A Turk(ish) Romance, Chapter 2 (original) (raw)

Title: A Turk(ish) Romance
Author: Crystal Renee
Rating: T, for now.
Length: Ongoing-- Chapter 2/50
Pairings: Reno x Cissnei
Type: An episodic journey from an omniscent point of view of the developing relationship between Reno and Cissnei, from a professional level to something deeper throughout all levels of the FFVII series, Crisis Core through Advent Children. Multi-chaptered.
Genre: General/Romance
Warnings: I'm relatively new to FFVII, so a lot of this story will deviate from the original timeline and sequence of the game. I'm using a lot of internet research to place the story, and being creative with the pasts of the characters and their ages, so the story is slightly AU. For reference: in this story, Reno is 23 and Cissnei is 19 (since there is no real age given for either character, other than Cissnei being 16 at the start of Crisis Core). Please be kind to me, I'm new at this!
External Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4676796/2/A\_Turkish\_Romance

A Turk(ish) Romance

By: Crystal Renee

Episode 2: Mission

"You're late, Reno." Tseng hadn't glanced up from him work; Reno's entrance had been loud enough to tell him who was standing at the door thirteen meters away.

Reno huffed, fingers twitching against the cool steel of the doorknob before he turned away to zip up his jacket and button his shirt. Tseng smiled lightly and waited for him to turn around after the final zipping noise before he stood, a thick folder in his extended hand with Reno's name neatly scribed across the top in ebony ink. The redhead blinked a few times, eyebrow raising less in confusion and more in protest.

"A new mission."

"Already? Guess a Turk's work is never done... I can't even get a three day vacation in this place, yo."

Tseng chose not to respond when Reno took the file. He leafed through it, backing up and plopping into the leather chair behind him, teeth taking hold of his lower lip as he lifted photographs and maps out of their manila contents to examine them. Reno's feet found rest on top of Tseng's desk, blue eyes darting intensely around the sheets.

The sound of a clearing throat sounded, and Reno looked up from the papers and folder toward his boss.

"Your feet, Reno."

"Guy can't prop himself up?" he moved his feet, mumbling with his eyes closed as he readjusted himself in the chair. "You make me tuck in my shirt and keep me from--"

"You'll have a new partner for this mission." Tseng's voice was commanding but gentle, in the same professional manner he always spoke. "I expect you to act professionally around her."

"Her, huh?"

Tseng's phone interrupted; he glanced at the number then turned toward the cascading window behind his desk to answer the call. Reno understood the movement-- a signal not to listen-- and instead continued nonchalantly analyzing the contents of his folder. There were three targets; each came with their own detailing paperwork that included name, age, location, a short biography and a list of known personality traits. Behind the paperwork for the targets was a thick sheet folded into thirds, the words "Flight Plan" stamped across the lower right corner. Reno mumbled to himself with a mild smirk as he pulled the map open, twirling his rod like a baton in his left hand while he skimmed it. They were going to fly out toward the middle continent, stop for the first target in North Corel, then turn back toward Junon for the others; after that, there was nothing. No direction home meant he'd have to weigh the situation to see if it was safe to travel straight back; if not, then they'd be travelling around from town to town until it was.

"You actually smell like a man today."

Her familiar voice surprised him; Reno instinctively flipped his rod into his palm and closed the folder to cover the abrupt action. Leaning his head back against the back of the chair and lazily opening one eye, he found himself staring directly into the chest of the person who had spoken. Her arms were crossed just beneath her breasts, and she moved her arms up when his eyes remained fixated to that area of her body without a word. He blinked a few times, loosening the grip on his Electro-Mag until it dropped, then turned his gaze up over her neatly fixed tie, the curve of her neck, past her lips and toward her eyes.

It was the same girl from the elevator a few days earlier; same condescendingly-amused expression filtering her features, mass of wavy cinnamon hair and honey hazel eyes. Her lip pouted a bit before curving into a teasing smile; she tilted her head to the side, raising a single, well curved eyebrow in question.

"Did I scare you again?"

"'Course not." he waved her off by not moving and closing his eyes. "You c-"

"Reno." Tseng's voice sliced in the air, cutting off his retort before it could leave his mouth.

Reno flung himself up straight in the chair with his legs spread and file falling haphazardly to the floor. "Yes, sir."

He looked toward the woman behind him, then back toward Reno, expression business-like and unperturbed. "She will be your partner for this mission. Her code name is Cissnei."