Ch 4: Rooms For Rent
Tidus opened an eye. The morning sunlight filled his bedroom. He groaned. He'd forgotten to close the curtains last night. He looked over at the illuminated clock next to the bed. Seven. Why was he up so damn early? He had to be at The Tornado at noon. He should be annoyed, but he felt relieved. And satisfied. Lying on his naked chest slept Yuna. He could lie there forever. Unfortunately, he had to pee. He gently moved Yuna to a comfortable position on his bed, pausing to take in the view of her naked body before covering her with the sheets. As he peed, he wondered what Jecht would say if he knew Yuna had slept over. And not in the guest room.
He stepped back into his room, debating if he should return to bed. The smell of bacon being prepared made the decision for him. His stomach rumbled. He went back into the bathroom to wash up and throw on some clothes. He walked to the door, turning back to look at Yuna once more. He sighed with contentment and opened the door. He almost back flipped to the kitchen he was so happy. He went downstairs and pushed the kitchen door open.
Jecht was pouring a cup of coffee at the counter. Zalora was over the stove, turning the bacon. Jecht sipped his coffee and observed him.
"Morning."
"Morning," Tidus said, grabbing a piece of toast and taking a bite.
"You know, I never would have guessed that Yuna was a loud moaner. It's always the quiet ones," Jecht said, shrugging, and taking another sip of his coffee.
Tidus fumbled for an explanation. Even he had to admit that they had probably been pretty loud.
"Jecht, don't tease him. He didn't hear anything," Zalora said, placing the bacon on the platter.
"The hell I didn't. She was pretty wild."
"Dad, I don't want to talk about it."
"Yeah? Well, have you told her that Darcy's pregnant?"
"Not yet."
"You can't hide it. Secrets tear a relationship apart."
"I'm not hiding it. I was going to tell her this morning."
"But, not last night, huh?" The sly dog wanted to make sure he got the goods again before she kicked him to the curb. He chuckled into his mug.
Tidus picked up a piece of bacon and thought silently. What would Yuna say when he told her that Darcy was having his kid? Would she freak out? Would she tell him that she didn't want to see him again? He wasn't sure. He decided he should go wake her up and talk to her. He turned to leave the kitchen. He headed upstairs again and down the hall to his bedroom. He opened the door quietly. Yuna was still in the bed, sleeping.
He went over to the bed and wondered how to wake her up. His phone rang on the dresser. He moved to answer it quickly.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Ti."
"Darcy? Why are you calling me so early?"
"I don't really know. I just feel depressed. Do you think I could see you today?"
"I have to work."
"What about afterwards?"
"Well…okay."
"Do you think I could sleep over at your place tonight?"
He froze. What an odd request. He wanted to make sure that she understood that they were having a baby, but nothing else. Just friends.
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"Well, why not? I mean…"
"Listen, Darcy. Let's get some stuff straight. We're friends. That's it."
"I think we're more than friends, don't you? Friends don't have babies together."
"It's too early for an argument. I'll see you after work."
"Fine. I'll be waiting. What time do you get off?"
"Nine."
"That's pretty late. I'll have to take a nap."
"Okay."
"Bye."
"I don't believe this shit, ya," Wakka complained, as his eyes reread the letter he was holding. It clearly stated that he wouldn't be able to live in the dorms as he had planned due to overpopulation. So, the university had to revolt to a first-come, first-serve basis. He should have listened to Auron and applied early. Now what in Yevon was he supposed to do? Auron wouldn't kick him out, but he had been looking forward to being on his own. He gritted his teeth and waited for Tidus to pick him up. His phone rang.
"Ya?"
"Hey, Wakka. I heard that people are getting letters from the university about the dorms," said Letty.
"Ya. I got one. What bout you?"
"Nope. I applied early."
"Ya, ya. So, you called me to brag?"
"Nope. Baralai got a letter."
"Anybody else?"
"Not that I know of. What are you going to do? Stay home?"
"Hell no. I'll have to find a place."
"Good luck. People are already out looking."
"I might have to skip work and look."
He knew that Auron would be pissed, but this was important. He was sure that Auron was looking forward to his privacy as well. He could even bring his lady friends to the house now.
"Okay. I'll see you at practice tomorrow."
"Ya."
He hung up and called the restaurant.
"The Tornado," he heard Auron say.
"Hey, Auron. I won't be able to make it today."
"Why the hell not? You're not sick."
"Listen. I got this letter from the college, ya. I don't have my dorm room no more. I got to find a place before they're all taken."
"It would serve you right."
"Come on, Auron. I was looking forward to my freedom."
"Right. Because that mean spirited man you reside with now is so unbearable. Okay. Only today, though. You're working tomorrow."
"I need Tidus."
"Absolutely not. What kind of staff do you think I'm running here?"
"I don't have my car."
"What about Lulu?"
"She's at work."
"At least someone realizes that you have to do actual work to get ahead in this society."
"Auron."
"Okay. But, now you both have to work on your days off."
Wakka groaned. He had been hoping to spend some time with Lulu on his day off. But, now he had bigger problems to deal with.
"Fine," he agreed, as he heard Tidus lean on the horn.
"Bye."
He hung up and headed outside. "I got a problem," he told Tidus as soon as he was settled in the passenger's seat.
"Yeah?"
"I got this letter…"
"From the college saying you don't have a room?"
"Ya. How'd you know?"
"I got one. This is bullshit."
"Ya. Anyway, Auron gave us the day off to look for a place."
"Us? He didn't know I don't have a place."
"Whatever. The point is we're off today. We need to go looking for a place. Hey, do you want to be roommates?"
Tidus shrugged. "Sure."
And the search for stable housing began. It seemed to take them all day. Every place they checked was already rented.
"Let's try North Zanarkand," said Tidus.
"You smoking that weed? That's where the expensive places are, ya."
Tidus shrugged. What was gil to him? The Abes made a nice paycheck and they both worked at the restaurant.
"It's closer to the school, too," Tidus argued, rolling his window down further. It was a warm August day.
"Fine. We won't find nothing."
He was beginning to think that Wakka was right until he took a random side street and pulled to a stop in front of a large house. It was a nice white Victorian styled house. The street it sat on was a dead end street. There was a Rooms for Rent sign in the yard. He parked the car and got out.
Wakka got out and looked around. It was almost eerie how that house sat alone. He looked off to the far left and saw the blue and yellow university flag. Why, they could even walk to the college from here. He followed Tidus up the short steps to the double oak doors. Tidus pressed the doorbell.
A short while later, a short man with a head of white hair opened the door. He adjusted his glasses and looked up at them.
"Yes?" he asked in a raspy voice.
"We saw the sign. We want to rent a room."
"Together?" He asked, giving them a funny look.
"Well…um…not if we don't gotta," said Wakka.
"You don't have to. My rooms are spacious, but they are only for individuals, you see. I rent out this house to the college students. Are you college students?"
"Yeah."
"Well, come on in and let's talk," the old man beckoned, holding the door open wider. They followed him inside of the house. It was an old house, but he had obviously spent time keeping it in good condition. He led them into a small office.
"Take a seat, so we can discuss the conditions," he said, sitting behind the desk.
They sat in the two chairs in front of the desk. Tidus crossed his leg and waited impatiently.
"What conditions?" asked Wakka.
"Well, there are conditions for everything. You have to pay the rent on time for your room. I won't hold you responsible if some other member of the house doesn't pay their share. You have to promise not to destroy my furniture. See, these are simple enough, right?"
"Sure. What else?" asked Tidus.
"There are no curfews. After all, I don't live here. You are of drinking age, so there is nothing against that. No drugs, however. If I find any, you're out of here. It is pointless for me to tell you anything about sex. After all, you are two young men. No wild parties. Only members of the house may do such to amuse themselves. And that's pretty much it. You'll have a copy of all of this in the lease."
"How much is the rent?" asked Wakka.
"Each room is 300 gil per month. Is that a problem?"
"No. Where's the contract?" asked Tidus.
"Don't you want to see the house first?"
They both shrugged. They could tell it wasn't a shithole from what they'd seen of it so far.
"Very well. Read your contracts and sign them. I'll need the rent today."
"Deposit?" asked Wakka.
"No deposit. My rooms are always vacant. College students come and go."
Tidus skimmed his contract, while Wakka read every last line to make sure it said everything the old man said. It did.
They both signed and handed over the gil to the old man. He turned to the wall behind himself and looked at a row of keys on the wall. He grabbed the first two.
"One and two. Hey, you wouldn't happen to know of any other kids looking for a room, would you? I have six more to rent."
Wakka shrugged. "I got a teammate that might be," he said, thinking of Baralai.
"We'll spread the word if some of our friends are looking," said Tidus.
"Good, good. Go take a tour. By the way, my name is Mika."
They left Mika in his office and took a tour of the house. The kitchen was nice and spacious. It had two large refrigerators.
"I usually keep the white one for the girls and the brown one for the boys," Mika explained, appearing in the doorway.
"Girls? You allow girls to live here?"Tidus asked.
Mika shrugged. "Why not? Rent is rent to me."
Immediately, Tidus knew he would try to find out if Yuna still had her dorm room. He could tell Wakka was thinking the same thing. Live with Yuna again? Without her father upstairs?
"Something similar happens with the bathrooms. There are two down here and two upstairs. One for the girls and one for the boys. I even put signs on the doors."
"What if there are no girls?" Tidus asked, scratching the back of his head.
"When I rent to boys, there are always girls," Mika said, knowingly.
"Hey, Lu, how much more stuff did you bring?" Wakka asked, carrying another box inside of the house. He had been helping Lulu carry in her things for the past hour.
"Just a few things, Wakka. This is my first time away from home."
Doesn't mean you had to pack up the house, ya. He carried the box inside. Lulu squinted at the sun and looked around. How had Wakka ever found this house? It was perfect. The landlord seemed nice, too. There were still two empty rooms left. She, Yuna, Baralai, and Rikku had rented a room.
By nightfall, the six roommates settled down in the living room to talk.
"Okay, let's get this meeting under way. I have a date," Baralai said, sitting on the plushy red velvet sofa.
"I think we should have house meetings once a month," said Lulu.
"What for?" asked Baralai.
"Just in case someone has something they would like to discuss," said Lulu.
"I think that's a good idea, ya," said Wakka.
That's because you're fucking her. Baralai looked at his watch. He had no patience for meetings. He thought they were a waste of his valuable time.
"Well, shouldn't we wait until the other two rooms are rented? I don't want to have to do this again," said Rikku.
"Good idea, Rikku," Baralai said. I knew that girl was good for something.
"What if no one rents the other rooms?" Yuna asked, snuggling next to Tidus on the couch. She hadn't told her father that boys lived in the house. She could imagine that he would not approve at all. In fact, she knew he wouldn't. She couldn't believe that she had to live with Baralai. She hadn't completely forgiven him and the Abes, even though they had apologized.
"I'm sure they will if those letters keep going out," said Tidus.
"Well, then, this meeting is pointless. Let's give 'em a few days," said Baralai.
After a little more deliberation, everyone agreed that they would give any new housemate two days before their first official meeting. Baralai left to go pick up his date.
"Well, let's have some drinks. This deserves a little celebration, ya," said Wakka.
"Okay. I'll make a batch of my special apple-strawberry martinis," Rikku said, hopping up with excitement to run to the kitchen. She already loved being on her own and college hadn't even begun yet. She opened the girl's fridge and grabbed the fruit she had purchased earlier in the day. There was a big blender on the counter. She thought about how this would all be perfect if Gippal were there as she pulled the ice from the freezer.
She wondered where he was. She had spoken to his mother, but she had been evasive about his location. She hoped he was living his dream as he always wanted, but the truth was, she felt like Joey was using Gippal. She wasn't sure why, but her intuition told her this was true.
She finished making the martinis and found a tray to put them on. She could hear her roommates carrying on excited chatter as they watched television. She put the tray on the coffee table.
"Here, guys. Enjoy," she said, grabbing one and sitting down in the recliner. She sighed as she watched the couples. She wished Baralai had stayed so she wouldn't feel left out.
The doorbell rang. Rikku decided to answer it since she wasn't into the television yet. Who was coming here this time of night? It was after nine. She opened the door.
"Paine?" she asked in surprise. She was the last person she was expecting.
Paine gave Rikku a sheepish smile. "Hey. Baralai told me that there was a room here I could rent."
"Did he?" And he hadn't said a damn thing to the others!
"Yeah. Is it still empty or did I waste my time catching a ride here?"
"It's still empty, but Mr. Mika has gone home for the day. He's the landlord. But…um…you can still stay here tonight."
"Okay," Paine said, stepping inside. She didn't even know why she was here. She hadn't been given a dorm room, anyway. But, Folene insisted that she didn't stay at the farm. She said that Paine needed to finally get a social life. We'll see if you're right, Granny.
Reevo squinted up at the mid-afternoon sun. He was tired. He'd checked all over Zanarkand for a place to live. And since he didn't own a car, the search was even more difficult because he had to walk. He imagined he smelled pretty disgusting by now. The last landlord he'd approached had shut the door on him. He didn't understand what the problem was, he had money. Well, at least all of the money he'd earned since he'd started traveling. He had been lucky to be accepted at Zanarkand U, anyway. His grades weren't great and he hadn't done anything more than required of him in high school. He paused to catch his breath and drink some water on a random corner. He saw an old man sitting on a porch of a big white house. The rent sign in the yard caught his eye.
He approached the old man on the porch, hoping he wouldn't get up and close the door on him like everyone else had done. He was late as it was. He still had to register for his classes. But, he thought that he should get cleaned up first. The old man sipped his drink and looked at him.
"You look tired, my young friend. Would you like something cold to drink?" he asked.
"Sure. That'd be great."
"Come along inside."
He followed the old man inside; taking no particular interest in the good condition the house was in. It was really quiet.
"So, what are you doing walking in the hot sun today?" asked Mika, as he handed the young man a cold drink.
Reevo swallowed down half of the glass before he answered. "I'm looking for a place."
"You're in luck. I have one room left to rent."
"That is good luck. I don't care what it costs, I'll take it."
"Aren't you concerned with your roommates?"
"No. As long as they don't snoop in my business, I won't snoop in theirs."
"They seem like a nice bunch. Come on into my office and let's do the paperwork."
Reevo froze. "Paperwork?"
"Yes. You have to sign my contract about the room."
"What kind of info will you want?"
"Nothing too personal. Come along."
He followed Mika to his office. He hoped he wouldn't have to answer any personal questions like about his parents. The truth was he didn't know who his parents were. He had grown up in a Lucan orphanage. He had never been adopted, only leaving last year when he'd turned eighteen. As a result, he had a hard time trusting people. The only person he had trusted had been a guy named Viktor. Viktor had been his supplier, turning him onto every available drug in Luca. And that was how he ended up in Stanley Hill. The people at the orphanage had placed him there. He stayed there for four months.
"Here's the key. You have the room off the kitchen. There are two bathrooms on this floor. One for girls and the other for boys."
"Just like at school," he said sarcastically.
"Yes, yes. There are four young women living here. I will not tolerate them being…violated."
"I'm not that kind of person no matter how I'm dressed."
Did he look like a rapist? He admitted his clothes could be better if he cared. He got the key from the old man and went to his room. He was tired. It had been a long day. He threw his knapsack carelessly on the floor and sat on the bed. He thought about his summer. Scrounging all the way to Zanarkand hadn't been fun. He had enjoyed his job at the camp, though. It was nice to see children having fun. He especially enjoyed Yuna's company. He wondered if she had given him a second thought once she had left the camp.
He shrugged and heard his stomach grumble. He wondered if his roommates minded if he raided the fridge. What they didn't know wouldn't hurt them, he reasoned. He went into the kitchen and opened one of the fridges. He saw a big packet of sliced chocobo meat. He grabbed it and the bread and decided to make a quick sandwich. He bit into his hungrily as the door to the kitchen swung open. He almost choked.
"Hey! What are you doing here?" Tidus asked, beaming a broad smile in his direction. He walked over and patted his old friend on the back.
Reevo swallowed. "I…decided to leave Luca. It was time. I heard Zanarkand was the place to be. So here I am. You live here?"
"Yeah. You're going to like it here. It's a cool city."
"It sure is big."
"Yeah. So, when did you leave the clinic?"
"A week after you did."
"I wish I had time to catch up. I have to get to blitz practice."
"I'll be here."
"Okay. I'll see you later."
He watched Tidus leave the kitchen. He looked at his sandwich. Suddenly, he wasn't hungry anymore. He couldn't believe it. He should have known. When something good happened to him, it was usually followed by something bad. He put the rest of his sandwich in the trash and went back to his room. He shut the door in annoyance. He flopped on his bed. Of all the guys he never wanted to see again, Tidus Stone was at the top of the damn list.
He never told Tidus, but he had known who he was before they'd met at the clinic. He had attended the same high school. But, Tidus would have never noticed him in the crowds. He was the star of the Luca Goers, after all. He was popular. Why would he speak to a loser like Reevo? He had envied everything about the star. His looks, his athletic genius, and the fact that he had a family that cared about him. They had cared so much, that they had placed their addict son in the clinic for help. He had met the Stones. He could see how much they had been concerned. He didn't even want to think about the amount of female attention he received.
And because of all of these things, he had loathed the boy. And he still did. The only reason he had helped him get over his addiction was because he was sick of seeing him at the clinic. He had given him the vial of poison supposedly as a reasoning tool, but he secretly hoped he would drink it. What a drama queen. He could imagine all of the drama that boy had gotten into since he'd been in Zanarkand. He picked up his knapsack again. He couldn't stay here. He was going to get his gil back from the old man.
He walked quickly through the kitchen and down the hall. The front door opened. He paused. Yuna came in, carrying a stack of books. He dropped his knapsack and hurried over to help her.
"Hey. What are you doing here? Are you following me?" she joked.
He smiled. "No. I just got a room here. Do you live here?"
"Yes. What a surprise."
Reevo noticed the slight wince on her face and then he remembered. He was still smelly from his walk through the city. He groaned inwardly. Of course. It was just like him to look like a damn fool around a pretty girl. He put her books on the table in the hall.
"I'm sorry. I've been walking all day. I'm going to go shower."
"You don't have to be embarrassed. It's hot outside. I'm sure I'm a little sweaty, too."
If she were, he couldn't smell it. He picked up his knapsack, deciding he would hang around after all.
"So…what do you think? Don't you think it's a perfect idea? We'll be near the campus and everything. I already spoke to the landlord," Darcy said, taking sip of her iced coffee.
Tidus fidgeted. He knew for sure that he wouldn't be packing up his things and moving out of the Mika house. And he certainly didn't want to live with her. Not ever. Not under any circumstances. She would make his life a living hell.
"You already spoke to the landlord? I don't think so, Darcy."
"Why not? We're going to need our own place once the baby's born."
"Well, we'll see. Speaking of which, when's your next appointment?"
"I'll let you know. Don't you think you're being unreasonable? I didn't ask for this. In a few months, I'll be carrying really heavily. I'll need someone to help me with the household chores. You got us in this situation."
"Not alone. Stay with your Dad for now."
"No. He's looking forward to me leaving. I'm getting the apartment."
"Well, I'm not moving in, but I'll help you with the rent. And then I want to go with you to the doctor. I want to make sure everything is okay."
"Didn't I say everything is okay? Do you think I would purposefully harm my own baby?"
She was deliberately starting this argument. She needed him to get off her back about appointments and stuff. This wasn't going the way she had planned at all. He had been home for three weeks, and they had hardly spent any time together. What was he doing with all of his time? She had attended the Abes game last night just to see him.
"Darcy, I already have a room. I couldn't move into the dorms."
"Where did you find a room? I heard everywhere was already booked."
"I found one near the campus."
"Well, is there room for me there?"
"No."
"You did that on purpose! You're mean! You want to keep having your fun, while I have none. It's not fair."
"Well, I told you that I'm here for you. I just can't be with you. I'm with Yuna now."
"Damn it! It's not about Yuna. It's about me! She's all that you can think about!"
"Darcy, will you calm down? You already knew that I was with Yuna. Why are you freaking out all of a sudden?"
"I have to go. I'm tired now. I can't handle all of this stress."
"Wait…"
"No, Ti. I can't deal with it right now. I'll call you later."
He watched her hurry to her Dad's car. He sat in the coffee shop watching. She was unbelievable. For the millionth time, he wished he had taken a vow of celibacy when he'd gotten to Zanarkand.
Darcy sat behind the wheel of her car and made sure the tiny bulge in her stomach hadn't shifted out of place. She didn't know how much longer she could deal with this. She needed Tidus with her now. There had to be something she could do.
End of Ch. 4. Thanks for reading.