Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Melting his Heart ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

 

Rated M for language, heavy angst, and lime later on.

 

A/N: I found it cute that Reno kept bugging Cloud throughout Advent Children, and that led to this fic^_^ Let's bring on the yaoi! Mwa haha. Square-enix owns those lovely boys.

 

 

As his motorcycle came to a stop, its engine died down and its broad frame jerked to the side, the paint on it lacquered blacker than midnight, reflecting shades of gray from the surrounding rocky terrain, with occasional flashes of green off of nearby trees. To reach this particular area he drove over a steel bridge from a dirt road on the other side, which snaked through mountainous terrain, every perilous curve navigated with an inborn ease his superior reflexes bore.

 

His boots hit the ground with a thud as he dismounted, letting Fenir drop on its kickstand. He kicked up dust, trudging with heavy steps heard as a loud, echoing patter across to a run down metal building, a remnant of human industry alien in this landscape. From its lookout atop stony cliffs, winding valleys twisted below, blanketed by lush vegetation, exposing naked rock patches on their vertical faces. Behind the metal building, another cliff rose high above. Just beyond more vegetation, a waterfall cascaded at least a quarter mile down in a graceful arc to a ravine deeply cut below.

 

The metal building, a sheer unnatural white, tainted any beauty the scenery might have possessed. An old ugly walkway, wood half rotting to a dark putrid brown rendered the place as worse. The black clad motorcyclist lumbered up the walkway, over its creaking planks without a thought or care. Deep in his heart he knew someday he'd die from Geostigma. The knowledge of his fate manifested in his demeanor, silent as a cold winter's night, the kind shrouded in darkness beyond the reach of light.

 

He spoke no words, his presence foretold only by heavy footsteps and the dangling of chains as he walked. “In Love of Silence,” read the road sign he passed on the way to the Geostigma Sanctuary. Silence best described him. Whether he loved silence personally, or said nothing because of his inner sorrow, nobody really knew.

 

He came to this building, the Healin Lodge because Tifa told him to, having received a dozen urgent calls from Reno.

 

“That damn Turk, what does he want?” hissed Cloud to himself, up the final set of the walkway's old steps, leading to the Sanctum's porch. He hated to be bothered, preferring to wander, running without thought. If he couldn't think, life might be less painless, easing the existence of suffering. His suffering from the sin he harbored inside.

 

Throwing his left arm out, covered over in black to hide the effects of Geostigma, he pushed open the front door to the Sanctum. In the same fluid movement, with the other hand, he unsheathed his massive sword from the leather sling behind his back. Never trusting, always wary someone might kill him.

 

From inside the Healin Lodge's dark circular room, a pair of intrusive eyes fell upon him. He took no chances lunging forward, blade thrust out about to kill, dark steel gleaming in the light. Flooding from the entranceway behind him. The light broke as another long metal object crossed his, not exactly a blade of sorts.

 

“Cloud, got my calls?” cried Reno, who spotted him before, now greeting him like an old friend, still bearing the object in hand. Excitement mixed with fear breaking out over the Turk's fair features at the way Cloud struck out.

 

No reaction, not even an “oh” from Cloud. This provoked Reno further who dashed at him again. Consumed by thoughts, Cloud simply moved to the side, letting Reno fall through the open door outside. It was about to slam in Reno's face when he wedged his body between the door and doorframe to keep it from shutting completely.

 

“Ya know how many calls I made?” Reno replied casually, kicking the door back wide open.

 

The ex-soldier already stepped away ignoring the redhead to see whom else might have called him here.

 

“Hey, trying to play it cool, eh?” added Reno, slightly annoyed. Usually nothing bothered him but today Cloud was that exception.

 

Reno, just leave me alone, prayed Cloud to himself, re-sheathing his mighty blade.

 

“Just as I expected,” sighed Reno at a loss, pacing in front of Cloud. Even if Reno didn't intend to, he finally tested Cloud's patience. “You could at least…”

 

With a powerful-gloved hand wielding supernatural strength, Cloud grabbed Reno by the shirt lifting him in midair. Breathing cut off, the Turk's sky blue eyes widened in shock, back pressed to the wall Cloud shoved him into.

 

Reno gagged, his body limp, dropping the object he held. He pleaded, grasping Cloud's leather clad hand with whatever will he mustered. “I…I'm sorry…” came the strained cry, syllables low and labored.

 

A pang of conscious struck, Cloud melting the tip of his icy heart. His grip softened, slowly at first, but never quite fully releasing Reno, just allowing the soles of his shoes to touch the ground. The wandering deliveryman forgot what it was like to interact with people, other humans during his two-year isolation after defeating Sephiroth and saving the world. Much changed then having lived his life alone. He hardly spoke or returned any calls, for grief weighed him down. And grief can make the heart ice over.

 

“Bad day, huh?” was Reno's simple reply, oblivious to Cloud's inner pain.

 

Cloud said nothing, body motionless, gaze averted at his feet below. That round boyish face, carved by sorrow set deep in clear crystalline eyes, somehow made him beautiful. Captivated, Reno lost all notions of logic, reaching up to brush Cloud's bare cheek. Feeling his smooth silky skin, colored by a slight rosy hue.

 

Neither moving nor startled, Cloud's gaze rose slowly up along Reno's body, studying him intently, stopping right at his face. Cloud's pools, a dark soul swallowing shade of blue, deeper than the sea and brighter then the sky stared out straight into Reno's soul. Rendering him helpless as he drowned in a depth and beauty never before experienced. Stirred by a feeling beyond all reason, he leaned forward, forgetting who he was and the man standing before him.

 

Cloud too lost himself releasing his grasp on Reno, feeling the redhead's arms wound about him. At last, a connection to another human being, isolation severed, if only for a moment. A few minutes later half dreaming, half awake, Reno stepped back, breaking the touch of lips.

 

How could you!? He'll kill you, cried Reno's logical mind. His jaw clenched and eyes shut, awaiting the other man's attack.

 

Reno just heard the rise and fall of Cloud's steady breathing. Through half opened eyes, he made out Cloud's softening face, his expression somehow calmer, more human after all.

 

Only Zack ever did that when we were trapped in the basement of the Nibbleheim mansion, reflected Cloud to himself.

 

In a flashback Cloud remembered their intimacy. Trapped together in a glass tube, pain wracked bodies throbbing from Mako and Jenova cell injections. Then came Zack's gentle voice and his strong loving touch. “It's okay. I'll get us out of here because I want us to be free. And…I love you, Cloud.” Zack's tender voice echoed in Cloud's memory beyond the veils of time. “Never forget that.”

 

In the present, Reno gasped, back against the wall, his mind in utter shock, never before attracted to another man. “…dunno why …I…” he stuttered.

 

“It's okay,” a sudden voice cut Reno off. It's tone low and soft like Zack's yet absent of overt emotion. Reno found a solace in it. Could it be that Cloud possibly spoke? Indeed he had, nevertheless with his back turned to Reno, scanning the scene around them. For he sensed others eavesdropping from the next room over.

 

Eyes invaded his space once again. Watching through a small round window set high in a wooden door. Inch by inch, the door's handle turned, as it slowly creaked open, stopping when it hit the edge of a leather couch huddled to the wall. The toe of a black shoe made itself visible by the bottom of the door before the rest of the person entered.

 

“Rude, you're here!” called out Reno from across the room, glad to see his partner.

 

A dark skinned man, hard as stone, slipped on a glove in silence. The only noises made were his steps and the rumble in the base of his throat. Reno paused, finding Rude's behavior odd. Some inner anger drove him towards Cloud in a quiet, mechanical walk.

 

Blade released, looming by Rude's throat, Cloud eyed him carefully.

 

What's with Rude today? Wondered Reno to himself, bending over to pick up the metal object dropped earlier. Just then, it hit him. S-Shit! It can't be! He didn't see me kiss…

 

Indeed, Reno's suspicions proved right. Rude had caught a glimpse of the kiss through the glass window in the door. Reno and Rude were Turks and partners together for a long time, over ten years. Reno was the only one Rude really spent time with. It never dawned on Reno that Rude developed deeper feelings than their friendship.

 

“Hey guys,” muttered Reno, stepping closer, his fiery hair streaming out behind him like the tail of a phoenix blazing its path across the night sky.

 

“Impressive skills,” commented a lone voice, apparently strained with Geostigma. A figure shrouded in white in an automatic wheelchair steered in. What truly intrigued him was the drama between the three. So Reno's taken a liking to the ex-soldier. This may prove helpful in getting him to help Shinra rebuild the world, Rufus, thought.

 

The former Shinra president barely held Cloud's interest, unless his attackers were explicitly mentioned.

 

“Kadaj…” Cloud uttered softly, his stare facing down, mind deep in thought.

 

“That damn bastard, tried to interfere with our plans, didn't he, Boss?” added Reno, cutting in, standing right behind Cloud. A truly dedicated Turk, he did or said anything he could to back Rufus up.

 

Rufus understood this, nodding in approval like a ghost under his shroud.

 

Damn it, Reno, you're annoying me! Cursed Cloud to himself, spinning around to kick him.

 

“Whoa!” Reno gasped, jumping back. “Easy there, man.” Cloud's boot missed him by a hair's width and not on purpose either.

 

In reaction to this, Rude's growl deepened. A frown contorted his already hard face behind dark shades, if the surface of stone could be twisted. His body lunged slightly, the hand on his weapon tensing.

 

Rufus raised an arm from the wheelchair, draped in an eerie white. Rude remained in his spot. A devious smile rose on Rufus's lips, with the upper half of his face cloaked in shadow.

 

“Perhaps Kadaj attacked, taking you to be our friend,” suggested Rufus subtly, offering a hand and lowering his head as he were sympathetic to Cloud. An unsettling light streamed in from the bay window behind him as darkness hid beneath.

 

“Cause you're with us! Right, pal?” Reno sauntered to Cloud's side, nonchalantly sliding an arm around Cloud's strong shoulders, living fully in the moment. A thrill raced through as he pulled Cloud close, laying his face on Cloud's left shoulder covering. The cool metal made him shiver.

 

Reno, you…! Cloud froze, aghast at Reno's tenacity, after Cloud had lashed out. How could Reno help himself otherwise, enthralled once again by Cloud's peerless beauty?

 

“Cloud…” Reno uttered his name. If the sun's gold rays could be captured, immortalized in a material form, it would be in Cloud's fine hair, with his highlights a white blond and lowlights a tawny yellow. If Reno could touch the moon's fair face, not as lifeless dust and rock but alive in the flesh he'd feel it in Cloud's skin.

 

As Reno drew closer, tightening his grip on the ex-Soldier, about to kiss his full lips, a heat burned in Cloud's blood beneath his skin. Fire raged through him from an unknown inner battle. A war of emotions threatened to tear apart his very being, shattered like a mirror, whose surface is broken over from the events in his life. Shards of memories barely held together, tapped by the belief that someday everything will be okay, because we truly want to be happy.

 

Aeris died to save humanity, Zack died to save me. Why? Cloud questioned, pondering deeply. They died to save me. I let them die. That's my sin. I can't save anyone. If people aren't close to me, then I don't have to save them. Yes, that's why it's better to be alone.

 

“Leave me alone,” Cloud said sharply, his voice cool as ice, cutting everyone around him. Then chilling them to the bone.

 

The cold beauty stormed out of the Healin Lodge, pushing Reno aside, his back turned away to everyone without a feeling or care.

 

“You jerk!” hissed Reno, shoved away by Cloud as he left.

 

“Let him—” Rufus tried to speak, edging forward in his wheelchair to the very spot Cloud had stood.

“Hell no!” Reno cut him off, glaring down at his boss.

 

Rude remained quiet taking a few steps to accompany Rufus.

 

“Reno, we need his help to protect us from Kadaj,” Rufus reminded him calmly, hands joined together under his shroud. “After all, in the Northern Crater, if Tseng and Elena found Jenova's head, they might have been…”

 

“Killed, by Kadaj,” Rude stated in a low deep voice, speaking for the first time, adjusting his sunglasses with leather gloved hands. The stone man had finally spoken, showing some signs of life.

 

“Tseng, Elena.” All of the redhead's anger vanished, hearing the names of his fellow Turks. If Reno had a family, Tseng and Elena were part of it, along with what remained of Shinra.

 

He took a step back, bowing on the floor before Rufus in a gesture of apology. “Boss,” he cried, prostrated on the floor. “Forgive me. I didn't mean to…”

 

“It's alright,” came Rufus's collected reply, for he wasn't the least bit perturbed by Cloud's previous actions. As Shinra's president he learned to stay calm in all situations, only dropping the manipulative front used before Cloud. “Remember, we need him as our bodyguard, in case if Kadaj decides to attack.”

 

“I understand, Boss. I'll do my best to get his help.” In all honesty, Reno was sincere. He'd give his life for Rufus or another Turk if necessary.

 

“Then that'll be your new assignment. Now go.” As a close-knit family, now more familiar than corporate since 2 years passed, Rufus understood this, motioning towards Rude to help Reno in this task.

 

TBC