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Chapter 3: Of Nightmares and the Morning After
Cloud awoke suddenly. It took him a moment to figure out what woke him up in the first place. After a moment of silence he heard it. He turned to the figure huddled on his floor. Reno was making soft whimpering noises.
Sighing, Cloud got out of bed and went over to the Turk. Reno had a thin layer of sweat running down his face. Cloud moved to sit down next to him and tried to wake the redhead from his nightmare.
Reno's dream:
Reno was strapped down on the table in Hojo's lab. He was not being poked with syringes and pumped full of mako, so it must have been the third day. Was his rescue all a wishful dream? He suddenly felt the stabbing pain of a knife as Hojo cut him up. He fell in and out of awareness. Each incision brought him back to sharp focus, only for him to fall once again into fuzzy numbness.
He looked up at his captor when he stopped cutting into him. His eyes widened as he noticed a dome slowly descending from the ceiling and onto him. He knew what was coming next: the blinding flash of light and then that horrible, unbearable pain. His body quivered in anticipation. Helplessness descended upon him just as the dome completely encased him inside. He saw the flash of light a moment later, just as he knew he would. He braced himself for the impact…
The whole lab then started to shake. Wait! That doesn't happen next!
"Reno."
The voice sounded vaguely familiar.
"Reno!"
The shaking became more violent.
Reno squeezed his eyes shut and whimpered slightly.
"…Reno…wake up…" The voice sounded more gentle.
End of dream sequence:
He snapped his eyes open to stare into mako-enhanced blue eyes.
For a moment he didn't know were he was. Panic consumed him. Was it all a dream? Was he still Hojo's prisoner?
Cloud's voice broke through his panic-filled mind.
"It's ok Reno, it was just a nightmare." Cloud was leaning over the Turk as he spoke. He then grabbed the redhead and hugged him, which surprised himself just as much as it did Reno.
Cloud began to rub soothing circles into Reno's back.
Reno finally calmed down a bit before awkwardly pulling out of Cloud's grip.
An awkward silence permeated the room before Reno finally spoke.
"Sorry about that, Strife. M'fine now, yo." Reno's eyes wouldn't meet Cloud's.
Cloud shrugged it off. "Feel like talking about it?"
Reno shook his head. "Since when d'you care about me?"
Cloud sighed. "I don't hate the Turks anymore. We're more or less allies. So, I guess I do care." Cloud wasn't about to voice that Reno looked very vulnerable at that moment; he didn't have a death wish.
It was Reno's turn to sigh. He didn't want to think about it. That was the whole point in getting drunk, to forget about such things. He shook his head.
"Don't wanna talk about it."
"Well, if you change your mind…or if you need to talk to someone later on, I'm here for you."
"Why?" Reno was stunned. Why would Strife do that for him anyways?
"I know what it's like to be experimented on. We've got common ground. I'll also inform the rest of Avalanche that Hojo's still alive."
"…Thanks, yo…I'll think about your offer."
Luckily for Reno, Cloud dropped the subject after that.
Reno couldn't get back to sleep. No surprise there. So, fully awake he decided it was time to leave.
Cloud was also awake. He heard Reno shuffling around.
"You're leaving?" Cloud mumbled.
"Yea. Figured I should go before the others get up."
"Why? Denzel and Marlene already like you because you play with them all the time and Tifa doesn't mind you. Have some breakfast with us."
Reno thought about the offer. He shrugged. "Why not?"
Cloud handed Reno some clothes to change into. "You can return them later."
Reno nodded his thanks before ripping off the clothes he was wearing and putting on the fresh clean clothes. Cloud rolled his eyes before changing as well.
Ten minutes later found Reno and Cloud downstairs arguing.
"Lemme make it. It's the least I can do for all of ya."
"No, you're our guest, let me make it."
"Screw that, yo!" With that said, Reno grabbed the spatula out of Cloud's hand and began getting the ingredients for breakfast.
"Can you even cook?" Cloud asked skeptically.
Reno smirked in response. "'course I can. Had to learn to fend for myself." He twirled the spatula expertly in his hand as he said this.
Cloud sighed in defeat.
After Cloud lost the fight over who was making breakfast, he settled for setting the table complete with syrup, sugar, butter, whip cream, jam, milk, and orange juice.
Fifteen minutes later, Denzel and Marlene thundered down the stairs.
"What's for breakfast, Cloud? It smells good." Denzel walked around the corner into the kitchen to stare at Reno.
"Reno? When did you get here?" Denzel asked.
"Last night, yo." Reno answered while focusing on the pancakes.
Marlene had just arrived and stared at Reno as well until she bumped into Denzel. She apologized to the boy before turning to Reno.
"Good morning Mr. Reno" she greeted him politely.
"Good morn'n to you too." Reno flipped the last pancake before setting it on the table along with bacon, eggs, biscuits and some chopped up fruit.
Just as he placed the last plate of food on the table, Tifa walked in.
"Breakfast smells delicious, Cloud."
"I didn't make it, Reno did."
Tifa turned to look at Reno in shock. "I didn't know you could cook."
Reno shrugged. "Try it before ya say I can cook."
They all sat down and filled their plates.
Cloud, the brave soul that he was, took the first bite. He raised an eyebrow. "This is actually really good." He sounded surprised.
Once the food was deemed edible, Tifa, Denzel and Marlene dug in.
"Wow, this really is good" Tifa exclaimed. Both Denzel and Marlene nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
Reno smiled at the compliments before nibbling on his eggs.
Cloud looked over at him. "Is that all you're eating?"
Reno nodded. "Yea, not much've a morning person. I don't really eat breakfast."
Tifa frowned. She had noticed that the redhead looked a little thinner than a week ago. "Reno, when was the last time you ate?"
Reno paused for a moment to think about the answer. He shrugged. He thought about the scraps Hojo had given him. 'I think the day before yesterday' didn't sound like a good answer to give the looming barmaid. Reno shrugged, "I ate last night before coming over here."
Tifa stared at Reno's thin frame in disbelief. "Why do I get the feeling you're lying to me?" She looked at him disapprovingly.
Reno winced and looked down at his plate and continued to move around the items on it.
"Eat some more." Tifa urged.
Reno refused. "M'fine, yo. Not really that hungry."
Tifa didn't believe him and kept urging him. When he kept refusing, she took it upon herself to pile some pancakes and more eggs onto his nearly bare plate.
He whined in protest but the barmaid was stubborn. He looked at Cloud silently begging him to help. Cloud successfully avoided his look, dutifully eating his meal. Reno glared at him, mouthing 'traitor.' He looked back up at Tifa.
"I'm not gonna finish it…" Reno argued in protest.
"Yes you will" Tifa threatened back.
Reno huffed indignantly before turning to Denzel. "Is she always like this?"
Cloud, Denzel and Marlene all nodded. Reno sighed and continued to pick at his food, all the while Tifa was glaring across the table at him.
A ringing broke the tense silence. Cloud grabbed his phone and looked at the caller id before handing it to Reno.
"Yo?"
"Reno, I'm sending Tseng to come get you, just wait there."
"Sir, I can just go there now. No need to be sending anyone here."
Rufus rubbed his head as he heard the irritation in Reno's voice.
"Just do as I say" Rufus snapped before hanging up. He didn't need an argument so early in the morning.
Reno blinked as the phone line disconnected before handing it back to Cloud. It looked like his boss was in a foul mood this morning. Reno decided it was best not to get on his boss's bad side today.
"Tseng'll be here soon" was his answer to the unasked question in Cloud's eyes.
Cloud nodded in understanding, but Tifa wasn't so happy about the matter.
"You better finish that plate before Tseng gets here Reno, or so help me, I won't give you any alcohol."
Reno gaped at her. "Slave driver" he mumbled.
"What was that?" Tifa barked.
"Nothing." Reno blinked at her innocently. He then focused his attention back on his plate and continued to poke at his food. Finally, he took another bite of pancake and egg. There was no way he'd be able to finish all that food on his plate before Tseng arrived. He bet Tifa knew this too.
"…S'not fair." Reno complained. "Ya know I can't finish all of this before Tseng gets here."
"Fine, then finish most of it before he arrives and I might let you have your alcohol later."
Just as she said this, there was a knock on the door. Cloud got up to let Tseng in.
Tseng stood in the doorway and nodded to Cloud before looking pointedly at Reno. Reno got up and immediately rushed to Tseng, much to Tifa's protesting.
"Tseng, can't you let him finish his breakfast?" Tifa begged.
Reno sent pleading eyes towards Tseng, silently imploring him to say 'no'.
"Sure, I don't see why not." Tseng smiled innocently at Reno.
Reno glared daggers at the Wutaian. "Evil." He muttered darkly as he sat back down.
Tifa smirked triumphantly as he did so.
Oh, Reno would get back at them! He decided to make breakfast as long as he could just to spite them.
Tseng seemed to know Reno's plan and threatened, "If you don't hurry, I'll stuff it down your throat."
Reno glared up at him, before pouting.
Cloud also seemed to know what Reno's plan was before shaking his head. 'Childish,' he smiled at the thought as he looked at Reno's sullen, pouting face. He almost laughed, but didn't. Cloud Strife didn't laugh!
Reno took a few more measly bites before setting his utensil down. "M'done yo."
"No you're not" Tifa said while glancing at his still full plate.
Nonetheless, Reno got up and walked over to Tseng. "Let's go," Reno groused out. He stared pointedly at Tseng, as if daring him to say otherwise.
Together the Turks left.
Tifa sighed before steeling herself. She would make that stubborn man eat! She'd get Rude to help her too! She smiled to herself.
A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please review!
