Manor House
Chapter Five

Rating: PG
Category: AU
Pairing(s): Cloud/Reno, Tifa/Barret, Aeris/Tseng, Zack/Sephiroth, Vincent/Cid, Reeve/Rufus, Yuffie/Elena, Charles/Nathan, Toki/Skwisgaar.
Warnings: Teen tantrums, some angst, nothing much.
Summary: Vincent is all tied up, Loz and Phoenix are experiencing teen angst, while back on Earth Dethklok are having problems of their own.
Notes: We’re leading into the segue here folks!

Tifa fled the room where Vincent was spraying bullets and ran into Elena, Yuffie and Nancy. A considerable amount of shrieking, leaping and panic ensued.

“What’s he doing?” shrieked Yuffie.

“He’s wrecking my house!” shrieked Tifa.

“Well make him stop!” shrieked Nancy.

“Oh for crying out loud, what are we, twelve?” yelled Elena. “Good grief, people, I thought you were warriors!”

“Not professionals!” shrieked Tifa.

“I’m not a warrior I’m a thief!” shrieked Yuffie.

“I’m an artist!” shrieked Nancy.

“STOP SHRIEKING! All right! Tifa! You and I will go in and tackle him. Vincent’s light and fast but he’s not that strong, we should be able to handle him. Yuffie once we have him down you get the gun away from him. Nancy, find some rope and bring it here. Okay. Everybody know what to do?”

There were nods all around.

“Okay!” said Elena. “Let’s bring his skinny ass down!”

Tifa and Elena charged into the room and pounced on Vincent, knocking him down and sending the tommy gun sliding across the floor. Seconds later Yuffie had the machine gun and fled with it. Then Nancy arrived with the rope. Within moments they had Vincent tied to the chair, absolutely furious, screaming, swearing and cursing like a wild man. Elena silenced him by shoving her tie into his mouth. Vincent growled threateningly around the fabric.

“Well he’s not happy,” said Yuffie. “What’s wrong with him?”

Tifa shook her head. “I don’t know.” She took out her cell phone and called Zack. He answered on the first ring.

“Hello?”

“Did you lose an itty bitty little vampire?”

“Please tell me you found one.”

“I did. He showed up a few minutes ago dressed like Frank Nitty, waving a tommy gun and tried to kill a wall.”

Zack sighed. “Dammit! What is wrong with him? Okay hold him there, I’ll be over in a moment.”

Tifa ended the call and put the cell phone back in its little pouch on her belt. Within moments Zack was up the stairs and in the room, looking down at the furious little gunslinger. He sighed loudly.

“All right, I’ve had enough of this,” said Zack. “I’m taking Vincent home and I’m talking to Teddy about what’s going on.”

“Well shouldn’t we talk to Cid first?” said Tifa.

“And are you sure that bringing him home to his kids in that state is such a good idea?” said Elena as Vincent spat out the tie.

“Good point,” said Zack. “All right, I’m gonna sedate him, then I’d like someone to keep an eye on him while I go get Cid.”

“I can watch him,” said Tifa.

Zack nodded. He sedated the swearing, screaming, raging man, then left, heading into the depths of the house to find Cid. Tifa stared at the small form tied to the chair, his head slumped forward onto his chest. She reached out and took off the hat Vincent was wearing, sighing.

“He cut his hair off.”

“It will grow back,” said Yuffie. “But what’s the matter with him? Why was he attacking the wall? And what…?” She paused, listening. “Does anyone hear a dog?”

They listened. For a brief time they did indeed hear a dog, screaming in the distance. Then the sound was cut short.

“Okay,” said Tifa. “That’s it. Nancy, can you please go to the inn and call Aeris? See if Teddy is well enough to talk, I want to know what is going on in my house.”

Nancy nodded, and gladly fled the mansion, making her way to the inn. She used to think it would be fun to be in a haunted house, but she’d had quite enough of this one. She went up to the rather crowded room that she was sharing with Yuffie and Elena, seated herself on the bed and dialled Aeris’ number. After three rings, it was picked up, and Nancy’s eyes grew large at the sound of the quiet male voice.

“Teddy?”

“Oh hey Nancy.”

“What are you doing up?”

“Oh. Uhhh…. well I had another heart attack and David thought it would be really rude of me to die so soon after he came back, sooo… he used his last piece of Wish Materia on me.”

“So you’re well!”

“Never better. What do you need?”

“Why is Tifa’s house haunted?”

“I don’t know, I’d have to come over. Do you want me to come over?”

“Yes, please, Teddy. We have no idea what’s going on, everyone keeps hearing a dog screaming and Vincent has lost his mind…”

“What’s the matter with Vincent?” Teddy asked abruptly.

“I don’t know! He cracked up! He showed up dressed like a 1930s hit man, pulled out a tommy gun and attacked a wall.”

“Where is he now?”

“Tied up and sedated.”

“Does he know who any of you are?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t even seem to see us!”

“Okay well get him out of the house. David and I will be there as soon as possible.”

“Thanks Teddy,” said Nancy. “We’re all really scared.”

“Just hang on. We’re on our way.”

Nancy hung up the phone and breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps now they would have some answers.

***---***

Nathan wandered into the dressing room, followed by his four band mates. They were hot, tired, sweaty, and Nathan couldn’t wait for this tour to be over. It was only a short one, but his mind wasn’t on it. He wanted to be home with Charles, or, failing that, in Florida hiding his mother’s body in the garbage disposal.

Charles was a man who liked to be prepared. He did not like surprises, and he was very aware of the fact that the father of his newborn infant had learning difficulties. Charles wanted to make sure that he knew of all of them, in order to spare Lydia the trails Nathan had endured as a child; trials that had ended with him quitting school, barely literate and with problems communicating. It was not unreasonable for Charles to want to know Nathan’s history. The problem was Rose Explosion was refusing to co-operate and would not explain why. It was making Nathan and Charles crazy.

Nathan glanced over at Pickles as he dropped onto a large, soft couch, panting, his fair skin gleaming with sweat. Poor Pickles. He played like a wild man on stage, then came off and panted like a dog for twenty minutes. Then, assuming there were no groupies who wanted to play, fell asleep. Actually Nathan had noticed that even with groupies to play with the routine rarely changed. Pickles was a power drummer. He left every ounce of himself on stage the way athletes left themselves on the field, and the batteries needed to recharge after a four hour show.

“Pickles. Can you do me a favour?”

Pickles pulled off his damp headband and dropped it onto the coffee table. “Sure, what?”

Nathan handed Pickles his deth phone. “If Charles calls, let me know. I have to take a shower.”

“Sure, dood.”

Pickles took the phone and set it on the table, then reached for the bag of weed sitting there and began rolling himself a joint. He cast a glance at Skwisgaar as he dropped onto the couch opposite his own.

“Y’feeling all right there, Skwisgaar?”

Skwisgaar blinked, his deep-set eyes dark rimmed. “Just tireds.”

Pickles held up the joint he had just rolled. “Y’want some of this?”

“Ja, maybes den I can holds down some foods. I hads dis sick stomach since we been travellings.”

“You are looking a little shkinny,” said Murderface.

Toki seated himself beside Skwisgaar, taking his hand. “I’s getting worrieds abouts you.”

“I fine, little Tokis,” said Skwisgaar. “Just tireds.”

The phone rang. Pickles handed the joint to Skwisgaar, then picked up the deth phone, sitting back on the sofa as he answered the call.

“Hey-lo.”

“Oh, hello, is this Pickles? Pickles honey, this is Nathan’s mom. Is Nathan around?”

“Oh, hey! Well he’s in the shower right now, can I take a message?”

“Well I got a phone call from that strange little man again, and I would like Nathan to ask him to stop calling me.”

Pickles had to think before he realized just to whom Rose Explosion was referring. “You mean Charles?”

“Yes. He keeps calling me and asking me all sorts of personal questions and I’m just not inclined to answer.”

Pickles took the joint Skwisgaar offered him. “Well, Mrs. Explosion he’s trying to get a medical history for Nathan’s daughter.”

“Oh Nathan doesn’t have a daughter, dear.”

Pickles raised an eyebrow. Murderface filched the joint since Pickles was talking.

“Mrs. Explosion, Nathan does have a daughter. A little girl, three months old. Her name is Lydia.”

“No dear, he doesn’t, he’s not married.”

Pickles’ eyebrow did not descend. He wondered how she could always manage to sound so calm and sweet, even when spewing crap.

“Ah… yeah. He has a daughter. Trust me. I was there the night she was born. She has big green eyes and fuzzy black hair and looks just like him.”

“Pickles, honey,” said Rose as if she was explaining to a five-year-old that dollies do not eat cookies. “Nathan is not married. Therefore this child simply is not his and this… odd little man…”

“Charles. His name is Charles.”

“I don’t care what his name is, he has no right to call me and request medical information for a bastard he found who knows where.”

Pickles reached for a cigarette from a pack on the table, sticking it into his mouth and lighting it. “Mrs. Explosion, Charles is asking for that information because he wants to have a medical history to go by in the event Lydia has some of Nathan’s disorders.”

“Oh Nathan doesn’t have any disorders, he’s perfect.”

Pickles took the cigarette out of his mouth and exhaled smoke. “Ah… what do you call not speaking until he was five?”

“Well he was just shy!”

“He can hardly read because he says the letters move around on the page. That sounds like dyslexia to me.”

Rose Explosion tisked in annoyance. “He’s just lazy. He was always more interested in football than reading. If he applied himself he could do it.”

“What about his inability to formulate long-term plans or understand consequences? Y’know those are both classic signs of…”

Oscar Explosion took the phone, shouting so loudly Pickles was sure he could be heard all the way out into the hall. Toki flinched visibly at the sound of Oscar bellowing into the phone.

“Listen here you smart-mouthed little shit, you tell your lawyer to take that prom night dust bin baby he found and go to hell and quit trying to blame it on our son!”

The phone went dead. Pickles sighed and put the phone away.

“Dat’s brutal,” said Toki morosely.

“Gahd, dood, I don’t believe these people. I mean… she’s a baby, a’right? She’s their grand daughter. I don’t believe this.” Pickles put his booted feet on the coffee table, drawing on his cigarette. “It’s sad.”

“Well, at least she has us,” said Skwisgaar.

The four pondered in silence.

“Let’sh jusht hope Charles doesn’t die of shomething,” said Murderface. “’Cause let’sh face it, the five of ush couldn’t raishe a soufflé.”

“Yeah well Charles needs to take a valium,” said Pickles. “He knows when that baby is gonna fill her pants before she does. She doesn’t even use the crib, she sleeps with him.”

“Ja is called co-sleeping,” said Toki. “What’s wrong wit’s dat?”

“Well,” said Pickles, “I mean why would he do that?”

“Oh, gee, lets me think,” said Skwisgaar. “Is four ins da morning, baby needs feedings, oh looks, she’s rights dere, I can gives her bottle wit’sout moving.”

“Makes sense to me,” said Toki.

“Oh yeah?” said Pickles. “Well he still has to get the bottle and heat it up.”

“No,” said Toki. “He has roadie do its for him.”

“And what if he and Nathan wanna…?”

“Charlies go down to Nat’an’s room,” said Toki. “Dey has its all worked out.”

“Dood, they are way too organized. It freaks me out. Hey, where’d my joint go?”

The phone rang. Pickles answered it. “Hey-lo.”

“Pickles? It’s Charles.”

“Hey, Charlie! Did you catch us on pay-per-view? We rocked!”

“Yes, you certainly did. You boys were in exceptional form tonight. Congratulations.”

“Hey is that Lydia making noise? Put her on the phone.”

“Pickles she’s three months old, I hardly see what the two of you are going to talk about.”

“Aw come on.”

“Well… all right. Fine. Here she is.”

“Lydia! Hi, it’s yer uncle Pickles.”

Skwisgaar, Toki and Murderface watched as Pickles proceeded to babble like an idiot to the infant, who, thousands of miles away, regarded the phone worriedly.

“That ish sho meshed up,” said Murderface.

“Its explaining why he nots haves a date in months,” said Skwisgaar, “if dat is how he talks to girls.”

Nathan came out of the bathroom, still wet, wearing only a pair of jeans. He paused, watching Pickles talk utter nonsense to a phone. “Pickles what are you doing?”

Pickles glanced up. “Talking to Lydia.”

Nathan took the phone. “Charles? Did you get a hold of mom? Yeah? What did she say? Uh-huh. Yeah. No that’s total bullshit. Yeah well if she won’t talk to you then I’ll just go straight to the doctor myself and get the information, I mean we tried to do the civil family thing but… if they don’t want to recognize Lydia then we can’t make them. How are you? Yeah?” Nathan’s eyes gleamed, and he grinned wickedly. “So what are you wearing?”

“DOOD!” exclaimed Pickles. “Naht cool, okay? Naht cool!”

Nathan wandered off to talk dirty to Charles. Pickles began rolling another joint, glancing over at Skwisgaar. He did not look well. “Dood you… you’re looking a little thin. I mean even for you.”

“I fine,” said Skwisgaar.

“If you say so,” said Pickles. But he didn’t think Skwisgaar looked fine. He looked thin and pale, and there were times when he seemed addled. Pickles would even swear he’d heard Toki compensating for him tonight. He rolled the joint the joint and lit it, taking a toke before passing it along to Murderface, watching as Skwisgaar lay down on the couch with his head in Toki’s lap and closed his eyes. He’d been sleeping too much, too.

Time to wrap this tour up and get Skwisgaar home.

***---***

“Loz, what are you doing?”

“What’s it look like? I’m sneaking out to see Phoenix.”

Yazoo lowered his book. Reading was still not an easy chore for him, but he was improving under Andy’s guidance. Currently Andy was beside him, the two lounging on the bed as they took a break from studying. Yazoo watched his brother as he changed into his leathers.

“You’re not supposed to be sneaking out.”

“Yeah well I want to.”

Yazoo turned his head to look at Andy.

“Well I’m not going to stop him,” said Andy. “He’s bigger than me and he walks through concrete.”

Loz gave a snort of derision. “You couldn’t stop a mosquito. Skinny dork.”

Yazoo’s eyes narrowed. Andy reached out to stroke Yazoo’s hair.

“Strength isn’t everything, Loz,” said Andy.

“Oh yeah? Prove it. You can’t, can you? Because I can pull your arms off. Well I’m sneaking out and you can’t do anything about it.”

Yazoo and Andy watched as Loz finished dressing, then opened the bedroom window. He leapt out, landing on the ground with a tremendous thud. Yazoo delicately arched one eyebrow.

“Well he showed us, didn’t he?”

“Yes he certainly did,” said Andy. He picked up his cell phone and called a number, waiting for an answer. “Hello Mr. Hewley? This is Andy. Yeah Loz is currently trying to sneak into Phoenix’s room again.” Andy smiled. “You’re welcome.”

Andy closed the cell phone and picked up his book once more. The fun part about having the Hewley/Rhapsodos family just downstairs was Andy and Yazoo got to hear the fallout of Loz’s little inept attempts at playing Romeo. Angeal had no sense of humour when it came to Loz’s actions. He was overprotective by nature, and after spending so many years shielding Genesis and Phoenix from harm he was not inclined to back off now and let some remnant get his beautiful baby in the family way. Phoenix was special. He was a warrior and a healer, a creature of grace and beauty, and Angeal was not about to let him end up spending his life with Lumpy LaRoo.

The downstairs door slammed opened. Loz shrieked. Andy and Yazoo sat on the bed and listened to the sounds of a harried and outraged father tear after an inept teen lover. After a few moments, Phoenix came upstairs to sit with Andy and Yazoo. His long hair was loose, and he was dressed in green silk pyjama bottoms.

“I don’t understand,” said Phoenix. “Every time Loz and I plan to sneak out, the phone rings, and someone tells father what we are doing.”

“That is very strange,” said Yazoo.

“Isn’t it?” said Phoenix, looking puzzled. “Who is telling him? And how would they find out?” He sighed. “I wish father would calm down.”

“You like Loz a lot, don’t you?” said Andy.

“I do. I do like him a lot.” Phoenix sighed again. “But…”

Andy and Yazoo exchanged puzzled glances. “But…?” inquired Andy.

“Oh well he’s fun to have sex with but honestly he’s dumb as a post.”

Andy tried to maintain a straight face. “Really. I had no idea.”

“Oh I know I’m not bright either,” said Phoenix. “But Loz eats cardboard because it gives him horrible gas and then he lights his farts on fire and I’m not sure Mother would approve.”

“Have you asked him to stop?” asked Yazoo.

“Yes but he just says I have no sense of humour. I told him I don’t care if he eats cardboard to get gas and then lights it on fire but he has to stop shoving small animals up his butt so he can see how far he can shoot them. I mean that has to be distressing for the animal.”

“It would certainly cause me distress,” said Andy.

“I don’t care that he’s dumb!” said Phoenix, clearly upset. “But a little refinement would be nice! I’d like him to say please or not blow his nose on his hand or to stop cornering me against things when he wants sex or shoving things up his nose or butt-launching small creatures. I’d like to be able to go out in public with him and not be mortified a thousand times over. He reduces me to tears every day and he always says he’s sorry and I believe he is sorry but then he just does something else!”

“Well…” said Andy. “Maybe Loz is not for you, Phoenix.”

“But he’s my first love,” said Phoenix. “Isn’t the first love the one you hold dear forever?”

“It is,” said Andy. “But that doesn’t mean you and that person are right for each other.”

“But… that’s how it worked out for you and Yazoo.”

Andy turned his head to look into Yazoo’s big green eyes. He reached up to touch his face, then looked at Phoenix once more.

“It doesn’t work that way for everyone. And if what Loz is doing is upsetting you then he needs to understand that.”

Phoenix nodded. “You’re right.”

Loz suddenly appeared at the window, climbing back inside. He was clutching something in one fist. It was screaming and chattering, thrashing a fuzzy red tail with a small piece of black tape on it.

“Wanna see me butt-launch a squirrel?” he asked.

Phoenix stood up. “Loz, you’re annoying. I’m breaking up with you.”

Loz stood in utter shock as Phoenix stood up and flounced out of the room in a swirl of long red hair and green silk. He thrust the squirrel at Andy and followed after Phoenix.

“But…!”

“I’m sick of watching you fart small animals across distances. My mother raised me better than that.”

“Aw your mom is boring.”

“Father this remnant is annoying me.”

“What a coincidence,” said Angeal dryly. “He’s annoying me too.”

“Meanie!”

Andy sighed and released the furious squirrel, which promptly ran out the window. He closed the book he held and set it aside, then laid back on the bed. Yazoo lay down beside him, resting a hand on his chest.

“We won’t break up, will we?” asked Yazoo.

“No,” said Andy. “We have no reason to. We’re happy.” He looked at Yazoo. “Aren’t we?”

Yazoo smiled at him, unspeakably pretty and so fragile-looking. “We are. But I feel so bad for poor Loz.”

“Me too. But he needs to understand that Phoenix was raised differently than he was and just doesn’t find Loz’s antics funny. Phoenix grew up reading poetry and learning to play music and how to paint and write haikus. And Loz…”

“Grew up in a cave with no supervision whatsoever. But I did as well so why am I not like Loz?”

Andy shrugged. “Because everyone is different, and when you were created you were made differently from Loz. You said yourself that you embodied Sephiroth’s sensuality. Loz apparently embodies his hidden desire to shove small animals up his butt.”

Yazoo laughed. “But Loz really likes Phoenix,” said Yazoo, running the tip of one finger over Andy’s lips. “Can’t you help Loz?”

Andy groaned. “Yazzy have you ever seen ‘My Fair Lady’?”

“No I don’t like carnivals.”

Andy winced inwardly. “It’s a movie about a man who takes a cockney woman and turns her into a proper lady.”

“Well I don’t want Loz to be a lady I just want to make it so Phoenix will like him again.” He snuggled closer to Andy, gently kissing him, fluttering his long white eyelashes. “Please?” he whispered.

Complicated. His life was just too damned complicated.

“All right. I’ll try. But I’m not making any promises! Loz has to want to change.”

“I understand.”

Andy smiled at Yaz, rolling towards him, drawing him into his arms. He kissed him softly. “And you won’t be mad if I can’t fix him?”

“No.”

“Good. Okay. For you I will try.”

Andy and Yazoo settled together to enjoy a little necking in peace. The bickering downstairs was quiet and of no consequence. Andy ran his hand down the graceful curve of Yazoo’s back, wondering if they really would be together forever. Certainly what he had felt like forever. He couldn’t see life without Yazoo, and Yazoo had never showed the smallest bit of interest in leaving. But Andy also realized he was only sixteen, and people change. Still… it would be nice if he and Yazoo really were destined to be together forever…

Phoenix said something sharply, and Loz shouted back. Then there was a crash, and Kin screamed in fear and pain. Andy and Yaz sat up abruptly.

“Oh Loz what did you do?” asked Yazoo fearfully. Before he and Andy were even off the bed they heard Loz shout an apology just seconds before Reno hit him like a bolt of damnation. Loz was flung out the window onto the grass, and when Andy ran to the window to see what was going on he saw Loz locked in mortal combat with something like looked like the offspring of a dragon and an eagle

“Is that Reno?” asked Andy.

“I don’t know,” said Yazoo. “It might be. Big Brother shape-shifts like that if he is angry enough. Reno has his blood. It seems he would have that ability. I am going downstairs to find out what happened.”

They went downstairs to find a hellish mess. Once more Cloud’s villa would need repairs and restorations. The large bow window had been completely destroyed when Reno threw Loz through it. The little antique cradle Reno would put Kin in to keep her close when she was feeling fussy was in bits, and Kin herself was currently crying loudly into Phoenix’s hair as he held and comforted her. She had a red bump on her forehead but seemed fine.

“What happened?” asked Andy.

Angeal sighed. “Oh, idiocy. Phoenix told Loz he wasn’t going to give him another chance and Loz had a tantrum and kicked something. Unfortunately what he kicked was Kin’s cradle.”

“Whoops,” said Andy. “Is she okay?”

“Little scared, and she’s got a bump. But I don’t think Loz lives here anymore.”

Genesis put a hand on his husband’s back. “You better go out there and pull Reno off, Loz doesn’t have a chance.”

“I’ll help,” said Yazoo.

“No,” said Angeal. “Just stay here.”

Angeal went out to break up the fight, which was in truth more of a beating. Loz was only too happy to retreat once Angeal gave him a chance, and fled into the night. Reno stared after him like a starving dog, eyes blazing, great red-edged wings raised. He was shivering with wrath.

“Calm down,” said Angeal. “It’s okay. No harm done. Let’s get inside.”

Reno growled, slowly reverting to his normal form. “I don’t care if it was an accident! He’s not staying here any longer!”

“Look just go inside,” said Angeal quietly. “I’ll take him to Nibelheim, he can help Sephiroth chase monsters. Okay?”

Reno growled quietly. Angeal looked to Yazoo.

“Yazzy can you pack Loz’s things for him? I’m taking him to Nibelheim.”

Yazoo nodded and went to do as he was asked. Reno went into the house and took his baby from Phoenix, satisfying himself that she had a small bruise and nothing more. Holding her close, he turned to look at the shattered bow window and sighed.

“Cloud and I may as well move into an abandoned house.”

“We’ll get it fixed,” said Angeal. “Cloud will never know.”

“Well he’s going to notice his daughter has a goose egg on her forehead, yo!”

Phoenix stepped forward, raising one small hand to Kin’s brow, touching the bruise. Slowly it faded away, until there was no sign of it. Kin stopped crying, pondering the odd sensation of Phoenix healing her bump.

“Thank you Phoenix,” said Reno quietly.

The boy stepped back. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault.”

“It’s not your fault,” said Genesis. “He can’t be throwing careless tantrums because things do not go his own way. But he’s not coming near you again.”

Phoenix’s eyes grew large. “But…!”

“No ‘buts’, Phoenix. He could have easily killed that baby and all over a petty tantrum. I won’t have my children exposed to that.”

“But I like him!”

“Like him?” said Angeal. “You just dumped him!”

“Well that doesn’t mean I never want to see him again!”

Angeal rolled his eyes, wondering what cruel deity had saddled him with teenagers.

“Well this time it does,” said Genesis. “I won’t have violent people in my house.”

Phoenix lowered his head, nodding. Yazoo came downstairs with a bag for Loz. As Angeal went to get the car, Yazoo walked over to his brother. Loz was bruised and deeply upset. He wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand as he saw Yazoo.

“So what’s going to happen?” Loz asked.

“They’re taking you to Nibelheim to hunt monsters with Big Brother. Reno doesn’t want you in the house anymore, and Angeal and Genesis have forbidden Phoenix to see you.”

Loz wiped at his face once more, still sniffling. “Aw Phoenix doesn’t like me anyway.”

“No,” said Yazoo quietly. “Phoenix likes you a lot. He told me so. But you don’t respect him and it hurts his feelings.”

“I respect him! What’s respect mean?”

“It means when he asks you not to stick a squirrel up your ass you don’t do it.”

“But he never lets me have any fun! I don’t understand any of this! Why do you have a boyfriend? If I can’t have one then you can’t either.”

Yazoo sighed. “Loz, you can’t have things all your own way all the time. If you love a person you have to compromise. You have to share, and you have to respect them.”

“Well I don’t want to,” said Loz, crossing his arms.

“And you have to say you are sorry to Reno and Kin.”

“Nuh-uh. Reno punched me.”

Yazoo blinked in surprise. “Loz you could have killed Kin.”

“Well so what! He could make another!”

Yazoo was horrified. He knew Loz could be difficult during tantrums, but this was not ‘difficult’. This was callous.

“Loz, you…”

“Everyone is being mean to me! I don’t care if they’re mad. They started it.”

Yazoo cocked his head, blinking at his brother. “Loz, we are not in the cave anymore. We have to try to fit in.”

“Well maybe I don’t wanna! Maybe I want Kadaj back, and Mother. At least then I understood how things worked.”

Yazoo did the only thing he could think of to bring Loz back into line. He abruptly severed their psychic link. He watched as Loz flinched in shock and hurt.

“I will be back when you can behave,” Yazoo said coolly, and walked away.

***---***

Cid was slowly climbing his way up the elevator shaft. Above him was Zack, peering down worriedly. Below him was thirty feet of nothing that ended in a pile of debris. In between was a lot of decomposing structure and a dangerous climb.

“Just a little further,” said Zack. “You’re just about there.”

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me.”

“Just be careful, okay? These boards are in pretty bad shape.”

“I know, okay? Just stop nagging me!”

Zack fell silent, watching nervously as Cid climbed foot by foot up the shaft, carefully testing boards before putting his weight on them. Zack leaned forward, holding his hand out to him.

“Come on, Cid. You can do it.”

Cid grumbled. He reached up to test the next board, and was startled when it crumbled like sand. He felt his body begin to fall backwards and grabbed for the next plank, only to have it pull free of the nails.

“Cid!” Zack screamed, and lunged forward, thrusting down his hand in a desperate attempt to catch Cid. He felt the tips of his fingers brush against Cid’s, a fleeting caress of skin on skin, then Cid was gone, plunging down into the darkness. After a second that seemed to last forever there was a sickening thud.

“Cid!” Zack screamed.

Barret’s voice called out of the darkness. “Zack?”

“Yeah!”

“Get help! The crazy bastard’s really done it to himself this time!”

Zack nodded. “I’ll be back as fast as I can!”

“Hurry!”

Zack tore off, heading back for the upper levels of the house. Damn he wished this dump would just burn down.