Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Gomen Nasai ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

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Rufus was sat on a window seat, looking out over the smoggy city of Midgar. Smoke coming from it's eight reactors, drifting lightly into the hazy sky. If you stared for long enough, you could catch a glimpse of bright blue sky once in a while. It was always cloudy in Midgar, but the clouds themselves weren't natural.

His father had so graciously given him the week off to recover from his 'ordeal'. Rufus hadn't seen hid nor tail of his father since what happened. He doubted he would either.

Just you wait. Rufus thought. Everything will be taken away from you when you least expect it and I'll be stood there laughing. He smiled grimly.

Rufus heard a noise from the kitchen. It reminded him he wasn't alone. His father had sent a 'watchdog' to keep an eye on him.

"You bothered about a drink while I'm at it?"

For once he didn't mind the company.

"No." Rufus called back, returning his gaze to the window. He couldn't help but wonder if he would be better off not being here. If rumours about the lifestream were true, he couldn't help but think it would be a damn sight better being there than being alive.

He was knocked out of his thoughts by a glass of water hanging in front of his face. Rufus glanced past the glass to see Reno staring at him. The red head shrugged.

"Figured I'd bring you one anyway. Knowing you, I'd sit down and then you'd ask for one."

Rufus smiled a little at the comment, knowing full well he'd been trying his hardest to piss the Turk off over the last few days, making him do something just as he sat down. Rufus had to admit it had given him something to do for a change.

"You've been around me for two days, and you think you know me already?" He asked.

"I've been around you enough to notice all the annoying habits you have." Reno told him, sipping on the glass of whiskey he had in his hand. Rufus raised an eyebrow.

"Like what?"

"Like asking for things when I've just sat down or........" Reno paused noticing the blonde staring out the window. He smirked. ".... Or the way you stare out of the window like that when you don't give a toss about what I'm saying."

Rufus laughed lightly. He had to admit, Reno had a way of cheering people up without trying, without you really noticing what he's was trying to do.

"Does anyone give a toss about what you say?" Rufus decided to play this little game of Reno's. The red head feigned a hurt look.

"Are you telling me no one listens to me? Me? The great Reno?" They both laughed.

"Great? That makes you sound like a magician or something." Rufus commented.

"Ah, but I can do magic tricks." Reno put his hand behind the other man's ear, lingering a bit longer than was necessary. He shook his head a little and pulled his hand back showing Rufus the one gil coin he now had in his palm. "See?"

"That's the lamest trick I've ever seen." The Vice President mumbled.

"Well, if I knew you wanted a magic show I would have brought all my tricks." Reno said, smugly sitting back in the chair.

"What? Including a white rabbit in a hat?" Reno laughed at the blonde man's response.

"Yes, even a white rabbit in a hat, though I forgot to give the rabbit some water before I left my flat like three days ago. Think it might have keeled over by now." They both laughed lightly again.

"Poor bunny rabbit didn't even have a chance living with you." Rufus said. Reno put a hand to his heart in mockery.

"Are you saying I don't know how to look after anything?" He clicked his fingers. "Damn I forgot to feed the dove before I left too......." Reno watched the amused look from Rufus' face.

The door to the apartment opened slightly. Reno dumped the rest of the contents of his glass into a nearby pot plant. Rufus nearly laughed until he saw who had entered the room. A man in a red suit was stood in the door way. Reno turned round in his chair as well. He scowled a little.

Gesh. It's been three days and this is the first time he's come to see him. No wonder Rufus is like he is.

"Turk. Leave us be for a while." The voice demanded. Reno took a quick look at Rufus before jumping out of the chair. Not saying a word as he left the room, shutting the door behind him. Rufus found himself staring at the white painted door for what seemed like hours before his father spoke. "What do you think you're playing at!?" He bellowed.

Rufus wanted to laugh but didn't. Playing at? Is that what he thinks this all is? A game? "Nothing." Is what he actually said.

"Nothing!? You call trying to kill yourself nothing!?" The older man began pacing around the room.

Stop trying to act as if you care, because you don't. It's all about your measly company. "As if you actually care." Rufus muttered lightly, so lightly his father never caught it.

"Well?" The old man pressed on. Rufus couldn't resist throwing a taunt at the older man any longer.

"Why do you think one tries to kill himself old man?" He said, staring at the glass of water he was still holding. His father stopped pacing and stared at his son for a moment. His face etched with fury.

There was the sound of a glass smashing. The sound of flesh hitting flesh. Rufus refused to rub his burning cheek. He also refused to look at the man standing over him.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that boy!" The older man roared. Rufus ignored him. This time President Shinra balled his hand hit a fist and hurled it at Rufus. The blow hit the boy in the chin. Without him resisting it much, it had enough force to make him fall of the window seat. By mistake, he used his injured wrist to break his fall. As he hit the floor he winced a little. "And don't you dare ignore me when I'm talking to you!" The man bellowed again.

Rufus felt the familiar wetness on his lip. Bringing a finger up to his face, he winced as he pressed his lip slightly. He looked at his finger tip as it came away with what he expected to see on it; blood. Rufus pulled himself up so he was sat on his heels, still looking at the floor. Before he knew it, a foot was planted in his exposed stomach forcing all the air out of his lungs. Rufus hunched over slightly, trying to regain his breath.

"And all I have is you to call an heir." The President laughed bitterly. "I think a rat would make a better heir than you son." He spat out the last word before using his stick to whack Rufus round the back of the head. The sound it made echoed around the room. The force of it pushed Rufus forward so he used his hands to stop himself falling flat on his face. He winced again as pain shot up his left arm.

"I think I'd rather be a rat than your heir." Rufus muttered lightly. He was rewarded with a foot kicking him in the face. His head flipped up, giving his body the momentum to make him sit on his heals again. He felt something trickle from his nose. Using his sleeve, he dabbed his nose it. The dot of red slowly soaked into the white fabric of his jacket.

"Why don't you leave then if you feel that way!? I'll tell you why. No one will take you in because they feel exactly the same as I do about you. No one cares for spoilt brats like you!?" The President yelled. He used the end of his stick to whack the younger man round the back of the head. The stick cracked against the blonde's head and he slumped to the floor. "Not worth my god damn time." The President muttered as he left the room, leaving Rufus battered on the apartment floor.

"You're not worth my god damn time brat!"

"Why do you hate me!?" The nine year old Rufus yelled at his father. "What have I ever done to you!?"

"You're a god damn spoilt brat who will amount to nothing in this world!" He leaned right in front of the boy's face. "And that is why I hate you so much." He spat with venom.

"I'm not spoilt!" Rufus screamed. His head jerked back from the slap he was given. The boy clutched his face, wincing in pain.

"Don't speak back to me brat!"

"What have I ever done to you!?" Rufus yelled again. He got another crack round the face as a response.

"Nothing boy. And that's the problem."

"How can you hate me for nothing?" Rufus' voice was now a whisper. The President grabbed hold of the boy's shirt and threw him against the wall. The boy shook his foggy head as he looked as his father.

"I own the world. I can do anything." The man said with a deadly voice.

"I hate you!" The boy screamed. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" The man drew his fist back and slammed it against the boys stomach. Rufus clutched it in pain.

"That makes two of us then doesn't it?"

"Rufus!"

"I............ hate......... you." Rufus wheezed out.

"Rufus!"

"I loath you boy." President Shinra spoke from within two inches of Rufus' face.

"RUFUS!"

Rufus flicked one eye open slightly to try and look at the person who was shouting him. He groaned lightly.

"Shit. What the hell does he think he's doing?" Rufus heard the person mutter. He tried opening his eyes wider but regretted it. He drew his good arm up to shield his eyes from the sunlight coming throw his window. "Rufus? You're gonna have to wake up. I can't move you unless you do." The voice asked. Rufus groaned again and lifted his arm slightly, with it his eyes lids.

"Reno?" He asked groggily.

"Yeah. You gonna sit up for me?" Reno asked. The blonde nodded slightly then used his good arm to push himself off the floor. He started to push himself up slowly. When pain shot through his ribs, he yelped and closed his eyes tight, nearly falling back to the floor. Reno caught him by wrapping his arms around his mid back. Rufus noticed that he wasn't going to hit the floor so cracked one eye open again. "You ok?" The red head asked. Rufus seemed to be the only one who noticed how close they were. He blushed slightly.

"Yeah." He murmured. Reno pulled one of Rufus' arms over his shoulders and looked at him.

"Try pushing yourself up after three ok?" Reno told him. Rufus' blush returned in full force.

"Ok." He muttered.

"One........ Two........... Three!" Reno pulled himself upright, dragging the blonde with him. Rufus, being a couple of inches shorter than the red head, felt like his arm was about five foot over his head. He tried to stand on his tip toes to even it out, but ended up nearly falling over again. He yelped. Reno steadied him with his free arm. It ended up being wrapped around the blonde's chest. Even Reno noticed how close they were this time. He shook of the weird feeling he felt and took his arm back. He looked at the faintly red faced blonde, pretending not to notice the fact that he was blushing. "You can make it to your room with my help right?"

"Yeah." Rufus muttered.

They made it to Rufus' bedroom with little problem. Reno eased the blonde onto the bed lightly then unhooked Rufus' arm from around his shoulders. He step back a little and looked at the blonde. Around Rufus' mouth was caked in dry blood, which seemed to have stopped bleeding altogether. Reno noticed from the way the blonde was sitting, he'd have a few bruises in the morning.

"Be back in a minute." With that he left the room. Rufus found himself staring at the red head as he walked away, turning a corner leaving his eyesight completely. When he was satisfied he had left, the blonde ran a hand through his hair.

Why can't I stop thinking about him? "I hurt like hell and all I can think about is him." He murmured as he hear footsteps journeying back to the room.

Reno entered the room again, a glass bowl with a white cloth in it held in one hand. He placed the bowl on the floor and kneeled down in front of the Vice President. The red head wrung the cloth and started dabbing it on Rufus' face. The blonde winced slightly at the first touch, but calmed after that. He just stared into the Turks sea green eyes. Reno didn't notice for a while, he just carried on dabbing the blonde's cuts.

"Why do you let him do this to you?" Reno asked, both of them knowing who Reno meant by 'he'.

"It hurts less if I don't fight back." Rufus' mumbled. Reno stopped dabbing and looked at the blonde for a moment.

Now everything makes sense.......... Reno told himself. There's only so much one person can take. He dipped the cloth in the now murky pink water and wrung it out again. As he looked back at Rufus he noticed him looking at him intently.

"What?" Reno asked, a little puzzled as to why the blonde would be staring at him.

"Nothing." Rufus told him. "Just noticed how pretty your eyes are." He murmured. His eyes widened. Did I just say that out loud!?

"You......... you think my eyes are pretty?" Reno asked, the beginnings of a smirk creeping onto his face.

"Forget I said anything." Rufus said.

"Seriously? You like my eyes?" Reno asked again. He lifted the cloth to dab the blonde's face yet again, but Rufus pulled away slightly. Reno frowned. "Sorry. I didn't meant to make you uncomfortable." His voice held a hint of remorse.

"You didn't." Rufus told him, his voice in his normal tone. "I made myself uncomfortable." He glanced at the Turk again. "I'd like to sleep now." He asked quietly.

"Err... yeah...... sure." Reno stuttered out. He picked up the bowl and pushed himself up from his knees. "You sure you're alright?"

"I'll live." Rufus laid down on the bed without bothering to get under the covers. Reno took another look at him from the doorway before shutting it lightly. Outside he leaned back on the door, banging the back of his head against the wood a few times, before pushing himself off and walking down the small hallway.

Good one Reno, you pick the worse times to be a prick. Reno shook his head as he watched the pink water swirl down the drain of the kitchen sink.