Storm Clouds

Chapter 17: Tainted Angel

Cloud pulled the man's face into his neck as he pushed harder into him. Eventually he felt a greedy tongue wash across his neck and jaw, making the ex-soldier groan with disgust. The brick wall which the two leaned against began to scratch at Cloud's skin, making the pain overcome the small pleasure and tremendous disgust.

The ecstasy was wearing off and Cloud's conscience was beginning to strengthen of what was going on. He looked up towards the night sky, trying to keep his attention at the stars instead of picturing what he was doing. The man began bucking harder and faster into Cloud, moaning continuously with the movement.

His blue eyes struggled to stare at the stars until his vision was blurred with is tears of guilt. In shame he lashed his face to the side in the shadows, to hide from the world.

It'll soon be over. Cloud promised to himself. Not long this will all be over. Just one more time to help Rayne and after that I'll start planning to escape again. Whatever I make extra will go directly to the next train out of Guinness and out of this life. I'll go far away from here. Far from this alley, far from Reno, far from Vincent…far from Cloud and Gabriel. I'll start all over again, with a new slate. I just have to take this one at a time.

Soon enough Cloud felt the man's knees tremble beneath him as he drained his energy and passion away into Cloud. Cloud moaned in release of his torture and waited patiently for the man to pull out. He pulled his pants back up while his customer did the same.

"Here." The man handed Cloud a wad of money. "That's $300 which is more then generous." Cloud first looked at the man before looking at the money. He hesitated to take it because accepting it would prove what he did to be true. Yet the man shoved it into Cloud's hands and walked away after he caressed his cheek for a short moment.

Cloud watched him dissolve slowly out of his world and into the sea of strangers. For a long moment, Cloud didn't want to go back and join the world. He wished he could lean against this brick wall, which him and the man shared together, and cower from the eyes of reality. But the worst character of reality is that it's there and always will be, no matter how long you stay in a ditch. With little strength Cloud had left, he walked out of the dark alley pouring near the entrance of Lance.

He could have gone back in but the password still lies with Rayne, and his friend was still in there seducing his first customer. I guess I'll meet him at home. Cloud shoved his hands in his pockets and bent his face in the sidewalk while walking back home alone.

Tifa was on her second try on calling Vincent but the voice mail found her again. Well, I guess he'll have to learn by the machine. The beep sounded, signaling her to begin her message.

"Hey, Vincent—its Tifa. I'm calling you from the Station in Midgar. I'm on my way to Guinness where I'm hoping to meet you there. Its cool if you get this too late, I've already made reservations at the hotel. I'm sorry but I just can't wait any longer. I'm going to help you find Cloud and that's that. Cid's watching the restaurant for me so I'm free to go. Hope to see you soon."

Vincent stumbled to find his cell phone in his back pocket of his pants which laided under the bed.

"Hello?" No one answered from the phone. He called his voice mail and listened to every word in Tifa's message. "Oh no." He sighed before dropping his head on the pillow.

Reno turned to his side, facing Vincent.

"What's wrong?" He said rubbing his eyes. Vincent looked at Reno who lay naked in bed next to him.

"Tifa's coming." Vincent declared. Reno's green eyes widen and immediately sat up.

"Then we have to find Cloud before she does! He'll have a mental break down if he sees Tifa!"

Cloud blew the smoke out of his flared nostrils while staring heavily at two older men who were leaving a restaurant. They shaken their hands in goodbye and one of them walked to his car nearest Cloud. The blonde scanned the streets to check if anyone before he kicked himself off the wall and sauntered his way to the guy who was hopping in his car. Lightly he tapped on his shoulder.

"Hey." Cloud called softly. The guy turned around swiftly, expecting to be mobbed the moment he looked at him. But surprisingly he smiled widely at the sight of Cloud.

"Well, no one told me you were back. Where the hell were you?"

"Irrelevant. You still running your business?" Cloud threw his cigarette bud to the ground.

"Of course!" The man dug into his hand glove compartment in his jeep and took out three packets of white powder that Cloud knew well and made friends of long ago. "Same price as before."

Cloud shuffled through his back pockets and came up with $67 dollars worth of rolled up cash. They traded their goods silently. The man watched Cloud shove the coke down his back pocket.

"So…" He mused. "Are you still running your business?" Cloud felt his hands roam around his hips ending purposely on is ass.

"Fuck off shit head!" Cloud pushed him into his car before walking quickly away in a huff.

"Aw I'll catch you later in some fucked up alley! Next time I'll make you pay with something other then money!" Cloud flicked him off. He made his way down the familiar streets lined with dimmed street lights.

"I GAVE YOU ALMOST TWO MONTHS!" Tifa bellowed. Vincent tried to sit her down on the sofa in his hotel room. "NO! YOU WASTED ENOUGH TIME RUNNING AROUND WITH THIS EX-TURK AND SCREWING AROUND!" Tifa pointed at Reno who smoked a fag next to the crystal ashtray. Once she said that last sentence both men blushed a little and adverted their eye sight.

"Well then what do you expect us to do? Yelling is not an option." Tifa breathed in a large amount of air.

"Okay." She took in all in. "Alright, is there anything that you have on him? You said he stayed with you for a while before he left."

"And whose fault was that?" Reno spat.

"YOU WANT TO GO ASS!" Tifa jumped on her feet in seconds but Vincent contained her with one hand.

"Tifa this is not helping. Reno that was not helping."

"Nothing you're doing is helping. Being calm will only slow us down!" He stabbed at the ashtray. "I'm going."

"Good riddance!" Tifa yelled. Reno grabbed his sunglasses and opened the door.

"Whore!" He yelled before Tifa jumped on her feet again.

"I'm going to ki—'' Reno closed the door behind him.

What a waste! Reno thought as he shoved his jacket on. Sitting around and talking will not help. Cloud could be miles away from here! He missed the blonde boy more then ever. His mind flew by with memories of the young soldier. A smile, a laugh, a pair of scared blue eyes, him moaning in rapture. Cloud where are you, please come back to me.

He found his car in the parking lot and slammed the door behind him. His mind was still dancing around Cloud. It was like watching a movie. He saw himself yelling at the blonde, kissing the blonde, inching down his bare chest to kiss his stomach. But when Reno's green eyes looked up, expecting Cloud's face he saw Vincent's instead.

"No!" Reno beat his horn accidentally.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" An old lady yelled as she walked past the parked car in the lot.

"So-sorry!" Reno waved but she only just responded by flicking him off. He shake his head of those nasty thoughts before he drove off.

"Why is he helping you?" Tifa asked.

"I'm not sure, I came to him because he knew where Cloud was living before I came into town and he's been helping me since then."

"He's not much help. Reno's only talents lie in killing and fucking." She crossed her arms.

"Yah, I know." Vincent plopped down. "Don't I ever."

"Reno! Over here!" A man called as he sat at the bar with already Reno's favorite drink next to his. Reno smirked and parked right next to him. "I've brought your favorite." He exposed a small brown cardboard box on the counter top.

Reno peered in and saw two needles which didn't make him jump with glee once he saw them.

"Thanks." He mumbled as he took a big gulp of his beer. He looked over his friend and saw a purple bruise forming over his cheek. "What happened there?"

"Oh, that?" The guy touched his cheek. "Some brat nose client of mine got mad at me."

"What did you do this time, cheat him out a couple of hundred?"

"Noooo!" The man laughed. "All I did was touch his ass."

"Since when were you gay?" Reno chuckled.

"Hey! He was an exception; any guy in this world would grow hard just by looking at his ass and those blue eyes." Just then Reno chocked on his drink.

"Kevin! He—he didn't have blonde spiky hair?"

"Yah."

"Kinda on the short side."

"Yah-yah! Gabriel, you know him too! Man, that little whore gets around." Reno's brows twisted in confusion.

"Don't call him that!" He snapped.

"Oh, sorry. You prefer rent boy?"

"Stop it!" Reno threw his mug down. "Stop calling Cloud a slut!"

"But that's what he is!" Kevin cowered under Reno's hateful gaze but no lies came from him. "What else can you call a guy prostitute?" Reno's heart raced, panicking. His breathing galloped as well.

"What did you say?" He whispered.