Author: Wolfsheim
Rating: R for language, sexual content, violence, and "thematic elements."
Summary: CHAPTER THREE UP. Torn between the horror of recent events and loyalty, Tidus wonders it he should bail out now while he still has a chance. What kind of operation is Auron running?
Author's notes: Remember that this is A/U. Of course Cid is Rikku's father, but this is an alternate universe. After finishing about 92 of this chapter, it was erased with the rest of my hard drive. That's why it's taking me so long to update. My apologies to the handful of people who read my stuff.
Disclaimer: You know the score. All original content is protected by intergalactic copyright laws and Jesus.
Chapter 3: "Sleep Somehow"
"You leave it up to me to sleep somehow the anger that i feel must leave somehow"
"You fucking bitch! That's it! I'm through!" Tidus exclaimed, striding through the warehouse. His shirt was still wrenched with blood. Gatta's blood, a man he was talking to not twenty minutes ago, now just an empty shell. Rikku pulled on his arm in a vain attempt to impede his exit.
"Tidus, stop! I know how you must feel but you must believe I would've never let you go if I thought anything like this was even remotely possible of happening...nothing like this has ever happened," Rikku rambled. Tidus stopped and sighed.
"Is that supposed to make me feel better? Gatta is dead, Rikku! It just as easily could've been me," Tidus shouted. He continued walking towards the exit, muttering expletives under his breath.
"Where will you go? You have nowhere to go Tidus," Rikku pointed out. Tidus stopped once more. He hadn't thought that far ahead. For good reason. When you just experienced a nearly fatal encounter lodging is the least of your worries.
"I'll sleep in the park or something." Tidus was playing the dramatic. He didn't believe his own bullshit. Sleep in the park? Fuck that noise.
"Look, daddy has a place set up for you and everything. Just check it out first and if you still want to quit, I'll take you wherever you want to go," Rikku said, stroking her index finger up and down Tidus' chest. He had forgotten how persuasive she could be.
"Why is this so important to you? So it didn't work out. Big shit," Tidus scowled. Rikku took Tidus' hands and guided them around her waist.
"I would think that would be obvious by now," Rikku vibrated, biting her lip. Tidus' scowl broke into a small concealed grin. Nothing like the process by which life occurs to get the process by which death occurs off of your mind. But that's neither here nor there.
Rikku took Tidus by the hand and pulled him towards the garage. Once inside, she walked over to an orange car and popped the door.
"Get in," Rikku said calmly. Tidus marveled at the brand new Z series Turboether. After some admiration, he flopped in. The tires screeched as Rikku tore out of the garage and into the Zanarkand night.
"So, your dad must do pretty well if he can afford cars like this," Tidus pointed out, examining all the accoutrements. Including some switches that Rikku got noticably nervous that Tidus was going to activate.
"He does all right. Can you get me the directions out of the glove box?" Rikku requested. Tidus opened the compartment; in addition to the directions was studded brass knuckles, a gun, breath mints, a switchblade, contraceptive devices, dental floss, a pack of cigarettes, and some prescription bottles. An interesting melange of seedy items and dental care accessories.
"Sweet fucking Yevon! Rikku, what are you into!" Tidus exclaimed. He quickly shut the compartment.
"A girl's gotta be prepared for any contingency," Rikku explained, . She giggled and smiled. Tidus was astonished at how Rikku could make him feel at ease considering what had transpired mere hours ago. Nevertheless, he had questions.
"Rikku, what is overdrive?" Rikku stirred a bit, then sighed. She knew this was coming.
"It's a new synthetic drug. It gives the user a boost in all physical attributes and has no short term side effects. Long term side effects include bleeding from the ears and nose, seizures, coma, and death."
"Who are the Aurochs?"
"They're a powerful gang. They control the west side of Zanarkand. They rarely come into the east side, and they never come sporting their colors. At least not until earlier today..."
"So...who runs the east side of Zanarkand?" Tidus asked. Rikku pulled the car into the parking garage for the grandiose Evrae Heights apartment complex. She turned off the car and looked into Tidus' eyes.
"Daddy does. Welcome home."
A swelling sense of vertigo notwithstanding, Tidus was impressed by his new abode. He was used to getting kicked out of places like this. Always the intruder, never the guest.
Rikku slid a card through a scanner and the door opened.
"After you."
Tidus hadn't seen such a fancy room since the height of his father's success. Massive television, sound system, a bar, all top shelf home furnishments.
"As soon as you pick up your jaw, follow me into the master bedroom," Rikku whispered. After a few more moments of stargazing, he proceeded.
Rikku walked over to the nightstand and tore out a piece of paper. She balled it up and discarded it.
"This is a list of emergency numbers. Don't hestitate to use them."
Tidus browsed the numbers. The page described in the index as 'female companionship' had been ripped out. Interesting. As were some of the other descriptions: garbage removal, 'garbage' removal, tactical strike, invasion response, food, drugs. The small notebook also included descriptions of some of the more interesting features of his new place.
"Why is there a gun in this drawer?"
"Skeet shooting Tidus, what do you think?"
Tidus sat the gun down on the nightstand. The prospect that someone would try to break and enter in such a high rent area made him uneasy.
"Well, it's late and I gotta report in to dad. You get some sleep Tidus, you had a long fucking day," Rikku stated empathetically. Tidus was confused.
"Wait, what happens now? I mean, what am I going to do tomorrow? Go into witness relocation?" Tidus was full of queries.
"We'll talk about it all tomorrow sweetie," Rikku said, placing her hand on Tidus' shoulder. She crept closer into a hug. "I've missed you so much."
"I've missed you to Rik," Tidus chuckled.
"By Yevon, don't call me that," she groaned.
She slowly backed away. Tidus heard the front door click shut.
Tidus let out a long sigh. He jumped into bed, exhausted. The only thing keeping his from sleep was the myriad of questions flowing through his head. It might've been three minutes before he heard the front door open again.
Have they come for me already? Tidus thought. He gripped the gun and pointed it at the wide entrance into his bedroom. A shadow appeared, casually walking towards him.
"Freeze or I'll blow you the fuck away," Tidus demanded. The shadow stopped. Tidus groped for the light and flicked it on. It was Rikku. Tidus sank.
"Fuck Rikku! I could've killed you," Tidus shouted. Oddly, she scoffed.
"You think so?"
"So what's up, I thought you had work? Did you forget something?"
"Something like that," she said with a smile. She pulled her orange tanktop off over her head and lightly dropped it at her side. She then unclasped her skirt and it dropped to the ground, revealing her matching orange underwear. All of Tidus' concerns and questions immediately melted away. She was occupying every crevice in his head.
Rikku crawled over to Tidus and straddled him. The lights went out once more.
-/-
The long put off and (unfortunately) completely rewritten chapter 3 finally done! Enjoy, r 'n r, and see you in chapter 4.
