Don't Play With Fire (Turks FFVII)

II) The Offer

~9 years later~

I groan and contemplate jamming a fork into the toaster to get it over with already. Annoyed, I ignore my grumbling stomach and leave my breakfast to char in favor of getting ready for work. I yank my pants on, nearly ripping a hole in the side when I shimmy a little too hard, and when I throw my jacket on, I grimace at the smell.

Quickly, I drench myself in a shower of perfume in hopes of drowning out the scent and rush toward my door. Hope the smoke alarm doesn't go off again... To avoid all responsibility, I slam the front door shut (if I don't, it'll jam halfway open) and turn the key in the lock. When I shove my hand in my pocket to tuck my keys away, my phone vibrates against my fingers. Huffing, I hurry down the stairs, pressing it to my ear impatiently.

"What's up?" Even in my morning rush, I can't help but grin.

"Hey! Not at work yet?"

"Reno, you know I work the second morning shift."

"When's that?"

"Nine, like every other morning the past five months," I huff, rolling my eyes. A passing woman frowns, uncertain if the gesture was meant for her. "Did you need something? I'm kinda busy."

"Yeah, I need a ride at, like, six."

"Sure." My truck dings when I jerk the rusty door open, and the undercarriage creaks in protest when I sit down. "Hey, I heard that pizza place has a sale today." Please take the bait.

"Well #$%^, let's do it!" I hear the creak of his desk chair as he leans back, probably to put his feet up on his desk like an imbecile. "Love that place!"

"Yeah, I know." The engine of my truck sputters and I try again, kicking at the floor. "C'mon..."

"That didn't sound good."

"Yeah, thanks," I scoff.

"Actually, can you pick me up at—"

"Bye."

I roll my eyes fondly and set my phone aside, finally getting the vehicle to turn on and strapping in. I glance up at myself in the rearview mirror and shake my head. Don't look at me like that. If I didn't hang up, he'd never shut up. That's Reno, I guess. Easy going, lazy as heck, but dear Shiva does he take his job seriously. I sigh, pulling onto the busy Midgar roads. Finally get to the upper plate, and what do I get? I serve into the right lane to give the guy that cut me off the finger. A bunch of idiots and a crappy life.

Still, if I hadn't messed everything up, I'd be right where Reno is right now: doing Shinra's dirty work. I guess that's what grown-ups have to do, though. As much as I miss stealing pickles and pissing shopkeepers off, it had to end. Somehow, homeless adults are sadder than homeless kids.

~|~|~|~|~

"You ready?"

Kelsey, our other reporter, is almost ready to turn it over to me. I nod, ignoring the cameraman's voice as he barks more orders in my ear, squaring my shoulders and shaking my hair out of my eyes. Behind me, the flames of the burning reactor's remains heat my back. A chilling column of black smoke rises high above the city.

"We're here live at the ruins of the Sector One reactor," I announce, holding my microphone close to my lips and trying to keep my voice steady as I raise it above the angry wind. "Just a few hours ago, a bomb set off within the reactor's core and destroyed the sector's source of electricity. Shinra is still searching for alternative methods of returning power."