dragon, he can do that with anyone and anything. What if some day he decides they don't pay him enough, or something."
"I got your point" Reno waved to the girl for another drink. "I think he's creepy too. But that dude fights like a whole army, I mean who would dare piss him off anyway?"
"I heard he and his friends are in a kinda tough situation now. Genesis is one god knows where, and he doesn't want to go after him. Why do you even care?" Rude looked at him.
Reno looked disturbed, somehow. He was holding his new glass with both hands, like trying to save all of the warmth of the drink, his blue eyes looking for answers that were far beyond this bar.
"Shinra can't control this man. They think barking some orders and him running like a puppy is enough. I'm telling you, this guy is a pain in the ass."
"Not in ours" Rude was still wearing his sunglasses even now, and the dark bar in the middle of the night.
"You know, in an emergency they always send us. So it is our problem."
Only a month later Nibelheim was on fire, the greatest once known battle started, and many never lived to see its end.
Present days Turks were hardly collected together anymore, They had so much to do that even partners were on single missions: securing the Shield, mobilizing people in town, checking again all the employees, Rufus ordered if they learned there's information leakage, the traitor would be removed in an instant. More Soldiers needed, new Turks were literally good for nothing at this time.
"I want to help." She was chasing Reno and Rude all morning, insisting to play her part in the situation.
"It's too dangerous, maybe next time."
"I am a Turk, not a child."
"I said no."
"I will go ask Elena…"
"I am superior to Elena, she can't allow something I forbid." Reno's head started ringing again, while he was sending locations to others where they have to work for the day.
"I need to do something…"
"Ok!" he lost it. "Sector 6, reactor, all the valves checked. And for Genesis' presence too. Go!"
She left with a pleased expression on her face.
"Don't you think it's dangerous to send a thirteen year old kid alone to the sector 6 reactor?" Rude questioned his call.
"She wants to prove herself, let's prove herself. I don't have time to be a babysitter, not today."
Reno sent the graphic to others and went to send Soldier squads to patrol, leading one of them himself. It was a long, boring work that had to be done. During that time he was checking on kid and the others.
Somewhere around 5pm another group took the shift and Rude came to pick him up, also finishing his part for the day. He fell asleep in the car and his partner had to wake him up, arriving at Shinra castle. He went directly to his room and slept a few hours before waking up startled, and rushed to call Marlene.
"It's 3am and I'm already home, was sleeping" she informed him.
He fell asleep again, forgetting he ever called her. In the morning not even Rude, smashing on his door, was able to awaken him, he slept away from the alarm clock, then his colleague called.
While Rufus collected a council to discuss the situation with, reactor 5 was still down, all the Turks had a meeting at the cafeteria.
"Glad to see you are doing better" Rude tried his way with Elena, she simply nodded.
"We are holding the situation so far" Tseng was extremely gloomy.
Reno was still trying to forget how that man stabbed him in front of him, and then Genesis revived him. And still thought he might turn into something and kill them all of sudden.
"What is the condition of the other five reactors?" Tseng asked, mixing his coffee.
"Working. Number six is maybe the one with the best production." Marlene reported.
"Who checked it?"
"I did."
She was trying so hard to earn her place among them, it was more than obvious.
"You did?" He looked at her. "Who supervised you?"
"Nobody. I went yesterday and checked it. Here are the records." She handed him a tablet with graphics.
"You went alone to the reactor?" Elena gasped.
"Yes." Girl started looking like she did something wrong.
"Who sent you there?"
"I did." Reno decided it's time to interrupt the interrogation.
"You sent a thirteen years old without any experience and supervisor to check the reactor?" Tseng's voice rose.
Other people at the table froze.
"Yes" Reno stood his ground. "And she did great."
"We never send trainees to a mission, especially alone! Have you lost your mind?"
If anybody around wasn't aware of their argument, they already knew and got their attention on the Turks.
"She is not a trainee." Reno said. "She asked for help and I sent her to the most secure location. Nobody's gonna learn anything, sitting at the office, filling papers."
"You had no right to…"
"Enough of questioning my word!" Reno's hand hit the table.
A fight picked up. Elena took the side of Tseng, Rude obviously got Reno's back, Marlene and Mike were scared to even make a move.
"You better start getting along with my decisions because that's how it is from now on!"
Reno left the group, almost setting on fire tables he passed by on his way out.
Rude found him outside at the southern terrace, still angry as a wasp.
"Your coffee." He handed him a paper cup with a cover, red haired didn't even wait for the waitress to bring his coffee. Reno ignored him, bent over the railing and looking down the street.
Rude never saw his partner burst so sudden, neither to demand obedience. He was never getting in fights with his colleagues.
"You wanna tell me what happened back there?" Rude also leaned on the railing and Reno grabbed his coffee from his hand without saying a word. "Half an hour from now on we need to be at the testing ground, to try the weapon. Big guns, explosions, fun things.
Rude sighed and looked at him when there was no reaction.
"Speak to me, man, what is it?"
"What if we fail, Rude? What if we fail at that battle? We managed to slow Genesis down, but if we don't shut down the reactors he will keep killing people. I just triggered everything."
"Oh, come on again, self doubt."
"I don't want this freak being on my back my entire life, giving me ultimatums, telling me how to live. And if I refuse to aim at my friends. I never signed up for something like that."
"President will decide what is best." Rude said.
Reno was still looking like the end was about to end.
"He brought her back."
Rude looked at his partner without understanding.
"He brought what?"
"Akane."
Rude removed his glasses and stared at him.
"She came to my room, like the last time."
"And you?"
"I just…" Reno bowed his head. "I couldn't, I… He brings her back to control me, and has me on his side with her. If I refuse to follow…"
"He would kill her." Rude finished. "That twisted son of a bitch."
Reno pressed the space between his eyes, he wanted to scream and break something, he couldn't show himself weak in front of Rude.
"I'm sorry, man, I can't imagine what you are going through."
"You don't have to. Thanks." He added.
"Seriously, I'm really starting to hate this guy."
"It makes both of us."
Reno heads back to his room after the end of the shift. Suddenly he decided he didn't want to go back there, where Akane could appear, so he got in one of the company cars and hit the first bar he found. Stayed there until late at night, drinking alone like a loser.
"What's the matter, Reno?" she asked, standing before him, just like the night they met for the first time.
He couldn't say it out loud that she was supposed to be dead. It wasn't the same, it just wasn't.
"I watched you die" was the only thing red haired could say. "I need some time."
Fucking Genesis with his fucking false peace offers. Reno was more than sure that was a trick, messing with their mind.
"What is it, handsome, problems at work?" some very attractive young woman passed hand on his shoulder, stopping before him. "Or in personal life?"
"Both."
"But you are too good to have such bad things on your head, let me help you."
She was one of those girls you like, no matter if she's your type or dark hair with volume on top, conspiratorial eyes, luscious chest, thin waist, expression of an innocent girl with a smile of a predator.
"And how are you going to help me, girl?" Reno looked at her, his eyes were oddly blurred, still stunning.
Her smile said it all.
In the middle of the night at that poor bar, full of all the scum you could think of, their lips met. A reckless moment of his reckless life. A way to escape it for a moment, for a night.
"You are a Turk" girl noticed after that long, empty of feelings kiss.
"I am." Reno said. Drunk, desperate, still able to jump and fight, and break hers and whoever else needed neck without a problem.
"I never did it with a Turk. Especially so handsome. Let's go." She got his hand. "Second floor has free rooms for customers."
"What's your name?" he asked her, entering the small room, perfectly cleaned, well furniture, still not able to compare with his place.
"What would you like it to be?" girl asked, curving enticingly to attract him.
"I'm not dealing with hourly girls. Are you one of them?"
"No" the dark haired said. "I am just trying to please you. My name is Lissa, from Lissbet. You can call me Bett if you want. And what's your name?"
He never answered.
One of his nameless girls, mindless nights, time wasted, lifetime spared.
After so many years in Shinra, Reno started asking himself where his place was.