A/N: sorry this is so short. And just for those of you who might have noticed, but didn't actually know, I'm putting in lines from songs and things that you might or might not know. They start I think in chapter 7. If you want, you can go back there to find it, or you can start on this chapter. If you guess it right, I'll do something super special awesome...
...
however this chapter's quote is rather obvious.
I'll have the next chapter out sooner than this one, I promise.
Reno muttered curses as he rubbed his shoulder where he had been tranquilized
Reno muttered curses as he rubbed his shoulder where he had been tranquilized. The bitch! Angrily he plopped himself at the bar at his usual stool demanding attention from the bartender as he rested his head in his arms.
"The usual," Reno uttered darkly when he sensed someone in front of him behind the bar.
"I'd be glad to if I knew what it was," a familiar, male voice replied.
Startled ocean coloured eyes met brilliant green eyes. "Harry? The fuck're you doin' back there?"
"Helping," Harry replied as he wiped down a mug before filling it with a beer he adeptly slid down the bar to a waiting customer.
"Where's Tifa?" Reno continued. He just knew that if he tried hard enough that his brain would tell him why Harry was behind the bar instead of the busty brunette.
"I think she said something about a date with Rude and Marlene being home?" Harry replied more as a question than a statement before shrugging. "I wasn't really paying attention. We don't really see eye to eye."
Reno laughed.
Harry gave the Turk a strange half-smile. "So the usual?" Harry prompted.
Reno's smile was mischievous. "The cheapest shit here." Harry just looked at him askance before bending down under the bar and just giving him the whole damn bottle. Reno looked at the bottle as if he just won the lottery.
"I think you're my new favourite bartender, Harry," Reno informed the youth as he coveted the bottle to his person. Reno opened it and, forgoing the glass Harry placed on the bar for him, took a swig right out of the bottle.
"Shiva! This's good!" Reno crowed. Harry just shook his head as he made his way down the bar serving other patrons. Reno knew that Tifa had probably drilled the kid in the workings of the bar over the course of the week. From the hints that Rude had been dropping, it was some big occasion or something…anniversary? It was apparent that Reno and Harry shared a similar attention span.
The redhead just hoped his night was better than yesterday. One bad day this week was enough for him, thank you very much.
"This is most odd," he said observing the instruments in the tower. The Lifestream was fluctuating in unsteady, chaotic patterns. Aeris had told him that The Lifestream would be slightly unstable when she sent Sephiroth away…wherever she had sent him. She had kept close mouthed about where; dropping hints that if he was curious he should head to 7th Heaven to see Cloud.
Looking at the data his instruments were telling him, he didn't think that he'd have a choice in the matter; he'd have to see Cloud either way to tell him about the data. Calling to make sure he was home was probably a good thing, since Nanaki didn't want to run all the way there and then have to wait for months on end for Cloud to show up from a delivery.
Fumbling with his PHS, Nanaki dialed the number for the bar. It rang a few times before a voice he didn't recognize answered.
"Seventh Heaven, how may I help you?" It was a young male's voice by the cadence of it.
"I am Nanaki; a friend of Cloud's," Nanaki introduced himself. "I was wondering if he was in."
"Yeah, just got back from a round of deliveries; said he was going to take a few days off," the boy responded.
"Could you tell him not to leave until I get there?" Nanaki asked. "I have some…sensitive information that I think he needs to know about."
"Sure, I'll tell him as soon as he makes an appearance downstairs or the traffic slows down a bit," the boy responded.
"Thank you--" Nanaki left the sentence hanging. Who was this boy?
"Harry," the boy responded.
"Thank you, Harry," Nanaki responded. "I'll see you soon."
"Bye," Harry responded before the dial tone greeted him. The bar must be busy, Nanaki thought.
Now, to call Cid…
The Guardian Beast of Cosmo Canyon waited patiently where he'd said he'd meet Cid and The Shera. Cid had called him saying he was running a bit behind schedule; late. Nanaki sighed. He probably ran into some trouble with the goods he imported for Tifa from Wutai. He had a copy of the data on a chip safely tucked away in his headdress. Deciding that it was better to wait near cover than in the middle of the clearing, the large red cat headed towards a nearby thicket, mindful of the flame on his tail.
Harry trudged up the stairs exhausted. It was more work than he thought it would be bartending. His arms were sore and his feet hurt. Trudging up to Cloud's room at an ungodly hour, Harry knocked before sticking his head in the door. Sleepy, blue eyes glowed at him in the darkness.
"A Nanaki called earlier," Harry said and watched as the sleep fled Cloud's mako gaze, "said he had 'sensitive information' for you."
"Thank you, Harry," Cloud replied. "You closed up all right?"
Harry nodded. Already his mind was fuzzy. "Hm," he replied.
Cloud gave Harry an amused half smile that was more smirk than smile. "Go to bed Harry, you need your sleep."
Harry hummed another affirmative. His mission complete, the Gryffindor vacated Clouds room for his own. He only bothered taking off his shoes before he collapsed onto his bed. He was half asleep as he wormed his way under the blankets and by the time his head found the divot he had made in his pillow, The Boy Who Lived was fast asleep.
Cloud watched Harry leave, his smile leaving with the clicking of the door. "Sensitive information" huh? If Nanaki was coming to see him in person, it couldn't be good. Absently wondering what it was, Cloud laid back down on his bed, tucking his hands behind his head.
203597203
The Shera touched down shortly after sunrise outside of Edge. Nanaki, having awakened with the sun, gave a rather feline stretch before padding to the door. He waited for Cid to go through all the necessary procedures before he nodded and opened the hatch.
"I'll be along in a while there, Red," the surly pilot informed him. "I wanna catch a few 'ours of sleep before I head to the bar."
Nanaki nodded. "I will tell them that you'll be planning on coming later then."
"Thanks Red," Cid called over his shoulder with a wave as he stood. Nanki padded out of the ship, and the blond haired man closed the ship up before heading below deck.
Nanaki padded glanced back at the ship before heading glanced back at the ship before heading into town.
The materia Harry was holding and trying to identify suddenly started singing louder, startling the dark haired boy. The orb fell to the floor with a soft, musical plink. Harry went to retrieve it when a red paw entered his vision. Following the paw up the leg to the creature's face, Harry stood there wondering if he should try for the materia or his wand. Then it spoke.
"I'm Nanaki, is Cloud awake?" the large cat…dog…animal asked.
"I'm Harry," the Gryffindor introduce himself. "No, he hasn't come downstairs yet. Can I get you anything?"
"Thank you, but I'm fine," Nanaki replied.
Harry just stared at him immensely curious. It was obvious that this creature was immensely intelligent and had a distinct personality. He didn't want to offend him, but…
Nanaki smiled; the expression so very human on his animal features. "You're fidgeting. I assume you're trying to ask a question."
Harry smiled. "I was wondering, not to be rude or anything, but what are you?"
Nanaki smiled, but this time, it was sad; maybe it was something reflected in his amber eyes, but the melancholy was present nonetheless. "I am the last of the race of Guardian Beasts to Cosmo Canyon."
"I'm sorry."
Nanaki cut off whatever Harry was going to say with a shake of his head; the beads and feathers in his headdress whispering and clinking in his mane. "No need to apologize; you didn't know." Here he smiled. "You're young yet; enjoy it."
"Young?" Harry inquired.
Nanaki laughed as he settled down on the floor in front of Harry. Out of respect, Harry settled on the floor as well. "I am young as well for my race; probably old enough to be your father in your own race."
"Interesting," Harry replied.
Nanaki nodded as he looked down to the materia between his paws. "May I ask what you were doing with this ice materia inside?"
"I was trying to figure out what kind it was," Harry replied, "but just when I was getting close to hearing it, its singing got really loud and startled me; I dropped it, then you came in."
"Sorry," Nanaki apologized. "Ice and Fire materia especially tend to do that when I'm around. I'm a being that's close to The Lifestream, but, unlike the Cetra, I can't communicate with it."
Harry nodded.
"It's easier to use the spells that materia have when you use a bracer of some kind," Nanaki advised.
"What's a bracer?" Harry asked. "I'm just trying to figure out which materia is which right now. Reno kind of explained it to me, and I can see how it works; I just have to put it into practice."
Nanaki smiled and looked at the materia between his paws before rolling it back to him. "So you've been raiding Cloud's stash of materia?"
Harry smiled.
It was then that footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. Nanaki and Harry turned to see Cloud rubbing sleep from his eyes, rubbing his head, and muttering something darkly under his breath. Harry leaned over to Nanaki and whispered in the animal's ear, "He probably walked into a door again."
Nanaki choked on the bark of laughter that threatened to escape him; it was rude and unbecoming of one his age. Either way, Cloud still gave the two of them a dark look before continuing to the kitchen. The two quietly followed.
"You had breakfast yet, Harry?" Cloud blearily asked as he putzed around the kitchen.
"If a piece of dry toast counts," Harry replied as he kept examining a different materia he pulled from somewhere.
"I can make something a little better than dry toast," Cloud replied. "Will you be joining us for breakfast as well, Nanaki?"
"If there's no trouble," the Guardian Beast replied. "Cid asked me to relay to you that he will be coming by later after he has rested a bit."
Cloud nodded as he took a skillet off the wall.
He decided that, he needed to know a bit more about the city. He had been in it for a few days, but only had a small portion of it memorized. Sachar knew that, if he wanted to get anything done, he needed to know the city; it was different than what his memory said it ought to be. Nevertheless, the blond haired man trudged through yet a different portion of the city that was unfamiliar, whistling tunelessly, and planning the execution of Father's and, ultimately, Mother's plans.
"Disruption in The Lifestream?" Cloud echoed Nanaki as Harry took a bite of scrambled eggs.
Nanaki nodded. "That's what I've determined from Grandfather's instruments."
Cloud looked pensive. This wasn't good. The two talked some more about technical stuff about The Lifestream that Harry didn't quite grasp. Harry was focusing on eating when Cloud sighed. Harry looked up to see the blond man rubbing his face.
"I have a delivery," Cloud stated. "I'll be back later today."
Harry looked confused. "I thought you had the next few days off."
"I got a call in from a client I couldn't refuse," he cryptically replied. Harry was confused, but Nanaki looked like he understood. With that, Cloud left; his breakfast untouched on the table. Harry just watched him go.
"He probably got a call from Elmyra Gainsborough," Nanaki quietly informed him as they heard the Fenrir start up. "It's about that time of the year again."
Harry was more confused than ever, but as the motorcycle's noise faded in the distance, Nanaki ate Cloud's breakfast, his expression full of melancholy.
Harry didn't have the heart to ask who Elmyra Gainsborough was.
Cloud wound his way through Edge and across the barren plains to Midgar and Sector 6 where one Elmyra Gainsborough resided. He pulled up in front of the achingly familiar house and garden. She met him on the porch.
"These ones were always her favourite," the older woman said in a way of greeting. Cloud nodded. "I heard you were going to take the next few days off, so I really appreciate you doing this."
"It's my job," Cloud informed her as he took the bouquet. Elmyra only smiled in the mysterious way all women do. She handed him a few gil and he returned to his motorcycle. She knew he hated it when she paid him, even though it was part of the job; knew that, even though he could use the money, he'd probably give it to one of the orphans that lived with him. The motorcycle roared out of sight. She sighed.
"When are you going to forgive yourself?"
Reno was absentmindedly crossing the street, completely ignoring the honking of car horns and the screeching of breaks when the familiar roar of an engine and its squealing breaks had him stopping in the middle of the road. The redhead watched as Cloud righted the Fenrir from its almost horizontal position. He could feel the glare through those dark goggles the blond wore to keep dirt and UFB's- Unidentified Flying Bugs- out of his eyes. Cars honked.
"Get on," Cloud ground out. Quickly before he could change his mind, Reno hopped onto the Fenrir. Cloud revved it a few times before tearing off to Ifrit knew where.
A few mind numbing turns later found the two in a deserted street that looked rarely used. Reno was about to open his mouth and say something when Cloud turned around and brought their lips together in a bruising kiss. Why was his lover so needy? Not that he minded, but there was more emotion that normal in the heated kiss between the two. Cloud broke it and rained kisses down Reno's jaw and exposed neck.
"By Bahamut," Reno swore, "what's gotten inta ya?"
Cloud stopped in his ministrations and just rested his head against Reno's chest. When it was apparent he wasn't going to say anything, Reno noticed that he was dressed to go out on a delivery.
"I thought ya were takin' a few days offa deliverin' shit."
"It's a delivery for Elmyra Gainsborough," Cloud replied in a soft voice.
Well fuck, if this wasn't what he needed right now. He wrapped his arms around Cloud. It seemed that, despite everything, Cloud still felt guilty over Aeris' death. It's not like he could have prevented it, if everything he heard was correct. Still, it's what made Cloud Cloud; that compassionate caring and loyalty. Hooking a finger under the blond's chin, Reno brought Cloud's mouth up to meet his own in a tender, understanding kiss.
"I'll be 'ere when ya get back, yo," Reno said with a lopsided grin; his immature slum drawl brining a slight smile to Cloud's face. They shared another kiss, this one more passionate and demanding. Reno groaned. "If ya don't leave now, then yer deliv'ry's gonna be late," Reno informed his lover.
Cloud chuckled and withdrew from his ministrations. His blue eyes turned serious. "I'll be looking for you when I get back."
Reno got off the motorcycle. "Go then; the faster ya leave, the faster ya return n' all that shit."
The roar of the Fenrir being revved almost drown out the bark of laughter that escaped from Cloud. Wearing a grin of his own, Reno turned and meandered in the opposite direction; his grin was soon replaced by out of tune whistling. Neither of them had sensed the voyeur that had seen everything, or they might have been more discreet. It was everything Sachar was to keep himself from bursting out in laughter. This was just too perfect! He now had the perfect way to defeat 'Brother', and the redhead sauntering off in the opposite direction would be the perfect pawn.
Silently following him, he was surprised when the man turned, fast as lightning, and whipped that odd rod of his at where his head had been.
"Yer good," the man drawled. Sachar smiled when the man got a good look at him. Those sleepy bedroom eyes opened all the way in surprise. "Why do you look like Cloud?"
"So that's his name, eh?" Sachar responded. "I was never told The Failed One's name; it was deemed unimportant by Father."
Reno's eyes narrowed. What was this shit about failed ones and fathers?
"I need you to come with me," Sachar said, "and I'd rather not use force."
"Well, lemme see," Reno stood and started listing things on his fingers. "I'm s'pposed to be clearing monsters outta Sector 4, then I was gonna report back in ta see if I was needed any more. Then, ifn I wasn't, I was gonna head on over ta Seventh Heaven. Funny," he looked at Sachar, "going off ta who knows where with Cloud-look-a-likes isn't on th' list."
"Sachar."
"Huh?"
"My name," the blonde dutifully replied.
"Reno," the Turk replied.
The fight was short and ruthless. If there had been anyone in the area, or the immediate vicinity, there definitely would have been civilian casualties. As it was, Sachar cheated horribly. Reno kept getting distracted, not matter how valiantly and focused he fought. Both were bleeding and bruised, Reno a bit more than Sachar.
"You seem distracted," Sachar taunted.
Reno shrugged.
Their battle began again. This time, Reno didn't stand a chance; Sachar pulled out all the stops. Before he knew it, Reno was through the wall of a nearby building. Every breath was agony. He took a deep breath, to try and alleviate his discomfort, only to feel like he was being choked. The resulting coughing fit had him staring at the crimson liquid that covered his hand. He felt the need to vomit.
"Tsk, tsk. It seems I've punctured one of your lungs."
Reno looked up to see Sachar gloating over him; an expression that didn't belong on that oh so familiar face. Reno winced as another breath went in the wrong way. Reno couldn't help the whine of discomfort that escaped his mouth when he was hauled to his feet by his hair. Upright the nausea was almost too much to deal with, and though his mind was iron clad in its resolve to stay upright, his body had other ideas. Beaten rather thoroughly, his knees gave out and another cry escaped his bloodied lips and a handful of his hair left his scalp as his knees his hard and he collapsed onto sensitive ribs. All the jarring did some anti-wonderful things to his body and this time he couldn't hold the nausea back.
Reno puked up bile and blood.
His vision was hazy and spotty when he was yanked to his feet again. He stumbled and followed blindly, each step agonizing, as he was led by the lapels of his jacket.
"You won't be needing this where you're going," a familiar voice muttered. There was a tearing sound and one of his arms felt lighter. Being placed on a familiar looking motorcycle, whoever was holding him started the monstrosity up. Reno shrieked in pain. The vibration from the engine made it very apparent he had a few cracked and broken bones. Cold laughter was the last thing he heard before the pain took him into unconsciousness.
Denzel was a good boy. He knew when Tifa got home and Harry saw that she was in a good mood, he made himself scarce. Not knowing where the other boy had hid himself, Denzel went out and about traversing the city of Edge. Perhaps he'd run into some of his friends and they could play tag or something. After a while of walking, he did run into some kids he knew and they proceeded to play hide and seek. After a few games, one of the kids, Yuki, came up to him.
"I see the guy who carries this go to that place you stay a lot," she said, handing over a familiar weapon: Reno's EMR. "I thought you might want to hold onto it for him."
"Thanks," Denzel said. Shortly after that, the kids dispersed back to their homes. Denzel, on his way back to Seventh Heaven, heard the familiar roar of an engine. Reno and Cloud were on the Fenrir going someplace. Reno probably went to the bar when he was supposed to be back at Healin or something.
Denzel entered the cool interior of the bar to see Harry sitting down with grilled cheese sandwiches. Nanaki and Cid were with him. "I just saw Cloud and Reno go tearing off on the Fenrir. Was he supposed to be somewhere or something?"
Harry looked at Nanaki. "Cloud left hours ago to deliver a package, Denzel."
"That's odd," the boy said as he dug into the sandwiches. "One of the kids I was playing with today found this, so I thought Reno might have come here looking for it."
Denzel placed Reno's EMR on the table before forgetting about the world and eating only as an adolescent boy can.
Nanaki and Harry shared a look. Yes, it was very odd indeed.
posted 16April2008
