ShinRa's Shake Up

Rufus’ hand slowly lifted to his eyes, fingers brushing over the bandages that still covered one eye. He tried to move his other hand but it wouldn’t move; wiggling his fingers against the sheets was the best he could manage. Everything hurt. Muscles that had not been used in over a year were almost none existent now and joints protests loudly against any and every movement. The light stung and made his head throb. Voices, spoken in lowered hushed tones, sounded insanely loud to his ears. Even if voice sounded different to him- like it was someone else’s all together.



“What… what happened?” he asked his words slow and halting.



Reno had reluctantly let go of his hand as he pulled away and rubbed his eyes. He watched every move, trying to make himself calm down. He looked from Rufus to each of his fellow Turks still gathered around the bed. His eyes met Tseng’s and he nodded, telling the dark haired Turk he needed to be the one to tell Rufus what had happened.



“What do you remember, Sir?” he asked, his voice hesitant. This was the moment of truth; now was when they would find out how much Rufus remembers and how much of his memory had been lost.



Rufus furrowed his brow as he lowered his hand and closed his eyes. He thought, the blurred images coming in snippets and unclear waves.



“I remember being in my office… there was a battle or something… going on.” Rufus turned his head and looked at Reno . “I remember you… Reno … trying to get me to leave for some reason.”



Reno let go of the breath he had been holding. He remembered him.. and remembered at least bits up to the attack.



“After that… it’s all dark. I only remember snippets. There was fire and I was trapped under something. I couldn’t move and I couldn’t see hardly anything but fire and smoke. After that… there’s nothing.”



Silence hung in the room for a moment and then Rufus turned and looked at Tseng again.



“What exactly happened, Tseng?”



“It was AVALANCHE, Sir. They attacked the ShinRa Tower while you were still in your office. Reno had been there, but he left when you turned him out of the office, refusing to leave.”



“AVALANCHE?” Rufus muttered the name over several times. “That’s the ex-Soldier Cloud’s group right?”



Tseng nodded slowly and then continued.



“The tower was left in ruin, there was nothing left of the floors above your office. Rude and Reno were there as soon as we could get them there- the building was still smoking as they searched for you.”



Reno nodded slowly as Rufus looked at him, those images of the destruction and the fear that had gripped his heart was still all too real.



“It took us forever to find you,” he said softly. “Rude and I searched for over an hour. There was so much debris; everything from the top floors had fallen down, making everything a mangled mess. By some miracle, we found you in the one corner of the office that wasn’t burned to a crisp.”



“And… my injuries?” Rufus asked slowly, his eyes focusing on the one hand that he could barely move, safe for a twitching finger.



“They were pretty bad” Reno said slowly, watching his boss’ face closely as he spoke. “You were pinned beneath one of the support beams, and it took us a while to get you out. You had bad burns on your face and back which took a while to heal but the doctors did a good job. A chunk of the glass from your window was embedded in you back and that gave us some concern and problems but it’s healed as well for the most part. ShinRa has been trying to rebuild since then…” Reno ’s voice trailed off as he looked down at the floor. He didn’t want to shock Rufus by dumping all the bad news on him all at once, but there was no way he could hide any of it from him either.



“And this?” he asked as his hands traced along the bandages that wound around his head and eye and wrapped around his neck.



Reno ’s eyes met Rude’s for a minute and the large man nodded Reno on.



“After the attack, there was a huge upheaval in the LifeStream. Life was hell for all of us for a long time, and we weren’t really sure if the planet would recover from it. I guess in a way it still hasn’t fully recovered even now. Anyways, about six months after the disaster, a new disease started to emerge. No one’s sure exactly what causes it to infect the people it does, but we are fairly certain it has something to do with the upheaval of the LifeStream. They call it geostigma. For some reasons it only attacks certain people, and manifests itself in black blotches on the skin. It can manifest on any part of the body. A few months ago, you began showing signs of the geostigma on your face and neck- that’s what it is.” Reno fell silent a moment before he spoke again. “There… there currently is no cure for it.”



“And what about the company?” Rufus asked as he tried to push himself up higher on the pillows but could barely move.



“ShinRa has basically ceased to exist since the disaster. Without you, there was nothing to keep the company together and keep it running.”



“You couldn’t deal without me Tseng? I thought I had trained you all better than that. How could the company have fallen in just a month or two?”



Eyes darted around the room, the Turks glancing at each other uneasily. He thought it was only a few weeks when in reality it had been a year….

Rufus looked at them questioningly, and he noticed something strange. Tseng’s hair was a lot longer than he remembered it being... and so was Reno’s, and his pony tail was gone as well. Rude had grey stubble on his chin, and even Elena looked older in some ways. His gaze met Reno’s and he held the red head’s eyes.



“Reno, how long was I out?”



“Rufus…” he said, trying to think of the easiest way to break the news to him.



“Reno, tell me” he said firmly.



“It’s been a year and a few days, Rufus.”



“A year?”



Reno nodded quietly, carefully watching Rufus’ reaction.



The blond laid his head back and lifting the one hand he had control over, covered his face and sighed. Elena spoke for the first time since Rufus had awaken as she laid a hand on Tseng’s shoulder lightly and looked to Rude.



“Let him rest. I’ll go notify the doctor that he’s awake.”



Rude nodded in silent agreement and turned and followed after Elena. Tseng remained and looked down at Reno who was kneeling beside the bed.



“Stay with him, Reno,” he said simply, knowing there was no need for the order, the red head had barely left the man’s side in a year, and he wasn’t bound to be leaving any time soon.



Reno nodded, his eyes still fixed on Rufus as he heard the door close, leaving them alone in the room. As he knelt there, the memory of the last time Rufus had spoken to him once again entered his mind.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``





Rufus had been sitting at his desk, going through piles and piles of paperwork that he had once again let get out of hand. The warning had already been given and AVALANCHE was poised and ready to attack. All that day Rufus had stayed in his office, making plans, refusing to leave.



“Rufus, come on, we gotta get out of here before it’s too late…”



“I’m not leaving Reno. I am no coward to be chased from my own empire like a scared rabbit.” Rufus had looked up at his body guard with blazing eyes. “I am staying right here.”



“Sometimes it is the rabbit who runs who avoids being killed” Reno said simply, his eyes holding the same stubborn glare his boss’ eyes held.



“If you want to run then run, the door is right there.”



Reno had stood there a moment, in the middle of the office, and stared at Rufus. Setting his jaw he walked over to the desk and slammed his hands down on the top, sending the papers Rufus had been working on scattering to the ground. Rufus jumped slightly and glared at the red head.



“It is no shame to run away Rufus. There is no shame in protecting yourself so you can continue on. What good is there in being killed for the sake of honor, when you can no longer do the work you have been doing?”



Reno walked around behind the desk and grabbed Rufus’ arm.



“We are going Rufus... now!”



Anger flashed in those brilliant blue eyes as he jerked his arm away, his hand flying back, hitting the Turk across the face. Reno staggered back his face turned away. Slowly he turned and faced Rufus, his eyes bright with anger and pain.



“I am not leaving” Rufus said simply.



“And I won’t let you stay.”



“Well, you will have to get use to it, Reno. You are a Turk, bound to the ShinRa company. My word is law and I order you to leave.”



The red head stood, his shoulders square as he met the eyes of the man he admired, respected, and loved.



“Then I resign. I surrender the title of Turk and am no longer bound to obey you. We are leaving Rufus. Right now.”



Rufus stared at the red head in disbelief for a moment. When Reno grabbed his arm again we jerked back, striking the red head again and catching his arm as he swung back the EMR.



“Then, I dismiss you from my services Reno formerly of the Turks.”



With one last swing he sent Reno sliding across the floor of the office. Walking over, he grabbed the red head by the back of the collar and drug him to the door. Opening it, he threw him out into the hall way and closed the door in Reno’s face as he ran back towards him.



He ignored the red head’s banging and shouting, ignored the pleas, and sat down at the desk again. How long Reno stayed outside the door he didn’t know, but finally, everything fell silent and he put his head in his hands.



Reno stayed outside the office, pleading with Rufus to leave while there was still time. It wasn’t until he got a call from Tseng, telling him that they needed him, that AVALANCHE was about to launch their final attack, that he reluctantly left the doorway and hurried down to join the others.





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





Reno blinked as the memory faded away once more. They knew he had resigned, Rude, Tseng, and Elena knew- but they also knew that in his heart the red head never would be able to leave them.. leave him. Rufus groaned as he slowly lowered his hand and turned to look at Reno.



“What are you doing here still? I thought you quit” he said bitterly.



Reno didn’t have an answer; the tone and look Rufus had given him cut him right to the quick. Reno stared at Rufus for a moment, the bite of the words and tone not hurting as much as the look of sheer loathing he saw in the blonde’s eye. Though the one was still covered in the white bandages, the brilliant blue of the other one shone brightly. A noise from the balcony caught Rufus’ attention and he turned his head. It sounded like something between a growl and a purr, as if some animal was outside on the balcony.



“What was that?” he asked his eyes darting over to Reno, his one eye squinted in confusion.



Reno stood and walked over to the sliding glass doors that lead out onto the balcony. Sliding the doors open, a cool breeze filled the room, blowing the blinds softly, as the evening light filtered in, casting Reno’s shadow on the ground. A slight rumble came from the balcony and another shadow joined Reno’s on the floor of the hospital room. A long sleek shadow stretched across the floor, and a massive black paw landed beside Reno’s foot. The Turk barely flinched; he had grown use to the “roommate” who shared the balcony, being just as loyal to Rufus as he was. Rufus lifted his head as he looked towards the window.



“Dark Nation..” he whispered softly as a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.



The huge black panther leapt from his spot beside Reno and in two bounds was beside the bed. Dark Nation’s huge paws were on the edge of the bed, causing the bed to creek and lean slightly. His huge head nuzzled against Rufus and an uncharacteristic purring sound was coming from deep within his chest. Slowly Rufus lifted his hand and laid it on the massive head, scratching behind the ears.



Reno stood and observed the sight with a mix of wonder and betrayal. He had lived with that panther for a year and the two had a less than friendly relationship. Dark Nation had to be kept on the balcony most times because he wouldn’t let anyone near Rufus. Rude was the only one who could control the beast and Reno hated the times the panther was allowed in the room with Rufus; he kept to himself and stayed in his chair, not daring to get in the way. Over time, they had developed a mutual tolerance for each other but that was as far as it went. As he stood there watching Dark Nation, reunited with his master, Reno felt a twinge of pain in his chest. Rufus’ eye shone bright and there was a ghost of a smile on his face as the large pink tongue wetted his cheek. He loved the damned panther more than he did him.



“Never thought Dark Nation would make any noise other than a growl,” he said with a weak laugh, trying to lighten his mood somewhat.



“As stupid and annoying as ever I see,” Rufus said with a huff.



Reno felt like he had been punched in the stomach. He had been on the receiving end of Rufus’ taunts and insults since his first day as a Turk; it was part of the game…









Around the others, Rufus kept up the cold hard demeanor and played the part of the arrogant stuck up boss who took joy in ordering his Turks around. When they were alone, it was a different story all together. When it was just the two of them, except for the rare cases, Rufus was a different person. He let the hard exterior fall and the harsh biting words were replaced by kinder words, spoken in soft whispers. Where there would have been a cold shoulder and harsh word, there was a kind whisper as his fingers twirled the strands of Reno’s long ponytail. Reno would usually say something cocky, earning him a tug from Rufus, which only brought him closer. There was no protocol when it was just them, no rules, no hierarchy, no standard that told them what they could and couldn’t do. They could be who they were- who they had to hide from the world that would never be able to accept such a miss matched couple.











That was what Reno remembered about the times he and Rufus had together. That was what he had been yearning for again, for over a year. Now, when he finally thought everything would be right again, it was getting dashed before his eyes. The words of the doctor, spoken so many times, came back to him again, his warning that Rufus might not be the same man he was before the accident ringing clearly in his ears.



“I… I was worried about you, Rufus…” he said slowly as he cautiously reached a hand out and laid it over his.



It was the little things that made their times together special. The way Rufus would absent mindedly play with his ponytail or the way Reno would hold his hand. It was the little things.



“Don’t bother; I don’t need the help from someone like you.”



Reno blinked slightly and stared dumbfounded at Rufus. The blonde turned his back to the red head as he jerked his hand away from the gentle grasp.



“Rufus, I…”



“Shut up Reno… just get out.”



Slowly Reno stood to his feet, staring at the back of the man he had kept vigil over for more than a year as he felt hot tears burn his eyes. He glared at Rufus’ back and then turned quickly and stormed towards the door. As he passed the table by the bed, his hand flew out, knocking off the little plushy Moogle that had been placed there almost a year ago by one of the nurses. The little Moggle flew across the room hitting the floor with a little “kupo” and bouncing a few times. Reno stopped and stared at it a moment and then turned, slamming the door behind him.



Once he was in the hallway, he leaned against the wall, eyes closed as he fought back the tears he felt drip onto his cheeks. Sliding down the wall slowly he sat on the floor, knees pulled up to his chest as he wrapped his arms around them tightly and cried. It felt like an eternity, the minutes ticking by painfully slow, but in fact it had only been a few minutes when he heard the voice. The soft gently voice of Elena.



“Reno… Reno what’s wrong?” she asked as she knelt down beside her fellow Turk and gently put a hand on his shoulder.



“It’s Rufus..” Reno chocked out.



“It he alright?” Elena asked softly, knowing there was probably more to what had the red head so upset.



“He.. he sent me away, Elena…” Reno looked up at her, his face wet with tears. “He doesn’t want me around…” He trailed off as a sob caught in his throat.



“Oh Reno…”



Elena put her arms around the red head as he clung to her and sobbed. She held him close, silent, there was nothing that could be said. She could only imagine what was going through the red head’s mind right now. Having waited for so long, fighting against fear and hopelessness, to finally have him wake up, she had been afraid Reno would die from the shock. Yet now, in less than 12 hours, everything had been reversed and had come crashing down on Reno. Rufus was alive yet might as well be dead. Elena knew the red head would never give up, but the shock to his system over the last day, actually the last few days, it was a miracle he had not already collapsed. She knelt there holding him close until he could cry no more.



Glancing over the messy red hair he looked to Rude who had been standing a little ways away behind Reno the entire time, watching in his silent way. He own eyes were blurred with tears as she met the eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. She knew why Rude wore them all the time- to hide how he was feeling, so he could be the strong one that they all needed- that Reno needed now. Elena looked down at Reno who lay against her, eyes closed, hands weakling clinging to her jacket, breath coming in shallow gasps. Rude nodded as he walked over and knelt down, taking Reno into his arms.



He lifted him easily, too easily. Reno had always been small and on the somewhat scrawny side, but he weighed next to nothing now, and it shocked Rude just how light and weak he was. Standing to his feet he looked down at Elena and turned, slowly walking down the hall, carrying his partner in his arms while his other partner followed behind slowly, brushing the stray tear from her eye.







A short time later, they were back at Reno’s, the red head laying in his own bed, which had not been occupied in over a year. Despite the lack of a tenant, the small home was in relatively good shape. That was thanks to Rude, who, having been a roommate of Reno’s for several years had stayed there and kept the place up for the past year.



Elena stood by the bed, her fingers playing with the cuff of her jacket in nervous worry. Rude laid Reno down on the bed and stood still and silent. He looked so thin laying there, almost the way Rufus had looked for so long. Reno had survived a year of waiting, hoping, praying, and watching… the question now was, could he handle the truth and reality that had just been forced upon him?