Chapter 4
By Crystal Snowflakes
Author's Notes: Another chapter!
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy 7 does not belong to me in any way... And it really is quite a shame.
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Yuffie groaned quietly as the sunlight shone in her eyes, disturbing her peaceful rest. And she felt a big headache. She then attempted to grab the sheets to cover her eyes, but her hands didn't find a sheet. Annoyed, she snatched the pillow she was sleeping on and covered her eyes.
A moment later, she heard a deep chuckle from behind her as pillow in her hands were ripped from her grasp.
"Wake up Princess."
She shot up like a rocket and glared at Reno with a mixture of surprise and anger. "What the hell are you doing in my room Turkey?"
"Look around babe." He said, "My room, my bed. My house."
She looked down at her body, partly surprised that she was still wearing them.
He chuckled again, "No I did not rape you. You came into my house and slammed the door on me than slept in my bed. Of course, I wasn't about to go sit on the couch, so here we are."
"Oh." Yuffie answered. Then started snickering at the fact that she had slammed the door on a Turk. And then she remembered what she had done at the door. She blinked quickly for a few seconds, then touched her mouth, and looked at Reno's cheek. "Please tell me that was a dream."
"Nope." He chuckled at the disgusting face Yuffie made, "Come on now babe. It wasn't that bad. Anyways, go get ready, I'll make you a little breakfast and then we can go to the headquarters to see where your idiotic friends are staying."
She stared at him, gaping, "You? Breakfast?" She snickered again, the kiss on the cheek last night forgotten... for now. "I really hope you don't end up burning it."
Reno narrowed his eyes, "You really don't have to eat it, you know."
She grinned and shoved Reno playfully, "Come on Turkey. Let's see how good you are at cooking."
He glared at her, "You are such an ungrateful brat."
"Now, now... Be nice." Yuffie stuck her tongue out.
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"Where is Reno?" Elena muttered to herself as she glanced at her watch again. Apparently, she had said that a little too loud, because the next second, Barret snapped.
"The hell should I know?! Do I look like a god damn mind reader to you?"
The office door opened loudly as Reno sauntered into the room with Yuffie following, "Now, now, Mr. Mayor." Reno gave a big smirk, "you're going to pop something."
Barret ignored the Turk completely, "You brat! Where were you last night?!"
"Uh..." Yuffie gulped as she watched AVALANCHE look at her with curiosity and part anger for walking in with a Turk. "Well..." She gulped again, "You see... Reno and I went to check where exactly the bullet was shot from, then he invited me for dinner... And by the time dinner was over... I..." She looked at Reno helplessly.
Reno shrugged, "She wasn't aware which inn you were staying at, and your phones were turned off, so I let her stay over for the night."
A silence.
Then chaos erupted. "You stayed at his house?!" "Have you lost your mind Yuffie?" "The hell were you thinkin'?!" "Fucking Turk!"
He shrugged again, "She slept on the couch. No biggie."
AVALANCHE had started yelling all over the place without stopping and Yuffie glanced at Reno amusedly. I wonder what their reaction would've been if I had told them we slept in the same bed... She mused. Reno glanced her way, and as if he read her mind, he smirked.
It had taken several more minutes until everyone settled down.
Yuffie, to be truthful, was very grateful of what Reno had done, although she would never admit it to him. And of course, she was glad none of the AVALANCHE had called on their bluff about phoning them... She was drunk as hell...
"So..." Reno started, "It really is still the same as yesterday. There is no news about anything at all. Until we have a message from the kidnappers or any clues at all, there really isn't anything we can do but recheck the information. Some of you might want to ask the people passing through where the rifle was set up. There might be something we missed. Some could stay and go through faxes, phone calls, anything to see if anything strange has happened these past few days. I mean, there really isn't much--"
Phone rings cut Reno's voice off. Reno frowned in annoyance.
Everyone looked at each other for a second before Barret realized it was his own phone. "Yo." He greeted, then proceeded to walk towards the door. Halfway though, he frowned, then he hung up.
"Is it Marlene?" Tifa asked.
"Naw. Some fuckin' weirdo. Probably some lil kid playin' wit the phone... Imitatin' those horror movies out there." He gestured to the windows, "You're next." He imitated a scary voice. "Kids." He sighed.
Reno too, sighed, "Anyways, like I was saying. Do whatever the hell you want. I don't care. Go try to look for clues, rest, jump off a building... Like I said, I don't give a flying fuck."
"I'm guessin' you gonna go rest like a lazy ass, eh? Fuckin' Turk."
"No." Reno looked at Barret impassively, "I'm going to listen to all the phone records from the past few days."
Barret shrugged it off, "Well, I'm gonna go and see if I can find anythin' you didn't last night." Without a word, he disappeared through the door.
"I'm going to get some fucking sleep." Cid too, left.
After Reno had ordered Elena and Rude to do the same thing yet again (they didn't complain, mind you), Tifa, Yuffie, Red and Reno were left.
"So... Like I said, phone calls. If you want, come. If you don't, whatever. But just a warning, it's a damn boring thing to do."
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Yuffie had her head on the table, almost asleep as she fought to keep her eyes opened. Reno and Red, on the other hand, were as wide awake as they could be. Tifa seemed restless.
Yuffie whined, "Aren't you bored of this yet? Can't we take a break or something? It's almost lunch."
Reno hushed her as he paused, "For the last time brat. Stop talking. I can't hear when you do. And I didn't tell you that you had to stay. Leave whenever you damn well please, just stop being such a nuisance."
Tifa stretched, "Well, how about this. Since Yuffie and I are getting a bit restless, we'll go buy lunch for you. What do you guys want?"
"Anything is fine." Red said.
"You Reno?" Yuffie asked.
He shrugged, "Nothing."
"But..." She protested.
Tifa pulled her arm, "Come on Yuffie. Let's go." Once they got out of the room, Tifa looked at Yuffie, "So." She started, "Where should we go. Just get them crappy food from the cafeteria, or should we go out, have lunch and then bring it back to them?" A small playful grin tugged at her lips.
Yuffie laughed, "I think you know what I'd pick!"
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They had ended up going to a small casual restaurant. The ambiance was pleasant, the room bright and cheerful, the aroma of coffee lingered as well as delicious food.
Yuffie had ordered a soup and some chicken strips. She was starving. Tifa, on the other hand, ordered lasagna. As Yuffie watched the food being served, she felt her stomach growl horribly as she began to drool.
"Hungry, are you?"
"Very." She grinned. "So Tifa, how are you?"
"Not too great... Reeve kidnapped, not knowing how we can save him... That can really damper your spirits." Tifa smiled, "But I'm sure we'll find him soon enough. Despite the fact that I dislike the Turks, I have to admit that they are very good at their job..."
Yuffie looked at her, "I'd have to agree... Professional killers... I admire Reno for being able to know how thick the glass was, everything. He had explained guns to me when we were on the rooftop. And man, you should've seen the way he assembled that sniper rifle..."
Tifa smiled, "Seems like you're a little too awed to be just admiring him." She winked.
Yuffie blushed, "Wha?! What are you talking about Tifa! Puh-leeze. Not him. Never him." She made a gagging noise, "Grossness!"
A laugh.
"Sometimes, you are so mature and yet, at times like this, you remind me of your sixteen year old self. It's times like this I forget how old you actually are."
Yuffie rolled her eyes, "Thanks." She muttered, mocking sarcasm. "I mean, it's not like I haven't heard enough of this. Yuffie you're so flat. Yuffie you look like a boy. Yuffie you're a tomboy." She imitated.
A smile broke on her face, "You're a beautiful lady Yuffie. You'll be the Lady of Wutai, and you'll be stunning."
"Thanks" She said genuinely.
At that moment, the food had arrived.
It was tasty.
While Tifa was eating like a lady, Yuffie was gobbling down food as fast as her mouth would allow her. She often choked on her chicken and fries, which resulted in her face turning green from the lack of air, which caused Tifa to be worried and amused.
When Yuffie, once again, choked. Tifa rolled her eyes, "Yuffie. The food isn't going to run away. Slow down, or you'll end up throwing all of it up."
After that, Yuffie had slowed down... But just barely.
Halfway through their meals, they ordered food for their male companions. Tifa had decided to get Red a steak and Yuffie decided to get Reno two orders of chicken strips... One for himself, of course... And just maybe a little for herself. After all, she did deserve it. She had gone all the way down to a restaurant to get it back for him. Not that it really needed any effort...
When the takeout, too, had arrived, they paid for the bill and began walking towards the building once again, enjoying the peaceful surroundings that was once chaotic and bitter.
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"Here you are!" Yuffie exclaimed as she opened the door in a loud manner, only to be glared at by Reno once again.
"You never learn, do you?" He said murderously, but glanced at the food in her hands as he paused whatever phone call he was listening to.
Yuffie rolled her eyes, "I have half a mind to not give you food for being an ass."
"Give it."
She rolled her eyes again, "Fine. I don't want to bicker with you like a little kid." She dropped the bag in front of him.
When Reno was sure that Yuffie wouldn't take away his food, he looked up mischievously, "Like?"
"Shut up Turkey."
The amount of bickering during the meal had been, to say the least, amusing. Tifa and Red had looked back at forth at the two squabbling children. At times, Tifa was almost sure they were going to kill each other and rip their own hairs off their head, but the strange thing way, she could always see a hint of playfulness or amusement.
"You're stupid."
"No, you're stupid."
"Nice comeback brat."
"Nice hair Turkey."
"Like you could talk you stupid tomboy."
"Stupid Turkey with long hair."
"You--"
"As much as we'd like to sit here and watch you two argue like little children, we really have things to do." Tifa interrupted, "So if you don't mind, finish what we have started and then we can go back to listening to you two fight."
Reno shrugged, "Fine."
"Fine." Agreed Yuffie.
Reno hauled his legs on the desk, then pressed the play button to the radio, his face once again serious and attentive, listening to every detail there is.
Three minutes passed without anything.
Seven minutes passed.
Twelve minutes passed.
Fourteen minutes passed.
Yuffie was about to open her mouth and start whining when Reno looked at her and put a finger to his mouth in a grave manner.
Mr. President...
Yuffie felt an involuntary shudder of disgust at the voice.
The next two words sent everyone's mind reeling.
You're next.
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Author's Notes: Whee! Much shorter chapter, but I wanted to end it in suspense, although it's not really that suspenseful. I hope I did this well though. Anyways, hope you enjoyed again!
-Crystal Snowflakes
Sunday, November 28, 2004
