Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of the characters mentioned within this story.
Summary: Basically, this chapter should introduce Reno and Elena's tendency to rip each other's heads off, and Rude's disinclination to be involved.
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Chapter 1- Loving Rivals
Elena yawned as she fully extended her arms above her head. Drowsily, she fumbled through her purse in search of her unorganized collection of keys. Upon retrieving what she desired, she absent-mindedly flipped through the jagged pieces of metal in attempt to find her house key.
"Ugh…" she groaned after unsuccessfully jamming one of the keys into her apartment lock for the third time.
"Reno, for God's sake, open the door for me!" Elena wailed, clearly frustrated, yet her demand went unanswered.
"Reno… Reno! Common', I know you're in there!" Nothing.
She stubbornly banged on the door, while viciously screaming profanities at the quirky redhead who continued to remain inside. Suddenly, faint footsteps made Elena cease. Out of habit, the slender woman instinctively took battle stance, but upon recognizing the intruder as a stern, solemn figure, her expression lightened, and a meek smile could be seen spreading across her fair skin.
"Oh," Elena sighed in relief. She scoffed at her paranoid behaviour. "Rude, thank goodness it's you. That jerk Reno probably passed out in the apartment. He's not letting me in. Do you have your key?"
Rude nodded graciously in response, the genuine expression in his eyes, hidden by his dark sunglasses. Instantly, or almost mechanically, he pulled out a single key, and opened the door with ease.
"Aw, thanks Rude," she gratefully patted his arm before her thankful demeanour changed to a scowling wrath, and she stormed into her home.
"Reno!"
The drunk, who lay sprawled on the couch in front of the television, wore only a loose pair of black denim. He gave the blonde a flicker of his sparkling aqua eyes, then took a long sip of his beer held within his hand, smirking at the knowledge of his smart-aleck ways infuriating Elena.
"Hey Laney," he said casually.
Elena's eyes widened. She couldn't believe how annoyingly calm he was. "Hey Laney? Dammit Reno, you've got some nerve! I've been standing out there for nearly half an hour, waiting for your sorry ass to open the door! What were you doing?"
Rude watched from afar. His better judgement told him it would be better not to intrude. Without a word, he crept past the two of them and slipped into his room, not having any longing to be a part of the one-sided argument.
"Well, if you were more polite towards me, maybe I would have left my football game to let you in. But you had to be all bad-mannered and shit," Reno looked up towards her as his smile widened. A thought occurred to him. "It's that time of the month, eh?" he asked. Mocking sympathy dripped from his voice as he coolly cocked an eyebrow.
Knowing what the ex-turk was trying to accomplish, Elena attempted to remain as stoic as possible. "What were you doing?" She repeated, this time more insistent than before.
"Whoa there Lanes, chill 'kay? Sorry I pissed you off or whatever, but y'know I'm tired, I had a long day and the last thing I need-" Elena's sharp tongue cut him short, her composure, wearing thin.
"Oh, tired," Elena began, with a sarcastically accepting voice. "I guess it's alright that you neglected to open the door for me then. All that alcohol must have finally started to-" without a warning, she discontinued the insult she had so carefully calculated within her mind. The smell of cigarette and marijuanna fumes had finally reached her nose, making Elena gag. Reno had hoped, perhaps the stench wore off, but he had no such luck.
"You've been smoking in here," the woman inquired.
"W-well, I uhhh…."
"I told you not to smoke indoors! It's repulsive! Besides, you told me you were quitting."
A wry grin stretched across Reno's face as he recalled the incident of him comforting his friend into believing him, though he never intended on completing that ambition in the first place.
"Heh," he chortled under his breath. "Sorry to break it to ya 'Lena, but that was only to get you off my back the last time I smoked inside."
"Augh!" She shouted, before angrily stomping away towards her room. She jumped, facedown, on to her bed, hoping she'd find sanctuary there, away from the filth that lay in the living room.
Reno leered at, what he thought to be, a victory. He released an arrogant sigh, as he put his hands behind his head.
"It's just too easy."
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Authors Notes: My first fanfiction, so be gentle? Sorry, if I start out slow, but first I must determine how this story will develop… hmmm…Oh! Reviews are always appreciated.