High Hopes – Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII and I do not make any money with this writing. Characters belonged to Square Enix Inc.

Seventh Heaven's street was crowded, not a single space for parking. While searching for a spot for his bike, Yazoo crossed old Cloud's truck and grumbled a 'humph'. Chocobo was still yellow as one, but with no more 'Delivery Service' in pink. Now, it has 'Loz's' written black graphic letters. They were serving the booze inside, but Loz parked the truck in front of the bar to call attention.

Yazoo could finally park his bike in the alley, out of the sight of people, making it easy to call the night when it would suit him. As soon he entered, Tifa cheerfully handed him a cold beer. He thanked her, but it did not push away the thought that she had the obligation to feeling cheerful, after all, his brother was triplicating her profits, especially to a rainy Tuesday night. But that night was about Loz, his conquest, and Yazoo was on on his way to try social. He found out a chair to sit out of the spotlight, but with a good view of the scenario as a cat would do.

He was feeling relaxed, and after the first beer drank in a gulp, willing sociable. It was another hot and moist night in Midgar. Vincent and Cid joined him some minutes later. They chatted about work, street fashion because Vincent had a ponytail that suited him very well, and motors until both men went to talk to other guests, leaving Yazoo back to watch the party. "Boring," he sighed and stood up for another beer.

"I'm happy to see you…having a fun brother?" Loz handed him the bottle, the sentence, said more as a question than affirming it, amused Yazoo.

"Yeah," Yazoo chuckled, "I'm ok, brother, and I'm proud of you. Congrats, you are a regular Midgarian working citizen."

"So do you, Yaz. Here, grab your beer, I'll have to go to the pantry to reload the fridge, it seems that everybody is thirstier than usual tonight."

"Need help?"

"Nope, I'm ok, really don't need it. Have fun and don't lose your seat."

"Ok," drinking a sip on his cold beer, he smiled back at Loz. Cool, his brother wanted everyone to have fun and Yazoo went to find a new chair, the previously already occupied.

He glanced at Rude's impressive figure standing outside of the window. Rude did not smoke and covered by the brick pilaster, there was a white cloud blowing from his left side, though. Carefully, as if he was questioning himself about his curiosity, Yazoo stretched his neck to see who it was.

It was not Reno on Rude's side.

First, he felt thrilled and then worried because he had felt trilled before. He said to the redhead get off his sight forever, probably if they met again won't be a good thing. Maybe even with a violent outcome.

Yazoo shook his head at his own silliness and glancing around the place, his eyes landed at the counter. Behind it, Denzel was looking at him and pointing a finger. He frowned in surprise at his rudeness and did the same in return. "What? I didn't kidnap him alone, Loz was also there and he's helping him!"

Looking at Denzel, he stumbled at someone while he began to walk.

"I guess you have this effect on people. It's a subtle and undeniable charm of yours."

Yazoo sighed, looking at Reno's mocking face and gave a long sip on his beer. "Damn, I hope he was not watching me looking for him." Instantly, Yazoo felt his face getting hot and flushed, "And not even this prevents us to cross paths, hun?"

Reno had his hands on his pocket, no jacket and just his sloppy white shirt and god knows how, still sexy as hell. He flashed one of his smiles, the real one, with dimples and squeezed eyes. "He's cute when doing this. Oh, Mother what's wrong with me around this man? Out, get out, Yazoo."

"It seems it doesn't. I guess it's a curse, somehow summoned from the first time we saw each other."

"Now, I agree with you. Crazy life, hun?" Yazoo was passing through him, but Reno slightly touched his arm, getting closer.

"Have a beer with me?" Reno came even closer, aware he could be shooed away, but he had to try anyway. Their afternoon was awful and Reno had the conscience his bad behavior crossed far from the line of politeness with Yazoo. At his work and personally space.

"I'm already having," Yazoo glared at Reno's hand on his arm and the man, embarrassed, quickly took it out.

"I'm so sorry for my stupid, rude and really, really, bad behavior with you at the garage."

"You better be."

"And I'm, Yazoo. Another chance, please?"

Before blushing in front of the man, Yazoo turned his back at him and went back to his safe spot, in the corner of the bar, "Whatever."

Reno grinned at him and fetched a beer for himself, coming to stand by Yazoo's side, already sat on the bench. "Perhaps, I can get another round…"

He lit a cigarette and pulled a chair, sitting in front of him.

Twice in a day, it should be the destiny working its strings. He had time to mourn his inappropriate behavior on Yazoo's work and now he could properly apologize. With a lot amount of luck, he could even win around with the hot young man.

"So, it's that difficult?"

Yazoo veered his head at him with a questioning look.

"Have a beer with me."

Thinking that he was in the worst moment to have Reno in front of him, Yazoo tried not sounding rude,faking a relaxed posture.

"So far so good as we are cursed together."

Reno sincerely smiled back, crossing his arms over the chair's headboard, a cigarette in one hand and the other leaned over his eyebrow. He looked at Yazoo with interest, not only admiring his features, but indeed, how he acted when relaxed, something that Reno has never seen before. He was not only hot, but he also very beautiful. Always had been and Reno was mad to never had noticed it before.

"I should have guessed you would come tonight, but God saved me to push it earlier. So, I scheduled a dismount. I'll be there on Friday."

"It's not my area."

Reno straightened his body in the chair. He had an attack of imbecility with Yazoo in the afternoon and surely, the uptight man would not take it easy on him. He did not want to bring it back and lose his temper or control, but Yazoo was really a princess. The hardest kind one, a piece of work. The sweetest to conquer.

"Do you forgive my words? You know I also have a temper, the same as you."

Reno was making puppy eyes and Yazoo thought it was funny, oh alcohol, but kept his cold air towards the man, "Never, ever do this again. It includes this face."

Reno gasped, cheering with his bottle on Yazoo's one, "I promise. Well, we had our first fight, we should have an appropriately make up kiss?"

Yazoo stared at him with a frown. "Why in the hell he still comes at me? He seems more desperate to have sex than me. Is it possible Reno is serious?"

"Knock it off or leave, Reno."

"I have to try but ok. Mode good Reno activated, princess."

Reno answered crossing his fingers and Yazoo rolled his eyes, "Call me princess again and I'll punch you."

They chatted about motors, helicopters; Reno's passion, motorbikes, Yazoo's passion, music, guns, and about places Reno wanted to show if Yazoo would let him one day. Yazoo watched him with suspicious eyes, but indulged in the conversation. Something that recently, as everything on his life, nagged Yazoo to no end, everybody knew about his origins and life, but he had no idea about the life of people who circled him. Sometimes, he wanted to be open and let people come at him, but the most part, he had no interest in listening to their boring histories. Loz said he should change it if he wanted to have someone and blah blah blah. Although, Reno had a nice chat and Yazoo could say he was enjoying the unexpected proximity.

"Cosmo Canyon has the best tracks to a ride, stunning view for the canyons. Have you ever been there?"

"No, I don't know many places apart from Midgar and Icicle Area."

"We can go next weekend, or this weekend, not tomorrow because I'll work."

Yazoo smirked shaking his head at Reno's insistence, "Someday, maybe."

"Someday is better than never, don't you agree? We are making progress here," Reno said staring at him with those seductive eyes, a mischievous smirk forming in the corner of his thin lips. Yazoo gave one of his 'humph' while sipped on his beer, trying without effort, to suppress the smile on his face. Then he frowned more to himself than at Reno, chewing his lower lip before speaking.

"Are you losing your time here with me for some prank, Reno?"

"Gosh! Why do you think that I will harm you?"

Reno pushed his chair, getting closer to Yazoo. At this point, fetching a glass of wine for himself in the counter, Vincent Valentine saw the scene from the corner of his eyes. Somehow, it dragged his attention, Yazoo and Reno seemed oddly at ease with each other.

"I don't entirely believe in this, but Loz does and thinks it's not good for us as you are a Turk from Shinra, and your company hates us."

Yazoo was really feeling light-hearted to speak what was going on in his mind. Oh, the blessed goddess from the alcohol, setting people free.

"I don't hate you and Shinra doesn't care for you both anymore. Why are you afraid of that?"

Yazoo wriggled on his bench and leaned forward, getting close to Reno, his long silver hair falling over his shoulders and some locks on Reno's leg. The Turk gasped because it could not be more innocent and seductive at the same time. Reno looked at the silver shinning hair feeling like to rub a lock on his face, but fast veered his eyes at Yazoo's face.

"We are only alive because of some dirty alliance that does not include valid benefits for Loz and me. This is why I'm afraid of your flirting behavior from nowhere. As much I like it, you have to agree with me: it's a little bit weird to feel attracted to someone who almost beat you to death and threatened to blow the planet. You spent a whole year bullying me and I did the same giving my resources or otherwise, I'd have killed you."

Yazoo gasped for air, deep breathing, probably they just had the longest dialogue since they started this flirtation. Reno just stared at him, puzzled and delighted with this new chattering Yazoo, and what really burned his horny mind was the sentence 'as much I like it'. He wanted to shout, ' yes, it's fucking creepy weird, but I'm craving you bitch and you're stealing my wet dreams!" but he opted for not.

He wetted his lips, thinking very well on his next words to do not push Yazoo away, "I said shit and I already apologized for that, including formally in Shinra. I truly wished you accepted my apologies, again. I agree the first time I wasn't in my best moment, but the second one we are willingly going on it, and it was so fucking good. Today, oh, today I count on our third month of dating. Plus, we still have to make up for our afternoon fight."

"Here you go, you never talk seriously."

Reno moved with the chair getting close to Yazoo, touching his hand. The other flinched with the gesture and blushed. Reno smiled at him, "What kind of threat can I put on you? Why would I lose my time pranking you when we could do much better things together? And I'm saying not only in bed, but we actually have some common interests. So, what if we were jumping from enemies to very good friends? Isn't it good? It's the magic of life and kid of evolution of things, do you know?"

Yazoo listened to his words, analyzing all his movements. It really seemed odd their sudden attraction from nowhere, but it was not the absurd that Loz believed. Reno had the talent of smiling with his eyes too, even with his lips pressed together. He talked about get to know each other, friendship before other things, rides, dinner...and it was all very new to Yazoo.

"Think about this while I grab another beer. Do you want one?"

Yazoo shook his head, staring at him while he stood up. Before Reno paced to the bar, he took a wisp of Yazoo's hair and sniffed it, "You always smell so good."

"Why do you always do this?"

"I don't know it's a problem from my hands, they wanna touch you!"

"My fist is also attracted to your chin, keep it in mind."

Reno giggled, Yazoo shoved his hand out of his hair and remained sat, following him with his eyes while he paced to the bar.

He had a point though and looking at his empty bottle, Yazoo frowned again thinking he should leave. This thing of life magically happening in such turnarounds was not something Yazoo felt liking.

He liked control, destiny on his hands as the handlebars of his bike, and Reno was more to a runaway train. "What if? What if it was real life, doing its magic as Mr. Valentine had spoken. I have to go to my porch to think about this."

The redhead appeared sincere and he knew it, even in a middle drunk state, Yazoo thought about Loz's conspiracy theories, and it was more dramatic than it was necessary. Also, a little bit selfish.

Reno grabbed his bear and greeted some friends in the counter. It was easy for the red hair talking to people while it was almost torture for Yazoo. They were so like oil and water that he smirked, thinking how in the hell they started this flirtation game and were going on it.

"Humph. Unbelievable. Reno my former enemy, but all those things we did with each other in the past had a context, a lost purpose for both of us nowadays. I don't wanna fucking conquer the planet. I would be ok as an owner of the little piece of the desert that I live today. Maybe, a make out kiss?"

Yazoo tuned to look at Reno, stood ahead in the counter, detaching his eyes on his lips, chest, and his hands, and apart from his quickly psychological analysis of their situation, he felt attracted to him. No point in deny it. But not today, it was clearly not a good day to experience his first sex. Yazoo was feeling dizzy and he wanted to be entirely up into the experience, so, stood up from the chair, and paced to the bathroom,

Leaving the bathroom, Yazoo glanced at the counter and Loz still had not come back. Thinking that his brother would need a hand, he went to find him. Some physical work would help the increasing heath that was taking him. He crossed the path to the backyard and halted in front of the pantry. Low voices called his attention. Worse, low melting cheesy voices.

"I'm so happy for you."

"Me too. Come over here. And are you happy with me?"

"I've never thought to find it again, especially with you, and here we are, and I'm so happy. I love you."

Sobs and then a whimper from Loz. Yazoo had totally lost the politeness and he had his ear glued to the door.

"I love you so much, Tifa. I guess the first time we fought I…I already fell in love with you. I couldn't beat you, I was terrified at seeing you defenseless and everything that I wanted to do, in that very moment, was making you feel good again. Like, if I could reset the time do you know? I wanted to comfort you and not fight that war."

"I love you so much!"

Yazoo felt rage running through his veins. "So, I'm putting the family at risk, but Loz can actually fuck his boss and enemy or sort of that. Oh, Loz, selfish brat."

It took one minute with Yazoo thinking if he would kick the door shouting at Loz that he was a hypocrite liar, mating with Tifa from Avalanche, their former enemy the same as Reno. Loz would reply that Tifa was an Avalanche, not a Turk. Avalanche fought against Shinra. Turks, the more they wanted to deny, belonged to Shinra.

Thinking he would need better arguments, Yazoo silently paced back to the bar. He would think about that information to use later and better. His face burned in rage, feeling how unfair Loz had been with him all those weeks because he had his first kiss from a Turk. "He's having sex with Tifa and I've barely had a kiss!"

As soon he spotted Reno, he went forwards the man. It did not mind Vincent and Cid were circling him, Yazoo tilted his head, almost as if bossing Reno to come over, and the redhead just followed to where he was. Vincent raised an eyebrow, nodding his head at what Cid was talking, but focusing his attention on the eccentric pairing.

"Dinner, tomorrow night."

The astonished Turk, gasped with his hands on his hips, asserting his head.

"Pick you at work at 06 pm," He did not know if he would be able to get out of work at that time, but he would surely not miss that for nothing.

"Deal. Don't follow me."

Vincent who sipped his wine gave a low chuckle.

"What?" Cid frowned at him.

"Some theories that I have coming up to the light."

"About?"

"Never mind."

Reno was still in the saloon with a childish smirk on his face, looking at Yazoo crossing the bar to leave by the backdoor. He did not think twice and followed him behind.

Yazoo walked forwards the pantry but Loz and Tifa already had gone, letting the door opened, probably they went inside the bar or in the bedroom. It did not matter anymore because tomorrow night he would be doing the same, maybe getting rid of his virginity. The noise of steps made him veer his head.

"I told you to not follow me. I'm already regretted that dinner thing, forget it."

Reno, not listening to Yazoo's complaining enlaced his waist, pulling him closer against the pantry's door.

"If you hate me tomorrow, at least, I'd have kissed you tonight."

Yazoo smirked, staring at him. The man was insistent though funny or Yazoo was finally getting why people liked drinking so much. Probably to have an excuse to do what they would not indulge if sober.

"Humph. It's a good point."

He closed his eyes. Yes, he liked the attention, the impetuosity with a sweet taste of revenge against Loz. And if his brother caught them together, Yazoo would spit in front of everyone about his affair with Tifa.

He did not feel guilty this time because of Loz or any other concerns around Turk, Shinra, Avalanche. They were not Yazoo's problem neither solution, so why bother himself for them.

The tongue on his mouth was so good. Somehow, Yazoo was getting used to Reno's taste, his lips, and the way he kissed him. He liked to enlace his waist, running hands on his back, tousling his hair, and finally pressing him against his groin. Yazoo blushed even more with the bold caresses, thinking it was their fourth time in such acts. Reno whimpered on his mouth, nibbling his lips and neck, hands grasping his buttocks. Yazoo wanted more.

He would close the door and his hands were already changing from Reno's shoulder to the doorknob when he heard the sound of glass broken. Reno bumped his feet on a pile of bottles.

"Fuck!"

Yazoo broke the kiss, pushing Reno away. He straightened his clothes and hair with a flushed face, deep breathing, and still yet, tried to sound boring as usual, but without success,"Uhn, tomorrow, so. Don't be late."

Reno just nodded at him, pulling some bottles up, rosy cheeks, and still panting. He was feeling dizzy by Yazoo's good mood at him. He would give him another kiss, but his princess, exactly like one, just vanished through the backdoor, letting the redhead with a silly smile on his face.

"I'm a lucky guy."

Reno was so thrilled that he did not see Vincent Valentine, fast pacing towards the backdoor, and they ended up bumping on each other.