Episode 14

[jaded_grin]

Okay, well things are progressing nicely. I wanted this chapter to be way longer but once again I am stymied by LJ's length restriction. Maybe if I didn't post it behind a cut? But, I wouldn't do that to you guys :D Enjoy!

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14

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            “That son of a bitch!” Kadaj hissed again, fuming over his dinner.

            Zack, who was putting everything in sight away with gusto, didn’t pause his eating to reply—Kadaj had been snarling various insults for the last half an hour, he didn’t need a response.

            “I cannot believe him!” Kadaj fumed, and drained his wineglass. Zack had been a little hesitant about ordering him wine, but the staff seemed to know to bring it and ignored his protests at any rate. “How dare he!”        

            “So…what’d he do?” Zack finally asked, full enough to consider conversation.

            Kadaj gave him a withering look, seriously not amused.

            “What?” Zack questioned. “Just looked like he was having dinner—that’s not a crime.”

            “He is having dinner with his mistress!” Kadaj informed him.

            Zack blinked twice and said, “I didn’t know people still used that word…I also didn’t know that Reno was married.”

            “He’s not!”

            “Don’t you have to be married to have a mistress?”

            “Stop being obtuse!” Kadaj snapped. “Reno is my lover and he is sleeping with his best friend’s wife!”  

            Zack’s eyes rounded a little and in a soft voice he said, “Oooohhhh.”

            Kadaj refilled his glass.

            “But you’re having dinner with me,” Zack reminded.

            Kadaj glared at him and tightly said, “That’s. Different.”

            Zack nodded, and said, “Yeah, you’re right—I’m not your mistress. I don’t look good in dresses and you probably couldn’t keep me in the style to which I intend to become accustomed.”

            Kadaj’s mouth turned up in a small, unwilling smile.

            “Besides, I’m total rubbish at being graceful and polite, so I’d make a pretty crap mistress.”

            “Shut up!” Kadaj said, and started to laugh. “You’re making me not angry anymore, now stop!”

            “What, you want to be angry?” Zack asked, grinning before he took another big bite of his dinner and swallowed it with a satisfied sigh. “Why would you want to be angry when there’s so much to be happy about?”

            Kadaj cocked his head and gave him a disparaging look.

            “Oh, come on!” Zack chided. “So what if he’s out with some chick, so what if he’s got a million lovers out there—you’re the special one, right? So act like it.”

            “What do you mean?” Kadaj asked.

            “I mean, next time he comes home, don’t be there,” Zack suggested. “Next time he needs something, refer him to one of his other ‘special’ friends. He’ll smarten up when he realizes that things just don’t work right without you.”

            Kadaj mulled that over, frowning softly.

            “By the way,” Zack said, drawing his attention again. “I’m glad you’re back to normal-sounding talk—whatever it was you were yapping back there was incomprehensible.”

            Kadaj smiled a little, having completely forgotten that the majority of his conversation with Reno had been in his native tongue.

            “What, you don’t speak my language?” he teased, laughing when Zack tried to lick off a bit of sauce from his cheek and only ended up making an ass of himself.

            “Nope,” the man replied, going after it with his napkin to salvage what was left of his dignity. “I’m from the country, kid—we’re lucky we know our own language.”

            “You hardly seem like an idiot country bumpkin,” Kadaj informed him, still smiling.

            Zack winked at him and said, “That’s ‘cause I’m not,” before tucking back into his dinner.

***

            Rufus was being an ass, and that was fairly usual. What was unusual, however, was that he was aware that he was being an ass and he didn’t quite know how to deal with that information…or, in fact, what was compelling him to be such in the first place.

            Denzel had returned to tell him that Yazoo had gone out with Reno, and Rufus had nearly drowned in his own glee…and his own whiskey. Without further ado, he’d ordered his car around, sneaked past his usual muscle to escape unfettered, and had dragged Denzel with him on a “reconnaissance” mission.

            And now here he was, straining on his tiptoes to see through a window of Reno’s newest restaurant, dressed like a reject from a clown convention in a desperate attempt to disguise himself.

            “See anything?” Denzel inquired, steadying him. They were at the front but somewhat sheltered behind some frond-palms potted in a huge stone outcrop. No one was paying them any attention at any rate. This was Midgar—weird shit just didn’t cut it as weird anymore, it was just normal.

            “A bunch of people eating,” Rufus said, wobbling drunkenly and wishing he hadn’t gotten so sloshed before he left. “Shit, this place is big! I can hardly see anybody!”

            “Rufus?”

            Denzel and Rufus both jumped guiltily when someone called his name, and Rufus toppled backwards to catch his feet at the last possible second, swaying a little.

            Yuffie was on the sidewalk behind them, dressed in what must pass for evening-wear in Nutjob Delinquent Slutsville. She looked like a hideous mixture of Madame Butterfly and a fetish model, and Rufus hardly even noticed because he was in The Serious Trouble and he knew it.

            “Yazoo said that you were out of town,” she said, not even sparing a glance for Denzel, who tried to pretend he was a frond-palm. Rufus ungenerously thought that he wasn’t doing a very good job of it.

            “Yes!” he blurted, fairly caught-out.

            Yuffie frowned and asked, “What?”

            “Yes?” he repeated, his voice high with nerves and borderline squeaky.

            “Yes, you’re out of town?” Yuffie asked him, crossing her arms over her chest, her suspicious gaze flicking over him. “You do know that you’re still in Midgar, right?”

            “Of course!” he said, offended out of his defensiveness. He drew himself up to his full height and looked down his nose at her. “I know precisely where I am, thank you very much!”

            “Which is outside of Reno’s new restaurant…where he just happens to be treating Yazoo to dinner, because you’re out of town,” Yuffie supplied, nodding a little.

            “Is he?” Rufus asked, feigning ignorance. “How interesting. I was just passing by and I saw this place and I wondered what it looked like inside so I had a peek.”

            “Where were you going?” Yuffie asked, looking even more suspicious.

            “To a meeting,” he told her, and did the whole ‘look down his nose’ thing again because it was pretty good for intimidating people.

            One of Yuffie’s elegantly shaped eyebrows lifted as she eyed his outfit.

            Flushing, Rufus explained, “Since I walked, I figured I’d best go incognito.”

            “As a hobo?” she asked, now just perplexed and possibly a little worried. “Are you spying on your wife?”

            “No!” Rufus cried, and his voice was back to panicked. “Why would I?”

            “That’s what I was going to ask you,” she said, and wrinkled her nose. “Ugh, how much have you had to drink, Rufus?”

            “Listen here, Pippi Tornstockings, I don’t owe you any explanations!” Rufus informed her, suddenly remembering that he, indeed, did not owe her any such thing. “And I would like to take the time to say that your outfit is visually offensive. Quite painful, actually.”

            “Likewise,” she countered, and said to Denzel, “Oh stop pretending you’re a plant! I have eyes, you know!”

            “Couldn’t tell by your clothes,” Rufus sniggered.

            “Lay off my fucking clothes, you twat!” Yuffie snapped. To Denzel, she said, “Get his drunk ass home before I tell his wife he’s out here.”

            “Right away, Ma’am!” Denzel squeaked.

            “Great,” Rufus grumbled, watching Yuffie strut off in her awful outfit as Denzel forcibly pushed him into the car. “Now we both sound like mice on helium. Just great.”

            “Oh, shut up, sir!” Denzel suggested, and slammed the car door in an unusual show of temper.

***

            Yazoo was grateful that spring was still only on its way—the crisp, cool evening air soothed his head as Reno helped him into the car. Almost weak with relief to be going home, he lay gracefully against the seat, his head pressed to the tinted window and one hand idly holding onto his wrap.

            “You gonna be okay, Cateyes?” Reno asked, sliding in next to him. His bodyguard closed the door and the car shifted as the large man got into the passenger seat next to the equally large driver.

            “Yes, I just need to lie down for awhile,” Yazoo whispered, subdued. He’d so wanted to have a nice evening, to do something pleasant with someone who was very much like a friend. But the evening had seemed doomed from the start, Reno’s weird behavior and all.

            The car purred to life and they pulled away from the crowded restaurant into the heavy traffic.

            Yazoo closed his eyes a little, the sway of the car lulling him along with the cool glass against his forehead. After twenty minutes of a slow crawl, they left the heavily-populated area of the city behind and moved on to less maintained roads. When the car hit a rut in the street, Yazoo felt heat rush to his cheeks.

            The jostle of the car had managed to put the side of Reno’s lax hand up against the curve of Yazoo’s bottom, which had been primed for such an accident by the way he was sitting—legs crossed and body partially turned to the car door.

            Reno didn’t seem to notice or care, and Yazoo wasn’t sure he should mention it…but he also wasn’t sure he could continue to blush with such intensity without risking a permanently pink face.

            They hit another rut and the brief contact ended, leaving Yazoo feeling silly and hysterical—honestly, panicking over an accidental touch!

            He laughed a little, ashamed of himself. 

            “What’re you giggling about?” Reno inquired, lowering the window a bit and lighting a cigarette, both hands far from Yazoo’s vulnerable backside.

            “Nothing, I’m just…silly sometimes,” Yazoo breathed, and stifled his laughter into stopping. “Oh, my…what an evening.”

            “Yeah, sorry about all the friction,” Reno said, blowing out smoke with his words. “Next time I take you out, it’ll be someplace less visible—no interruptions.”         

            For some reason, Yazoo felt himself blushing again, and turned his attention back to the passing scenery, though he didn’t see any of it. He wasn’t exactly sure why his cheeks were hot or his heart was thudding, but it was distracting and just a little alarming. Eyes wide with confusion, Yazoo tried to put a little distance between himself and the warmth of Reno’s body next to him.

            “How long is Rufus gone for?” Reno asked, making conversation.

            “I’m not sure,” Yazoo said, breathing a sigh of relief to be on normal ground again. “He didn’t really say, actually. He just sent word through his secretary that he was leaving this evening. It’s probably an extended tour of the Old Countries, he tends to write his vacations off as business expenses.”

            “Of course he does,” Reno chuckled, twirling the end of his cigarette so that the cherry flew out. Meditatively, he pinched the burnt end of the spent filter and stuffed it into the car’s ashtray. “You miss him when he’s gone?”

            Yazoo shrugged a little, asking, “What’s to miss? We rarely see one another…Reno, you know he doesn’t like me.”

            “Yeah,” Reno sighed, looking at him with another long, weighty stare. “He don’t know what he’s missing…”

            Luckily, Yazoo was spared a reply as the car pulled up into the ShinRa estates gate and took the circular drive up to the house that belonged to Rufus and Yazoo.

            Reno got out before either of his guards could and came around to help Yazoo out, telling the men to sit tight while he escorted Mrs. ShinRa inside.

            “You don’t have to see me in,” Yazoo protested, feeling a little nervous of him for some reason.

“I wouldn’t dream of dumping you at the door like some second-rate tramp,” Reno teased, taking Yazoo’s arm as they skimmed up the stairs. It was a gesture of habit and one that Yazoo expected any well-bred man at his home to offer. After nine long years of Yazoo’s genteel influence, Reno was finally accustomed to the manners he’d purchased once upon a time.

“Well…I appreciate that I’m a first rate tramp, at least,” Yazoo laughed, and he hoped it didn’t sound as nervous as he suddenly felt. Despite the fact that Reno was a trusted friend, Yazoo couldn’t quite shake the feeling that something was off about this whole evening, and the longer he was with Reno the stronger the feeling got.

“You’re always first rate in my book, Cateyes,” Reno told him, and winked as he threw open the front door.

“Well, thank you for taking care of me while Rufus is gone,” Yazoo said, pausing just inside and taking his hand off of Reno’s arm. He clutched his small purse with both hands and for the first time in his life his manners failed him—he simply didn’t know what to do.

“You’re welcome,” Reno said, and reached up to sweep that stray coil of silver hair back behind Yazoo’s ear, laughing when the man started and blushed. “What’s got into you, Cateyes? You know I don’t bite!”

“I’m sorry, you just startled me,” Yazoo said, a little breathless. He felt silly and awkward and hopelessly out of his element.

Reno laughed again and sighed, chucking him under the chin as he had when Yazoo was a fourteen year old newlywed. “Since tonight was such a bust, how ‘bout I take you with me somewhere tomorrow?”

Yazoo couldn’t have stammered a reply at the moment if he’d had the sense to—he was too busy trying to unravel just what was going on here.

“I’ll come by around eleven, okay? Can you keep your schedule open?” the man asked.

Yazoo nodded, and weakly asked, “What should I wear?”

Reno laughed at that and murmured, “Such a girl, what should I wear…ha! Wear something comfortable, nobody will bug us where we’re going.”

“Alright, that sounds intriguing,” Yazoo managed, getting ahold of himself. He gave Reno a warm smile and said with genuine sincerity, “Thank you, Reno. What would’ve happened to me without you?”

“Good thing we’ll never have to know,” Reno said, giving Yazoo his big, charming grin. With another wink, he turned from the door, adding, “You rest those delicate nerves of yours, Cateyes. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight,” Yazoo said, and closed the front door.

 

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Comments

[neurotoxia.livejournal.com]

Kadaj and Zack seem to be getting along well, I'd really like to see Kadaj fall for his handyman...

The development between Yazoo and Reno makes me itch for more as well!

Another great chaptre, I'm looking forward to the next one :)

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

What's a soap without mad love affairs? :D I'm glad you're liking the soap, and I LOVE that icon! It's hilarious!

[white-jenna.livejournal.com]

*sigh* Poor Yazoo. :( I'm sure I've seen longer stuff under LJ cuts before. Maybe if you make it two different cuts in the same entry? I can't think of a humorous commercial break cut tag title here to save my life. :D Too early.

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

TWO LJ cuts?! I didn't know I could do that! With all of the trouble I have just putting one LJ cut in, I figured the site would just implode and disappear if I tried anything more! I honestly didn't know I could do that (safely!) so thank you, and next week's should be WAY longer, then :D You're the best!

[white-jenna.livejournal.com]

*blushes* Awww....hope it works.
I can't remember, does Yazoo know that Reno knows his secret?

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

Yep, he knows Reno knows!

[etrix.livejournal.com]

*happy sigh*

Zack and Kadaj was such a win! Can tell Kadaj is still young (and possessive) because having dinner with Zack is different.... well, it really is but he doesn't know that. If Kadaj follows through on Zack's advice Reno is going to be P-I-S-S-E-D. Serve him right.

Rufus and Yuffie. OMG, such a perfect person to catch him acting like a douche. She can't keep a secret to save her life. And the comments on her clothes. I know people I can use those on so thank you!

Poor Yazoo, he doesn't get seduced much does he? He has no idea what's up and, as much as Reno thinks Rufus is being an idiot, he'll probably go through with it. I just hope it bites him in the ass:

He falls madly in love with Yazoo but Yazoo discovers the real reason he slept with him and won't see Reno anymore. Lots of tears which I think Yazoo should be able to do very well... big, pearl-shaped drops; and his eyes won't puff up and his nose won't run or turn red, and no splotchy skin either. Yazoo will cry very pretty because he has good genes and because he's Yazoo.

Either that or Kadaj really DOES bite him... hard... with teeth and everything. =}

Loved it.

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked it! Yeah, Rufus is in The Serious Trouble now, and Yuffie couldn't have picked a better time to come past the new restaurant, so that's gonna be interesting. And no, Yazoo has NO idea what being seduced is--he's been subjected to rather crude attempts, but he'd never been taken by surprise. And you're right, he WOULD cry all pretty and perfect! Yes, things are progressing well, and I'm glad you think so!

[superkalifragi.livejournal.com]

The tone of this was rather different from the last ones- it was almost comedy style :) I liked that very much, you have such a wonderfully deadpan humour^^
Now I´m wondering where Rude is, he´s probably cluelessly driving around the city until the end of time... He could 'accidently' run Rufus over...

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm really happy that you liked it! It might actually do the world a favor if Rude ran Rufus over, and I'm sure Rude would be more than happy to do so :D

[ldyavalon.livejournal.com]

Oh my. Reno's in for it now. Kadaj'll leave him for Zack (good taste Kadaj!!!!) and he'll fall for Yazoo and they will live happily ever after a couple thousand episodes...

Sorry, I'm kinda babbly today, must have been the snowball fight with my bosses :P

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

SNOWBALL FIGHT?! That's fantastic! I bet that was fun :D Babble all you want, I likes it!

[ldyavalon.livejournal.com]

It was fantastic. I hurt everywhere today :P

Will babble for longer when I'm not at work ;)

[zilldk.livejournal.com]

This is building up into a huge mess, isn't it? Hehe, can't wait to see what happends with Kadaj and Zack...

I still feel so sorry for Yazoo. I really really hope he will end up happy in the end, but I fear for his journey there. Will he be the tragedy waiting to happen? He seems so small and lost and he is so lonely, I want to hug him and cuddle him and tell him that everything is going to be allright. But I'm not sure it is anymore... *sigh*

Reno is basically being an ass if he goes through with Rufus' demented plan. Yeah, I would like to have a serious talk with those two! Idiots!

Heh, once again you got me completely caught up in the plot. Thoroughly enjoying this!

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

You're right to fear for Yazoo, his plot goes some very interesting places. Reno will, most assuredly, be an ass, so we have THAT to look forward to! I'm glad you like it, and I'm glad you're hooked! It means it's actually GOOD!

[nivell.livejournal.com]

Aww, the best scene was when Kadaj and Zack were eating together. Really cute! Denzel is just plain silly. Hehe.

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

Kadaj and Zack DO go well together, don't they? And you're right, Denzel is a dork :D

[sphinxofthenile.livejournal.com]

Bwuhahahaha. Rufus dressed like a reject from a clown convention? That demands art, I say! XD Priceless that he has been caught by Yuffie.

And Zack, he really ahs an ability to cheer people up. <3 Gotta see what happens next!

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

Yes, I have to say, the image of Rufus dressed like a reject and Yuffie interrogating him dressed like a fetish model is one that it chuckle inspiring to me :D Glad you liked it!

[subcon-ruler.livejournal.com]

OMG, your Yuffie wins at life. She's so fucking great. I laughed out loud when I was reading the scene with her and Rufus and Denzel. So great. And Denzel reminds me of like a Cockney-speaking British butler to an asshole rich dude... hahaha. Also, I love Yazoo's blushing and confusion, so cute... I hope there's more where that came from XD Is there any way Reno can actually have feelings for people and not be an ass? lol

[jaded-grin.livejournal.com]

Hehe! Yuffie is hilarious good times! And I'm glad I made you laugh, she certainly has me in stitches constantly :D

Denzel is funny, I hope to have more of him in the future! With Marlene, of course ;)

As for Reno...Dunno, that man is a mystery!