Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII

Warnings: Goodbye, Tissue, Fluff, Yaoi

Mindless Babble: Loosing contest entry for another site.

"Hang in there partner."

"I'm trying…"

Rude tried to ignore the wet sound in his friend's voice. The crash had been horrific; the fact that Reno had even survived had been hailed a miracle. At least until the redhead had been pulled from the smoldering remains of the Black Hawk.

Rude looked down at the smaller man he held in his arms and knew he was dying on the floor of the chopper Tseng and Elena were piloting to Shinra med. The normally white dress shirt was black with blood and soot. The once glossy red hair was now a matted mess coated in grim and blood. Ashen skin had taken on a bluish tone contrasting sharply with marks below glazed blue eyes and the dark liquid dripping from pale lips.

"Hold on, Ren. We're almost there."

"I… I'm sorry, pal. I don't think I'm gonna make it…Yo..." Reno's eyes fluttered as he tried to fight the darkness that was clouding the edges of his vision. "I'm sor… Sorry, Ru…"

"Reno! No- don't close your eyes! Don't leave me! Reno!"

He was adrift in a sea of warmth and comfort. He felt safe and protected here. Where 'here' was, he didn't know and really didn't care. Here there was no pain or fear. But there was something tugging at the edge of his consciousness, telling him to open his eyes.

"Wake up, Little Firebrand."

The voice seemed so familiar, yet Reno couldn't place it. Finally he did open his eyes, only to have his breath taken away. The man who's lap he was currently resting on was of unearthly beauty. Scarlet and gold feathers flowed down the man's back to frame a face of exquisite splendor. Eyes, the color of burning embers were set above high, chiseled cheeks. He wore only a hakama of blood red silk leaving a perfectly cut chest bare. Long, slender fingers wove through the silken strands of Reno's loose hair as a playful smile grew on the god's face.

"Phoenix…"

"Hello, Little One." Reno tried to pull away from his god, but Phoenix laughed and prevented him from moving. "We have been friends for far too long for you to suddenly start being formal with me!"

"Then… Am I dead?"

Phoenix sighed, his smile fading.. "Yes, I'm afraid you are."

Reno shrugged with one shoulder, relaxing under the firebirds ministrations. "It's alright- Got no regrets…"

Phoenix tilted his head to the side in a very birdlike fashion. "None?"

"Nope."

"What about Rude?"

Reno's eyes shot open from where they had been drifting shut. "What about him?"

"You never told him how you felt."

Reno looked away. "He's my best friend. I didn't want to loose that if he didn't feel the same way about me."

"What if you knew how he felt about you?"

Reno's gaze returned to the burning eyes of the god. "You mean…?"

Phoenix gestured and a glowing orb appeared next to the pair. As the fog inside of it cleared, Reno could see Rude standing next to a steel table, his back facing the watching pair. His shoulders were shaking and it took the redhead a moment to realize the bigger man was crying.

"Why did you leave me behind, Ren? I thought we were supposed to go down together, like we promised… Why did you go before I could get the guts to tell you how much you meant to me, how much I loved you…?"

Reno sat up in shocked awe. "He… he loved me?"

His answer came as Rude moved to reveal Reno's body lying on the cold metal. The larger man bent to gently kiss his partner's forehead. "I love you, Reno."

"Do you still have no regrets, my Firebrand?"

Reno lowered his head. "I… I wish I could do something…"

Phoenix laughed. "Do not forget who you speak with! I will grant your wish on the Night of Wishes."

Reno looked up and smiled.

"Solstice greetings, Rude."

Shaded eyes focused on the smaller Wutain man- his boss. Also the man that had ordered him to attend this party. The lights from the decorated tree contrasted with the light of the fire, casting strange shadows across the man's features.

"And to you, Tseng."

There was a moment of awkward silence before Tseng broke it. "Rude, I'm sor-"

"We've been through this already- It's not your fault. It was just bad intel. No one knew that they had surface to air missiles, no one could have." Rude shook his head. "Reno would have been pissed at you for thinking like that so stop or I will hurt you."

Tseng open his mouth to voice his protest when Elena came up to stand next to him. "Hey Rude! Solstice greetings! Have you thrown your wish into the fire?"

Rude looked down at the drink he had been nursing all night. "Yeah, even though I know it can't come true."

Elena's cheerful mask slipped. "Rude, I'm-"

"I need to get some air," Rude said, cutting her off. He headed towards the balcony of the Shinra mansion, with two pairs of sorrowful eyes watching him.

Rude was halfway to the railing when the huge glass doors slammed shut behind him. He spun, falling into a defensive crouch. It was then that he heard the familiar laughter.

"'Bout time I got you all to myself!"

Rude turned back towards the railing, his heart in his throat. Tears filled his eyes as he took in the one leaning against the ornate stone. He looked just as he always had- dark blue suit with the white dress shirt half unbuttoned, revealing the creamy smooth skin under it. The marks under the blue eyes matched perfectly with the long hair the fluttered in the slight winter breeze.

"Reno…"

"Hey there, partner. Miss me?" The trademark smirk was tempered by the emotion that colored his face. He sauntered towards the bigger man.

"Ren… how?"

Reno laughed softly at his partner's bewildered tone. "It's the night of wishes, Ru. I needed to come back, to tell you something. But I think it might just be better if I show you…"

Long arms wrapped around Rude's neck as Reno pulled the bigger man into a kiss. It was a simple kiss, chaste but lingering. As Reno began to pull away, Rude got over his shock and wrapped his own arms around the smaller man drawing him in for a deeper kiss. They stayed together until a soft voice called to Reno.

"Little One, it's time."

Reno broke the kiss but snuggled deeper into Rude's arms. The pair turned to look at the god; one with eyes of sorrow, the other with fear.

"Please Phoenix! Please don't take the only thing that I love away from me! Not again!"

"I'm sorry Rude," the beautiful god replied. He held up four pieces of paper, each with the edges burnt. "It is almost midnight and I have these other wishes that Shiva, Leviathan, Bahamut and Kjata have asked me to grant tonight. These wishes carry so much power and love that I could not ignore them anyway."

Rudes eyes widened as he recognized one of the papers as being the stationary he had written his own wish on. Phoenix held up three of the scraps.

"These three wish for the return of something that was taken from them while this one wishes for, how was it written…? "For his Turks to smile again." Very powerful wishes indeed."

"Can… can you really grant them?' Rude asked fearing the answer.

Phoenix laughed. A shroud of flames surrounded the partners, fading as the full moon broke through the gathered clouds. Standing in the center of the circle of ash, Reno and Rude held each other, hearts pounding in time with each other. Reno blinked in surprise.

"Rude… I can feel my heart…"

The larger Turk didn't answer. He lifted Reno's chin and kissed him as Tseng, Elena and Rufus fell through the suddenly unsealed doors. The three were brought up short as they realized their wishes had been granted and now stood before them, bathed in the silver light of the moon.

"Don't ever leave me again," Rude pleaded softly, tears trickling from deep, brown eyes.

"Never," Reno whispered back, sealing his promise with another kiss.