The Experiment

Authors: Yahnkehy and The Prince's Jewel

Notes: This is a collaboration fanfic, not role-play, per se, but similar being as it is a joint effort.

Genre: Final Fantasy VII, post AC, post DoC

Spoilers: Possibly a few, but mostly just mentions of major happenings in the original FF7 game, some for Advent Children.

Warnings: Uniquely done MPREG *ducks rotten tomatoes*, angst, broken Cloud, pissy Reno, slight OOC, hurt/comfort, yaoi, kissing, brat.

Pairing: Cloud x Reno

Disclaimer: Not mine; there'd be more yaoi if it was.

Chapter 21: It's Your Choice

"Cloudy!' Tempest called as soon as she spotted the blonde. "Un-Da kiss Big! Bad Un-Da. Spank!"

Reno almost dropped her, eyes wide and no little bit shocked. "W-what? No, Tempest, it wasn't that kinda kiss—"

"BAD UN-DA!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, her little face red and fists clenched angrily in his hair. "Spank! Bad; spank!" She smacked him, hard for a little kid, in the right eye.

"Hn, shit, that hurt. Stop it." Reno growled and peeled Tempest's fingers off of his hair and set her on the floor, rubbing his stinging eye.

Cloud stretched again, then lazily rose from the couch. He strolled over to them, picked Tempest up, turned her over, and gave her four swift swats. "One, you don't hit your mother. Two, you don't scream at him either. Three, you're too young to decide who gets swats, and four, you only tell on someone when they're doing something that will get them hurt, get someone else hurt, or they've specifically been told not to do it. You're going to your room."

He didn't bother to look at Reno while he carried a very startled and wailing Tempest to the bedroom, where he dumped her in the crib before turning his back on her and shutting the door behind him. He leaned against it, a lazy half-smile making its way to his face. "Soooo," he drawled, "Un-Da kissed Big, did he?"

"It wasn't like that." Reno crossed his arms over his chest, eyes trailing over the relaxed blonde across from him. "He told me what happened that day when you picked me up in Midgar-Edge. Turns out that he was sent there at first because Rufus had set up medical care for me, and it wasn't until after they caught up to us at the church that the Hojo girls showed up with their contract."

A feral grin curved Reno's mouth and he licked his lips. "Rude said that the doc who squealed on me was uh, 'messily taken care of'. Still, I should've known he wasn't actually trying to stop us; he's a better shot than that. Anyway, I kissed him as a thanks for playin' the inept bad guy that day. Nothin' serious."

"Hm. Well, you are free to kiss whoever you choose," Cloud answered in a soft purr. He left the wall and practically slinked across the room to the couch, where he sprawled out lazily. "Aren't you?"

"I said it wasn't like that, yo. I might've tried to bone him back when I was getting those shots, but it wasn't about attraction. He's my partner; that would be like having a crush on a brother." Reno curled his lip in distaste and followed the blonde over to the couch.

"What's with you all of a sudden?" he asked, taking a seat beside the blonde and looking at him curiously. Cloud Strife didn't slink, didn't walk around like he knew how hot he was, and for damn sure didn't ooze sex appeal anywhere outside of the bedroom. Reno was a little confused, but was more than enjoying the sight.

"I woke up."

"You woke up," Reno repeated, blinking. "What the hell does that mean?"

"That's right." Cloud gave him a seductive, below-the-lashes glance. "I woke up. I woke up with every single memory I've ever forgotten, including the sound of my mother's heartbeat while I was in the womb. Every memory I gained while I was in the LifeStream all those times. I remember… everything."

Reno's grin grew wider as Cloud spoke and he shifted, rose up on his knees beside the blonde, and scooted forward. "Really? No more scrambled memories?"

"No more scrambled memories," Cloud confirmed. "Unfortunately, that means I remember why I thought hauling you off to the crater was a good idea. It even worked. But, since that's not the kind of man I ever wanted to be, I felt sick when I realized what I'd done. It was an act worthy of my father, and that's one man I have never wanted to emulate."

"Don't sweat it, yo." Reno lunged forward and hugged Cloud around the neck. He kissed his cheek several times, grinning happily. "I'm so glad that you've got all your memories straightened out, Cloudy," he whispered.

"Don't be, Reno." Cloud disentangled himself and pushed the redhead back. "Don't you know why?"

"Why? Well, no, but," Reno frowned, something itching at the back of his mind. "I should know this." He chewed his lip, trying to figure out what Cloud was talking about.

"Wait, Sheila said that you wouldn't get them back and eventually you'd fall to…" He gulped and sat back, away from the blonde. "Cloud, I just got you back so don't even think of lettin' that thing run your life. Please, Cloudy," Reno pleaded, worry stamped on his face.

"Thing?" Cloud blinked at him. "What thing?"

"Jenova! That's what! You remember what she did to Sephiroth and you remember what the reports from Dr. Gast said, right?"

"I don't need Jenova to take over the world, Reno, my brother handed it to me on a silver platter."

"What?"

"I'm Rufus Shinra's youngest half-brother." Cloud leaned back in his seat. "My mother was one of Hojo's lab assistants, one who didn't want her child experimented on the way she helped out with other Shinra bastards. She dyed her hair, changed her name, and hid in plain sight. Want to know the really shitty news?" He didn't give Reno a chance to answer. "Hojo's my uncle."

Reno's eyes almost fell out of his head. "Holy shit! You're serious!" he sputtered, his jaw dropping open in a rather unattractive way. The color drained from his face a moment later and his expression became one of disgust. "Gross! I fucked your dad!"

"So did I, what's your point?"

"What the… what the fuck?" Reno shook his head, blinking rapidly to get that image out of his head. "What the fuck?" He leaned forward and cupped Cloud's face between his palms. "What the fuck?"

Cloud pulled away, shrugging nonchalantly. "He was one of my protectors. Not the best way for a father to protect his son, but nobody messed with me after they found out Sephiroth and the President both considered me a favorite. Fucked my uncle more than once, too."

Reno shivered in disgust but pushed the thought out of his head, with much force. "Is that why you keep pushing me off when I touch you? Because you're sickened by touchin' now?"

Cloud frowned. "No, it's because you're too busy touching and not busy listening." He rolled off the couch in a smooth, fluid move that left him upright on the backside of it. "How did I say I felt when I woke up, Reno? Why do I say you shouldn't be happy that I've got all my memories back? I've told you, but can you answer me?"

As quickly as possible, Reno rehashed the conversation, chewing his lower lip in concentration. "You're pissed about the shit that's happened… and you're gonna take over the world?" He winced even as he said it, but those were the two things that stuck out most in his mind, other than the horrifying idea of Cloud sleeping with both Hojo and Shinra the elder, both of whom Cloud was blood related to.

Cloud shook his head. "That's not what I said." He stalked toward the kitchen, coming back with a bottle of beer. "Care to try again, or shall I repeat myself?"

Reno hung his head, scrubbing a hand through wind-whipped hair. "Just tell me; subtlety isn't my strong suit."

Cloud nodded. "I said I felt sick. I remembered why I had taken you out there, and knew that it worked, and that it made me sick. This whole charade makes me sick, because it's something my father would've thought of in order to get a piece of ass that wasn't all that willing. Actually, it is something he'd done, which makes it even worse!"

A pull from the bottle. "I have every intention of making sure my cousins don't bother you, but no intention of continuing the charade of being your husband. I married your sister, I didn't marry you. And you… you don't know me, you know the wanna-be SOLDIER boy you met when the hunt for Seph… Sephiroth was on. You know the delivery boy. You don't know me."

"You helped me just because you wanted to fuck me?" Reno's eyes narrowed and he stood from the couch, snorting cynically. "You think that's something new? So what if it worked? I'm the Shinra slut, right? Who gives a shit if another person fucks me? I think you're the last person on the Planet to get to.

"You don't have to feel sick for shit like that. But, you wanna be like that and tell me to hit the road because of it, because you're 'someone different' just 'cause you remember shit? Fine. We'll be out as soon as I can pack our shit if that's how ya wanna be about it."

Cloud laughed, leaning back against the wall and bending to rest his hands on his knees, bottle dangling from one hand. "You really think that, don't you? That I took you out there to get a piece of ass from the Shinra slut? I'd already had a taste, remember? Sex had nothing to do with it. I knew damn well it wasn't likely I would be able to function in that regard.

"No, I wanted to make you feel like you had to depend on me for everything. I wanted you to miss me when I was gone, to be eager for me to return. I wanted to make you love me. In those fragments of memories I had, I knew it could be done, because I knew it had been done. I just didn't know how to make it work, because it hadn't worked with Rena. She hated me more and more the longer we were together. I can see that now."

He straightened, looking at Reno. "But you know what? I don't know why I wanted that, anymore. You…." Cloud shook his head and shrugged. "If you don't give a damn about getting to know me, not that broken shattered thing I was, I don't see how we could have a future. If you'd rather leave than try, the door's right there." He tipped his head back and drained the beer. "But even if you do leave, I'll still… make sure you and Tempest are taken care of."

Reno had the grace to look embarrassed. He'd blown the words out of proportion. Again. He sighed deeply and flopped down on the couch. It really sucked to have to swallow his pride again and apologize. Instead of jumping right in with that, though, he felt the need to explain a little bit.

"I've never had someone want to keep me before," he said slowly, fiddling with the hem of his shirt, "I'm used to being tossed aside or leaving when things change. Ma was too busy first sobbing because pops left, then she started hooking when she couldn't keep a steady boyfriend. Went to SOLDIER and got kicked out just because I was too young; they didn't care that I was fuckin' good at my job, or that I had a recommendation from Genesis to be promoted even though I'd only been in the program for a few months.

"Forced my way into Turk and made them take me, but I caught a lot of flack because I was a kid. Then the whole experiment with Hojo happened and I started lookin' for someone who wanted to help me, someone who'd keep the fuckin' hunger away, but that went to shit really fast." Reno looked up at Cloud, lips tight. "Then I got to know ya when you were hidin' me from Shinra. Ya said you wanted me, that you… that you loved me, and I thought that I'd finally found what I was lookin' for.

"Then, things got scrambled and you didn't wanna deal with me when I got pissed. You'd up and stalk off if ya got pissed. Been preparing for ya to give up and kick me out for over a year now." Reno shrugged and chewed his lip for a moment, then took a deep breath. "I didn't say I didn't wanna get to know ya, I just expected you to toss me aside now that you've got your head on straight. I'm sorry, yo."

Cloud walked over to lean on the back of the couch. "I accept your apology. You are willing to end this farce of a relationship, and to start building a true one?"

Reno smiled tentatively and nodded. "Yeah, but you're gonna hafta lead because I know dick about how real relationships work. Mostly, I've been takin' care of you, and sometimes we'd sleep together. It was a lot like havin' a distant friendship with spontaneous sex here and there, ya know?"

Cloud nodded. "First things first, then." He reached out, taking Reno's hand. With a quick, easy move, he removed the rings Reno had been wearing.

"These… are a symbol we aren't ready for yet. And, to me… they signify deceit. When the time comes, Reno…." Cloud's voice dropped to a husky purr as he gave the other man a heated look. "When the time comes, when it means something, I won't be offering you these reminders of our lies."

A flush warmed Reno's cheeks and he had to look away from that heated expression in Cloud's eyes. His fingers felt strange without the rings on and his thumb rubbed over the smooth ring where they'd been since Cloud had first put them on him. A white band circled Reno's ring finger, a reminder of what wasn't there anymore.

"All right." Reno grinned up at Cloud, a teasing light in his eyes. "You gonna get down on one knee next time? Like you did when ya gave me those? You looked so cute and flustered when ya did, ya know. Almost thought it was real."

Cloud stood abruptly. He yanked his own ring off, and shoved them all in his pocket as he turned away. "I was trying to think of what to say when you asked me if I was okay. Felt like such an idiot, because it was such a profound moment for me, and you…." He shrugged, walking towards the kitchen once again. "I think that's when I first started to realize that no matter what happened between us, if that's how it started, it wouldn't ever be the reality I wanted."

"You're embarrassed," Reno teased, levering himself up off of the couch. He followed Cloud into the kitchen. "Damn," he bit his lip, grinning wide, "Don't hide if you are, it's cute." He stopped, resting his hip against the countertop, arms crossed over his chest casually.

"It was a profound moment, Cloudy; even if it was a lie at first, it brought us to this point. We can make a real go of it this time, instead of makin' me into Rena's copy for my safety." Reno shrugged, eyes pinned on Cloud's backside. "I think my heart almost stopped when ya slid the rings on me, and I was a little disappointed that ya didn't even kiss me when it was over."

"Why would I have kissed you?" Cloud demanded, his voice a little muffled since he had his head stuck in the refrigerator. "You'd just given me this look like I was a demented idiot when I was trying to think of how to ask you to marry me."

He emerged triumphant with a covered plate of leftover waffles. "I was hardly gonna kiss you when I was feeling like you'd ripped out my heart."

"Hey, you scared the shit out of me," Reno defended. "You had just said that it was just for pretend and then ya dropped to one knee! What did you expect? I was still unsure about how I felt about ya, then ya went and got all serious and…. Can't blame a guy for feelin' overwhelmed."

Cloud had heated and buttered the waffles while Reno answered. "Where'd Rude hide… AHAH!" He grabbed the syrup bottle from its hiding place and proceeded to attempt to drown the waffles. He settled at the small kitchen table, and dug in. He took three bites before he looked up.

"Can't blame me for feeling hurt, either. Around then, I don't think I was operating on even half a brain. It's probably a good thing Tifa never knew about those episodes, or she'd never have left me alone. She probably would've sabotaged Fenrir to make sure I stayed with her!" The full body shudder that followed left little doubt how distasteful the blond found that idea.

"Didn't say I blamed ya for feelin' hurt, but I am sorry about it." Reno tipped his head, watching Cloud move and fix his meal. There was a big difference in how he managed things from before as opposed to now. It was almost like… "Watching an entirely different person, yo." He laughed and shook his head.

"I'm gonna go check on Tempest and make sure that she hasn't torn the crib apart; I've never seen her throw a temper tantrum like that before." He paused, frowned, and opened his mouth only to close it again. She had known that Cloud was different, had blurted it out, and hadn't reached for him once that Reno could recall; how much had he missed, anyway? "Hey, Cloud; what's up with Tempest bein' cold to ya?"

Cloud looked up, frowning, a dribble of syrup running down his chin. He swiped at it with his tongue, still frowning. "Huh? Oh, that. Check on her, lemme finish my waffles. We've got a lot to catch up on. Hopefully, since she's quieted down, she wore herself out and went to sleep."

Reno left the kitchen with a contemplative frown on his face. He peeked in, found Tempest curled up in the corner of her crib, hair a mess, sheets torn off the mattress, and naked. He chuckled at the sight she made, until he noticed that the diaper was slowly sliding down the wall with a mess trailing behind it.

With a sigh, he went to the kitchen, mentioned the mess to Cloud, took a roll of paper towels and cleaning spray, and went back to the bedroom to clean up the mess. It took several minutes to get the wall cleaned up, and then the sleeping baby, but Reno managed it with only a single instance of baby-sized sleepy glaring. He disposed of the mess, the spent cleaning materials, and went into the bathroom to wash up.

When he returned several minutes later, he was damp to the elbow and had water splotches on the loose grey t-shirt he wore. "Sorry it took so long. So, what did ya wanna talk about?" Reno asked, a curious look on his face.

"I don't, really." Cloud took the last bite of his waffles, and a drink of milk he'd gotten while Reno was gone. "You seem awful nervous about Jenova, though, for someone who gave birth to one of her descendents."

"After the reports Aerith's mother gave about 'the being' that lured the Ancients to their deaths, seeing what Sephiroth tried to accomplish, and then dealing with the remnants, I think I have a right to be nervous. And Sheila already said that Jenova couldn't do anything to Tempest because Zack and I are immune to her influence." Reno went into the living room and flopped down on the couch, legs crossed comfortably.

Cloud left his dishes on the table, following him into the living room. He chose the seat Tseng had sat on when he was displeased with how Cloud had acted, making himself comfortable. "Direct descendent, Reno, not a manufactured one."

Slowly Reno turned his head to look at Cloud, face expressionless. "And, what, exactly, does that mean? I'm not related to that thing, and I kinda doubt that Zack was."

"Wrong on both counts. You, my brother, Tempest, and myself are all direct descendents. Zack was a manufactured descendent because of the SOLDIER treatments." Cloud leaned back and closed his eyes. "The LifeStream… is a veritable fount of knowledge. Amazing what you can learn if your mind can survive repeated dunkings."

Reno bolted upright on the couch, eyes wide. "What?!" he burst out, horror on his face. He covered his mouth, feeling a bit ill.

"But, that can't be right! I've dealt with shit that, while not as shocking as what Sephiroth went through, would've sent me over the deep end if I was related to that… that thing!"

"Would it have? You didn't start your life out as one of Hojo's demented experiments, doused with Mako and Jenova cells from before you were even born. You didn't have daily treatments until you were ten, and you weren't shoved into the SOLDIER program with no other options and the knowledge that if you failed to excel, your father would lay you out on an examination table, take you apart while you were still awake, and modify you some more so that you would be perfect!

"I saw him, a couple times, after Hojo was done with him. When he'd failed to do something to that thing's expectations, and been fixed. He had a daily dose of drugs that he had to take… or else. The day before we were sent to Nibelheim, his meds got changed, again. Zack and me, we figured that was why he was acting so odd… but in the LifeStream…"

Cloud shook his head. "You know, it's funny. History is written by the winners, you know. I bet history books would read a lot different if Sephiroth hadn't won the Wutaiian war. Or maybe if the Cetra hadn't sealed Jenova. I wonder… since we're her descendents, why she actually came here? She had children… and every time, except that first… no, even the first time… it seems like all she was trying to do was gather her children."

Reno sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. "How do ya know I'm related to… Jenova?" He frowned and narrowed his eyes. "How did ya get your memories back, anyway?"

"Painfully," Cloud snapped. "In case you don't remember, I smashed my head on the coffee table. The end result was a fully restored, utterly incoherent memory. Tseng and Rude showed up just after you passed out, and Tseng was the one who took care of me through the nightmares I was reliving, until I got them all sorted out."

"Yay for Tseng and Rude," he said sarcastically, "I get all that, Cloud. But, how did the memories get there? I know for a fact that I've hit ya over the head harder than that a few times back when you were hunting Sephiroth and they didn't come back then." Reno crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing the blonde closely.

Cloud stared at him. How many times had he told Reno about the beatings he'd gotten from his sister? Mentioned that he had had increasing episodes where he was reliving his past? He knew Mamma had warned him, no, bitched at him for his behavior when he'd been so stressed, with his nutrient levels bottoming out. He'd had more head injuries than he wanted to count, and it seemed like each one had either knocked something loose, or locked something up. But Reno was… oh.

So that was it. Fine then, if that's all the redhead wanted to hear, fine. He wasn't interested in getting to know Cloud Jenova Strife. He allowed himself a sneer, already knowing how the redhead would react to his full name. Still… he wasn't going to just… give in. He was aware of himself now, in a way few others could be. Mamma hadn't been messing him up more; she'd helped. So had his Mama.

"Why, Reno, whatever do you mean?" he asked sweetly. "Are you saying you don't believe that I've been bashed in the head enough times to finally remember everything? After Mamma's drugs and your sister's abuse, and all those fuckin' episodes where you had to take care of me because I regressed? Oh, and all the head injuries I've gotten in battle, of course. You're right. You did hit me pretty hard back then."

"Cloud," Reno sighed and hung his head, scrubbing a hand over his face. "I guess what I'm askin', in a really stupid way, is if Jenova had anything to do with the spontaneous memory retrieval. I don't wanna find out a few years down the road that you're her puppet. Because, as ya said already, that wouldn't be you, it would be her. And I don't wanna get to know her, I don't wanna be with her, and I don't wanna someday marry her."

"Spontaneous?" Cloud repeated incredulously. "I've been getting my memory back in bits and pieces since Meteor, and it's spontaneous?" He seriously didn't know whether to smack the redhead or pack his single bag and head for what was left of the old Shinra building. Oh, the rest of what Reno said was filtering in, but he hadn't yet got past the 'spontaneous' thing.

Reno blinked in surprise, head tipped to the side in curiosity. "You have? But… Sheila said you were losing them. She said that you only had a little time left before they were all gone and ya lost the ability to move and speak." He frowned, chewing his lip as he sat back, trying to make the two conflicting stories match up somehow. "I don't understand."

It took Cloud a few moments to remember. "I went catatonic again, didn't I? One little piece of unexpected stress too many, and I shut down. It happened when I fought Sephiroth, too, but there was another Mako overdose involved with that one. But don't worry, Reno. It really doesn't matter. Tempest and I might be able to hear Jenova, but we're as much her puppets as you are."

"Or my brother," Cloud added as an afterthought.

A relieved sigh passed Reno's lips and he flopped over onto his side, arms over his head. Even though Jenova could be telling Cloud to say it, it still rang true. He didn't have a choice but to believe it, until something happened to change that. "Okay," he answered, finally. "So, now you're pissed at me again because I misunderstood." He rolled over, facing the back of the couch, and tried to relax.

It was hard to trust that Cloud wasn't going to boot him if he screwed up, so he was trying to wait and see what happened. It was just really hard to wait; he was an impatient person by nature, made more so by the track record he had when it came to getting what he wanted. "Is there more stuff that's gonna break my brain?"

"Other than me trying to kill myself in the bathroom, and Jenova having Tempest tell Rude and Tseng so they could stop me? Nope."

"You what?" He didn't have the energy to roll over again or to gesticulate wildly, but he did turn his head, catching sight of Cloud from the corner of his eye. "Do I even wanna know why?" he asked, his head aching.

"Tried to kill myself," Cloud repeated helpfully, and continued, "because I'd just woken up from the nightmare where I remembered watching my uncle dissect my first three children because they weren't suitable specimens for the Shinra Special Guards Project, and I knew that the next thing I would remember would be watching Zack die, because Tseng told me he died when we escaped."

Reno sighed again and sat up, rubbing his aching head. "I'm sorry I wasn't awake to be there for ya, not that I think you'd've accepted my help. I'm sorry that ya had to go through that, but do me a favor, will ya?" He lifted his head, tears rolling down his cheeks, his smile brittle, and looked directly at the blonde. "Don't try to do that again, please."

Cloud snorted. "No need to. I remember everything now, so there's no fear of memories to come. The ones I can make?" He shrugged, and shoved the box of tissues across the coffee table to the tear-soaked Reno. "I'm fully myself now, and run all of the largest corporations in the world that Reeve doesn't. Basically, I rule this world."

He couldn't help grin at the reaction that line got. "I own the former Shinra Corporation and every last one of its subsidiary companies. I own most of the properties at Costa del Sol. I own a very successful chocobo breeding farm which produces chocobos that make Dio blanch when I show up at the Gold Saucer to race. At the moment, I own the only known Golds in the entire world. I own the Strife Delivery Service.

"I also own all of Nibelheim, including the old Shinra mansion… which incidentally, I need to have razed. I own an assortment of shops and apartment buildings in Junon, Midgar-Edge, Kalm, Icicle, and Wutai, along with some in the smaller towns that have sprung up since Meteor. I own a submarine and a couple fishing fleets, several canneries, half a dozen clothing lines, five or six factories and about another half-dozen refineries. I'm part owner in several oil wells besides the ones I own outright, and some coalmines as well. I've also got several ranches and farms, and most of that paperwork is due to your sister's machinations.

"So, yeah, I think it's safe to say I rule the world." His nose crinkled. "I just hate the paperwork involved."

Reno's face calmed and blanked further with each word spoken, each pointed out property. And all of it meant one thing: If he screwed up, there was nowhere to hide and he'd be easily replaced. "Paperwork is a necessary evil if you wanna rule the world." He leaned back on the couch, arms draped over the back, a familiar, hard smirk on his lips. "Sounds like you should have a busty bimbo on your arm. I know a couple who'd fit the stupid, big rack, and slutty bill," he said lightly.

"If I wanted stupid, big rack, and slutty, I'd be at the bar right now. Heh, I own half of that, too. Have to remember that next time she tells me I can't stay there. Oh! And a couple breweries. Free scotch for you!" Cloud laughed.

The smirk dimmed a bit. "Yeah, free scotch." Reno drew a breath, opened his mouth, and then closed it. He shook his head, debating over how to word the next bit. "You own everything; why are you…" he shut his mouth, feeling stupid for even trying to ask. "I'm gonna get a drink. You want anything?"

"Yeah. Finish your question. I can't read minds."

Reno pushed himself up and went to the kitchen, rummaging around in the mini fridge for something that wasn't milk or tea. He gave up and slammed it shut, instead making himself a pot of coffee. He leaned his hands on the counter, waiting for the coffee to brew impatiently. "Nothing important. Want some coffee?"

"Gah, no! Not the way you make it. I managed to literally stand a spoon up in it one time!" Cloud retorted quickly. "Come on, Reno…" he wheedled, "tell me what you were gonna ask."

"I make good coffee. Keeps me awake when I'm on assignments that keep me out for days, yo. Or, rather, did. Now I'm just used to it," he answered lightly, drumming his fingers on the countertop. He was silent for another few minutes, debating over if he should ignore it or just spit it out.

"You own everything; why are you sticking yourself with a half man, half woman, former Turk that used to belittle you?"

Cloud stifled the immediate urge to tell Reno that his tits were just the icing on a sweet ass. The redhead sounded far too uncertain for levity. Still, he wasn't quiet long. "I'm not. The opportunity is there, but if we aren't compatible outside of bed, there isn't an us. I want a companion, not a fuck toy."

"So, what do I do?" Reno turned and settled his hip against the counter, arms crossed over his chest. "Do I just follow along, a couple of steps back because I dunno what the hell I'm doin', or try to be partners with ya like I was with Rude, or partially mother you like I have been for almost two years?"

"You be yourself, I'll be myself, and we'll see if we wind up loving or hating each other," Cloud suggested. "We'll date, but I'm not gonna live with you. You've got Tempest, and that sets a bad example for her… oh. Crap. That shit Hojo gave you…." The blond frowned, eyes crossing slightly.

"What about it? Haven't had one in a long while so it's not like it can hurt me now, right?"

"Er, well…." Cloud ducked his head and scratched at the back of his neck. "It's um… that red shit? It was designed to make sure you'd cycle, you know? And when you get close to being… um… ready to breed, you'd get sex-starved. He kept you in that state for years while he perfected rest of the experiment."

"Well ain't that just peachy? I get to continue my life as the Shinra slut while my daughter watches. It's the perfect ending to my life; I'll become my mother." Reno closed his eyes, a hand moving up to rub his temples. "I need an aspirin."

Cloud eased out of his chair. He headed for the bathroom, rummaging around until he found the required painkiller, and headed back out with it. He poured Reno some of the thick black sludge that passed for the man's version of coffee, offering it and the aspirin to the redhead.

"Here, take it. The heat ends when you get pregnant. And it… what did that bastard say?" Cloud frowned, humming a little. "Ah, the longer you nurse, the longer it is before the heat starts. But you've had four days when you couldn't feed Temp, and I don't remember anyone expressing any milk for her, and…" Cloud paused, giving Reno a critical look, "it doesn't look like you're leaking, so you're probably gonna go into heat in about three months."

"What am I, a cat?" Reno asked incredulously, tossing the pills back and chasing them with a gulp of coffee. "If that bastard wasn't dead, I'd fucking kill him. I don't wanna have a huge brood of kids just because I can't breast feed until Tempest is fifty. What the hell am I gonna do? I'll never be able to have a job, at this rate." He took another long sip of coffee, welcoming the burn of it over his tongue.

He laughed as he set the cup down, rubbing his mouth with the back of his hand. "Guess this means I'd better hope that things work out or I'm gonna really feel like a slut if I've got a hundred kids with a hundred different fathers, just because I can't help myself." Reno looked over at Cloud, wanting to hug the man, or at least stand close enough to rest his head on his shoulder. "I mean, I'm not against havin' another kid, or even a couple more, but not with several other people."

"Whose children would you be willing to have?" Cloud asked curiously. "We both know my… ability is still lacking, so who would you be willing to have fill in when I couldn't perform, even if things work out?"

Reno laughed, bent at the waist with his arms around himself, until tears of mirth rolled down his face. "Shiva!" he howled, trying to calm down so that he could explain to the frowning blonde. "I never knew ya had a sense of humor, Cloudy!" That sent him into gales of laughter, and he sank to the floor, unable to keep his feet without falling.

He laughed a bit more, slowing down into short bursts, and rubbed the tears out of his eyes. "You don't get it, do ya? Even with all of your restored memories, you just don't know." He finally sighed, his giggles dissipating. "I won't have a choice in the matter. If this 'heat' or whatever is half as bad as what I went through back then, I'm not gonna have the clarity to pick someone. Sex will be all I can think about, all that'll matter to me. Do you think I wanted to fuck even a sixteenth of the people I did? Hell no. I'm disgusted by almost all of the people I fucked, including Lazard and Genesis, simply because I didn't get to choose them. I fucked them because I had to.

"There isn't gonna be a choice in this, Cloudy. If you and I don't work out, I'm gonna have to go right back into that lifestyle. If we do, then I'm gonna hafta move to the fucking island or I'll end up cheating, even if I don't wanna." Reno got to his feet, brushed off the seat of his pants, and gave the blonde a level stare. "If we work out and you can't perform, I'd rather go back to fucking the furniture than cheat."

"It wa…" Cloud started to protest, then shrugged. It really hadn't been that funny, but no point telling Reno that, since he obviously thought it was. It was even less funny when Reno made fun of his sense of humor. It wasn't as if that particular trait had been allowed to develop, after all. He managed not to say anything until Reno had finally wound down.

He waited until he was sure Reno was done talking. And then, a deep breath was required for the explaining he was going to do. "First off, it won't be that bad, and don't interrupt me. I heard Hojo dictating his reports, I know more about what's happening with you than you do.

"You were kept deliberately in heat for years, while Hojo tested the balance of the chemicals to determine which one would be the most efficient to promote a pregnancy. You weren't the only one he was testing, but you were the only one he didn't impregnate until after he perfected the serum. You, he used to test the efficacy of the heat. The only reasons he didn't fuck you was because he prefers his children to be perfect samples, and he wanted to be a grandfather. His daughters are both sterile.

"Second, you will choose this time. You will decide who you would or could prefer as a partner, who you wouldn't mind having a child for.

"Third, it's not cheating if it's arranged in advance. This is a… necessity, for your health. I know what Hojo did to me, and I know what Mamma's doing will help me heal, but it will take more time to fix than it did to break. I don't want you suffering just because Hojo screwed us up in opposite directions.

"Fourth, when we're together, and I can't perform, we call one of your choices, and make it an agreed-on threesome so that neither of us are cheating, we're sharing." Cloud was pretty sure they'd be together, since Reno was worried about cheating already.

"Okay, okay, I can agree to that. I still don't have an idea who to ask. I mean, everyone I know are Turks with the exception of Rufus and those Avalanche people, and Vincent was the only one out of that group other than you that I'd consider sleeping with. But, he's…not likely to agree to that, and I'm sure it would be weird for you." Reno shrugged, taking up his coffee for another sip.

"Who would you suggest? I mean," he frowned and set the cup down. "I mean, which of the Turks would be less disgusting for ya?"

"Vincent wouldn't agree." Cloud shook his head, grimacing at the thought of Vincent's lover. "And you're right, I think I've fucked quite enough of my family members. I'd rather not add Vincent to that list. The Turks?"

He settled himself at the kitchen table. "Reno, you know as well as I do there's only four… no, three Turks left! Tseng's interviewing a new potential today, but I don't know him. I can accept Rude or Tseng easily, and Elena if we can gag her."

He scowled. "I'd rather pass on Elena entirely, because she can't get you pregnant, just ease the ache a little. You, on the other hand, could knock her up."

"Urg, no, not Elena; the one time I fucked her was because I had just left the mansion and she happened to be the one to pick me up. Hojo had skipped the machines and exams for the last two injections and I was out of my head with need. That's not an experience I wanna have again. So," Reno looked at Cloud, "Tseng and Rude."

Reno gave Cloud a look that expressed just how much he thought that Rude or Tseng would agree to such a thing. "Tried to fuck Rude back when, always said no. Not sure he'd agree now. Tseng's always been cold and indifferent when I'd hit on him. Again, not sure he'd agree. And, how the hell do I ask 'em? 'Hey, wanna fuck me if Cloud can't get it up'?"

"I'll handle that. And Tseng… can be worked around." A slight flush reddened his face. "As I found out while I was… recovering."

Red brows rose, curious. "Uh huh. So, what did ya find out about him can make ya blush like that?"

"A fifteen-year-old's libido wears him down, a seventeen-year-old's training makes him cum."

"Uh huh." Reno eyed the blonde, trying to decide if it was a good idea to express the jealousy burning in his gut or not. Logically he knew that at the time, Cloud didn't consider them to be anything more than acquaintances, at best. Emotionally, though, Cloud had cheated, but hadn't. "Okay, so he fucked you. Fine. At least now I know why you're so sure of Tseng.

"Still, you'll hafta forgive me if I don't call him first if the time comes. Though I don't have the right, I'm still jealous because I still feel like you're mine even though my head knows you're not," Reno stated casually, visibly reigning in the desire to yell and pitch a fit.

"Didn't fuck me. I woke up dreaming of spatter pops and, and I'd been sleeping in his lap. Um, when he tried to stop me, I bit him, and then he yelled, and I thought… I… remembering Hojo's version of fundraising… where I was, figured he was a donor… so, I kinda sucked him off." The flush was darker. "It was not one of my better moments." Clenched hands trembled under the table where Reno couldn't see. "He, um, told me my apology was unnecessary, but accepted it anyway."

Reno opened his mouth to comment and stopped, a vague memory cropping up at the thought of Cloud sucking Tseng off. "Holy shit!" He blinked, shook his head, and covered a laugh. "I remember something from a long time ago. You said before that I'd told ya that you sucked at suckin' dick, but I still didn't remember it."

A grin curved his lips and he took his coffee cup into the living room, sipping as he went. The cup ended up on the coffee table and Reno lounged on the couch comfortably. "I remember now. You weren't half bad for a rookie, but I wasn't in any shape to be happy with that at the time." He winced, recalling what he used to say when he'd show up for his bi-weekly visit to the grunt dorms. "Sorry I was suck a dick to ya. I mean, such a dick to ya."

"You're forgiven." Cloud laced his fingers and rested his forehead on them as he leaned over the table. "I suppose I could ask Vincent," he added thoughtfully. "Two reluctant Turks really isn't the best arrangement, especially when they're just as likely to be out on a delivery as in the office. Unless I assign them as our personal guards…."

"No, I'm not gonna ask you to fuck your family members." Reno sat up and peeked over the back of the couch at Cloud, feeling bad for the blonde; he looked like he wasn't very thrilled either. "Hey, you said I'd stay in heat until I got pregnant again, right? If we go to the island whenever it hits and you can't get it up, just let me have my toys until you can perform. That way we won't have to depend on someone else and all of our kids will have the same father, except for Tempest."

"How well did toys work for you before, Reno?" Cloud asked in a voice that made it clear he already knew. "Made it worse, didn't they? Had to be someone, not something. It's designed that way. No, I'll talk with Tseng, Rude, and Vincent. How about Rufus? You did mention him earlier."

Reno grumbled and shifted uncomfortably. "Fine, then, but not Vincent, and not Rufus; I'm not gonna ask you to fuck family members for me! It would be creepy. No, Cloud; Tseng and Rude are quite enough. "

"Reeve!" Cloud sat up. "He's not related, and he's not icky."

"The old guy with the animatronics from the WRO?" Reno frowned and chewed his lip. "Maybe that Highwind guy? Ya know, the blonde with the attitude?"

"Cid? Cid Highwind? That Cid?" Cloud had a moment imagining a cross between the pilot and the Turk. "Gods, that kid wouldn't EVER come down out of the sky…. And hey! Cid is older than Reeve, so what's wrong with Reeve?"

"I didn't say that there was anything wrong with Reeve, just offered another name, yo. I don't care how old they are; I'm not picking them because they're boyfriend material, I'm picking them because they're mostly sane and not related to ya. So, what's wrong with a kid that likes to fly?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. I was just… trying to imagine a cross between you and Cid. Definitely air-crazed, foul-mouthed, hyperactive, and full of attitude. Just imagine the teen years… especially since the kid's gonna be damn cute." Cloud stood, chuckling, and resettled himself in the chair, curling into the seat like a cat. "And I'm asking Rufus and Vincent anyhow… it's not like I'd be fucking them if I couldn't get it up for you."

He raised a hand when it looked like Reno was about to object. "I wouldn't be any of them. If they need called in, it's because I can't perform."

He snorted. "I don't know why that didn't occur to me earlier. I told you once I don't play uke. I haven't done that since Rena died. But!" He paused, sucking on his pinkie a moment, then pointed the moistened tip at Reno. "You are one of three people I have ever wanted to play bottom-boy for, and my issue will allow me to participate in these threesomes in that way. So you pick your partners with that in mind, not how they're related to me.

"But it would be kinda neat to watch Vincent lose his cool, and get Rufus out of that damned white suit. We could arrange to have it dyed light pink while he was out of it. Besides, they don't know they're related to me, and if you don't tell them, I sure as hell won't."

Just the thought of Cloud playing uke for him set Reno's belly twitching, not to mention other parts of him. And was it sad to sort of, almost hope that one of his little heat cycles found Cloud unable to perform just so that he could…. "Does that mean that I can only top you when you can't perform?" he asked suddenly, ignoring the conversation at hand for the moment.

"Would you rather keep on like we have been, and you never get to top, but might get sucked off once in awhile?" Cloud inquired. His pinkie was back in his mouth, and he licked and sucked at it as he spoke, sometimes biting.

Reno licked his lips, eyes pinned to that lucky, abused little finger, the mouth that caressed and tortured it, and the flick of a pink tongue that could be seen every once in a while. There were definite reactions to the little play going on before him, ones that made the former Turk shift and adjust himself in his pants.

Cloud noticed. He smiled. "Think about it. You, Tseng behind you, filling you up, pushing you further into me. Or maybe you're sitting in his lap, with his cock in you so deep you can't remember how to breathe. You've got your legs spread, and I'm kneeling between them, swallowing you down, licking and sucking," demonstrating as his tongue swirled around the pinkie, sucking it between his lips and pulling it slowly out, "maybe just a little nip, the way you like it, until you come so hard you see stars, and I swallow you all down."

That registered in an all too vivid sort of way. Reno shivered, his cock twitching painfully, an aroused blush flushing his cheeks a rosy pink. He nodded dazedly, mouth slightly ajar. "Mmhmm, want that," he answered in a hazy voice, eyes still pinned to Cloud's mouth. He knew good and well that Cloud was a demon when it came to cock sucking. The man's mouth moved in ways that should be illegal.

And Reno was damn glad that they weren't.

"Of course," another lazy little swirl with his tongue, as his voice dropped into a deeper purr, "I could just watch. Tell him where to lick," long slide of the tongue, "where to suck," the pinkie vanished into Cloud's mouth, emerging slowly to have the tip nipped and kissed, "where to bite and where to kiss. Where to touch you."

Cloud's other hand moved to the buttons on his shirt, slowly teasing them free. Even so, he didn't let up on the finger play. "When to touch you. Have him slowly glide his hands over your skin, or lighten his touch to a barely there tease of fingertips." The finger left his mouth to trail his jaw, slide down the side of his neck, and ease the shirt from his collarbone. "I could ask him to roll your nipples between his fingertips, or nibble them with his teeth. I might tell him to stroke oh so lightly over your belly – " Cloud's midriff was bare now, his fingers stroking along with his words, " – or dip lower to caress your balls.

"I could ask him to spread you, to lick you, to fuck you with his tongue until you beg for more, and then have him slowly stretch you, a finger at a time, while his other hand strokes you to your first climax."

The blush darkened on Reno's skin, breath coming in low, quick bursts from between his lips, eyes trailing along as Cloud's finger moved. He couldn't move, wanted to, but couldn't. The sight was too erotic to spoil by touching it. A low whine woke in Reno's throat, hands clutched at the couch cushions to keep him in his seat.

The vivid description went beyond mere dirty words; Reno could picture everything, could nearly feel the ghostly hands and mouth on his skin, feel the rise of his orgasm as Cloud spoke of it, knew he was going to cum if he touched himself or Cloud in any way. A cold wetness made itself known just over top of the aching tip of his arousal; already it was drooling with want. Reno scrubbed a hand over his mouth to assure himself that that wasn't drooling, too.

"Cum for me."

The hand at his mouth clamped over it, his groan muffled, and blue eyes closed as orgasm rolled over him. Reno panted, trembling with aftershocks, and lifted his eyes to Cloud's face again. Slowly he allowed his hand to drop from his face, swallowing heavily. "You're an evil bastard, you know that? But, fuck!"

Cloud smiled lazily at him. "Anyhow, it's your choice," he said in a completely normal tone. "I need a nap, though, so I think I'll take one while you shower."