Took me another 3 months but here's chapter 3 and I'm still not entirely sure how this one's going to go D:
Take it away Zack!
Disclaimer: Rufus is too scary for me to confront about taking Reno with me, I need to think about this one. The characters therefore belong to Square and the story idea belongs to me.
I have three words to start this off…
I. Hate. Mornings.
I'm not a morning person, despite my usual cheery personality, seeing me being woken up by a blaring alarm clock at 9a.m is not the prettiest sight. Not to mention I now have to buy another clock since I've just propelled the previously beeping one off the bedroom wall where an array of small dents have appeared, inflicted by the corners of my clocks- may they all rest in peace.
I grumble, a scowl fixed onto my face and my brows furrowed, my normal array of black spikes now sticking up profusely in almost every direction, so much so that someone may as well have stuck my hand in a plug socket while I was asleep.
Now my phone's ringing, which means Tifa's ready to face my morning wrath, though she was used to it by now bless her soul. The only other person to have received my blunt anti-morning force was Reno. He knows never to call me before midday on a weekend again. "Hello?" My voice was groggy, and cracked with my dry morning throat -I hadn't drank anything since that beer last night.
"Morning big brother." Oh, and Tifa has this 'being sweet to Zack in the morning so he'll go shopping for me' thing, and she does it pretty well. Reno should learn it. "Have you got the list?"
I rolled my eyes, having this 'phone and making coffee' multitasking business down to a tee, no one say men can't multitask! "Looking at it now," I said after putting the kettle on and picking the paper off the table, scanning it and scoffing when I notice 'alarm clock' written on the list. "You know, even though you're my sister, sometimes it just freaks me out how well you know me." She giggles on the other end of the line as I pour the water into the cup with the coffee granules and for the only time during the day I drink the coffee black. Don't ask me why I do, or can do that. Any other time drinking black coffee makes me sick, the stuff's way too bitter, I think it's because my stomach's still too asleep to notice I'm drinking it. Also I can't drink milk in the morning. It's weird.
"Well someone's got to look after you," she said and I laughed only because she was right.
"Yeah, yeah. Just leave everything to me I'll be back before you know it," I smiled, though obviously she couldn't see it, but I know she knew I was doing it.
"Ok, thanks again Zack, I'll see you later."
"See you Tifa," I flipped my phone shut and sighed, everything was quiet again and before I could give it a chance to set I moved from the kitchen and into the living room, switching on my CD player as I went and grinning at the rock music. Silence really wasn't my thing.
After getting dressed -and frowning at my half cup of cold coffee before pouring it down the sink- I picked up my keys, phone and list, heading down to my car and towards town for a long day of shopping.
*******
I immediately pressed my fingers against my temples once there. Too many people in such a small street and I didn't want to be here in the first place. Tifa better be grateful for this, not to mention I just saw someone my senses were telling me was going to bug me all the way around these god forsaken shops. "Yo Zack!" Dammit, I didn't even get the chance to plan out my escape route.
"Hey Reno," a little unenthusiastic but he was used to that by now. I mean, I like the guy, he's one of my best friends but hell he knew how to talk. Not to mention he's dating Rufus Shinra and trust me that's a relationship you do not want to hear about.
"Tifa got you running errands again?" He laughed and I nodded.
"As always, it'd be nice to have a day off once in a while." It was more than likely he was going to mock me for this. As Reno would say Tifa had me on a leash, but she's my sister, why would I say no to helping her? The answer to that would always be some crude comment about me being too submissive and that would affect my relationships. I beg to differ.
"I noticed you have your collar on today that's why I asked," I deftly flipped him off and started walking, but not without Reno tagging along. "I'm bored."
"You always say that, I think you just want to spend time with sexy ol' Zack," I smirked and he rolled his eyes as usual. Trust me this isn't flirting, the very idea makes both of us cringe if not vomit depending on what is said.
"Are you kidding me? If Rufus wasn't at work I'd be out of here in a flash spending some quality time with him."
"Don't want to know Reno." See what I mean? After all he does own the entire corporation, when I think of looking up to his as a professional I never imagined Reno being there like two love birds. Remind me not to think that again, my stomach can't take it.
"So what is it today? More alcohol, food, underwear?" I gagged at the thought and punched him in the arm. Hard.
"That's my sister you ass," I warned him as he rubbed his sore arm, making me grin at the thought of causing him pain, he deserved worse than just a punch in the arm but I don't want to get arrested for public violence, even if it would be Reno who would bail me out. "If you're going to tag along just keep your mouth shut or I'll make you carry this stuff back with me and tell Tifa what you've been saying about her."
He gave me a confused look, "I've been insulting you, not her."
"But Tifa doesn't know that, and of course she'll believe her dear big brother over your sleazy ass." That shut him up much to my relief, at least for a little while.
"Look Reno you're going to make me gag you and push you off a cliff any second so why don't you save us both the mess and sod off." A little brutal? Maybe, but there's something I failed to mention earlier, Reno and I have known each other for… twenty years?! Oh god now I feel old and depressed.
"That's ok I gotta run anyway my quality time starts soon."
"Reno, Jesus dude I said I didn't want to know."
"Oh I know, I just like to see you squirm," Reno smirked and I sighed, why I put up with this guy I'll never know. My attention pulled away from Reno, hoping he would just go away, but as my eyes scanned the crowd something drew my attention which I didn't expect to see today. "Hey Zack, finally die on your feet?" I heard Reno ask me but I didn't respond, there was a familiar blond in my sights and I hadn't actually noticed I'd stopped still until the pest beside me brought it to my attention. "Oh, nice blond maybe I've been looking at the wrong guy these past few years."
Yeah, that grabbed my attention alright. "Back off," I warned him but he only smirked at me.
"Whatever man I'm leaving anyway, have fun fishing," he waved as he walked away.
Ok so I didn't tell him to back off for the total fact that I liked this particular blond, more for said blonde's best interests. I know what Reno's like. Maybe I should say hi. Looking at him he seemed unhappy, even stressed and before I knew it I was walking towards him, it seemed my body didn't want my mind to lend a hand right now. "Hey," I greeted and he was without a doubt shocked, it seems he expected to see me just as much as I expected to see him here. "Fancy meeting you here," I continued after a gruelling silence though I definitely could have said something better than that.
"Yeah," he replied, thankfully, I was worried he was just going to all out bale on me or something. Though a little more enthusiasm wouldn't have gone a miss.
"So you're shopping too huh?" I asked, though that was obvious considering he was holding a good number of bags in his hands. Why was I being like this anyway? It wasn't like me to get so nervous and these definitely were nerves doing this to me. "Are you still busy shopping?" I asked after he nodded. Where are you going with this Zack? I don't know what's going on and I'm your mind.
"No, I'm finally finished," I could tell he was relieved by that and it made me smile a little.
"Do you want to grab some coffee with me?"
…Say what? Did I really just say that so straight out? Well great. Good going Zack you're loosing your cool! Way to be forward!… Please say yes.
"Sure," his small smile was sweet and made my heart skip as I grinned back at him.
"Great, lets go."
VIIVIIVII
Why won't my heart stop racing?
"So you're pretty new around here, if you ever need a tour guide I'd be happy to help you out," no one's ever smiled at me like that before.
…He changes everything.
A/N: Yeah... next one will be more interesting.
I write too many coffee scenes :/
Cloud's turn next. (:
Thanks for reading and please review! 3
Kit~