Summary: Two-shot. Cloud gets a pair of tickets to see his favorite death metal band, and asks Reno to go with him, but it is NOT A DATE. Or so Cloud keeps trying to convince himself.
Warnings: Language, citrusy yaoi, more-than-likely lemon in upcoming chapter. Rated M for safety.
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, Square Enix does.
It was not a date. Neither Cloud nor Reno had even uttered that dreaded word – "date" – out loud – and neither of them ever would. Well, Cloud was fairly certain he would not. As for Reno - one could hardly predict what might come out of his mouth at any given time.
They were going to a concert, and they were going as "just friends." That was another term neither of them would utter, either. Whenever a person said they were going anywhere, as "just friends," it meant the complete opposite. Everyone knew that.
So, neither one of them had said anything regarding the possible underlying nature of this outing. But it would be out there, hidden amongst hints, innuendoes, and things left unsaid. Cloud's favorite death metal band, Angsty Bitchslap - who hailed from his hometown of Nibelheim - was playing one show, and one show only, at the Edge Arena. Cloud had promptly bought a pair of tickets the very minute they went on sale; then realized after his impulsive purchase, that he didn't exactly need a pair of tickets; so long as he had one for himself, that was all that mattered.
What to do with the extra ticket? Cloud had pondered. Vincent? No…Vincent was into classical music. Gods forbid he'd be caught dead at an Angsty Bitchslap show. Tifa? Nah…Tifa would go, but she would also think it was an actual date, and Cloud wasn't having any part of that. He could envision her practically picking out a ring and china patterns, if he were to ask her to go any place with him that could be construed as 'date-like.'
Rude? Not likely. Rude spoke even less than Cloud did, and oddly enough, that made the blond uncomfortable. Cloud smiled as he thought of Rude's polar opposite - Reno, who talked so damned much, Cloud thought the man's tongue might actually be hinged. There was a time in his life, where Cloud wouldn't have given Reno the time of day, and the same was true in reverse. In fact, they had tried to kill each other on more than a few occasions, working against each other, as they were.
Somehow the two had become reluctant friends, then drinking buddies. Cloud blushed as he remembered the last time Reno had to walk his drunken ass home - after Cloud had hit the tequila a bit too hard at Turtle's Paradise. Despite consuming a massive amount of whiskey, Reno was somehow the more sober one that evening. But Cloud was not sober in the least, and most of the tequila shooters that he had slammed down that evening, ended up being recycled all over the front of Reno's rumpled suit.
The Turk had been more than gracious over that unfortunate incident, Cloud recalled. More than most people would have been. Reno had even walked Cloud into his apartment that evening, and held his hair back as he rode the porcelain bus and rid his stomach of even more tequila. That had served to sober Cloud up pretty quickly; the sensation of Reno's cool fingers gently ghosting over Cloud's forehead, as he smoothed his hair back felt strangely disarming to Cloud; but, it was not altogether unpleasant, either. He shook his head, still wondering why Reno had been so damned nice to him that evening, even after he puked on him, for Gaia's sake. He was…caring, Cloud remembered, still puzzling over Reno's atypical behavior. Not very Turk-like at all.
Not once did it consciously occur to Cloud that Reno might be interested in him in that way; but, some part of his subconscious might have figured it out, because after that evening, Cloud took more notice of Reno. The way Reno would swagger sexily into the bar, and hop onto a barstool in one swift, feline movement; the dangling way he held a cigarette in his hand, almost, but not quite, looking as if it'd fall out of his long fingers at any second. Hell, even his slouch was sexy.
Cloud noticed these things, all right. It was getting to a point where Cloud was starting to feel self-conscious and almost uncomfortable around Reno. He'd never admit it out loud, but he was smitten with Reno. Cloud dismissed his thoughts and feelings, telling himself that it was a one-sided attraction, and after all, didn't Reno have that reputation as…well, a bit of a manwhore? And, Cloud was certain that Reno wasn't into dating guys. Fairly certain, anyways.
He sighed, looking down at the pair of tickets in his hand, and decided. Reno never turned down a free anything, so Cloud shrugged and figured 'why not?' as he reached in his pocket for his cell phone, and dialed up Reno.
The line rang…and rang…and rang. No answer. Cloud was about to hang up, when he heard a noise on the other end, as if the phone had been dropped. He then heard Reno faintly muttering, "Fuck!" More fumbling noises came over the line, as Reno finally picked up the phone.
"Yo," Reno mumbled sleepily. "Who izzit?"
"Reno, it's Cloud," he replied. "Sorry…did I wake you?"
"Nah, s'okay, Cloud," Reno said, yawning. "Gaia, I'm tired. Just woke up from a nap. Anyway, what can I do for you, Cloud?"
"Angsty Bitchslap is playing tomorrow night at the Arena, and I—" Cloud began.
"What!" Reno exclaimed, cutting in, now fully awake. "No shit! They're playing here, in Edge?"
"Yes," Cloud replied, trying to remain patient with Reno's constant interruptions. He was starting to wonder how long it would take to ask Reno out. NO. Not "ask Reno out", just tell him "I have an extra ticket, let's go." Yeah. That was all Cloud had to do. If Reno would let him get a word in edgewise.
It will not be a date, Cloud insisted to himself - even though Cloud might find the Turk a little bit attractive. Or a lot attractive. Fuckit, Cloud groaned inwardly. He had to admit - Reno was pure, raw sex appeal, wrapped up in a nearly six-foot tall lanky frame, topped with a wild mane of fiery red hair.
But Reno was not attracted to Cloud in that way; therefore ,this would not, could not, be a date, Cloud kept telling himself.
"Yo, Clouuuuud," Reno sang over the phone. "You still there, dude?"
"Uh, sorry, Reno," Cloud muttered. "I lost track of what I was saying."
"Obviously," Reno replied, chuckling. "So, did you get tickets to the show or something?"
"Yeah, I did!" Cloud said excitedly. "That's what I was trying to tell you, but you kept interrupting me—"
"Shut UP, Cloud," Reno interjected, talking right over Cloud. "You did not seriously get tickets, did you? They sold out within two minutes of going on sale, how in the blue fuck did you get those?"
"Reno," Cloud said, sighing impatiently. "Shut the fuck up for a few minutes and I will TELL you."
"Okay, okay!" Reno replied melodramatically. "Sorry, yo. I just got excited."
"Yeah, I get that," Cloud stated, laughing. "Anyway. I did get tickets to the show, and I actually have two of them – so, did you want to go with me?"
The next thing Cloud heard was Reno enthusiastically – and LOUDLY – whooping. "Fuck yeah!" Reno shouted excitedly into the phone.
"Ow," Cloud complained. "That was fucking loud, Reno."
"Sorry, yo," Reno replied sheepishly. "So, it's a date, then!" he chirped brightly.
No! Cloud's brain screamed. It is not a date!
Or was it? Cloud didn't even know how to reply - part of him really did want it to be a date, but another part of him kept stubbornly insisting that this was impossible. So Cloud didn't reply at all; he simply changed the subject, hoping Reno would forget what he had said.
"Oh, and Reno?" Cloud said teasingly, grinning from ear to ear. "We'll be in the second row." He braced himself, expecting to hear Reno screaming like a lunatic again, but was surprised to hear complete silence on the other end of the line.
Finally, Reno spoke. "Cloud Strife," he said slowly and steadily. "I think I love you."
What? Aloud, Cloud giggled - fucking giggled - and replied uneasily, "Um...whatever, Reno. Pick you up tomorrow night at 7:00?"
"Make it 6:00, yo," Reno insisted. "Grab some pizza first."
"Okay, 6:00 is fine. See you then. Bye, Reno," Cloud replied as he hung up.
Shit. Sure is starting to sound like a date now, Cloud thought. Damn. What will I wear?
As Reno hung up the phone, he let out another ear-splitting whoop, half expecting his downstairs neighbor to bang on the ceiling in protest. He replayed the conversation with Cloud over in his head, hardly believing his good luck. Second-row tickets to see one of his favorite bands, and – even better – Reno would be going with the object of his lusty daydreams. The Turk hadn't really made it much of a secret that he was carrying a torch for the spikey-headed blond; Rude would audibly groan anytime Reno brought up the subject of How to Woo Cloud Strife, which he had been doing quite a bit of lately.
Everyone seemed to realize that Reno had it bad for Cloud; everyone but Cloud himself. He's a little bit obtuse, Reno thought with a grin, as he rifled through his closet, trying to plan an outfit to wear to tomorrow's concert. Now's my chance, though…maybe he'll finally get it this time, he mused, selecting a pair of tight leather pants – pants that were so tight, he couldn't wear underwear with them, and he knew they would leave nothing to the imagination. He then selected a metallic silver mesh tank top. Reno wondered what Cloud would be wearing. His usual non-work attire consisted of tight-ass ripped jeans, boots, and muscle shirts that clung nicely to Cloud's pecs and biceps.
Reno suddenly realized that his tongue was hanging out, as he visualized Cloud wearing one of his tight-fitting shirts. The Turk laughed as he caught his reflection in the mirror. "Man, I've got it bad…and that ain't good," he said to the mirror, chuckling.
Tomorrow night can't come soon enough, Reno thought, as he laid his carefully selected clothing out on the chair next to his dresser.
It was ridiculous. Cloud felt like he was getting ready for the prom, or something. He had six different shirts and four different pairs of pants laid out on his bed, and NONE of them seemed 'just right.' This is not a date, Cloud kept chanting to himself. It was a useless mantra; the more he said it to himself, the less he believed it. Cloud was starting to annoy himself with his stubborn insistence about this non-date with Reno. Why can't I just let things be, and see what happens? Cloud pondered. He didn't have a good answer for that.
Sighing, he turned his attention back to the dilemma of What To Wear. Jeans and a shirt seemed like the most obvious choice to wear to a concert. The weather outside was mild; summer had ended, and fall was approaching. It'll be colder riding on Fenrir, though, Cloud reasoned. He finally decided on his favorite pair of well-worn jeans that rested low on Cloud's hips, and hugged all the right contours of his ass. He also decided he'd wear a black muscle tee, and his black leather jacket on top of it all, just in case it got cold. Black leather spiked belt and wristband, and black combat boots to complete the outfit.
"Okay," Cloud said to himself. "I need to get my ass in the shower and get changed, or I'm going to be late." He showered and changed in record time, and set off on Fenrir, heading to Reno's apartment to pick him up.
Around 5:55, Reno, who was never punctual for anything in life, ever, was peeking through his blinds, checking for any sign of Cloud or his badass bike. Fuck, I'll hear the damned bike before I see it, Reno thought, grinning. He was starting to feel…nervous? Excited? A little bit of both, perhaps.
5:57 now. Reno paced. He brushed his teeth a second time, sniffed his pits to make sure he had applied deodorant. Check. "Gods, am I being fucking ridiculous, or what?" he asked his betta fish, who was swimming around excitedly, apparently expecting to be fed as it spotted Reno. Grabbing the fish food container, Reno sprinkled a few flakes into the small tank. "There," he told the fish. "Eat up, yo." Suddenly, Reno heard the telltale noise of Fenrir's engine. He's here, the Turk thought, grinning. Reno grabbed his keys and exited his apartment, locking the door behind him. As he reached the front door of the apartment complex, Reno spied Cloud, now dismounting his bike, through the glass windows of the double doors. Cloud looked good, Reno noted. Really, really good. There was something about seeing the object of his desires clad in tight jeans and leather, that made Reno's insides feel like they had turned to jelly.
Collecting himself somewhat, Reno reached the top of the stoop, and beamed down at Cloud, who was standing there just staring dumbly at Reno. The Turk then sprung, panther-like, down the dozen or so stone steps, landing gracefully at Cloud's feet. Both burst out laughing. "Reno, you are too much," Cloud said, chuckling. "How in the hell do you jump like that? You know, without breaking all your limbs."
Reno shrugged indifferently, and grinned. "I have long legs, like a grasshopper," he replied. "That's what my mom used to tell me, anyway."
"Cute," Cloud said, smiling up at Reno. He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious. Was I staring at him? I think I was...shit.
"We…should get going, if we're going to get pizza or something. Where do you want to go, anyways?" Cloud asked Reno, as he got on the bike, with Reno taking a seat right behind him.
"There's a really good place around the corner from here, Max's Pizzeria," Reno said, as he straddled the seat of the bike, wrapping his arms around Cloud's waist. He thought his heart skipped a beat as he felt the heat that was emanating from Cloud's torso. Gods, it's like he's on fire, Reno thought.
"Cloud, you are so fucking hot," Reno blurted, as Cloud started up the bike.
"What?" Cloud asked incredulously, not quite believing what he thought he had heard.
"I said, you're hot," Reno replied, suddenly realizing how his remarks might have been interpreted by Cloud. He grinned, then clarified, "Your body temperature…you're freaking warm, Cloud." The Turk impulsively moved forward tightening his arms around Cloud's waist, then shouted in his ear, "But you're hot in so many other ways, Cloud." Cloud swallowed nervously. No question about Reno's intentions now, he thought. Cloud glanced back at Reno and smirked; he then let the throttle out, and peeled out, accelerating and shifting gears as they rode in silence toward the pizzeria.
Reno grinned, not entirely sure if Cloud had even heard what he said, but hoping he had. He leaned into Cloud's back, and inhaled the scent of his leather jacket, savoring it. Tonight is shaping up to be very promising, Reno thought.
Very promising.
Max's Pizzeria was nothing fancy, but they made, in Reno's words, "a damned good pie." They ordered two mediums; one with everything, and Cloud ordered the other one with ham and pineapple. "You get fruit on your pizza?" Reno teased him, as he drank his beer. "That is so fucking gay."
Cloud blanched at first, then narrowed his eyes, smirking at Reno. "Well, if the shoe fits, then," he said cryptically. Let him figure that out, Cloud thought snarkily.
Reno picked up on Cloud's innuendo, and grinned. "So," he said, as Cloud tipped his head back to guzzle the rest of his beer. "Guess what? I'm queer too." Cloud spluttered and choked on his beverage. "Wh-what?" he stammered.
"Oh, come on, Cloud," Reno scoffed. "Don't act surprised, yo. Look, I'm just going to lay it all out there, Cloud," he continued, sipping his beer. The alcohol had given Reno a bit more courage than he'd had twenty minutes prior.
Reno crept his fingers over to Cloud's, where they were resting on the table, and he touched them lightly. "I've been after your ass for months, Cloud," he murmured, leaning in closer. "Months."
"So you're just after my ass, is that it?" Cloud retorted, suddenly feeling confused.
"No!" Reno exclaimed, shaking his head. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant...I like you. A lot."
"Oh," Cloud replied, unconsciously moving his thumb to stroke the back of Reno's hand. The Turk smiled as he looked down at their touching hands, then looked up, locking eyes with Cloud's.
"You do have a nice ass, though, Cloud," Reno said, grinning.
"So do you, Reno," Cloud replied, flashing a smile. "Especially in those pants...gods." The waiter then arrived with their pizzas, setting them down, along with plates and napkins.
"Perfect timing, yo," Reno muttered, after the waiter departed. "So," he continued, as he helped himself to a slice, "what time does the band go on tonight?"
"They don't go on until 8:00," Cloud replied, chewing on his slice of pizza. "But I wanted to get there early just in case it's all crazy."
Reno nodded in understanding. "Yeah," he said. "Good idea. Dude, you have no idea how fucking excited I am to see this show!" Reno crowed excitedly. "Seriously, this is awesome. Thanks for asking me." Reno smiled at Cloud as he reached for another slice of pizza.
"I think I have a bit of an idea how excited you are, actually," Cloud said, chuckling. "I'm glad I asked you too."
Chewing thoughtfully, Reno asked the question that had been plaguing Cloud for at least twenty-four hours. "Yo, Cloud...is this a date? It's starting to feel like it."
Cloud turned three different shades of crimson, and stared down at the red and white checked tablecloth. "Um," he began hesitantly. "I guess so? I mean...yeah, it does feel like a date now," Cloud finally admitted, flashing a lopsided grin.
"Hmm," Reno murmured, sitting back in his chair as he lit his cigarette. "Maybe it doesn't count as an actual date...until I kiss you."
"Or," Cloud rejoined, sipping his beer, "until I kiss you." He drained the bottle of beer and placed it on the table, smirking as he noted Reno's shocked expression.
"Yo," Reno called, signaling the waiter over. "Check please!"
Angsty Bitchslap is one of my many Rock Band names I use in my game. :)