Cloud stared wide-eyed at the redhead, who continued to move like there was nothing wrong in the world.

Chill? Reno wanted to chill with him? Why? Cloud quickly ran through their separate personalities and decided that they were far too different to be able to get along. Or were they?

But he did have classes, and skipping them would certainly do nothing to improve his status with his commanding officers. But Reno seemed like an alright guy and Cloud didn't have many friends….

"Sure. I guess I could….chill…..for a little while." The blonde's voice was uncertain as he spoke. Reno chuckled; the kid was too easy to reel in.

Reno smirked, "You wanna see somethin' cool?"

Cloud nodded, not sure why his stomach suddenly felt uneasy. Reno slung his arm around Cloud's slim shoulders and proceeded to guide him through a long corridor. After a series of twists and turns the cadet found himself seated inside what appeared to be a security room. The monitors cast an eerie glow around the room and Cloud found that this did not help his uneasy feeling in the slightest.

"Uh, what are we doing here?"

"We're gonna be some flies on a wall, every wall yo."

"…..Huh?"

Reno sighed, knocking Cloud gently on the head. "Geez kid, you don't know nothin' do ya? We're gonna spy on some of our fellow Shinra employees." Immediately Cloud shook his head.

"Couldn't that get us in trouble?"

"I won't tell if you don't yo." Cloud shuffled his feet, but the movement ceased as Reno shoved the younger teen into a desk chair before plopping into one himself.

"Relax kid, you're with me! The fastest TURK that's ever walked these halls! Ain't nothin' bad gonna happen to ya while I'm here. Now just sit back and enjoy the little show I like to call Cirque De Shinra…"

Reno almost laughed at the change the little blonde showed after only two hours. After the first few minutes the kid began to relax, after half an hour the kid had made himself completely comfortable, an hour later he was laughing along with whatever Reno pointed out, two hours later he was pointing things out himself and even making commentary.

Reno honestly couldn't help but wish he had found this kid sooner. He needed a partner in crime.

"I can't believe Scarlet stuffs her bra! And with old mission reports!" Cloud was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes.

"That's probably as close as she can get to having Sephiroth's hand on her chest yo." Reno's comment was the one that did it. The blonde literally fell from his chair and proceeded to laugh while clutching his stomach on the ground.

At the sight of the small blonde on the ground Reno's own laughs intensified. The redhead was bent forward on the desk with his head resting against his arms.

Cloud finally managed to gather himself up and pull himself back into the chair, still gasping for breath. The cadet continued to wipe tears from his eyes as Reno attempted to calm himself. After several more hours and even more laughing fits, the two finally exited the security room and Reno proceeded to show Cloud the way back to his dorm.

"Oh Gaia, I've never laughed so hard in my life."

"Tell me about it kid. Me and you need to do this more often yo. Lemme get that cell phone of yours." Cloud handed the red-haired TURK his flip phone, to which Reno responded with a snicker.

"What?" Cloud asked, looking curiously at the older teen as he examined the phone.

Reno blew a string of fiery hair from in front of his eyes, "They give ya cadets some cheap ass phones. I'll see if I can't get ya something better." Reno flipped the phone opened and pressed a few buttons.

"What are you doing?"

"Puttin' my number in your phone." Cloud made an "O" shape with his mouth and waited as Reno programmed in his number.

"There, ya call me tomorrow so we can hang out again. Alright?"

"But I have classes that I really have to go to. And I'm probably in so much trouble as it is because I skipped today-"

"It's all good yo. I'll write up somethin' that excuses ya from today's classes." Reno smacked the younger on the back in a playful manner.

"You can do that?"

"Imma TURK, I can do anything I want to yo. I'll see ya tomorrow kid." With that, Reno pushed the cadet through his dorm room door and waltzed back down the hall.

"Where the hell were you all day man? The instructors thought you weren't even real!" Jason was sitting on his bed, the SOLDIER training guide propped open in his lap.

"I….was just…..busy." Jason's eyebrow arched but other then that he didn't say anything.

Stripping down, Cloud began to change into his pajamas. The light blue flannel material, Cloud climbed into the twin sized bed preparing to sleep for the night.

After what seemed like only a few short minutes, Cloud heard the distinct sound of vibration coming from his phone. Reaching groggily toward his nightstand, the youth fumbled around for a few moments before his hand finally landed on the small device.

Squinting his eyes, Cloud read the name being displayed across the small screen.

"Reno" Was written in blinking blue letters. Flipping the phone open Cloud muttered a barely understandable greeting.

"Hey kid, you actually were asleep huh?" Cloud began to nod, momentarily forgetting that his conversation companion couldn't see him,

"Yeah. What is it?" Reno smirked upon hearing the yawn accompanying the reply.

"It's tomorrow yo. You and me are gonna hang out." The blonde blinked, glancing at the alarm clock on his nightstand.

2:04 in the morning. What….?

"Reno it's like 2:00 o'clock in the morning."

"So?"

"So this is normally when people sleep."

"Sleeping is for wimps yo. Besides, I got somethin' even better to show ya then the security room. Are ya in or what?"

Well Cloud, are you?

Chapter 68: Cloud decides to see what Reno has to show him

Chapter 69: Cloud is completely exhausted and declines the offer

Stats: Materia: 5

Intelligence: 60

Compassion: 90

Innocence: 98

Trustworthy: 75

Strength: 30

Sword Skill: 0

Determination: 60

Street Smarts: 5

Relationships:

Zack: 50

Angeal: 15

Genesis: 0

Sephiroth: 0

Reno: 35

Author's Note: Reno has definitely taken a liking to Cloud, and Cloud certainly enjoys making friends with Reno. But at what cost to his SOLDIER career? And is being friends the only thing Reno has planned for our little cadet? Probably not. But it's your choices that will determine whether or not Cloud takes the path Reno will lead him down (I'm not saying it's a bad one) or whether Cloud chooses something different. Please review! It lets me know whether or not to continue this story and if I need to improve on anything. Not to mention I will update much more quickly. Also, after these updates are complete there will a small time jump. Sincerely, Kay.