A/N: "I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn and we are led to those who help us most to grow if we let them, and we help them in return" - A line from the song 'For Good' from the musical Wicked. It fits very well for a summary to this story :)
Yes! A new story uploaded on a Monday, not a Saturday! There is an explanation ;) 'Tag, you're it' is a story Alice and I wrote quite a while back. While Wonderwall was our first and the 100 themes our second collab project, Tag you're it was the first long one shot type story we wrote together, written in the same style as most our stories on Acrosstheocean. Anyway, I'd uploaded it to my personal account, but, while Wonderwall needs some updates in composition and scene selection, Tag you're it doesn't and as Alice and I wished to move those collabs onto here... Well, that's what I'm doing. I know some of you may have read it already and some didn't, I realize this isn't a new story like the previous were, but worry not, we got three more brand new stories in store for you awesome readers. I just need more of a margin to edit them before uploading them, and if I start a new one coming Saturday, the editing won't have the margin I need to fit to my work/school schedule. So, while I edit the three brand new stories, I hope 'Tag, you're it' will make the wait for the new ones less 'unbearable' :) I have to tell you all, this story is a personal favorite of mine from the ones Alice and I wrote. As always aliceupsidedown rp'd Said and I rp'd Reno.
Updates Mondays and Saturdays as this story has more than our regular 4 chapters, and as it's not a new story, we figured we wouldn't drag it out to much. Enjoy!
Reno
"Reno." No. Not yet. "Reno..." Damn you! Grabbing my pillow, I pulled it out from underneath my head and then turned so I could press the thing on my ear. It got ripped away though, "Reno!" Growling, I sat up in my bed, glaring at my stupid best friend.
"What do you want, Valentine?" He didn't repeat my name, because he knew better than that. Instead he simply stuck his hand out towards me, offering me my cellphone. Why did she have to call so early? Taking the phone out of V's hands, I shooed him off so he could return to my couch in the living room before pressing the device to my ear.
"Hello, mother."
"Reno, Dear..." There was the scolding, "Don't use that tone on me. Now get out of that bed and make yourself some breakfast." Grumbling, I did exactly as she instructed, getting out of the bed, "Make your bed!" I'm twenty fucking six, yo! Leave me alone! Of course I didn't say that out loud because then she'd never let me hear the end of it. I stabilized the phone between my ear and shoulder, muttering out a string of curses as I made my bed before taking the phone between my fingers again so I could march out of my small bedroom that only managed to fit a bed really, into my just as small living room with kitchen corner beside the front door.
Valentine was lying on his belly, face squished into a pillow as his fingers were trying to undo the mess that was his long silky black hair. He was also sporting a grimace, glaring at my phone just like I was. Once I hung up he was going to remind me my mother shouldn't feel allowed to do this to me. I'd agree after some whining, but the next day I would let my mother do it all over again.
Making my way to the kitchen, I pressed the on button on the coffee maker and then pulled the door to my fridge open, grabbing the milk carton, then two bowls, the cereal box on top of the fridge and then last but not least, spoons from out of the drawer, plopping them noisily beside the bowl.
"Done. Later Ma!" Before she could protest, I hung up, tossing the cellphone backwards and over my shoulder, hoping it would shatter into a million pieces on my floor. Valentine didn't allow it though, he'd caught the stupid thing, placing it neatly onto the coffee table that was standing before my couch which he was currently occupying. I offered him a mute glare, which he ignored masterfully before I returned my attention to breakfast.
I grumbled as I dumped some cereal into the two bowls I'd gotten. My mother was the silliest creature alive. She called me every single day and she never missed one. Not even the weekends! Vacations weren't excluded either. Pouring the milk on top of the cereal I remembered how I'd tried to change my phone numbers a couple of years ago, you know, maybe that would have worked. Not. She'd come all the way down here! Knocking on my door every single morning, irritating me to hell and back until I had to cave and give her my new numbers. Damned woman worried too much.
Clattering the spoons into the two bowls, I grabbed them and then waltzed my boxer clad ass over to the couch, not so much as giving Valentine a warning as I began to sat down, aiming for his lower legs. He was used to this though, so before I could actually crush him, he'd lifted his legs, giving me space to plop down onto the couch. His right big toe poked me in the side, because, you know, it was right there and he couldn't help himself. Jumping up with a surprised giggle, I tried keeping my bowl straight so the milk wouldn't fly out before nudging his foot away with my elbow. Once he was sitting up, I handed him his bowl, reaching for the remote on the coffee table in front of us as soon as he had taken his breakfast and then I flipped through the channels until I found the one that showed a bunch of cartoons.
Ah, life was good... Smiling contently, I spooned some cereal into my mouth as I shuffled my ass left and right to get comfortable, fixing my eyes onto the screen, watching Tom chase Jerry, and of course, failing.
"You are so sad." V announced, eying me strangely as he carefully put the cereal filled spoon into his mouth. Turning my eyes on him, I smiled his way, patting his knee. He was a boring art history teacher, he had nothing on me. He then sighed heavily, knowing exactly what I was thinking, "I'm so disappointed in you." Ah, no. Not that crap! It wasn't even nine. Pinning a glare on him, I tried warning him silently I wasn't up for the 'You can do so much better with your life' and 'I believe in you' bullshit. He puffed out some air, rolled his eyes and then fixed his eyes onto the cartoons, dutifully leaving me the hell alone. Good. I liked being a janitor. It was an easy job, the apartment came with it, and although not very big, I found it cozy. Valentine, well, I'd known him ever since we were kids. We'd gone to high school together and he'd been disappointed in me then too when I'd dropped out after my Dad perished in a helicopter crash down in the mess that was Zanarkand.
He wanted me to go back to college, use my brain a bit. But you know what? Using your brain is really tiring. I didn't want to study shit because that meant I had to go all the way down to the university here in Hollow Bastion. With this job? I woke and sat around my apartment all day, getting up only when someone needed me to fix something. It was brilliant, yo.
Nearly done with my cereal, the phone nailed next to my front door rang, telling me someone was at the front door of the apartment building. Dumping the bowl onto the coffee table, I marched over to my bedroom, locating my jeans so I could pull them on. A shirt was next and I found one twisted between my bed sheets. Taking it, I sniffed it real quick and then smiled as it smelled relatively clean.
"It's still ringing." V shouted from the living room.
Grunting, I popped my head out of my shirt and then reached for the goggles that hung on a hook on my bedroom door. Turning them over delicately, I let my thumb stroke over the engraving right next to the left goggle. Sighing before smiling softly, I then tucked them over my head, using them as a headband to keep the massive amount of uncontrollable red that was the disaster called my hair, back and out of my face.
"It's Miss' Bravermen. She forgot her key again and I'll go down there to remind her for the millionth time that she shouldn't forget it," I told him as I walked passed him, making my way to the front door, "And tomorrow I'll repeat it for the millionth and extra one time." I shut the door, making sure silly Valentine didn't try and tell me I shouldn't let the people in the apartment building walk over me like I let them. I didn't let all of them walk all over me. Just a couple of them. Miss' Bravermen being one of them as usually, after I let her in? She'd give me one of those cookies she always bought when she went grocery shopping, which is how she locked herself out of the building to begin with. So my mother truly didn't have to worry about having me eat, since Miss' Bravermen would never allow me to starve. She loved to stuff me, regularly invited me over for tea and more cookies.
Being on the ground floor, all I had to do was make my way around the stairs that led up to the four floors on top of me to reveal the front entrance in my line of vision. I frowned as it wasn't Miss' Bravermen but... Ugh. She better not have broken something again. Larxene rented apartment number seven which could be found on floor number three. She'd moved in after her grandmother, Althea Baker, had passed away. I'd gotten along great with Ma'am Baker, yo, but her granddaughter? An even sillier creature than my mother, and that, let me tell you, was hard to top. How could we anyway? Every time she got angry, which was often, she felt the need to break something, and it usually ended up being something I needed to repair! Meaning I had to get my ass off my couch to go face that shrill fucking face of hers.
She wasn't alone. A big behemoth of a dude was standing on her right, my eyebrow raising as his large hand engulfed Larxene's tiny shoulder. On her left was a much shorted dude, blond hair with a shiny sunny smile which he aimed in my direction. I'd seen them both. The giant was Larxene's boyfriend, Lexaeus, they'd been on and off for years now. The other guy was Demyx, a friend... Yes, Larxene had actually made herself a friend. How he put up with her? I had absolutely no idea. Staring at them a little while longer behind the glass door, just because I could and I knew it would annoy the hell out of impatient Larxene, I then offered Demyx a polite smile in return and reached out to pull the door open.
"Reno!" I offered Larxene a tight smile in return, stepping to the side so she could march her rude ass inside the building. Lexaeus and Demyx followed after her she turned to pin a glare on me, "I have news for you that will make up for all the Christmas' I forgot to give you a tip." Ah, I loved Christmas, free money from people who somehow felt obliged to tip the janitor. "I'm moving out. Lexaeus..." Larxene smiled up at said man, he grinned down at her happily, "His place is bigger than mine and well, it's kind of due after all these years of on again and off again." Oh sweet baby Jesus, I had to be dead, right? Larxene? Moving out? "Alright," Larxene said sharply, "Don't look too happy now." Smiling widely at her, I took a step forward, grabbing her face and placing a smackingly loud kiss onto her lips, making sure to step back and far away so she couldn't claw at me.
"Thank you!" I shouted, "I'd kiss you too Lexaeus, but I don't think I can reach, yo." I told him, clapping his shoulder instead.
"Ass." Larxene clipped out, grinning nonetheless, "I'll be gone by the end of the week so you better put up an add." She instructed, giving me a curt nod before marching her snob-of-a-hiney up the stairs, Lexaeus on her heels, Demyx following and only now did I notice the flattened carton boxes he was carrying under his arm.
Watching them leave upstairs, I stared carefully at Larxene's retreating back, making sure she wasn't suddenly going to turn around and tell me it had all been a nasty joke and that she was in fact not moving out. My lips parted as she vanished from my view... This was really going to happen, Larxene was really moving out...
A knock on the glass front door pulled me out of my staring, and I grinned broadly at Miss' Bravermen, walking over so I could open the door for her, bowing low as I waved her in gallantly.
"Well, Reno, Sweetheart," She chuckled with her soft granny voice, "You seem awfully cheerful this fine morning." Straightening, I took her hand and placed a quick kiss on her knuckles before slowly twirling her around in a graceful spin, catching her grocery bags as a small gasp escaped her at the sudden action. I placed another kiss on her cheek before settling her grocery bags back into her hands, giving her a nod of confirmation to her statement before marching joyfully back to my apartment, not even reminding her to not forget her key tomorrow morning. Larxene was leaving the building! Halle-fucking-lujah!
Stopping in my tracks, I then kicked my apartment door open, "U can't touch this!" Valentine's eyes fixed on me in surprise, his entire body freezing as he let the spoon fall back into the bowl as I jerked my hips left and right, back and forth, throwing my hands up in the air, "Can't touch this, yo!" Continuing the hip action, I danced my way into my apartment, ruffling V's hair on the way before managing to push him off my couch. He had his own apartment, but it was out of town and sometimes we ended up drinking one beer too many and my couch then became the savior.
"Gotta go to work, Valentine," I reminded him, "If you don't go now you might actually miss Missy Mind Screw and won't know what to do with yourself tonight if you can't find out what she'll do to you today," I shuffled him out of my door, taking the bowl out of his hands, "Can't whine about it to best friend Reno then, yo!" He shook his head at me, probably confirming in his head that I'd lost my sanity for good before he gave me a quick salute and marched his way out of the apartment to do exactly what I'd told him to do.
Grinning, I shook my head in amusement, closing the door as I made my way back to my couch. Ah... Yuffie, Yuffie, Yuffie... The way you confuse V. One day I would meet her, one day I would meet her and shake her mighty hand. She was my goddess. She, the only woman on earth capable of putting that awesome looking frown on Valentine's face.
Sighing contently, I reached for my bowl of cereal again, digging into what was left of it as I smiled happily when I saw cartoon batman appear on the screen.
A week later
"One love, one heart!" I sang loudly, re-adjusting the clothespin on my nose before plunging the plunger back into Mister Kinley's toilet, "Say thanks and praise to the-" And then I cut myself off, smiling in triumph as the job was done! There. Toilet fixed, I'd done my superhero duty for the day. Removing the clothespin from my nose, I placed the plunger back into the bucket I carried it in before getting off my knees and turning so I could face Mister Kinley, who'd been worriedly looking over my shoulder.
"All cured!" I announced, patting his shoulder, "No time of recovery needed, she's as good as new." Mister Kinley rolled his eyes at me, offering me a cigarette in form of thanks along with a grateful smile. Snatching the stick from his hands, I pushed it between my lips, gave him a salute and then marched out of his apartment so I could get back down to mine and wait for the batman signal that moonlighted as a janitor's cellphone to tell me when my powers would be needed again.
On my way down from the fourth floor, I smiled again in absolute pure joy as I saw Lexaeus pass by, carrying a table all by his freaking giant self down the second row of stairs leading to the second floor. I was about to follow him down when I saw Larxene walk out, locking her apartment door behind her. Eying her carefully, I watched as she patted the wood of her front door, probably remembering her grandmother. Ah, no. I wasn't going to go mushy and try and make her feel better. She was a strong girl, she could take care of herself.
On the other hand, I was going to ask her... "So, everything gone?" I made sure not to sound to happy because I was a complete ass and knew when not to ruin a moment. Turning around in surprise, she offered me a tiny smile, reaching out with her hand while the key to her apartment door dangled from her index finger. Sticking my hand out, she let the key drop into my palm and then gave me a polite nod before making her way down the stairs. Oh fine, be that way. I didn't need an elaborate goodbye.
I waited for a moment at the top of the stairs, giving Larxene time to get the hell out before running down the stairs. The landlord had called a day prior, telling me someone had reacted to the add he'd placed in the newspaper after I'd told him the news about Larxene. He'd purposely left out all the issues the apartment had... I'd tell him that was bad, but I didn't really care, especially since if the new person renting the place was going to complain? He or she was going to have to complain to the landlord. I was just there to fix things. I wasn't there to be on the receiving end of whining.
Whoever this person was, they were moving in bright and early tomorrow morning and that is when I'd smoothly have to explain they'd entered the apartment of doom. Larxene's temper tantrums had left some damage, to say the least. But that wasn't now, now I could sit down and relax, play some video games, shoot some zombies and wait patiently for Valentine to come over with a six pack of beers in one hand, pizza in the other and that awesome frown I'd never seen on his face before until Yuffie planted herself in his life. Poor bastard...
Grinning at the thought, I flopped down onto the couch, reaching for my controller and continued shooting the hell out of those nasty creatures waltzing around my television screen. V had had one relationship. One relationship in his entire life. He'd been very much in love with this girl and she'd dumped his ass when he'd been about ready to propose to her. He'd vowed to me while I'd taking him out to a bar to try and get him to get over her, that he would never, ever love again. He'd even gone as far as saying that he was going to be gay from now on since men were direct and honest and he'd much rather give up the vagina (I may want to point out he was severely drunk) just so he didn't have to deal with women drama. He'd then grabbed my face, laid me a good one and then just as soon given up on the vow he'd made five seconds prior.
I'd never visioned V as such. He was a very attractive man, but the idea alone couldn't make it's way in my mind. So I was mucho glad that hell of a kiss hadn't turned him gay, yo.
I was interrupted three times as I tried to make my way to level thirteen in my game. First time I'd been called up to the second floor because the sink had busted in Lady Ende's kitchen and by the time I was done drinking a cup of coffee with her in her living room I was called up to the fourth floor to help break into the two college chicks apartment since they'd manage to break their key into the lock again. Of course I'd waggled my eyebrows suggestively at them, given them the attention they wanted for a couple of minutes, proceeded in informing them I was gay, again, and then gone back to my zombies. Ah, I did love the fact that they didn't give up. U Can't touch this, yo! Third time, of course, had been Miss' Bravermen who'd forgotten her key again. She gave me a cookie and I reminded her that she shouldn't forget it next time.
Her grandson came to visit her once a month and he'd told me a couple of months ago that she'd been starting to show signs of Alzheimer. It wasn't bad yet, but... Sighing, I pouted a little at the knowledge that Miss' Bravermen was going to have to move into a retirement home soon. I was gonna miss her... Looking up at my wall clock hanging above my television, I pushed the sappy thought out of my mind and grinned as Valentine was right on time, entering my apartment with, Yes! Beer and pizza! Tradition was important. Our Friday nights were sacred.
"Yo! Cheese?" I asked curiously, moving over on the couch to make some space for him. He nodded as he closed the door behind himself and then slouched down beside me, groaning while letting his head drop on the back of my couch. He handed me the pizza box blindly and I snatched it, opening it and dug in, "What d'she do now?" I asked dutifully through a mouthful of cheesa-liscious-pizza.
"Nothing!" He muttered out in a growl, his head snapping back straight onto his shoulders as he gave me a pointed look, "Again, nothing. She doesn't do anything. She sits in the same chair every day, opens her note book and writes down what I have to say to the class exactly. I've never had a better student, Reno!" He whined. Wasn't that supposed to be a good thing? He eyed me as I scratched my head in confusion and then exhaled heavily, "You know how I'm always annoyed by girls fawning over me?" Oh no, not the 'I'm so good looking and I know it' speech. Leaving the piece of pizza hang out from my mouth, I closed my eyes and then hung my head, fake snoring as loud as I could.
Smacking me out of it, I sent him a puppy pout as I rubbed the back of my head, "Yes." I started over, "I know." I clipped out, willing him with my glare to not do the speech!
He knew the glare and instead of actually giving me the speech he gave me a pointed look, "Right. Because Reno isn't full of himself at all."
I growled, "So the girl doesn't fawn over you, shouldn't that be making you happy instead of..." I gave him a confused stare, "You're weird, V." I announced instead, not remembering what point I had wanted to make in the first place.
"She just gets to me." He said finally and I blinked in surprise at the fragility in his tone of voice. Oh damn! The poor guy really was head over heels for this Yuffie character. Dropping the piece of pizza back into the box, I wiped my hands and then turned, giving him my full attention. After a couple of seconds, he sighed, giving me a grateful smile, "I just don't want to get screwed over again. You know me, Reno, when I fall for a girl..." Yeah, I knew. V didn't know the meaning of meaningless sex, nor did he actually feel the need to try and understand it. When he fell, he fell hard.
I patted his knee in sympathy, "I'm assuming teachers aren't allowed to date students and that would be why you're not allowing yourself to actually just, you know," I shook my head at his silliness, "ask her out."
"Right." He clipped out, "The rule. No, I hadn't thought of that, I was sort of stuck on the fact that I'm able to be interested in someone after... you know..." Valentine had this gift for trailing off his sentences. He did that a lot. I was used to it by now though so, yeah, I knew - After bitch Numero Uno dumped his ass and broke his sturdy heart to millions of tiny pieces I personally thought nobody would be smart enough to glue it back together. We both sighed at the same time, slouching back into the couch as we remained silent, staring numbly at the television.
"Hey," V suddenly said, "Are you still with that dude?" He looked a bit confused, probably not able to remember his name. Honestly? Neither did I.
I shook my head, "Nah, man, that ended weeks ago."
Valentine chuckled, "What was it this time?"
I grumbled, "His forehead was huge, V! You should have seen it!"
"If you actually had a relationship that lasted longer than a day, maybe I could have seen it."
"Oh shut up, yo."
The songs Reno was singing: U can't touch this by MC Hammer - One Love by Bob Marle