Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Guardian ❯ Chapter 10

“Guardian”

Chapter 10

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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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Reno was thoroughly embarrassed the next morning when he awoke and remembered how he broke down the night before. Rude was spooned up against his back and the redhead laid there for a while and plotted ways to sneak out of the bigger man's embrace and leave the apartment before he woke up. He shifted experimentally and gingerly tried to remove his partner's arm from around his waist, but Rude only held him more tightly and murmured against his hair. Reno went still again when he heard the other man mumble inquisitively, trying to pretend he was asleep.

 

“Reno, you awake?”

 

“Mmph,” he responded vaguely, hoping he sounded convincingly sleepy. He felt his partner's lips nuzzle his temple and the short stubble of his neatly trimmed facial hair tickled his skin. Goosebumps sprang up on the redhead's forearms and a tingle of pleasure raced through his body.

 

“We've got the day off,” Rude murmured against Reno's ear. He kissed him lightly there, provoking further arousal. “The only thing we've gotta do today is stop by the doctor's office later on for you to have a little blood drawn. We can put that off until this afternoon, if you want.”

 

Reno shrugged. “That's cool.” He bit his lip as he swelled in his pajama pants. He knew that Rude was one of his intimate partners but the man seemed so reserved most of the time, he wasn't sure how to behave around him. Evidently Rude was interested in fooling around at least a little, because one of his large, calloused hands was sliding around Reno's waist to the front of his body to caress the taut muscles of his stomach.

 

“Is this too fast?” Rude asked with gentle patience as he kissed the other man's neck. Overall, Reno's personality was much the same as before and he sure as hell didn't hesitate to take both Rufus and Strife to his bed that night—though how he managed to get them to cooperate was a mystery to the bald man. Logically if Reno felt comfortable enough with them, he should feel comfortable enough with him too, but the doctor had warned them all that Reno's moods were likely going to be unstable for a while, thanks to the trauma he had endured. He didn't want to push for too much, too fast.

 

Reno hesitated for a moment and shook his head, closing his eyes. He didn't want to look at the other man and see pity in his eyes. Rude stopped despite his nod of consent and went still, prompting Reno to turn his head and look at him reluctantly. “What's up?”

 

“You seem kind of tense,” Rude answered, his brown eyes staring into Reno's searchingly. “Don't put on an act for me, Red. If you're not into it, just say so.”

 

Reno saw the hurt lurking behind his handsome partner's eyes and he furrowed his brow and made himself blurt out the truth. “It ain't that. It's…last night. I shouldn't have acted like that, man. I just feel kinda stupid and I kind of wanna crawl into a hole somewhere.”

 

Rude snorted. “You're still worried about that shit? Reno, I told you; it's okay. Everybody's got to vent sometimes and if you can't do it with your pals, who can you do it with?”

 

Reno smirked a little. “I just feel like a puss.”

 

Rude shook his head, his expression completely serious. “You're not made of stone, partner. If that's all that's wrong then we're doing good. Now get over this issue you've got with us being here for you.” He kissed him before he could protest, probing gently but firmly with his tongue as the redhead's lips parted.

 

Reno's embarrassment for his behavior the night before faded in the face of hot lust. The insistent, slow thrusts of Rude's tongue in his mouth made his pulse race familiarly. He responded to the kiss with eager desire, caressing the bald man's invading tongue with his own. A little gasp blurted from Reno's mouth as Rude's warm, strong hand slipped down under the waistline of his pants to grip his swelling erection. It began to stroke him slowly and Reno squirmed with restless pleasure, pressing his ass backwards against Rude's tightening crotch.

 

Rude almost stopped again, surprised at how fast his partner was responding. It shouldn't have thrown him the way it did because Reno was still Reno, after all. He supposed he was bracing himself so hard for abnormal behavior that he wasn't prepared for the norm. Rude couldn't stop a soft groan of need as his partner rubbed against him invitingly. He squeezed Reno's cock a little more firmly and moved his hand up and down the length of it slightly faster.

 

“I want you,” Rude murmured against his lips unnecessarily.

 

“Ditto on that, baby,” Reno gasped. “You know where I keep the stuff, right?”

 

Rude nodded and scooted away a little so that he could coax the lusty redhead onto his back. “There's no hurry, Red. Let me touch you for a while, okay?” He pulled Reno's pajama pants off and looked down at the other man admiringly, scanning his lithe body with appreciation. “It's been so fucking long since I've had the chance to put my hands on you like this. I feel like I could pop, but I wanna enjoy every minute of this.”

 

“That's kind of dramatic, yo,” Reno said with a teasing smirk. “It ain't like you've been celibate the whole time, right?”

 

“No,” Rude confirmed with a slight smile, “but I haven't had you.” With that said, he lowered his mouth to his partner's again and kissed him deeply, taking his hand off of his member for the time being so that he could explore other parts of his body. He ignored Reno's groan of frustration and slid his hand up his torso, lightly chafing the pink nipples with his palm. He pushed Reno's hand away when the redhead started to do some exploring of his own and he stopped kissing him to gaze down at him sternly.

 

“Not yet, partner. I'm already too horny for you to play around like that.” He caught hold of both Reno's wrists and pinned them over his head with one hand, nipping lightly at the skin of his pale throat as he stretched out on top of him.

 

Reno's breath caught and he forgot to argue. The feel of the bald man's powerful body pressing him into the mattress was fantastic. He strained experimentally against Rude's hold on his wrists, but his grip was like a vice and Reno couldn't budge it. Of course, he wasn't truly trying to break his hold but he had doubts that he could even if he did put his full strength into it. It turned him on even more and he arched his throat and growled softly, shifting his pelvis beneath Rude's to rub against him.

 

“Ah, Red,” groaned the bald man painfully. He wasn't exaggerating when he'd told Reno he couldn't handle further stimulation from him—he worried that he'd cream his boxer shorts just from rubbing against him. He held the slimmer man's wrists together over his head with one hand while using the other to satisfy his need to stroke his body. Reno squirmed just enough to entice him and Rude sucked on the skin of his neck until he left a mark. He fondled a nipple to hardness, then moved on to the other one and did the same. Those appealing sounds he'd missed so much began to escape Reno's parted lips with greater frequency and passion, while a wanton flush crept over the redhead's high cheekbones.

 

“Rude…don't make me wait anymore,” Reno begged breathlessly when his partner's calloused hand curled around his stiff cock again and stroked it. He was dribbling steady drops of precum as the bald man fondled him, getting closer and closer to the edge of control. He arched his back as the throbbing pleasure grew and he bucked his hips when Rude stroked the slick cap of his dick.

 

The desperate whimper Reno made invoked a combination of lust and love in Rude and the bigger man shushed him and fondled him more gently. “Not yet, baby. Calm down for me.” His voice sounded ragged with need to his own ears. Reno struggled visibly to comply, his body shuddering with pleasure and need and his bright eyes glittering hotly from under heavy lids. Rude kissed his gasping lips again, tracing them with his tongue as he slowly pumped his hand up and down his rigid cock.

 

“Oh god…Rude, I don't wanna wait anymore!” Reno was tossing his head and struggling against the bald man's restraining hold with greater effort than before.

 

Sensing that he wouldn't be able to keep his partner restrained for much longer if he kept this up, Rude plunged his tongue into his mouth once more to muffle his pleading cries and he released his wrists so that he could reach out for the drawer on the nightstand. “Easy, Red. I'm gonna get us both ready now,” Rude promised against his lips when the other man's freed hands immediately began to tug his boxers down.

 

Reno feverishly ran his hands over his partner's muscular body as soon as he got the boxer shorts yanked down. The hard knots of muscle bunched and relaxed alternately under his hands and a delighted expression bled into his features when his hand located and fondled Rude's jutting cock. He'd had a feeling that Rude was hung well but his exploration confirmed that he was exceptional.

 

“Damn, you're hung like a mule,” Reno gasped as he stroked the impressive organ.

 

“Which is why you've got to calm down and let me get us ready,” Rude insisted huskily, pushing into Reno's gripping hand instinctively. He planted a quick, soft kiss on the redhead's lips as he found the lube and dangled it over him. “Here, put some of this on my fingers.”

 

Reno obeyed, unsurprised by Rude's nonchalant, practical attitude concerning his size. Rude wasn't the sort of man to posture and despite his intimidating appearance, he seemed to be very considerate and gentle with his lovers. It was so familiar and comforting to Reno, while at the same time so sinfully hot. He squirted out a healthy sized glob of lube and smeared it thoroughly over his partner's first two fingers. Hell, the digits alone were probably going to stretch the hell out of him; Rude's hands were big from fingertip to palm. Reno relaxed his body as much as he could when the bald man brought his hand down between his legs. He winced in spite of himself when one lubed finger sought entry to his body and pushed in slowly, but the other man was careful not to push too hard or deep and the discomfort faded quickly.

 

“Mmm, that's good,” Reno encouraged as his pleasure grew. Rude brushed against his prostate and he sucked in a sharp breath and kissed the bald man hotly. “Do that again, baby.”

 

Rude suppressed a prideful smile and obliged him, admiring the way his teeth worried his lower lip as he fought a moan. He carefully inserted a second finger and pushed deeper, which provoked a shudder through Reno's body and caused him to gasp his name.

 

“Let me know if I hurt you, baby,” Rude murmured as he kissed his partner's parted lips. Reno was the only sexual partner he'd ever had that he referred to as “baby”. It wasn't that the redhead was feminine, vulnerable or even innocent…it was just that Reno was so fucking hot to him that he felt the word just had to be used once in a while. It suited him, more than it could ever suit anyone else in Rude's life.

 

“You ain't gonna hurt me,” Reno panted, shifting his pelvis to draw the other man's fingers more deeply into his body, “feels great.” His eyes closed and he tensed and moaned as the big fingers stroked that spot inside of him again. “Oh god…you're gonna make me come, Rude!”

 

Ideally, Rude would have preferred for his partner to orgasm during the final act, but he was confident that he could get Reno hard again when he fucked him. He kissed the pale, arching throat and pressed firmly against the spongy lump inside of the redhead. He could tell that the action made his partner see stars because Reno screamed his name raggedly and his ass clamped hard around his fingers as he climaxed.

 

“Rude…oh fuck, Rude,” cried Reno as he shot his load. The bald man's facial hair chafed against his skin as his partner kissed him hard and kept thrusting as the orgasm ran its course. Reno clutched at his broad shoulders and sucked in great gulps of air. When it tapered off, Rude withdrew his fingers and gave him one more kiss before reaching for the condom packet he'd gotten out of the drawer and sitting up to open it. Reno watched him as he caught his breath, admiring the sight of him sliding the rubber down over his big, flushed cock.

 

“I wanna be on top,” Reno said on sudden inspiration. He wasn't afraid that Rude would hurt him—he just thought of how good it would feel to ride that big brown beast and it was too tempting a thought to resist. He wasn't sure that Rude would agree; he couldn't remember whether his partner liked to have complete control or if he was flexible. His answer came in the form of a quiet smile and a nod of consent from the bald man and he returned the smile and struggled into a sitting position.

 

“Hold on a sec Red,” the bald man warned in his deep voice as Reno immediately started to straddle his lap. “We've got to lube me up too.”

 

“Oh yeah,” Reno answered, still a bit winded from his recent climax. “I guess I'm being kind of greedy, yo.”

 

“I don't mind you being greedy,” Rude answered with a husky laugh, “what I do mind is you getting hurt because we got careless. Where'd the lube go?”

 

Reno twisted around and searched with near desperation. He found the tube right where he'd left it—lying on the pillow next to where his head had been a moment ago. He reached for it and unscrewed the cap again, hastily squirting a large glob onto his palm before capping it and tossing it aside again. “Can't wait to ride you,” Reno announced in a breathless, husky tone as he rubbed the gel between his palms and looked into his partner's brown eyes. Rude's hands rested on his waist to steady him as the redhead shifted and reached down to lube his rigid cock.

 

Reno watched his partner's face as he gripped his erection firmly and proceeded to slick the lubricant over it. He smirked when Rude's eyes closed and his face tensed with obvious pleasure. He leaned forward and traced his lips with his tongue as he used both of his hands to massage the throbbing organ. When Rude's lips parted on a gasp, Reno slipped his tongue into his mouth and explored delicately.

 

He gripped the base of the other Turk's cock with his right hand and rather than sliding it up and down the shaft, he twisted it so that it was massaging back and forth. While he did that, his left hand was stroking up and down the tip. He broke the kiss to study the other man's reactions to his touch and his smirk returned in full-force when he saw the ecstasy apparent on Rude's face.

 

“Sh-shit,” Rude gasped after a moment, unable to contain the exclamation. Reno's technique was entirely new to him and he didn't know if the redhead had just come up with it spontaneously or if he'd simply never thought to use it before. It felt so good he knew he'd have to put a stop to it soon, or he'd end up coming in his hands.

 

“Like that, baby?” Reno asked with a soft growl of excitement.

 

“God, yes,” Rude agreed breathlessly. He threaded his fingers into the long strands of hair spilling down Reno's back and tugged just enough to force his head back, exposing his throat. Rude sucked greedily on the skin there, right next to a raspberry mark already forming from his earlier attentions. He grunted softly as Reno's ministrations brought him dangerously close to orgasm and he was forced to reach down with his other hand to grip one of his partner's wrists to still it.

 

“It's too good,” Rude panted when Reno mumbled an inquiry, “I want to come inside of you, Red.” He licked his partner's arched throat once more and breathed a sigh of regret when Reno complied and quit stroking him off. They were both lubed enough to move on, so Rude let go of his companion's hair and put both hands on his narrow hips to guide him. “Do you think you're ready?”

 

“Fuck yeah,” answered Reno eagerly. He rose up enough to guide the member he still gripped, moving with instinctive skills. When he felt the tip of Rude's cock butting against the right spot, he released the base of it and began to sink down. His lips rounded and his auburn brows furrowed with concentration and a bit of discomfort as he eased the head in. Clenching his jaw, he bore down to help his body open for his partner. He couldn't stop himself from letting out a sharp gasp when the resistance gave and Rude slipped in, but the sound was as much from pleasure as pain.

 

Rude held still for a few moments, letting Reno direct the pace while he supported his hips with his hands. He studied his partner's tense, fair features and softly encouraged him to take it slow. Reno nodded and managed a little smile, kissing him sensually on the mouth. Rude groaned into the kiss as the redhead eased down further, slowly taking him into his tight heat. He released Reno's hips and put his arms around him, pressing his cheek against the smooth skin of his slim-toned chest.

 

Being comatose for so long and thus celibate, Reno had tightened up and despite his earlier care and preparation, Rude could feel the redhead's body quivering around him. He'd always been a snug fit but the extended inactivity had put him back into an almost virginal state of resistance. He heard a soft whimper and he pulled back to look at Reno, concerned.

 

“Don't try to take me in like it's only been a couple of days, Red.” Rude brought one hand up to stroke a few strands of vivid hair away from Reno's sweat-beaded forehead. “It's been a long time since we were last together. Your body probably still has some re-adjusting to do.”

 

Reno almost argued that he hadn't had this much trouble with Rufus or Cloud, but thought better of it. Open relationship or not, he didn't want to risk spoiling the mood by making comparisons.

 

~Besides that, Blondie and the boss aren't hung like Rude. Sure, they're hung better than average but this guy's in a league of his own. Jumping back on the horse ain't as easy when your baby's hung like one, yo.~

 

“Yeah, you're right,” Reno agreed aloud as he slid his hands over the hard pectorals of Rude's chest and stopped trying to force himself down. “I just fucking want you so bad…it's hard to take it slow, man.”

 

Rude put his hands on his hips again to support him as well as keep him from easing down too fast. This was why he'd intended to have sex with Reno “missionary” style; so that the energetic redhead wouldn't hurt himself in his vigor. “Maybe we should change positions,” Rude suggested haltingly.

 

Reno shook his head and moaned as he sank down further. “I wanna ride you and that's that.”

 

Rude's mouth twitched on a grin. “That stubborn streak of yours hasn't changed, baby.” He cupped Reno's ass and admired the firm feel of it for a moment before guiding him slowly. “How's this?”

 

Reno closed his eyes and nodded as his partner angled him and made the breach go more smoothly. “That's…oh…that's better.”

 

Actually, it was more than “better”. Reno didn't have to pause further, thanks to Rude's support. He didn't rush it but before long, it was all the way in and he moaned softly as it rested against his prostate. He put his arms around Rude's neck and brought his mouth close to his ear as he began to rock gingerly. His breath caught and he gasped his partner's name as Rude gently thrust his hips in conjunction with his movements. Reno began to harden again at a rapid pace and with Rude's guidance, he fell into a smooth, easy rhythm.

 

“Unh…so big,” Reno groaned, but now his voice was full of pleasure instead of discomfort. Rude's mouth sought out his and he gladly responded, darting his tongue against the bald man's and parting his lips to give him access. Rude's grip on his ass tightened and his breath quickened as he picked up the pace. The bigger man gave a firm thrust that made Reno cry out and become completely erect, then he released one of the cheeks he was cupping and dragged his hand around the redhead's hip to the front, reaching between his spread thighs. He began to stroke Reno's swollen dick and the redhead's moan of gratitude was muffled against his mouth.

 

Many things were going through Rude's mind as he took his partner—most of them concerning how irresistible Reno was to him and how glad he was to have him back again. Many things may have changed but the sly redhead was still as passionate, stubborn and witty as ever. Rude hadn't expected his partner to be so at ease with him or any of the others, considering that he only had a precious handful of memories concerning them. He'd expected to have to rebuild a relationship with him, but somehow the redhead had retained his feelings for all of them, even if he couldn't recall the memories. Strange as it was to know that his partner was acting on feelings with little or no accompanying memories, he was thankful.

 

Rude broke the kiss and looked into Reno's abnormally vivid eyes, holding his gaze as he pumped his hips and stroked him off. “Missed you,” he panted.

 

~”Missed you”? Hell, I fucking LOVE you. But you already know that, don't you Red?~

 

Reno gave him a familiar, dazzling smile and Rude remembered the first time he'd smiled at him like that. He remembered thinking it was the sweetest smile he'd ever seen on a guy's face before and he remembered thinking it was such a paradox for a guy like Reno to smile like that. He couldn't help it…he embraced his partner tightly with his free arm and nuzzled his chest. Clearly Reno understood the underlying meaning in Rude's declaration that he'd missed him.

 

He felt Reno's body growing more and more tense against his and he listened to his breath shiver. Clenching his jaw as he tried to hold back his climax, Rude gripped his partner's cock more firmly and pumped his hand over it faster. He smiled against Reno's chest when the redhead cried his name in a shaken voice and the organ twitched in his hand. He felt Reno's cheek rest against his head as the orgasm came full-force and suddenly the redhead was holding onto him tightly and groaning non-stop.

 

There was a warm, wet splatter of cum against his torso and the feel of his lover's gripping heat going into spasms around his impaling length, and then Rude bellowed hoarsely against the sleek chest he was pressed against. He bucked inside of Reno several times, filling the condom he wore. He unconsciously rocked his partner as his breath shuddered in his throat and his body trembled with bliss. Reno's chest heaved against his cheek and his embrace relaxed. His long fingers were stroking Rude's back and shoulders in a caressing way that tickled pleasantly.

 

Briefly, Rude wondered if Reno ever basked in the afterglow this way with any of the others. There was something quietly tender in his touch and embrace that a man like Reno wasn't likely to share easily with others. He pulled away from his chest and looked at him, admiring the flush of rapture on his sweaty face. His bangs were damp with perspiration and strands were sticking to his skin, but it didn't seem to bother him.

 

Reno inadvertently echoed his partner's silent thoughts. “Man, I'm glad we don't have to go to work today,” he mumbled in a winded voice.

 

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The two of them spent most of the day making up for lost time. After recovering for a bit from their first encounter, they had sex again. After that, they showered together and Reno gave Rude a blow job—which Rude immediately reciprocated afterwards. They made lunch and they barely got through eating it before they were all over each other again. Amazingly, it was Reno that was the voice of responsibility when they started cleaning up the mess from lunch and ended up making out.

 

“Hey partner, wait a sec,” Reno murmured against Rude's lips. “I've still gotta see the doc and get some blood drawn today. If we keep going like this I'm never gonna get over there, yo.”

 

Rude already had the other man's shirt unbuttoned and he had just pressed him against the refrigerator and started on his fly when Reno's rare moment of practicality struck. He sighed and pulled away, reaching up to adjust his shades. “You picked a shitty moment to get responsible, Red.”

 

Reno gave him a lopsided grin. “Sorry. I just want to get it over with, man. I also wanna make sure there's nothing else wrong with me, you know?”

 

“I know,” Rude agreed with a nod, feeling guilty for being so selfish. “I want to make sure you're okay too. My libido got the better of me, man.”

 

Reno looked down at the tented crotch of his own pants and smirked. “You don't have to tell me anything…I've got boyscouts camping in my pants too.” He realized what that sounded like and he grimaced. “Uh…forget I said that.”

 

Rude snorted with amusement, both at his partner's tongue slip and the way he was blushing now.

 

“Ya know I was talking about the tent action, right?” Reno said with raised eyebrows. “Boyscouts pitch tents, right? I wasn't talking about kids getting down my pants, yo.”

 

Rude pinched his lips and nodded. He cleared his throat and tried to speak with a straight face. “I understood the metaphor.”

 

Reno buttoned up his shirt and grumbled as a chuckle escaped the other man's lips. Thankfully, Rude let it go and he didn't pick on him about his slip-up except to give him occasional, amused glances.

 

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Reno suffered through the checkup and getting his blood drawn with minimal complaint, though he could think of at least twenty other things he'd have rather been doing. “So how's it looking, Doc?”

 

The doctor glanced up at him as he labeled the vials of blood he'd drawn. “Everything seems to be in working order, though I'd say your reflexes are much better than average. I can't tell you more than that until the bloodwork is finished.”

 

Reno shrugged and finished buttoning up his shirt. “It ain't like I'm going anywhere, yo. I'm just happy to be getting back to work.”

 

“About that,” the doctor said with a frown, “I want you to be careful and pay close attention to your body. Don't overdo it and if you feel anything strange at all, you're to come in for tests immediately.”

 

Reno rolled his eyes at Rude, but the bald man was nodding in agreement with the doctor. He sighed. “Fine, fine. I'll let you know right away if I start feeling funky. Right now I feel pretty great, though.”

 

“That's a good sign,” replied the doctor evenly. “Let's hope it stays that way.”

 

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Cloud had just returned home from a delivery when his cell rang. He took it out and his heartbeat picked up when he looked at the number. He flushed a little at how eagerly he brought it to his ear. “Hi Reno.”

 

“What's up, Blondie?” the Turk's voice answered. “Thought I'd give you a call and let you know so far, everything's looking good on my health record, yo.”

 

“That's great,” Cloud said sincerely. “So there haven't been any…uh…changes?”

 

Reno paused for a moment. “Well, yeah…little ones. I don't think it's a big deal but my posse tripped out on me. The day after I dropped you off in Edge I went to work with Rude and I guess everyone was surprised by how good I shot on the firing range. I guess I wasn't that good before? Anyhow, the doctor says I've got some pretty amazing reflex action happening.”

 

Cloud thought about that and he nodded. It made perfect sense that someone who was already as nimble as Reno would have enhanced dexterity from the Mako. “How are you coping with that?” he asked softly.

 

“I dunno,” Reno said hesitantly, “on the one hand, it feels natural to me but I know it ain't. Sometimes I go to grab something too fast and I end up knocking it over because I can't judge my speed…does that make any sense?”

 

“I think so,” Cloud answered with a slight frown. “I remember having a little trouble adjusting to my strength when I came out of it. Don't worry, I think you'll get used to it after a while. You just need to practice and get to know your own body again.”

 

“Hmm, practice, huh?” Cloud could hear the grin in Reno's voice. “How about you come and give me some training sometime, Strife? I work best with hot young blondes, yanno.”

 

Cloud surprised himself by chuckling at the teasing suggestion. Something had definitely changed in his relationship with Reno. Everything seemed easier now and he couldn't fight his affection for the redhead anymore. “What makes you think I can help you?” he asked.

 

“'Cause you've been through all this shit before,” answered the Turk immediately, “You know how to deal with it and how to get used to the changes. A few pointers and some friendly sparring with ya might do me some good, yo.”

 

Cloud admitted to himself that the idea had its merits, even as he admitted to himself that part of the appeal was in spending time with the redhead. “I guess it couldn't hurt. When do you want to start on this idea of yours?”

 

“Hmm, I dunno…how about next week? You could stay with me while you're here.”

 

Cloud considered this. He could offer for Reno to come and stay with him but he didn't know how well Tifa would take that. It wasn't that she had any issues with whom he slept with but Reno's career choice was another matter. She wouldn't want him around any more than necessary, out of fear that he might be a negative influence on the kids. Shrugging, he decided Reno's suggestion was the better option.

 

“Okay. I've got one delivery at the beginning of the week, but I can head your way after that.” He bit his lip and wondered if his voice sounded as eager as he felt.

 

“Great!” Reno evidently had no compunctions about expressing his own enthusiasm. “I'll see ya Monday then, hot stuff.”

 

“See you then,” Cloud agreed with a faint smile. He hung up the phone and glanced up to see Tifa standing in the hallway. By the look on her face, she'd heard some of the conversation and was doing her best to hide her curiosity. He gave her one of his hesitant smiles.

 

“That was Reno,” he said unnecessarily, “He's having some trouble adjusting to the way the Mako changed his reflexes. I'm going into Junon next week to help him out for a while.”

 

“How long?” Tifa asked in a falsely casual tone.

 

“I'll be staying the whole week,” answered Cloud softly, averting his sapphire eyes. “It's going to take that long to see if I can make any difference. If it helps, I might organize more sessions with him until he's adapted.”

 

She nodded, her eyes saying that she understood his feelings and why this was so important to him. “He's lucky to have someone like you watching over him,” she said, smiling at him.

 

Cloud smiled back, relieved that she wasn't going to lecture him on the dangers of being involved with a Turk. “Let's hope so.”

 

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

 

“You're overcompensating,” Cloud advised when Reno's block failed. “You're a lot faster than you used to be and you're anticipating my moves too soon.”

 

Reno stepped back and regarded his sparring partner while they caught their breath. Cloud had only been in town for one day, but he was all business and he'd insisted on getting started right away. While the Turk understood and was grateful, he was also annoyed. He didn't get to see Cloud as much as he'd like and he'd had other plans for the blonde's arrival.

 

“What do ya mean, I'm `anticipating too soon'?” Reno asked in frustration. “I mean, the sooner the better, right?”

 

Cloud put his hands on his knees to aid in catching his breath and he smirked at Reno. “I guess I didn't say it right. Anticipation is good, but you're acting too fast. You were trying to block my move before I even made it, so I got past your guard. Your body and mind aren't in synch, is what I'm trying to tell you.”

 

Reno sighed and grimaced with frustration. Cloud straightened up and closed the slight distance between them to put a hand on the Turk's shoulder. His sapphire eyes were earnest as they gazed into his. “It's okay. You'll catch on eventually. You've just got to get used to these enhanced senses you've got now and learn to work with them, instead of against them.”

 

“How long did it take you?” Reno inquired, remembering the day Zack was killed and the sight of Cloud dragging himself and his friend's sword back to Midgar, against all odds.

 

“It took a few days to get my speech working right and get back my basic movement,” Cloud answered with a thoughtful frown. “It took longer to get used to my new strength and speed. To tell you the truth, I didn't totally know what I was capable of until I faced off against Sephiroth in the Northern Crater.” He managed a smile for Reno. “You're a quick study though. If I can do it, you can too.”

 

Reno shrugged. “If you say so.” He saw Rufus and Tseng enter the training room and he smiled. “Ready for another round, Blondie?”

 

Cloud nodded and fell into a fighting stance. “Ready when you are.”

 

Reno made a few passes at him, taking it a little slower this time. He found he was able to control his limbs a bit better than before and he managed to knock Cloud off his feet with a sweeping kick before the blonde could anticipate the move, but Cloud quickly rolled to his feet and tackled Reno before he could gloat. The redhead nimbly squirmed out from under his opponent and dove aside, just as he lunged for him again. Cloud noticed that they had an audience and he was distracted enough by the realization to give Reno the upper hand. Never one to practice good sportsmanship, the redhead took the opening and tripped his opponent up again—this time following up by pinning him to the floor.

 

“Looks like I win this round,” Reno teased as Cloud blinked up at him with dazed blue eyes. The blonde strained and bucked beneath the Turk's straddling form and Reno clucked his tongue and adjusted his weight to make it harder for Cloud to dislodge him. He knew he couldn't hold a man of his strength down for very long but he was enjoying the effort, nonetheless.

 

“So what's my prize, Cloud?” Reno bowed over his captive and nibbled his earlobe, unconcerned that both his superiors were watching the encounter.

 

“Uh, we've got an audience,” Cloud muttered uncomfortably as his muscle shirt bunched up and exposed part of his stomach. He knew he shouldn't have agreed to do this in ShinRa Headquarters. It felt odd enough just walking casually into this place, but he was acutely uncomfortable with having the President and the leader of the Turks watching them.

 

“So?” Reno said with a grin. “What's it gonna hurt?”

 

“Reno,” Cloud hissed in a warning tone, his face heating as the redhead nuzzled his neck.

 

“What'll ya give me if I stop?” Reno purred as he ground his hips against Cloud's.

 

“I'll let you decide when we go back to your apartment later,” Cloud said almost desperately. “Just cut it out!”

 

Reno laughed darkly at that. He hadn't told Cloud yet, but he'd been steadily getting trickles of memories back concerning past encounters and conversations with the fighter. A particularly interesting one concerned Cloud in a dress. “Anything I want, eh?”

 

Cloud looked at him warily, as if realizing his mistake. “Shit,” he muttered.

 

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

 

They sparred for a while longer before calling it quit for the day and getting cleaned up. Rufus and Tseng waited for both of them to come out from the locker room and to Cloud's surprise, they offered to treat them to lunch.

 

“The cafeteria isn't bad,” Rufus explained as he watched Cloud zip up his duffle bag, “but the seafood restaurant the next block over is fantastic. Do you like seafood, Strife?”

 

Cloud studied the president warily. ~I could be imagining it, but I'd swear he looks nervous. Is he up to something?~

 

“Seafood's okay,” Cloud answered softly, taking pity on his former rival. It was going to take a while for him to start trusting Rufus even a little bit. Still, Cloud couldn't see any reason for Rufus to plot something now. He decided to give the other blonde the benefit of the doubt, though it was very strange to imagine Rufus Shinra nervous about anything. It helped that Tseng was with him—for some reason, Cloud found it easier to trust the Wutaian.

 

“Excellent,” Tseng said. “It's only a short walk from our building, so we can go as soon as the two of you have put away your things in your lockers. Rude is unfortunately away on assignment, so he won't be joining us this time.”

 

“Uh, thanks,” Cloud said as graciously as he could manage. As if it wasn't weird enough to be welcomed in the ShinRa building, having his own storage locker was even stranger. He followed Reno and located his locker, briefly going over the combination code in his head before twisting the dial.

 

“You ain't comfortable with this, are ya?” Reno murmured with a sidelong glance at him. He put his bag into his locker and closed it, then turned to face Cloud full-on. He'd put his shades on to conceal his vivid eyes but his expression was openly curious.

 

“It's a lot of changes to take in,” Cloud agreed with a slight smirk as he put his duffle bag in and shut the locker. “Don't take it personal or anything.”

 

Reno shrugged. “I'm not. I know we gave you and your pals a pretty hard time back in the day, and vice-versa. I just don't want you to go all skittish on me and bolt, yo.”

 

“I'm not going to bolt,” Cloud scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “I told you I'd help you and I'm not going anywhere until I do.”

 

“What about after that?” Reno insisted, cocking his head a little to the side. “I mean, once I've got the hang of this new shit I can do, are you gonna take off and make yourself scarce?”

 

Cloud stared at him. ~He's really afraid I'll want nothing else to do with him when we're finished with all this. What happened to Mr. Casual?~

 

He realized something then; Reno had really fallen as hard for him as he had for the Turk. None of it was an act. The redhead kept looking at him expectantly, a slight frown pulling at his usually smiling mouth. Cloud stepped closer and reached out to push his shades up, so that he could look him in the eye.

 

“This won't end with our training,” Cloud promised softly. “At least, I don't want it to.”

 

Reno gazed at him silently for a minute before a slow grin curved his lips. He reached out and straightened the collar of Cloud's leather jacket, his bright, blue-green eyes lowering. “Good thing you said that,” he replied, “'Cause I'd hate to turn into a stalker, man.”

 

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

 

Cloud felt very out of place in the restaurant that Rufus and Tseng took them to. He hadn't anticipated the need for any formal wear, so he was the only patron in the place wearing denim jeans and a leather jacket. He got a few cursive glances but everyone seemed to know the Turks, so nobody dared to so much as stare at him for long. They were shown to a table beside a giant aquarium and Cloud busied himself with the menu. When he saw the prices of the appetizers alone, his jaw dropped.

 

“Holy shit,” he muttered before he could stop himself. One entrée alone was worth a day's pay to him. He glanced up at Rufus uncomfortably, who had paused in sipping his water and was gazing at him with quiet interest.

 

“Is there something wrong with the selection, Cloud?” Rufus's lips quirked, indicating that he knew damn well what had provoked the outburst.

 

~Showoff,~ Cloud thought jadedly. He understood what Rufus was doing though…the man was preening. He was trying to impress in the only way he knew how. It was a little funny, now that Cloud thought about it. Money never had impressed him but he didn't have the heart to tell Rufus he was wasting his time. On an instinctive level, he knew it had taken some courage for the president to invite him to lunch so he took pity on him again.

 

“Let's just say I hope you're paying for this meal,” Cloud said with a slight flush of embarrassment.

 

“Of course,” Rufus answered with a genuinely puzzled frown. “Why would I invite you if I didn't intend to cover it? Choose whatever you like.”

 

Cloud swallowed and looked over the menu again. In a few short moments, he found himself facing yet another predicament. He didn't understand what half of the titles or descriptions meant. Covertly, he leaned toward Reno, who was seated beside him. “I don't get it,” he admitted in a whisper as he pointed at one of the listings. The word “lobster” was all he comprehended. “What's `mornay' sauce?”

 

Reno glanced at the menu and chuckled softly, certain that at one time, he was probably just as green as Strife when it came to fancy dining. “That's a creamy sort of cheese sauce they pour over it. It's real good…you'd like it.”

 

Cloud relaxed a little. Well, he did like cheese and he couldn't remember the last time he'd ever sank his teeth into lobster. “I think I'll stick with that,” he said with relief.

 

“Good call,” Reno agreed. “I think I'm gonna go with the snapper. Hey boss, can we get some oyster appetizers?”

 

“I wouldn't think of going without them,” Rufus answered with a faint smile. “I assume you won't be wanting the beer you used to drink?”

 

Reno grimaced. “Nah, I think I'll stick with a tropical smoothie. What about you, Cloud?”

 

It didn't feel quite right to drink beer in a place like this, but Cloud wasn't sure what sort of mixed drinks went well with seafood. “I'm not sure,” he answered truthfully. “I'm not really a wine drinker…”

 

“Do you like tomato juice?” Tseng inquired. “If so, I'd recommend a Bloody Mary. It goes quite well with lobster. Otherwise you could try a whiskey and lemonade or gin and tonic.”

 

Cloud was flustered, unable to decide between the drinks that Tseng had listed. Rufus smiled indulgently and said; “Why not try them all? We're sure to have more than one drink throughout the meal anyway.”

 

“I guess we can do that,” Cloud agreed. After all, if Rufus was willing to pay for it, who was he to turn it down? He just had to remember to keep his eyes on his drink at all times.

 

~Oh, quit it.~

 

Cloud bit back his annoyance, reminding himself that he had every reason in the world to mistrust Rufus. Hell, he had every reason in the world to mistrust Reno too, but he was beginning to feel safer around the redhead.

 

The waiter arrived and to Cloud's further relief, Rufus took care of ordering for everyone. He ordered the drinks first, then appetizers and finally the entrée's. A few minutes later the drinks arrived and Cloud began to suck his down faster than he intended.

 

“I was very impressed with what I saw of your sparring today,” Tseng said conversationally to Cloud and Reno. “I think being matched against another Mako enhanced person is just what Reno needs to hone his abilities.”

 

“Let's hope so,” Cloud said softly.

 

Reno sensed his discomfort so he brought up the latest news, edging the conversation into world events. The appetizers arrived, composed of a dozen oysters on the half-shell, two servings shrimp cocktails and a plate of crab legs. Reno noticed that Cloud wasn't touching the oysters and he grinned at him.

 

“Never had raw oysters before, Blondie?” He dashed a bit of red sauce into the one he held and tipped the shell, letting the oyster slide into his mouth. He savored the taste for a bit before swallowing.

 

“No, they're too weird,” Cloud answered truthfully. He selected a shrimp and dipped it in cocktail sauce before eating it.

 

Both of the Turks and Rufus chuckled at Cloud's words. “Remind me never to offer to make him sushi,” Tseng said with a smile.

 

“You should try at least one,” Rufus insisted, picking an oyster up and squeezing a lemon wedge over it. He followed up with a dash of the sauce Reno had used and then he leaned over the table and offered it to Cloud. “It's harmless, I promise you.”

 

“They're good,” Reno agreed, watching Cloud look warily from the shiny gray matter inside the shell to Rufus. “I know they look funny but well…you've swallowed worse, right?”

 

“Great, now I've got peer pressure,” Cloud muttered as his face heated. “Feels like the days at the academy again.”

 

His companions laughed again and Rufus waved the oyster under his nose, his gray eyes challenging and amused. Cloud sighed and opened his mouth, allowing the president to tip the shell and deposit the dubious treat into his mouth.

 

“Don't fully chew it,” Tseng instructed, “It should slide down quite easily on its own.”

 

Cloud made a face at the texture against his tongue and swished the shellfish around a little, then gulped it down. It wasn't so bad…it actually tasted pretty good. He sighed in relief that it was over, however.

 

“Well done,” Rufus congratulated, clapping his hands softly as if Cloud had pulled off a daunting fighting move. “How did you like it?”

 

Cloud nodded and rinsed the food down with a swallow of his drink. “Not bad,” he admitted. “I'm not much for the texture but it tasted okay.”

 

“Never be afraid to try new things,” Rufus suggested. By the light in his eyes, he wasn't entirely referring to food.

 

Cloud wondered if his face was as red as his cocktail.

 

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

 

-To be continued