Summary: Reno and Cloud are newly dating, and Reno injures himself on Fenrir. In a most unfortunate area. Two-shot. And, sadly, based on a really stupid stunt I tried to do on my ex-boyfriend's motorcycle. Don't try it at home. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, Square Enix does, this fic is only written for fun.
It was the first day of spring, and Cloud had just finished with a full day of deliveries. After the last one, he stopped by the bar at Seventh Heaven to pay Tifa a quick visit, and relax with a beer, while waiting for Reno to show up for their date. They'd planned to grab dinner out – in Reno's words, "at one of those restaurants where they give you a roll of paper towels, instead of napkins." It was a barbeque joint, and a very good one at that. Cloud had been looking forward to seeing Reno all day. They'd been dating for some time by now, but not too long where it had become old hat. Cloud still got that happy nervous feeling in his stomach, any time he thought about seeing Reno again.
He hadn't realized he was sitting there just smiling, until Tifa pointed it out to him. "You look happy, Cloud," she remarked, smiling herself as she wiped down the bar. "Hmm. I wonder if Reno has anything to do with that?"
Cloud blushed and muttered unintelligibly. "Um…yeah, well…maybe," he murmured, staring intently at the label on his bottle of beer, fingering the curling edges of paper as he avoided Tifa's inquisitive gaze. Finally, realizing that she wasn't going to stop staring until he acknowledged her, Cloud sighed and looked up. "What now, Teef?" he asked. Cloud hadn't bothered to fill Tifa in on the fact that he and Reno, after months of madly flirting with each other, were finally actually dating. He figured that once Tifa found out any tidbits about his dating life, it'd be all over the Edge Times, how the Planet's hero was now dating a Turk.
"Spill it, Cloud," she replied, throwing her bar towel down, and leaning her elbows on the bar, staring down Cloud. "I want to know what's going on. You and Reno meet here every day after work, and make stupid faces at each other. Then, you usually leave...together. I know what's going on," she concluded triumphantly, grinning.
"Tifa," Cloud said, smirking. "First you say you want to know what's going on. Then, you make all sorts of insinuations about me and Reno, and tell me you do know what's going on. So which is it? Do you know, or not? Or maybe you think you know something..."
"Oh shut up, Cloud!" Tifa exclaimed, throwing the towel at Cloud. "If you won't tell me, I'll just ask Reno. Oh, and speaking of Reno...here he comes..." Tifa announced, as she spotted the Turk out the front window.
"Where?" Cloud said nervously, slamming down the rest of his beer, and shoving the empty bottle toward Tifa. "Another one, please, Teef," he said.
"Bit jumpy, aren't you, Cloud?" Tifa said teasingly, grabbing another bottle of beer from the cooler, opening it, and setting it in front of Cloud.
As private as Cloud was about his personal life - Reno was the complete opposite. As he entered the bar, Reno's face broke out into a huge grin once he spotted Cloud sitting on a barstool, waiting for him. He bounded over to him, crossing the room in three quick strides, and pulled him into a bear hug, practically pulling Cloud off of his barstool. "I missed you," Reno whispered, brushing his lips against Cloud's in a soft kiss. "Missed you too, Reno," Cloud replied, smiling.
Tifa looked on, smirking. "I knew it!" she hissed at Cloud. "What'll you have, Reno?" she asked, turning to the Turk, who was taking the seat next to Cloud.
"The usual, yo," he replied, smiling. "Whiskey. So...what are you talking about, Tifa? You know what?"
Cloud sighed, and smiled as he sipped his beer. "Tifa," he explained to Reno, "has been peppering me with questions about my dating life. About us."
"You mean you haven't told her yet?" Reno replied, incredulous. "Dude. That's cold. Isn't Tifa your best friend, yo?"
"Yes, Tifa is his best friend," the bartender replied, sarcastically, glaring at the swordsman.
Cloud groaned. "Can you two please stop talking about me, as if I'm not even in the room? I was going to tell you, Tifa - no, don't look at me like that, I was! I just wanted to make sure-"
"Make sure of what, yo?" Reno interrupted, impatiently.
"Gods, can I finish?" Cloud replied wearily. "I wanted to make sure...that Reno felt the same way. About me. Before I made any...formal announcements."
"Formal announcements?" Reno burst out, hooting with laughter. "Formal announcements, yo," he repeated. "Dude, it's not like we're getting married or anything. Yet, anyway." Reno blushed suddenly, and stared very intently at the ice cube floating in his whiskey tumbler.
"Uh, okay," Cloud replied nervously, blushing as well. "Right. So...now Tifa knows. Yes, Reno and I are together. We are dating. Are you happy now?"
"Yes, I am!" Tifa replied cheerfully, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Although, I do feel bad for Reno, having to put up with your moody ass..."
Reno tittered, and practically choked on his whiskey. "She's got a good point there, Spikey," he commented, chuckling. "So. What are we doing tonight?"
"We're going to that barbeque place, remember? Over on Fifth Street," Cloud replied, leaning toward Reno. He gingerly placed his hand over Reno's back, and stroked it gently. Cloud wasn't big on public displays of affection, but - as he reasoned - Tifa had outed them. So to speak.
"Mmm," Reno purred, leaning back into Cloud's hand. "I've got something else you can rub," he whispered, grinning evilly at Cloud.
"Maybe later," Cloud replied, smirking as he recalled the first time he and Reno had sex - on their first date. That was pretty unexpected, Cloud mused, smiling, as he replayed the memory of that evening over in his head.
"What are you smiling about, Cloud?" Reno asked, finishing his drink. The two stood up from their seats, apparently ready to depart.
"Nothing," Cloud replied, grinning. "Just remembering our first date."
Tifa, within earshot, decided to butt in. "Oh! What'd you two do on your first date?" she inquired.
"Each other," Cloud said simply, gazing at Tifa steadily, as he threw several gil notes on the bar for a tip, as they left. "See ya, Teef," he said, waving, grinning at her open-jawed, shocked expression. Reno snickered, as the two exited the bar.
"Dude, that was awesome," Reno shouted the moment they stepped outside. "Seriously. Did you see the look on her face? "
"I did," Cloud replied, grinning. "She walked right into that one, you know."
"Can I drive Fenrir?" Reno begged, as they walked up to Cloud's motorcycle, parked out front. "Can I? Can I?" The Turk grabbed onto the handlebars, apparently attempting a handstand.
Cloud sighed, and reached into his pocket for his keys. "I suppose," he said, agreeing reluctantly. "I am a little bit tired from driving all day-Reno!" he shouted suddenly
Reno had now moved over to the seat, and was trying to do a handstand on that.
"Reno, please," Cloud pleaded. "Don't fuck around, you'll get hurt."
"I won't get hurt, yo, I'm a Turk," Reno retorted, launching himself vertically, as he stood on his hands, on the seat of Fenrir. "Look! I did it!" Suddenly, his right hand slipped, and he fell - landing on the handlebars of the motorcycle. His mouth formed into a soundless O as his groin took all of the impact of the fall.
"Reno! I told you-oh gods, are you okay? Reno?" Cloud demanded, worriedly. Reno slid off the bike in a boneless heap, as Cloud rushed over to catch him before he fell to the ground. "Reno, talk to me!"
"H-h-h-hospital," Reno managed to get out, in a whisper. "I think I broke something. Like...my balls."
"Shit," Cloud muttered. "Come on. Can you walk?"
"No," Reno squeaked pathetically. "This...really puts a damper on the evening, yo."
"Yeah. I'll say," Cloud replied dryly. "Do I need to call an ambulance? I don't think you want to get on Fenrir now, in your...condition."
"Call...Rude," Reno managed to gasp, handing Cloud his cell phone. "Here. He has a car..."
"Of course," Cloud replied, locating Rude's phone number in Reno's contacts, and dialing. "Rude?" Cloud said, as he heard the Turk answer the phone. "It's Cloud. Wait, what? How did you know Reno was hurt?" He shook his head in amazement. "Yeah, he um...did hurt himself, and we need to get to the hospital. And I only have a motorcycle, so...yeah. We're at Seventh Heaven right now, out front. See you in a few. Thanks. Bye." He hung up the phone and handed it back to Reno.
"Rude'll be here in a few minutes," Cloud reported. "For some reason...he automatically assumed I was calling him because you were hurt."
"Yeah," Reno whispered, sounding pained. "My partner knows me well. Shit, this fucking hurts, yo. And don't tell me I told you so, babe...please..."
"I won't," Cloud assured Reno. He was now sitting on the sidewalk with Reno, who was leaning into Cloud's shoulder, about to pass out from pain.
"Thank you," Reno murmured gratefully, smiling at Cloud. "You've got to admit...life with me is never boring, yo." He leaned his head back into Cloud's chest.
Cloud smiled, and sighed as he wrapped his arms around Reno. "Nope," he muttered under his breath, chuckling, as he brushed his lips against Reno's hair. "It never is boring, that's for sure."