Authoress' Notes:

Well, here ya go! Yet again, I'd like to mention that, while they aren't exactly acting like themselves, Reno and Yazoo are in a pretty unusual situation. I think Yazoo would definitely be practical enough to put escape on hold until he was healed. As for Reno… hehehe. He's mostly emo, but in later chapters, he'll also get horny. –grin-

Anyways, I hope I did a good enough job on the psycho!Reno bit.

Disclaimer: I dun own anything!

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Cut

Yazoo's green eyes snapped open as a crash of thunder rent the sky. Judging from the dim light, either the storm had gotten significantly worse, or Yazoo had been asleep for quite a while. Thinking back, he tried to remember what his dream had been, but he couldn't remember a single thing. All he could remember was that his dream had unsettled him enough that he didn't want to go back to sleep. Instead, he looked to the chair next to him and found Reno lounging there, apparently asleep.

Yazoo sat up gingerly and turned to look around. He'd been hearing a clock for the past few days, and, thanks to the glow of its illuminated face in the dim room, was finally able to locate it. It was too difficult to read, however, without getting out of bed, and the aches in Yazoo's body told him that that wouldn't be happening just yet. He turned back to find Reno awake, regarding him coolly. Startled, Yazoo inhaled sharply.

Reno blinked lazily. He'd decided to try napping while his charge did the same, but to no avail. Rude's face, his voice, the memories plagued Reno every time he closed his eyes. Rude… I miss you, yo. I miss you so fucking much. You could've at least waited around for me to say goodbye, couldn't ya?

Yazoo turned his head to the side quizzically. "What are you thinking about?" he asked softly. Reno looked up, surprised to realize that he'd spaced out for a moment.

"I… nothing, yo," Reno replied, shifting uneasily in his chair. He stared at the floor, blinking hard. He didn't feel like talking about it, especially not to a remnant.

It didn't look like that choice would be left up to him, though. "Who's Rude?"

Reno's head snapped up. He opened his mouth furiously, but words didn't come to him. Instead, images did. Rude smiling politely as he was introduced to the newest recruit and his new roommate, Reno. Rude laughing at Reno's dismay at the effect of damp weather on his long hair. Rude blushing as he admitted to having a crush on Tifa. Rude grimacing as Reno struggled to carry his more solidly built comrade to safety.

Reno's mouth closed again as tears began welling up. Yazoo merely watched. He'd figured, from the conversation he'd overheard between that Tseng guy and Reno, that Rude was a Turk who had died, but that wasn't what he was really asking. Yazoo wanted to understand. It had occurred to him that Reno's attack on him was very much like his own probable reaction should one of his brothers come to harm. As much as he hated to admit it, Yazoo respected that kind of loyalty.

After a moment of staring into Yazoo's eyes, Reno shuddered. "Rude…" he began hoarsely. "Rude was… like my brother. He was my best friend. He…" Reno looked down, choked up. It killed him, it really did, to have to use the past tense. Funny, he thought, how a word as little as "was" could have such an effect on him. Yazoo's emerald gaze was steady, calm. Reno was suddenly furious that this damn remnant still had everyone dear to him, when Rude was…

Next thing he knew, Reno was up on his feet, stalking over to the cabinet on the wall. He jerked it open, rummaging around for the blades he knew were in there. He smiled grimly as he found one. They were usually used for cutting casts off and performing quick, emergency operations that couldn't wait for surgery proper, but he had his own plans for this one.

Gripping the scalpel, he turned to walk back towards Yazoo. When Yazoo realized what Reno was holding, he weakly tried to stand up, but he ended up collapsing back into his bed, moaning. All he could do was stare in poorly-concealed terror up at the shining, flawless blade that hovered over him.

"Why do you still have everyone, remnant?" Reno asked, voice shaking. "Why does everything work out for you, yo?"

Yazoo stared as the blade came closer to his throat. He opened his mouth, but was unable to say anything. His entire world had narrowed to encompass himself, Reno and that scalpel. Reno's hand shook as the blade gently touched the pale skin. On the one hand, he felt a burning hatred and jealousy for this man who'd lost nothing and taken everything from him. On the other hand, a little voice in the back of his head kept reminding him that this man had, in fact, taken nothing, and that he was simply a scared and injured prisoner.

Luckily for Yazoo, the second feeling won out. Only the slightest hint of ruby showed as Reno slowly withdrew the blade, breathing unevenly. Reno collapsed into the chair, still clutching the scalpel. He looked at it. He could join Rude if he wanted to. All he'd have to do… Experimentally, Reno held the blade against his wrist. Yazoo looked at him, not quite shocked so much as startled, as the redhead moved the blade to scrape his own throat lightly. A thin trickle of blood contrasted sharply with Reno's pale skin.

Reno gazed at the bloodied scalpel for a moment before hurling it across the room with all of his might. They heard the clatter of metal hitting the floor. He went to the cabinet again, but this time brought out bandages and antiseptic. He first bandaged his own throat, avoiding Yazoo's gaze. Finally, he went to Yazoo, who drew back. Reno sighed, sitting back down. "Look, yo, just let me fix that cut up, ok? I didn't mean to-"

"You tried to kill me, and I'm supposed to feel safe with you messing around with my throat?" Yazoo's disbelieving look seemed to ask Reno if he was honestly this stupid- and, at the moment, Reno was wondering that himself.

They gazed at each other for a while. Finally, Reno groaned, dropping the bandages on Yazoo's bed. "Fine, yo. I'm sorry, ok?" When Yazoo didn't reply, Reno stood. He stared at the bed beyond Yazoo's. Hesitantly, he walked towards it. As he walked, Reno could practically see Rude lying there, breathing unevenly. He stopped, touching the pillow. He looked at the bed, memorizing it. He wanted to make sure he'd never forget a single detail about Rude, even at… at the end.

"I'd have done the same thing, you know," Yazoo murmured. Reno wasn't even sure the other man had said anything.

"What was that, yo?"

"I said that I'd have done the same thing," Yazoo repeated, his voice calm, almost comforting. "I'd have wanted to hurt anyone I could get at for hurting my brother." He hadn't explicitly forgiven Reno, but in his own way, Yazoo had let Reno know that he was close to doing so.

Reno didn't know what to say. "I…" he sighed, still not facing the other man. "I didn't mean to, yo. It's just…" Reno didn't even know what he was trying to say, and he was glad to be interrupted when the lock clicked and the door swung open.

"RUFUS!" Reno growled, advancing on the seated man. He was seriously pissed about being locked in here.

Rufus, for his part, seem rather irate as well. "You were supposed to watch him, Reno, not try to KILL him!"

Reno stepped back, looking guilty, though still ticked. "I-I… I didn't…"

Rufus sighed. "I know, Reno, but he's the only one we've got. I'm entrusting you with a very important prisoner here. At least TRY not to kill our most valuable leverage?" Yazoo bristled. Leverage? He was no one's bargaining chip! He opened his mouth to object, but before he could, Reno did something that shocked him into silence.

"He's not a bargaining chip, yo! At least I'm upset that I hurt a person, rather than being upset that I damaged our odds!"

Rufus went still at that. "Reno…" he growled dangerously. "Watch your tongue." As though suddenly realizing that this was his boss he was talking to, Reno backed off, still looking rebellious. Rufus left once again, after checking that the door was still locked. He reminded Reno, on his way out, that he could keep them locked in here as long as he wanted to, and suggested that Reno be a little more civil if he wanted to be let out.

Yazoo was still a little surprised that Reno had stuck up for him like that. He opened his mouth once again, to say something about it, but instead hissed as a ray of sunlight broke through the still-ominous storm clouds to hit him directly in the eye. Reno smirked, but moved to close the blinds. Yazoo nodded his thanks. He opened his mouth yet again, but this time he managed to speak. "Why did you stick up for me, Reno?"

Reno opened his own mouth, but merely stood there looking like a very stupid goldfish. At last, he just shrugged, muttering that he'd "just felt like pissing Rufus off." Yazoo didn't see the slight blush on Reno's cheeks.

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I hope you enjoyed it! Now, I'm stalling out a little on writing this fic, but hopefully the stuff I've already written will carry it through until I get some more written.

Please review!