Final Fantasy Main Story RP ARC VIII

Reno shook his head and took a mouthful of coffee, his shoulders rolling lightly to try and work out a kink. "Nah, we need to head off to Wutai with Sephiroth," he sighed, perching on the edge of the desk. "If I sleep then Rufus will likely get snippy about it. Best to just head off, get there and then rest. He can't yell at us if we're at least in the right country."

He nursed the coffee, slowly taking sips as though smaller, more regular doses of caffeine would do him more good than downing the lot. "I'm sorry I didn't come last night - I wanted to, we need to talk." He gave a small, fleeting smile. "That's if you're still wanting that conversation."

He knew that Tseng had been clear in arranging for them to talk, that it wasn't something that could be ignored any more... and still he couldn't help that niggle. He was sure it would drive them both mad before long, but after so many years it was a lot to get his head around that something might actually happen.

"Anyway, how are you feeling about going back to Wutai?" The thought didn't please Reno, neither were keen to return to the country but an order was an order. Orders were followed, no matter how either of them felt about it.

Yazoo was just opening the door to Kadaj's room when Sephiroth stood up. Hiding his eyes behind his hair he looked from Sephiroth and over to where Kadaj lay. "Kadaj.." He whispered softly, frowning more as he stepped over to the bed.

He placed his hand lightly on Kadaj's cheek, stroking it gently. "What happened to you, little brother?" He asked Kadaj then looked to Sephiroth in confusion. He was still unaware of what Jenova had done to everyone, that Zack and himself were the only ones still with her power and love.

Reno cringed a little as he realised that Rufus hadn't alerted Tseng to the mission, and that while he was casually bringing it up this was the first he was hearing of it.

"I thought he'd have told you," he sighed, scratching the back of his neck with a sheepish look. "You know I wouldn't joke about going back, Tseng. Not with him... I did think about giving the boss the middle finger but I figured you'd be more pissed if I did so..."

He gave a soft chuckle and finished his coffee, rolling the mug between his palms. "Yeah, it's definitely apt to talk things over there... Maybe this time around we can leave with more good memories than bad." He paused and winced at how that could sound. "You know what I mean, or at least I hope you do. I'm really hoping the highlight of that nightmare wasn't you coming a breath away from killing me."

He shook his head. "I doubt Cissnei knows either - I'm guessing I get the delight of waking her up, huh?" He leant over the desk and kissed Tseng lightly. "I don't have to read the text to know what it says, so I'll go let the natural redhead know, and then throw together some clothes."

He left the mug on Tseng's desk with a cheeky grin and made a beeline for the door. "And I'm going in civvies, I'm not giving them another reason to attempt to chop off my head."

Reno leant against the door frame with a soft smile as he looked back into the room at Tseng. It wasn't going to be easy going back again - every order to go there pained them both for several reasons, and there they were about to go back again.

"It will be better," he promised. "Besides, if nothing else we'll have the unresolved and mostly un-discussed sexual tension between the General and Zack to amuse us. We can watch on and shake our heads going, 'I know what that's like' and be glad we're getting over it."

He stuck his tongue out at Tseng and grinned, slipping out of the door and closing it behind him before his superior had the chance to respond. He glanced up and down the hallway before remembering where Cissnei tended to bunk, heading for her room.

He paused outside of the door, a wicked grin spreading across his features as he silently opened the door and snuck over to the bed. In a quick, fluid movement he pounced on her, straddling her body and pinning her arms before she could strike out.

"Morning," he chirped.

Reno winced as his head hit the solid floorboards, groaning softly as she landed on top of him and pressed the knife to this throat.

"I hate to break it to you, but as gorgeous as you are and as kinky as this is... I'm a man's man," he smirked. "Now, are you going to get from on top of me so I can talk to you or are we going to do it like this?"

Reno slowly got to his feet, not wanting to make any sudden movements this time.

"Over tired and waking you up normally never works?" He gave a shrug and flopped onto the edge of the bed next to her. "Tseng and I are off to Wutai, escorting the General and Zack. Shouldn't be too long, depends on whether we get out alive again. You've got the fun of watching over blondie and all that."

He yawned and stretched, slumping a little afterwards. "Kadaj is out cold. I don't think he's going to last long, if I'm honest. He'll be the easy one to keep an eye on. No idea how Yazoo will take it all when he finds out, so that'll be fun for you. Just... give us a call if shit gets bad ok?"

The door creaked open and Sephiroth's attention quickly turned. Muscles were tensed but just as quickly he calmed. Old instincts, he could dismiss it as that, ready for an attack at any time. Perhaps the real problem was the concern that she wasn't done with him yet. Their cells were gone but that had no been much a change within him. She had already pulled her cells from him.

"Yazoo."

He watched the remnant move towards Kadaj and Sephiroth's muscles tensed once more, watching every action. He was still within her touch and could not be trusted too far around Kadaj. The eyes had turned back and Sephiroth forced himself to relax.

"She took the cells away from most of us. Kadaj is now human, absent of her cells. And that may cost him his life."

Why dance around the subject? Why mince words? Sephiroth had never understood the point of it.