Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Guardian ❯ Chapter 1

“Guardian”

Chapter 1

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*Disclaimer: The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can't get enough of this world and the characters.*

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“You might live longer if ya tell me where it is,” Reno said to the cuffed prisoner. He slapped his EMR in his hand and waited for a response.

 

The man blinked blood out of his eyes and looked up at him with a combination of fear and anger. “I found it, so it's mine until someone pays the right price!”

 

Reno put his weapon away and took a drag from his cigarette. “It's Rufus Shinra's, yo,” he corrected, blowing smoke in the victim's eyes. “And ya found it in his building.” Not only had the man found the object in the ruins of the old ShinRa headquarters, but he'd also had the balls to contact Rufus at his current office and demand money for its return. Holding the President's property for ransom wasn't the smartest thing in the world to do. Rufus might have offered him a reward if he'd just turned it in but the company owner had no tolerance for people that made demands of him.

 

The man squinted and coughed, and Reno grinned at him. “Am I gonna have to start taking body parts as collateral, until you decide to cooperate with us? How'd you like having your fingers sawed off with a rusty steak knife, huh?”

 

The victim whimpered and cringed away from the redhead when his sea-green eyes flashed with reckless glee on him. Reno's imagination started going to work and he rubbed his chin in thought with a black-gloved hand. “Hey, I've got an idea. I could grab a spoon and pop one of your eyes out. That'd probably go faster than one of your fingers and it ain't cliché.” He reached out and patted the guy smartly on the cheek. “What d'ya say? We can start with the eye and next time, I'll take an ear. Maybe when the boss has enough of your body parts he'll just call it even, yo.”

 

Reno took another drag and leaned in closer to the prisoner. “'Course, we'll have to leave your tongue, just in case you change your mind about telling me where it is.” The guy was a drug addict, he could tell. He could smell the sharp, chemical stench in his sweat and Reno had seen the tract marks in his arms when he'd cuffed him. He knew from experience that substance abusers were harder to break than sober people. Deciding he needed to give the man a little more incentive, Reno grabbed the captive by the back of his hair to hold his head still and he stubbed his cigarette out on his cheek.

 

The man struggled and shouted raggedly with pain, but the Turk's grip was too strong for him to break and Reno ground the burning cherry into the targeted flesh without pity or remorse. When the cigarette was out, he backhanded the captive and sat back expectantly.

 

“Yo, I've got other things to do today, man,” Reno said conversationally while his victim cursed and wept. “You don't want me to lose patience with ya, trust me. The boss ain't like his old man was and trying to extort money from him was a really stupid idea.”

 

The junkie decided that whatever money he could have gotten out of the item wasn't worth the maiming he'd probably receive if he didn't give it up. “Under my mattress, in the bedroom,” he rasped. “You'll find it there…just leave me alone!”

 

Reno smirked and flipped his long, crimson ponytail back over his shoulder. “Knew I could reason with ya. Don't go anywhere, yo. I'll be right back.” He patted the captive smartly on his wounded cheek, making him wince. The Turk rose from his squatted position and brushed his clothes off before leaving the guy on the dingy living room floor and searching for the bedroom. He found it after checking a couple of doors in the hall and he went to the bed and lifted the dusty mattress. The scum hadn't lied—the object was nestled safely underneath. He took it and put it safely in a deep inner pocket of his blazer before heading back into the living room.

 

Reno had underestimated his target's desperation and cunning, however. The first thing he noticed was that the man wasn't cowering where he left him and as he began to draw his EMR and search for him, he was struck from behind by two bound fists. The Turk staggered and tried to recover but his opponent's arms hooked around his neck and the cold metal of the cuffs that Reno had restrained him with were pressing hard against the redhead's windpipe.

 

Reno's training kicked in without him even having to think about it. He slammed his head back and hit the guy in the nose hard enough to make it break with a sickening crunch, then he slipped out of his stunned grasp and rolled away from him. He reached for his gun while the other man struggled to his feet.

 

The thief wasn't willing to give up—probably because he was still under the influence of whatever narcotics he was taking. He lunged at Reno and shouted: “Go to hell!”

 

“You first,” Reno said with a sharp smile. The silencer muffled the shot and a neat hole appeared in the thief's forehead. His body stumbled to the floor and twitched for a few minutes while Reno watched. When it stilled, the Turk shook his head and shrugged. “That's what ya get, druggy.” He replaced the firearm in its concealed holster and left the house.

 

When he stepped outside, his gaze went to the ruins of the old upper plate of Midgar, visible in the skyline from Edge. Memories of old times made him nostalgic and he stood there for a little while and recalled what Midgar looked like when it was the most thriving metropolis on Gaia. After paying his silent respects to the city he'd grown up in, Reno walked to his rented car and got in. He took his cellphone out and dialed a number before starting up the engine.

 

“Hey partner. Yeah, I got it. I'm not gonna call the boss yet `cause I wanna get it cleaned up for him first. He'll be real happy to get this back, man. Yeah? All right, I'm up for it. Nah, I understand. Drink some juice and have some soup or something, will ya? No problem, baby. Catch ya later.”

 

Reno hung up with Rude and replaced his phone as he cranked the engine and started off to drive to the helipad where his chopper waited for him. The bald man had a wicked case of the flu and he'd asked Reno if he could take over the assignment he was supposed to do today. Ordinarily Reno got annoyed when someone put extra work on his plate but he and his partner switched vacation days and solo jobs all the time. Since he was still fired up from the encounter he'd just had, Reno wasn't ready to kick back just yet anyhow.

 

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“I got it, boss.” Reno closed the door to Rufus's office behind him and produced the pearl-handled, long-barreled revolver he'd retrieved from the extortionist's house in Edge. Rufus got out of his office chair and approached, eyeing the weapon with a hint of sentimental pleasure. Reno handed it to him with a grin.

 

Rufus examined the weapon and traced the engraved lettering of his family name that was etched into the barrel. “Well, at least he took good care of it,” the President murmured. The weapon had been handed down to him from his grandfather, who had been nothing like his father and though his memories of the man were few, they were good ones.

 

“Actually, I stopped off and had it cleaned for ya,” Reno said with a shrug. “I wanted you to get it back the way it was when you lost it, yo.”

 

Rufus's gray eyes met his and he smiled subtly. “Quite considerate of you, Fox. I appreciate it.” He flipped open the bullet chamber and inspected it for a moment before shutting it again. He walked to his desk and placed the gun on top of it. “I trust our greedy friend received a lesson well-learned?”

 

Reno snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. “In spades, Sir. He's feeding the roaches in his house by now.”

 

Rufus raised his eyebrows, but he smiled. “Oh? I would have settled for a bit of maiming, but I'm not unhappy with that outcome.”

 

“The stupid bastard tried to strangle me,” Reno informed with a casual shrug. “He was a waste of air anyhow, yo.”

 

Rufus turned back around to face him again. “Excellent job, Reno.”

 

He approached and smoothed the redhead's blazer with his hands, then let his fingers glide over the pale, smooth skin of his throat and jaw. He leaned in and kissed his subordinate's tempting lips, allowing himself a bit of indulgence. Reno's response was enthusiastic as always and Rufus considered canceling the board meeting he was supposed to attend in twenty minutes. He unbuttoned his Fox's shirt the rest of the way and explored the lean muscles of his chest and stomach for a bit, until he was hard and aching between his legs. He finally pulled away with reluctance, smirking at the disappointed look in the Turk's eyes and heavy rhythm of his breathing.

 

“Regrettably, I'm on a rather tight schedule this afternoon and I don't have time to play,” Rufus murmured. “Have you been in contact with Rude today? Tseng hasn't been able to reach him since this morning and he has an assignment. I'm somewhat concerned that he isn't in top form to complete it.”

 

“He's not,” Reno confirmed, “So I'm gonna do it in his place, yo. Do you have a copy of the orders?”

 

Rufus nodded and walked back to his desk to find the documents outlining the mission orders. When he located the correct papers, he handed them over to his subordinate and scanned Reno's bared chest and stomach leisurely while the redhead looked over them.

 

“Mount Nibel, huh?” Reno said as he read through the job description. “Hmm, this is kinda gross.” The assignment was to collect a flesh sample from one of the specimens still in stasis in the old reactor. Reno knew better than to ask why the company wanted samples, but he failed to hide his grimace. It was largely because of ShinRa's experimentations that the world was in such a bad state and he'd thought Rufus had sworn away that sort of thing.

 

The President noticed the brief expression of wariness on Reno's face and he wasn't surprised. “You can relax, Reno. The purpose in collecting the sample isn't to create more monsters—quite the opposite. The WRO is working on methods to reverse mutations caused by Mako eruptions and the science team agrees that the best way to do that is to study cells that have been drenched in Mako. The goal is to find a way to put the Mako corruption in remission.”

 

Reno lowered the papers and looked at his boss with faint relief. He flushed, embarrassed that he'd thought even for a moment that Rufus was interested in following his old man's footsteps. He wasn't a big environmental activist or anything but he liked the world he lived in and he didn't want to see it get any worse when it was just starting to get better again.

 

“So why ain't the WRO sending their own people to do this?” Reno asked. Technically he wasn't supposed to question the mission. Turks just did as they were directed, with or without explicit details. He was taking a gamble but since Rufus had been amicable enough to volunteer further information already, he didn't see the harm.

 

“Because we don't want to see the mistakes of the past repeated,” Rufus explained. “Reeve has hand-picked a small team that he believes he can trust to conduct this research. As such, the collection of the sample has to be done in a way that won't draw attention. If people see a solitary Turk heading for the reactor, they'll assume it's simply a standard security inspection. The objective is to deliver a small sample for research first and if it can be confirmed that the team can make use of it for the purpose of the project, we'll move on from there.”

 

“Makes sense,” Reno admitted, relaxing.

 

Rufus sensed his relief and he wasn't offended. After all, the company had a history of creating monsters and super-soldiers and generally endangering the entire damned planet. It was going to take time for people to see ShinRa in a new light…even the most loyal employees.

 

“Contact me when you've completed the assignment, Reno.” The blond reached out and patted his subordinate on the arm. “I expect you'll do as good a job as you did in the retrieval of my heirloom.”

 

Reno grinned at the praise and buttoned his shirt back up. “You know it, boss. Don't let the suits bore you too much while I'm gone, yo.”

 

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Reno touched down outside of Nibelheim and cut the engine. He lit a clove as he exited the craft and he took a moment to look at the town and the sharp, twisted peaks of the mountains surrounding it. This was the town that Cloud Strife grew up in. It was also the same town that Sephiroth destroyed, the same town that ShinRa rebuilt to cover up the disaster and the same town that housed Hojo's secret experiments. He waited until he'd smoked the whole cigarette before putting it out and walking into the village.

 

Most of the ShinRa residents of Nibelheim had cleared out. The village was over fifty percent civilian now and the old mansion that still stood at the back of the village was boarded up tightly again. Reno couldn't suppress a shiver as he passed the mansion as he walked through town to the path leading to the mountains. He remembered the day he'd snuck in there to do some personal investigating and found Vincent Valentine in a coffin in the basement. Seeing what he thought was a corpse come to life and look at him had been disturbing enough, but the attack by the two-headed creature that snuck up on him was what still occasionally made him wake up in a cold sweat sometimes.

 

He deliberately kept his eyes off of the mansion as he walked the trail winding out of town and into the mountain, where the old reactor still stood. A few curious townsfolk gave him looks, but when they recognized the Turk uniform they quickly busied themselves elsewhere. Reno smirked a little. The first time he'd donned the traditional Turk garb, he'd been amazed by the respect people showed him. It was kind of funny to him that with everything that had happened, his organization still commanded respect and fear…even after ShinRa went almost completely bottom-up.

 

His climb to the reactor wasn't too terribly eventful. The winding trail carved into the mountain got fairly steep at one point and Reno's shoes lost traction for a moment, nearly making him lose his footing and fall on his face. As he drew close to the rebuilt bridge spanning the chasm, he had to fight off some sort of creature that looked like a giant, mutated mantis. After that he didn't run into any more trouble…until he reached the reactor.

 

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Reno found the pod chamber inside of the reactor and he approached one of the ones on the first row and grabbed hold of the edge of the porthole, hopping up to peer inside. He almost let go when he saw the creature floating within the confines of the container. It looked as though it might have once been human but now its flesh was hard and black, and its head was covered in horny growths rather than hair.

 

~Shit, is this what happens when someone's pickled in Mako? How long do they have to be exposed to start looking like that, yo?~

 

He dropped back down and shivered. He was starting to get why Sephiroth went mental, years ago when he came here. Members of SOLDIER were infused with Mako and Sephiroth had been subjected to the highest doses imaginable. Reno could imagine him beginning to come apart when he saw one of these specimens, probably wondering if he'd end up like them.

 

Reno searched for the release mechanism that would allow him to open the pod and after a moment, he found it and turned it with effort. When it finally gave, the pod burst open and Reno hastily dove aside as the front of it fell open and the creature flopped out, along with the mystery fluid that it had been floating in. The smell of chemicals and raw Mako nearly made him gag and he covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve and readied his EMR just in case.

 

Cautiously, the redhead walked over the wet floor and peered down at the creature. He'd brought a very sharp scalpel with him for the task, as well as a compact, reinforced container to put the sample in. The problem was he didn't really want to get close enough to the beast to cut a piece of its flesh off. He cautiously leaned down and poked at the creature gingerly with his EMR. When it didn't move, he figured it was safe enough to continue.

 

~Cripes, this thing stinks! I've gotta hurry this up and get out of here before the fumes make me black out.~

 

Reno fought the urge to gag as he squatted down beside the mutated beast. He searched his inner pockets for the sample container and the scalpel and braced himself for the unpleasant task he needed to do. Just as he began to extend the blade on the retractable scalpel, the creature burst into motion and grabbed for him.

 

Reno cursed and jumped up, dropping the container and scalpel to the floor and drawing his weapon. He clicked it on as the creature lunged for him and he hit the being upside the head. The electric discharge should have stunned it, but it only stumbled for a moment and glared at him with pitch-black eyes.

 

“Fucking typical,” Reno groaned. The monster struck out at him with frightening speed and he barely dodged aside to avoid its tearing claws. “Oh, this is gonna be fun,” the Turk gasped as the creature stalked him. He clicked his EMR again to recharge it and he kept his distance, circling as the monster circled him to keep it from getting behind his back.

 

“Yaaaah!” Reno shouted abruptly, leaping into the air and swinging his weapon. The monster reached out at the same time and caught hold of his ankle, but he got another swing at it before he fell to the floor. This time the charge did a bit more good, but Reno was also stunned as his breath was knocked out of him from the impact. Gasping, he tried to crawl to his feet but the weight of the creature was suddenly upon him and he rolled onto his back and grappled with it. He couldn't spare the time to grip the EMR dangling from his wrist because he had to concentrate on keeping his attacker's fangs from tearing out his throat.

 

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Cloud hated visiting Nibelheim but he still did it once per year, to pay silent respects to his mother, Tifa's father and the rest of the townsfolk who died when Sephiroth went on his rampage. As soon as he'd heard the whispers that a Turk with fiery-red hair had come into town and headed up the mountain path, he armed himself and headed straight for the Mako reactor. The only reason he could think of for ShinRa to send Reno there was to activate the reactor or else get something out of it for more power grabs or experimentation.

 

Cloud Strife had seen enough of ShinRa's ambitions. Though his feelings toward Reno now ranged between ambiguity and affection, he knew that the redhead's first loyalty was to the company and in his experience, the company's first loyalty was to power and control. Reeve had hinted that Rufus wasn't exactly what Cloud thought he was but the blonde had seen nothing solid to prove that.

 

~I may have to fight Reno. I'm not thrilled with that possibility but if I have to do it to stop ShinRa from causing more trouble for the world, I will.~

 

It was ironic and rather cruel that the fates kept throwing he and Reno together like this. Just once, Cloud would have liked to have an encounter with the redhead that didn't involve kidnapping, drugging, fighting or deceit. After the incident in the hotel suite he'd come close to calling the redhead half a dozen times to arrange a more pleasant and open visit, but he chickened out.

 

“Dammit, Reno,” Cloud panted as he charged up the winding paths. “I don't want to fight you!”

 

Unlike average men, Cloud didn't have to stop to catch his breath until he made it all the way to the base of the reactor. He took a moment to rest and gather his strength before going in.

 

Cloud entered the reactor fully prepared to stop Reno from doing whatever he was doing, but when he followed the sounds of the struggle and arrived in the pod chamber, his focus changed immediately from stopping Reno to defending him. The redhead was on his back and grappling with one of the Mako-altered creatures Hojo had been storing in the chamber. The creature's snarling, fanged mouth was getting closer and closer to the Turk's exposed throat.

 

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~Shit, this thing is too strong for me to wrestle with! I've gotta find a way to get one of my weapons without it tearing my throat out.~

 

Reno's arms were losing their strength and he started thinking he was going to die there. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a figure silhouetted in the doorway and at first he thought it was his imagination. Then he heard a familiar male voice shout a challenge and both he and the creature on top of him looked up at the figure.

 

“What the fuck are YOU doing here?” Reno yelled. He'd always figured that the Mt. Nibel reactor was one of the last places on Gaia Cloud Strife would electively go, unless it was an emergency. Hell, he knew the guy didn't even like to visit Nibelheim. What kind of cosmic joker decided to plop Strife here right while Reno was on an assignment?

 

Cloud's response was dripping with sarcasm as the creature rounded on him and decided he looked tastier than Reno. “I'm saving your ass, that's what!”

 

The blonde charged in with his thick sword raised for the attack, while the creature pinning Reno to the floor lurched off of him and pounced at Cloud. The redhead rolled onto his stomach and got to his feet, drawing his gun with his left hand and gripping his EMR with his right. Cloud and the monster collided with each other and there was a howl as the blonde fighter struck the mutant with his weapon.

 

“Tough skin,” Cloud grunted as he rolled away from the monster.

 

Reno fired a shot at the thing and the bullet penetrated enough to draw its attention back to him. “Aw, shit,” the Turk exclaimed when the creature hurled itself through the air at him. He wasn't quite fast enough to avoid it and he was knocked onto his back again.

 

Cloud's sneakers squeaked as he raced across the floor and grabbed the monster's ankles to drag it off of Reno. It slashed at him with its claws and Cloud blocked with his weapon. The blonde's muscles bunched and he shoved the creature away from him and twirled his sword over his head. It crouched and started to lunge at him, but then there was the muffled sound of gunfire and several bullet holes peppered its head and torso. The creature roared and staggered, giving Cloud the opening he needed to finish it off. He closed the distance and slashed in an X pattern, splitting the monster's flesh open. Neon, Mako-tainted blood flowed from the wound and the creature shuddered for a moment before lying still.

 

Cloud turned to away from the beast to find Reno still on his back in a half-sitting position, with his gun trained on the monster. The Turk slowly lowered the weapon when the creature stopped moving. Cloud replaced his sword in its scabbard across his back and walked over to Reno. He offered the other man his hand and Reno put his gun away and took it, allowing the swordsman to help him to his feet. They stared at each other for a moment, equally puzzled at the coincidence of them both arriving in Nibelheim within the same hour.

 

“Nice work, yo,” Reno finally said, his mouth curving into a slight smile.

 

“Same to you,” complimented the blonde.

 

They fell silent again and their eyes remained on each other, neither of them able to completely disguise the restrained pleasure of seeing one another again. Reno snapped out of the spell first and he walked a couple of feet to retrieve a compact black container and a retractable scalpel from the floor of the chamber.

 

“Want to tell me what you're doing?” Cloud asked as the Turk approached the fallen creature and squatted beside the carcass. The redhead slipped on a pair of latex gloves next and Cloud grimaced as Reno cut a small chunk of flesh out of the monster's torso and deposited it in the slim container.

 

“Getting a souvenir, yo.” Reno sealed the container and slipped it into his blazer. He looked at the scalpel in disgust and tossed it to the floor, then tugged the protective gloves off and dropped them on top of the dead monster. The fumes had cleared but the smell still made him want to vomit and he swallowed to control his nausea as he stood up and moved away from the creature.

 

Cloud's eyes hardened. “I can't let you leave with that, Reno.”

 

The Turk stopped and sighed in annoyance. “Why the hell not?”

 

“Because I know ShinRa's history with experimental specimens,” Cloud answered in an abrupt tone, “You know I can't let it start all over again.”

 

Reno shook his head. “You don't know what's going on, man.”

 

“Then suppose you tell me?” Cloud suggested as he reached for the hilt of his sword.

 

Reno likewise gripped his EMR, but his blue-green eyes were calm. “It's classified, man. I can't tell you and to be honest, I've already crossed the line for you too many times, baby. Just trust me, it ain't what you're thinking.”

 

“I can't trust you,” Cloud replied softly.

 

Reno's annoyance flared and his eyes flashed. “Then I guess we've got a real problem, Blondie.”

 

Cloud nodded, his jaw tense. “I guess you're right.”

 

Reno's expression softened into one of faint dismay. “Shit…we're gonna have to fight, aren't we?”

 

The blonde fighter heaved a heavy sigh. “Looks like we are.” He seemed just as reluctant as Reno, but like the Turk, he obviously felt that he couldn't afford to back down. He drew his sword and stared into Reno's eyes.

 

“Think we should do it in here, man?” Reno asked with a glance around him. “We might not wanna risk breaking any of these other pods and ending up with more of those ugly fuckers trying to gnaw on us, yo.”

 

Cloud relaxed his stance and flicked his sapphire eyes briefly over the pods. “That's a pretty good point, actually. Want to take it outside?”

 

Reno nodded. “Yeah…in fact, let's take it outside this damned reactor altogether, yo. There's too many pipes and wires in here and I don't know what the hell most of `em do. I'm not thrilled at the thought of both of us getting blown to pieces.”

 

“Me either,” Cloud agreed.

 

They stared silently at each other.

 

“After you,” Reno said with a gesture toward the door.

 

“I'm not turning my back on you,” Cloud stated with narrowed eyes.

 

Reno sighed and rolled his eyes up at the ceiling. “Cripes! Okay, how about this then: You just back out and I'll follow ya. That way we can keep an eye on each other, yo.”

 

Cloud considered the plan and nodded. “Sounds fair.”

 

The two of them started to walk—Cloud stepping backwards and Reno slowly following. The Turk half-expected his rival to trip and fall at some point but Cloud seemed to know the interior of the reactor like the back of his hand. That came as no surprise to Reno, actually. The redhead couldn't contain the amused grin that steadily curved his lips as they moved toward the front exit and Cloud noticed it.

 

“This isn't funny, Reno,” the blonde said.

 

“Oh yeah?” answered the Turk. “I think it's a fucking knee-slapper, myself. I mean, look at what we're doing.”

 

“It's your own fault I can't trust you,” Cloud reminded him with narrowed eyes.

 

The redhead winced a little. “I probably wouldn't trust me either, yo. Maybe one day I can find a way to earn that from you, though.” A flash of regret and apology showed in his tourmaline eyes for a brief moment and Cloud's expression softened.

 

“That's up to you,” the blonde murmured.

 

They made it outside and down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, Reno lifted his EMR and said: “Okay, we're outside. Let's do it, Blondie.”

 

Cloud nodded once and shifted his feet, raising his formidable sword. They stared at each other across the short distance and the wind stirred their hair. Neither of them spoke or moved.

 

“What are you waiting for?” Cloud finally asked in exasperation.

 

“I'm waiting on you, Strife!” Reno was just as frustrated.

 

Again, they stood motionless. Finally, they both decided to make their moves. They charged at one another across the rocky ground, their weapons ready and their eyes locked. At the last minute, Cloud's resolve failed him and he lowered his weapon and chose to strike out with his fist instead. Ironically, Reno did the exact same thing.

 

Both men grunted with surprised pain as Reno's fist struck Cloud in the nose and Cloud's fist connected with Reno's jaw. They backed away from each other and rubbed their smarting spots.

 

“How's your nose?” Reno asked.

 

“Fine, it just hurts a little,” answered the blonde fighter. “What about your jaw?”

 

Reno frowned severely. His jaw hardly hurt at all. He even doubted it would leave a bruise. He looked at Cloud with a combination of confusion and alarm. “My jaw feels fine. Yo, what the hell's the matter with you, Strife? You could have smashed my face in if you wanted, but I've been hit harder by a kid!”

 

“Me?” Cloud scoffed, “What about you? You didn't even bloody my damned nose!”

 

They studied one another in amazed stupefaction, each of them alarmed by their apparent inability to willingly harm the other.

 

“Yo, this is fucked up,” Reno stated flatly. He clenched his jaw and charged his weapon again, determined to prove to himself that Strife had no power over him. “We're getting it on, Blondie…and that's all there is to it!” He yelled and leaped at the fighter, swinging the weapon with anger. His coordination was sloppy though. It was as if his body refused to allow him full, deadly use of it.

 

Cloud dodged aside and swung instinctively with his sword. Reno parried it with his EMR and the discharge of electricity danced along the blade of the other man's weapon. Cloud gritted his teeth against the stunning shock that went up his arm and he managed to hang onto his sword.

 

“You're paying for that,” the blonde growled when they faced off again and Reno set another charge on his weapon.

 

“That's more like it, yo,” the redhead announced with a feral smile.

 

They attacked one another again, each trying to put the other on defensive. Cloud leaped away from Reno's rounding kick and the redhead rolled aside as he retaliated with an overhead swing of his sword. They came together, their weapons crossing and throwing sparks. Reno grunted with exertion as Cloud's vivid eyes stared to his and the blonde shoved. His shoes skidded on the rocky ground as he was pushed backwards.

 

The Turk made a quick decision and he jumped to the left, leaving his opponent temporarily overbalanced. When Cloud staggered, Reno took the opportunity to hit him in the back of the shoulders with his EMR. He winced involuntarily at the groan of pain he heard from Cloud and he backed up defensively as the fighter whirled and leapt at him.

 

It was Reno's turn to make an exclamation of pain as the blunt side of Cloud's sword struck him in a backwards swing and knocked him off his feet. The Turk deftly reached for his gun as he landed on his back and before Cloud could advance, he fired a couple of shots at him. There was a flash of metal as the swordsman skillfully blocked the bullets with his blade—just as Reno knew he would. With a little grin, the Turk put the gun away and he rolled to his feet again and took a running leap at his opponent. Cloud grabbed his right wrist at the last moment and deflected the blow he'd been aiming at him. Reno twisted in his grasp and ended up with his back pressed up against the blonde's front. He turned his head and looked into Cloud's eyes, mere inches away from his.

 

Both men were breathing heavily and it wasn't from exertion. The blonde's fair features had a light, telling flush to them and Reno's pale skin was beaded with perspiration. For a moment they stayed locked in that position but the sly redhead remembered why they were like that and his lithe muscles tensed without any warning.

 

~Shit,~ Cloud thought as Reno bent forward and used leverage to flip him to the ground, ~I've got to remember not to hesitate when it comes to him. Fighting is like foreplay to this guy and he'll use every advantage he can get.~ Reno couldn't match Cloud in physical strength but he was crafty, unpredictable and agile—a dangerous combination that made him a more worthy opponent than some big brute.

 

Cloud got to his feet and gave Reno a taste of his own medicine as the redhead tried to score a hit while he recovered. The blond tackled the charging Turk like a sports pro and sent him flying backwards, toward the entrance of one of the mountain caves. Reno swore breathlessly and staggered to his feet, holding his side and panting.

 

Cloud knew that he couldn't afford to be a good sport and allow Reno to recover his wind. He had a feeling the redhead was faking at least a little and his suspicion was confirmed as he rushed to close the distance between them and hacked at him with his sword. Reno dodged and countered with limber speed, scoring a glancing blow in Cloud's shoulder with a well-aimed kick the blonde couldn't quite avoid. Still, Cloud had him on the defensive and he slowly backed him into the cave. The interior walls of the cave were riddled with slivers of raw materia and the multi-colored glow was reflected in the two men's eyes and Cloud's sword.

 

They fell into an easy dance after a few moments, their fight becoming more like a sparring match. Cloud was aware of what was happening and he knew he couldn't defeat Reno if he kept playing with him, so he practiced a little bad sportsmanship himself and slammed into the Turk as soon as he had an opening, pinning him against the cavern wall with the flat of his sword.

 

Reno grunted in surprise and his eyes shifted down to the sharp edge of the blade, which was pointing upward and lying diagonally across his chest. If Cloud wanted to, he could slit his throat. He looked into the blonde's eyes as Strife's body pressed flush against his, one of the blonde's powerful thighs pushing between Reno's.

 

Cloud's body heated up when he felt the evidence that he wasn't the only one getting inappropriately aroused by this fight. Reno's groin was stiff against his thigh and the redhead's parted lips were gasping in a way that Cloud knew wasn't attributed only to exertion. ~This guy's starting to rub off on me or something. Fighting was never sexy to me before now. I'm getting just as twisted as he is!~

 

“I'm so fucking turned on right now,” Reno said with breathless candor.

 

That did it for Cloud. He dropped his weapon, caught the Turk's wrists and shoved them up over his head to hold them against the cavern wall. His heart pounded fiercely as he crushed his mouth against his captive's and Reno's needy moan of lust prompted Cloud to grind his pelvis against his. Reno rubbed back and bit the blonde's lip lightly, tugging on it before swiping his tongue over it and parting his mouth. He welcomed the intrusion of Strife's tongue and he didn't fight it when the blonde crossed his wrists over his head and held them there with one hand. His deactivated EMR dangled from his right wrist and bumped against his shoulder, but he hardly noticed as Cloud's free hand started fumbling with his pants.

 

The blonde's mouth left his and began to suck and nip at his jaw and neck. Reno turned his head to the side to give him better access to his throat and he groaned as his pants were opened and Cloud's hand reached in to fondle his erection.

 

“Fuck me, Blondie,” the Turk panted eagerly, bucking into the touch.

 

“Reno,” Cloud groaned against the soft skin of the other man's throat. His need was raw and wild and he knew he was going to end up hurting the redhead if he didn't calm down. Funnily enough, Cloud had begun to carry his own protection and lube with him after the last encounter with the wild redhead and the Turks. He reasoned that he might as well get into the habit since he never knew when or where he might run into Reno again. He was exceedingly glad for that now as he tugged the redhead's pants down over his hips to expose him.

 

“You know where the stuff is, yo,” Reno gasped against Cloud's lips as the blonde kissed him and stroked his cock again.

 

The blonde grinned wolfishly against his mouth and muttered, “I've got it, this time.”

 

“Trained you good, didn't I?” Reno smirked.

 

Cloud didn't answer. Instead, he released the redhead's stiffened prick and unzipped one of the pockets in his cargo pants to get out the protection he'd started keeping there. Reno whined with restless need and Cloud released his wrists and handed the condom package to him.

 

“Put it on me,” the blonde demanded huskily. He squeezed Reno's cock again and resumed stroking it while the Turk eagerly undid his cargo pants with deft hands. Cloud groaned as his pants were pulled down and his erection sprang free. He pushed into Reno's gripping hand as the redhead gave it a couple of pulls, his breath catching with pleasure. The Turk liberated the rubber from the package and quickly set to work.

 

After Reno finished putting the condom on him, Cloud did something that took him by surprise. The Turk blurted a startled curse as his companion crouched at his feet, yanked his tailored pants down to his ankles and shoved his knees akimbo.

 

“What the hell are you—” Reno began to ask. His question was cut off in a holler of alarm as Cloud grabbed his ankles and pulled them away from the cavern wall, making the redhead struggle for balance. Cloud maneuvered himself underneath the Turk's bowed legs and he pushed his head and shoulders up and between them. He stood up again, catching the redhead before he could fall. Reno ended up pressed up against the wall with his legs around the blonde's waist and his ankles held in place at the small of Cloud's back by his tangled pants.

 

“Inventive,” complimented the Turk with a husky laugh of approval. The spontaneous maneuver left him in a restrained, vulnerable position and Reno appreciated the kink of it.

 

“Put your arms around my neck,” Cloud ordered in a voice ragged with lust.

 

Reno grinned and did as he was told, holding tight to the blonde as Cloud supported his bare ass with one hand and reached into one of his cargo pockets with the other. The blonde fighter located the little packet of lube in there and he released Reno's bottom so that he could break open the lube. The lithe redhead clung to him, purring invitingly into his ear as Cloud slicked the lubricant over his puckered hole and pushed a finger inside. Cloud's palm rubbed against the Turk's balls enticingly and his other hand cupped Reno's bottom again to support him. The fighter's penetrating finger slid against his gland as it pushed in and Reno jerked and bit his lip on a moan.

 

“Damn, I need this,” Reno growled as Cloud began to pump his finger in and out of his body. It had been over three weeks since he'd had the blonde and Reno was very greedy about getting some action from his sexual partners. Each of them had their own unique style and techniques and Reno couldn't go for very long without an encounter with any of them before getting restless. Cloud was no exception to that and since he wasn't as accessible as Rufus, Tseng and Rude, the redhead couldn't get his itch for him scratched as often.

 

Cloud added another finger and thrust vigorously, his mouth seeking out Reno's again to ravish it in another searing kiss. He pressed the Turk harder against the wall and spread his fingers inside of him, coaxing the muscles to relax for him as quickly as he dared. Reno's whimper of pleasure made his head reel and Cloud made a guttural sound of hunger in his throat. The redhead was trying to move against him but the position didn't allow him much hip movement. Cloud's lips pulled back on a smile when the other man whined in frustration at his lack of control over the situation.

 

“Easy,” Cloud murmured huskily against Reno's panting lips. “I'm about to give you what you want.”

 

Reno chewed his bottom lip and whimpered incoherently, his brow furrowed and an expression of aching need on his pale, angular features. Cloud pulled back to stare at that face as he finger-fucked the Turk and his readied cock throbbed with carnal greed. “No witty comments?” he mused breathlessly, “That's a first.”

 

“Want you,” Reno panted. He was so hot and desperate that he didn't think he could say anything else coherently.

 

Cloud thought he'd held off long enough. He was just as desperate as Reno for this, though he was controlling himself a bit better than his companion. He withdrew his fingers from the tight heat and positioned himself, rubbing the latex-covered tip of his cock against the prepared ring of muscle for a moment. When Reno moaned a desperate plea, Cloud claimed his lips again and drove his rigid flesh in. He supported the Turk's ass with both hands and plunged his tongue into his mouth, savoring the grateful, lusty sounds that Reno made.

 

Reno clutched desperately at Cloud's sleeveless sweater, grabbing fistfuls of it in his hands as the blonde's hard length eased into him. The rough, uneven cavern wall that he was pressed up against dug into his back, but he hardly cared. Cloud pulled out to the tip and thrust again with more force, driving in deep. Reno's cock bucked against the fighter's stomach as the motions caused the material of his sweater to rub against the organ and he released the blonde's sweater with one hand to tangle his fingers into his soft, spiked hair. He sucked hard on Cloud's tongue and moaned as the other man began to pump his hips slowly and firmly.

 

Cloud closed his eyes and broke the kiss to sigh Reno's name. He took it as slow as he could in the beginning because he hadn't taken a lot of time to prepare him. When he felt the tightness ease enough, he adjusted his hold on the Turk and thrust harder. Reno embraced him desperately and pressed his sweating forehead against his.

 

“Cloud….Cloud,” the Turk moaned in that husky, sweet way that was unique to him.

 

“Oh god,” Cloud moaned with a shudder. His hands squeezed the smooth, firm ass they were supporting and the carnal heat that he'd been holding back exploded. Hearing his name on Reno's lips always did funny things to him, but when the Turk moaned it like that it invoked a possessive urges in Cloud that made him want to lay claim to him.

 

Reno cried out as the blonde began to fuck him vigorously. His face flushed with passion and a thrill tightened his stomach. His erection dribbled copious amounts of precum and it made a damp spot on Cloud's sweater as the blonde's body rutted against his. Shivering whimpers and sharp gasps steadily burst from Reno's lips and he turned his head to the side and tilted it as Cloud's lips began to suck on his neck. He uttered a delighted curse as the blonde's teeth closed over the tender skin of his neck and bit hard enough to leave a mark. The warm tongue licked the spot soothingly a moment later, providing an interesting contrast of sensation.

 

Reno clenched his teeth and hissed as pain mixed with pleasure. “Yeah baby,” he growled, pulling Cloud's hair roughly. “Fuck me hard…just like that…oh…ah…shit…SHIT!”

 

Reno's scream of release echoed through the cave system and he made a shocking mess all over both his and Cloud's shirts when he blew his load. Cloud moaned his name in a tight, trembling cry as his ass muscles quivered and clenched spasmodically around his dick. With a last groan of pleasure, the blonde came. He buried his face against Reno's shoulder and his chest heaved with his gasps.

 

Reno let go of Cloud's hair and rested his cheek on the top of his head, nuzzling the downy mass as he caught his breath. He felt Cloud's body trembling and he smirked with the knowledge that the fighter had worn himself out on him.

 

He could use that to his advantage and complete his mission.

 

~********************************~

 

-To be continued