Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Guardian ❯ Chapter 18

“Guardian”

Chapter 18

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*Disclaimer: Final Fantasy 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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“I've actually thought about getting a dog,” Rufus said as he and Cloud went to the bar. He looked thoughtfully at the collar and leash that the other blonde had left sitting on the counter. The sounds coming from the bedroom Reno and the others had disappeared into grew louder and both men were momentarily distracted by the redhead's throaty moan.

 

Cloud tore his attention away from the sounds and the mental images swimming in his head to accompany them. He selected another beer from the mini fridge and closed it before straightening back up and turning to face the other man. “Yeah? What kind?”

 

Rufus poured a shot of Vodka into a cocktail shaker and glanced at Cloud sidelong. “Oh, I don't know. Something that resembles a wolf.”

 

Cloud swallowed nervously, catching the insinuating reference. Before he could start to get irate, Rufus smirked at him and winked. Cloud rolled his eyes and shook his head, running his fingers through his spiked hair. “You don't know when to quit, do you?”

 

Rufus chuckled and added grapefruit juice to the mixture. “I like the way you squirm when you get worried, Strife.”

 

Cloud sipped his beer and watched him thoughtfully as he shook his cocktail mix and salted a fresh glass. “I never knew you had such a playful side.”

 

Rufus glanced up from his task and shrugged. “Most people generally don't. I don't think I would be taken seriously as a professional man if I clown around in public.”

 

Cloud leaned against the bar, his fingers finding the collar and leash. He lifted the items and studied them. “So you've got a lot of layers. How many do you think I've peeled away?”

 

“You've barely gotten started,” Rufus assured him as he poured his cocktail into the glass. He set the shaker aside and picked up the drink, raising it to Cloud. “Here's to you peeling away more of my layers.”

 

Cloud clinked his beer bottle against it and smiled softly. “Here's to me surviving doing it.”

 

Rufus smirked and took a drink from his cocktail. He noticed Cloud eyeing the accessories that he held in his other hand and biting his lip. When the fighter glanced at him from beneath lowered lashes, Rufus was hard-put not to laugh into his drink.

 

~Well now, isn't this interesting? I could be mistaken, but it seems that Strife is entertaining thoughts about that collar. Even influenced by alcohol, he's too shy to speak his mind.~

 

“What's on your mind, Cloud? You can speak freely with me,” Rufus said in the patient, persuasive tone that served him well so often.

 

Cloud parted his lips and hesitated, his sapphire gaze dropping to the collar and leash again. A flush stole over his fair features and he shook his head. “It's stupid, don't worry about it,” he said softly.

 

Rufus lifted an elegant brow. “Have you ever heard the saying concerning stupid questions?”

 

Cloud shook his head.

 

“There aren't any,” Rufus finished with a smile. “Questions lead to enlightenment, don't they? Therefore, how can any question—no matter how awkward—be `stupid'?”

 

Cloud groaned inwardly. Sometimes he hated highly educated people. They always made him feel like an ignorant child. “How do you know I've got a question on my mind?” he challenged.

 

“The expression on your face,” answered the president simply. “You have very expressive features and eyes, Strife.” He leaned back against his side of the bar, casual and relaxed. “Ask it. The answer could surprise you.”

 

Cloud clutched the collar tighter and gathered his nerve. What was the worst that could happen? Rufus might scoff at him but so far the man had been friendly and polite all evening. Deciding to just get it over with so that he could put it behind him, he looked into Rufus's eyes and threw caution into the wind.

 

“I'm just wondering what you'd look like in this getup,” Cloud said as casually as he could manage. He held up the collar meaningfully and prepared to be laughed at.

 

Rufus hadn't quite expected that. For some odd reason, he'd expected Cloud to be curious about wearing it himself. He looked at the collar and gathered his wits, thinking about the proposition for a moment before answering. “Why don't you put it on me and find out?” he said softly.

 

He could hardly believe he was agreeing to this, but after everything he'd done to Cloud, he reasoned that it wouldn't hurt to humor him a little and very few sexual games could frighten Rufus anymore. If it took bottoming for Strife again to earn a bit more trust, he was prepared to do that. Rufus typically preferred the role of seme, but he'd become more flexible over the years and now he knew that Cloud would give him pleasure no matter the role he took.

 

Cloud blinked at him, taken by surprise. “Are you joking?” he asked suspiciously.

 

Rufus chuckled and set his drink aside. He stepped closer to the other blonde until their bodies were only inches apart and he raised his chin a little to bare his throat. “As I said in the restaurant, Strife; never be afraid to try new things.”

 

Cloud raised his eyebrows. The sight of Rufus Shinra baring his neck to be collared turned him on abruptly and he shifted to hide the effect it was having on his body. He put his beer on the counter and draped the collar and leash over one arm temporarily as he reached out and started undoing some of the top buttons of Rufus's outfit to bare more of his throat.

 

“You wear way too many clothes,” Cloud complained as he parted the collar of the other man's white shirt, only to find a thinner black shirt underneath. “When you gave your toast to me `unpeeling your layers' I didn't think I'd be doing it this way.” Rufus's business suits were always composed of trousers, a jacket, a vest beneath that, a shirt beneath the vest and still another shirt beneath the first shirt. How the man didn't have a heatstroke wearing all that clothing was a mystery to Cloud.

 

Rufus smiled with amusement. “The vest and the undershirt both serve protective purposes. I've had too many people take a shot at me to not bulletproof myself a bit.”

 

“Who's going to take a shot at you here, though?” Cloud asked with a frown. He almost asked why Rufus hadn't changed into something more casual after getting out of the bath, but if the glimpse of his office closet Cloud had gotten during the rescue operation was any indication, the man probably didn't own a single piece of “casual” clothing.

 

“It's just habit, I suppose,” answered the president. “It's gotten to where I add at least one protective layer of clothing nearly every time I get dressed. I suppose I could have just spent the rest of the night in a bathrobe or pajama pants, but I wasn't certain how you would react to that. You haven't exactly given me reason to believe you're comfortable enough around me yet for such casual informality.”

 

Cloud smirked. “Well, seeing as I'm putting this dog collar on you, there's probably not a reason for you to worry about that anymore.” He put the collar around Rufus's neck, tightening it just enough for it to be snug without discomfort. “Uh, don't change clothes just yet,” he added as he realized that Rufus was wearing just the sort of thing he'd pictured when he started thinking about him wearing the item.

 

Rufus gave him an intrigued, thoughtful look and Cloud's face warmed. He ignored his attack of embarrassment, having grown used to blushing like a teen every time he discussed sex with someone he was attracted to. Cloud was much better at acting on his lust than he was at talking about it and he intended to do just that, even if his face ended up being scarlet for the rest of the night. He pressed on, determined not to give himself a chance to think about what he was doing and chicken out.

 

~Most of the time when I'm with Reno, I just go for it and once I get started I'm too into it to get that embarrassed over the things he says. I've got to do the same thing with Rufus because if I don't, I'll start hesitating and he might take it as an opening to turn the tables on me. If there's ever going to be anything more between us, I've got to put my damn foot down and show him I'm not one of his subordinates and it's got to be give and take, or nothing at all.~

 

He realized he wasn't really giving the Turks much credit, though. According to Reno, Tseng was versatile but had a preference for bottoming. Reno himself loved to be fucked and as far as Cloud knew, Rude only topped. It wasn't like Rufus forced any of them to do anything they didn't want to in the bedroom but Cloud was sure the man was aware that their status as his subordinates gave him power over them. If Rufus wanted him as a lover, he'd have to accept that Cloud wasn't obligated to do things his way all the time.

 

Rufus didn't object when Cloud slipped his blazer off of his shoulders and followed up by removing his protective vest. If the fighter could have read the president's mind, he would have known that Rufus didn't require for him to be stuck into one role or the other.

 

Rufus had three other partners to choose from to satisfy whatever particular desires he wanted. If he felt the need for a more tantric experience with a patient, gentle lover he could go to Tseng. If he wanted to be fucked with thorough skill and feel big, strong hands on his body, he had Rude. If he wanted to fuck a fiery, passionate lover that was willing to do a variety of things ranging from being tied up to riding his cock, he of course had Reno. Cloud attracted him because the blonde was like a wild thing that could be coaxed into either fucking or being fucked, but never completely tamed.

 

“You're being awfully docile about all this,” Cloud muttered as he unbuttoned the last two layers all the way and pulled the material open to bare Rufus's chest and abdomen. He was blushing again and he forced himself to step back and look the other man over. Cloud shifted as his crotch swelled further in his jeans. Rufus looked just like the mental image he'd gotten in his head…only much sexier.

 

“You've never actually asked me to do anything like this before,” Rufus said with one of those crooked, charming smiles. “I told you that you might be surprised by my answer. So, do I pull off the look you wanted, Strife?” He schooled his face to hide the little twinge of anxiety he felt. Ordinarily, Rufus never questioned his appeal but Cloud was so unpredictable that he couldn't assume anything.

 

The golden-haired fighter's stunning sapphire eyes roved over his body slowly and Rufus resisted the urge to squirm. Those amazing eyes met his and held them. Rufus kept his gaze steady and remained still, waiting for the response. Suddenly, Cloud reached out and grabbed the dangling leash, winding it around his fist. Rufus's eyes widened and he stumbled a little as Cloud pulled him close and cupped the back of his head. The swordsman's mouth was abruptly hot against his in an open kiss and Rufus felt his knees buckle with a combination of relief, desire and shock.

 

~Damn, earthquakes are easier to predict than your moods, Strife!~

 

His first instinct was to struggle against the other man's dominant hold on him and force his tongue into his mouth, but thanks to Reno and Tseng's kissing lessons years ago, he'd learned how to control that urge and work with his sexual partners, rather than against them. Rufus relaxed and allowed Cloud's tongue to thrust into his mouth. He returned the caress of the probing tongue without attempting to push it out and he slid his fingers into Cloud's hair and permitted a whisper of a groan to rise in his throat.

 

Cloud was pleasantly surprised by the response. He backed the other man up against the bar counter and deepened the kiss, pushing his hips against Rufus's. He could feel the other man's hardening arousal pressing against his through their clothes and he groaned softly and decided it was time to see if he could move on to the next part of his fantasy. He turned Rufus in his arms and began to back him up, away from the bar and towards the two hallways on the other side of the room.

 

“Which one leads to your bedroom?” Cloud murmured huskily as he broke the kiss temporarily.

 

“Left,” was Rufus's breathless reply.

 

~So far, so good,~ Cloud thought to himself as he continued backing the other man down the hallway. ~I wonder how he's going to react when he finds out what I've got in mind?~

 

Cloud knew which room was the master bedroom as soon as they reached the open door. It was quite large, with a huge, round bed in the center and double-doors in the back leading onto the balcony. He guided the president in and Rufus twisted a dial on the wall to turn the lights on at a dim level. Cloud pushed him unceremoniously onto the bed. Rufus's soft grunt of surprise was the only sound of protest he made and he looked up at the fighter with hot, gray eyes as he got on with him. The black satin sheets felt good against Cloud's skin as he covered Rufus's body with his and resumed kissing him. He explored the president's chest and stomach with his hands, admiring the athletic muscular tone of them.

 

“Do you have anything nearby we could use?” Cloud murmured between kisses, hoping that Rufus understood his meaning.

 

“In the top drawer of the dresser,” answered the other blonde.

 

Cloud rolled off of him and stood up, looking around until he spotted the black lacquer dresser he was talking about. It was next to the closet. He crossed the room to it and pulled open the top drawer. When he looked inside his eyes bugged out.

 

~Holy fucking shit! The whole thing is full of…stuff! Is…is that a whip?~

 

He almost slammed the drawer shut and tore out of there that minute, but he forced himself to calm down and find the condoms and lube. “You actually use all of this stuff?” He asked as levelly as he could once he retrieved the desired items. He shut the drawer and turned around to find Rufus reclining calmly on the bed and smirking at him. Damn, he looked good lying there with his shirt hanging open and that collar around his neck!

 

“I wouldn't have it if I never used it, Cloud.” The president answered dryly. He tilted his head and gazed searchingly at him. “You aren't going to let it frighten you away, are you?”

 

Cloud swallowed as his cheeks colored. He fought his alarm and made himself start walking back to the bed. “The sight of some kink fetish shit isn't going to scare me off.”

 

“That's good to know. Don't worry, the whip is a novelty item and it would take monumental force to break skin with it.” Rufus chuckled at the look he got in response to that. “I assumed that was what made you jump like that when you looked into the drawer.”

 

“Yeah, it did kind of surprise me. I know you're into toys and all but I didn't think you'd be the kind of guy that got into beating your partners.”

 

“Nothing that leaves bruises or causes any permanent harm,” Rufus assured him.

 

“So does Reno ever…you know,” Cloud gestured at the dresser.

 

“Oh yes,” Rufus answered, “or rather, he used to. I haven't had the opportunity to use the contents of that drawer on him yet since his recovery. I didn't want to push him until I know he's ready and willing for it.”

 

Cloud nodded, glad that the man was being considerate to Reno. “Probably a smart idea,” he murmured. He tossed the condom and lube to Rufus and sat down on the edge of the bed to unlace his sneakers and take them off. He smiled a little when he glanced at the other man out the corner of his eye and saw the confusion he failed to fully mask.

 

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Cloud asked as he pulled Rufus's shoes off and dropped them next to his. He turned around to face the other man and gave him an expectant look. “Put it on.”

 

Rufus's eyebrows shot up. “So you want…me…to—”

 

“You're doing the fucking, yeah,” Cloud confirmed with a crooked smirk. “I topped last time, so it's only fair.” The truth was, he wanted to feel the other man inside of him but he was still too proud to just say so aloud.

 

Rufus considered reminding Cloud that he'd topped two times before that, but it was a fleeting notion. If Strife wanted to be fucked, he sure as hell wasn't going to argue with him. “You're a surprising man, Cloud,” Rufus murmured as he sat up to take his shirt off. He tossed it carelessly across the room and started undoing his pants while Cloud pulled his t-shirt over his head and began to do the same.

 

When Cloud finished undressing and turned around, Rufus was already rolling the condom onto his erection. He admired the ash-blonde president for a moment, thinking he looked quite good in nothing but a collar and leash. He reached out and grabbed hold of the leash as soon as Rufus finished putting the rubber on, drawing the other man closer to kiss him. Rufus returned the kiss passionately and he allowed the other man to guide him down on his side as Cloud stretched out beside him. As they kissed and caressed, Rufus caught hold of the tube of lubricant and slicked his fingers up with practiced skill.

 

“Try to relax,” the president warned as he reached down and behind to locate Cloud's sphincter.

 

Cloud nodded and nibbled his ear, doing his best to follow his advice. It was easier said and done because residual misgivings from the first two times made him tense. He gasped softly against Rufus's ear as a finger breached him.

 

“That isn't relaxed,” Rufus chuckled. “You're clenching, Strife.”

 

“Trying not to,” Cloud panted, grabbing the pillow under his head with one hand and holding onto Rufus's shoulder with the other. He took a deep breath and focused on relaxing his muscles as he exhaled. The tactic did some good and the other man's finger slid steadily into his body. His shaken gasp was muffled by Rufus's lips and the finger began to thrust and twist slowly, working the muscle to make loosen it. It found the gland inside and rubbed it firmly, making Cloud's breath hitch again as the jolt of sensation shot up his spine and through his cock.

 

“Y-you really…get off on…doing that, don't you?” Cloud panted in an unsteady voice as Rufus continued tickling his prostate and making him squirm.

 

“Indeed, I do,” agreed Rufus. He kissed along Cloud's jaw, his tongue swiping at the soft skin as his lips made their way to his neck. He was amazed at how smooth the fighter's skin was. There was no hint of stubble and he recalled that Reno stopped growing facial hair as well after the Mako poisoning. Thank goodness it didn't make the rest of their body hair fall out. Rude looked great bald but he couldn't imagine either of the other two men without a full head of hair. He nipped at Cloud's neck lightly and inserted a second finger into his body.

 

Cloud groaned a bit as the added intrusion stretched him more but it wasn't uncomfortable so much as pleasurable, now. Rufus pumped his fingers firmly and slowly, brushing against the prostate with each thrust. Cloud reached down and curled his fingers around the president's encased erection. He hadn't realized it was already lubed and he almost stopped, but decided it was too late to worry about getting the goop on his hand. He stroked the length of it and provoked a soft murmur of pleasure from its owner.

 

Rufus appreciated the firm grip of Cloud's hand as the fighter massaged his cock and he wondered if he should tell him to stop before it reached a point where he couldn't hold back his orgasm. Deciding he was enjoying it too much to stop it just yet, he murmured Cloud's name and scissored his fingers inside. He continued to thrust and massage until he was satisfied that the muscles were relaxed enough, and then he withdrew and disengaged Cloud's hand from his cock.

 

“Wait here,” he murmured, kissing the fighter briefly. He got up and crossed the room to the dresser, opening the top drawer.

 

Cloud watched him and his anxiety came back full force. He opened his mouth to tell Rufus that there was no fucking way he was using anything on that drawer on him, but instead of pulling out a whip or some sort of devious vibrator, Rufus produced a wet wipe and cleaned off his fingers. The president glanced up at Cloud and smiled knowingly.

 

“You look concerned, Strife. What did you think I was going to get?”

 

Cloud looked away and mumbled something unintelligible. Rufus returned to the bed, his amused smirk never fading. “I'll never use any of those things on you without your informed consent, Cloud. I know it's difficult for you to believe that right now, but things have changed.” He climbed onto the bed and stretched out on his side next to the blonde, coaxing him to roll on his side as well. When he complied, Rufus pressed flush against his back and ran his hand over his chest, gently tweaking each nipple in passing. He kissed the blonde's neck and explored his body for a moment as he waited for his anxiety to fade.

 

“Are you ready for me?” Rufus murmured.

 

Cloud nodded and pressed back against him invitingly. Rufus groaned a little at the feel of the hard, young body against his and he reached down to position his rigid cock. He butted against the ring a couple of times in silent warning before rocking forward and easing himself in. Cloud grabbed hold of the leash draped over his waist and he tugged on it and moaned as Rufus's cock slid deeper and deeper into him. When it was fully inside, Rufus withdrew and thrust again, hitting the perfect spot to make Cloud jerk and moan louder. He began to pump deep and hard, his hand sliding down to grip Cloud's erection and stroke it.

 

Cloud pulled Rufus's leash firmly, drawing his head closer. “Slower,” he panted. “I like it best slow.”

 

Rufus was a little surprised, but he obeyed. He slowed the speed of his motions and increased the force behind them. The only person he could imagine Cloud discovering his preference with was Reno. Leave it to the redhead to figure out what a man like Strife liked the most. Rufus grunted as Cloud yanked firmly on his leash again.

 

“Not so hard,” gasped the fighter.

 

Rufus couldn't help it, he laughed breathlessly. “You're quite the fussy uke, Strife. I aim to please.” He gentled his thrusts and he was immediately rewarded with a deep, satisfied groan from the other man. “Mmm, I trust Reno's been teaching you a few things.”

 

Cloud licked his lips and closed his eyes, giving some slack to the leash now that Rufus was giving him the slow, sensual fuck he'd wanted. “Feels good,” he sighed, releasing the leash to reach up and cup the back of the president's head. He combed his fingers through Rufus's hair as the other man's lips nuzzled his shoulder and neck.

 

Rufus was floored by the unexpected behavior and he nearly stopped in his surprise. He never would have guessed that Cloud had a side like this. His previous experiences with the blonde led him to believe that he would be stingy with his passions when bottoming, too proud to give verbal encouragement to his partners even when it was his idea to bottom.

 

~Reno must have really done something right, to bring this side out of him. Or perhaps my own failure to listen to his body the other times I've had him was what kept him from being so uninhibited and inviting.~

 

Rufus groaned as the pleasure increased and he fought his approaching climax, wanting to savor every moment of this. He stroked the tip of Cloud's dick and nibbled his ear, his heavy breath tickling inside the canal.

 

“R-Rufus,” Cloud panted, rocking his hips gently to match the other man's thrusts.

 

“That's it, Cloud,” Rufus gasped encouragingly. “Let yourself go for me. You're fantastic, do you know that?”

 

The passionate compliment had an unexpected effect on Cloud. A knot of heat tightened in his pelvis and he dropped his hand from the back of Rufus's head to grab a handful of sheet as the delicious tension grew stronger and stronger.

 

~Oh fuck…this is going to be a big one!~

 

Cloud clenched his jaw tightly, biting back the moans he knew were going to be very, very loud. Rufus's gently thrusting cock bumped against his prostate each time it pushed in and the president's skillful fondling made Cloud's sex begin to leak precum. The fighter couldn't pull his thoughts together and he began to moan steady curses as the pleasure grew to unbearable heights.

 

~Oh god, don't tell me I'm gonna scream! Hold it back, hold it back…shit…feels so damned good…I can't shut up!~

 

Reno was right about Rufus; he was really good at fucking once he figured out how his partner liked it. Cloud lost the fight to keep his voice down and he hollered raggedly as he began to climax.

 

Rufus was again shocked nearly to stillness but he instinctively kept going, so as not to spoil the young man's mounting pleasure. “Oh, you really are beautiful when you're coming, Cloud,” he panted, gazing down at the other blonde's passion-flushed profile. He nuzzled his sweating cheek and stroked his tightening cock faster, reveling in the feel of it bucking in his hand. It began to spit rather shocking amounts of cum and Rufus was briefly sorry he hadn't thought to pull his satin sheets down. Cloud's cries and the feel of his tight passage clenching almost painfully around his dick made it worth the mess, to Rufus.

 

“Unh…that's it for me too,” Rufus moaned as the pleasure overcame him. He released Cloud's twitching sex and held him around the waist, his breath exploding from him as he gave one last, deep thrust and came inside of the other man. His strength bled out of him with his seed and he collapsed on the bed, trembling and sweating. Cloud was also trembling from the force of his orgasm and Rufus stroked his heaving chest and stomach lazily, sighing with satisfaction.

 

They lay like that for a while, catching their breath and spooned against each other. When he recovered his wits, Rufus withdrew from Cloud's body and went to the small bathroom adjoining his room to dispose of it. When he came back, the fighter was up and taking the satin sheets off of the bed with a look of remorse on his face.

 

“Sorry about what I did to your sheets,” Cloud mumbled with a faint blush as Rufus approached.

 

The president shrugged. “No harm done, Cloud. I can have them sent to the dry cleaner tomorrow.” He took the sheets from him and carried them to the walk-in closet, where his clothes hamper was. After depositing them in there, he searched his linen shelf for a fresh one and brought it out. Cloud eyed the royal blue sheet as Rufus spread it over the bed.

 

“Is all of your bedding satin?” Cloud said.

 

Rufus looked up at him and admired his naked, tight-muscled body for a moment before returning his attention to his task. “I find linen a bit chafing against the skin.”

 

Cloud rolled his eyes before he could stop himself and Rufus saw the action and chuckled. “Yes, I know that to a country boy like yourself, I'm spoiled rotten.” Rufus got back into bed and pulled the sheets up to his waist. He smirked up at Cloud and patted the spot beside him invitingly. “You must admit though, it feels nice against the skin.”

 

Cloud shrugged and got onto the bed with him. “Okay, I'll give you that.” He lay down diagonally and put his head on Rufus's thigh, surprising the other man so much that he stared down at him with an openly shocked expression. Cloud couldn't see his face and he didn't consider that his action was unusual. He was sated and sleepy, and he covered his mouth as he yawned.

 

Rufus stared down at the fluffy golden head resting on his thigh and he was afraid to move. It was unlikely that he would spook Cloud if he touched him, given that he'd made such a trusting gesture, but the president know how jumpy Cloud could get around him.

 

~Oh, just touch him, you imbecile! The two of you just had sex. If he were going to bolt, he'd have done it before now!~

 

With that thorough, silent self-reprimand, Rufus gathered the confidence t reach down and stroke Cloud's soft hair. He still couldn't quite understand how the fighter managed to make it spike the way it did without liberal application of spray or gel, but his fingers sifted easily through the golden strands. Cloud sighed and mumbled that it felt good and Rufus smiled quietly and continued to do it. After a while, he heard a soft snore from the fighter and he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to come to him as well.

 

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Reno limped a little as he walked down the hall in his borrowed robe. Rude had been gentle with him as always, but Tseng was really annoyed with him and he'd fucked him hard enough to make his eyes cross. He hadn't expected the normally calm, serene Wutaian to be that rough but evidently; Tseng was adept at taking on whatever role suited the moment. Reno needed some aspirin and maybe even an ice pack.

 

He found the living room to be empty and he raised his eyebrows and peered down the opposite hallway suspiciously. Shrugging, he turned back around and went into the main bathroom, searching the medicine cabinet. He found a bottle of aspirin and whispered a soft declaration of relief as he opened it and shook out two pills. He put them in his mouth and grabbed a cup from the dispenser to fill it with water. After he swallowed the pills, he searched the cabinets under the sink for an ice pack, but he had no luck finding one.

 

“Guess I'll have to go without it,” he grumbled, wincing as he rubbed his sore behind. He thought about returning to bed with the men that had caused the discomfort but a nagging suspicion concerning his boss and his blue-eyed lover was eating at him, so he went down the opposite hallway instead and stopped outside Rufus's door. He put his ear to it and frowned in concentration. When he heard faint snoring, he knew that at least one person was asleep inside.

 

~Did Cloud leave? Or if I open this door, am I gonna find him in there?~

 

He hated the thought of accidentally waking Rufus up but he had to know if his hopes came true. Poking the tip of his tongue out in concentration, the redhead reached out and slowly, carefully turned the knob. The faint click as it opened made him wince, but he didn't stop until he could push the door open. Thankfully, the door opened without the hinges making a whisper of protest and Reno poked his head in to look.

 

There was Rufus, lying on his back fast asleep. The collar and leash still fastened around his neck was enough to make Reno slap a hand over his mouth to muffle the snicker that tried to escape. If that weren't exciting enough, Cloud Strife lay naked on his side above the sheets, with his head resting on Rufus's thigh.

 

~Holy shit, Cloud! I was hoping you'd go for it but I never expected you to use the dog collar on him! Man, I wish I could have watched this!~

 

Reno could barely contain his excitement and he closed the door and hastily made his way back to the guest room that he and the others had chosen. As soon as he opened the door, he gave his excitement an outlet.

 

“YES!”

 

Rude snorted and sat up abruptly, roused from his sleep by the redhead's exclamation. Tseng groaned and stirred. “What are you hollering about, Kitsune?” The Wutaian said crossly.

 

“It worked,” Reno explained with a grin as he climbed into bed with them. He grimaced as his movement made his ass sting, but the discomfort was nothing compared to his elation. “I just stopped by the boss's room after I got my aspirin and there they were, cuddled up nice and pretty together.”

 

“How do you know they did anything more than sleep?” Rude yawned as he put an arm around the redhead.

 

“'Cause they were starkers, Rufus was wearing that dog collar he gave Cloud as a gag gift and Cloud was sleeping with his head on the boss's thigh. You think they didn't fuck?”

 

“Okay, they had sex,” Tseng grumbled as he reached up and grabbed Reno's arm to yank him down onto his back. “Go to sleep.”

 

Reno was sandwiched between the two men and he stared up at the ceiling with a smug grin on his face as they fell back to sleep on either side of him. He absently stroked Tseng's silken hair with one hand and caressed Rude's arm with the other.

 

“Damn, I'm good,” Reno whispered. He yawned, his sleepiness catching up to him now that his excitement was fading into content. He closed his eyes and before long, he was asleep and dreaming of Cloud and Rufus rolling around together in passion on that big bed.

 

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-To be continued