Interlude II

    It's funny how three years can pass like nothing.

    Both Reeve and Tseng had kept up their relationships, even though Reeve was growing slightly weary of Scarlet and Tseng spoke less frequently of the Jenova fused man. Their friendship, however, had only grown stronger, and they trusted one another completely.

    There were the same problems involving his family and the company, but he ignored them for the most part.

    "How old is your little friend Tseng now?" Scarlet asked as she handcuffed Reeve to the bed post. "I heard he just had a birthday."

    "Eighteen," Reeve said a bit warily. He watched her tighten the cuffs around his wrist. "Um...Scarlet...I'm not so sure about this."

    She laughed. He cringed. "I only want to be dominating over you this one time, Reevy. Don't worry. I won't leave you here." She laughed again.

    He cringed again and frowned. "You're always dominating me," he mumbled. But he surrendered to her anyway.

    Only this time she had two packages.

    "Here," she offered, tossing on onto Reeve's bare stomach. "You've been uptight lately."

    "Have not," he protested as he sat up, pack in hand. "I don't need this or want it."

    She took a drag on hers and waved his hand away as he tried to hand it back to her. "Just keep it. You might want it later."

    With a sigh, he held onto it.

    Reeve ran his fingers through his wet hair as he climbed out of the pool. The company gym was a highlight of the building, and only those in distinguished positions could make use of it.

    "Hey, Reeve!"

    He turned and smiled as he saw Tseng jogging towards him. He too was clad in swim trunks.

    "There you are, birthday boy!" Reeve gave his friend a good natured punch in the arm. "Where have you been?"

    Tseng grinned, a twinkle in his eye. He became a completely different person when he was off duty. "Where *haven't* I been."

    Reeve laughed and said with a fake exaggerated groan, "off celebrating with *Sephiroth* no doubt. Now that you're finally *legal*." He chuckled. "Not that that's ever stopped you before."

    "Go ahead and make fun of me," The Turk pretended to be offended as he crossed his arms. "And I was going to tell you you looked hot in your bathing suit."

    Reeve broke out into more laughter. "Nice try, but that kind of flattery doesn't work on me." He turned and started walking towards the locker room.

    Tseng followed. "Why don't you take a swim with me?"

    "Me? I just finished. I'm an old man! I can't do any more laps! I might keel over!"

    "An old man?! You're 24!!"

    "I sit behind a desk all day. I'm not used to movement." He smiled as he opened his locker. "But you go ahead. Take a swim. Continue your never ending quest to become Sephiroth."

    "You're still ratting on me because I decided to grow my hair out? It's just to my shoulders, not my waist. And besides...." the young Turk leaned onto the adjoining locker with a dreamy sigh. "I could never have a body like that."

    Reeve chuckled as he began to dry himself off with his towel. "You don't look too bad," he joked. "You might even attract girls with those muscles."

    Tseng smiled but said nothing as he silently observed Reeve drying himself off.

    Reeve stole a few looks over at his friend, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Is he checking me out? He thought frantically. No... Tseng would never do that. He knows better. "What?" Reeve joked, pulling his shirt over his head and closing his locker. "Can't think of a witty reply?"

    The half smile remained on Tseng's lips as he said in all seriousness, "You look good, Reeve. Really."

    The two men met eyes.

    "Thanks," Reeve replied, a little breathless.

    Tseng broke the eye contact and he looked away with a shy smile. "Look, why don't you stop by my office later and we can celebrate my birthday."

    "Sure," Reeve agreed. Grin reappearing he added, "But if you're expecting me to bring something alcoholic, dream on. You're still under age for that."

    "You said it yourself." Tseng's smiled reappeared full force as he headed towards the pool. "The legal thing's never stopped me before."

    Reeve just laughed.

    That's when he heard familiar voices arguing from inside. He froze to listen.

    "Get off me, Scarlet," Tseng ordered, sounding fed up. "What would Reeve think?"

    "He doesn't have to know," she purred. "Now come, Tseng. There's no use in pretending you don't want me."

    "No, Scarlet, actually---" Tseng yelped in surprise, startling Reeve, who dropped one of the glasses.

    Thankfully he had been smart and brought plastic. At lightning speed he picked it up and walked into the office. He knew *exactly* what she had done to make Tseng yelp. And he also knew she would be pleasantly surprised.

    "Reeve!" Tseng called out thankfully, zipping up his pants and getting away from Scarlet.

    "Scarlet." Reeve glared at her.

    The older woman was besides herself. "I don't get it!" she exclaimed, jaw nearly on the floor. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

    "I'm gay," Tseng said in all seriousness.

    Her eyes narrowed. "Well...." her eyes focused on Reeve. "Reeve....come see me later."

    He barely nodded and watched in amazement as she left, slamming the door behind her.

    "I'm sorry, Reeve," Tseng rushed. "She came in her muttering things about how I was finally legal and was trying to come onto me."

    "It's all right, Tseng," Reeve answered absently, eyes glued to the door in shock. "Sephiroth was right. She really *is* a whore."

    "I'm sorry.... He isn't usually wrong, Reeve," Tseng pointed out.

    Reeve spun suddenly and placed the bottle and glasses on the desk. "Look, I lied. I brought champagne."

    Tseng chuckled. "Reeve...are you trying to get me drunk?" He winked.

    No... Reeve thought, pouring his glass to the brim. I'm trying to do it to myself.

    Reeve was pretty woozy by the time he headed for Scarlet's room. He couldn't believe she had gone after Tseng--his best friend of all people--*and* she had the nerve to say he'd never find out.

    Mumbling profanities he knocked on Scarlet's door and leaned against the wall, suddenly tired. Scarlet answered the door in her underwear. "Oh. Hello, Reeve."

    "What the hell was that back there?!" he exclaimed, ignoring the face that she was scantily clad. "Why were you trying to bed Tseng? I thought we were...you know..."

    "Reeve, Reeve, Reeve," she sighed. "You're not saying you want to leave me, do you?"

    "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't."

    She grinned and pulled him inside. As soon as he was inside he knew she had won. And he hated himself for being so weak.

    "Oh, I believe I can give you more than one."

    She shut the door.

    Tseng asked where he was going, and he had told him the truth.

    "Oh," Tseng had said, frowning a little. "You don't seem to sure about this."

    Reeve had shaken his head, avoiding his friend's eyes. "Yeah well..."

    "I'll be here," Tseng   had said suddenly, putting a hand on Reeve's shoulder and squeezing slightly. "I'll be here, Reeve, if you want to talk to me. Just call me, okay?"

    Reeve had only nodded slightly, glad for the reassurance.

    Now here he was, standing outside his old house. It had been a long time since he had actually been back here. Still, the house, and the materia shop, looked exactly the same, as though he hadn't left at all.

    With trembling fingers he knocked, contemplating turning back and going back home as his heart beat wildly in his chest. I'm crazy, he thought, don't this out of nowhere. I've never been so compulsive.

    When the door opened it took all his energy not to pass out as the blood rushed to his head, making him incredibly dizzy. "Dad...."

    His father blinked back at him, clearly shocked. "Reeve?"

    "Yeah, it's me." He was unsure of what else to say. "Hello."

    "Why did you come here?"

    Reeve frowned as the dizzy feeling continued. Clearly his father was not happy to see him. "I came because...because...because this is my home." He stammered, unsure of why that question had been posed in the first place.

    "That city is your home now. Not this little town." His father's voice was so cold it could have froze molten lava.

    "Huh?" the word slipped past his lips. "Why--"

    "Go home, Reeve." His father went to shut the door. "You don't belong here."

    Reeve fumed, suddenly coming alive and he stuck out his hand to stop the door from closing. "Why do you hate me? Why? What did I ever do except try and succeed? I don't understand!" He felt tears brimming in his eyes, but he held them back.

    His father's eyes narrowed. "I think *you're* the one who doesn't understand, Reeve. But you will. Just remember you named it after her." He shoved his son's hand away. "Now leave here. Maybe I'll have the stomach to speak with you another time." With those words the door was slammed shut.

    Reeve stood like a statue, chin quivering as the sound of the slamming door echoed in his ears. Why? Why can't he just *tell* me?! Just remember you named it after her... Of course I did! How could I ever forget!! He was too confused to yell and too sad to cry. Finally rediscovering movement, he did what he was told and turned to go home.

    What does he mean I don't understand. Is he bashing my city? I worked hard on it! Everything is fine! Just fine! Stupid bastard. He's just jealous. Jealous that he's stuck in that shitty materia shop his whole life where I've rose to better things.

    He rode the elevator back up to his office and nearly rammed right into Tseng.

    "Oh, hello, Reeve." He smiled for a moment, but then frowned when he saw Reeve wasn't smiling back. "What's wrong?" He walked into the elevator and shut the doors. "What happened when you went home, Reeve?"

    The older man turned away from him, looking down at the city he had built. "Is it bad, Tseng?"

    "Is what bad?"

    "My city. It isn't bad, is it?"

    Tseng hesitated and placed his hands on Reeve's shoulders. "Are you all right, Reeve?"

    "There's something wrong, isn't there?" Reeve turned, pushing the young man away from him. "Why won't anyone tell me what it is?" Tears burned in his eyes as they narrowed. "What are all you bastards hiding from me?! What's the big secret?! Huh? What is it?"

    Tseng blinked, his own eyes filling with tears at Reeve's sharp words. "I...I...it's just that..." he removed a few folded pages from his pocket. "Maybe you better read this, Reeve."

    Reeve snatched it from his friend's hand and unfolded it quickly, his eyes gliding ravenously over the page. "The Midgar report?! Why didn't I get this? I build the fucking thing and I don't even get the god damn report on it."

    Tseng sniffled quietly and said, "please, Reeve. Just read it."

    He did. Reeve read it, his anger subsiding as his inside froze. As he finished he couldn't believe all he had just absorbed. His shaking hands dropped the the papers and he looked at Tseng for support. "Tseng....why....why is everyone so poor? I thought...I thought Shinra was going to take care of them...." His eyes pleaded with his friend, as though he alone had all the answers.

    Tseng shook his head slowly. "I....I don't know, Reeve. I can't answer that question."

    "They're.....suffering?" Reeve turned back to the window and looked down at the city he had built. Just remember you named it after her, his father had said. I think *you're* the one who doesn't understand. "I...." He ran a shaky hand through his hair. "I...I never thought for a second...." he looked over his shoulder at the young Turk, eyes dripping silent tears. "They....they lied to me?"

    Tseng moved quickly, hugging Reeve tight, resting his head against his back, arms around his waist. "It will all get better, Reeve. You'll talk to them. They'll see. They'll fix it. Everything will be like you wanted it. Just like you dreamed it."

    Reeve stared down at Midgar, and even though it was blurry behind the tears he could see the poverty. How can anyone be happy living in this? "Aw, shit," he growled, angry with himself. "This is my fault. I haven't been paying attention."

    "You're a good person, Reeve," Tseng said, "you have to watch out for the people. You're the only one who will."

    Reeve had a sinking feeling that Tseng was right. He covered the younger man's hands absently with his own, eyes still having a blurry focus on the city below. And suddenly, for the first time since he stepped foot inside the building, Reeve was not happy to work for Shinra.

    "Oh, the population is growing rapidly," President Shinra had said. "It's hard to care for everyone. But don't worry, Reeve. We'll get on it right away."

    "Gya haa haa!" Heidegger had laughed in his face. "They're happy! After all, they have the Shinra army to protect them."

    "Don't get so strung up on it, Reevy," Scarlet had purred. "Have one of those cigarettes I gave you. Everything's fine."

    He felt defeated.

    But maybe, there was a nagging voice in the back of his mind, but maybe everything will get better, just as Tseng said it would.

    Tseng... Speaking of the Turk, he had been acting quite strange lately. Reeve had tried to question him about his odd behavior, but the young man had always shrugged it off saying he was fine. It was unlike Tseng not to talk about what was bothering him.

    Reeve's head were in his hands that day as he tried not to think about how maybe his father was right. About maybe how Midgar was a little bad. I'm sorry mother...

    A soft knocking at the door brought him back to reality and he looked up. "Come in," he called weakly.

    Tseng peered in and then stepped inside, gently closing the door behind him. "I need to talk to you."

    Reeve cleared his throat. "It's about time," he replied. "I wondered what was bothering you."

    But Tseng did not sit across from Reeve in the chair he usually did. Instead he came over besides Reeve and kneeled on the floor before him, eyes looking uncertain.

    "Tseng?" Reeve questioned. He went to get up, but Tseng gently pushed him back into his chair.

    "I am no longer with Sephiroth."

    Reeve was shocked. "What happened?" his jaw fell open. "I thought you were in love with him."

    The Turk shook his head slowly, looking down at the carpeting instead of at Reeve. "No... I... I never loved him. I worshipped him, but I never loved him." He swallowed, his hands gripping the carpet as he spoke. "And he never loved me. You see...we loved other people... Him, someone from the past. Me, someone I can't have."

    "Tseng..." Reeve reached down and lifted the younger man's chin and forced their eyes to meet. "What are you saying?"

    "He said I should say it. That I should come out and say and not be afraid because you wouldn't hate me for it. Sephiroth said that, at least."

    Reeve froze as the realization washed over him. He said nothing as Tseng's words hit his ears.

    "I'm in love with you, Reeve. I have been for a long time. And I just.... I just...." there were tears in his eyes again. "Gods, I can never stop crying." He wiped at his eyes before continuing. "I don't expect you to do anything, Reeve. I don't expect anything from you. I just... I just thought you should know." He hung his head. "I just hope I don't lose your friendship."

    Reeve was unable to move and he stared straight ahead feeling as if for a moment he didn't exist. "No," he said finally. "No, Tseng. You can never lose my friendship. Out of everyone in the the world....I care about you the most." He looked down at the young man. "Really."

    The young Turk wiped at his eyes. "Really, Reeve?"

    Without even thinking Reeve took one of his friend's hands in his, interlacing their fingers and meeting him eye to eye. "Yeah. Even if I can't love you like that."

    A shaky smile made it way to Tseng's lips. "Thank you, Reeve. All I need in this world is your friendship. I love you so much."

    "Come here." Reeve slid to the floor and took his friend in his arms, holding him close. Tseng buried his head in Reeve's shoulder.

    "I won't say it anymore, Reeve," he said, "I promise. I know it must make you uncomfortable. So I won't say it. But I want you to know.... That even if your family doesn't love you, I do."

    Reeve wanted so badly to tell Tseng that it didn't bother him at all, in fact, that was just what he needed to hear and he never wanted to stop hearing it. Instead he just nodded, a single droplet trickling from his eye. He didn't have the strength to admit all this, which would have probably sent any other heterosexual guy screaming down the hall, didn't bother him in the least.

    He was jerked awake, and he again realized that he had been dozing off at his desk. Was he *that* exhausted? Tseng stood in his door, looking a bit timid, a stack of papers in hand. "Oh. Hello."

    "Sorry to wake you."

    He chuckled, laughing mostly at himself. "I shouldn't have been sleeping anyway. What's that you have there?"

    "The Midgar reports." He slowly approached the other man's desk and placed the stack upon it. "I thought you might want to read it."

    Reeve stopped breathing as he glanced at the pile. "Yes. I have to read it. Thank you, Tseng."

    "I'll leave you alone." Tseng said quietly. And sure enough he turned and left.

    He could only stare at the pile as if it were a rotting corpse and not a stack of file paper. He was so tense he could barely move. What would they say this time? He had a sinking feeling the news was only worse, and not better at all. It turned his stomach to think he would have to read about it. That he would have to know that *he* caused this suffering because he believed them. He had been sucked in, just like they had.

    He nearly laughed at himself again. Here he was, coming to conclusions before even reading a word of it. Still.... If he wasn't sure of the content, why couldn't he move to read it?

    Maybe Scarlet was right. Maybe he was tense. He could feel his muscles clenched in hard knots every time he tried to move. He was so nervous.... He needed to relax, and there was only one place he could turn from that.

    He moved unsurely, reaching for the package of cigarettes that had laid almost forgotten in his desk drawer. "Just keep it," she had said. "You might want it later." Heh. If only she knew how badly.

    He lit it slowly and took a long, slow drag on it. He didn't cough as he inhaled, breathing the foul smelling smoke out and watching it disintegrate. Immediately he could feel his muscles relaxing, as if with every breath he let out he was letting out some of anxious feelings. Taking another drag he picked up the pages, and set his eyes upon the words.

    What bullshit, he thought. I've been kidding myself. If the news was so good, why didn't I get a copy?