Gossip Boys and Barbecue– Chapter 9
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII and I do not make any money with this writing. Characters belonged to Square Enix Inc.
***The Morning After the make out in the truck ***
Reno was leaving the bar as soon Vincent entered. He was without his ever-present shadow Rude in the middle of the morning. Vincent thought it was oddly uncommon; the Turks were no longer paying 'visits' to the bar in order to check the former remnants. Avalanche requested its end and Rufus himself had agreed.
"Morning, Valentine."
The bar was empty and the noise of the fan invading the place made it even more boring. The light rain falling in outside added its own tone of drama to that summer morning. Vincent's enhanced senses noticed something weird in the air, almost as if it smelled.
"Reno."
Vincent nodded at the man, not stopping his march to the bar. He sat on the bench, leaned his elbow in the counter, and greeted Loz.
"Good morning Mr. Valentine, arriving earlier today? Cloud is still sleeping; Tifa told me he came home in the middle of the dawn."
"Yes, I already know. I'll wait for him and came earlier to give you something that I brought for your mixologist skills. Unnecessary to say that I want to taste all of them."
Vincent flipped out of his cape a bottle of liquor, neatly wrapped with a piece of rustic cotton fabric and placed it above the counter.
"It's really very good booze. Thank you, Mr. Valentine."
Something was out of place, though. The look on Loz's face while scrubbing the metallic balcony was evidence that something was wrong. The usually chatty man always cheered with a gift, especially if it was liquor, yet he gave a faint smile, placed the bottle above the counter shelve and did not stop his cleaning on the balcony.
"So, will you keep trying to turn it into gold?"
"What?"
Vincent did grow fond of the bulky man over those two years and Loz was obviously tense with his eyes red and on the verge of tears.
"The balcony. More scrubs and you will own Tifa a new one."
Loz looked down at the counter and there was an opaque trail on the board. He groaned, angrily tossing the rag over the sink at the back. Tilting his head, he was pondering if he were supposed to speak freely about this subject.
"That Turk is a pain in the ass do you know? Fuck!"
"Are you in trouble Loz?"
"Not exactly... I'm pissed off because finally now we have Shinra out of our necks and...Ahn…Never mind Mr. Valentine."
"Can I help you in something?"
Loz turned his head to one side to another, assuring himself they were alone in the bar and that no one would enter at that moment.
"You have to promise me not talk about this with Yazoo. Please, it's embarrassing…"
"Ok, I promise."
Vincent and Yazoo barely speak with each other. They could meet maybe more times than in the past only because of the garage. However, it did not make them exactly friends. At best, they could call themselves colleagues. Polite and distant.
"Yazoo had hun...an interaction with another person, I didn't like how it happened, especially with who, and then we discussed and now...I'm worried."
Vincent listened to Loz, attentively to what he was trying to say but he did not have a clue what was about.
"I guess I'm not following you Loz."
Loz pressed his lips in a thin line, unsure of what he was about to speak.
"Hn...Please promise me again that you won't speak to anyone else about this."
Vincent flinched in the bench, wondering what could be so important and secretive. His mind already imagining a menace from their former enemy lurking upon them.
"I told you I promise. Unless of course, it is a case of national security."
"No, it's more for our security, mine and Yazoo's."
Vincent did not want to make Loz feel pushed to say something, indeed, he had no patience for gossips, but he could not deny his curiosity was increasing. Loz got closer to Vincent, leaning his elbows on the counter with a whispered voice.
"The said person of Yazoo's interaction is Reno. The bastard kissed my brother twice and now is chasing after him. Can you believe this? He came to fetch his jacket because he forgot in the back of Chocobo's. Do you guess why? Because he was there with Yazoo and he let it on purpose to get to see him again. I'm sure it's a prank. They always hated each other; Yazoo had to stay in Shinra for more a year because of their fight, so how this is popping out to the light now? From where? It's not right, there's something really wrong going on. I can feel."
Vincent startled and understood Loz's concerns reasonable as a little bit exaggerated as he took it for a prank.
"I see... I don't believe in pranks, though it's odd…"
"Exactly! You got me! He's a Turk and I don't trust these people, sorry don't get offended I know you was one of them in the past."
"Not taken."
Vincent downed his head thoughtful and then stared at Loz, completely regretted in had asked the question. He could have spared himself from that conversation. Loz looked at him as if expecting some miracle solution.
"Did Yazoo show interest on Reno's flirtation?"
"My brother is innocent Mr. Valentine, Reno was his first kiss and...And...Oh shit, this is so weird that I want to cry."
Vincent raised an eyebrow, having a hard time thinking of Yazoo as someone without a strategic plan, least of all an innocent.
"Don't cry Loz and trust your brother. In fact, he's an adult and surely, he could deal with Reno. I guess that Reno should be the worried one of that situation."
Loz rolled his eyes, nodding at Vincent's statement but still he was afraid.
"Why Reno, to risk put everything we had got in our lives until now? Shinra could be ordered him to do that."
"What for, Loz?"
"I-I don't know."
Loz seemed to relax a little bit more to have pulled it out of his chest and leaned in the counter resting his chin in one hand with a dreamy expression.
"I want to thrive Mr. Valentine and have a happy ordinary life for now on. Most of all I wish Yazoo to find someone that makes him happy and I'm sure it won't be a Turk."
"Loz...life is amazingly contradictory at our point of view sometimes. You found out work, friendship and maybe even a family with your former enemy, don't you?"
Loz was aware that even his presence and Yazoo's one was imposed in the beginning, because they refused to die, it was not like that anymore. He felt true friendship coming from Cloud and Tifa and even the kids.
Soon after he had thought about them, Tifa and Denzel returned from the weekly grocery shopping.
"Morning, Vincent."
Tifa greeted him carrying a huge sac on her arms and Loz went to help her. She wide smiled at Loz and Vincent rolled his eyes veering his eyes at the counter. Seconds later, Denzel entered behind the counter and let a plastic sac under Loz's feet giving him a glare of 'partners in crime" and went to help Tifa in the backyard. A minute later, Marlene came running from the backyard and gave him a small packet. Loz lowered his head to hear what she wanted to speak with him and took the packet from the girl's hand.
"Good luck on this time, Loz."
He smiled at her and messed with her bangs and after greeting Vincent, she climbed up the stairs, vanishing to her room.
Loz snorted and quickly retrieved the bag to the fridge and pulled the card on his pocket's jeans. He returned to Vincent, giving him a warm smile.
"Pokémon cards and melon popsicles. I guess you are right Mr. Valentine, you always know what to say. Thanks, it was a good talk."
"I appreciate to help you but please stop calling me Mr. Valentine; it's weirdly kinky in a very bad way."
They chuckled at the veracity of that.
"Reno, a Manhunter, the slickest Turk of all the patrol, young, pretty, single, ranked and lusting after Sephiroth's remnant...why? Is the guy had some masochist side or a vengeful one?"
Vincent put himself to give a thought about Loz's concerns and it led him to peek at Reno's routine as well at Shinra's possible interest at the situation.
The Turk had nothing bad in the course for the brothers and neither did Shinra. Loz was just being…Loz, overprotective and overemotional.
***Weeks later***
Yazoo never saw a point in that as Loz saw the same friends every day or night at Seventh Heaven, though he agreed in opening the house to the party on the weekends. Coincidence or not, the meetings happened soon after Loz had gossiped about Yazoo to Vincent.
It was the third or maybe fourth time Vincent and Yazoo met in the in a peaceful spot on the backyard. They never left together to outside, but lately; they ended up sitting close by each other.
The backyard did not have a garden but all the lonely desert landscape, raw and silent. Rarely did they talk, watching in silence the scenario changing due to the light.
What gave a different tone to the afternoon boring scene was Yazoo's interest in Vincent's armored hand.
He blatantly stared at it; his cat slit's pupils contracting with the sunset, making several expressions with his eyebrows.
It was funny because Yazoo pretended he was not looking, and then his eyes returned to the metallic piece. Vincent just let himself be in the spot of his interest, sipping on his wine while observing him with the corner of his eyes. The young man was really something. Completely different from his brother, aloof and somehow out of this world.
Maybe Loz was right and Yazoo was naïve.
"Curious? Ask what you want to know Yazoo."
"Does it hurt?"
Vincent gave him a jaded grin, staring and his metallic hand.
"Not anymore."
Yazoo nodded at him, embarrassed.
"I'm sorry if I brought back sad memories."
Vincent shook his head, filling his glass with more wine. The sun hit the gilded part making the reflex of the light sparkle when he raised his hand.
"It was a long time ago, plus, it has more benefits than damages today."
Yazoo confirmed with his head while drinking his beer, his green eyes still mesmerized by Vincent's arm.
"Do you want to touch it?"
Yazoo turned his head at him with interest. "May I?"
"Go ahead."
Vincent took off his red jacket, a good change Yazoo said as soon he got out of the ship. Opening his sleeve button and pulling the shirt until his biceps, Vincent lifted his arm for Yazoo, exposing the metallic junction with his skin.
"It's a full piece, but I won't take off my shirt, it's chilling out."
Vincent said it, smirking at him, he stretched his fingers and they shone with the faint light from the sun before Yazoo's curious eyes.
Not caring for Vincent's joke, with a grave face, Yazoo touched his hand.
He widened his eyes in surprise, though it showed like that, he did not imagine that it would actually feel like a hand. It was cold, flexible and hard all the same time. A weapon but still a hand. A marvelous engineering work that was also an art piece for a weapon. The thought that Mother would rule the planet if he had one of those, crossed his mind and he slightly shook his head, pushing away those past memories.
"What can you do with this, apart from slicing the enemy? Could you shoot with a bare hand? Do you have tactile sensibility?"
Vincent frowned with a smirk; resting his arm on Yazoo's leg, the act noticed by himself only after Yazoo had touched the tip of his fingers.
"I need a gun, there are no bullets coming out of my fingers and yes I can feel like an ordinary hand. I just need to balance the grasp to not crashing things instead of touching them."
Yazoo pulling aside his beer can, examined the fingers, trailing from his forearm to his shoulder, squeezing the metallic flesh with both hands.
"There are no signs of visible scars I presume."
Yazoo dug his fingers tips on Vincent's arm trying to feel any scar bad enough through the fabric of his black shirt.
"You won't feel the scar."
The skin, the muscles, and tendons seemed untouchable. Vincent was strong, not like Loz, different kinds of muscles, an experiment. He slid his hand towards the attached metal, no visible scars. Like a full solid piece that organically grew as an ordinary bone.
"Amazing work."
Yazoo whispered and it was when he noticed Vincent's red eyes, clear than before, at him. He quickly retrieved his hands out of the man's arm with a red face.
"I'm sorry...I did exactly what Shinra's docs do."
Yazoo gave him a faint smile and immediately turned his head and eyes at the landscape. Somehow, it was strange touching the man, though he was not a kinesthetic person he really wanted it. He thought about his weird dream with Vincent and felt even more embarrassed.
"No, you didn't."
It was exactly when the way Vincent Valentine looked at Yazoo changed. He tried to imagine what Yazoo and Reno could be doing inside Chocobo.
"He's unique and beautiful."
It was very perceptible why Reno, the lucky bastard who had kissed those fleshy lips and felt more of those warm hands, was after him. Yazoo was the kind of man that you barely would notice in a place; because he would be hidden in a corner, but as soon you looked at him, it would be impossible avert your eyes off.
That was the second time they had a moment alone that was odd, bodily invasive but welcome. If Vincent had let or if they were alone, would it be possible that Yazoo would go further with those hands on him? It was a lascivious question, but he asked it for himself even so. Vincent could sense through his metallic skin much more information than any ordinary human hand. He could be wrong, taking Yazoo's curiosity and perverting something that was friendly and nothing else.
However, through his pulse, skin temperature and breathing rhythm, Yazoo felt pleasure touching his hand. Surely, the boy had a sociopath side.
The first weirdly moment between them was a couple of nights ago, on their way back from the party on Seventh Heaven. A total coincidence.
When he saw Yuffie parking outside with an entourage along with her, Vincent decided to leave discretely, by the backdoor. Old and annoying issues with the ninja girl were not on his menu for calling his night and he quickly stepped out of the place, helped by Cid.
Crossing the backyard, he bumped on Reno. They greeted each other and when he was in the back door, he saw Yazoo.
He was clearly drunk, sat on his bike with lost eyes at the empty alley. He was aloof, face flushed and Vincent guessed what it could be after had crossed path with Reno strolling back to the bar.
Frowning, he lowered his eyes deciding what could be the worst, talking to Yuffie after so long, or driving Yazoo home. The girl's loud voice reached his ears and he went forward for his momentary salvation.
"I'll drive you home. Because I need to get out of here and you're drunk. Keys, please?"
Yazoo startled, flinching with the man's voice behind him. He had time to nod his head and push himself back, making a place for Vincent, who promptly roared the engine, vanishing in the dark alley. A breathless girl stopped at the back door, shouting Vincent's name, visibly angry.
"Are you escaping? Who's that girl?"
"I tell you at home."
Yazoo cursed on his back.
"Do you owe her something? Please don't tell me now that I'm working for you that you're a bad patron."
"I'm not your boss and hang on."
Hanging himself on the rider's bench Yazoo almost puked on Vincent's back. The man took a weird route, faster but with sinuous hills on the way.
"Hang on me Yazoo, you'll fall."
"Why did you took this way? It won't be my fault if I'd puke on your hair."
"Hang on. There's a long curve."
When Yazoo veered his head, he saw a huge downhill on his left. He never had seen that place before. Instantly, the young man braced himself on Vincent's waist. It would be a pity if he were to puke on the man's hair because it smelled so nice. Fresh herbs with a hint of woody scent.
"Ok."
Yazoo leaned on Vincent's back and decided to close his eyes, he was too nauseated but somehow the fresh wind on his face was making him feel better.
They came home safe and sound. Yazoo finally puked, and Vincent made him some tea. Yazoo was drunk and funny in that state, he insisted to know why Mr. Valentine was running from that skinny girl like another one.
Vincent told him about Yuffie, she had stolen something and Vincent had returned it to the previous owner, ending up with both friends arguing with each other. Vincent did not tell all the history about their past.
Yazoo told him about Loz and Tifa, though Vincent already knew it, he kept his mouth shut about Reno but revealed something very private.
"I've never dated someone."
Yazoo said it while looking at the ceiling, laid down on the couch clutching a pillow to his chest and already on his pajamas.
"I'd a lot of dates, some of them with bad endings, others not so bad. I've even had made good friends."
Yazoo on his daydreaming mode whispered more to himself than to Vincent.
"Recently I kissed. Maybe tomorrow I'll do more than that but I'm still not sure if I'd enjoy. "
After a pause, thinking it was oddly intimate what they were speaking, giving their collected personalities, Vincent sighed and Yazoo curved himself in the couch, snugging his face in the pillows.
"Kisses are the most intimate contact one could have with another."
Yazoo turned aside his body to look at him while speaking. Vincent stared at him, praying for they do not have a talk about Reno, either Tifa. He really hated gossips and the last thing he wanted was to be in the middle of the two brother's love life.
"Do you think it is a waste of time, dating someone?"
"Never. It's always an opportunity."
"What for?"
"Giving a chance for life not being a bitch all the time."
They became in silence and then, totally blacked out in the living room, with Vincent on the floor and Yazoo on the couch.
"Vincent! Look what Cloud and Barret brought!"
At seeing Loz lifting a huge rib steak, clean and ready for his cooking gifts the almost sensual reveries about Yazoo vanished away. Vincent sighed looking at his empty wine's bottle.
"It became a dinner. Are you ok with this?"
Yazoo huffed rolling his eyes, finishing his beer.
"I can lock myself in my room whenever I want. That's the good part of never being in the spotlight."
Vincent stood up from the chair, closing his sleeve and dressing his red jacket.
Yazoo imitated him and before they stepped to the porch, he touched his shoulder.
"I did not say thank you for the ride. That night on Seventh Heaven."
Vincent turned his head staring at those huge green eyes, weirdly shinning at him.
"That's what friends are for."
Vincent nodded his head and Yazoo released his arm with a smile.
He walked ahead and entered the house, leaving Vincent following him with his red eyes.
Definitely, it became dinner as Vincent predicted with even more guests. Cloud arrived with Barret and the kids. The house was unbearably louder for Yazoo's taste, Denzel pointed him a finger again and the little girl wanted to comb his hair.
God only knows why he let Marlene combed his hair, maybe because he got so disturbed after touching Vincent that he wanted something different for his mind to battle. In the case, the girl with her suitcase full of accessories pulling out his hair with a unicorn brush.
However, it was not working, because even he was avoiding making eye contact with the man, away from him in the other corner of the living room, everything that kept coming to his mind was Vincent's face. Along with the nagging wish to stare at him, what he did not.
A couple of nights ago, he did not know why he had a dream with the man.
Yazoo was at his backyard, sitting on his chair and Vincent was by his side but the time collapsed, and Vincent watched in silence the time's lines running in front of their eyes. However, everything that Yazoo could do was look at Vincent's face.
It was a very weird dream. None of them said a word.
Yazoo lingered his eyes over the man. Noticing his features, the long dark eyelashes, and the expression line between his eyebrows that confirmed that he was an analytic person. Vincent's skin was pale and flawless, his nose, the curved down line of his thin lips. The way his dark and thick hair was falling over his shoulders. Vincent did not move from his chair; neither looked at Yazoo. He was contemplating whatever he was seeing in front of his eyes.
Then Yazoo's eyes went to his armored hand and slowly lifted to imagine the shape of his muscles under the black shirt. He was not wearing his cape and Yazoo wanted to touch the crack of his neck that descended to his chest but remained quiet. He thought he was handsome and that he could also kill him. The peaceful dream changed and Yazoo began to suffocate.
Psychological analyzes apart, Yazoo frightened himself when Vincent Valentine came out of his ship today. Maybe it was what lead him touching the man. Maybe he dreamt with Vincent but the focus was his fear at meeting Reno again.
"Your color is…purple, no. Black. Yeah, definitely black."
"Don't you dare, little girl."
Marlene taking out of her suitcase a black shining ornament to hold his hair, put Yazoo back in reality and he glared at the girl, who promptly stopped her play.
"Enough. Hun…Thanks and good bye."
Yazoo stood up from the chair and patted Marlene's head, leaving the girl with a puzzled face.
He would stay in his room until Loz called the party; Vincent simply disturbed him tonight. The way he walked, the way he talked about something, the way he sipped his wine. He freely paced around his kitchen, squatting to taking cooking pans and spoon. He laughed resting his hands on his hips when Cloud tried to cut the huge rib and failed, mastering the art of slicing after that with the group complimenting him.
"Oh no, I should be looking at him all the time that girl was toying with my hair! Oh, shit. What a weird thing, he's creepy. Hun? Why am I looking at Valentine on this way? Though, I have to admit he's oddly handsome. My gosh, I have to take care of my situation."
Sighing, Yazoo laid down on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He had a lot to process and it meant hours of meditation. He met Reno's family and it was something really unexpected and nice, though they had not met again this week and probably would not make it in the next. Reno texted him, he would travel and as soon he comes back he wanted to see Yazoo with a real dinner.
"Real dinner… Probably it means we'd have sex."
Whimpering Yazoo clutched to his pillow. "Oh, Mother…I hope I like it."