Redheaded Stranger

Chapter 16
Answers

Edea watched Cid close his suitcase, angry that he decided to tell her at the last minute that he would be leaving for Deling City. Their marriage was already deteriorating and him pulling something like this didn't help matters. Seeing her angry expression, he sighed and shook his head with exasperation.

"Edea, this meeting with General Caraway is very important for everyone involved. If things go as well as I hope, another Garden will be constructed."

"The reason you're going isn't the problem. The fact that you waited until now to tell me when you've known for a week is. Have you even bothered to tell Squall yet? You pile everything on top him, without any thought whatsoever!"

"I told him this morning and everything is taken care of."

"Of course it is," she said mockingly, turning away and going into the living room to sit on the couch to stew. Since the end of the Sorceress war, Cid had slowly gotten worse, neglecting to take any kind of command, always counting on Squall to do it all and it made her furious. Squall might as well be running the Garden for all the work he did.

She didn't know why she was still married to the man, there just wasn't any love between them anymore. They hadn't slept in the same bed in over a year and it had been even longer since they made love. She wasn't a fool, she knew he had cheated on her several times and he probably would again on this little 'business trip.' She herself had remained faithful throughout it all and she was beginning to have serious thoughts about breaking her wedding vows.

"I have a train to catch. I'll be back in a few days," he said, walking out of the bedroom with the suitcase in his hand, barely giving her a glance as he walked out the door.

"Bye," she said after the door closed. She knew sitting there being mad wasn't going to do her any good, so she picked herself up and left to have a walk to clear her head. She said hello to several cadets as she moved through the Garden, getting the utmost respect from every one of them. She was highly regarded by the SeeD's and she considered them all like her own children.

"Hello, Matron," Selphie said cheerfully to her as she neared the bench she was sitting on. Actually, she was sitting across Irvine's lap with her arm wrapped around his neck. It was an adorable sight and she couldn't help smile at the two of them.

"Matron," Irvine added, tipping his hat to her. "Having a good day?"

"I'm having an excellent day," she lied, smiling with happiness that she wasn't really feeling. It seemed like she was doing that a lot lately and she didn't like being dishonest with the people she cared about. Since her problems with Cid started, it was like she was wearing a mask to hide all the pain she was struggling with.

"I was just getting ready to grab some lunch, Matron. Did you want to join me?" Selphie asked.

"I don't want to interrupt you two."

"You wouldn't be interrupting, besides, Irvine is going to the Fire Cavern with Zell."

"Yeah, if he ever decides to get here," Irvine added.

"Oh, how are things going there?" she asked. She hadn't heard much about the situation and Cid never talked to her about things anymore.

"Zilch so far. Reno's got to be sweatin it."

"I nearly forgot. Squall is suppose to introduce me to Reno sometime today," she said thoughtfully. They both got quiet and looked at each other with doubt and it made her remember how Squall had reacted when she mentioned the meeting. "Is there a problem?" she asked with one eyebrow raised.

"Uh...Squall agreed to this?" Irvine asked.

"Of course he did, only after he tried to talk me out of it. Now answer my question. Why is everyone so nervous about me meeting him?"

"Matron, the thing with Reno...well..he's...a.." Selphie began.

"Male slut!" Irvine finished and Selphie punched him on the arm. "Ouch! Damn, Selphie.

"Don't talk like that in front of our Matron! Besides, the same could be said about you not so long ago."

"You two certainly have my curiosity up," she said with amusement. Why exactly would you say that Irvine? And I want the truth," she added seriously.

"Hello, Matron," Zell said as he joined them, saving Irvine from the conversation, or so he thought.

"Well, we better get going." he said, attempting to get up while Selphie still sat on his lap.

"Irvine, you are going nowhere until this is discussed. Now stay seated." Selphie giggled a little but sobered when Edea gave her a sharp glare.

"What's goin on?" Zell asked, suddenly wishing he had been just a few more minutes late. When Matron got stern, it was damn scary and he'd rather not be around for it. "Maybe I'll just wait outside, Irvine," he said quickly.

"You'll stay right here, young man," she said softly, but he jumped like she had yelled at him.

"Yes, Matron," he said looking down at the floor.

"Now, I want to hear everything about Reno and I mean everything. You are all acting so strangely and I want to know why!" Irvine noticed Zell blushing furiously and started chuckling. It had appeared he and Selphie weren't the only ones who had fallen for Reno's charms.

"What's so funny?" Zell snapped, realizing Irvine's amusement was targeted at him.

"He got to you too, didn't he?"

"Shut up, man!" Zell said with a hushed, hysterical tone.

"Start talking, the lot of you," Edea said, looking at them all in turn. Not one of them looked comfortable about the situation she was putting them in, but she refused to be kept in the dark. The conversation turned out to be even more interesting than she could have imagined.

XXXXX

When Reno stepped into his office without knocking, Squall didn't even bother to correct him about it. He just looked at him with his icy glare and pointed to the chair in front of his desk. Reno sat, smiling all the while, crossing his arms as he got comfortable.

"You wanted to see me, Squall?"

"Yes, we have some things to discuss." He sat back in his chair looking at the redhead with cold, deliberate menace. Reno actually felt a little uncomfortable under the gaze, a difficult feat for anyone to accomplish, but outwardly he kept his smug, cool exterior intact. "First off, you are not to attempt getting to the Fire Cavern again. The scientists are doing all they can to get you home and they don't need you there breathing down their necks..."

"Did Rinoa tell you her little secret?" he drawled, trying to cut off Squall's rant, but the Commander didn't miss a beat and only got more intense.

"Second, there's someone that wants to meet you and I'm warning you right now, you will behave yourself, understood?!" Reno's eyebrows lifted slightly, looking a little intrigued.

"And who is it that wants to meet me? Not another lab rat?"

"No, Reno. I'm sure Selphie told you about her. Her name is Edea and she raised me when I was a child, so she's like a mother to me."

"Oh yeah, in that orphanage, right?" Squall nodded, his cold glare warming slightly.

"Yes....I'm not playing games here, Reno. Do not, I repeat, do not act like yourself around her."

"Now I find that insulting, Squall. I'm a charming son of a bitch, you know that," he said in jest to lighten the serious mood that Squall had created.

"This isn't a joke!" he shouted, standing from his chair with a sneer on his lips.

"Alright, alright. I promise, I won't do anything to offend her, man. Just calm down," he said, gazing up at the seething man glaring down at him who looked like he was poised for attack. To Reno's surprise, a hint of a smile shadowed his lips and it only intensified when Squall came around the desk to stand behind his chair. 'Talk about mood swings,' Reno thought, staying as still as possible in his seat.

"Rinoa told me," he said, changing the subject to more pleasant matters as he hovered behind him. His voice lost its cold edge, turning low, warm and alluring.

"I thought you didn't want to talk about that," he teased, feeling the stirs of arousal, just from the man's close proximity. The change in mood was more than acceptable for Reno and he secretly hoped things would go a little further than they had on their previous encounters.

"Don't be a smart ass," he warned, pulling Reno's head back by his hair forcefully, but not painfully.

"Sure thing, Squall," he answered, looking up at him with hot desire.

"Hmph," was Squall's only reply and his grip loosened, reaching his hand up to trace over the red tattoo's on Reno's face with light fingertips.

"Mmmmm...Damn, man....Don't tease me like this," he muttered, leaning into the touch with a slow breath.

"Who says I'm teasing you," he answered with a slight smirk, moving his hand slowly down to his neck, then further inside the collar of his shirt having easy access because the top button were conveniently undone. Reno was used to being the seducer, but had no complaints when someone else wanted to take the lead, especially when someone as hot as Squall was doing it. His hand ran over one of his aroused nipples and he didn't try to hold back the soft moan when Squall rolled and twisted it between his fingers.

"Damn, you're so hot," Reno praised him as his breath became excitedly ragged. Squall leaned over, purposely keeping his lips just out of reach, but close enough for Reno to feel his breath on his own.

"You want me?" Squall asked, keeping Reno's head in place with his hand that was still gripping his hair, while the other was still doing it's exploration on his chest.

"You know I do," he said and tried to steal a kiss, but was refused the pleasure when Squall pulled back slightly, making the redhead growl with the injustice of it. "Fucking tease," he said and tried to pull Squall down, but was hindered again when Squall pushed him against the chair with a warning grunt. Squall leaned back in, putting his mouth so painfully close to Reno's again that the redhead thought he'd go crazy with lust.

"Tomorrow night, my place, Rinoa and I will be waiting," he whispered, barely grazing his lips with a light kiss before backing up and going back to the cold Commander persona with chilling ease. "I have some work to do, but I expect you to be in your room when I come to take you to meet Edea in a few hours." He sat back at his desk as he spoke, acting like he hadn't just been feeling Reno up just seconds ago.

"What....how......shit." Reno was panting with a slight red flush to his pale skin and an uncomfortable tightness in his pants. He stared wide eyed at Squall, amazed the man had just played him like an instrument.

"See you later, Reno," he said with obvious dismissal, going over some papers he had on his desk without even glancing up.

"Yeah," Reno uttered, getting up on weak legs and trudged to the door, trying to figure out how Squall had switch things around on him so easily. Squall's eyes swiveled up to the door when he heard it close and he smirked with a slight chuckle.

"You can come out now," he said, looking toward the closet door and watched Rinoa emerge from it looking a little flushed herself and she was smiling with a hint of playful lust in her eyes.

"You don't know how happy I am that you told me what happened between you two, and to see it.....Oh, Hyne," she sighed, licking her lips.

"So, should I call him back in here and call tomorrow night off?" he asked with a smile, already knowing the answer.

"You better not," she said softly, sauntering over to show him how much she had enjoyed the show.