Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Guardian ❯ Chapter 3

“Guardian”

Chapter 3

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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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Cloud supported Reno as they walked through the door. The redhead's arm was draped around his neck and Cloud held onto the wrist of that hand, while keeping his other arm around Reno's waist. He shut the door behind him using his foot and then he guided the other man to the bed to ease him onto it.

 

“Want me to get something for you?” offered the blonde. “Something to eat or some coffee? There's a café in the lounge.”

 

“Just a lot of ice water,” Reno answered after some thought. “I wanna drink as much as I can before I pass out, yo. It'll re-hydrate me while I sleep and keep me from getting too hungover.”

 

“Ice water,” Cloud repeated with an interested lift of his eyebrows. “I never would have thought of that. Okay, there should be some plastic cups and a water pitcher in the bathroom. I'll get the pitcher and find the ice machine.”

 

Reno gave him a lopsided grin and reclined on the bed, propping himself on his elbows and leaving his legs dangling over the side. “You're a pretty good nursemaid, yo.”

 

Cloud shrugged. “I just don't want to end up holding your hair back while you heave your guts out over the toilet. Be right back.”

 

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

 

Reno was tugging feebly at his tie and grumbling when Cloud returned with the filled pitcher.

 

“Feels like I'm choking,” the redhead slurred.

 

“Here, let me help with that,” Cloud offered. He put the pitcher on the little table in the room and sat down beside Reno. He reached out and loosened the tie before tugging it over his head and setting it on the nightstand. Seeing that the other man's normally deft fingers were fumbling with the buttons of his shirt too, Cloud unzipped the blazer and pushed Reno's hands aside to unbutton his shirt for him.

 

“Thanks,” Reno sighed with relief when the last button was undone and his shirt was pulled open.

 

Cloud helped him out of his jacket and draped the clothing article over the back of one of the chairs by the table, then he poured a cup of water for the Turk and handed it to him. Reno drank it all down rapidly and Cloud's eyebrows shot up.

 

“Thirsty?” The blonde said as he grabbed the pitcher and set it on the nightstand beside his bed. Reno nodded wordlessly and poured himself another glass. He drank most of the pitcher before he was quenched and Cloud shook his head and grinned. “You're going to be pissing nonstop through the night,” the blonde predicted.

 

Reno set the cup and pitcher back on the nightstand and shook his head. “Nah, when you've got this much liquor in ya, it all goes to replacing what you lost, man. Why don'tcha come here and siddown, Strife?” The redhead patted the mattress next to him and Cloud took him up on the offer.

 

He saw the marks on his companion's neck for the first time and he was a little shocked. There were several livid purple hickeys marring the smooth, pale skin and two sets of teeth marks. One set was faint and would probably fade during the night, but the other set was prominent with bruising. If he'd bitten any harder it would have broken the skin.

 

“Shit, did I do all that?” Cloud muttered as he traced the bite marks with his fingertips.

 

“You sure did, Blondie,” Reno answered smugly. The redhead went abruptly still as Cloud leaned in and began licking at the wounds, like a wolf trying to soothe a hurt. He paused every few seconds to kiss the spots, his lips soft and pliant against the skin. Reno's groin stirred and he combed his fingers through Cloud's soft hair. “Mmm, I like that, yo.”

 

“Do they hurt?” Cloud murmured as he unconsciously slid a hand into the opening of Reno's shirt to explore.

 

“Nah,” answered the redhead. “Well, the big bite's a little tender but hickeys don't hurt anyhow; they just look like they do. Mmm, Cloud…you've got a great pair of lips, yo. Feels good.”

 

Cloud knew that he should probably tuck Reno into bed and let him sleep it off, but he recalled the promise he'd made to him earlier in the bar and suddenly, he wanted very much to fulfill it. Reno was uncommonly passive, thanks to the booze. This was the perfect chance for Cloud to touch him as he wished, without the redhead trying to cuff him or dominate the encounter. He kept licking and kissing Reno's neck while he stroked his chest and stomach with his palm. He gently squeezed a nipple and followed up by rubbing it. It hardened and Reno purred with pleasure, turning his head to nuzzle the side of Cloud's face.

 

Cloud put his free arm around Reno's back to support him as he stimulated his nipples and caressed his chest. He could feel the Turk's heart beating faster under his palm and he could certainly relate. He nibbled Reno's ear and toyed with the silver hoop in the lobe with his tongue. Reno groaned softly and Cloud let his exploring hand slide down over the flat stomach, feeling the tight muscles clench as he rubbed in gentle circles.

 

“Tickle?” inquired the blonde against Reno's ear when he felt the little quiver in his abdomen.

 

“A little,” Reno answered with a soft chuckle. “It's still nice, though. Yer makin' me all stupid, Blondie.”

 

Cloud laughed at that. He'd never seen Reno this deep in the drink before. The redhead was a lot of things—sexy and dangerous being the most prominent—but until now, Cloud had never thought he could be cute. It was a side of him he'd never even imagined existed and it made him feel a dangerous little ache in his chest.

 

“Reno,” Cloud sighed, kissing and sucking on his neck again. The other man was stroking his back with one hand and rubbing his thigh with the other, docile and compliant for once. Cloud slowly dragged his hand down until it was at the waistline of the Turk's slacks. In lieu of working the button and zipper open right away, he slid his palm over the crotch and started to rub the other man's package gently.

 

Reno's response to the massage was to turn his head and slide one hand under Cloud's jaw to guide his mouth to his. He gave the blonde one of those teasing, seductive kisses of his, flicking his tongue over his lips and darting it in coaxingly. The redhead's breath was quickening and a soft moan escaped his lips. He flexed his pelvis encouragingly, rubbing his hardening bulge against Cloud's caressing hand.

 

Cloud half-expected Reno to start falling into his usual aggressive habits as he massaged him to full arousal, but the Turk was either too drunk to pull his thoughts together or he was consciously allowing him to take the lead. The blonde rather doubted it was the latter of the two but he was thankful for the chance to take his time, whatever the reason might be. He slid his tongue into Reno's mouth and caressed the warm, moist recesses. He squeezed the other man's stiffened crotch lightly and rubbed a little harder, eliciting a groan from him.

 

Finally, he couldn't resist any longer and Cloud popped the button on Reno's trousers and tugged the zipper down. He loved the Turk's habit of going commando; it made it easier to ease his erection out and stroke the naked length. Reno murmured his name against his lips and kissed him with greater passion, his breath growing heavier with each moment. Cloud broke the kiss and returned his attention to the redhead's neck while he stroked him off. There was something irresistibly attractive about the smooth skin of his throat and Cloud normally wasn't much of a neck person. He murmured soothingly against the skin when Reno began to get restless, calming him and coaxing him to relax.

 

“Told you I'd give you a hand job,” Cloud whispered.

 

“Yo, I forgot,” gasped the redhead throatily. “Feels so good, baby. I'm getting close.”

 

Cloud captured his lips in a heated kiss and stroked harder and faster. The hand that Reno had resting on his thigh clutched at the material of his pants and the redhead's hips rocked with eager pleasure. Cloud brushed his thumb over the flushed, heart-shaped tip and slicked the moisture dribbling out over the velvety flesh. Reno's swift gasp rewarded him and he did it again.

 

“Come for me,” Cloud insisted in a husky voice. He thrust his tongue into the other man's mouth as Reno moaned long and loud. He felt his cock tightening up and he increased the speed of his strokes again. Reno's lithe body began to tense and he clutched at the blonde's thigh and shoulder desperately. With a final, hoarse groan, he came. Cloud smiled in satisfaction as he felt the organ pulsing in his hand. Thankfully, Reno's shirt was hanging wide open so the cum spurt on his naked chest, rather than on his clothes. Cloud gentled his kiss and slowed his rhythm as the spasms eased up and stopped. He pulled back to look at Reno's flushed, sweaty face and he admired the expression of pleasure on it.

 

“You've got the most expressive face when you're coming,” the blonde observed aloud. “Makes a guy feel good.” He kissed him briefly and eased him onto his back. “I'll go get a washcloth,” he murmured as Reno closed his eyes and caught his breath. “Just relax.”

 

He got out of the bed and paused for a moment, admiring the sight of Reno lying there gasping, with his shirt hanging open and his cock exposed. If his head weren't buzzing so badly, Cloud would have liked to have sex with him. He didn't trust himself to perform well, however. With a little sigh of regret, the blonde went into the bathroom and got a washcloth—which he moistened. When he came back out, Reno was already sleeping peacefully. He cleaned the redhead up and straightened his clothes before climbing into bed next to him and stretching out. On impulse, Cloud laid his head on the Turk's shoulder and threw an arm over his torso. He fell asleep much faster than he'd expected to.

 

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

 

The morning light shone on Reno's face and it woke him up. He blinked and yawned, starting to stretch as he mentally reviewed what he could remember of the night before. He felt weight against his shoulder and he looked down to see Cloud Strife cuddling him. The blonde's youthful features were relaxed in sleep, his shapely lips parted and his warm breath stirring Reno's hair. Funny, Cloud didn't have any stubble to speak of. Did the Mako enhancements kill off facial hair? The Turk stared at him and remembered how the night had ended. He smiled and stroked the soft, golden spikes of hair. That warm feeling returned in his chest and Reno's smile faded into a frown.

 

“Damn it, Blondie,” the redhead whispered. He had to go…he couldn't hang around and let his affection grow. He checked his watch and tried to disengage from Cloud without waking him up. He cursed again when the blonde stirred and blinked sleepy sapphire eyes at him.

 

“Hey,” Cloud said.

 

“Uh, hey,” answered Reno warily.

 

“You look sort of spooked,” the blonde observed with a smirk. “What's wrong, are you afraid if you stay for a while I could be more than a fuck to you?”

 

Reno's eyebrows shot up. ~The kid's sharp. Fuck, how do I get outta this one?~

 

“Look, I've gotta go,” Reno murmured, swallowing. “They've probably been trying to get in touch with me since yesterday and I've had my phone turned off.” Well, that much was true, at least. His superiors, coworkers and his partner were probably about ready to send out a search team for him.

 

“You don't have to go yet,” Cloud insisted, his lips brushing against Reno's cheek and ear.

 

Reno hardened shamefully in response and he cleared his throat. “Yeah, I do. Come on, baby, let me up.” He closed his eyes and bit his lip as the blonde's teeth closed over his earlobe and tugged at it.

 

“I want you,” Cloud said without concern. His fingers were unbuttoning Reno's shirt again with practiced ease.

 

“Fuck,” Reno groaned, turning his head and kissing the blonde on the mouth.

 

Cloud had a plan. He put an arm around Reno's waist and rolled onto his back, taking the other man with him. “I want you like this,” he murmured, parting his thighs so that Reno's hips settled between them. His blue eyes were open and earnest and he nearly laughed at the stupefied bewilderment in the Turk's face.

 

“You wanna bottom?” Reno asked with a visible gulp.

 

Cloud nodded and cupped the back of the Turk's head, drawing his throat to his lips. He kissed his neck and jaw, not caring about the fine stubble that brushed against his lips. “Why not?” He murmured, “I don't even like Rufus and I ended up doing it with him. You don't want to?”

 

Reno shuddered and instinctively rocked his hips against the blonde's pelvis. ~Okay, hot young blonde spread out under me, offering me his ass. Shit…if Strife bottoms for me that's gonna be the end. He's not a uke but he trusts me enough to…oh hell…baby, why'd you have to offer this to me?~

 

“Reno?” Cloud's lips were still pressing soft kisses against his throat and his soft, questioning tone sounded vulnerable. There was a time when Reno would have picked Strife as a uke, going by looks alone. Now he was playing the part nicely and he was irresistible to the Turk. The only man that Reno had ever topped before was Tseng and the thought of having Cloud like that made his groin ache with need.

 

“What the hell are ya doing to me, Blondie?” Reno groaned, just before he gave Cloud a searing, hungry kiss.

 

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

 

A few moments later, their clothing was lying in a pile on the floor and Cloud's legs were hooked over Reno's shoulders. The redhead positioned himself and hesitated, worried that he might not have taken enough time to relax his lover. He always worried like that when he did the fucking, simply because it was such an uncommon role for him to take and he wasn't used to it.

 

“Here I come, sexy,” Reno murmured as he stared into Cloud's eyes. “Don't try to be a hero, yo. If I hurt ya, tell me.”

 

“You won't,” Cloud answered with confidence. He cupped the redhead's ass and urged him to move. “Quit procrastinating.”

 

Reno chuckled and kissed him as he rocked forward. His groan echoed Cloud's as his swollen cock nudged past the tight ring of muscle. “Shit, you're tight,” he gasped as he eased in until he was buried to the hilt. He held still for a couple of moments, panting softly as the blonde's body adjusted to him. “Cloud,” he sighed, kissing the blonde's arching throat.

 

Cloud stroked Reno's long, bright hair and made himself relax, accepting the intrusion of the other man's flesh. He did his best to hide the discomfort he felt but evidently, Reno saw his expression before he could school it. The Turk didn't move for a while and he murmured to the blonde and planted soft kisses all over his throat and jaw. The discomfort faded and he must have sensed it, because he slowly withdrew and thrust again. His sea-green eyes studied Cloud as he started taking him, watching for any signs of pain. His breath shivered with pleasure and he licked his lips as he slowly pumped within Cloud's body.

 

Cloud shut his eyes and moaned softly as the rigid flesh brushed against his internal gland. Reno was certainly different from Rufus. Where the president had been demanding and firm with his thrusts, Reno was almost tender. Cloud hadn't really expected that from the energetic redhead. He'd expected Reno to start fucking him hard and fast as soon as he adjusted. Rather than being disappointing, the slow, gentle rhythm was heavenly and the intimate way the Turk looked into his eyes made Cloud's breath catch. He felt the pressure building already and he knew it wouldn't be long before Reno's thrusts brought him to climax.

 

Reno fell into it once he knew for certain that he wasn't hurting his companion. He whispered the blonde's name shakenly and started up a slow, deep rhythm. Cloud was stroking his hair with one hand and squeezing his ass with the other. The blonde's breath caught softly with each thrust and his fair features began to flush with pleasure. Reno smiled proudly as he felt the other man's cock twitch against his belly. If he played his cards right he'd have Cloud coming soon, without even having to touch him. Clearly, the fighter got the greatest pleasure from a slow fuck…which suited Reno just fine because he knew he wouldn't be able to last if he did it any harder or faster.

 

“Reno,” Cloud moaned when the redhead pushed in at the perfect angle.

 

Reno pumped a little harder, excited by the sound of his name on Cloud's lips. “Do that again, baby,” he panted, kissing the blonde's tensing jaw. Cloud obliged him and Reno gritted his teeth and fought his approaching orgasm with everything he had. “Fuck…oh baby…come for me,” Reno begged breathlessly, “come on, Cloud…give it to me.”

 

“Oh god,” Cloud panted, tossing his head as the gentle thrusts of Reno's dick made the tight heat in his belly coil and lash out. He trembled and held the other man tightly as he came, pressing his sweating face against Reno's smooth chest.

 

Reno closed his eyes and smiled as he felt Cloud's rigid cock pulse against his abdomen. The feel of the warm, wet seed splattering against his skin undid the redhead and he moaned long and loud. He shot his load inside of Cloud and clenched his jaw. It felt so amazing, he wondered if he might black out. “Mmm, Cloud,” he purred when it finished. “Coming inside you was like a little slice of fucking heaven, yo. I can't believe you let me do that.”

 

Instead of verbally responding, Cloud tangled his fingers into Reno's hair and kissed him deeply. The Turk returned the kiss, lazily tracing patterns inside of Cloud's mouth with his tongue before coaxing the blonde to take over. They traded dominance easily for a while, their tongues exploring one another's mouths with sensual ease. Reno looked at his watch again and groaned. He really did have to get a move on and get back to his chopper. He was going to be in for it as it was.

 

“Cloud, baby…I've really got to go,” Reno murmured. “I don't wanna…especially now, but I've gotta check in with work before they send out the search parties, ya know?” He could hardly believe that he'd said he didn't want to go out loud—and meant it. He really didn't want to go. He was too far gone in this relationship to use an early retreat as a means to keep Strife out of his heart. Cloud giving himself to him like that cinched it and Reno knew he was doomed.

 

Cloud sighed and removed his arms from around the redhead. “Yeah, yeah. I guess I should get going too. My shit's not going to deliver itself, anyhow.”

 

“Don't be pissed, yo,” Reno murmured with a lingering kiss. “If I didn't have work to do I'd stay. Tseng's probably gonna kick my ass for not checking in as it is.”

 

Cloud shrugged, understanding even as he was resentful. Acting like a spoiled brat wasn't going to solve anything. “Give me a call later, so I'll know they didn't shoot you.”

 

Reno laughed softly. “It'd take more than disappearing for a day to get me shot, but I'll let you know how it goes, man. How about we take a shower together before I motor, yo?”

 

Cloud certainly had no objections to that. The shower lasted longer than it should have because they spent more time making out than bathing, but eventually both men got cleaned up and Reno shaved before going. They shared a deep kiss before parting ways and Cloud reminded the redhead to let him know how things went, later on.

 

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

 

“Reno, where have you been?” Rufus's voice betrayed a hint of relief, even as it was stiff with anger.

 

“I've been in Edge, boss. I know I should have checked in but I got pretty wasted last night, yo.” Reno grimaced, knowing that Rufus wouldn't accept that as an excuse. He started flipping switches on the control panel, getting the chopper ready for take-off.

 

“Let me guess,” Rufus said sourly, “You were with Strife all night.”

 

“Um…yeah,” Reno answered. “I felt bad for leaving the guy hobbled in the mountain like that and I wanted to see if he got in touch with Reeve. We ended up doing a bunch of shots and one thing led to another, yo.”

 

Rufus sighed. “The next time you decide on an overnight excursion on a whim, I expect you to leave a message.”

 

Reno grinned. “Were ya gonna send out the search party?”

 

“I was getting close to it, yes,” admitted the president dryly. “I trust you're on your way back, now?”

 

“Yes Sir. I'm just about to start her up now and I'll be in Junon before ya know it.”

 

“Belay that,” Rufus ordered. “I've got an assignment for you and I need you on it right away. Something's happening in Corel that the company needs to investigate. Tseng and Rude are already on site waiting for you, and Reeve has a team of scientists there with him.”

 

Reno frowned. “What's going on?”

 

“High levels of Mako,” answered Rufus. “There are concerns that it could lead to an eruption. We're trying to keep it quiet, but there are already news teams on site. You and your fellow Turks are to help Reeve with his investigations and keep the media from interfering, understood?”

 

“You got it, boss.” Reno thought it was a little odd to be fighting on the “good” side, even if the Turks would never truly be “good” themselves. It was a little refreshing, actually. Instead of doing things to harm the Planet, he was now helping to heal it.

 

“Report back to me when you have some information.” Ordered the president.

 

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

 

“Yo Reeve, what's up?” Reno found the engineer using some sort of device that looked like a metal detector, while his team took soil samples around the coal-mining town. Tseng and Rude spotted the redhead and they made their way over to him.

 

“I'm not exactly sure, yet,” the older man said with a frown of concentration. “We think the plates shifted and a stream of natural Mako made its way here, under the ground. It may not be anything to worry about but there's a chance it could break through the crust.”

 

“What'll happen if it does that?” Reno wanted to know. He slapped Rude's hand as the bald man came up beside him, grinning up at his partner in greeting.

 

“If it breaks through, the town will need to be evacuated until the WRO can get things under control. Otherwise we risk a contamination epidemic.” Reeve didn't seem to like the numbers he was getting as he scanned the earth.

 

“I noticed a crack in the ground just outside of town,” Tseng said. “Perhaps it bears investigating?”

 

“Show me,” Reeve ordered as he turned off his device.

 

Tseng led the engineer and his fellow Turks out of town and to the spot he'd found. Reno glanced up and saw news station choppers circling the town. So far none of the reporters were on the ground bothering anyone, but that could change fast. He wondered how far he was allowed to go in order to keep them out of the way.

 

“Here it is,” Tseng said after a few moments. He gestured to a crack in the ground. From within its depths, Reno could make out an eerie, green glow.

 

“There's Mako under there, all right,” Reeve sighed as he knelt down and got a reading. “It isn't far from the surface, either. We're definitely going to have to evacuate Corel.”

 

While Reeve and Tseng talked and made plans, Reno walked a few feet away with Rude. “This outta be a fun day,” the redhead remarked without enthusiasm.

 

“The sooner we get it over with, the sooner we can go home,” Rude answered with a shrug. “Want to go out for some beers after work?”

 

“Hell yeah,” Reno agreed. He hadn't spent enough time with his partner outside of work lately and he was starting to miss him. He was about to suggest that the bald man stay overnight at his apartment, when a cracking, rending sound reached Reno's ears. The redhead looked down with a frown. The ground was splitting around he and Rude. He looked up at his frowning partner before scanning the area and formulating a course of action. They only had minutes to act and they weren't likely to move fast enough.

 

Reno did the only thing his devotion to his partner would allow him to do. He shouted a warning and shoved Rude away, as hard as he could. The bigger man stumbled over the cracking ground and looked back at Reno with alarm. The redhead looked down at his feet just as the ground crumbled away and he began to fall into the viscous green liquid underneath.

 

“Oh, shi—” Reno didn't get to finish the sentence before he was swallowed up.

 

“RENO!” Rude hollered, showing more emotion than he'd ever shown before. He lunged for the hole where his partner had vanished and he was hardly aware that both Tseng and Reeve had charged over to him and were holding him back.

 

“That's pure Mako,” Reeve grunted, “You can't go in after him!”

 

“Let go of me, man,” Rude snarled, powerful muscles straining as he fought to dive in after his lover and partner.

 

“Rude, let the WRO use their machinery to get him out,” Tseng tried to reason. “You'll be no help to Reno if you get pulled under too!”

 

Rude kept struggling and Reeve grabbed his cellphone and dialed for help. “Get a team over here with a grappler, immediately!” He ordered, “We've got a man trapped in the Mako stream!”

 

Seeing that Rude wasn't going to stop struggling, Tseng had little choice. “Forgive me for this,” the Wutaian said as he pressed firmly against a cluster of nerves at the back of Rude's skull. The action made him lose consciousness and he sagged in the arms of the two men. Tseng shared a worried look with Reeve and waited tensely for the science team to bring the machinery to fish Reno out. The problem was, the Mako was flowing beneath the surface and it had likely already carried the redhead out of their reach.

 

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

 

“This is Rufus Shinra.” The president answered the phone and twirled a pen in his hand with bored disinterest.

 

“Sir,” answered Tseng's voice. It was unusually tense and Rufus frowned and sat up straighter. “I have some…unfortunate news. We've lost Reno.”

 

Rufus's heart slammed in his ribcage and he carefully controlled his voice as he responded. “What do you mean, you've `lost' him?”

 

Tseng swallowed before answering. “The ground broke apart under his feet and he shoved Rude out of the way just before it collapsed. He fell into the Mako stream under the surface and so far, the WRO hasn't been able to get him out. Reeve believes he'll resurface somewhere else, eventually, but we can't know where or when. The WRO is trying to track the stream and find another place where it surfaces.”

 

Rufus's gray eyes were wide and stunned. “I want him found,” he said through stiff lips, “I want him found and given medical attention immediately, is that clear?”

 

“Yes, Sir. We'll do everything humanely possible to retrieve him.” Tseng's tone suggested that he didn't really believe they would succeed. “Sir, I think you should prepare yourself. If we find Reno, he'll have already been exposed to levels of Mako that most humans couldn't endure—even more than the average member of SOLDIER. Most victims of Mako poisoning—”

 

“I don't want to hear it,” Rufus said coldly. “No matter what condition he's in when he's found, he'll get the best of care. Just concentrate on bringing him home, Tseng.”

 

“As you wish, Sir.”

 

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

 

“Whoa, look at that!”

 

Cloud turned at the sound of Denzel's excited exclamation and he looked at the television. The screen showed a live broadcast of Corel—which was Barrett's hometown. The reporter talked about a Mako stream that was under the surface and plans to evacuate. Just as she started to go into details, one of the cameramen shouted an exclamation and the picture zoomed in on the ground below.

 

Cloud recognized Reno, Rude, Tseng and Reeve and it took a moment for him to register what happened next. The redheaded Turk shoved Rude hard, making him stumble a few feet. Then the ground collapsed under Reno and he fell into the flowing Mako beneath. Cloud's jaw dropped and he couldn't believe what he'd just seen. The reporter was hollering with excitement, commenting on what they'd just witnessed.

 

“No,” Cloud muttered, shaking his head. He couldn't tear his eyes off of the screen and he watched Rude struggle in the arms of Tseng and Reeve. He could completely identify with the bald man, for if he had been there he'd have done the exact same thing and tried to dive in after Reno. “This isn't happening.”

 

Denzel looked worried. “You know that guy that went down?”

 

“Yeah,” Cloud said sluggishly. “I know him.”

 

He watched silently as the WRO brought machinery to the hole in the ground and attempted to locate and drag the fallen Turk out. The reporter said that the chances of finding him were very slim and if he was lucky, he'd die fast.

 

Cloud's chest hurt and his hands clenched into fists as he watched the efforts on the news. His cellphone rang and he didn't immediately reach for it, convinced that if he kept watching, he could will the rescue workers to find Reno. He slowly reached for the phone, without taking his desperate eyes off of the screen.

 

“Strife delivery service,” he answered mechanically.

 

“Cloud? It's Tseng. We've had an incident and I thought you should know, since you've been involved with Reno lately.” The Wutaian's voice was strained but steady.

 

“I know,” murmured Cloud, “I'm watching it on TV now. What the fuck was he doing there?”

 

“His job,” answered Tseng calmly. “Like the rest of us. We were sent to keep the reporters from interfering with the WRO's work.”

 

“So what happens now?” Cloud asked.

 

Tseng sighed. “We keep searching for him, until there's no hope left. If you have any belief in a higher power, I suggest you pray to it, as will I.”

 

“Got it,” Cloud said stiffly. “Call me if you find anything…anything at all.”

 

He hung up the phone and sat down heavily on the couch. Denzel stared at him with concern as he put his head in his hands and Marlene came into the room and hurried over to him when she saw the way he was sitting.

 

“Cloud?” The little girl inquired as she put a hand on his knee. “Does your head hurt?”

 

“No,” whispered the blonde. His head was fine…it was his heart that pained him.

 

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

 

-To be continued