Thanks to PfenixB for betaing!


4

The tension between them didn't ease within the next few days. Conversation was kept to a minimum, with which both of them were fine. It wasn't much of a change from before anyway.

By now Cid still had no idea about the circumstances that surrounded Yazoo, but he didn´t ask either. It really wasn´t his business and he sure had enough of his own problems without burdening himself with another person´s.

Yazoo was doing a good job, and that was all that interested him.

It was a few days later, though, that he got involved involuntarily.

It was about mid-day, and Cid had taken over the counter for a while, as he had sent Yazoo into the storeroom to count their stocks on screwdrivers. He lazily rocked backwards and forwards in his chair, occasionally wiping with a cloth over his sweating forehead. The heat was stifling and even the old, dusty ventilator idly rotating under the ceiling didn´t help to ease it. He needed a damn air conditioner, he thought grumpily, when the doorbell rang. Looking up from his tool magazine, Cid found himself suddenly confronted with a bright shock of flaming red hair, a pair of twinkling blue eyes and a huge grin.

The young man dressed in a loose suit casually walked up to the counter with one hand in his pocket, the other tipping against his temple. "Yo."

"Yo," Cid retorted, laying the paper aside and getting up from his chair to lazily lean against the counter. "Whatcha want?"

Having a curious look through the stuffed room with its high, dusty and cramped shelves, the young man shifted his blue eyes back to the shop owner and said with a smile "Actually, I´m lookin' for a person."

Grabbing for his cigs, Cid was about to say something, nodding his thanks at the lighter that was politely held into his direction, when a stunned voice from behind him exclaimed "Reno?"

"Yo, baby," the redhead grinned, drawing Yazoo into his arm as he came over and planting a kiss on his cheek.

Cid blinked in consternation.

Not only because he was a little surprised to see the both of them in an embrace before his counter but also because of the stunning change Yazoo had undergone.

The cold, bitchy indifference and aloofness that usually surrounded him when he was with Cid had been completely replaced. For the first time that the blond knew him he was truly smiling and had he been beautiful before now it was absolutely breath-taking. There was a softness added to his features that spoke of genuine feelings, and a warmness had stolen its way into usually icy green orbs that made the mechanic frown.

"What are you doin' here?" the teen inquired quietly, a light blush brightening his features as Reno drew him even nearer and grinned "What, ya not happy to see me?"

"Of course I am," Yazoo objected, but was appeased by another kiss to his forehead and Reno explaining "Was just around and thought I´d pay ma princess a visit."

Cid´s eyebrow shot up at the nickname but he kept his mouth shut, although he felt kind of like an intruder to their reunion. Which was quite ridiculous because they were standing in his shop, so by all means if anything they were the intruders…

Faintly smiling, Yazoo leaned nearer to his boyfriend´s shoulder, who only slightly surmounted him.

"So, that´s your boss?" Reno eventually said, including Cid back into the conversation. Yazoo nodded, suddenly looking distant again and shooting the mechanic a quick glance.

"Yes, this is Cid Highwind," he finally introduced, warily eyeing the hand that Reno stretched out to his boss.

Cid however shook it heartily and with a tight grip, taking a drag and saying "Nice ta meet ya."

Laughing, Reno shook his red mane, answering "Nah, the pleasure´s all mine, yo. I mean I always said ta him that someday someone would recognize his talent." He pressed Yazoo against him briefly, a proud look in his eyes. "He deserves betta than the streets. So I´m really grateful ya noticed and gave him the chance."

Cid awkwardly nodded at that and threw Yazoo a strange look, but the teen just averted his eyes and had become incredibly interested at counting the screws on the counter.

"Yeah… "

"Okay, just wanted to say hello and see where ya workin', baby. Need ta go back now," Reno informed his boyfriend softly, who reluctantly let go of him.

"See ya at home." He cupped Yazoo´s cheeks and placed another kiss on his lips before turning towards Cid again.

"Really, it´s been a pleasure ta meet ya" he said and looked as if he really meant it, adding with a wink "Take good care of ma princess."

Cid just gave a grunt that could have meant anything and with a last wave the energy bundle that was Reno had vanished through the door as quickly as he had appeared.

Yazoo was still somewhat dreamily staring after him as Cid asked with a raised eyebrow "Dat´s yer boyfriend?"

"Yes," the teen smiled before he noticed to whom he was talking and became his old self again, eyes growing cold and lips contorting back into an unflinching line.

"Seems nice," the older man commented, inwardly wondering how the guy had managed to tame bitchy Yazoo and convert him into the lovely young man he´d become just upon sighting Reno.

"Yes," Yazoo said and silence settled between them.

"So whatcha told him?" Cid eventually asked coolly, not sure if he wanted to know what cooked up stories Yazoo had trotted out. Obviously Reno had no idea why Yazoo was really working here.

Shifting uncomfortably but still managing to look haughty and indifferent, Yazoo replied quietly "I said that you were searching for an assistant and recruited me. On a probationary period, though, that´s why I don´t get any money…"

Cid frowned but didn´t say anything.

"I´ll just tell him that you didn´t want me when I am done compensating for the window," Yazoo added, then licking his lips and looking to the side. "You won´t tell him about… that incident, will you? In the alley I mean…"

"Told ya I ain´t interested in ya business," the blond retorted dismissively, inwardly sighing as he noticed the look of relief in Yazoo´s eyes. "Jus' think ´bout it da next time, before ya startin sumthin like dis."

He had expected to be snapped at to keep his oh-so-wise thoughts to himself but instead Yazoo just nodded.

"Whateva," Cid suddenly snorted, grabbing his magazine and leaving his seat. "´m off. Ya stay here," he ordered and went back to the garage.

*

"Ya late, yo."

"Hn." Tiredly Yazoo let himself unceremoniously fall onto the saggy mattress, face first. He didn´t feel like moving even one finger anymore, not even to get away from the spring pressing in his stomach.

"Awww, poor baby…" Reno drawled, coming over from the kitchen, sitting beside him with a smirk and stroking away some hair from his boyfriend´s face.

Yazoo just sighed quietly, not feeling like getting teased, and closed his eyes.

"Ya boss doesn´t seem such a bad guy ta me," the redhead pondered, while striding his fingers through Yazoo´s long tresses. "After what ya told me I thought God knows what, yo." He chuckled at the memory of Yazoo indignantly and quite miffed, announcing that his boss was a vicious old slavedriver that knew no joy but to torture him with his stinking cigarettes, his ill-mannered speech and his presence in general.

Yazoo just gave a derisive snort, remarking dryly "Try working under him for a week and we´ll talk again."

"I´d love to," Reno sighed, looking somewhat melancholy, but the next moment the impish, ever-present sparkle was back in his eyes. "But ya sure are somethin´, ta get y'self a job at Highwind's, yo." He laughed again, shaking his head a little. Unlike his ignorant boyfriend he knew very well of the infamous Cid Highwind and his unconquerable toolshop. The man was practically a living legend around here.

"Y'already eaten´?"

The silver haired young man opened his eyes again, thinking. Then he looked up at Reno and nodded.

The redhead frowned, then crossed his arms over his chest and looked scoldingly down. "Dun try ta shit me yo, I know you haven´t."

Yazoo shirked from the accusing, slightly angry stare and made his best guilty face.

"Honestly, how much skinnier do ya want to get, yo?" Reno poked his boyfriend softly in the ribs and then stood from the bed with a sigh. Yazoo could hear him walking over into the 'kitchen' (which really was just an old fridge, a sink that stuck right from the wall into the room and a cupboard. Loz had managed to get them a hot plate at some time, that was now carving out a miserable existence on the bare, blotchy wooden panels where it was trampled over by hordes of roaches.). He lazily rolled on his back, staring at the dark ceiling that was only enlightened by a small, old lamp standing in a corner, and the streetlights outside shining through the broken slats. Somewhere outside the noise of something big breaking could be heard, and a little farther away, sirens were filling the night with their angry wailing. The neighbours next door were having one of their deafening arguments, and Yazoo wished that she would finally really go back to her mother, like she always 'threatened'. Gods, how he hated this stinking hole…

A moment later Reno came back, placing a plate with some sandwiches and a bottle of juice on the bed.

Yazoo eyed the food and then looked up at his lover again. "I thought we were stone-broke. Where did you get this from?"

Reno looked at the sandwiches and then shrugged, a boyish grin spreading on his handsome face.

The silver haired youth´s gaze darkened, as he observed the food again and said quietly "You didn´t-"

"Ah, don´t stew ´bout it, yo. It´s there and we´ll eat it now," Reno interrupted, demonstratively grabbing for a tuna sandwich and burying his teeth in it.

After an inviting, almost ordering look from Reno, Yazoo sat up as well and nibbled at his bread, eyeing his boyfriend with hidden discontent. He had a very good idea from where Reno had gotten the money and he absolutely didn´t like it. Just because the redhead and his gang hadn´t been caught at one of their coups yet didn´t mean that he wouldn´t one day. And then what would become of them? But on the other hand they really needed the money, the rent for their apartment, unfortunately, didn´t pay itself, and they needed some food too…

It wasn´t like they weren´t trying to get decent jobs; they really were. But everyone else was as well.

And who was Yazoo to talk, after he had gotten caught at the attempt to increase their non-existent fortune a little? In retrospect he had to admit that it had been a rather stupid action, but it couldn´t be helped now. He was just thankful that Reno hadn´t found out about it.

Sighing, he took another bite from his sandwich without much appetite and chewed it down, leaning into Reno´s shoulder and wondering when Cid would finally release him so that he could try again to earn some real money.

And finally Reno joined the fun, too! Yay! XD Mh, I tried to make his character a little 'softer' in this one... Did it work?

Valitiel: I´m glad you still like this, although Kadaj and Loz won´t have major roles! As I said, this one will be really dramatic and stuff XD Or at least I´ll try my best to make it interesting;)

Koumori-chan: The more I write this the more I like Cid, too! He´s just so unconventional and honest in a way... It´s refreshing :D I hope you liked the new chapter too, I´m doing my best to make it exiting!

sareyva: You bet Cid didn´t know what he´d gotten hiself into XD He probably thought that Yazoo was some dense, but good boy he ould exploit a little or something... Poor guy :) But in the end he´ll be glad that he went through all the things to come, I´m sure!

Review please?