Title: The Way to Celebrate

Author: DMitchell1985

Beta: Dreamcatcher

Summary: Rufus knows that there are more ways to celebrate one's good fortune than drinking and random whoring. There's always the option of choosing someone in particular.

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Do I own these characters? Nope, not a one. Well, maybe Vincent on good nights. -winks-

Warnings: Uhrm, slash, bit of language, and a few, small spoilers for Advent Children.

Pairing: Rufus Shinra/Cloud Strife is the main one, but I threw in plenty of background pairings, because that's how I roll. ; D

Word Count: 1,586

Author's Notes: This was written for my own Drabble Requests post on LJ for Gothatheartholo. It was beta'd by the lovely Dreamcatcher. Thanks, hon. The theme is: white.

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Cloud was drowning in a sea of soft white sheets and twisted, heavier fabric that held him where he lay. His muddled brain shifted around as it attempted to right itself and recall exactly where he was and how he got there. He temporarily abandoned his war against the hindering cloth that was determined to hold him captive.

His scattered memories of the previous night crept back to him, one laugh, one smile, and one stolen kiss at a time. He and the rest of AVALANCHE had been celebrating the defeat of the remnants and their poisonous legacy, when Reno had come bursting into Seventh Heaven in the middle of happy hour with Rude following silently behind him.

The redhead had bought everyone a round of the bitterest whiskey Tifa kept locked away behind the bar. Only the good stuff!, he had shouted, mere moments before he had grabbed the cutest thing in the shortest skirt and tugged her into a dark corner. Rude had simply shaken his head and laughed openly at his friend's display before sidling up to the bar to make good on Reno's round, and pry away a few moments of Tifa's attention from the crowd that was attempting to surge toward the brunette.

Cloud had contented himself with leaning against the back wall with one foot propped up on the paneling. He knew Tifa would have a fit if she caught him, but he figured that Rude would have her distracted long enough for her not to notice.

"You're not going to enjoy Reno's offer as well?" a low voice whispered in his ear.

Cloud jumped to discover that someone was able to get so close to him without him noticing. He drew back to tell the person off about invading other people's personal space, only to see Rufus Shinra himself standing next to him. He flicked his eyes over the man's white suit and mussed blonde hair.

"One would think that in that getup, you would have a hard time sneaking around like a common slum rat," Cloud replied coolly, hoping to ruffle the man as much as he had upset Cloud's sense of enjoyable peace.

"After spending so much time in the presence of one," he nodded his head in Reno's direction, "I've learned to pick up a thing or two. That aside, I cannot believe a former SOLDIER would allow anyone to sneak up on him. Slipping, are we?"

Cloud huffed out his irritation and dropped his foot from the wall's paneling to the alcohol-soaked floor. As he turned to walk upstairs, a hand settled on his shoulder.

"Have you lost your sense of humor along with your ability to detect if someone has approached you? That's a pity. I was always of the opinion that there was more to you than a sullen attitude and being the resident eye candy of a terrorist group."

Cloud turned then to stare into Rufus' placid expression. "Eye candy? You're certainly one to talk. The way I hear it, you spend the majority of your time bent over for the Company's extensive client list. I am surprised that with all of that traffic in and out, you still manage to get your head up your butt."

Rufus snorted in the back of his throat and let his hand fall to his side. "Sounds like wishful thinking to me. The only ones bending over were the clients themselves and a few others I felt the desire to expend my time on."

Cloud looked around them to check and see who might have been listening in. Of all the things he could have been doing in the world, he never expected to be talking about who was bending over for whom with Rufus Shinra. The man had all but tried to personally kill or ruin everyone he knew; and here they were, standing together, chatting away as if there had never been a drop of malice between them. That was rich.

"Yeah, like who? Reno?" Cloud retorted smoothly. He had not missed the looks that passed between them on several occasions during the defeat of Meteor and Sephiroth's second coming. As sore as his jealously made him feel, he would rather focus on that instead of the way Rufus' proximity to his body made him grow hot and feel rather awkward.

"Him, and Rude, but I would suggest that you not mention as much to either of them. That is unless you don't mind a sample of what a charged EMR can accomplish." Rufus smiled slightly and shifted closer to Cloud, forcing him to take a step back towards the wall he had abandoned seconds before.

"Yeah?" Cloud needled, trying to think of a way to duck away from Rufus, ere he could fully pin him to the wall or do anything else just as outlandish

"Yes, and there's one more. I am certain that you are very well acquainted with them," Rufus whispered quietly, ignoring the stumbling drunk who brushed against his back as he took a small step toward Cloud.

"Who? Tseng? Elena? I would bet both of them, according to the things I've heard," Cloud forced out over the growing lump of anxiety in his throat.

"Perhaps those rumors you heard have some merit, but I am not referring to either of them at the moment." Rufus let out a puff of warm breath that tickled Cloud's lips as it dissipated into nothingness.

"Who then?" Cloud squinted his eyes and moved to sidestep Rufus. A white-clad arm on either side of his torso stopped his progress.

Rufus leaned in close, and for a wild moment, Cloud was certain that the man was going to kiss him then and there. Instead, Rufus placed his lips next to Cloud's left ear and spoke one word.

"You."

Rufus chuckled at the small gasp of surprise Cloud emitted as soon as the word left his lips.

"You never-" Cloud began, and Rufus took his open mouth for the invitation that it was.

Rufus dipped his head forward and pressed his lips to Cloud's, not lingering on the simple enjoyment of a chaste kiss before he slipped his tongue into Cloud's mouth. He resisted Cloud's half-hearted attempts to push him away to escape or draw air. He had waited long enough to take what he wanted, and he was not going to wait any longer. Cloud would merely have to learn to accept this fact.

Rufus took his time as he stroked Cloud's tongue with his own, reveling in the swell of pride that wrapped around his chest at the unreservedmoans of pleasure and frustration that sounded in the air between them. Just as he was beginning to feel emboldened enough by Cloud's eager press of his hips forward to inch a hand downward, Rufus was jolted out of their shared reprieve by the sound of loud whooping behind him.

He jerked away from a dazed and breathless Cloud to look over his shoulder at the source of the commotion. His eyes narrowed at the sight of a gleeful Reno leading the raucous cheers of encouragement and murmurs of disappointment.

"Aww! Don't stop! We were just beginning to enjoy the show!" Reno raised his drink in a toast and nudged Rude in his ribs. The darker man quickly hid his smile and shook his head from side to side.

Rufus glared at the bar's occupants before turning back to the man he still had pinned to the grimy wall.

"I believe that we have entertained the illiterate masses enough for one evening. I suggest that we head elsewhere."

Cloud drew a shallow breath and nodded his head slowly. "Yeah, I think so, too. Up the stairs, to the right, second door."

Rufus nodded once in understanding and turned to go, with one hand firmly clutching Cloud's wrist. Cloud shook the hold off and gave Rufus a meaningful look as if to drive home the fact that he was perfectly capable of finding his own bedroom without a guide. The President nodded again and continued on his way.

"Awww! Come back! It was just getting good. I know we all want to see what the SOLIDER is made of, since he's so damned touchy about people getting in a feel when they can manage it," Reno taunted.

Cloud turned to scowl briefly at the Turk before he climbed up the stairs and away from the noise of the bar below. Rufus was already reclined comfortably on his bed when he shuffled into his room. He stood in the doorway gaping at the sight he never thought he would live to see, Rufus Shinra ready and waiting for Cloud to join him. His feet were rooted to the floor and Cloud found himself unable to speak or move further into the room. This was really happening. This wasn't a mere fantasy bred of hope and the need to get off with someone other than himself.

"Well? Don't just stand there gawking like a simpleton. Get in here and close the door," Rufus instructed, a hint of irritation coloring his tone.

Cloud did as he was bid and sank down onto the bed beside the wealthiest man on the Planet. The last thought he had before he passed out into an exhausted slumber was that they had to do that again. As often as possible in as many places as they could manage. Somehow, Cloud knew that that would not be difficult to accomplish in the least.

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The End