Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Hazard Pay ❯ Chapter 13 ( Chapter 13 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: LilyMoonsAlias 
Non Anime: Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Shounen / Supernatural / Romance / Hentai / Action | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 02.21.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 363 | Status: Work In Progress
Non Anime: Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Shounen / Supernatural / Romance / Hentai / Action | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 02.21.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 363 | Status: Work In Progress
Reno woke up because it felt as if the whole room was shaking around him. Huh? Earthquake? His sleep fuddled mind slowly cleared. No, not an earthquake. Cloud. Reno had relaxed on the bed, keeping watch over Cloud when he had fallen asleep. Now, Cloud was curled so close into Reno's body it looked like he was trying to crawl into the Turk's skin and he was shaking so hard with chills that his teeth chattered.
Reno scooted back and placed a hand on Cloud's face. The skin was very hot and dry. Shit. Not good.
Reno jumped up and took the basin he had used earlier to the bathroom to fill with cold water. He was back at Cloud's side within a few minutes, wetting a cloth and running it over the flushed skin. Cloud flinched and moaned at the touch. He tried burrowing further under the covers and batted at the cold rag. Feverish blue eyes slitted open and parched lips parted in protest. Reno held his breath, waiting to see who Cloud asked for in his delirium.
After a few painful swallows, Cloud rasped, "Reno? Freezing."
Letting out the breath he had been unconsciously holding, Reno captured the flailing arm and continued to bathe Cloud's face.
"No, babe. You're burning with fever. Stop fighting me. I'm trying to make you feel better."
Reno dipped the cloth in the water again and folded it into a pad over Cloud's forehead.
"I'm going to get you something cold to drink. Vincent said you needed fluids."
Cloud only nodded mutely, too ill and weak for words. Reno ran back down to the bar. In the refrigerator he found a pitcher of water. He also found a bottle of one of those electrolyte drinks that tasted like flavored sweat. Wrinkling his nose in distaste, he grabbed it anyway and took everything back up the stairs. Cloud hadn't moved except to toss the wet rag on the floor. Reno shook his head in exasperation and retrieved it to put back in the basin.
"Damn, but you're a terrible patient."
Cloud opened his eyes a crack to attempt a glare at Reno. It looked more like a childish pout and Reno had to bite his lower lip hard to stifle a bark of laughter.
"And you suck as a nurse," Cloud whispered.
Reno leered suggestively. "Oh, I could be persuaded to. Betcha I'd look better in one of those white uniforms than those chicks at Kalm General, too."
Cloud rolled his eyes over Reno's ever present, raging libido then groaned as Reno hoisted him into a sitting position. He tried to shove Reno away.
"Leave...off."
"Nope. Vincent said you have to drink. You're going to drink." Reno grinned to cover his worry. "You've got your choice of water or this stuff that's the color of monster piss and probably tastes like it, too."
Cloud gave a weak snarl and pointed to the water. Reno had put a straw in the glass and held it so the blond could drink. The cold water in his stomach made Cloud shiver harder, and he tried to push it away after only half. Reno cupped the back of his head.
"All of it," Reno crooned in a falsely sweet voice, "or you'll be wearing it instead."
"Go to hell, Reno."
"Taking care of your grouchy ass is pretty much the same, babe, so I'll be staying," Reno said. "Give in gracefully, Cloud. That was some nasty shit you got hit with so be a good boy until Vincent and Rude get back."
Reno didn't bother to hold back the laugh at the weak version of Cloud's 'gonna get you back sooner or later' death glare. He brushed his lips over a hot forehead and held out the glass once again. Cloud finished the water and tried to cross his arms defiantly over his chest. The action jerked an involuntary gasp of pain from him as it pulled the injured right arm. Reno frowned and opened his left hand to give Cloud a couple of pain killers he had found in the first aid kit behind the bar. He watched to make sure Cloud swallowed them.
Irritated that he could do nothing more at the moment for his lover, Reno wondered where the hell Vincent and Rude were. 'Soon' had long since come and gone. Cloud was getting worse instead of better, and he really needed whatever cure Vincent had found. As if on cue, his cell phone rang. The caller i.d. showed it to be Rude. Reno brushed his fingers through the groggy blond's hair and walked away, flipping open the phone.
"Where the hells are you?" Reno growled.
"I told you. We're coming," Rude answered.
"I'll just bet you were," Reno snapped back. "Play baste the Turk later, partner, and get your asses back here. Cloud's feverish and getting worse."
A minute of dead silence followed that. Reno could almost see Rude gathering his self control. He hadn't meant to play his hand like that, but hells, he was a little upset.
"Understood," Rude said in clipped tones and closed the connection.
Reno winced. That was all he needed to make the day perfect. He had intended on teasing Rude about Vincent, not piss him off by implying he was fucking around instead of getting things done. Damn, a drink or three or four would be good right about now. The temptation of the empty bar was a siren's call. Firmly putting those thoughts away until later, Reno stepped back into the bedroom. He sat on the bed, and the dipping of the mattress made Cloud open his eyes. Cloud smiled a little at Reno.
"Do you hear it?" Cloud asked, hoarsely.
"Hear what?"
"She's singing to me."
"Who?" Reno's brow furrowed in confusion. Man, Cloud was really messed up.
"Aeris." Cloud's faint smile widened and his face smoothed. "She's singing to me."
Oh, hell no! Unmindful of the injured arm, Reno grasped Cloud by both shoulders and shook him violently.
"No way, babe!" Reno shouted. "You do *not* get to go there, yet!"
Cloud gasped in agony as Reno shook him. Pain tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. Reno glowered at him, breathing hard, furious fear etched on his face. He was about to smack some sense into the blond when a black gloved hand and a golden claw caught him and casually pitched him into Rude. Reno crashed into the unmoving wall of Rude's chest.
"Take the idiot downstairs and pour some bourbon down his throat," Vincent hissed angrily. "Sit on him if you have to until I'm done."
Rude dragged Reno down the stairs and shoved him onto a bar stool. Tipping down his shades, he gave Reno a curious look.
"Trying to kill him, Reno?"
"No!" Reno suddenly found his fingernails very interesting and stared at them instead of meeting his partner's gaze. "I just...he..." Reno faltered. What could he say that wouldn't make him sound like the idiot that Vincent accused him of being? "Fuck. Give me the drink."
Rude wordlessly handed over the tumbler of straight bourbon. Reno tipped it up and swallowed until it was empty. He lit a cigarette with shaky hands and peered at his partner through the smoke. He needed a distraction.
"So," Reno drawled. "How long have you been enjoying some Turkish Delight?"
Rude's answer was a healthy smack to Reno's nose.
"The hell?!" Reno put a protective hand over his nose, checking to see if it was broken.
"You're too nosy and tactless for words, Reno. Take that to mean 'no comment at this time' and leave it be."
Satisfied his nose wasn't broken, Reno pushed his empty glass towards Rude and stuck out his tongue.
"Bully."
Rude merely sighed at Reno's childish response and refilled the glass, making it a triple this time. He hoped Vincent had found the correct antidote to help Cloud. Evidently having his new lover injured was making Reno more than a little bat shit crazy.
Reno scooted back and placed a hand on Cloud's face. The skin was very hot and dry. Shit. Not good.
Reno jumped up and took the basin he had used earlier to the bathroom to fill with cold water. He was back at Cloud's side within a few minutes, wetting a cloth and running it over the flushed skin. Cloud flinched and moaned at the touch. He tried burrowing further under the covers and batted at the cold rag. Feverish blue eyes slitted open and parched lips parted in protest. Reno held his breath, waiting to see who Cloud asked for in his delirium.
After a few painful swallows, Cloud rasped, "Reno? Freezing."
Letting out the breath he had been unconsciously holding, Reno captured the flailing arm and continued to bathe Cloud's face.
"No, babe. You're burning with fever. Stop fighting me. I'm trying to make you feel better."
Reno dipped the cloth in the water again and folded it into a pad over Cloud's forehead.
"I'm going to get you something cold to drink. Vincent said you needed fluids."
Cloud only nodded mutely, too ill and weak for words. Reno ran back down to the bar. In the refrigerator he found a pitcher of water. He also found a bottle of one of those electrolyte drinks that tasted like flavored sweat. Wrinkling his nose in distaste, he grabbed it anyway and took everything back up the stairs. Cloud hadn't moved except to toss the wet rag on the floor. Reno shook his head in exasperation and retrieved it to put back in the basin.
"Damn, but you're a terrible patient."
Cloud opened his eyes a crack to attempt a glare at Reno. It looked more like a childish pout and Reno had to bite his lower lip hard to stifle a bark of laughter.
"And you suck as a nurse," Cloud whispered.
Reno leered suggestively. "Oh, I could be persuaded to. Betcha I'd look better in one of those white uniforms than those chicks at Kalm General, too."
Cloud rolled his eyes over Reno's ever present, raging libido then groaned as Reno hoisted him into a sitting position. He tried to shove Reno away.
"Leave...off."
"Nope. Vincent said you have to drink. You're going to drink." Reno grinned to cover his worry. "You've got your choice of water or this stuff that's the color of monster piss and probably tastes like it, too."
Cloud gave a weak snarl and pointed to the water. Reno had put a straw in the glass and held it so the blond could drink. The cold water in his stomach made Cloud shiver harder, and he tried to push it away after only half. Reno cupped the back of his head.
"All of it," Reno crooned in a falsely sweet voice, "or you'll be wearing it instead."
"Go to hell, Reno."
"Taking care of your grouchy ass is pretty much the same, babe, so I'll be staying," Reno said. "Give in gracefully, Cloud. That was some nasty shit you got hit with so be a good boy until Vincent and Rude get back."
Reno didn't bother to hold back the laugh at the weak version of Cloud's 'gonna get you back sooner or later' death glare. He brushed his lips over a hot forehead and held out the glass once again. Cloud finished the water and tried to cross his arms defiantly over his chest. The action jerked an involuntary gasp of pain from him as it pulled the injured right arm. Reno frowned and opened his left hand to give Cloud a couple of pain killers he had found in the first aid kit behind the bar. He watched to make sure Cloud swallowed them.
Irritated that he could do nothing more at the moment for his lover, Reno wondered where the hell Vincent and Rude were. 'Soon' had long since come and gone. Cloud was getting worse instead of better, and he really needed whatever cure Vincent had found. As if on cue, his cell phone rang. The caller i.d. showed it to be Rude. Reno brushed his fingers through the groggy blond's hair and walked away, flipping open the phone.
"Where the hells are you?" Reno growled.
"I told you. We're coming," Rude answered.
"I'll just bet you were," Reno snapped back. "Play baste the Turk later, partner, and get your asses back here. Cloud's feverish and getting worse."
A minute of dead silence followed that. Reno could almost see Rude gathering his self control. He hadn't meant to play his hand like that, but hells, he was a little upset.
"Understood," Rude said in clipped tones and closed the connection.
Reno winced. That was all he needed to make the day perfect. He had intended on teasing Rude about Vincent, not piss him off by implying he was fucking around instead of getting things done. Damn, a drink or three or four would be good right about now. The temptation of the empty bar was a siren's call. Firmly putting those thoughts away until later, Reno stepped back into the bedroom. He sat on the bed, and the dipping of the mattress made Cloud open his eyes. Cloud smiled a little at Reno.
"Do you hear it?" Cloud asked, hoarsely.
"Hear what?"
"She's singing to me."
"Who?" Reno's brow furrowed in confusion. Man, Cloud was really messed up.
"Aeris." Cloud's faint smile widened and his face smoothed. "She's singing to me."
Oh, hell no! Unmindful of the injured arm, Reno grasped Cloud by both shoulders and shook him violently.
"No way, babe!" Reno shouted. "You do *not* get to go there, yet!"
Cloud gasped in agony as Reno shook him. Pain tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. Reno glowered at him, breathing hard, furious fear etched on his face. He was about to smack some sense into the blond when a black gloved hand and a golden claw caught him and casually pitched him into Rude. Reno crashed into the unmoving wall of Rude's chest.
"Take the idiot downstairs and pour some bourbon down his throat," Vincent hissed angrily. "Sit on him if you have to until I'm done."
Rude dragged Reno down the stairs and shoved him onto a bar stool. Tipping down his shades, he gave Reno a curious look.
"Trying to kill him, Reno?"
"No!" Reno suddenly found his fingernails very interesting and stared at them instead of meeting his partner's gaze. "I just...he..." Reno faltered. What could he say that wouldn't make him sound like the idiot that Vincent accused him of being? "Fuck. Give me the drink."
Rude wordlessly handed over the tumbler of straight bourbon. Reno tipped it up and swallowed until it was empty. He lit a cigarette with shaky hands and peered at his partner through the smoke. He needed a distraction.
"So," Reno drawled. "How long have you been enjoying some Turkish Delight?"
Rude's answer was a healthy smack to Reno's nose.
"The hell?!" Reno put a protective hand over his nose, checking to see if it was broken.
"You're too nosy and tactless for words, Reno. Take that to mean 'no comment at this time' and leave it be."
Satisfied his nose wasn't broken, Reno pushed his empty glass towards Rude and stuck out his tongue.
"Bully."
Rude merely sighed at Reno's childish response and refilled the glass, making it a triple this time. He hoped Vincent had found the correct antidote to help Cloud. Evidently having his new lover injured was making Reno more than a little bat shit crazy.