FicWad

Chapter Two

“Reno, what exactly is the meaning of this.” Tseng’s voice was clipped, even over the radio. Reno rolled his eyes, knowing full well Tseng was smiling despite his tone.

“Slipping in your old age, Tseng? Or are you going to tell me you didn’t forget the mission you sent me on?” Reno snapped with a smile. Rude snorted on a third line.

“He knows what we were sent out for. He’s just wondering what I’m wondering; how compiling information on the alleviation and treatment of Geostigma in order to figure out how to heal the planet entails bringing a guest to Healin House. It’s not like she’s your type, partner.”

“Uh, well, you’re not going to say another word for a year after this, are you? You’ve got some kind of quota your filling or something, I won’t be offended if you just nod?” Reno replied as smoothly as he could muster, taken aback by Rude’s speech. That was quite possibly the most Rude had said at one time in their entire partnership.

Reno could feel the glare Rude was giving him while the bald man awaited an answer.

“All right, all right, jeesh, she can do you one better than alleviate Geostigma. Don’t tell the boss, I want it to be a surprise, but she can fix him! So, will you get off my back now?”

Elena gasped, squealed, and then went very, very, nervously quiet. Rude grunted. Tseng said nothing; he seemed to be taking his sweet time with something.

“Just trust me, will ya?” Reno rolled his eyes, not caring that they couldn’t see it. “It’s me, Reno. I would never put the President at risk, and I’m as sane as I’ve ever been. Relax.”

“Bring her in.” Tseng finally broke the verbal standoff. Even Elena refrained from comment, his tone was so final.

………

“So, you have a special visitor for me today, Reno.” Rufus asked, his chair set in the front room as if it were a statue, standing guard for eternity. Reno gulped, glaring at Elena, hoping she hadn’t ran her mouth off yet again. Elena glared back at him indignantly for the wordless accusation, even if it would normally have been justified.

“Uh, yeah boss. I know I was supposed to find treatments for the planet’s sake, but how was I supposed to pass this up?” Reno stammered, a little nervous himself. He hoped the others didn’t notice his slight tremble. He knew Rude had noticed, but he also knew Rude would attribute it to something else. Rude was sharp when it came to Reno, but even he couldn’t read the redhead perfectly.

Rufus arched a pale, shapely eyebrow, and pursing his lips slightly. Reno’s eyes shot a little wider as his gaze shifted to a shifting Tseng. So, Elena hadn’t run her trap, Rufus was just being Rufus. Reno immediately relaxed, though he wasn’t sure why, and let an easy smile twist his mouth. “You see, sir, it’s just no good if you’re going to fix the world and not be there to see it work. So, when I found her, I had to introduce the two of you.”

Reno’s careless attitude sent a chill through the room. To which Reno alone was oblivious. Rufus hid his mouth behind his sleeve before tersely responding.

“Reno…”

“Oh, no, hold that thought. I’ll let her take it from here. Mammy River, if you would.” Reno bowed, sweeping his hand from the crone at his side to Rufus in exaggerated graciousness. Rufus rolled his eyes under the shadow of his cowl. Tseng glared at the ceiling as if to challenge the Gods as to why he deserved the man before him. Elena gaped. Rude waited.

“Thank you, young man. I am, as Mr. Sinclair supplied, called simply Mammy River. I have a unique gift, you see. I know when one has been affected by Geostigma, on sight, even when their marks do not show, or are covered as yours are. But I did not come to you as a detector, Mr. President. I can remove your marks, Rufus Shinra. If you want me to.” The woman bowed stiffly, her frumpy shawls and dirty layers of rags bunching and sliding clumsily around her sturdy frame.

Reno watched Rufus carefully. Rufus watched Reno, waiting for the punch-line. But even Reno wouldn’t joke about this. And the woman seemed sincere. And mostly sane; if nothing else, Rufus knew better than to judge such things on appearance.

“I see. Ma’am, I mean no disrespect, and I do appreciate the offer, but if I may have a word with my subordinate before this goes any further.” Rufus cleared his throat, speaking as calmly and professionally as his racing mind and heart would allow.

“Of course, Mr. President. I will step out for a moment.” The woman responded, straightening and beginning her shuffling hobble, a twinkle in her sad eyes.

Elena, who’d at first been rooted to her spot, was brought back to reality by the hag’s voice and bolted from the room like a frightened rabbit. Tseng and Rude took the hint, both moving to offer the woman support so that she could ease into an adjacent room.

Reno, stung by the emphasis on subordinate, stepped forward cautiously, ready for everything but what he got.

“Sir… Rufus, look, I know it sounds crazy, but she’s legit, I swear! I… I couldn’t pass up a chance like this; what if no others came in time, you know? I mean, it’s not getting any better, and nobody else can do anything, and what the hell kind of Turk just stands around watching his boss die! So, if you won’t do it for you, do it for us, please! We need you…” Reno pleaded. “I mean, it’s not like she can make things any worse, right?” He laughed, kneeling beside Rufus’ chair to force eye contact.

That’s when he saw them; tear tracks. Reno, for the first time in his life, fell gracelessly onto his ass without being piss drunk or in a fight, and moreover, didn’t even care.

“Reno, what makes you think I deserve this? There are so many… and it’s my fault, at least partially, so why… do I deserve a second chance?” Rufus searched lost green eyes for an answer. If he’d been anyone else, it would have been begging, but he was still Rufus Shinra.

“I say second chances should be need based. So, if you don’t deserve this, then the rest of us are doubly screwed. Because who doesn’t need one more than the guy who’s rebuilding what he once tore down?” Reno laughed nervously, returning his weight to the balls of his feet as a shaking hand rose tentatively to wipe away the moisture. “Most importantly, what’s past is past. All any of us have left is the future.” Rufus passed his sleeves over his cheeks, just under what would have been Reno’s touch before grabbing Reno’s hand, not letting the man pull back.

“Thank you, my friend. Thank you for this. But… People like me don’t get off this easy; will it kill the woman, or cause me to lose something more than I gain, what’s the catch? It can’t be that easy…” Rufus asked, clutching Reno desperately. Reno winced at what Rufus’ ravaged grip must be costing the man.

“She’ll… she’ll need someone else’s energy for it to be safe, but we’ve already worked it out. I’ll supply what she needs, and then the story will have a happy ending.” Reno replied, hoping his reluctance came across as genuine and related to his explanation, even as he flew by the seat of his pants. He’d run the scenarios of this moment, but he hadn’t expected the power of Rufus’ emotion; the raw edge it added to the air. In the face of such earnest, unabashed anguish, Reno was caught off guard. And Rufus didn’t look too reassured.

“She’ll need your strength… Reno! What the hell is this going to do to the two of you if I say yes?” Rufus growled.

“It’s just her age, boss. It’ll knock me off my feet for awhile, but no harm there. It was my idea, I brought her here, so if it bites anyone in the ass, it better be me, and I’ll deserve it, so what’s the hold up?” Reno feigned annoyance, though he too was anxious.

“And you’re sure… you may have sworn your life to me, but I don’t want you to waste it. Anymore than you have.” Rufus continued pressing, looking away, unsure of what it was he’d seen flash behind green eyes. The only thing he knew for certain was that he wasn’t being told everything. And if there was one thing Rufus hated it was not having complete information.

“Rufus, come on, this is me. I like me too much to do anything stupider than normal Reno bullshit. I owe it to the ladies of the world to be alive and kicking for many a long night to come!” Reno retorted, mock hurt rendered ineffective by a trademark smirk.

“Reno.” Rufus groaned, clutching the bridge of his nose to hide his own smile. He took several deep breaths to still his trembling before calling for Tseng and Rude to bring the woman back in.

“Now, can we get on with this already?” Reno nagged his partner cheerfully, getting a grunt for his trouble. Elena hung back at the doorway, unsure whether or not she should enter. Tseng and Rude stood at attention flanking the woman, although whether they resembled body guards or suspicious security more, Reno didn’t bother contemplating.

“Are you decided, Mr. Shinra?” The woman asked as sweetly as her old, quavering voice would allow.

“Whenever you are, provided you assure me of your own safety and that of my Turk.” Rufus nodded, once again the marble model of the collected leader, rooted and immovable.

“Oh, the procedure isn’t dangerous provided it runs its course, sir. All will be as promised and disclosed to the parties concerned.” Mammy River replied, smiling her sad smile under wispy, thinning gray hair.

Rufus shot one last pointed glance at Reno, but the redhead wasn’t rising to the bait. He merely stepped forward, once more offering his arm to Mammy River. She shuffled forward to take it, extending a palsied hand to Rufus.

“Physical touch is the only other thing I need. A few moments and you’ll be free of this disease.” She assured, her hand coming to rest on Rufus’ right shoulder. Reno once again kneeled, winking at his boss while supporting the woman, who was still tottering over beside the chair.

Soon her weight rested on Rufus’ shoulder, but her hand instinctively found a patch of untainted flesh. She settled into place and he could feel some strange pull running through him, resonating with the poison and drawing it from him like a magnet. It started at his legs, soothing the dual aches of Stigma and muscle loss. He almost laughed in relief as new strength and vitality took the place of his affliction. The warmth continued, soothing the cold fire that his torso had become over the last several months. He was drawn from his giddy ecstasy by Reno’s controlled hiss of pain and looked over sharply to see… Reno’s chest was slowly blackening with the marks whose progress he himself had watched with dread, knowing his life waned as they waxed. Reno was…

“Reno!” Rufus called in dismay, trying to wrest himself from the woman’s grip, but it was unyielding, and he found he couldn’t move the arm she held at all.

“Remember, it must run it’s course.” River remarked briskly, her stern tone freezing onlooker and participant alike. It even stayed Rude’s hand, which was now firmly grasping his magrod.

“Relax. This was my idea, after all.” Reno grinned, biting back the pain.

“Reno…” Rufus was at a loss for words, his fear rising to fever pitch as guilt flooded from his eyes once again. “This is exactly what I was afraid of.” He finished, looking down at his still clothed, but now healed lap and chest in disgust.

“The only waste would be to let you die, Rufus. That was something none of us were willing or ready to do. I just figured out the way to stop it first, that’s all. Eventually we would have come up with something, though. You’re the one person we can’t afford to lose, no matter what.” Reno gritted through clenched teeth, smiling lopsidedly but only half looking up.

Elena’s sobs were now audible, though they sounded more like she was drowning, which brought Tseng’s attention away from his gun and towards his partner, a definite bit of luck for Mammy River.

“It is done.” Mammy announced breathlessly, retreating with a bow before hunkering down to kneel before Rufus, her back resolutely to Rude.

Reno lost his balance reaching for the chair for support and was sprawled on his back, painfully attempting to regain his feet. His head was aching, his body was on fire, and the only thing he needed from the world was a drink. Rufus sprung from his chair to Reno’s side, cradling his longtime guardian and friend.

“Reno…”

“Oh no, no mushy emotional crap, no drawn out to hell deathbed-side moments, no high handed speeches, I ain’t dead yet and that ain’t changing. Besides, I was already dying. I just figured why should both of us have to bite it? She can’t cure it per say, she never said she could. She can only transfer it from one unlucky bastard to an unluckier one. I’m the recipient bastard, and because she cleared it with me, she did no wrong. So if you want to reprimand me, fine, duly noted, but I regret nothing of the last twenty-four hours and I’m not giving anything back. I told you, this was my idea.” Reno cut Rufus off, his anger dissipating as his fatigue set in.

“Oh, Reno.” Rufus sighed, blowing the hair from his face.

“You’ll notice an increase in strength also, Mr. Shinra.” Mammy supplied helpfully as Rufus pulled Reno to the redhead’s feet with a jerk. “That was also a gift from Mr. Sinclair.”

“I figured you could use the Turk strength better ‘an me, no biggie.” Reno shrugged sheepishly. Rufus’ mouth opened. Then snapped shut. Then opened. Then emitted a frustrated growl before snapping shut again.

Reno simply smiled.