Chapter Seven
Betrayal
You've been there for almost TWO MONTHS! Aelita grimaced as she read Tifa's text message, What the hell is taking you so long?! Everyone is FREAKING out, call me back!
The brunette groaned and closed her phone, falling back onto the bed.
"Yazoo owes us big time." Kadaj sighed, falling down next to her on the new, black sheets.
"No kidding." The girl muttered, rubbing her face with her hands, "Though I'm happy to help Rae anytime."
"Rae?" Kadaj asked, turning to look at her.
"Yeah. It's her nickname." She said, returning his gaze, "That's what we call her at the restaurant and her friends call her that too."
"What do they call you?" he asked softly, studying her face in the growing darkness. After painting Raven's room and accessories black, it got darker more quickly in it. She seemed so young and innocent, let he knew she was intelligent and mature for only seventeen. Her olive eyes sparkled in the darkening room and a small smile played across her full lips. He wondered what it would be like to hold and kiss her, to caress her tan, smooth skin. Kadaj closed his eyes and mentally slapped himself for even thinking about her like that. He had more important things to think about than a relationship.
"They just…call me Aelita. Nothing else really." She answered. She suddenly propped herself up on an elbow and reached over to take several locks of his silvery hair in her fingers.
"What are you doing?" he asked, catching his breath. He closed his eyes when she started running her fingers through his hair. It felt surprisingly good.
"I'm fascinated by your hair. It's probably the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." She replied, doing her best to memorize its strange look and texture.
"Uh…thank you." He stammered. He closed his eyes, wanting to remember the feeling of her long, delicate fingers ran through his hair. He surprised even himself when he leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the mouth. He jerked back, eyes wide, when he realized what he was doing,
"I'm so sorry!" he said in a rush before leaping off Raven's bed. He turned away and quickly left the room.
"Kadaj!" Aelita called out. She rolled off the black bed and dashed out the door after him. She froze in the hall. 'Gracious that man can more quickly.' She thought as she looked left and right. She sighed and closed her eyes, picking up his fresh and distinct emotional trail. She smiled as she turned to the right, following his strong emotions, most of which were embarrassment and want.
At the end of the hall the small brunette found a spiral staircase. From the emotions she was picking up, Kadaj was the only one to go up and down them. Aelita silently ascended the white stairs, curious to see where they lead. At the top was a door that almost blended in with the strange material of the structure. She grabbed the handle and tried to enter, but it was locked. With a chuckle she reached into a hidden pocked of her belt and produced a small collection of lockpicks. 'Maybe being on my own for a year wasn't such a bad thing…' the girl thought while deftly unlocking the door with her picks. After the deed was done, she put her picks back in the pocket, being careful so not to break them.
"Kadaj?" she whispered as she opened the door.
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Instead of feeling happy when they passed into the limits of Edge, dread washed over Raven. She wrapped her arms more tightly around Yazoo's waist and laid her cheek on his warm back. She smiled as his long hair tickled her face. 'It'll be nice to see Reno again…' she thought. Despite her attraction to the silver-haired man she rode with, Raven missed her boyfriend. A lot. It had, after all, been over three months since she had seen him. She lifted her head as Yazoo slowed and pulled over on the side of the street near the edge of the city.
"Where do you want to go?" He asked her over his shoulder. She thought for a while before answering,
"7th Heaven. It's the bar where Tifa and some of my other friends work." She then went on to tell him how to get there.
Five minutes later Yazoo stopped one block away from Tifa's bar and allowed Raven to get off the bike,
"You have my number?" he asked softly.
"Speed dial eight." She replied with a smile, "I'll call you when I'm ready. Shouldn't be more than a few hours."
"Okay." He started up the bike again and prepared to leave.
"Yazoo?"
"Yes?"
"Can we stay in Edge tonight and go home tomorrow? I want to have dinner at the restaurant where I worked. We can spend the night at Tifa's house…well…mine."
"Sure." He smiled, "But I don't know if your friends will like me being there. They seem to…not like me or my brothers."
"I'll sneak you in through my window." Raven winked and turned away. When she got across the street she called back over her shoulder, "Have fun with whatever you do!" she heard him drive off, speeding as always, as she pushed through the front door of the bar.
She walked up to the counter and frowned. Where was everyone? 'It's still a bit early but someone should be down here.' She thought. Thankfully, however, she knew her way around the building, so she walked behind the counter and up the stairs,
"Helloooo!" she called as she ascended. When she got to the third floor she walked to the end to Reno's room, wondering if he still lived there. She knocked and when there was no response she went in, only to stop in her tracks and gasp at what she saw.
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"Wow…" Aelita murmured, eyes wide. Kadaj's room was amazing. It was huge and silver, with a large bed in the center against the wall facing three enormous windows that looked out over the lake. Despite it's size, the room was sparsely furnished. Besides the bed there was only two wardrobes, one on either side of the bed, a chest directly beside the bed, and a silver couch in the center of the room facing the windows. There was a door on the opposite wall of the entrance, presumably leading to a bathroom. Kadaj was standing before the window,
"Nice room." She commented as she closed the door, continuing to watch the silent man. Apparently he hadn't heard her enter because he jumped when she spoke aloud.
"How did you get in here?" he demanded as he turned and advanced towards her.
"I picked the lock." She said simply with a shrug.
"You what?!" he hissed when he stood before her, glaring down.
"Um…" Aelita suddenly regretted what she did. Kadaj's eyes burned with fury, "I'm sorry. I didn't think. I just wanted to know if you were alright."
She turned around and opened the door. She began to descend when Kadaj spoke,
"Hey." She glanced back to see him standing at the top of the stairs. For a long time the two watched each other in silence. Finally, he spoke again,
"Next time just knock. I don't like when people enter my room uninvited." He began to turn back to his room but stopped. Instead, he walked slowly down the stairs until he stood on the same stair as her. He cocked his head to the side, watching her closely. Her eyes were lowered.
"I'm sorry for how I acted." Aelita whispered, "It's just…sometimes I don't think. Part of me-probably the rational part-went away after my family was killed. For a year I wandered the streets, nothing but a lowly urchin. That's where I learned to pick locks and move with stealth. For a long time I stole and spied. Then, just over a year ago, Cloud found me breaking into Tifa's bar. Instead of cursing me, or attacking or calling the officials…they took me in. They were kind to me, and even more so when they found out about my family. They let me live with them and found me a job. They were my new family. That's how I met Raven; at work. The Angel's Wings."
The entire time her eyes had been almost closed, her lashes quivering slightly. Her voice was barely audible.
"Are you…crying?" Kadaj asked, almost laughing in disbelief. She heard the laughter in his voice. Felt the emotions emanating from him.
"You think it's funny?!" she hissed, suddenly angry. Her shining eyes flashed up to meet his, "I feel horrible for some reason. I feel like I've stomped all over your welcome and upset you somehow, and how do you respond to that?! YOU LAUGH!"
Kadaj was thoroughly surprised with the quiet girl's sudden outburst. He studied her face and reached up to gently brush away a tear. She flinched.
"I'm not going to hurt you." He said softly.
"I know…you just…remind me of someone who would." She muttered.
"Ah…well…" he sighed, "I promise to never hurt you, okay?" She nodded. He smiled at her, feeling bad for making her cry. He gently took her by the arm and led her back up to his room and over to the couch, where they sat down.
"So." Kadaj asked kindly, "Is there anything else you'd like to talk about, or maybe ask me?"
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"Reno!" Raven cried out in disbelief. She had walked in and found her so-called boyfriend laying on his bed, without a shirt, cuddled up with Yuffie. They were much closer than people who were 'just friends' should be. The red-head jerked awake, dumping Yuffie off his chest,
"Nh—wha—Raven!?" he rubbed his eyes a few times, not believing she was there and looked so hurt.
"Ugh…Reno what's happening?" Yuffie said, shaking her head. She looked up and saw the purple-haired woman in the door-way, "Raven! You're back!"
A single tear trickled down the violet-eyed woman's cheek. She clenched her fists at her sides and glared at the couple in bed,
"How…how could you, Reno?" she whispered, "I…I said I would come back…or was that not good enough for you?"
"Raven I--"
"NO!" she screamed. The windows rattled and Yuffie scooted closer to Reno, frightened, "We're THROUGH Reno! I can't believe you would do this to me…" Raven began to cry. Yuffie shrieked when the window cracked and the desk beneath it rattled.
"Raven, listen." The frightened woman next to Reno began, "It's not what--"
"Oh please Yuffie, it's exactly what I think!" Raven sneered, "Don't try that ridiculous line on me it won't work. I came back here to see my…to see Reno and everyone else, but you know, I don't think I'm going to stick around." And with that the violet-haired woman turned on her heel and stomped out of the room. The couple in bed jumped and yelled when the desk shattered.
Raven pulled out her cell-phone when she reached the bottom of the stairs, getting ready to call Yazoo. She looked up when she heard her name called,
"Raven! It's great to—oh no!" Tifa ran forward, leaving Cloud at the door, and hugged the younger woman, "What happened?"
"Re-Reno…and Yuffie." She whispered and pushed away from Tifa. "I'm sorry Tifa. I don't know if I can stick around after seeing them…together." She pressed a button on her phone and held it to her ear.
"Raven…" Cloud started as she walked to the door, "Those men you are with…they are bad."
"No. They're not." Raven hissed at him. She was relieved when she heard Yazoo pick up, "Yazoo…can you come get me?"
"Raven. What happened?" he asked, sounding worried.
"I'll tell you later." she whispered, ignoring Cloud and Tifa's stammered pleas. She choked back another sob, "Just…come get me please."
"I'll be there in no time. I—be careful."
"You too." She breathed deeply and put her phone away. She sat down on the curb outside the bar.
"Raven please listen to me." Tifa said. She sat down beside her friend and put a comforting arm around her, "Listen to us."
"Yeah." Cloud added and sat down on Raven's other side, "I know those men, they are bad news. I know what Reno did was inexcusable but we thought that--"
"It doesn't matter." She cut him off. She sighed in relief when she felt Yazoo approaching. She wrenched out of Tifa's hold and stood up, "I…may visit later. But not for a while."
Tifa and Cloud gaped at her as she walked forward when a silver-haired man on a bike screeched to a halt in front of them. She stopped beside him, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder. He glared at them, obviously thinking that they were the ones to harm her.
"Raven!" Reno yelled as he stumbled out the front door, "Don't go! I--"
"Save it, Reno." She growled at him and swung up behind Yazoo. She wrapped her arms around his waist and glared at the red-head, "You've lost me and there's no chance of getting me back." She turned her face away from them to rest her cheek on his back and the silver-haired man gave Reno a dirty look before revving the engine and roaring away as quickly as possible.
Five minutes later Yazoo pulled to a stop in an abandoned parking garage. He stayed still for a long time, waiting for Raven to move. Eventually she slid off the bike and walked over to a cement support column. Her clenched fists began to glow with black light. Her companion watched with calm interest. She suddenly screamed and punched the column of cement, completely obliterating it. For a split second Yazoo panicked when it crumbled around her, dust going everywhere. He relaxed when the dust and debris began to clear away to reveal a furious violet-haired woman surrounded by a flickering black sphere.
Yazoo dismounted and propped the bike on its kickstand. He picked his way through the rubble and stopped when he got to the black sphere. He took off his gloves and tucked them in the strap on his back that held his holster. He slowly raised his hands and placed them on the edge of the sphere. He clenched his teeth as her power flowed through him, making him feel like his body was on fire from the inside out.
Raven turned inside the sphere to look at him. Her eyes were completely black. She cocked her head to the side and chuckled maniacally. Yazoo didn't lower his hands, just set his jaw and locked eyes with her,
"Raven…" he grunted, "It's me…relax and…let's talk it out." He gasped as pain racked his body. He almost smiled when violet flickered through her black eyes. Slowly, they faded back to normality and the orb surrounding her faded. Yazoo closed his eyes and lowered his arms, flexing his numb hands as he did so. Without opening his eyes, he reached out and pulled her to him as she began to cry again.
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I lerv my story! I know I've probably said that already, but oh well! I hope you are enjoying it too. Any reviews are welcome! Bye!!
Kitsune
PS. Sorry if there are a lot of typos in the past couple of chapters. I've been too tired to edit a lot. :P
