Reflections of Reno Chapter 16

To Punch Your Patriarch

By Christina Bruno

"Look at the places, the town where I hide,
Look at the faces of dreamers who've died,
It all looks like 'this' when you're standing inside,
Look at the expression of a man who has tried."
-C.S. *

The impact of the bullet drove Tifa against the cool, brick wall. She could feel her flesh slam against it, rubbing against the hardened clay. It scraped her lightly, as she grit her teeth. The bullet had stationed it self right in her mid-drift. She could hardly look down at it, it was too painful. She had always abhorred the sight of her own blood.

The tears began to streak down her cheek, as she let out a cry of pain. There was no way to prevent it; it was not only due to the pain but to the shock of it all. The sobbing escaped her throat rebelliously; she could feel the blood spurting out from the raw wound.

As soon as Reno heard the sound of the bullet, he sprung up from the wall's side. He looked upon Tifa; the dismay in his eyes was beyond description. He watched as the blood crept around the round cap, and then gushed from his love's gut. It was okay if his father would have shot him - but not Tifa. There was no fucking way he would let him get away with this.

Reno began to become consumed with rage. It was a more profound rage than he had ever experienced in all of his born years. It was not merely for the fact that he hated his father; it was the fact that he had hurt Tifa. Tifa had admitted that she loved him, and he knew that he felt the same. (Although, he would have never admitted it so openly.) His father had wounded the one woman of substance that had ever existed in his entire life. Even his mother had been shallow because she was so fearful of Vance. But not Tifa, he could see the bravery in her eyes. There was a wall of fortitude there that could not be shattered.

He looked to Tifa in a spilt second, winking at her briefly, as if to inform her that everything would be alright. And then he turned his glance to Vance - who stood before him with a conniving grin upon his face. His lips were twisted with such pleasure. The smile of the sadist, oh how he loved to inflict pain!

"Now it's my turn." Reno muttered looking at his father.

Vance could only grin as his finger was about to grace the cold trigger of his gun. But his son was too quick for him. Youth had its benefits.

But, it was Reno who did all of the smiling as he wound up his fist, plunging it at his father's aged jaw line. He could hear it crack violently as he brought it across his face. Then, with all of the agility the planet's deities had given him he took his foot and quickly kicked the gun out of his father's hand. He watched it crash to the floor. And then he kicked it to the other side of the room, where it was practically unreachable.

Vance's face quickly snapped to the side in an instant. Reno's actions were extremely quick. He winced as the boy kicked the gun out his hand, turning it instantly red. His eyes glazed over just a tad, it had been awhile since he had fought a worthy opponent. Actually, it had been forever.

"You can fight me like a man." Reno laughed at his father. "Old ma-"

Before Reno could complete his taunting, Vance retaliated with a swift punch at Reno's almost non-existent gut. There was no padding there, so it hurt like hell.

Reno had found himself being thrust against the bars of the cell from the punch. But they continued coming. They were consecutive - he tossed one after the other. Reno's eyes opened wide taking in the pain. With each punch, his back whammed against the steel bars of the half opened cell. He took in a breath, bending back his back leg. He sent it flying into his father's chest kicking him to far side where the guard was rendered in his chair unconscious.

Vance opened his eyes instantly to see Reno charging at him. All of the hate he had for him was manifested through that deadly stare. To Vance, it was stimulating. It was obvious that Reno was consumed with him all of his life. He had marred the boy's past, and he was trying to get back at him. But Vance knew from experience, (he had wound up killing his own wife after all), that all of the pain you inflict on others cannot purge you of your guilt.

As Reno approached, Vance moved swiftly out of the way. Reno's eyes widened as he crashed into the table that stood there. His gut cut into it, which caused his entire body to wobble over.

"Fuck!" He cried as the table collapsed with the table. He heard a distinct "thwap" after the cheap-ass plastic legs had given out. He just laid there for a moment, unable to move. Would his father make an end of him as well?

Vance grinned. He watched his shocked son lay on his stomach atop the broken table. He walked over to him slowly.

"Who's the man now, boy?" He cackled to himself. All of that itty-bitty pity he had momentarily had for the boy washed completely away.

He swung his foot forward, rolling Reno on his back. Vance looked down at him. His face was twisted in a painful expression. His nose was turned up in aggravation. He bit hard on his bottom lip…he had always done that as a child. But Reno was no longer a child. He knew the truth, and he had to hide it. Vance knew damn well that, that loquacious tabloid writer woman had been an ex-Turk. He could not let such information slip out. Even if Reno had known intention of doing it, this was a fight. It was Reno or Vance. And he would make sure, it sure as hell wasn't Reno.

As the thoughts began to eat away at him, Vance got on his knees over Reno. He reeled back his fist and let it glide over his son's face. Making a strong impact, and an instant bruise.

Reno let out an instant cry. He couldn't let him win. He had to do this for his mom, for Tifa, for himself. Trying wasn't good enough. His father could no longer hide from him. His father had shattered his life and his childhood dreams. He could see himself as a child and that was what was driving him on. He lifted up his hands warily as his father pounded away at his chest.

Finally, they had reached his fathers neck. Reno squeezed hard, clutching it as hard as he could. He wanted to see him choke; he wanted to see him suffer. The tips of his hands sweat as they gripped tighter and tighter. All of the hate and rage, poured out through his grip.

He watched Vance gag. He watched his eyes roll to the back of his head. He watched his mouth open and his tongue flex to the roof of his mouth in desperation. He watched him suffer and he smiled.

Reno built up enough strength to throw his father off of him. It seemed that he had cut off his air supply. He almost felt sad, seeing his father's life end. He watched him lay cold on his side with no expression. He could only stare for a second, for there was someone else that needed tending to. Someone that meant a hell of a lot more to him than this old fuck.

"That was for mom and me." He muttered, as he dashed to Tifa's cell.

All of the while, the prisoners had been cheering Reno on. (Many of them had been convicted of embezzlement - thanks to the Paramount) The fight had been in perfect view, the noise added to Reno's adrenaline rush as he had attacked Vance.

Tifa saw the bruised Reno running towards her. It was if time had frozen, as melted slowly away. Her hero rushed to her side and wrapped his arms around her weakly. His strength had been taken from him with all of those blows.

Reno placed a soft kiss on her brow. She was trembling from the pain. Crying from the defeat, she wanted to help Reno kill Vance. But it was his problem, and he handled it. The pain was unbearable, but she tried to contain herself. Oh how she tried…

"…I'm gonna get you out of here."

"Reno…" She whimpered. She felt dazed from the blood loss, but she was a fighter. She would never surrender.

"I love you Reno."

Tifa whispered softly as Reno weakly lifted her thin figure into her battered arms.

"I know you do." Reno said. It was all he could say. I love you? How could he be able to express it. In a time like this, he couldn't express it. But he did love her he felt it.

"Do you love me?" She winced, as he held her close to his chest. She knew that she would never get the 3 forbidden words out of him. A simple Yes or No would be good enough for now.

What the hell was he supposed to say? If he said Yes he'd look like a wimp, if he said no he'd be full of shit.

"Uh…" Reno held her close to him as they approached the bar doors. His eyes widened as his undead father came rushing at the two. He was screaming in rage, blood all over his body. His face was as red as the stains that his suit bore.

Reno growled, taking his free hand and wrapping it around the bars. He threw the cell door alright, just as his father was entering. Just as his head was entering the cell, the slammed the door making sure it would be the end of him. The heavy steal of the door cracked his father's neck, killing him instantly.

Tifa shrieked in horror. She stared at the man's blank face. The face of defeat.

"Fucking bastard…" Reno muttered, as he looked at the shocked expression on the dead man's face.

His father was dead, by his hand. A feeling guilt sweep over him momentarily. He had destroyed the man that had given him life. However, Vance had destroyed the woman who had given him life as well. They were now even. But the fact that he had killed his father, did irk him just a bit. Until he realized that he had put him out of his misery. He was not the man he had called "Dad" when he was young. He was a man that was corrupted by the Shinra. Another thing that the two shared in common. But now, Reno hoped that his father had returned to his original state when he reached the Lifestream.

In the Life Stream, Vance would be no longer vengeful. Hopefully, they would be together again. Reno realized that he did not hate his father as a whole, just what he had become. His original father, if you will, was a kind man initially. After his mother's murder, Reno's father had no choice but to remain corrupt. If he was kind, he would not be able to survive. He would not have been able to coerce the Shinra he had been innocent. He would not have been able to have become so successful.

But he did pay a price, and Reno knew it. Reno believed he let his father rest. Reno grinned to himself, with a sense of closure. He had done nothing wrong. He was always right.

He slowly opened the door, letting Vance's limp body drop. It was over. He had had revenge. He had succeeded, he had beaten his father. Reno was the winner.

"And that was for you, doll." He smirked. It was no "I love you", but it was good enough.

Tifa could feel her heart soar at that moment, for a second she had almost forgotten the fact that she was wounded. But it wasn't all that bad. Wounds would heal, but love would always be eternal.

Chapter 17