Haunted, a Cloud/Reno story
By Kigichi and Bekas Strife
Contains extremely OOC!Reno and a bit of Cloud, MPreg, angst and much more.
Disclaimer: These characters and the world where they live in aren't ours. Only the storyline is.
AN: Kigichi mostly writes Reno and Bekas Cloud.
Enjoy!!
--
Reno ran.
He ran until he couldn't breathe, until the sights of the city turned to trees and wilderness, until his legs couldn't support him anymore.
Then he ran some more.
He ran from his life, his job, and from the man he loved that couldn't trust him any longer. He had given his whole heart to Cloud, allowing the man to see parts of him no one else ever did. He trusted him with his likes and loves, his strengths and weaknesses, only to learn that the other could not even trust him.
Who knows if he even loved him?
Was that all he was? A game…?
Did he hang around Tifa's bar when he was at work, telling everyone there what a wimp and a baby Reno was? That he was stupid enough to believe that Cloud actually loved him?
Tears marred his vision, falling hot and freely down his face. The ground was suddenly much closer, via an upturned tree root. Whimpering and gasping for breath Reno pulled himself up, shaking body just managing to pull him over to a nearby tree. Glancing around he realized he had no idea where he was. Good. That means no one would be able to find him. Pulling his knees up to his chest, the redhead finally broke down and cried, silently cursing himself for believing that he would ever deserve happiness. He was an idiot.
--
Cloud sighed as he hung up once more; having already called Reno more times than those he could remember. He had to reach his lover and tell him that he loved him, that he trusted him as much as Reno trusted him. Shiva knows what the redhead may be thinking, alone and hurt somewhere far away from their place.
--
Reno sniffed; his tears having run dry a long while ago. He cringed as his cell phone rang once more. He already knew who is was and he couldn't bring himself to pick up.
What if all Cloud did was yell at him?
Tell him he was a moron?
That he never wanted to see him again?
His already breaking heart could not deal with that right now. It would break him completely. Shivering, it had started to rain a while ago, he curled further into himself, uncaring about the deep chill he could feel sinking into his bones. It was what he deserved. He should have tried harder; he must have been a terrible lover and boyfriend if Cloud believed the simplest of rumors. Nothing was happening now that he didn't bring down upon himself.
--
Cloud sighed and tried to contact Reno again, only to be received by the voicemail after long, painful beeps. He then decided to text to his lover, hoping that he would at least read it.
I know that you must be angry with me; otherwise you would pick up your cell phone. I didn't mean it and right now, I don't even know why I blurted that out, I'm so sorry baby... I wanted to let you know that I love you and that I understand if you wanna break up: after all, I was a bastard… Sorry. love you.
Sighing once more, Cloud sent the message and waited a few minutes, debating if he should keep calling Reno or let him go; free him from the prison that was their relationship.
--
Reno flinched at the sound of his phone.
He got a message.
Sighing he reached into his pocket. At least it was better than his voice. He wouldn't be able to handle hearing his voice right now. Flipping the phone open he felt his eyes fill with tears at the message. Turned out he had a few more to spare. Fingers shaking, he sent a reply:
I love you too and I'm sorry about what I said. I was just trying to get a rise out of you as usual. I never wanted to break up. What you said did hurt me though. I guess it was my fault and what I deserved. I did nothing to put an end to those rumors. Just please know that I would never do that to you. I love you Cloud.
Pressing the send button he tried to stand up and find a way out of the forest.
Keyword: Try.
His legs refused to support him and his fingers and toes felt like ice. Not good.
--
Cloud kept hitting with his head against the door, hoping to receive an answer. Maybe his lover had thrown his cell phone away so that he wouldn't have to listen about him anymore. Those thoughts were interrupted by his own mobile, ringing not far away from him on the floor. Flipping it open, he noticed he had a reply from his lover and, with his heart on his hands, clicked to read it.
Smiling after reading the message, Cloud decided that they needed to talk face-to-face.
I really didn't meant to hurt you, I'm so sorry... if you give me another chance I promise to make it better, to find a way to excuse myself but right now, what we needed is to talk directly to each other. We're not kids anymore to fix our relationship through messages. Want me to pick you up somewhere? Love, Cloud
--
Reno mumbled, what the hell was that noise? He was tired, damn it! Cracking his eyes open, Shiva, his lids felt like they weighed a ton!, he glanced around to search for the source of the noise.
Oh, it was his phone. Cloud must have answered.
Lifting his hand with some effort, he tried to write a return message. He was so tired; he could barely even see the keys.
He managed to send five words before his limbs gave out on him.
Cloud, Love, Cold, Tired, Forest
Just managing to hit the send button, his hand fell down to his side, making a splash as it hit the growing puddle underneath him.
He was so tired. He wanted to sleep.
--
Cloud was already waiting with Fenrir's keys on his hand, just wanting his lover's answer so that he could take off and pick Reno up, fix their relation and then make sweet, tender, gentle and caring love to his lover.
Listening to his mobile familiar beep, Cloud raised it and flipped it open, reading his lover's message. At first he was confused but looking out the window and seeing the weather, Cloud quickly understood. "Shit." He growled, sprinting upstairs to grab a few blankets and then downstairs again, moving quickly as he grabbed a thermos bottle and poured hot coffee that he had made earlier on that day into it. Reno ran away and must have been caught in the damn storm! Growling, Cloud made a dash and slammed the door shut behind him, stuffing Fenrir's luggage carrier with what he had brought with him before driving to the nearby woods, knowing that Reno mustn't have gone too far.
--
Reno whimpered, lifting his heavy arms to wrap them around himself. He was freezing! A few moments ago he was warm and sleepy and now it felt like ice was stabbing his veins. Crying out, he tried to move, to get up and find shelter, but his limbs were too stiff. "Cloud..." He whimpered. He wanted his lover. To be held by him. "Cloud…"
--
Said man speed up through the woods, struggling to avoid the damned trees on his way. He had to find Reno and quick.
It was his entire fault!
If he hadn't blurted those offensive words at Reno, he wouldn't have run away and gotten into this mess. All that he could do was hope that Reno heard Fenrir and managed to cry out for him. A shot to the air, a painful scream, anything! Hell, even Reno's ringtone would be fine! "Reno!!" He screamed. "Reno!!"
--
'What was that?' Tilting his head to the side, Reno focused his water logged ears as best he could. Everything was blurry and toned down. 'What was that!?' A flash of light to the left temporarily blinded him and got his attention. 'A headlight…?' He heard the same noise again and recognized it for what it was. 'Cloud.'
Cloud had come for him.
He wanted to scream out to him, to cry out to him, but it shot shooting pains through his lungs when he made the smallest squeak. Looking around for anything he could throw or kick, he spotted a good-sized rock by his feet. Gathering his breath and thinking 'this is going to hurt', he kicked out as hard as he could, sending the rock rolling into the road. Energy almost spent, Reno fell back against the tree.
Now all he could do was waiting and pray that Cloud saw it.
--
Cloud frantically looked around for any sign of his lover.
Had he already sprinted past him and he didn't see him?! Was he still far away??
He didn't know: all he knew was-- "Reno?!" Cloud screamed even louder, watching a rock stumble around the muddy path he was driving in. Pulling over, Cloud shot from his seat and quickly walked around, trying to find his lover. "Reno!!" He screamed, nervously smiling when he finally spotted red hair. "Reno!!" He screamed out of pure happiness, seeing his lover smiling back weakly at him. Waving a hand soothingly, the blond ran back towards Fenrir and took out the blankets and hot coffee, spinning to go back to his lover.
Reno grinned faintly when the blond approached him, bringing up a hand to place it on top of Cloud's own, allowing his body to fall to the side and lean against his lover's warmer one. "He-hey Chocobo head…" He rasped painfully, sighing in relief as Cloud wrapped him layer after layer of warm blankets. Humming, he looked up and into Cloud's worried face, managing to say only one thing. "I'm sorry."
Cloud smiled at his lover and shook his head, rubbing his back to try and make him warmer. "It's okay... I was the one who screwed up. Here." He whispered, giving the hot coffee to Reno. "Black and without sugar, as I know you like it…" He said with a soft smile, lifting Reno from the ground and taking him to Fenrir, cuddling him protectively against his chest.
Reno sipped the hot liquid, moaning in slight pain as it hit his sore throat. "I…" He began "I... I should never have said that... I know how suspicious those rumors make you." Why did Cloud think this was his fault? He didn't do anything wrong. All he did was tell the truth. Not his fault if Reno could not handle it.
"Yeah but... If I knew you a little better, I should have never thought that you could have anything with Rufus." Cloud said softly. "I'm sorry..." He apologized, sitting Reno on Fenrir in front of himself; he couldn't risk Reno falling down the bike.
Reno groaned and shook his head. "Not your fault, yo..." Maybe if Reno didn't act the way he did every day: carefree and playfully flirting with anything that moves, they would not be in this situation right now. "I was the one that was childish enough to run away."
Cloud shook his head. "We can't stay outside anymore." He said, changing the subject. "We can't risk you to be colder than you are already. Make a last effort and hold onto me, okay?" The blond said, turning on Fenrir.
Reno sighed and nodded. "Okay." Leaning forward as much as he could, he held onto Fenrir's handlebars, smiling as Cloud placed his hands on top of his and gave them a squeeze. "I love you." He just felt the need to say it. Maybe to assure Cloud, maybe to assure himself, he didn't know.
Cloud smiled and nuzzled Reno's neck, kissing it tenderly. "I love you too, you idiot." He smiled and drove away to their welcoming, cozy place.
--
Kigichi: Yay! Reno has been found! Now...-pokes Cloud- MAKE TENDER LOVE TO HIM DANM YOU! -whips out video camera-
Bekas: another chapter! We hope ya like it huns! On to some more stupid behind-the-scenes comments XD
Bekas: you're making me want to enter the rp and slap some sense into Reno - Gah!!
Kigichi: XD I'm good at that! My specialty is mental angst! – About Reno suffering from the 'I'm-a-horrible-bf' complex.
Bekas: Oh, another thing hunnies. It would be quite nice if you, when you leave alerts and such, also left a review. We love to know what you think of our work! So please, if you read, REVIEW!
