Don't Play With Fire (Turks FFVII)

XXXV) The Bright Side

EXTRA UPDATE THIS WEEK? IT'S BECAUSE I LOVE YOU ALL ;)

"Theoretically, it's perfect." Rude turns his head toward the looming Sister Ray, watching workers walk the length of the cannon carefully. He touches his glasses habitually, eyebrows furrowed.

"Theoretically? How 'bout nontheoretically?" Reno asks, his voice carrying a serious tone I haven't heard it wear in a long time.

"It leaves me concerned."

"Then I'm relieved."

I frown, pushing my hands into my pockets. The sheer size of the gun makes me woozy. "What do you mean?"

"I thought I was the only one worried." Reno gestures to the place where steel meets steel, the joint between the weapon and its base: Shinra HQ. "Are we seriously going to fire this thing? What about testing it out? What about Midgar?"

"Will it all look like Sector Seven?" I wonder aloud, turning my eyes to the lights if the city beyond our pedestal.

"Would you reassured if I said it'll be alright?" Rude counters with an edge in his voice. I kick at a puddle, watching the water spray and listening to the faint patters of droplets landing on the pavement.

Reno scratches the back of his head, shrugging one shoulder. "Hey, don't get mad."

I grimace as a soldier slips and tumbles over the edge of the canon, falling to his death between the cracks in the upper plate. Gods, I pity whoever finds that body. Reno glances in the direction of the movement before looking back to the Sister Ray, unfazed.

"Scarlet's crazy, man."

"I agree."

"She had to do something," I point out, nodding toward the source of the city's new maroon glow. "Meteor's getting close. Feels like I can almost touch it."

Reno stares at our imminent doom a little longer. "Yeah...."

"Should we go inside? I'm tired of watching it rain bodies."

"We can," Rude nods. "If you're sick of the show."

"I am. Besides, I want to find Elena."

"What for?" Reno asks, swinging his rod around before resting it on his shoulder. He looks distracted, eyes darting about the grand entrance to the Shinra Headquarters- a place we've all come to call home.

"I just want to talk to her, I guess."

I spare Meteor one last look before stepping through the glass door Rude holds open. Is this going to kill us all? As if on instinct, my hand raises to brush the fabric over my stomach. Is trying pointless? The fate of the world rests in the hands of a rag-tag rebellion we were told to stop so long ago. Now, all I can hope for is the strength to disobey. With my track record, it shouldn't be this hard.

"Girl stuff?"

"Huh?" I frown, turning to Reno. He raises an eyebrow. "Oh. Not really. It's just..." I laugh, taking my hand off my stomach. Too early to act like a mother. "I need a little womanly input and I haven't told Amelia yet."

"Oh, that." His voice is flat, bored, and his eyes turn to the dreary staircase that burns our tired legs.

"Yeah, this."

"You're doing alright?" Rude asks, brows creasing back into his usual frown. I can't help but smile at his concern, looking over my shoulder with a lopsided grin.