Thanks to my wonderful beta PfenixB for helping with this chapter too!

Enjoy!


5

A few days later Cid came shuffling down the stairs and strode over to the shop door, unlocking it and turning the sign to 'open'. To his mild surprise he found Yazoo waiting before the door not in his usual, rather revealing clothes but a dark, long sleeved turtle neck and long trousers. It wasn't even raining or anything.

He looked positively overtired, his long hair hanging in his gaunt face. Cid contemplated for a moment if he should sent him home, asking if he was sick or something, but Yazoo almost hastily denied that, saying that he was alright and felt good enough to work.

That in itself should have made Cid suspicious, because most of the time he was under the impression that the teen couldn´t await the moment when he could finally leave the cramped, sticky shop and get away from Cid´s presence and his 'disgusting coffin nails'.

But since the blond was awaiting an important client this morning, he was elsewhere with his thoughts and just gave Yazoo his to-do-list, leaving the shop in his care.

Just yesterday he´d made a test with the boy; namely 'accidently' leaving a full cash box open.

It definitely had been enough for someone as corrupted and without prospects as Yazoo to be a tempting offer to just screw it, take the money and leave the city with his lover. Of course Cid had made precautions so that they wouldn´t have gone far.

But nothing had happened. Or maybe that wasn´t true, because when he had come back in the shop to see if Yazoo was still there, the youth had informed him from the counter that Cid had forgotten to lock the cash box.

Now, Cid found that to be interesting information, because it also told him, that Yazoo had actually checked it, for whatever reason. Apparently he´d decided to behave though, and the blond seemingly absent-mindedly had said that he´d left it open on purpose so Yazoo could also cashier. Out of the corner of his eye he´d noticed the strange look the young man had shot him, something between disbelieving-sceptical and unsure.

The "Thank you" he´d received had startled the mechanic though, but he´d just waved a hand in dismissal. It wasn´t like he trusted Yazoo now or something…

It was just a practical matter; he could better concentrate on the garage without having to come to the shop for every screw they sold.

At the end of the day the money had been the right amount of what it should have been, so Cid did not see why Yazoo shouldn´t continue to take care of the shop in the future.

Future… That was a word that made the man´s stomach ache and he´d rather not have to think about it. But sooner or later it was inevitable anyways…

By now Yazoo had worked for twice the amount the window would have cost, but Cid could always argue that he had to learn his lesson and therefore letting him work a little more was justified. But the truth was: Yazoo was a good worker and despite being somewhat snappy and his delicate appearance he didn't ever complain, did his work well and the customers liked his calm, serious, but not unfriendly attitude.

He was a great help, really and Cid would certainly have agreed with his boyfriend that he deserved better than the streets. But under no circumstances could Cid afford to pay him the wages he deserved.

Wiping away some oil from his forehead, the blond man put the tool aside, giving his work a last scrutinizing look and then deciding that he needed a break.

Coming back into the shop he grabbed for the sandwich he had Yazoo get him earlier and casually leaned on the counter, chewing.

That moment Yazoo chose to come back from the storeroom. Carrying a heavy box before him and not seeing the obstacle, he tripped over the man´s stretched out feet. The box clattered to the ground but Cid quick-wittedly grabbed for the teen´s wrist before he could follow.

Hissing, the young man tried to withdraw his arm, but more so on reflex than ill intend. While Yazoo was still somewhat confused by his near fall and tried to regain his equilibrium, the blond pulled away the sleeve with narrowed eyes, revealing a huge purple bruise.

"What's dat?" he asked suspiciously, mustering his assistant, who just looked down at his arm and the wound, pulling the sleeve back over it and claiming "I hit the shelves earlier. It's really cramped in your storeroom you know."

There was a slightly accusing undertone in his voice, making Cid take another grumpy bite from his sandwich. Not feeling like having that discussion again –Yazoo had just 'mentioned' the 'fact' that his storeroom was 'bursting at the seams' approximately 647,393 times too often for Cid´s liking- the mechanic just leaned back and ingested his hard earned sandwich. He watched Yazoo carefully lift the box again and carry it towards a shelf, where he opened it and started unpacking the contents.

The rest of the day was spent in relative silence and peace, without much happening. Cid closed the garage earlier and then went behind the counter so Yazoo could have another look through the storeroom.

It said 'storeroom', but actually it was just an accumulation of boxes and various –partially rather sharp- stuff. Totally confusing and inefficient, Yazoo had curtly told him and after some more bitching and cold remarks Cid had eventually grudgingly agreed that he may categorize and sort it.

Normally the blond didn't like people sticking their snotty little noses into his things and trying to order him around, but even he had seen that this storeroom had become a dangerous catastrophe, and in all honesty even he avoided having to go in there…

"Yo!"

Looking up from his catalog, the badly shaved man came face to face with the sparkling eyes of Reno, who casually leaned over the counter and looked back at him with open and honest friendliness.

"Hey pal," Cid greeted with a wry smile. Somehow he really liked the kid. Reno just had some kind of openness and honesty around him that most of the slums inhabitants lacked, the usual, sly gleam being absent in his pure eyes. Cid liked him even more when he offered one of his cigs to the man, winking and mumbling "Just don't tell the princess. He gets all bitchy about cancer and stuff."

"Not a word," the other assured, smirk growing larger. Apparently he wasn´t the only one that fell victim to Yazoo´s cool enlightenments about lung cancer and impotence, although he was never concerned about the effects smoking would take on Cid, but himself as a passive-smoker.

Inhaling deeply with his head thrown back slightly, Cid listened to what had brought Reno here today.

"Ya know, I´m a little early, I thought ta myself 'Reno, ya should go fetch ya princess today'," the redhead exhaled, blue eyes mustering Cid and clearly seeking for permission to take Yazoo home earlier. "He´s always workin' so hard, I thought I should take him out for dinner or something. Whaddaya think?"

"Sounds a'right ta me," the older man agreed good-naturedly, but still maintaining his natural grumpy expression, and snipped the ash of his cigarette into an empty, old can that now served as ashtray.

The young man´s smile went even wider and almost impish.

"Would ya mind gettin' him for me then?"

Cid shook his head, stubbing out his cigarette and walking to the storeroom.

He was about to just yell inside that Yazoo could go now, when he shut his mouth as soon as he´d opened it. The boy was crouched down with his back towards the mechanic, looking through various boxes in concentration and making notes on a clipboard. He strode away so some of his long tresses fell back into his line of vision as soon as he shifted his head a little. But what caught Cid´s eye was a small stripe of white skin between his waistband and where his shirt had ride up. It wasn´t exactly white skin, though.

More like abused, purplish blue and green-yellow, interrupted by glowing red welts. Before he could say anything though, Yazoo noticed his presence and rose from his crouched position, head inclined in question and clipboard pulled under his arm.

"I'm almost done here," he said, but Cid just waved a hand in dismissal, informing him "Ya done for taday. Ya boyfriend's waitin'."

Now, actually the blond had expected Yazoo to get all lovey-dovey and float on a pink cloud into the store but the boy´s reaction was a little ambiguous.

"Reno?" he asked uncertainly, making Cid lift an eyebrow and retort "Yeah, how many other boyfriends ya have?"

He almost regretted it when Yazoo seemed to flinch a little, and the cold, dismissive expression was back on him. "I have only Reno of course."

"Yeah?" the mechanic simply made, not knowing what else to say. Still Yazoo remained glued to the spot he was standing on.

"Ya dun want ta go ta him or what?"

"Of course I want to," Yazoo retorted coolly, but then cast his eyes to the side and asked quietly "Did he say what he wanted?"

Leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, Cid informed him about Reno's plan to take him out, not failing to see the faint hint of relief that appeared in the boy´s eyes and the relaxation of his tense shoulders.

Finally putting the clipboard on one of the boxes and switching off the single lightbulb, the silver haired beauty left the store room and followed Cid back to the shop.

Upon seeing Yazoo enter, Reno´s face instantly lit up and he drew the man in his arms, giving him a hug and a kiss "Hey baby!"

Yazoo graced him with a faint smile and leaned against his chest, only flinching a little when Reno took his hand. The redhead noticed the shudder and concernedly rolled up the sleeve a little, wincing as the huge bruise came into view "Gods, baby, that looks awful…"

Yazoo remained silent, looking to the side and sighing Reno pulled the fabric back carefully.

"Fell down the stairs yesterday," he explained into Cid´s direction, planting a gentle kiss on his lover´s cheek and smiling "He´s such a klutz sometimes."

Yazoo smiled back, -a smile that, in Cid´s eyes, seemed far too polished and empty to be genuine- looking apologetic.

"So I guess we're off now," Reno declared gaily, his arm around Yazoo's shoulder and guiding the young man out, waving at Cid over his shoulder and then saying something into his boyfriend's ear that made him chuckle.

With narrowed eyes the man watched them vanishing outside and then grabbed for another cigarette.

And the drama begins... ^^

Valitiel: Yeah, I really wouldn´t want to live there... I´m glad that there are no cockroaches in my homecountry^^. I´m sure Cid would pay him if he could! Poor guys...

sareyva: Haha, yes, I bet there are much more exciting jobs than working at Cid´s... Oh, I´m curious; what did you think the situation would be with Reno? And we got a little glimpse at the tragedy in this chapter. It´ll probably become more in the next chapter^^

Koumori-chan: Yay, I´m glad you liked it! The Reno/Yazoo part wasn´t an actual part of the story, I wrote it last minute, because I wanted to see them interact a bit.^^

luvyuyu: Thank you, I´m happy that you like it so far^^ Of course Cid will give his love, sooner or later. One just has to get through to him first ;)

Review please?