part
II: first sight
by
Lotuss Tears
Her eyes met the doors as they swung open and she automatically stepped forward to resume her duty of taking and hanging the coats of the guests that entered. She stifled a gasp as her eyes met with the raven haired leader of the Turks.
"C-can I take your j-jacket sir?" she stuttered inwardly, cursing herself for sounding like a nervous school girl.
The man held her gaze for a moment...a single moment but to her it seemed oh so much longer…she felt trapped in those orbs of black, held prisoner by his gaze…finally he shattered the silence by reaching into his jacket pocket and retrieving the invitation holding it out to her.
"Thank you. I'll hold onto my jacket, but you can take this." His voice was soft and quiet….Almost dangerous, she thought to herself. She reached out to take the invitation and cried out as she tripped.
In mere seconds strong arms caught her, breaking her fall and she was again looking up into those eyes, she quickly gained her composure and managed to stand hoping that her face wasn't turning as red as her serving uniform.
"Are you alright?" He asked helping her to her feet
"Yes…thank you, I'm fine." She said, brushing herself off, crimson blazing across her face.
The man nodded and turned away towards the Shinra executives table, his partner handed her his invitation and quickly followed the raven haired man to the table, as they approached two other men rose from the table and greeted them.
When the two were out of earshot she turned and cursed.
"Of all the dumbass, stupid things to do!!" she half whispered half screamed, brushing her hands through her hair. She was greeted by a chuckle.
"That was priceless, Scar, you know that?" The voice was mocking but also friendly.
Scarlet turned around and smiled sheepishly at her friend.
"Don't you have anything better to do then spy on me, Meri?" She said, giving her friend a quick hug.
The 5'4 brown-haired serving maid chuckled. "I do but it's so much fun watching you trip over yourself," she said, returning the hug.
Scarlet cast her gaze to the executive table, which didn't go unnoticed by her friend.
"Don't tell me you got a thing for the leader of the Turks…" Meri smirked, following her gaze.
"No…it's nothing like that!" She said. "He's just so mysterious….so quiet…so…" She faded off and Meri laughed.
"I'm surprised you haven't been up on gossip, Scarlet…that's Vincent Valentine...and his heart belongs to another." Meri said, shaking her head and putting an arm around her friend.
"Who?" Scarlet asked raising an eyebrow.
"That highbred hussy Lucrecia." Meri snorted. "Rumor has it he asked her to marry him and she shot him down."
"Who in her right mind would shoot down someone like him?" Scarlet asked in disbelief as they moved back into the kitchen.
"She's Hojo's property," was all Meri said.
"Hojo!? That's disgusting!" Scarlet practically shrieked.
Meri chuckled again "You really have something for him don't you Scarlet?"
"I'd just like to be closer to him…find out more about him" she looked around as they moved to the back of the kitchen. "What are we doing back here?" she asked.
Meri smiled, removing her name tag and holding it out to her. "I've been assigned to the Executive table tonight…wanna trade places? It would be the perfect opportunity to get close to him."
"But…we'd g-get caught" Scarlet stuttered.
"Are you kidding me? To the Shinra execs all we are is a number…they don't care about us or pay attention to names…Tell me, do you honestly think they know or care whether your name is Scarlet or Meri?"
Scarlet pondered the question for a few seconds "I guess…I guess you're right." she said, removing her name tag and handing it to Meri.
"That's a girl," said Meri. "Now I'll go greet those guests…and if you happen to serve that freak Hojo then spit in his drink for me hmmm?" She giggled.
Scarlet hugged her friend again and rushed out to the table hoping her excitement wasn't showing too much.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Vincent swirled his drink in his glass and tried to shut out Reno…the new recruit had a fondness for brandy he had discovered, he had to drink enough to make a fool of himself…and truth be told, Vincent didn't care if he did.
His night had gone even further downhill when Hojo arrived with Lucrecia on his arm, and as if that didn't send a dagger to his heart, the engagement ring on Lucrecias's finger plunged the blade deep and wrenched it around inside.
Vincent reached out to pick up his glass and his hand brushed across another, he looked up to see the same girl he had seen at the door earlier. She blushed and reached over, refilling his glass, then moving onto the other executives.
For a second, he was puzzled. Wasn't her name Scarlet? He thought to himself.
He shook his head dismissing it, and looked over "his" Turks.
One that wont shut up, one that wont say anything, and one that knows me way to well…God, what a mess... His gaze traveled to the end of the table where Hojo and Lucrecia sat…close to each other.
And one blind…ignorant bitc…..
He shook his head to clear it, perhaps he had had too much to drink…he put the glass down and closed his eyes, he was surprised when the image of the young woman he had met…Scarlet...or Meri…whatever her name was, entered his mind. She was certainly a beautiful woman, no doubt trying to climb the ladder of corporate Shinra.
The Turks were a different part of Shinra…at the top of that ladder they watched above all to insure the President's safety, and to carry out his dirty work. Climbing the ladder was often a difficult task as many of the rungs were already broken, or broke as you set foot on them.
The look in her eyes when he had gazed into them…like a deer caught in the headlights…but nevertheless she had strength, her eyes showed that she was not just another brainless Shinra stooge, but a woman of intelligence.
Vincent opened his eyes…he quickly turned away as he saw Hojo kiss Lucrecia, out of the corner of his eye he caught the scientist looking his way and grinning.
Grabbing his glass Vincent got to his feet and began to walk out of the room, he couldn't take much more of this…he needed a breath of fresh air.
Tseng sighed as he watched his boss and friend leave, when the President cast a questioning glance towards the retreating form of Vincent. Tseng shook his head and said something suddenly had come up requiring Vincent's immediate attention. The president seemed to buy the lie and went back to his business.
Tseng watched the doors
swing shut, and a small smile crossed his lips as he saw a small form sneak
out the door after Vincent…the young lady from the door he realized. He
chuckled and turned around in time to catch a dirty joke thrown from Reno's
almost drunken lips….
to
be continued
Please
not that this fanfic strongly denies any form of self-insertion.
ScaRR assures you that despite the constant reference of Scarlet as "Scar",
she has no intention to subtly include herself as the love interest
of anyone.