Don't Play With Fire (Turks FFVII)

XII) Junon

"Gods, what happened to you?" Elena demands, staring at the stains on my arm and the bandage on my face that's surrounded by a bright red bruise. The elixir worked wonders beyond Marx's poking and prodding, but I'm still achy and tired. When I try to head to my office without answering, Rude steps into my path, raising my arm and shooting me a stern look. Tseng's face is almost a mirror image of his when I pull away, rolling my eyes.

"What happened?" he asks.

"Nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing."

"Let it go," I snap, trying to step around him. He doesn't let me and Tseng calls my name. #$%^.

"With me. Now."

Irritated, I follow him across the lobby to his office and slam the door shut behind me. That felt good. Tseng sighs and I notice that he's tied the top of his hair out of his face.

"Trying a new style?" I ask, hoping that he'll let it be.

"Kat, what did you do?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Rufus. What did you do?" he stares hard at his desk, shoulders tense and movements stiff.

"Nothing."

"You're telling me that is for nothing."

"Yeah—"

"Marx said otherwise."

"Tyler told you?" I demand, huffing and hugging my jacket closer. Tseng raises an eyebrow, glancing up at me.

"Was he not supposed to?"

"No, he wasn't." I pull my hair down and ruffle it like a disgruntled bird.

"Why?"

"Rufus—" I shake my head. "Look, he was just making a point about fear, okay? I'm fine and it won't happen again."

"It took physical abuse to get you on the same page," he scoffs, sitting down. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me.

"Just don't say anything to him," I huff, opening his door and hurrying out, irritable.

The next two days consist of slowly accumulating more uniforms from Omid, avoiding getting killed by Elixir, letting Reno rant to me from his bed, and playing servant to Rufus. It feels like an eternity later that I'm climbing into the copilot's seat in a Shinra helicopter with Reno in the pilot's and a whole cargo of people in the back. Namely, the rest of the Turks and Rufus, the new President Shinra. And to think he's my age. What a privileged little... Sighing, I shake my head. We're just waiting on Elena. Still, I'm grateful that the plans changed; now Heidegger has his own ride and the rest of us are going together.

"Can we just tie Elena to the roof?" I ask, leaning back in my seat. Reno snorts and Tseng scowls.

"No."

"But why? It'd make the ride a lot quieter."

"Kat."

"Fine," I sigh, rolling my eyes when Reno snickers. Quickly, he turns to face Tseng.

"Hey, why couldn't Rude be up here with me? She's annoying as #$%^."

"Re!" I protest, punching his arm. Tseng already looks like he regrets his decision to put us together. Rufus looks just as irritated, if not more, glaring at the window.

"Because she hasn't flown in a long time."

"Yeah, if anything that means she shouldn't be up here." He jerks his head toward Rufus. "Not with the new prez on board."