A/N: OMG update? Yep, and be proud, I actually know how I'm going to start the next chapter! Thank you to all the reviewers who really want this story to continue, you inspire me to do great things! I think you'll like this chapter, it really gives the plot a good kick in the ass. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: hides spray paint If I tag it, it's mine, right? No. Damn...

The Vacation

Chapter 4

The moon lit their way, their forms casting eerie shadows on the soft sand. Ghost crabs scuttled out of their path, slipping into holes or disappearing into the waves that brushed along the shore. For a while neither spoke, they just walked. Surprisingly, it was Cloud who broke the silenced.

"So…how many times have you been here?"

"To this house? Zero." The blond was surprised.

"Really?"

"Yah, boss 'forgot' he had it."

"But you've been to Costa Del Sol before. I heard you talking about coming here for missions."

"Yah, but never long enough to have some fun. This is the first real vacation I've had in years." Cloud raised his eyebrows.

"Seems to me your always lazing around…" he muttered under his breath.

"What was that Chocobo-head?" Reno stopped.

"Nothing." Cloud stopped beside him.

"Damn straight." Cloud grinned at bit to himself.

"It's just, your always at the 7th Heaven, I sometimes forget you actually have a job."

"You want an ass kicking, don't you?"

"But you always have money to pay your bill, so I guess your not a total bum. I mean, I assume that Rufus wouldn't pay you for nothing--" Cloud was suddenly hit by a large force in his side. He was thrown onto the ground, where said force quickly pinned him to the sand.

"You got something else to say about my job, blondie?" In the dim light, Cloud could see Reno smirking, and he grinned himself.

"Hmmm…I wonder…what does Rufus pay you for?" Cloud knew that what he said didn't really bother Reno in the slightest. Reno didn't give a rat's ass about any insult you could think of to throw at him. It was when people insulted his friends, or his boss, that he started fights in Tifa's bar. ShinRa and it's employee's where a banned subject at the 7th Heaven these days.

"Maybe you should ask him yourself, yo." There was an odd noise down the beach, that halted the two's fo-argument. Reno sat up, still on top of Cloud. The blond pushed himself up onto his elbows.

"What was that?" There was another noise; a long, high-pitched whistle, that ended with a loud bang. Bright lights accompanied the noise, lighting up the sky in a shower of sparks. Reno began laughing.

"You where scared of some fireworks!?"

"I was not scared!" The redhead just laughed more. Cloud sprang up, pushing Reno back so their previous positions where reversed. "Ohhh…getting frisky, Strife?" Bright blue mako eyes narrowed. They seemed to glow eerily in the dark, making Reno shiver slightly under the blond. The ex-SOLDIER grinned evilly, and leaned in closer to the redhead.

"Why, Reno? Are you getting excited?"

--

I felt my eyes bug out of my head. Did Cloud Strife just say that? Did the Cloud Strife, stoic savior of the planet, just practically hit on me? I wondered how far I could go with this. Was Cloud just flirting, or would it actually go somewhere? It took me a spilt second to make my decision. As a Turk, I was trained to analysis risks quickly and efficiently. Or something like that, I was never known for paying attention during training. That was what Rude was for. I could hear more fireworks going off down the beach. Their light reflected off of Cloud's skin, and in his eyes. It was eerie…but in a sexy way.

I leaned up, I could feel his breath mixing with my own.

"Well, Cloud, think you could handle it?"

"I think I could."

"Of course. Sephiroth, no problem. Remnants, piece of cake. But sir, I don't think you can talk until--"

I wasn't really sure what prompted it, but I wasn't complaining. I guess it was a kind of way to tell me to shut up. Again, I was not complaining. Especially since Cloud's tongue was now tracing over my lips. This guy was just full of surprises.

--

Cloud smirked inwardly at his ability to surprise the Turk. And Reno hadn't hit him, so that was a plus. He had surprised himself as well. He had never been one to take in the initiative in any relationship, whether it be meeting a new friend or testing a growing theory that your temporary roommate might just return the feelings you recently realized you had for him.

He felt…powerful, dominate. Something he hadn't had in a relationship in a…long time. Him and Tifa weren't in a relationship, and even if they where, Tifa could boss him around like nobody else. And even though he had wanted to, nothing ever happened with Aerith. Sephiroth took her away first.

Reno was different, exciting.

--

The two arrived back at the house not long afterward. Being covered in sand and not to sure if they could make their way back down the unfamiliar beach in the dark had triggered their arrival back inside. The house was silent and dark. The two crept up the stairs, flinching whenever a floorboard squeaked through neither could honestly say why. Reno's foot suddenly caught the edge of the step wrong, and he pitched forward. Behind him, Cloud immediately reached forward and caught the Turk around the middle.

It was just there luck that Barret had chosen that moment to appear at the top of the steps, Marlene in toe. The large man gave them a look that seemed to be a cross between a death glare and the look of a rabbit before a hungry fox.

"What the hell are you two doin'….?" Marlene peeked out from behind him and frowned at the two men.

"Are you fighting again?" she scolded.

"No--"

"I tripped--"

"It's dark--"

"We just went for a walk--"

"It's Reno's fault!"

"The hell, man?"

"What?"

"Get off me!" Cloud straightened up, releasing the redhead's waist. Reno pushed himself up, dusting sand off his shirt, though it did no good, he was thoroughly covered. Barret shook his head and escorted his daughter past the two. Cloud sighed as he turned and followed them back down the stairs.

"I'm going to go get some water…" Reno rolled his eyes and continued to the bedroom. Later, Cloud came back up to find the redhead collapsed in his bed, clothes still on. "He's going to get sand in his bed…." the blond muttered as he took a shower and climbed into his own bed. Before flicking off the light he looked over at the redhead, laying on his stomach, he head turned toward Cloud. The delivery boy felt himself smile. 'He's kind of cute like that…' He turned off the light and lay on his back, thinking about the spontaneous kiss on the beach. 'What a weird night….and we've still got twelve days left….'

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