So! I'm back! Again! ^^;
Aheheh... another story about Reno. This was written for my friend Deanna, and because of that, there are a few disclaimers that must be attached:
1. YAOI ALERT! RenoxYazoo. I think they call that Renzoo? X'D
2. SADNESS ALERT! If there's one thing I have discovered I am very good at, it's writing really depressing stuff.
3. HOLY LORD, OOC ALERT!! Do you really think I could keep an emotionless block like Yazoo in character? The rest should be okay, depending on your interpretation of how much of a bastard Rufus is. Reno is in character in the beginning I guess, which leads to my...
4. EMO ALERT! Though in this fandom we should all be used to it... *throws pencil at Cloud* Cloud: Hey! I was a sheeskabob on the the end of a seven foot sword AND I watched my best friend die AND his blood got spattered all over my face AND I lost all my memories! Me: Aw, grow a backbone why doncha!
So I'll stop being annoying now, and let you read of 10,000+ words of the result of me staying up way to late at night and talking with Deanna. Have fun! And finger's crossed for my 6th fan words publication! ^-^
~Tsukasa
The city of Edge had a lazy air about it, now that the hot summer had come. It was almost as if the inhabitants all simultaneously had their strength sapped by the unrelenting sun, and the entire metropolis seemed to be moving as if it were submerged in thick sticky syrup.
In an office in the new Shinra building, a lanky man with flaming red hair dragged his teeth over his severely chapped and flaking lower lip as he stared at him computer screen. Bags were forming beneath his brilliant blue eyes and a tiny droplet of sweat was trailing from its source near the black goggles perched on his forehead, down his tattooed cheekbone towards his chin. The redhead wiped it away with the back of his hand, not taking his zombified gaze from the screen. The man’s name was Reno, and he was a Turk.
“What I wouldn’t give for a glass of water,” he thought to himself. The air conditioning in the large new building was faulty to say the least, and it had broken down for the fifth time that very month. The fact that his uniform consisted of a black wool suit jacket and pants was not making the situation any more bearable.
In fact, the suit jacket lay discarded on the floor behind Reno as he attempted to work. Hoping to make himself cooler, he had rolled up his shirt’s sleeves, unbuttoned the front to expose his undershirt, and had even gone as far as to purchase a rotating fan that stood between the two desks in the office.
At the other desk sat a large bald man by the name of Rude, Reno’s partner. He still wore his entire uniform, tie included. Surprisingly, the heat did not seem to affect him, and Reno found he greatly envied his partner’s tolerance to the roasting temperatures.
“You don’t look so hot,” the goateed man said gruffly, peering over his sunglasses. “You should think about going home early.”
“Don’t look so hot?” Reno repeated. “I feel about as hot as a weenie roasting over an open flame, yo. I can’t stand this anymore. I’m going to expire.”
Just then, a dark haired man with a small tilak on his forehead entered the office. A few strands of his normally pristine and slicked back hair stuck to his face. He was obviously not taking the heat well either.
“Hey, Tseng, what’s up, yo?” Reno inquired. His boss, Director of the Department of Administrative research, nodded in response, trying to catch his breath.
“Maintenance should have the cooling system fully functional with half an hour. In the meantime…” Tseng paused and tossed an icy cold water bottle to each man. “Drink up. I don’t need either of you dying on the job, and dying while typing at your desk would be an especially shameful way to go.”
As Tseng left, Reno closed his eyes and pressed the bottle to his forehead, allowing the condensation to drip down his face.
“Anyways,” he continued. “I can’t leave until I’m done with this. I’m almost starting to wish I hadn’t signed on to oversee the restoration of Mid—”
But Reno opened his eyes then gave a strange scream, jumping to his feet. Hearing the yelp, his partner looked over, and then also stood abruptly. Standing before Reno’s desk was a young man of about 19 or 20 years. His long silver hair was tied back in a high ponytail and his delicate features displayed a quizzical look. But his eyes were what had Reno bent out of shape. They were blue green, and the pupils were mere slits. He had the Sephiroth gene, there was no mistaking that. The most unsettling thing however, was his uncanny resemblance to the Remnant Yazoo. The Remnant whom Reno had blown half to hell.
“Who are you?” the redhead demanded. “Tell me your name!” The silver haired young man brushed his long bangs out of his eyes.
“Are you Reno?” he asked in a soft, almost bored voice. There was no mistaking it. Reno grimaced.
“You sickos are back, huh?” he said through gritted teeth. “Your little reunion kinda failed bub, why can’t you just give it a rest, you?” The Remnant however, looked away from Reno, his face written with shame.
“Mother sent me to apologize,” he said.
“Mother,” Reno scoffed. “Jenova’s head in a box. Some mother…”
“Mother’s name is not Jenova,” Yazoo said. The redheaded Turk made a sound of disbelief as he shook his head, now crossing his arms. “It’s Aerith,” Yazoo continued. “Aerith is out new Mother. My brothers are with her now, but I’m…” Yazoo trailed off, his face sad. Reno stared at the Remnant, slightly confused. He glanced over to his partner, who nodded then left the office in search of Rufus Shinra.
“Why are you here?” Reno demanded angrily. There had to be some reason. This Remnant, this thing, Yazoo, had to have some reason for coming back from death. The Turk’s eyes narrowed, as if to say “I’m on to you”.
“I told you, I’ve come to apologize,” Yazoo said, approaching the redhead. He then grabbed hold of Reno suddenly and kissed him hard on the mouth. Take completely off guard by the sudden act, Reno found himself too shocked to protest at first. His mind went completely blank. The first thought to enter his head was ‘His lips taste good,’ followed almost immediately by ‘What the hell am I thinking?’
Reno pushed the Remnant away angrily.
“What the hell?” he screamed. “Where do you get off doing crazy shit like that, yo?”
“Mother said to ‘Kiss and make—’”
"That's not meant to be taken literally!” Reno was absolutely livid. He stared at Yazoo, his face hot and nearly the same color as hair. He felt something odd looking at the Remnant’s pretty face, a feeling he couldn’t quite place. The silver hair man smiled. Reno shook his head vigorously. “I can’t believe you. I mean, fuck…”
There was giggling from the office door. Reno looked over to see Elena there, attempting to suppress her laughter.
“What!?” Reno bellowed at the blond, but she just kept on laughing.
“I didn’t know you rolled like that Reno, I always thought you saw yourself as some sort of ladies man.”
“Elena, I am NOT in the mood for this. The psycho Remnant just molested me, yo, and—” Elena cut her colleague off.
“Come on, that boy was just tongue kissing you, and you were totally into it.”
Before Reno had the chance to strangle the woman and toss her body from his window, Tseng appeared on the scene.
“What is going on here?” he asked, his eyes steely.
“Reno’s kissing boys,” Elena replied, still laughing. Reno’s nostrils flared.
“Tseng, she’s lying. How long have you known me? You—”
“Reno, no more,” Tseng said dismissively, walking past him to the silver haired young man who was now sitting on Reno’s desk. Seeing Tseng, the Remnant’s blue green eyes grew wide. He turned his head away.
“Hello Yazoo,” the Director said venomously. Yazoo flinched. “What, did you think I’d forget the kindness you paid me six months ago? The things you and your brothers put me and Elena through? Reno and Rude told me you were dead.” At the door, Elena gasped. She obviously hadn’t recognized the man as her torturer from months prior.
“I was dead,” Yazoo said. He kept his face turned from Tseng. “I came back to apologize for our actions and—”
“Don’t you go kissing him too!” Reno interjected. Tseng turned to him with an arched eyebrow that seemed to say “We’ll talk about this later.” He then immediately turned back to Yazoo.
“You’re going to wish you had stayed in the lifestream,” he said in a frightening voice. He took the Remnant’s chin and forced his head around so that they were eye to eye. Yazoo’s eyes filled with terror. At the door a sudden panic gripped Reno.
“No, Tseng, don’t!” he said even before he realized the words that were coming out of his mouth. He could feel everyone staring at him. Even Yazoo. Reno blushed furiously, and kept his eyes glued to his shoes as he mumbled “Rude went to get the President.”
The Director let go of Yazoo, his eyes glued on the redhead. He didn’t say anything, and an awkward silence filled the air until the President arrived, Rude tailing not far behind him.
Rufus Shinra made straight for the Remnant.
“I’m sorry,” Yazoo said quickly, before the blond man could even open his mouth. Rufus smirked.
“You are, are you? Is that why you’re back then?” he asked with an air of amusement.
“Mother said I had to come here to let you know. She said we owed the Planet too much not to and… I truly do regret what we were doing.” Reno was abruptly reminded of a conversation he had with his partner just after Tseng and Elena had been kidnapped.
“The entire Planet was nearly obliterated,” he had said to Rude. “And we were the obliterators.”
Reno sighed to himself. In the end, were they really all that different?
“Very well,” Rufus Shinra said, still smirking. “However, I’m afraid I must have one of my men stay with you at all times, just to be safe. You’ll understand of course? Reno?”
“Huh, w-wah?” the redhead stammered.
“Mr. Yazoo here will be coming home with you.”
He left, followed soon after by Tseng, then Elena. Rude gave Reno a funny look before saying something about forgetting his water bottle.
“Well this is just great,” Reno said to no one in particular. “Just lovely, yo.”
Yazoo gave Reno a smile. Reno didn’t like the way that smile looked.
