"And I don't want the world to see me, 'cause I don't think that they'd understand. But when everything's made to be broken, I just want you to know who I am."
~ Goo Goo Dolls Iris
The Turks sat around a single table in the corner of the Turtle's Paradise Bar in Wutai. Tseng was quietly sipping a beer as Elena flung herself all over him like she always did. He often pretended to ignore her actions and sometimes even played along. Today, however, he was in no mood to flirt with her. The confrontation with Don Corneo earlier had spoiled his mood. They had resorted to being allies with that damned group Avalanche. Even if it had been for one afternoon only, it still upset his stomach to think that they were actually fighting side by side.
Reno watched silently from across the table. He gazed at Tseng from his seat, watching him shun Elena time and time again. Tseng's jet-black hair was slicked back as usual and his navy suit was neat and professional looking. Realizing that he may have been obvious, Reno quickly returned his attentions to the new shot of bourbon that had just been placed on the slick tabletop before him.
Elena purred and cooed to Tseng as he led her up the stairs to her room in the local inn. Elena, having been drinking during the duration of the night had no inhibitions left to stop her from throwing herself full force at Tseng as they got to her room.
"Tseng... why don't you tuck me in?" Elena meowed softly as
Tseng took his arm from around her and set her on the small bed in the room. Tseng shook his head lightly. He had had next to nothing to drink and was luckily in his right mind.
"Elena, my dear, you are plastered." He commented as he turned to leave the room.
Elena quickly grasped the sleeve of his navy blazer and tugged him down to her, planting a soft kiss on his lips. Her lips tasted of bittersweet alcohol to Tseng who immediately pulled his face from hers.
"Elena listen to me with whatever attention span you have left." He began, "You'd really regret this in the morning and I don't want to hear you bitch and complain about what kind of a horrible mistake you made. Good night if you will." He finished as he forcefully took his arm from her grasp and stood, making his way to the door. Elena pouted quietly as Tseng shut off the lights and stepped out, shutting the door behind him. Tseng sighed heavily and shook his head as he started his way down the stairs.
*****
A loud knocking wafted to Reno's sleeping self as Tseng pounded on the door to Reno's room. Reno's blue eyes opened lazily as he cast a sleepy gaze to the door.
"Who's there?" he grumbled lightly. Tseng opened the door quietly and stepped inside.
"Reno... how late were you out last night?" Tseng asked as he moved to the side of Reno's bed, his dark brown eyes observing the rudely awakened Turk sprawled on the bed-top.
Reno looked up at Tseng and smirked lightly.
"I take it I should have set some kind of alarm. What did I miss?" He asked quietly as he sat up in bed.
Tseng merely looked at him for a moment.
"Nothing really, I just thought I'd tell you that we plan on leaving this town in about an hour. I figured that you wouldn't like it too much if we left you behind." Tseng commented with a light laugh.
Reno nodded in agreement with a smile.
Tseng leaned against the nearest wall, folding his arms across his chest.
Reno merely observed Tseng's actions.
"Well... are you going to get out of that bed or what?" Tseng asked slightly impatiently.
Reno smirked lightly.
"Oh yeah." He said softly as he pulled his legs over the edge of the bed. He was still clad in his Turk uniform except for his blazer, which was tossed into a corner and his white dress shirt was fully unbuttoned.
Tseng looked him over unnoticeably, taking in the image of Reno's pale, thin body..
Reno wandered to the bathroom to wash up but stopped for a moment and peeked around the corner at Tseng.
"I'll be right out." He announced as he disappeared into the bathroom silently.
Fifteen minutes or so passed before Reno padded out of the bathroom, a white towel wrapped loosely around his slender waist. Tseng turned his head slightly to look at Reno through his peripheral vision.
Reno caught Tseng's reflection in the mirror as he stepped up to it. He spun around and looked at Tseng wide-eyed, surprised that he was still in the room. Tseng flashed Reno a half smile as he looked back at him. Reno laughed slightly nervously, his heart was beating much faster than usual.
Reno brushed his teeth and combed his hair, looking in the mirror, watching Tseng. Every time Tseng noticed Reno watching him he instantly turned away or looked at his watch in a pseudo-impatient way. However, Tseng was watching Reno just as often. As soon as Reno finished washing up he entered the bathroom once again and slipped on a pair of dark blue boxers, tossing his towel aside carelessly. He sauntered out of the bathroom, sitting on the edge of the bed and grabbing a pile of clothes. Reno slipped into his white dress shirt and buttoned it up, leaving the top of his shirt open. Then he stepped into a pair of navy slacks and stood up, buttoning the top and zipping his fly.
As Tseng looked upon Reno a strange feeling flushed over him. A feeling of... what was it? Tseng couldn't put a finger on the term but it scared him slightly. Desire... that was it. Oddly enough, Tseng had an unexpected lust for Reno at that specific point in time.
Reno turned, facing the bed and grabbed his belt. As he slid the belt through the loops on the waistline of his slacks Tseng stood upright and moved quietly, standing just behind Reno. Tseng looked at Reno, analyzing the moment.
I wonder.... Tseng pondered to himself. What would he do if I kissed him? He stopped his train of thought abruptly, observing Reno with a curious gaze. Reno fumbled with his belt buckle, quietly mumbling a curse word now and then. Tseng smiled slightly while he watched Reno. He could give me a right hook across the face for all I know... Aww hell with it, I'll go for it. Tseng concluded to himself. He took a deep breath, harboring the nagging thought that Reno would flip out as a reaction to his advancement. Never the less he edged closer to Reno. Reno stood before Tseng, with his back to him. He was messing with some part of his outfit. Sensing the immediate presence of another, Reno stopped fiddling with his shirt pocket.
Strong hands gently grasped Reno's shoulders and spun him around swiftly. Reno's eyes were as wide as saucers and his heartbeat quickened to the point where his heart threatened to burst from his chest with every beat. Tseng's brown eyes stared into Reno's blue ones intensely yet gently. Tseng moved his face closer towards Reno's slowly, almost unnoticeably. Reno breathed heavily, trying desperately to calm his pounding heart as Tseng's face drew closer by the second. Tseng finally stopped mere millimeters from Reno's face. Reno drew his face back slightly, stunned by Tseng's progression. Tseng turned his head slightly, and closed the remaining gap between the two of them, pressing his lips against Reno's lightly but forcefully. Being too shocked to resist, Reno let himself be kissed. Tseng pulled away a moment later and looked at Reno's pale, bewildered face.
"Wha.....?" Reno asked aloud, directed more towards himself than Tseng. A light gasp escaped him. He looked at Tseng curiously, not really knowing what to think.
Before the rejection that Tseng so feared set in, he returned his lips to Reno's for seconds. Without much thought, Reno brought his lips to Tseng's almost eagerly. Now Tseng himself was very surprised. Tseng wrapped his arms around Reno's thin body loosely and cautiously; one hand grazing his back, the other was running through his fiery red hair and caressing the side of his face with a gentle touch. A strange sensation flooded through Reno's body with Tseng's touch. They stood for a moment; intertwined in an embrace that was new and intriguing to both parties involved.
Tseng reluctantly pulled away slightly, breaking the tender moment. He looked into Reno's eyes and then turned his attentions to the doorway as a knock rang through the room. Reno cast his gaze lazily to the floor, a whirlwind of emotions racing through his body. His lips were tingling and his heart was beating faster than ever. The frightening thing was...he enjoyed it.
What on earth just happened? How can I enjoy a kiss from one of my best male friends? Reno began thinking as the assault of feelings continued to flood him. Despite his attempts to assure himself of his heterosexuality, he had found himself wanting that moment to continue. He had wanted it to become more passionate. Quite frankly, his own thoughts scared him. Forcing his thoughts to the back of his mind, he walked swiftly to the door, opening it quickly. He peered out into the hallway at none other than Elena.
"Are you guys coming? The helicopter is here already. In fact, it has been waiting for about five minutes. You know how angry Rufus will be if were late at all." She announced in her usually cheery tone. Reno turned to look at Tseng but was surprised to see him directly behind him. Tseng smiled briefly to Reno then looked up to Elena.
"Don't worry Ele, we'll get to the HQ on time." He assured her in a soothing tone of voice.
The sensation of Tseng's breath on the back of Reno's neck sent shiver's up his spine. He blinked for an unusually long time to clear his thoughts then mumbled a light "excuse me" and stepped back into the room, grasping his blazer. He ran his hand through his hair and pulled his navy blazer on. Moving around the room, he picked up his few belongings and threw them into a small bag that was positioned on the counter of the sink.. He took the bag in one hand and his Electro Mag-rod in the other as he walked to the door again.
Elena and Tseng were in the doorway, talking animatedly. Elena was flirting with Tseng like there was no tomorrow. She had all of the classic moves down; the hair flip, the batting of the eyes, the shifting of position to lean in towards the other person. Reno watched Elena flirt and shook his head a little bit as he edged to the side in order to squeeze out of the cramped doorway. He shuffled down the hall quietly, leaving the two alone and allowing Elena to pursue her attempted courtship of Tseng.
Reno walked outside and into the wind that was caused by the sleek black helicopter that loomed before him. The ripples of dirt hit Reno's body as he stepped up into the passenger area of the thundering machine. He sat in the furthest seat from the door, twirling his Mag-rod aimlessly. Rude looked back at Reno from the navigator's seat in the front of the helicopter. His ears were consumed by monstrous earphones that protected him from the immense noise that came from the blades above them. He peered at Reno through dark glasses and gave him a light friendly smile before turning back to face the windshield. The pilot glanced around, looking at the clock on the instrument board before him. Reno continued to twirl his Mag-rod while looking out the open door. He found his thoughts wandering to Tseng and the moment that had happened only a while ago. The mere thought of the moment he had with Tseng sent his mind into a frenzy.
That kiss...it was so loving..., he recalled to himself, bringing one hand up to his lips, touching them, trying to savor the memories Tseng's lips pressed against his own. It had been what seemed like forever since Reno had felt such a loving embrace. He had longed for a moment like that. In fact, he had longed for a moment like that with someone like Tseng. Ashamed at his own thoughts, he shook them from his head just as he noticed Elena and Tseng wandering out of the Inn and to the helicopter. They ducked their heads as a precaution as they neared the open sliding door. Elena stepped inside first, clearly having a bit of trouble trying to get into the vehicle without being blown back by the powerful winds from the swift circulating blades. Tseng placed both of his hands on her lower back and lifted her into the chopper. Elena smiled at him as she turned to take a seat in the back. Reno watched from his seat latently then turned his head to look at the cold metal shell of the chopper. Tseng boosted himself up and into the helicopter as well. He slicked back his raven hair with the palm of one hand as he looked to Reno and Elena. Tseng moved to the empty seat beside Reno and looked down at him. Reno glanced up at Tseng noiselessly, his blue eyes roaming Tseng's face. They stopped on his cheek where Elena had planted a kiss. Her trademark shade of pink lipstick stuck to Tseng's skin like glue. Reno turned back to the metal shell that he had been staring just moments before. Tseng's expression changed slightly to a look of puzzlement. He hadn't known that Reno had noticed the incriminating lip-print on his cheek. He opened his mouth to speak and reached one hand forward but Elena leaned forward and tugged on Tseng's sleeve gently.
"Tsengie... come sit back here with me." She offered as she patted the vacant seat beside her.
Reno shuddered at Elena's little pet name for Tseng. For some reason, Elena's voice sickened him at that moment. Shaking his head, he slumped against the metal wall.
What were you thinking Reno? He asked himself. Tseng is clearly after Elena. That kiss he gave you was probably his own odd way of saying ‘thanks for being my friend.’ Reno gave a light sigh and stared blankly into space. Self-pity, jealousy and disappointment crossing his mind simultaneously.
He didn't notice Tseng glancing between Elena and himself. Tseng sighed lightly as Elena looked to him with glittering puppy-eyes. He turned and pulled the large door of the helicopter shut, and moved to sit beside Elena silently. As the chopper lifted from the ground smoothly Tseng raised a hand to wipe the lip-mark off of his cheek. He succeeded in relieving himself of the first, only to have it be replaced by another on the opposite side of his face. He sighed and stared to the front of the vehicle as they flew out of Wutai and back to the polluted confinement of Midgar.
*****
Reno lay on his back in his quarters in the ShinRa building. His blue eyes staring at the ceiling in deep thought. After a while, his eyelids became heavy and he closed his eyes in a light sleep.
While Reno was sleeping Tseng came to the door silently opening it using his ID card. He looked about the room as he slipped in without a sound.
"Dammit, he's asleep." He commented to himself as he kneeled beside Reno's bed. Reno tossed and turned lightly, a light sweat breaking out on his forehead. "He must be having a bad dream...." Tseng commented quietly. He reached one hand up and placed it on Reno's shoulder gently. Reno's eyelids sprung open immediately with Tseng's touch. The training that Reno had been through to become a Turk had taught him to be alert at all times. Tseng withdrew his hand quickly when he noticed Reno had been slightly startled.
Reno's blue eyes scanned the dark room silently as he reached for the switch on the nearest lamp. He found it and the room was drenched in a white haze. Reno looked to the side of his bed where Tseng was still kneeling down.
"What are you doing in here?" Reno asked Tseng in a sleepy tone. Tseng stood and walked to a table, grabbing a chair and dragging it to the spot where he had been kneeling. He sat slowly and looked at Reno.
"I wanted to talk to you about...what happened." Tseng commented softly.
Reno's face instantly took a look of trifling embarrassment.
Tseng's eyes softened as he spoke calmly. "Reno..." he began.
Reno quickly cut in, his voice lacking a certain confidence.
"It was an experiment right? Just a little kiss to see what it was like to kiss a guy." He asked rapidly as if he were on a short timer to get it all out. Please Tseng, tell me it wasn't like that. Tell me you actually put some real feelings into it. Please, please... Reno begged silently.
Tseng shook his head, an expression of substantial hurt washing over his face.
"Reno, that's not all there is to it on my end." He began, casting his gaze to the carpeted ground beneath the chair.
Reno watched him hopefully, his face taking a look of remorse. Reno watched the usually calm and collective Turk before him strain his mind to find the right words.
"There's only one way I can really sum this whole mess up Reno. I have had my eye on you for a while now. In fact, ever since we became good friends I grew more toward you with every glance you gave me. When I kissed you, it was what I had wanted the most for a period of about three years. I had hoped that the attraction would be mutual." He paused for a moment to clear his throat then started again. "I guess you could say I've fallen for you Reno. You may feel the same but possibly you're afraid to admit it." He finished; his brown eyes still riveted to the floor. Reno's jaw almost literally dropped open.
"Tseng...." He began in a subdued tone. His mind fumbled for the right thing to say but produced nothing. He desperately wanted to let Tseng know how he felt about him but just couldn't seem to let his emotions be revealed.
Tseng looked up at him, a slight smile masking the sadness caused by Reno's apparent rejection of his affections.
"It's alright Reno, you don't have to explain because I understand completely." He commented as he stood from his chair, taking it back to the table he had gotten it from.
Reno watched him, feeling completely regretful for not speaking up. He stood from his bed and walked to Tseng. Tseng turned around and looked Reno square in the eye.
"There's only one thing I want to make sure you keep in mind." He started.
Reno nodded his head, signifying that he was ready to listen.
"I want you to make sure that you don't think with the mentality of everyone else. Be your own person Reno. I can tell by your choice of words and the tone of your voice that even you're not so sure of what you're saying. Don't let a socially approved prejudice cloud your decisions." He finished as he walked to the door. Reno just stood there in thought as he watched Tseng leave his quarters. As soon as Tseng had vanished from the room completely and the door had been shut and locked Reno walked back to his bed, dragging his feet along the way. He plopped back down and stared at the ceiling once more. Only this time he couldn't sleep. Tseng's thoughts rang through his head repeatedly.
You may feel the same but possibly you're afraid to admit it.
It was nearly four in the morning before he realized:
"He's right."
Assuming he would probably not get a wink of sleep, Reno slid out of bed and went to the desk that sat against the far wall. He took a seat and switched on the desk lamp. Opening the drawer, he grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and began to vent all of his suppressed emotions. He sat for half an hour, scrapping lousy letter after lousy letter, striving to find the perfect way to describe the maddening situation of jumbled thoughts in his head.. After a number of tries, he came up with:
Dear Tseng,
The events I have experienced lately have confused me immensely. At first, I thought that you were simply confused. But after talking to you tonight I have come to the conclusion that everything you've said to me has been heartfelt. Being as confused as I was/am, there was no way that I could openly admit to you my mutual feelings. Being raised the way I was, the thought of anyone being anything but straight as an arrow was considered a sin. I think that maybe, in fear of being humiliated by my family and society I consciously decided not to face even the remote possibility that I could be falling for you as well. However, after a great deal of thought, I have made the uninfluenced decision to follow my heart rather than my pride. I realize now that my ego was in the way of what I truly felt. I would enjoy the opportunity to talk to you about this in person, tomorrow at noon in the conference room on the 65th floor. If you show up at all, I'll be grateful.
Sincerely,
Reno
After writing a letter that actually sounded decent, Reno put it in an envelope, sealing it only slightly. He then took the letter out into the hallway and down to Tseng's room. Being extra careful not to make a sound, he slipped the letter under the door and padded back down the dusky hallway, disappearing into his room.
*****
Reno paced back and forth nervously in the conference room.
"I hope I didn't offend him to the point of not even wanting to see me." He announced aloud. He took a seat on the table, dangling his long legs off of the side, his feet touching the floor. Reno waited patiently, checking the clock on the wall periodically. As the minute hand on the clock ticked its way to the six, thirty minutes later, Reno hopped off of the table sadly and wandered to the door. To Reno's surprise, the doorknob turned as he reached out to it and Tseng stepped into the room quietly.
"I'm so sorry I'm late Reno. I had some paperwork to tend to." He breathed.
Reno nodded happily, ecstatic simply because Tseng had showed up.
"Anyway...I got your letter." He announced as he raised his hand, revealing the envelope.
Reno grinned cheerfully.
"Reno, I appreciate the honesty in your writing. You were just overwhelmed by your own feelings I think."
Reno nodded in agreement.
"Well, the important thing is that I'm clear on them now." Reno proclaimed proudly as he moved towards Tseng. Tseng smiled amicably and offered Reno a hug. Reno took into Tseng's embrace but for some reason, he was expressionless. Tseng moved his head so that he could see Reno's face.
"What's wrong?" Tseng asked with apparent concern.
Reno looked at Tseng and shook his head.
"Nothing." He began "It's just that...I'm so glad that I'm finally the object of someone's affection. For as long as I remember I've always been that guy that was too cocky for his own good. Ya' know, the one who has a real problem even getting friends because of his ego." Reno finished, the tone of his voice dropping significantly.
Tseng placed a hand to his cheek and turned Reno's face so that it was toward him completely.
"Reno, I care for you deeply. If you ever need to talk or even cry, I'm here for you." Tseng pledged as he kissed Reno's forehead.
An euphoric smile crossed Reno's face.
"Thank you Tseng. That means a lot to me." He whispered as he leaned his head on Tseng's shoulder lightly. "Do you think...we should tell everyone?" he asked softly, his head still down. Tseng looked out into the room for a moment in thought.
"Yeah...I just hope they take it the right way." He commented in response. Reno chuckled slightly and Tseng looked down at him, a brow arched in curiosity.
"At least you'll get Elena off your back." He remarked with a grin.
Tseng smirked and shook his head. After a short amount of time the two walked out of the conference room and down to the ShinRa Café where they were sure they'd run into Rude and Elena.
Tseng took a seat beside Reno, who was sitting beside Rude. Elena glanced at Tseng from across the table and winked. Tseng gave her an insincere smile and shifted his attentions to Rude. A random waitress came up to the table and took orders. She returned not more than ten minutes later with everyone's drink, setting them in front of each person quietly before hurrying away to tend to another customer. Tseng cleared his throat slightly and opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Rude.
"You guys, I heard the funniest joke today!" He announced excitedly.
The group turned their attentions to him, awaiting the joke. Rude proceeded to tell what could have been the crudest homosexual joke in existence. After the joke was over, Rude found himself to be the only one laughing.
"That was the most horribly cruel joke I've ever heard." Elena commented flatly, casting a glare in Rude's direction.
"Eesh guys... have a sense of humor." He scolded.
Tseng cast a glance to Reno and Reno returned the same look.
There goes our announcement. They thought in unison.
Tseng and Reno wandered out of the ShinRa Café after what had been a horribly uneventful talk with Elena and Rude. Eventually they made their way over to a nearby bench outside the entrance to the ShinRa HQ and sat. One looked to the other and Reno sighed lightly.
"Well, that didn't go well. What do you want to do now?" he asked.
Tseng grinned and looked at Reno, his dark brown eyes glittering with enthusiasm.
"Why don't we go on a date?" He suggested.
The way in which Tseng suggested the outing reminded Reno of a giddy schoolgirl. Reno smiled at the idea.
"We'll go to Costa del Sol. No one will give us any crap there. Hell, most of those idiots probably don't even know who we are. Besides, we need a vacation." Tseng added with a smile.
Reno nodded happily and stood up. They both walked back into the ShinRa HQ and down to the basement, where their cars were parked. They got into Tseng's black BMW and sped off, out of the HQ, out of Midgar, and to a place where they could be free of ridicule.
*****
The climate was hot as usual in Costa del Sol. The sun blared down on the people there, adding to their already overdone tans. Reno and Tseng stepped out of the BMW smoothly and walked to the main entranceway of the popular beach resort. They slowly made their way to the actual beach, stopping only to change into their swimming apparel. When they finally got to a beach chair, they found that there weren't all that many people on the beach.
"Heh, this must be my birthday or something." Reno chuckled slightly as he looked around. Tseng smirked and took a seat on the chair nearest to him. Reno followed suit soon there after and began to apply his sunscreen. Tseng glanced over to Reno and reached for his own bottle of lotion.
"That's a good idea." He noted as he slopped some of the thick, protective sunscreen onto his arm. Not too much time passed before they were both adequately armed against the sun. Reno jumped up and looked at Tseng playfully.
"Let's go swimming!" He suggested.
Tseng smiled widely and jumped up.
"The last one to the water is Rufus' personal ass kisser!" Tseng announced as he ran to the tide.
Reno's eyes widened.
"Hey! That's disgusting!" he called out to Tseng as he hurried to catch up.
Luckily enough for the both of them, they hit the water at nearly the same time. Neither was an ass kisser. They played in the water happily like two little kids. Passersby who knew the Turks raised an eyebrow in curiosity at their behavior. But not one person bothered them in any respect.
The hours flew by for Reno and Tseng, who were having the time of their lives together at the beach. Before they knew it, the sun was beginning to set. Tseng walked out of the water slowly and stood on the dry beach, wringing his black hair out. Reno jogged up behind him and turned to look at the sunset. The sky was ablaze with red, oranges, purples and yellows. The scene looked something like an immaculate water painting. All of the colors blended together wonderfully to make an awe-inspiring arrangement of beauty that no other scene could compare to. After the sun had sunk almost completely below the horizon, Tseng looked at Reno and smiled wickedly.
"Hee hee... it's already nine o' clock and we're not back in Midgar.. Rufus is going to throw a fit." He noted with a light laugh.
Reno grinned slyly.
"So what? Let him be pissed. We deserve a break and I'm going to take advantage of the fact that we're already out of the realm of that horrid city. What do you say to spending the night here?" He suggested.
Tseng's logical and responsible side protested Reno's suggestion furiously but Tseng responded with: "Alright!"
They smiled to each other and turned to walk back into the resort.
The room at the Inn in Costa del Sol was a decent sized room. As a suite in a resort town should be. Reno made his way to the bed and sat down, testing the comfort of the mattress. He smiled, finding it quite comfortable. Tseng shut the door behind him carefully and walked into the room. Reno looked to him and patted the spot beside him on the bed, beckoning for him to sit. Tseng did so obediently and looked to Reno with a smile on his face.
"This day has to have been the best day I have had in a long time. I'd like to thank you for coming here with me Reno." He praised softly.
Reno grinned at him.
"It was my pleasure Tseng." He retaliated.
Tseng beamed with happiness as he leaned in towards Reno, placing a soft kiss on his lips. Reno brought his lips to meet Tseng's as he wrapped one arm around Tseng's back, pulling him closer. Tseng allowed himself to be pulled closer to Reno as he prolonged the kiss. He placed one hand on Reno's cheek gently and pulled his face back, looking into Reno's eyes. Tseng then sat up slowly and ran one hand down Reno's chest. His fingers caressing the soft skin lovingly. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Reno's neck. Reno closed his eyes and sighed happily. The touch of Tseng's lips gave him chills. Placing both hands on Reno's shoulders, Tseng brought his face down to Reno's body slowly, glancing up at him periodically for approval. Reno sunk his head into the pillow behind him and closed his eyes as Tseng's lips danced across his body. Tseng looked Reno's thin body over, caressing every aspect with his eyes. He moved his body closer to Reno's at a leisurely pace. As their bodies pressed together, there was an instant arousal sparked in both parties. Tseng brought his lips to Reno's once again in a long and affectionate kiss.
After the sensuous kiss that Tseng just had just placed on Reno's anxious lips, Tseng gently laid Reno onto the top sheets of the barely adequate bed. Tseng caressed Reno's body so gently and delicately that goosebumps formed on his tingling skin. Together the two gently fell into the heat of the moment. A wave of euphoria washing over each of them simultaneously. Another of Tseng's gentle touches spurred a night of beautiful love making that neither would soon forget.
When it was all over, Reno and Tseng laid silently together in the darkness of the room. Both were lying on their sides, one's back facing the other's face. Reno placed his hands on Tseng's shoulders and started to massage them gently. His touch was almost that of an expert, his fingers moving nimbly to relax Tseng's tense muscles. Tseng's lips curled into a smile and emitted a soft purr as his body reposed slowly but surely. Reno leaned forward and kissed Tseng on the neck gently. He could taste the salty sweat on Tseng's skin. Tseng moved around and turned to lie on the opposite side. He faced Reno and looked into his gleaming blue eyes. A smile crossed Reno's tired face as he leaned in close to Tseng, putting one arm around his muscular body. Tseng put his strong arms around Reno as well, pulling him even closer to his own body. Reno nuzzled his face underneath Tseng's jaw. His breath tickled Tseng's skin softly every time he exhaled. Reno closed his eyes as Tseng watched him silently. A sweet smile crept upon his lips as Reno quickly fell into the arms of sleep. Tseng maneuvered his head ever so slightly and kissed Reno softly on the forehead before drifting into a light sleep of his own.
*****
It was difficult for Reno and Tseng to see each other. Even more difficult for them to insure the confidentiality of their little secret. The ShinRa HQ was rigged left and right with surveillance cameras and bugs to monitor basically everything that went on. Whenever they could however, they snuck out of the HQ and out of the city in search of a place where they could spend quality time with each other. It was almost certain that the employees of ShinRa had no clue as to what went on between the two Turks. However, as Reno and Tseng's love grew, they couldn't have cared less if the whole world knew. But it was undeniably crucial that they maintain the look of professional men in the company of the public. Only in secret could they let their true emotions take the reins. Undoubtedly, it was very difficult to find the time and the place to show their affections for one another but somehow they managed to get away.
*****
Reno giggled lightly as he and Tseng walked briskly into the area of the infamous Nibel Mountains. They hiked for nearly an hour before reaching any sort of a summit. When they finally got there, however, the view was quite apparently worth the long journey. The countryside looked absolutely breathtaking from the edge of one of the apexes that Reno and Tseng had perched upon. The fact that the sun was setting made the whole atmosphere that much more romantic. A brisk breeze tore by Tseng's face agilely, causing his raven hair to flutter out behind him like dark wings. He took a deep breath, embracing each inhalation with exuberance. Not often did anyone from Midgar get a chance to breath and air that wasn't polluted to ruination. Reno kept his eye on Tseng, all that mattered to him was the fact that Tseng was happy. It was the sort of unrequited unselfishness that comes along with being with someone you care for. No words were exchanged between the two for a while as they watched the now deep red orange sun fall behind the rocky peaks of jagged majesty before them. As the two watched the sun attentively, Reno placed his hand on Tseng's gently. Thus causing Tseng to look down to his hand in wonder of the touch. As he noticed Reno's subtle action of endearment, Tseng smiled lovingly to him and moved his hand to cover Reno's. They both then averted their attentions to the last few rays of daylight that peered at them wearily over the mountaintops. When the last drop of sunlight had disappeared from sight, Tseng looked to Reno, a gentle expression on his face.
"I'm so glad that we could find the time to get out of that cursed place again." He commented happily.
"So am I." Reno agreed, turning his head to an angle where he could see the stars. "God, it's so beautiful out here tonight." He whispered to himself.
Tseng kept his eyes on Reno and tightened his grip on his hand gently.
"Let me tell you, I haven't seen all that many sunsets in my life. In fact, since I moved to Midgar, this is maybe the fifth that I've been able to see. Being able to watch one of the main factors of survival, our source of light, relinquish into horizon makes me feel fortunate. It gives me the visual facts I need to realize that the planet is not yet dead. It doesn't all look like that scum-infested over populated Metropolis of Midgar. And that makes me feel like life is worth living when I know that there is something so wonderful that hasn't been destroyed yet. In fact, there is only one thing that I can think of that surpasses that happiness. And that's the way I feel when I'm with you Reno." He finished, his brown eyes glittering with joy.
Reno turned his head and looked at Tseng, his mouth was open slightly as if to say something in response. But try as he might, Reno could not produce a single word in response to the beautiful honesty of Tseng's confession. Tseng gave Reno a close-lipped, gentle smile and looked back out to the now moonlit mountains.
"Tseng, that was the most amazing thing that anyone has ever said to me in my entire life." He began in a quiet tone, pausing momentarily to find the words to continue. "I honestly don't know what to say to you." Reno turned and looked at Tseng almost apologetically.
Tseng's face took on a serious nature.
"Please just say that you'll be with me forever." He asked him, his eyes pleading to him silently with a hopeful glimmer.
Reno's gentle blue eyes pierced Tseng's with a loving glance.
"Till death do us part." Reno promised Tseng sincerely.
Tseng's whole face seemed to brighten because of that simple comment. He leaned forward and wrapped both arms around Reno tightly, embracing him underneath the night sky. Hoping that the moment would never have to end.
*****
A week or so passed before Rufus finally gave the Turks a new mission. Since the keystone had been lifted from Avalanche and placed in ShinRa's hands courtesy of Cait Sith A.K.A Reeve, Tseng was to go to the Temple of the Ancients and blaze the path for ShinRa to take control of what they thought was the Promised Land. Tseng took the mission with no resistance. As soon as the orders were set, he got into a ShinRa helicopter and set off for the Temple. None of the other Turks even knew that he was departing.
Tseng stepped into the temple swiftly, looking around before finding the medium-sized stone in the center of the room. He walked up to it, looking at it with a quizzical look on his face. While reaching for the keystone in the pocket of his navy blazer he was stopped hastily by a sudden tap on the shoulder. He turned to look behind him, seeing nothing but darkness and a pair of gleaming Mako aqua eyes.
Those eyes could only belong to one person. Tseng thought as he took a step back, knocking into the stone. Tseng's face went pale when the man before him stepped out of the shadows.
Sephiroth glared at Tseng, despite the contemptuous smirk across his lips.
"Well, well, well. Look what ShinRa sent out to claim the Promised Land." He stated, an air of amusement in his deep voice. Sephiroth circled Tseng, studying him. "Oh ShinRa...will you never learn? You expect this to be a match for me?" Sephiroth ranted, still circling him.
Tseng growled angrily and spun to face Sephiroth, drawing his handgun and aiming for Seph's forehead. Sephiroth immediately drew his Masamune and slashed across Tseng's stomach in self-defense. Tseng's eyes widened in complete and total horror as he looked down to see a huge gash in his gut. He looked back to Sephiroth who was grinning contently.
"If you live, tell that idiot that you work for that he needs to do a whole lot better to stop me." He sneered.
Tseng slumped to the ground, holding his gut.
"You think you're so high and mighty Sephiroth." He began, "but I swear that one day you'll be put in your place."
Sephiroth looked to Tseng and tilted his head back, letting out a maniacal laugh.
"Not likely. Have a nice day." He added sarcastically as his form faded from view.
Tseng pulled his PHS from his blazer and dialed for help. The phone rang repeatedly until Elena picked up.
"Elena speaking," she stated.
"Elena..." Tseng started, his voice beginning to falter. "I'm down and hurt badly... please... help." He begged weakly.
Elena's eyes opened greatly as she began to panic.
"Tseng, hold on okay? We'll be out there as soon as possible. Please Tseng, hang on," she pleaded.
Nothing but static on the other end as Tseng dropped his PHS, leaning his head against the stone wall and grimacing in agony.
"Tseng? Tseng??!" Elena called out frantically to no response. "Oh God.." She whispered as she ran to get Rude and Reno.
Reno and Elena shifted nervously in the chopper, silently cursing the pilot for not flying faster. After a tense, nerve-racking flight, the infamous black ShinRa chopper finally landed outside the Temple of the Ancients.
Reno and Elena nearly flew out of the helicopter and into the main entrance to the temple. Reno stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Tseng but Elena only quickened her pace and kneeled beside him. She sobbed and wailed, looking at Tseng and conveying her desire for him to live. After watching Elena for nearly five minutes, Reno stepped forward. He kneeled beside Tseng quietly. Elena sent a curious glance his way. Reno looked to Elena, silently pleading for her to give him a moment with Tseng. Elena reluctantly stood and stepped back, whipping out her PHS to call for medical help. Reno looked at Tseng, his blue eyes clouded with tears.
"Tseng..." he started, his voice a near whisper. "Don't die on me.... it can't end like this." Tseng looked to Reno, trying to smile bravely through his pained expression.
"Reno, I'm so sorry. Seph...Sephiroth was the one..." a choke and a gurgle of blood cut off Tseng's speech momentarily. He swallowed the blood, a look of disgust on his face. "He was the one who slashed me open. I was caught by surprise...I'm sorry...oh God am I sorry. If I had known I wouldn't be coming back I..."
Reno put two fingers to Tseng's lips.
"Tseng, shhh...Please don't speak anymore. You'll use up all of your energy. Besides, I don't want to hear any pessimistic thoughts. You're going to live Tseng... I'm going to do all that's in my power to keep you alive.." He vowed, his chin quivering as he failed to contain his tears.
Tseng looked at him, holding his own tears back as best he could.
"Reno, please don't..." * cough * "please don't cry for me..." he begged, blood starting to run from his lips. "If..." he swallowed hard, "if I don't make it Reno... I want you to know that..." he paused for a moment, judging the appropriateness of his next statement. "I love you. And I'll be waiting for you on the other side." He promised him, reaching a trembling hand out to touch his face.
Elena's jaw dropped as she watched the scene. Reno moved forward, grasping Tseng's hand in his and holding it tightly.
"Tseng, please don't die. You can't die... you're the only person who cares about me in this God-forsaken world." He stated quietly as the hot tears from his eyes ran down his cheeks, splashing softly on their intertwined hands.
Tseng looked at Reno lovingly. All of Reno's suffering causing great pain in his heart. Reno dropped his head and cried like he'd never cried before.
Elena stepped forward and reached one hand out to touch Reno's shoulder.
Tseng gave her a forbidding glance and she stepped back immediately.
Time seemed endless to Reno, who was quickly running out of tears. After a matter of maybe 5 minutes he felt Tseng's grip on his hand loosen considerably. He raised his head quickly and looked at him, his eyes wide with concern.
"Tseng?!" he asked in a hushed voice.
Tseng looked at Reno, the pain now unbearable. Somehow, Tseng still managed to smile. He extended his free arm out, inviting a hug. Reno fell into his arms and hugged him loosely, as not to hurt him further. Tseng smiled weakly, the life slowly draining from his body with every beat of his dying heart.
"I'll always love you Reno." Tseng vowed, his voice a mere whisper.
Reno bit his lip softly, trying not to cry anymore. Reno felt hot droplets on his head as he tightened his embrace.
"I'll always love you as well." Reno promised Tseng, "but you'll live... I know you will." He swore, trying to assure himself more than anything.
Tseng kept the smile on his face as he wrapped both arms around Reno weakly. He took a deep breath, leaning his head back against the blood stained rock he was resting against. Reno leaned his head softly against Tseng's chest. The sound of Tseng's heart beating gave him comfort.
Elena watched silently, close to tears due to the whole scene. Her lip quivered as she watched Reno and Tseng huddle together.
Tseng's embrace loosened slowly but surely and soon enough Reno could no longer hear the beating of Tseng's heart. As his ears lost track of this soothing rhythm, his eyes opened wide and his head jolted up. Tears welled rapidly in his blue eyes as he looked at Tseng. Tseng's head was leaned against the rock, his eyes closed lightly. A look of serenity was upon his handsome face.
"Oh God." Reno gasped as he realized just what the situation was. "Tseng?" he asked meekly. "Tseng?" he repeated, his voice getting slightly louder. "No!!" he cried loudly as he leaned his head against Tseng's chest once more. He checked for a heartbeat in disbelief. Silence. Reno raised his head again, an expression of uncontrollable sorrow on his face. He stared at Tseng for a matter of minutes, trying desperately to engrave his image in his mind. Reno hugged Tseng' limp body tightly, a lone tear slipping from his left eye and landing on Tseng's now pale face.
Tears streamed down Elena's face. She whispered softly;
"What have we done?" She shook her head. "I would have never thought...." She dropped her head in shame, lowering her voice a bit. "Oh God, this is all my fault." she confessed softly.
Elena shook her head and stepped forward to Reno, her heels clicking on the stone floor. Reno was still hugging Tseng fervently. She kneeled beside him, her brown eyes studying him.
"Reno, he's gone." She noted softly as she placed a hand on his arm gently. Reno kept his pose.
"I know Ele... I know." He responded. "I just don't want to admit it." Elena nodded.
"Neither do I." Reno took his arms from around Tseng and looked at his now pale face once more.
"Rest in peace." He connoted softly, pressing his lips against Tseng's one last time. Reno shut his eyes tightly and shook lightly with grief. "His lips... they're still warm." He noted quietly. Elena lowered her gaze and shut her eyes as well. Reno opened his eyes and reached out, running his hand along Tseng's cheek softly before standing. Elena stood as well, pushing a few strands of hair from her face.
Rustling noises came from outside the temple.
"The chopper." Elena noted as she walked to the entrance silently.
Rude jumped out of the chopper first and was followed by a five-person medical crew.
"Elena... where is Tseng?" Rude asked between breaths.
Elena looked at him, a somber expression on her face. She lowered and shook her head slightly.
"Rude, you guys are too late." She whispered.
Rude flipped his sunglasses onto the top of his bald head and looked at her in disbelief. Rude shook his head as well.
"Damn." He muttered softly. "He was a good man." Rude walked to the medical crew and told them the news. There was a moment of silence between them before they hopped back onto the chopper. Rude then made his way back to Elena. "Do you mind if I pay my last respects?" he asked in a low, quiet tone of voice. Elena shook her head in response as Rude started to wander into the temple.
"Wait!" Elena called after him. Rude spun around quickly, nodding his head partially as if to say "what?" Elena jogged after him and whispered in his ear. "Rude, Reno's quite upset... please don't say anything to him. I'll explain the whole thing later. Alright?" She finished softly.
Rude nodded again.
"Whatever you say Ele." He responded as he made his way into the temple.
The very first image to greet Rude's eyes was Reno. Hunched up and sitting in the corner of the room. His knees were drawn to his body closely and his head was facedown in his hands. Rude glanced at Reno and thought about going against Elena's advice by talking to him. He decided against it however, when he saw the look on Reno's face. Reno looked up at Rude meekly, tearstains ran down his pale cheeks and there was quite a bit of dried blood all across his rumpled Turk uniform. His eyes were slightly swollen from the amount of crying he had been doing. Reno looked at Rude blankly, his blue eyes harboring a definite grief. He then lowered his face back into his bloody hands. Rude continued to look at Reno for a second before his eyes wandered elsewhere. The next horrific sight he came across was the lifeless body of the man that had once been his leader and his friend. Rude walked quietly to Tseng's position and kneeled down beside him, being careful not to kneel in the large puddle of blood on the floor. He lifted the sunglasses onto his bald head once again to get a better look. Tseng's brown eyes were now open and staring vacantly at the ceiling. Rude took two of his fingers and placed them on Tseng's eyelids, pulling them down. Rude's eyes then roamed to the cause of Tseng's untimely death, an enormous gash to his stomach. The wound had continued to trickle a light flow of blood after he had died. The trickle could be traced down Tseng's mangled uniform, adding to the already enormous crimson puddle. A light gasp escaped Rude as he drew his face from the vision. He shook his head before looking back to Tseng once more.
"Rest in peace Tseng." He murmured as he made a cross across his chest with one hand. Rude then stood up and walked back outside where Elena was watching his actions. "Ele, what in God's name happened to that poor guy?" he asked her, glancing back into the temple.
"Before he died, he said something about Sephiroth doing that to him. That bastard." She responded, the tone of her voice taking on an angered edge. She sighed lightly as she shifted her position. "I'll be back. I have to talk to Reno." She announced softly as she walked back into the temple.
Reno was still in the same position he had been in when Rude had entered. He still had his face buried in his hands as Elena sat Indian-style beside him.
"Reno" she began softly as she reached out one hand, placing it on his shoulder gently as not to startle him.
Reno raised his face from his hands and looked at her. It was obvious that he had been crying again.
Elena's expression was very soft as she looked back at him. "Please come outside Reno." She continued. "Being in here can only make things worse for you."
Reno looked at her in silence before he nodded slightly.
"Alright." He answered in a choked whisper.
Elena kept her hand on Reno's shoulder and stood up with him as he stood slowly. As Reno straightened his body out fully, Elena observed his uniform. She made a sour face upon seeing all of the blood on his clothes. The worst part of it was, it was all Tseng's. Elena wrapped one arm around Reno's back and walked him out the door.
Reno stopped only once and turned to look back at Tseng's body. He glanced at his lost love once and shut his eyes. Elena too looked at Tseng for a final time then walked Reno out into the daylight. Rude gave the medical crew a glance/half-nod as Reno and Elena emerged from the immaculate stone building. The medical crew jogged into the temple, disappearing in the dim light. Elena walked Reno to the helicopter and sat him down on the edge of the platform. She looked at him, genuinely concerned for him. He just stared into the temple entrance, his blue eyes glistening with tears that he couldn't let loose.
Rude gave Elena a curious glance and she returned his glance with one of those "I'll tell you later" looks. Rude nodded and went inside the temple to help the med crew with whatever he could. Elena sat by Reno and hugged him tightly.
"Reno I know how you feel. And I want you to know that I'm here for you." She whispered into his ear gently.
Reno looked in Elena's direction and managed a slight smile. He returned Elena's hug gratefully and leaned against her lightly. Elena held him there and took one hand up, smoothing his hair to calm him.
Minutes later the med crew returned from inside the temple, Rude following quickly behind them. Reno glanced to the crew and immediately closed his eyes. They were wheeling Tseng's body out of the temple on a stretcher. Though a white sheet covered the corpse, Reno couldn't bear to look at it. They quickly pushed the stretcher into the waiting ShinRa medical helicopter and took off, heading towards Midgar. Rude stayed but kept his space, standing near the front of the chopper, leaning against the body.
Elena looked to Reno and smiled.
"We should be departing soon." She commented softly.
Reno nodded and stood up, hoisting himself into the chopper. Elena followed behind and Rude did as well. The chopped lifted off of the ground noiselessly and took into the air, heading for Midgar. The ride that followed was the longest and most silent one any of them had ever endured.
*****
"Oh great...just fucking great." Rufus steamed. "Who the hell did him in?"
Elena looked to Rufus and sighed lightly.
"Sephiroth Sir. Though it is my belief that Avalanche may have had a hand in it. " She answered.
Rufus sighed and flipped his golden hair out of his face and to the side.
"Joy. Well, I'll find another person to fill his position. For now you're the leader Rude." He announced, pointing his finger lazily in Rude's direction.
"Alright Sir." He noted.
Rufus slapped the palm of his hand on his desk in anger. He muttered a few curse words and then looked from Elena to Rude.
"Where's Reno?" he asked with annoyance.
Elena's eyes got wide as she searched for an explanation for his absence.
"Well, he and Tseng were good friends. He's recuperating from what happened. Tseng did die in Reno's arms you know."
Rufus looked at Elena.
"Well, that's permissible for now." He stated flatly. "But tell him to get over it. There's work to be done and there will be other guys like Tseng to be his friend in the future." He finished.
Elena grumbled slightly at Rufus' rudeness but she kept her reaction subdued.
"Dismissed." Rufus said nonchalantly. Elena and Rude nodded and headed for the door.
As soon as they left the perimeter of Rufus' office, Elena motioned for Rude to follow her to the ShinRa Café. Rude obediently followed. For he was anxious to hear what she had to say about Reno.
The two sat quietly at their usual table and ordered a few drinks. Elena raked a hand through her short blond hair and looked at Rude.
"Where shall I begin?" she asked him. Rude shrugged and looked at the beer that he had ordered.
"At the beginning obviously, since I have no clue what you're about to tell me." He answered as he twisted the cap off of his Bud Light. He took a swig and set his elbows on the table, looking at Elena as he removed his sunglasses.
Elena coughed once and started to tell him all of what she had figured out.
"Well, I don't know much, all I know is what I heard transpire in the conversation between Reno and Tseng before Tseng died." She began. "But, from that little bit of info I can make a pretty good guess as to what exactly was going on."
Rude nodded.
"Continue please." He suggested in a low tone, sipping his at his beer casually.
Elena nodded softly.
"Alright. As far as I can tell, Reno and Tseng were...well, they got a long a whole lot better than we had thought." She began, glancing to Rude to see if he had caught her meaning.
He hadn't. His eyes remained glued to Elena as he awaited a continuance of what she had said.
“Ahem. Um, they sort of had... a relationship between them. Yeah, that's what you'd call it." She continued, her voice dropping in volume as she relayed this information to Rude. Elena knew how homophobic Rude was and she was reluctant to just come right out and say what had been floating through her mind for fear of turning him against Reno.
Rude sipped his beer once again but kept his gaze on her. He obviously didn't get the point.
"We all had a relationship with Tseng. He was like a brother to us." He commented dumbly.
Elena sighed heavily and leaned back in her chair.
"No Rude. We had a good friendship with him. There's a difference. He and Reno had a relationship." She corrected, her gaze wandering around the café in annoyance.
Rude looked to Elena, confused.
"Please explain. I'm sorry but I just don't get it."
You've got that right. Elena thought to herself. She leaned forward, draping her body over half her side of the table, looking Rude straight in the eye. I guess I'd better just tell it to him straight. No sugar coating she told herself.
"Rude, they were in love with each other." She blurted out.
Rude dropped his bottle of beer, thus spilling it all over the countertop. His eyes widened in semi-horror.
"They what?!" He stammered as he grabbed a napkin and tried to wipe the spilt beer off of the table.
"Rude, not so loud dammit." She scolded him. A waitress came by to help him with the mess and Elena shut up. When the waitress finally left, having wiped the beer up, Elena cleared her throat. Rude mumbled a "sorry" and returned his gaze to Elena's face, however disgusted, he was anxious to know more.
"They were in love. They were in a homosexual relationship." Elena finished, taking a deep breath and lowering her head.
Rude stared blankly at the beer-soaked napkin on the table before him, trying desperately to discern what Elena had revealed to him.
"Man... and I was always telling gay jokes too." He commented guiltily.
Elena looked up at him.
"I feel so bad now Rude. They could have been happy. But now Tseng's gone and I don't know what to do with Reno. He won't snap out of his depression." She rambled, her voice trailing off a bit. She reached for the strawberry-banana smoothie that she hadn't touched yet. She took a small sip and set it back down.
"Do you get the meaning now Rude?" she asked, casting a hopeful gaze in his direction.
Rude nodded rapidly.
"Yeah, I do. But now I feel bad as well. I think that if I had known, I wouldn't have given them any grief about it. They are...well, Tseng was my friend. I just don't do that to friends." Rude maundered.
Elena sighed.
"Oh well. It's way too late now." Elena commented.
With that last comment, the door of the café opened slightly and Reno stepped in silently. He had changed his uniform and washed up. Reno walked to the table that Elena and Rude were sitting at and slumped into a chair. He kept his gaze on the tabletop as he spoke up airily.
"ShinRa has made arrangements for a funeral. It's to be held the day after tomorrow." He told them as quietly as possible.
Elena's face took a look of pity for Reno. She could tell that he was still more than upset about the whole thing. He had reason to be, after all, it was just this morning that all of these soap opera quality events had taken place. She scooted her chair closer to Reno's and put an arm around him.
Reno leaned his head on her shoulder, inviting her embrace.
Rude just looked vacantly at the situation. Another awkward silence took control of the moment.
*****
Reno couldn't bring himself to attend Tseng's funeral although Rude and Elena tried (and failed) to convince him to go. After beseeching Reno for almost an hour on the day of the service, Rude and Elena finally gave up and went by themselves. Rufus even managed to pull himself away from his busy schedule to attend as well.
The service was a beautiful one. The eulogies paid a wonderful tribute to the man that was probably the best damn Turk that ShinRa had ever had the good fortune to employ. There wasn't a dry eye amongst the whole group of people that gathered onto a small patch of grass in the private ShinRa cemetery. The casket was lowered into the ground, signifying a final and undeniably unfortunate close to the last chapter in the novel of Tseng's life.
Elena and Rude stayed at the gravesite even after the last person had been long gone. They looked to the fresh earth that covered the memorial, permitting their minds regression to that fateful evening.
"It's a damn shame that a man like this had to be done in. Especially in the manner that his execution was carried out...." Rude stated respectfully.
Elena nodded swiftly in agreement.
Rude looked to the sky, his black Ray-Bans blocking out most of the sun's harsh beams. After a moment of silence Rude gave Elena a light smile and turned sharply, facing the cemetery gates.
"Shall we get going?" Rude inquired.
"Yeah." Elena consented as she began to walk off with Rude.
"Wait." She said suddenly as she stopped short of the next row of headstones.
Rude gave her a quizzical look as she ran back toward Tseng's gravesite. On the way she plucked a red rose from a nearby rosebush and took it to the marker. She placed it on the top of the soft, damp mound of fresh dirt that sealed the burial site and bent to kiss the top of the headstone.
"For Reno." She whispered as she gave the site one last look. She tilted her head back and smiled to the sky because something in her heart told her that Tseng could hear every word she had said. And perhaps he was smiling at her gesture from the Heavens. Rude waited patiently for Elena as she paid her final respects without a word. When she had finished she turned from the grave and jogged lightly to catch up with Rude. Rude smiled, knowing full well what she was doing.
Elena kept her gaze on the landscape before them as the two of them walked off, disappearing past the gates of the cemetery.
The End
