So here is chapter 2. Any reviews, comments, suggestions:)
The elevator ride had never seemed so loud to Elena. Every ding of each floor she passed seemed to be a new found torture.
There was good side to this though, the lack of sunlight. She had never been so happy for the absence of light in Midgar otherwise her retinas would have been burned hours ago. She remembered a time when the Turks had a mission in Kalm and Reno had gotten her drunk. The village and all its natural sunlight had made her want to shoot herself. Well more like shoot Reno first, then her.
Buteven if she were drunk, she wouldn't go home with a perfect stranger, would she? No, she shook her short blonde hair, she wouldn't. More than likely it was someone she knew. Oh Planet, it was someone she knew!
Suddenly the elevator doors snapped open on the 33rd floor letting in a beam of fluorescent lighting, quickly followed by a whistling red headed and handsomely lean Turk.
Reno pressed a button and repressed a laugh when he saw the famous "I-drank-too-much-let's-blame-Reno" look plastered on her pale face. Elena remained silent. She was trying to ignore him by appearing interested in the elevator buttons as he stood next to her.
Reno glanced sideways at the shorter Turk and then back at the shiny thing he held in his hands. Oh this was just too good to pass up, he smirked.
With exaggerated gestures, Reno opened his candy wrapper to maximize its metallic noise. Elena winced and closed her eyes feeling her urge to kill rising at each passing sound.
"Reno!" Elena yelled as she grabbed his upper arm fiercely. "Stop that irritating noise or I will shove that wrapper somewhere very unpleasant!"
The red head's smirk only intensified. He just loved getting to her. Looking from her hand to her glare he only shrugged his shoulders in response and ate his chocolate bar. His shirt collar moved with that motion exposing his neck. For a second all Elena could see was a dark mark on his pale flesh, right under his ear. It felt like a cold hit to the stomach.
Elena's hold increased on Reno's arm almost tearing his muscle flesh right off. Reno who was usually so resistant to pain let out a yelp as he tried to pull his arm free of her insane grip. Had she finally snapped and was about to go Midgar Zolom on his ass?
The woman, however, didn't notice any of this for her shocked brain could only think of one thing: oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! Had she done that to him? With her lips? In her apartment?
But as Reno's struggling continued the elevator light shone fully on his neck revealing it had only been a shadow. Elena immediately let go of Reno and slumped against the elevator's wall ready to pass out. That had been too close.
Reno meanwhile was left massaging his arm in an attempt to return the blood flow. Damn, the woman had a grip of steel. He looked at Elena trying to figure out why she was acting weirder than usual.
But there was something off about her, something that made her look different. Was it the way she looked like a chocobo caught in the headlights? Or the way she barely made eye contact with him? He looked her up and down and rested on the black turtleneck. Elena was famous for taking her professionalism to a disturbing level and her attire was high up there, right next to his drinking and Rude's silent conversations.
Now why was she wearing a turtleneck all of a sudden? The only reason he'd ever wear one was if…
Oh.
OH!
Reno smiled widely and wickedly as the proverbial light bulb didn't just turn on but blew up.
Elena on the other hand didn't like the way the red head suddenly looked like a wolf.
"What?" she asked him, suspicion evident in her tone. He had probably just figured out a new way to irritate her, at least she hoped.
Reno fixed his twinkling brown (what color are his eyes?) eyes on her, his mouth curving up attractively. Elena just wanted to smack that arrogant look right off his face.
The elevator doors luckily opened allowing Reno to exit before she had a chance to interrogate him in her own special way. However he stopped and turned to practically purr,
"Nice turtleneck."
And with that he walked away, thin ponytail swaying behind his retreating form, leaving a blushing Elena mentally adding a 1 to Reno's name on her list of probability that it was him she had, ugh, she didn't want to put it into words.
It didn't take long after that to reach the Turk's office floor. They were such a valuable asset to the company that they had their own floor in the Shinra building. She dragged her weary self towards the main office trying to steady her sudden erratic breathing.
Tseng could be standing behind those solid oak double doors. What would he say about her being late? Would he be angry, disappointed or happy to see her? Maybe he was the one who had come with her home. Elena tried not to giggle at the possibility. But then he might have huge regrets about it.
She pushed open the doors and there he was, the leader of the Turks in all his dark glory. He was sitting at the end of the long table where meetings were held, his head bent over what were probably important papers. His sleek black hair was pulled back like always, revealing his wutainese cheekbones.
Elena tried very hard not to squeal at the sight. Tseng lifted his head as if he had heard her mental squeal and pinned her with his black eyes.
"You are late Elena. Very unlike you," he said simply.
Elena just nodded stiffly knowing full well he was probably going to ask her her reason.
As if on cue Tseng asked, "Why?"
"Because I broke my alarm clock?" Elena knew it sounded like a question but she hadn't thought of anything else to say.
The older Turk merely raised an eyebrow.
"Or has it something to do with the late night everyone had yesterday?"
The blonde Turk tried to see if he was hinting at something but he had his eyes on the papers once more so she couldn't see his face.
Once again the same question arose: what did happen last night?
She did remember a splendid table where the alcohol was on display, almost like jewelry. A large donut like table in the center of the gigantic room held the wine, champagne and hard liquor glasses. People could just grab any glass they wanted from the vast choice of beverages.
Then another memory surfaced, this one of her tripping on her heeled foot but instead of falling in front of hundreds of powerful people, someone grabbed her by the waist to steady her. She could feel the person's hand on her stomach.
Before she could remember who it had been, the sound of Tseng scribbling a pen brought her out of her recollection.
Tseng had signed everything that was necessary and was ready to hand in this latest report to the president. He looked up and noticed that Elena was still standing in the same spot like a statue. An all black statue. Hmm, she was wearing a turtleneck instead of the usual white blouse.
Tseng assembled his papers and stood up. As he passed by Elena who seemed to be on another planet, he stopped and asked,
"Anything particular on your mind this afternoon?"
Elena rubbed her temple with her index finger trying to find exactly how to ask him. Seeing that there really wasn't a good way, she went for it.
"Sir, um, this might sound odd, but did anything happen last night? I mean during the party?"
"What do you mean?"
He could tell she was nervous because she was playing with her hands. Elena didn't notice it though due to her high stress level. Was he laughing at her?
"I mean exactly that," the blonde answered, trying not to sound too insulted. "Did anything happen at the party?"
"Why, don't you remember what happened?" he asked teasingly.
Elena's eyes widened a little as he unknowingly hit the mark. But Tseng noticed her reaction and tried not to laugh out loud.
"So you don't actually remember. That is interesting. How much did you have to drink?"
By now, Elena was trying her best not to shuffle her feet like a kid in front of her boss.
"I asked you a question, Elena," Tseng said, his Turk tone in full swing now.
"I don't know for sure sir, " the woman murmured looking at his monotone tie.
Tseng however abruptly turned away and walked off. Elena quickly followed behind knowing he would continue talking while they moved.
"I am surprised you haven't figured it out sooner," Tseng said as they walked in the hallways.
"Figured out what?"
The leader of the Turks laughed softly. Maybe she was too hung over to see how obvious the answer was.
"When dealing with alcohol, whose name immediately comes to mind?" he asked her simply.
The words didn't have time to escape his mouth when a furious screamerupted from behind him.
Elena had already turned and headed towards the elevators fully intent on ridding the planet of the vilest animal on the planet, who just happened to have a red mane. Before she could get too far, Tseng announced calmly,
"Turk meeting in an hour Elena. And when you find Reno, bring him with you."
Elena gritted her teeth. So extermination wasn't in the near future for Reno, but she could still make him suffer.
She kept pushing the button hoping it would make the elevator come more quickly. She was about to kick it but finally the doors opened letting Rude out. Elena ignored him as she entered but Rude heard her mumbling something about devising ways to torture someone unheard of in all history.
Rude casually walked up to Tseng and an eyebrow rose from behind his sunglasses in silent inquiry.
Tseng merely shook his head and responded to Rude's question, "Nothing to be concerned about yet."
So i guess it's becoming more obvious who it was so i will probably change the summary soon. Until then toodles.
