Like a Cherry River

“Yeah, Thanks Tseng, I owe ya one!”

”I won’t hold my breath,” Replied the almost too somber Turk as he clicked his phone shut, wondering just what he’d gotten himself into. Reno had made such an…odd request. Tseng just didn’t quite understand it, But Reno hadn’t even given him a moment to ask just why he needed…

Sighing out, Tseng went on his way,

The red-headed Turk had spunk, Tseng couldn’t deny that.

--

“Hey! That’s not fair, yo!”

Reno complained with a laugh as Denzel flung himself across Reno’s back, while Marlene giggled and laughed as she thread plastic flowers into Reno’s hair that she had woven into a nice little braid. Across the room, Tifa was obviously enjoying herself, perched up on one of the bar-stools, her legs crossed as she laughed quietly in amusement at the look on Reno’s face.

It was funny to find Reno in such a situation.

After all, he was a Turk.

He killed without remorse for a living, slept with more women than he could name, drank and smoked so much that he should have been numb from the neck down…but damn, he was good with kids. Kids were a bit of a weakness for him, but he really didn’t like to admit it, but he didn’t have to. Rufus knew about it from the few times that Reno had saved a kid or two during his missions…especially if it ended up involving a shoot-out. He’d always hide the kids away, and cover them until it was safe, or he’d clear them a path and either tell them to follow him, or run.

For a Turk, his weakness was a dangerous thing…but right now, it wasn’t so bad.

At least it was distracting, at any rate.

Right now, Zack seemed to be the thing that he was least worried about, which was a relief, to say the least.

That was when Denzel and Marlene’s attention drifted away from Reno, caught by the sound of soft padding footsteps growing closer. Reno lifted his head, and just as he thought…

Cloud.

Reno couldn’t help that insanely large and slinky grin that ensnared his features.

“About time you got down here, Strife!” He beamed, almost too glad for his own good, “What kinda friend are you, Making me wait with these pests?” It may have sounded like an insult, at least contextually, but it was said all in good humor, clarified by the children’s laughter.

But…something was wrong in the picture, Cloud…he was still frowning, and he still had that mist of sadness raining over him. His eyes were unusually dark, his skin paler than usual, in fact…the poor blond looked almost sickly. Then again, knowing Cloud and his sulky ways, the delivery-boy had probably been too depressed to eat for days. Maybe why was part of the reason as to why he seemed a little on the thin side? Reno didn’t really know, earlier that day, Reno hadn’t gotten a good look at Cloud, but now that he had, he felt...

Guilty.

But…why would he feel guilty?

He hadn’t done anything wrong,

He wasn’t the one who killed Zack; sure…he would have if he had the chance…but only because it was his job.

That was right, Reno was willing to kill the only person that he’d ever cared about more than himself, just because it was an order.

Even Denzel and Marlene could sense Cloud’s gloom, to which they soon scampered off, seeking cover next to Tifa.

”Come on Cloud, cheer up a little, will ya?” Reno snorted, Trying to lighten the mood, “I even got all dolled up for ya, yo,” He said as he pushed himself to his feet and began tugging remnants of plastic flowers out of his hair, trying to untangle Marlene’s unruly braid before he handed the pieces back to the girl, “Here ya go,”

It was a shame that Reno looked at Marlene at that moment, because, if he hadn’t, he would have seen just a tiny smile breaking Cloud’s lips.

“Let’s go, I’ve got a quick job to finish tonight,” Cloud finally spoke up to Reno’s contentment,

“Well then,” Reno grinned, turning back to Tifa and giving a wave, “See ya ‘round Lockhart,”

And then they were gone.

--

Reno led Cloud over to his car, remaining cool and calm in the situation, even if Cloud’s sulky mood made him want to frown, “Since you’re not much of a drinker, mind if we go somewhere quiet?” Reno spoke up as he slid into the car, watching Cloud do the same.

Cloud only nodded, letting his attention move out through the window, “Sure, that sounds good,” At least Cloud was easy when it came to agreeing.

Reno sighed out and turned on the car, vaguely wondering what the hell he was thinking, before he adjusted his mirror and looked into the back-seat. Right there, in a white plastic bag, he could see blooms and blossoms of dark blues and whites peeking out.

‘Thanks Tseng,’

Adjusting his mirror back, he pulled the car out onto the street and drove off, out of Edge, past the remnants of Midgar and straight to the cliff…

The cliff where Zack died.

--

It was quiet on the way there, lucky that it really didn’t take them all that long to get out there. But somehow, Cloud had managed to fall asleep. Maybe the poor guy really wasn’t sleeping back at the bar, maybe his nights had been insanely restless…or maybe, Reno was just boring?

Either way, maybe it was better that way.

When they finally got there, Reno pulled the car right up to it, Maybe ten feet away from the relic that had been placed there.

Taking a second glance, he noticed something…weird.

A pile of white and yellow flowers were mounded up at the bottom of the sword.

Sighing out, he shook his head,

Cloud…

He reached in the back, and grabbed the sack of flowers before nudged Cloud’s shoulder.

“Yo, Cloud,” He said quietly, trying to be at least a little considerate.

Cloud groaned out slightly, letting one eye flutter open and face Reno as he rolled his attention back inside the car, sitting up and opening the door, “Sorry about that,” Cloud excused himself, “I haven’t really been…sleeping,” He mumbled out, feeling as if he needed an excuse.

“Nah, It’s fine. C’mon,” Reno ushered as he jerked his head, sliding out of the car and moving to the big Buster sword that protruded from the ground.

Zack.

He died right here.

Took his last breaths, and Cloud had been there for all of it.

Reno felt the tiniest swell of jealousy, but threw it away as he slipped down onto his knees, holding the clump of flowers in his hands as he stared down at the other flowers there.

The Turk didn’t even look back at Cloud when the blonde moved to his side,

”You came here yesterday…right?” Reno asked, looking down as he moved a hand forward, brushing his fingertips over the rusty and weather-beaten edge of the sword. Cloud moved down beside him, as he gave a nod.

“Yeah…I did,” He admitted, swallowing thickly, “I come here…every year,”

Reno frowned as he carefully took his own armful of flowers and placed them right next to the ones that Cloud had left yesterday, “Yeah…I guess you would, huh?” Reno turned his head away and lifted a shaky hand to his face, wiping away…something, “I haven’t been here since…” He cut himself off, “Since we found the body...”

Those aqua-marine eyes of his suddenly snapped shut as a bitter feeling welled up in the back of his throat.

Zack wasn’t just a body; he had been a person, dammit!

Sure, Reno wasn’t there when Zack died, but he’d been the first one to actually see the aftermath. He still remembered coming upon the body, collapsing onto his knees next to the corpse. Running his fingers over the dented and gun-shot metal, the smell of already decaying flesh, the way that Zack’s eyes were so blissfully closed…just the memories brought bile up into his throat and nearly made him choke.

Reno had felt like the entire world had crashed around him, like everything inside of him had just shattered. It wasn’t real enough to just hear that Zack had died, to hear the words, ‘The target is down,’ But…to actually see Zack’s body, see the way he’d been bleeding, to actually see and touch that cold flesh, it was almost too much for him.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, Reno forced himself to speak, “You miss him…don’t you?”

Cloud nodded lightly, his features wanting to crack, but he didn’t allow it, “Every day…”

“You guys had something special…didn’t you? You guys always took care of each other, followed each other around like puppies,” He laughed sadly at the thought, biting down on his tongue, “Sometimes, when I saw you two…I wished that…that I would have joined SOLDIER instead,” Looking away, he blinked quickly, “I wonder what would have happened then, if it would have been any…different,”

Cloud didn’t know what to say. It was odd, hearing these things from Reno…Reno, the guy who never seemed to have any regrets. Admitting now that he might have regretted joining the Turks.

“I would have killed you Cloud…” He started again, “And…and if he wasn’t taken down by the time that I got here,” His palm went to the ground, “I would have been the one to kill him,” He swallowed again, forcing his heart back into his chest. Cloud seemed to understand, but then…when Reno continued,

“I fucking loved him…and I was going to kill him,”

Cloud’s heart pounded in his ears, his eyes went wide as he slowly turned his eyes onto Reno’s face, catching sight of just one tear before Reno angrily swiped it away. Reno gave a low and bitter laugh,

“Didn’t think Turks could love…did ya?”