Authors Rant- TY to Sirithiel (did I spell that right?) for the support and advice. And just for you (dramatic pause) ENTER Velvet Nightmare! Unfortunately she doesn't see action for a few more chapters but still.

Chapter 6

Yazoo's reflection in the lake caught his eye. He was in the forest where he and his brothers had lured Cloud to with the children from Midgar. Yazoo had always found the place beautiful. The trees gave off their soft glow and the stars overhead were more than enough light to see by. He turned back to the image in the water and was startled to see a very familiar face staring back at him. The expression of shock was his but the high bangs and thigh length hair were not, nor was the powerful build or the long Mesamune sword in the figures hand. Yazoo lifted a hand to his face. This couldn't be real. He wasn't Sephiroth. Sephiroth was dead, he had ultimately lead Kadaj and Loz to their deaths with his lies and manipulations.

Yazoo wanted to rip the picture of his enemy apart. The anger directed at who he considered his brothers killer was overwhelming he lunged forward ready to strike. Sephiroth just smiled. Yazoo felt Velvet Nightmare clash against the long sword and then he was overwhelmingly cold.

Yazoo opened his eyes and tried to sit up with a start, only to find Clouds arms around him holding him firmly.

"What?"

It had been a dream. He was in his room at 7th Heaven. Sephiroth was dead. He could hear the customers in the bar downstairs and Marlene was peeking in the doorway a worried look on her face. Cloud slowly released the grip he had around Yazoo.

"Are you alright?" he asked looking down at Yazoo.

Yazoo nodded. "What happened?"

Cloud sat back on the edge of the bed. "You were screaming his name in your sleep, you tried to tear at your face with your nails…."

Yazoo lifted a hand to his face and found small stinging cuts on his left cheek. The dream….

"I'm sorry…" he whispered. Cloud looked at him sharply.

"Don't be" said the blonde. "Even I still have nightmares about Sephiroth. Its alright."

Yazoo sat up. "Ni-san"

Cloud stared at Yazoo. Yazoo had never called him 'Ni-san'

"I have a favor to ask. I know that it may make you uneasy but I was wondering if you would return Velvet Nightmare." Yazoo met Clouds eyes steadily. They were a deliberate kind of blank, ready for rejection, but also hopeful.

Cloud smiled. "Of course, and it doesn't make me uneasy. I had forgotten about it to be honest. I'll get it for you."

Cloud left and he heard Tifa's light footsteps on the stairs. Yazoo stood and opened the curtains. He always slept in loose cotton pants and a tank top instead of his usual boxers. He had been the victim of many unexpected wake ups from Marlene and some of the other kids that stayed there occasionally that he knew he needed to sleep in decent clothing.

Tifa knocked lightly on the already slightly open door. "Yazoo, are you okay?"

Yazoo nodded. "Yes, sorry. Did I disturb any of your customers?"

Tifa shook her head. "No, they can't hear anything over their conversations and food. Anyway, I'm sure you saw Rude stop by yesterday. I didn't have the chance to ask you but he wanted us to stop by and check on Reno. Will you come?"

Yazoo pulled on his black t shirt. "Reno? Are you sure it's a good idea to bring me?"

Tifa just smiled at him. "You may be surprised. Reno's pretty easy going. I doubt he holds a grudge."

Yazoo thought about it a moment then nodded. "I'll go"

"Great, we'll leave in an hour."

Cloud was behind her and she patted his shoulder as she turned and went back to the bar. Cloud tossed his beloved gunblade to him and Yazoo caught it deftly. He loved the feel of it in his hands. It was almost comforting. Yazoo went to pull its holster from his leather coat. He saw the marks on his face reflected in the window pane. Yazoo sighed. It wasn't the first time he had had a nightmare like that. Kadaj had had them as well. Sometimes he just felt like he was losing his sense of self to the person called Sephiroth who he was supposed to be part of.

Tifa lead the way to Turks apartments. Apparently they all lived relatively close together as Yazoo spotted several people who, if not it the classic Turk uniform, carried themselves in a manner that was almost obvious in its subtlety. They entered a building that, while it blended in to the rest of Midgar in its seeming state of disrepair, was on the inside very well tended and almost luxurious. It was obvious that the Turks were well taken care of.

Yazoo followed Tifa up the stairs to where she came to a door. All of them were unmarked, and proceeded to turn the handle. It was unlocked. She strode in and motioned for Yazoo to follow her quietly. The apartment they entered was large and dimly lit. The first room they came to was a living room with a couch facing the massive entertainment system. Of to the side was a kitchen and a hallway that presumably lead to the bedrooms. Tifa set the bag that she had brought of sandwiches and some hidden medical supplies onto the counter in the kitchen. Yazoo walked over to the couch where he could hear the sounds of soft breathing. Reno was curled up on the couch asleep. A black comforter almost hid him from view. Tifa came up behind him.

"He almost looks cute when he sleeps" she said out loud. So much for being quiet.

Yazoo snorted. Reno gave a small moan and buried himself farther into the comforter.

"Reno, Its Tifa and Yazoo. How are you feeling?" Tifa went and knelt beside the couch. Yazoo stayed where he was.

Reno opened on eye and peered at Tifa from beneath the blanket. "What the hell are you doing here?" he rasped.

Tifa gave a small laugh. "Rude asked us to come and keep you company"

Reno smirked and moved to sit up a little. He was shirtless and Yazoo almost winced at the sight of the bruises that mottled his fair skin. And that was just what wasn't bandaged.

Reno's hair wasn't tied back in his customary pony tail and it fell in crimson waves down his back. Tifa lifted a hand to feel his forehead.

"How are you feeling?" she pressed.

Reno just shrugged gingerly. "better than a few days ago"

"Very descriptive." said Yazoo who moved into the Turks line of sight. Reno just quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah well, I'm sick of complaining. Just makes me focus on it anyways. So Rude sent YOU to babysit me?" he sounded half incredulous and half offended.

"We aren't babysitting. We are keeping you company and making sure you don't crack you thick skull against anything in the process." Tifa stood abruptly and went into the kitchen to start preparing the food she had brought.

Reno pushed himself into a sitting position and moved the comforter leaving room for Yazoo to sit if he wanted. Yazoo perched on the edge of the couch.

"How are things going for you with the saviors of the world?"

Yazoo smirked at Reno's reference to the former AVALANCHE. "Fine."

Reno rolled his eyes. "Very descriptive" he shot back. Yazoo caught sight of blood drying on the back of Reno's neck beneath his hair. He moved closer and almost without thinking pushed the hair away to get a better look. Reno flinched and gave him an odd look. Yazoo returned it with a slightly irate glare. "Just hold still. You're bleeding."

Reno didn't say anything but let Yazoo move his hair out of the way. He had a small gash at the base of his skull.

"How did you get this? Its recent." Yazoo moved back a little so he could see Reno's face. The redhead winced. "Fell" he explained. Yazoo gave a small Hmph and went to get the medical supplies they had brought.

Tifa raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Yazoo also got some warm water in a cup along with a hand towel. "where's your hairbrush?" he called to Reno.

"Through the hall second door on the left."

Yazoo retrieved it from the bathroom and went back to Reno, supplies in hand. He soaked the hand towel in warm water and proceeded to clean the dried blood away from the gash and get it out of Reno's hair. It wasn't too serious, but Yazoo knew from long experience that getting hair matted into cuts was a bitch because they bled like no other for no reason and getting the hair out of the matted mess just made things worse.

Reno was silent as Yazoo worked but Yazoo could feel that he was a little tense. Come to think of it he had been pretty calm. Yazoo finished and applied a light antibacterial. It wasn't big enough for stitches and there wasn't any real way to bandage it so that would have to be good enough.

Yazoo moved away and packed the supplies. "Thanks" Reno sounded a little shy and Yazoo spared him. "Don't worry about it. I know what a pain it is to have a cut on your head with long hair."

Reno seemed a little more at ease. Tifa brought in a tray laden with sandwiches and small cookies. Yazoo went to grab the soda's. Tifa picked up a cup of water that was on the table.

"Careful, its drugged" informed Reno.

Tifa looked up at him sharply. "Drugged?"

Reno nodded. Yazoo came in and handed him a drink to which he nodded in thanks. "Rude put a sedative in it" he explained. Tifa gave another one of her small laughs.

"You are okay with your partner drugging you?" questioned Yazoo.

Reno made a face as if to say there wasn't much he could do about it. "Nah, he'll get it when he gets back. Its probably better that he did anyways, otherwise I would just be bored until you guys got here and then when you showed up I would have to be pissed at being treated like a child. This is actually kind of easier."

Both Yazoo and Tifa laughed at that. Reno gave Yazoo a quizzical look. "I've never seen you really laugh before." he said softly.

Yazoo didn't reply just took a bite of his sandwich and handed one to Reno. Tifa cut in before the situation could turn awkward.

"So what happened Reno? I haven't seen you this banged up since…."

"Since you and I went a few rounds? Don't flatter yourself, I was up and about the next day after tangling with you." Reno's small smile softened his sharp words and Tifa just rolled her eyes.

Yazoo watched the two. It was odd how they had all been such bitter enemies before and now they were sitting in the Turks apartment with Reno half naked and eating cold cuts. Interesting. Reno was telling Tifa about the fight that had laid him up. A lot of it was vague but it was obvious he didn't want to go into it any farther.

Yazoo had kind of drifted of into space when Tifa's cell phone rang. He jumped a little at the unexpected noise and Reno smirked at him.

She got up and walked into the kitchen to talk. Yazoo started cleaning up what was left. Reno lounged back against the couch.

"You look better" he said.

The silver haired youth looked up at him strangely. "What do you mean?"

Reno just shrugged. " I don't know. Just, before you looked kind of unsettled, ill at ease. Its not like that anymore."

Before Yazoo could reply Tifa came in quickly looking stressed. "I'm sorry Reno but we have to go. That was Vincent, Cloud ran into some trouble on his way back from Junon. I guess the monsters there are going nuts."

Reno waved a hand in dismissal. "It's no biggie. Thanks for bringing food."

Yazoo stood and took everything back to the kitchen and started packing. Tifa watched him them turned to back to Reno. "Tell Rude that if he needs us to stop by again we will. And that when you are better you should drop by 7th Heaven."

Reno nodded and gave her a smile. "Will do Princess. Don't need to invite me to a bar twice."

Tifa took the basket from Yazoo and went out the door. Before Yazoo joined her he turned back to the Turk. "Stretching and hot baths. They do wonders" he said.

Reno blinked at him. "I'll remember that. Thanks."


A/N- Sorry of the dream sequence was a little hard to get. Italics dream. Anyways, hopefully the dialogue between Reno and Yazoo wasn't too awkward. Although it was supposed to be a little... whatever.

If anyone could help me out and recommend a site that gives any type of description of the monsters in ff7, i havent gotten my hands on the game and well yeah, read profile for reasoning.