As I drove, the truck's old engine roared, cutting through any silence this place had hoped to have in this already noisy night of the thunder and bright lightning. This night seemed to predict an omen. The mundane weather and dreary advanced darkness outside my windshield, the surroundings the very definition of the word catacomb. Why Kadaj and Yazoo would move this far away from civilization was anyone's guess, however, putting the pieces to the puzzle together, the two of them felt as though they had little to no choice, the two of them carrying more of Sephiroth than any of us had, unlike Leonard and I created from a human birth, unfortunate enough to come in contact with the very cells that drove a man to insanity, Kadaj and his brothers were the remnants of the very man that had dove deep into insanity upon hearing of his birth, but in his defense who wouldn't come to that conclusion when he had been handed the madness of his kind of upbringing, the man or anyone in the same position who could handle it differently would be a better man than myself should I be dealt the hand that he had been dealt. Not knowing the feelings of love or kindness. I suppose it would down any man, no matter their status in this cold and cruel planet we call earth, where hearts always break, and sickness and corruption fill the body. A planet that love has no meaning. I suppose it could have said effects on anyone's mind. The howl of a coyote came and disappeared behind a loud roar of thunder as lightning lit up the cab of the old truck. As soon as I could leave the land of fiends and surrounded by people, I felt much more relieved. The howling of the wind picked up, a mighty roar, one that might tear the homes from their foundations, this was perhaps the wrong night to be traveling in this weather, the wind and the sandy paths were never a good combination, not for anyone, not even for the most experienced drivers, and judging from what my eyes could gather from this lifeless land, I had just begun my journey, there was no end of the sand and darkness in sight.
Because of the old trucks clock no longer working, I did not know the time it was until I now stood in front of a large structure that towered overhead, a building gray, with sparse lighting, the downstairs light dim compared to the lights of the business' surrounding it. As I made my way up the few steps of the apartment complex, I sighed. Looking at the call box to see that Kadaj and Yazoo lived in here, in the room 330. As the door shut close with a loud click, I stepped inside. As I went to the elevator, I stepped in and pressed the floor I wanted. Upon arriving at the floor, the elevators chimed as I walked from them, walking down the hall. The sound of voices coming from ahead had alerted me. The voices were familiar, those of Yazoo and Kadaj. It was late. What were the two of them doing still awake? As I got to them, their chatter stopped as they turned to face me, causing me to stop in my tracks, returning their gaze. Kadaj sighed, as Yazoo didn't seem thrilled to see me, but unlike Kadaj, who made his detest of me obvious, Yazoo smiled. "Ah, Nicolae. What brings you here, at this hour? The weather is something else. It's not driving weather."
"I brought some food to Kadaj, and to apologize to the two of you for how I have acted towards the two of you. It wasn't kind."
The boys looked at me. "No, it wasn't kind, Nicolae. But a call would have sufficed. We were getting ready to leave." Yazoo said, crossing his arms, leaning to the side, looking at me.
"You two are leaving at this time of night? Where could the two of you be off to at this hour?"
"Yazoo has plans with a girl, and me I have work. It's five in the morning, if you have to know, you may have showed up, but I have a life to live and you will not stop my life from happening, keep your food, I'd rather starve than to take anything you have to bring, I'm not willing to wave a food peace flag."
"Kadaj, you can't give him five minutes. I'm not the happiest person with this man myself, but he has driven here. Hear him out. You don't have to take the food. It's not required, no need to be nasty."
"The food wasn't from me, it's from Charmaine, Kadaj. You can't take your hatred for me out on Charmaine, she never kicked you out of the house, that was all me. I'm sure if she were living with me, she wouldn't have let it go on. Why do you have to hate her?"
Kadaj glared at me. "I have nothing against her, Nicolae, I have nothing against Aria either. It's you I can't stand, those two are too good to be around you." he sighed, leaning against the wall. "I have work in an hour. Say whatever you need to say and do whatever you want. I have no interest in whatever you ask."
"Please forgive me for my actions towards both of you." I spoke.
Kadaj rolled his eyes, folding his arms over his chest. "Did your girlfriend send you here to say that you? Couldn't you have come up with that on your own?" He looked at Yazoo. "There he said why he came here, and I chose not to forgive him. I'm leaving. You should do the same as well."
Yazoo sighed, glaring at Kadaj. "You do you, brother. I prefer to listen to why he has come here. He made the effort, so what if the girl told him to do it? He listened, and he's here. Go to work and do whatever. I'm staying here."
"Whatever, Yazoo. When he hurts you again, don't come to me crying."
"I never do, Kadaj. You insert yourself into the situation. You don't come trying to mend someone who doesn't want to hear you and we both will be fine."
Kadaj glared at me as he stormed into the room next to him, slamming the door shut, as Yazoo sighed. "This better be worth my time, Nicolae."
Glancing in his direction. "I apologized. I'm waiting for your response. Kadaj made his point loud and clear."
"Right, so you mean to tell me you drove all this way just to apologize when once again a call would have sufficed. Are you sure you're not wanting to ask for something else? What are you trying to hide, or back down from doing? Does the cat have your tongue?"
"Are you reading my thoughts, Yazoo?"
"No, you have the look you get when problems revolve around Aria, and seeing that the girl is a few hours away, and it is just me, you don't have that look of wanting to kick me out of the house, Nicolae, your face gives most of the things you're thinking away, no need to read you like a book. I'm not an intruder. Now what is it you want to ask me? I won't bite. What's the worst I can do? Say no, I'm not seeking violence. I like to think I make it easy for people to talk to me."
I sighed. "I wanted to adopt the three of you, but Kadaj's lack of fondness for me made me decide it was better to keep that thought to myself."
Yazoo looked at me, his brow raised. "You want to adopt the three of us into your family? And why is this? What has brought this on? Was it Charmaine?"
"No, Charmaine had nothing to do with this. She and Aria wanted me to make nice with the two of you. The adoption came to me on my will. I suppose I have a family starting and I want more of that feeling, so what do you say?"
"You want a family with the three of us? I say it's confusing, it's not a no, or a yes. I'm wanting more proof. You can't go from hating us then wanting to adopt the three of us. Are you well?"
"Why wouldn't I be well, Yazoo? It's not something that I don't do is take children in. I adopted Aria, and I think I take care of her well enough. Me adding to my family isn't unheard of."
The teen looked at me. "I suppose not, but Leonard was the one that got you to take Aria in. Would you have done it if it weren't Leonard just handing the girl to you, giving you very little choice to decline or accept?"
"I can say no to Leonard, Yazoo. I do it often, thus is why the two of us have a non-existent relationship, we communicate when we need to and thank the goddess that it's over so we can part ways, my relationship with my brother isn't like that of you and your brother's. You guys just agree with each other. Leonard and I don't agree on much of anything. So, Leonard suggested taking Aria in. I had at first declined, then I saw her and that she had nowhere to live. Leonard had nothing to do with it. I can make my own choices."
The teen continued to look at me with a sigh. "I'll think about it, Nicolae. This is something that's going to take some thinking about. It's not a decline or acceptance, it's just that I have no answer because this is something that is odd." Thunder roared outside the apartment as Yazoo reached into his pocket, handing me a key. "You can stay here until the storm lets up, maybe get some sleep. I just ask that you leave the house the way you found it and lock the door after you leave. I'll come and get the key later today."
I looked at the bronze key that now sat in my hand, then at the teenager. "You think I'm staying here with Kadaj? The boy has made it clear I'm not wanted. I think I will have to decline your offer and go back home." I handed the key back to him as he placed it back into his pocket, looking at me.
"Just give him some time. Kadaj is Kadaj. There isn't any other explanation that I can give you. He'll cool down. What has Loz said about this invitation that you're handing to us?"
"He doesn't know about it yet. You're the only one that I have told, and I had considered keeping it to myself after Kadaj's outburst. So far, you're the only one that knows, not even Charmaine and Aria know this. So, I don't know what Loz thinks, I don't know how he would react, so I'm still debating on telling him."
"I wouldn't be too concerned, Nicolae. The worst part is over. Like I said, Kadaj will be Kadaj. Last I checked, you did nothing to him. He can be intrusive, but I suppose that's his way of showing his love. He's my brother, so somehow my battles became his, as strange as it may be. It is a theory, but he's yet to prove me wrong. He is doing a lousy job at hiding the fact that his mind process is interference."
"You call it odd that your brother is concerned about your feelings? Yazoo, Kadaj isn't being intrusive, he cares about you and Loz, he's acting how any brother would in the situation, rather you give him permission or not, his anger is justified. He shouldn't have to prove you wrong for being a concerned family member, I would like to think that I would be the same towards Leonard, but then again maybe not, I wouldn't know, give the boy a break and be grateful that he cares."
"Grateful or nosy, call it what you want. I call it annoying, and he needs to stop. I don't need him fighting my battles. If he wants to be a concerned brother, he can do it at a distance. He can mind his own business, and I will mind mine. That is what we do. You and Leonard are human. My brothers and I are not. We don't need to operate the same, and I don't want or enjoy the fact that my brother is watching me like he does. He needs to, as Yuffie states, chill out and leave me and my business alone."
"You quote, the most annoying member of the group, but I get what you are saying. I suppose it would get annoying, but I can't speak from experience. I'll take your word for it; even though I think you should give him a break and be grateful." The teen sighed. "Didn't you have a date with a girl? Wasn't that the reason you two were standing outside your door?"
"That was Kadaj's reason. I don't have a girlfriend, nor do I have any friends. Kadaj had said that hoping that you would leave, and we could continue the conversation that was at hand, a conversation that I was getting tired of having. So, I suppose I can thank you for stopping it. However, it's not going to stop. Kadaj is dead set on having and finishing this conversation." Yazoo folded his arms over his chest, as the door next to us opened as Kadaj stepped out, dressed in his signature leather coat, he walked passed the two of us, not looking in our direction, he didn't need to be looking at me for me to see that he still wasn't too keen on my being here, hoping that I would hurry and leave it would thrill the boy more than a little, which caused me to sigh as Yazoo chuckled. "Don't hold your head up too high, Kadaj. The rain may flood the nose that you seem to think that you can snub at the company of the two of us. That would be rather dreadful, wouldn't it?"
"Shut up, Yazoo." The teen snapped back at the longer-haired sibling as he continued to walk by us, ignoring the presence that I was even here. This caused the older brother to chuckle as the younger brother held in some retort as he made his way around the wall. I sighed as Yazoo looked at me.
"Believe it or not, that was his sense of humor side, he's a riot." I bit my lower lip as a laugh threatened to come at Yazoo's words as the teen looked at the clock hanging overhead. "And now the two of us can get some breakfast. Kadaj is away and I don't picture him returning soon. Come inside. I'll make us something to eat." I teen walked past me, opening the unlocked door, as I followed along behind him. "You want bacon and eggs, or ham and cheese burrito. I promised Aria that I wouldn't send you home hungry or tired." The teen walked into the kitchen.
"You talked to Aria? When did she call you?"
"Not long before you showed up. She had told me you were on your way over, to make amends, she made it an order that I fill you up and give you a bed to sleep on, then she had asked that I relay the message that Charmaine and herself are going to go shopping, and visit your brother, waving a peace flag of snickers, stating they hoped it would resolve the bad blood between the two of you." He chuckled. "It's the thought that counts, waving a snickers bar in front of a man that hates sweets, it almost makes me wish I was there to witness the exchange, that should be an entertaining experience, an odd gesture for Leonard and something to give Aria and Charmaine a laugh."
"Why would the two of them bother, Leonard and I don't like one another for reasons, and I doubt that a candy bar will fix the nonexistent relationship between the two of us, not even our fondness for Vincent has brought the two of us together, so how in the world is a stupid candy bar going to resolve anything, if anything it will make it more awkward, I know the two of them mean well, but Leonard and I never wanted a relationship, we may be human, but we're not normal, we do better alone."
"Well, you're the one that is keen on making an extended family, you're the one wanting a change, therefore I don't do relationships, to many people to interfere in something that I may or may not be comfortable with, I know Yuffie, and that's the only proof I need to understand the mind of women."
"Yazoo, no man understands women. They aren't a one size fits all. They are all different in some form. Yuffie is a brand of her own, what Yuffie would stand for, other women wouldn't. Like Graceona, how many times have you known her to stand back and let anyone abuse her family? Grace isn't as forgiving as Charmaine, as Charmaine is more of a woman of comfort to someone in need, while Grace listens and while she does so, she's putting together the puzzle pieces of how to fix the problem, Grace attacks, as Charmaine nurses and soothes, the two women are nothing alike."
He walked from the kitchen, wiping a plate. "I suppose you're right, but I'm at the point that I'm convinced that Leonard has been a bad influence on her, as well as corrupted the woman, though she may be the one that takes nothing from anyone, I respect the woman, grace and beauty. Yet, violent and silent, are you sure that she's not Vincent's daughter? She is nothing like her brother. She's even put TSUNG in his place a time or two. The woman is so mysterious and not bad on the eyes, considering her brother is TSUNG."
"Leonard may be a lot of things, but I'll defend him once it comes to Grace's corruption and being a bad influence on the woman, Grace became corrupt because of this unfair thing people call life, Graceona isn't corrupt she just knows the tools to protect her family and she isn't afraid to use whatever tools she has to protect those she cares about. If she were corrupt, as you say, would she bother to hear the problems of other people and actually fight battles that aren't hers or battles that don't involve her in any way? She's stood up for you and your brothers from time to time. Either in front of you or in your absence."
"Graceona, has stood up for the three of us? Who would have thought that she cared? I'll have to thank her once I see her again." The teen smiled, looking at the plate in his hands to hide the shade of red that was coming to his face. He walked into the kitchen with a sigh as I followed behind him.
"Not just her, but Leonard as well, and Kourt and Ky they've got some sass when they want and when they get away with it. I have a few times. I may have kicked you three from my home from time to time, but I have also stood up for the three of you. AVALANCHE is warming up to the idea of having the three of you around. It's just Yuffie and Cid that haven't gotten the memo that the three of you are one of us. We've considered the three of you like family in our group, which makes me question why the three of you moved so far away from everyone."
Yazoo put the plate on the shelf. "We just wanted to move away from all the people and find a quieter place to live, but you and AVALANCHE considering the three of us like family. Don't, we're not your family." He sighed. "The three of us are barely holding things down with him, that alone should prove to you, prove to all of you that the three of us aren't good guys, we've managed to this point, however it's becoming harder, that's why Kadaj and I moved here, we're planning to move again, and returning to the Forgotten City, we've lived without these luxuries before, and if we have to we will do it again."
"Which is why you need to accept my invitation, Yazoo. Everyone makes mistakes. The three of you aren't immune to them. No matter how much the three of you like to say that you're not human, everything that has breath makes a mistake, even good guys make mistakes, it's not only villains that make the mistakes, but mistakes also help one grow and learn. I know I've not done anything to grant a favor from any of you three, but give me one week, one week to show that I'm genuine, if you feel as though things are the same and that you think that I'm being false, you can leave, I won't stop you, and whatever happens I will take responsibility for your actions, I won't fight the three of you should something trigger that, could you three at least give me that?"
Yazoo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, turning to face the counter. "Tell me this, Nicolae, why have you decided this? Taking the three of us in at a bad time for the three of us, you know that you're putting those you have grown to love in danger. Why are you placing that burden on us? Why do you trust us with the people that you have grown to love? I want to agree, I want to be there and play with Aria, and discovering what a genuine mother is like in Charmaine, but all the while my heart is screaming no, my thoughts telling me this isn't a good idea. Every what if question is buzzing around in my head like a wild, upset herd of killer bees? But I want the help, I want the love, a love like you hand out to Aria. I'm stuck in this wild tango of right and wrong. Worrying for the actions and the pain I would suffer if I let something happen to any of you, the disappointment in Graceona's face when she realizes the person people called a monster and spawn of Sephiroth proves her wrong, and Leonard though he and you aren't close, the two of us are. I call him every night. Whenever I'm enduring difficulties, I call him. I don't know if I want to risk being with those who look at me with high regard and stab them in the back because I couldn't continue to fight and lost control of something that I never had control of."
The sigh filled with hidden tears from the teen, though he wasn't facing me, he didn't have to, the feeling of his struggles was hovering over the apartment, the aura was suffocating, but the sound of this boy trying to hold back tears, was heartbreaking. Yazoo, the young remnant of Sephiroth, losing composer, that we knew him to never lose, was at his most vulnerable point. "Because Yazoo. I trust you; I trust all of you, you care for Aria, I know about that, you care for Graceona's opinion. I know that the main reason you fight this is because you don't want to let them down. You fight because even though I question my love towards my brother, you have no questions about your fondness for him. From what I've gathered, you have more to fuel your fight than your brothers do. You're a dedicated person, you are loyal, I trust you, and I will help you three. Just hold on. Help is here now, and none of us will let you three continue this fight alone." I walked over to the boy. "May I hug you, Yazoo?"
The teen turned around, looked at me with a sigh and nod. I wrapped my arms around him. Soon he returned the hug, tears falling freely from his eyes.