Reflections of Reno Chapter 15

My Gil, My Heart

By Christina Bruno

I'm on a sentimental journey into sight and sound
Of no return and no looking back or down
A conscientious objector to the was that's in my mind
Well leaving in the lurch and I'm taking back what's mine
- Green Day, Castaway

As the immoral Corel breeze rustled through Reno's hair, he could not get the image of his father out of his mind. His deep eyes penetrated his heart down to his soul. He had grown old, but his same fucked up foundation remained. The feelings of hatred were mutual between the two. It was obvious to the ex-Turk as he continued to make his way to the other end of the city.

What irked him most about Vance was his position. The fact that he had soared up the lines of success irritated him more than he could express. He wanted what he had, he wanted achievement. He wanted to reside over the land as its king. If his father was king, than he was a prince. But he was not his "true" father. He was not the same man that had held him in his arms after he was born. This man was a replacement: someone that had been deteriorated by the Shinra. This man was Claudius, and Reno was Hamlet. It was best for him to overthrow. He would have to save his father from his greed. So he could inherit it. There was the ever present Reno arrogance and selfish nature surfacing again, it didn't take long before the real Reno came back.

Vance was a monster corrupted by greed, he had looked at his son, the boy he had cast out so young and hardly said anything to him. What words he had said were colder and sharper than ice. Vance was a man who refused to live with his own guilt, he put Reno in his stead. He had haunted Reno all of his life, like his ever present shadow Vance had always been at Reno's heels torturing him. He was a murderer. He killed his mother, and he poured the guilt over a little boy. But that memory had washed a way. It was replaced by a memory of a beautiful woman who had told him the truth. A woman who took the facts, stated them, and held him for a while. Tifa, he would never make her regret those words. For once he would stop thinking of himself, he pushed down that familiar desire for power and concentrated on what her eyes looked like and how her lips felt to keep the old him dormant if he could.

He continued on his way. He always had a distinct walk. His father stood in his memory with his spine completely erect, Reno walked with his spin curved a bit and his shoulders rolled forward. He felt uncomfortable in the guard uniform, but if he was heading toward the prison he would keep it on. It was serving as his identity. He reached his hand in his pocket, feeling around for the man's wallet. He glanced down at the picture of the guard. They looked nothing alike, but Reno would be able to pull it off. He was a Tu...ex-Turk.

But there was something else in that wallet, behind his new identification. It shone like green and smelt like greed...it was gil. It was the sweet scent of 20 gil. Not a huge amount, but it was enough for him to play with. He turned his head; he was in the middle of his mother-ship. An gambler's heaven, he was in West Corel. There was a Casino on every turn.

"What's one game?" He muttered to himself. Tifa was in the back of his mind now, but he had nothing to offer her. He would try his luck, just one time…he couldn't resist the temptation.

The hotel was called "Casa Denaro." It was a piece of shit compared to the Paramount. The class in there was completely nonexistent. A few men in rags and a few men in drag - and yet they were all the same. They all played the same games, black jack a one or one card draw. There were a few old bags at the slot machines. They never won big. Reno scrutinized every soul there. It wasn't bright in here; the interior was mostly furnished in brown.

The sight of these soar losers invigorated Reno. He watched them slam their hands on the table. Some of them whined, some of them resorted to tears. He loved it. So much, that every problem had left him. It was just him and the game.

He took in the smell of the gil around him and he approached the closest one-card-draw table. It was the most popular game in all of Corel. It was simple, and the people loved simplicity. Reno's preferred poison had always been blackjack. He would play it in the slums as a boy.

Yet tonight, he was in a rush. He would keep it simple he had decided. His brilliant eyes shot straight at the dealer as he slammed the 20 gil on the table. His hand slowly slid off of the bill, because he didn't want to let go.

"Hit me."

The dealer nodded to him. This man had no tag. He had no name and know identity. Did he even know who he was? Nah, the hotel was too goddamned cheap.

He placed a card in front of Reno face down and did the same for himself. He nodded to Reno as they both turned over their cards. Reno jumped back as he saw what he had received. The Queen of Hearts, a pretty little lady with long brown hair. Reno's eyes widened and realization finally struck him. What on the planet was he doing in this dump, when she was probably locked up in a cell somewhere? What kind of asshole was he? At that moment he hated himself for his ignorance and greedy notions.

He shook his head, not looking back. He had run from the Casino, without even knowing that he had won.

The cigar's ashes dropped over the carpet's sanguine stains. He had always enjoyed cigars; they made him feel as if he was held in a higher esteem. As he walked down the hall to see his son, he almost felt an ounce of pity for him. But as he looked down at the massacred man lying on the rug, with his neck thrashed he thought again.

He was right to blame Reno for Delia's death. Reno was a cold bastard, and he had created him. He was spawn from his own seed. Yet, when the boy had cheated him out of millions of gil he knew it was time to take his revenge. No one makes Vance look like a fool.

"…Shall I send a party out sir?"

It was time for him to settle the score. He did blame Reno for anything that knocked him off of his course, but when Reno had called him the murderer. He knew that he had finally realized the truth. He would hate to have his reputation scorned. He could find a more than good lawyer, but the point was as long as Reno was alive. There was someone to tell him that he was the one who had killed his wife. It was his hands that had thrust her down those stairs. And he just couldn't be reminded of it.

"…No. I'll take care of it."

Tifa sat in her cell with her knees cradled against her chest. She could feel the cool brick against her back. A soft breeze blew through the barred up window and caressed her cheeks. So many spontaneous thoughts were going through her mind at that moment but they were all about the same person.

She believed that Reno had betrayed her. It was her only logic. In her heart, she couldn't believe it but her common sense was telling her otherwise. Unfortunately, as she stood in that cell she pondered away.

She longed for him. She longed for his soft lips. She longed for his almost gentle touch, in a million years she had never dreamed that Reno the snide and coarse Turk could be so tender. Her ears even ached for his sly remark. She closed her eye lids recalling their journey together, every step, every fight, and every little smile he gave her. She first saw him begging her for help and she was merciless. But foolishly, she helped him. He was hurt, and she almost pitied him.

Tifa had drawn up events in her mind. She had foolishly thought it was Reno who had been attracted to Aeris and not Tseng. Was she doing that purposely? Yes. She was trying to ward off the amounting affection she was feeling for him. She was ready to run, but he wouldn't let her out his sight.

When she had encountered Cloud again, she resented Reno even more. But his words almost comforted her. She could no longer deny that the sarcastic bastard was growing on her. She saw how he tried to reason her rejection; she loved every moment of it. He did something no one else, no man for that matter had ever done, he put her high up above others. She'd always felt second best until that moment, maybe someone would put her first in their eyes now. She could only pray her feeling of doom was wrong and her heart was right.

And then, there was the climax of the journey. The part where Reno had finally poured himself out to her, they were both intoxicated but it was a milestone. She would have never thought that someone as cold as him would be haunted by such memories. Remorse was something she didn't think he would possibly be capable of, but it was more than remorse it was a needy vulnerability that matched her own. And then, they shared a long awaited kiss. It was a kiss full of pleasure and sweet as rum, as their emotions intertwined in a sensual dance.

She hoped to whatever deity there was that he hadn't betrayed her. Because: when she heard his name her heart leapt with joy. When she felt his touch, there was a tingle up her spine. When he kissed her lips she felt an electric pulse shoot through her psyche. The very sight of him was her only rapture. This was not only desire, it was something true. It was a feeling of substance, something she thought she had known but truly hadn't because this was a million times more enthralling than anything she had felt for Cloud. It was love, real love.

"…I'm here from the Paramount. I've got to bring the prisoner."

It was the voice that she had been longing to hear - A deep voice, full of crafty confidence. She smiled in the darkness, knowing that her savior had come.

She had gotten it all wrong. It wasn't Cloud who was to save her. It wasn't Cloud was to make her feel whole. It was Reno all the while.

"Here's the key. She's in the third cell to the right."

She heard his footsteps. They were soft and determined; she could hear the soft clamping of his boots against the concrete of the jailhouse floor.

Reno was finally there. He looked down at her. He could see the pure joy in her eyes. She was so filled to the brim with happiness she was overflowing. He felt that she needed him saw it in his eyes and he liked that feeling. He liked being needed because he needed her to, this mutual longing had finally been quenched and together they were strong. He had been a fool, but he was here to change everything. He promised himself he would never hurt her out of selfish desire, he swore that as he turned the thin key in its hole.

Tifa looked up at him with eyes of adoration. She couldn't say his name because her heart was beating so quickly and it froze her throat. Never, had she ever thought she would be so happy to see Reno. But she was more than happy she was ecstatic. She wanted to freeze this moment (not the situation), the way he looked down at her. She felt that he wasn't here out of obligation. He was here because he cared and that meant the world.

The key turned quickly, making a few clanging sounds. Then, Reno placed his hands on the bar doors and pushed them aside violently. He didn't know what had come over him. They had merely been parted for a number of hours, but he couldn't hold himself back. He practically threw himself at her, cradling her in a tight embrace.

Reno pressed his lips upon Tifa's hard. He could feel her trembling slightly in his arms. The passion and longing that he had for her poured through his lips into her heart. He wanted her to feel that, because he was horrible at words. He had never felt such a feeling before. He did not only want her in bed, he wanted her in his heart. He wanted to keep her there, nestled safely in his care for the rest of his life not only as a lover but as an equal who he trusted. It had been so damn long since he had trusted, and that menial surrender felt like a hallow heaven.

Tifa felt tears pour down her face he kissed her. Tifa had never been kissed in such a manner before with such passion and yet such gentleness. The kiss took its toll on her, gripping unto her emotions. She could hardly contain herself and so the tears came warm and exhilarating. They were tears of joy, streaming down her face. She had been kissed before but this was the kiss she was waiting all of her life: The kiss of true love.

It seemed as though there lips were locked for hours, but they were only kissing for a moment. Reno was disguised as a guard, and he wanted to get her out of there unharmed. He let go of her reluctantly, and placed his hand on her face. His thumb softly brushed over her cheek bone as she nuzzled his palm. Her face glowed with such ardent beauty; she looked upon him with such emotion that it made his cold heart swell. If he had to choose, he would stare at her forever. She was gorgeous in her essence.

"Are you okay?" He murmured lowly. It was so simple but so filled with concern and protectiveness. That was not what he had wanted to say, but it was all he could let out.

Tifa on the other hand could not hold back. She had to let him know what she felt for him.

"Reno…"

The bored guard in the background was oblivious to the whole affair. He looked straight ahead of him, to see a figure in the darkness.

"I…"

The figure made his way into the light. The light wisped over the man's silver pistol. He had a sleek grin on his face, as he pulled the trigger.

"…love..."

The bullet made a daring escape and penetrated the guard's chest. He was dead instantly, and the cold man walked past him without a care. The sound of rung through the entire jail, except for that cell. The two were so enraptured in their emotions; they ignored everything but each other.

"…you."

Reno winced as he heard the gun shot. And the man who had fired was hovering over the couple. He quickly kicked Reno to the side shoving him against the wall.

Tifa looked up to see the man before her. He was behind them both. He stood tall, she had never set eyes on him before in her life. He pointed the pistol down aiming it at the young girl. He would make it even as he aimed his gun.

"And I loved your mother."

He pulled the trigger, sending the bullet at Tifa's exposed stomach.

Chapter 16