Warnings! Here there be FLUFF. Yazoo fluff no less! So if you cannot deviate in your mind from an ideal that Yazoo is a cold uncaring bastard thanI suggest you stop now.
AsI have previously stated, if you are wondering why Yazoo is helping Tifa in her bar please refer to'In the hands of the enemy' thestory that takes place before this one.
Chapter 2
It had been three weeks since Yazoo had come back to the Seventh Heaven with Cloud on Fenrir. Neither Cloud nor Vincent ever brought up Yazoo's attempted suicide and Yazoo was grateful. It had taken a little while but Yazoo forced himself to try and interact with the people who had rescued him. Tifa was easy to get along with and he and Cloud developed an easy going silence between them. Despite that Yazoo was shy in an outwardly confidant sometimes cold way. But out of all the things that had gotten Yazoo to loosen up and feel a little more at ease he had never expected it to be Marlene.
Marlene had been helping him with dishes one morning while Tifa got ready to open the bar. Yazoo had his hair pulled back in a loose ponytail and wore a black T-shirt with dark blue jeans. Marlene was sitting on the counter drying the dishes that he washed. Yazoo never knew what to really make of her or the other orphans that stopped by. The only child he had ever known had been Kadaj when he was younger and he wasn't exactly 'normal'.
He was almost finished with the last dish when the one Marlene was drying accidentally slipped through her fingers and fell. Without thinking Yazoo reached out and caught it before it hit the floor. He calmly handed it back to Marlene who was looking at him in awe.
"How did you do that? You were so fast!"
Yazoo blinked at her. "I just pay attention."
He was about to go back to his final dish when Marlene scooped up some of the soap bubbles in her hand and blew them all over Yazoo. She started giggling behind her hand and then burst into outright laughter when Yazoo looked at a large chunk of the bubbles that had settled onto his nose. With an air of great solemnity that made Marlene stop laughing and consider running he wiped the bubbles off his face and faster than the little girl could see swiped his own set of bubbles and sent them right back at her. She looked stunned for a moment then squealed in delight and a full soap bubble war was in effect.
The two continued both had bubbles in their air and quickly soaking their clothes. Yazoo was laughing, quiet and gentle, so different from the one you could hear when he fought. They both stopped when they heard the door from the kitchen open. Tifa stared at them for a second then crossed her arms looking stern but with a smile on her face.
"Can't I leave you two alone without making a mess?"
Her words were disapproving but her voice was full of laughter. Yazoo wiped his wet bangs out of his eyes and gave her a tentative smile. It was the first time Tifa had seen such an expression on his face, it was shy but with a mischievous glint. Yazoo bent over Marlene and whispered something in her ear. Tifa came over to them and tossed Yazoo a hand towel. She was saying something about the dishes when she looked up to have both Yazoo and Marlene send a wave of bubbles her way. Tifa stood still in shock for a moment and Yazoo thought that maybe he and his partner in crime had gone too far. The bubbles in the sink had dissipated into the water leaving Tifa with no return ammunition. Or so they thought. Tifa grabbed the small hose that ran water instead of beer and turned and soaked both Yazoo and Marlene. Yazoo jumped onto the counter and grabbed Marlene and dove over the edge, out of Tifa's range. Marlene was laughing and sputtering in his arms.
"What is going on here?"
The three looked at the stairway to see Cloud looking at them with vaguely surprised look on his face. Yazoo freed Marlene and she ran over to Cloud, water flying from her hair. "It was the best Cloud! You shoulda seen it! I got Yazoo with bubbles then we got Tifa and then she hosed us!" Cloud looked at Marlene and blinked. Her statement was soo descriptive. He looked to Tifa who was handing another hand towel to Yazoo who had gone back around the bar and was drying his hair and face. She just shrugged and smiled. Yazoo didn't meet his gaze. Cloud just shook his spiky head and went outside.
Tonight, However, Marlene and Denzel were in in bed due to the hour and Tifa was waiting for the last of her customers to leave so she could close the bar. She was about to go and turn the sign from Open to Closed when the door opened admitting Rude. Tifa smiled at him. "Rude! How are you? Where's Reno?"
Yazoo looked up from where he was trying to fix one of the taps that was giving them trouble. Rude was indeed alone.
Rude took a look around the bar before answering, noting Yazoo's presence and giving him a quick nod. Yazoo returned the gesture. Rude turned to Tifa to answer her question. "Reno is in the hospital. I was wondering if you had a bottle of that whiskey he likes." His voice was low and went straight to the point. Tifa nodded and walked behind the bar. "What happened to put him in the hospital?" she asked as she pulled out a bottle of something dark and amber colored. Rude offered a handful of gil but she waved it away and put the bottle in paper bag for him. "He was outnumbered in a bar. Apparently the patrons had something against him being a Turk."
Yazoo looked at Rude closely in the yellow light. He still had his cool demeanor and the strong line to his shoulders never wavered but he had circles under his eyes and his face seemed a little haggard. "How long had has he been in there for?"
Rude looked surprised at the question from the silver haired man. For a moment he looked like he wouldn't answer. "Two weeks, they may release him tomorrow." Yazoo raised an eyebrow. Reno would have had to been seriously injured to have been kept in the hospital for that long. Tifa gave Rude a sympathetic look.
"That's awful he must have been really hurt. If you need any help after he's released, like someone to look in on him if you have an assignment or anything just let us know."
Rude gave the woman a nod and a thank you and was on his way. Tifa shook her head after he had left. "I hope Reno's okay" she said softly to no one in particular.
"Why?" Yazoo questioned. "I thought you were enemies before"
Tifa nodded, "We were, but with Reno it was never anything personal. He was just doing his job. Well, Its hard to explain…."
Yazoo smirked. "Hard to explain, as in its similar to why you took me in?" Tifa just smiled and nodded. "Yeah, kinda like that"
The last customers in the bar waved, motioning for their check. Tifa went to give it to them and Yazoo started closing the bar.
