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 25: Inviting the Others
Cloud stared down at his sleeping brother. Rufus' face was slack and relaxed, which made it hurt all the more to be able to see the lines of stress that had etched themselves in place. He knelt, brushing pale blond hair from the other's face, and pressed a light kiss to his forehead. "Bye, big brother," he murmured, very softly. He rose and left without a backwards look.
Fenrir waited for him. He straddled the bike, starting it and just letting it purr for a few moments. Then he was off in a swirl of dust and leathers, headed for Kalm. Reeve made his base there, and he'd decided to hit the most uncertain of the potentials first.
The trip was fairly uneventful. Beasts had learned the sound of his bike, and most were wise enough to avoid him. He used the time to plot out the best way to approach the WRO leader, but he didn't get far. He'd asked for no information on the man, and most of his memories said Reeve couldn't be trusted.
So, when he was finally ushered into Reeve's office, he spent rather a long time just studying the brunette, much to that one's increasing dismay. Finally, after a lot of twitching and attempts to start a conversation, Reeve burst out, "Why in Shiva's name are you just staring at me?!"
"I'm waiting for Reeve."
"I am Reeve!"
"You're one of his puppets." It was a very good likeness, and most people would have thought they were talking to the real thing. "I came to see Reeve on a delicate matter."
"But, Cloud, I am Reeve," the puppet protested.
"Shall we test that?" His sword was drawn, used, and resheathed in seconds. The puppet's halves fell to either side. "I guess… that's a no." He got up and left. If Reeve wasn't willing to meet him in person, there was no way he could trust the guy not to send a robot to "help" Reno.
Next stop… the chocobo farm. Goldie wasn't as fast as his bike, but could cross the ocean easily, as well as the mountains and everything else that he'd have to get through to find his cousin. He tried the cave first, and the Forgotten City after that, two places he knew the ex-Turk tended to gravitate. Then he wised up and tried his cell phone, and found out the man was in Rocket Town visiting Cid.
Cid came on the Shera to pick him up, and brought Vincent along for the ride. The three of them retired to the captain's quarters for a drink and the discussion.
Vincent's flat "No, " overlapped with Cid's startled "You want me to what?!" when he finished explaining about the experiments, their results, and why he was there.
"Reno is going to…" he began, and was interrupted. Cid was still cursing him six ways to Wednesday and by all the gods when he got close enough to the ground to jump Goldie over the rail without hurting her. But the pilot followed him until he ran out of curses, before finally turning back with a warning to never call him again.
"You could've just said no…" Cloud scrubbed at his face, damning himself for being upset. At least it hadn't been Reno forced to ask when his heat was too much, and every female hormone in his system sent him into crying jags.
As it was, he only had three others to help him, and Rude had the same problem he did, so it was more like two and a half. Add in the stick Tseng refused to remove from his ass, and he had his brother. Didn't they know anyone else? Besides Barrett, because he wasn't about to wake up next to that, and he knew Reno didn't like the guy.
Then again, his brother was another of those who was devoted to the redhead the way Reno wanted Cloud to be devoted to him. Maybe he and his brother could manage with the occasional aid of the other two. Maybe… oh, who was he trying to kid? Short of a miracle, Reno'd be whoring himself out.
"Sorry kiddo." Cloud patted the ground next to him, and leaned back against the tree. "I think I've just failed your namesake again. I don't know what to do now. Things just… keep going wrong."
As if on cue, his phone rang. Tseng? Something had to have happened, so he answered. "Strife. You did what? Why? He said what?! On my way." He snapped the phone shut and shoved it into its holster. "Sorry, kiddo. Guess I won't be staying long after all. Your namesake's being stupid again."
He pushed Fenrir to its limits, mentally promising to give it a thorough maintenance check and cleaning as soon as he got the latest mess untangled. It was just shy of noon when he reached the hotel, and he paused long enough to check in with the guards at the door. Rude was still there, but they expected his replacement any minute.
Cloud opened the door and stepped inside. Pulled it shut behind him, and simply stared for a moment. "Excuse me, am I interrupting?" he asked smoothly.
