A big 'Thank you' to PfenixB for the wonderful betaing!

Enjoy!

8

"Ya finally awake?"

A white cup blocked his empty stare as it was placed in front of him on the coffee table and finally pulled Yazoo out of his reverie.

Looking up he saw Cid in his boxers and a loose blue shirt standing next to the sofa with his own cup of steaming coffee in hand. Just how had he been able to block out the man buzzing around in the kitchen till now?

"Hn." Carefully Yazoo used his right arm to pull himself up and into a sitting position that didn´t hurt too much. When he had arranged himself on the sofa he pulled the blanket over his shoulders again despite the pain it caused his abused skin. But he was half naked and rather dealt with some pain than feeling even more vulnerable.

He reached out for his cup, murmuring a "thanks" and guided it to his lips, sipping at the hot liquid. His brows instantly furrowed in disgust though, because if anything, Cid made the worst coffee possibly. The mechanic observed his guests scandalized face and took a big sip from his own cup. To him Yazoo looked a little more like himself than the night before, but still seemed very fragile and lost, sitting there on the couch, hunched under the blanket.

Cid strolled over, flopping into an armchair across the sofa and asking "Ya feelin betta now?"

Yazoo nodded, clinging to the warm cup, silver hair hanging into his tired face.

"So waddcha gonna do now?" the blond asked, pulling out a cigarette and lightening it.

Yazoo remained silent for a moment, then shook his head and answered "I don´t know."

Cid looked up in surprise, then he smirked, exhaling "Dat´s good ta hear."

Yazoo´s fine brows furrowed as he asked a little cooly, wondering if Cid was mocking him "How could this possibly be a good thing?"

"Stop bitchin´will ya?! It´s a good thing, cos ya ain´t thinkin´of goin back foa anotha round."

Yazoo blinked at the man, but then looked to the side, saying "I never said I wouldn´t go back."

"Yeah, but it ain´t da first thing comin´ta mind anymore," Cid pointed out, taking another drag while lazily lounging in his chair.

Yazoo remained silent, so the mechanic just took another sip from his cup and stood, pointing with the cigarette into the direction of a scratched door "Ya can take a shower if ya want," and then grumpily vanished back into the kitchen.

The teen eyed the door for a moment, then he slowly and carefully got up from the couch, trying to move his sore muscles as little as possible. Limping over to the bathroom, he closed the door behind him and leaned heavily against it, trying to ignore the stinging pain in his back.

He let his exhausted gaze wander through the small room that was just as cramped and chaotic as the rest of Cid´s premises. It wasn´t dirty, just untidy. Empty shampoo bottles and towels were piled on the floor and Yazoo carefully made his way around them, peeling out of his sheet and clothes and sitting down in the cold tub.

The warm water rushing from the shower at first made him flinch, as it rushed over his abused skin, but soon enough it relaxed his tensed muscles. It felt kind of relieving, to wash away all the dirt and blood, although it couldn´t sweep away the mental stains. He may be somewhat clean on the outside now, but that still didn´t do anything against the fact that he was disgusting and deviant. A slut, like Reno had called him…

True, since he was with Reno he hadn´t had other partners, and he hadn´t physically betrayed him, but mentally… Yazoo couldn´t help it but sometimes enjoy the looks and compliments he received and to tell the truth he sometimes even encouraged or provoked them. It gave him a feeling of power. And that although he had Reno. Really, he was the worst trash, and maybe his boyfriend was right to call him these names, and maybe he deserved the beating.

Shivering, and feeling just as miserable and guilty as before Yazoo shut the water down, sitting in the tub for another minute and apathetically watching the waterdrops falling from his wet tresses. Then he abruptly stood up, grabbed for a fresh towel and almost violently rubbed his body dry. After he had dressed again, he went back into the living room, only to find it vacant.

There was a plate with two burned toasts and a blob of marmalade sitting at his place, but the silver haired teen ignored it, not feeling hungry at all. Instead he grabbed for his shirt, put it on and then searched the small apartment for his employer.

A muffled curse led him towards a door that was only leaned on. Since his polite knocking showed no effect, Yazoo stepped into the door.

Cid was bent over a desk that was stuffed with stacks of various papers and files that looked ready to just crumble to the floor. The mechanic, frustrated, pushed out his cigarette and through the thick clouds of smoke Yazoo could see that he was fighting a hard battle with his paper work, tearing at his hair and looking completely overwhelmed.

Eventually he came to notice his apprentice´s presence though, and looked up from his paperwork with a questioning look. Feeling a strangely tight knot in his guts, Yazoo announced quietly, hand resting against the doorframe and expression as neutral as ever : "I am going."

Cid scratched his chin, frowning and asking "Where ya going?"

The silver haired teen was a little compelled to lift an eyebrow but instead let his gaze wander over the amounts of paper that piled up on the small desk, not feeling like looking into those inquiering, piercing blue eyes. "Home."

The mechanic looked a little confused for a moment, until understanding dawned on his face and then switched to a look of disappointment. Yazoo forced the unpleasant feeling away, keeping his face calm and straight and opening his mouth to thank the man for what he´d done. He didn´t come to do it though, because suddenly Cid leaned back in his seat, one foot resting on the other knee and giving his apprentice a grave, but strangely cold look. "Ah, Sorry ta hear dat pal, but I ain´t thinkin ya goin´ anywhere."

Now he did arch an eyebrow, demeanour becoming dismissive again. He didn´t know what it was with Cid Highwind but the man seemed to seriously try to piss him off at any opportunity he could grab.

"And why is that?" he asked though, eyeing the man with unhidden discontent. He really didn´t feel like having an argument with the mechanic, he had enough problems as it was.

"Cos I say so," Cid announced, lighting another cig and blowing the smoke through his nose, giving the youth a calm look, head tilted slightly and chin lifted. It seemed very confident, just as if Cid expected nothing else but that Yazoo would simply obey.

The silver haired youth gave the man another unreadable, almost unnerved gander before he turned, intending to just leave the apartment.

"Wouldn´t do dat if I was ya," came the voice from the blond from behind, sounding a little threatening under the friendly, calmer tone.

Tilting his head, Yazoo stopped, throwing a glance back over his shoulder, only to see Cid holding a little plastic card between his index and middle finger, casually taking another drag.

"At least nat if ya eva want that back," the man added, putting the cig back to the corner of his mouth. After he had made sure that Yazoo was aware of his options he let the ID vanish back in his pocket and with a pained sigh leaned back over his papers.

Yazoo stood frozen to the spot, eyes not waning from the man who now totally ignored his presence and wishing him to the deepest pits of hell.

Feeling the frosty gaze piercing his head the mechanic eventually looked up again, stubbing his cig out in the ashtray.

"Whaddcha stayin there starin´inta space, eh? If ya hav nuthin ta do come 'ere an´help me."

Totally oblivious to the youth´s less than cooperative mood Cid bend over his desk, reaching for some papers and shoving them into Yazoo´s arms, with his thumb imperiously motioning to a small desk behind him.

The silver haired young man looked down on the files in his arms, then at the table and lastly his green orbs shifted back to Cid who was back to swearing and searching through the mess on his desk.

Then, slowly, Yazoo strode over to the table, sat down and started to look at the bills and documents, not knowing what else he should do.

Valitiel: Haha, no, that certainly can´t be good for the relationship, but if Yazoo is a clever boy he might not think about marrying Reno too soon :D Thanks for reviewing!

Koumori-chan: Thank you, I´m glad I did not 'disappoint' XD Yeah, there was a lot of angsting. But given the circumstances it was plausible, I hope. I put my faith into Cid as well: may he be the knight in shining armor to save the princess! As always I am very glad you liked it and thank you for the feedback!

Review please?