Characters: Zack, Cloud, RenoxRude

For three consecutive days, Cloud confined himself in his apartment, doing nothing at all. He wasn't eating; he only slept as a means of escape because his mind took him places that left him sweating and fearful when he was conscious. His sore fists throbbed when he glanced at the wall; he found himself pounding it often, especially when there was a particular emotion that took him over the edge, becoming unbearable.

Loneliness. It was the loneliness more than anything that was eating away at Cloud. He was alone, no mother, no friends, no one at all. He wasn't taking proper care of himself and the headache, pain and nausea was becoming more frequent.

I don't need anybody, I'll be fine.

In reality, Cloud was scared to interact with people because something unholy and negative was always running through his mind. Zack destroyed the last of his vestige and now in his own head, he was alone in the world, left to fend for himself with nothing at all but a tiny room and his imagination.

He suffered from fatigue that had him sleeping half the day. But he welcomed it because while he was asleep, the pain would go away and he wouldn't have to think. Lying in bed, waiting for the darkness to come, he heard a knock at his door.

Startled, the blond sat up in bed, wondering who was at the door and if he should answer it. He had hoped whoever it was would go away if he didn't answer. But he wasn't fortunate; the knocking persisted, proving that the other person knew he was there. Only two people knew where he was and he knew if it was Zack, the man would keep knocking until he came out. He was annoyingly persistent.

The knocking rattled on and Cloud sighed before moving away from the bed, gearing up to give the brunette a piece of his mind for disturbing him.

"Zack, I thought….." Cloud's words died on his lips when he opened the door and saw a mop of spiky red hair nestled on an unfamiliar face. He didn't know who this guy was or what he wanted. His visitor was lanky with a red mark under each eye. He was dressed a little sloppily as well.

"Who are you?" Cloud asked, giving him a lazy gaze.

"Name's Reno yo," the man answered.

"Why are you disturbing me?" Cloud asked annoyed.

"You're the one disturbing me," the man answered and Cloud swore he was mocking him.

"Look yo, I can't sleep with you beating on my bedroom wall everyday," Reno said. He could tell there was something wrong with the kid but honestly, he just wanted to sleep. That is, until he recognized who he was speaking to.

"I…I'm sorry," Cloud mumbled and before he could say another word Reno got the door slammed shut in his face.

No manners, Reno thought to himself. He decided he would definitely visit the kid again; there was something off about him. He took the few steps back towards his own door and went inside to rest.

Zack stood outside Cloud's door, hoping to Gaia Cloud was there and he would let him in. He lifted his hand to knock but paused, wondering if he should do it. Urgently, he wanted to see Cloud to make sure he was ok but after their last encounter, he was a little hesitant.

Discarding his fear for the knowledge of Cloud's safety Zack knocked twice, loudly, but got no response. He tried another two times and still nothing. On the next try, the blonde answered door.

"Reno, I thought I…" Cloud's mouth closed shut when he realized who was at the door.

"Hi Cloud," Zack smiled, scratching the back of his head nervously.

Cloud just stood there glaring, not giving him an answer.

"I wanted to check on you, make sure you're ok," Zack informed.

"I'm fine," Cloud ground out before trying to shut the door in Zack's face.

Luckily for Zack he was expecting something of the sort and shot a hand up to stop the door from closing. Cloud sighed and walked back into the apartment and he followed him in, closing the door softly behind him.

Zack took in Cloud's appearance and did not like what he saw. His skin was pale and he seemed to have lost a little weight. His eyes were also a little droopy and he looked sick, nothing like before their problems started.

He looked awful.

"What do you want Zack?" Cloud asked tiredly after taking a seat on the small sofa in the room.

"Can't I make sure my friend is ok?" Zack smiled nervously but he wiped it off his face when Cloud gave him a burning gaze.

"I don't see your friend in this room," Cloud answered sternly.

Zack sighed. "Cloud, please don't shut me out."

Cloud exploded in anger. "How many fucking times Zack?! You're sleeping with Sephiroth! The man raped me and you want us to be buddies again?!"

Zack didn't like the way Cloud's blue eyes burned with anger. While he didn't appreciate the attitude, he couldn't blame him for changing. He was taken many times, painfully against his will. But he loved them both and didn't want to let either go.

"Yes," Zack answered tiredly.

Cloud honestly wanted to beat the brunette over the head with something hard and thick.

Cloud sighed tiredly. "Zack, why the fuck won't you leave me alone? I don't want to see anybody at all, especially not you."

Zack had to convince himself he could take whatever Cloud dished to him, that he deserved it. But why did it hurt so much?

"You look thin, I'll make you breakfast," Zack said cheerfully while making his way towards the kitchen and ignoring Cloud's protests to leave.

Cloud ran a hand in exasperation through his blonde hair before storming into his bedroom and locking the door.

Zack made chocobo eggs, toast and sausage with a steaming cup of Wutain chocolate. He placed the food on a tray and placed the tray on the dinner table before trying Cloud's bedroom door.

Shit, he locked it.

"Cloud? Breakfast's ready!" Zack shouted through the door. There was no response and he knew if he didn't find a way inside both he and the food wouldn't see Cloud again, probably for the rest of the day. So he reached into a pocket on his uniform and took out his lock picking tool. When he finally managed to open the door, he entered to see Cloud curled under the sheets with his back to him. He went back for the tray and set it on the night table beside Cloud's bed.

"Here's food Cloud," Zack whispered to the lying figure.

"You don't fucking listen, do you Zack?"

Zack didn't like the calm, deadly tone Cloud used to say those words; it chilled him.

"No, I'm really stubborn," he responded with a smile because Cloud was finally getting the picture…he'll never give up on him. "Now will you eat?"

Cloud turned around and sat up slowly in the bed before looking at Zack and the food skeptically.

Zack felt triumphant in his small victory, Cloud was about to eat. He watched the boy slowly reach a hand out and pulled the tray on to his lap. He certainly didn't expect the tray to fly towards his head a second later.

"GET THE HELL OUT, ZACK!" Cloud screamed while advancing on the brunette, his body shaking with rage.

With widened eyes Zack took some hesitant steps back so he wasn't in the blonde's reach, who seemed dead set on thrashing him.

"Cloud, wait!" Zack shouted, trying to calm the other down.

"I hate you so much Zack, get away from me!" Cloud cried out before trying to pounce on Zack.

The only thing Zack saw fit to do was to leave. He found himself outside Cloud's room door, panting and thinking that Cloud hadn't seen the last of him, not by a long shot. He decided it was time for him to find Sephiroth and see if he could brainstorm ideas for getting Cloud to loosen up.

I should have the locks changed, Cloud thought while locking the door again. Zack could come back and pick it again.

Tseng had an 8am meeting with his fellow Turks about the investigation into Hojo's murder. Not that they were remorseful, but they had to follow protocol, which meant intelligence gathering and investigations into events such as this.

Elena and Rude were on time but Reno, the prick, was late as usual.

Reno entered the briefing room a moment later and they all sat and began their meeting.

Tseng turned a disapproving gaze at Reno, who blew him a kiss before beginning.

"Elena, what reports did the medical examiner make?" Tseng asked the blonde Turk smoothly.

"Professor Hojo suffered multiple stabs by a very sharp object before he was hacked to pieces. The cuts were extremely clean and ran all the way through, indicating a sword or an object with a very long blade was used," Elena informed.

Tseng then nodded his head at Rude, who started talking in his thick Wutain accent.

"We checked the professors record's and found some files hidden on a data disk in a locked drawer. It seemed the professor's last project was human experimentation. Unfortunately it didn't say who or what the experimentation was. We're interviewing some of his staff for information."

"Reno?" Tseng inquired and all eyes turned towards the redhead.

"Got my suspicions yo, ain't certain yet," Reno answered.

Tseng had a very stern expression on his face. "Care to share your suspicions, Reno?"

"Not yet boss, gotta do some more digging first," Reno answered with a sly grin on his lips.

Tseng sighed audibly at Reno's antics before turning towards the group. "As soon as any of you find out anything pertinent please make a report. President ShinRa is counting on us to wrap this up discreetly." After he finished, they all stood and filed out of the room.

When Elena left, Reno made sure they were alone before pulling Rude into an empty boardroom.

"What is it?" Rude inquired.

"There's this kid in the room next to mine," Reno started in a hushed voice.

"What about him?"

"Cloud Strife, sixteen years old and is a cadet…" Reno trailed off.

Reno couldn't see behind the sunglasses but he could tell Rude was frowning.

"A cadet in the East Wing…?" Rude's voice trailed off in question.

"Exactly, and guess who I heard him arguing with from my room?"

"Who?" Rude questioned.

"Zack Fair yo," Reno answered.

"Sephiroth's lover?" Rude asked skeptically even though he didn't doubt Reno.

"Something's going on with them and I want to find out what," Reno said with a focused look on his face.

Rude knew there was no stopping his partner once he decided he was going to do something.

"Speaking of which, I need to show you something in my apartment," Reno grinned before heading out the door with Rude in tow, a small grin on his partner's lips.

Oh God no! Cloud groaned while covering his ears with his pillows, lying in bed. It was now afternoon and his normally non-existent neighbor has been getting fucked for the last hour and a half, making all sorts of filthy and loud noises which Cloud couldn't take.

"Fuck! That's all you got yo?"

Not again. Cloud moaned in exasperation. It seemed every time the man came he had to go another round. What the hell is he taking?

It also pissed Cloud off he couldn't seem to get his own cock to go down. Why the hell was he so hard from hearing his neighbor Reno. He hated the way his body was reacting and thoughts about sex led him to think about his first time, his rape.

The thought sent his cock wilting until Reno made another filthy command of his partner. He couldn't even masturbate because he'd think of Sephiroth and what he did to him.

He felt a tremor in his cock and his ass twitched. Why am I feeling this way?

His breathing heightened and his body felt on fire. Cloud desired his own touch…and he tried, hesitantly reaching a hand down his thighs before wrapping it around his hardened length. Cloud hissed before biting his bottom lip at the feel of his hand and closing his eyes. However, a pair of green eyes flashed across his mind and some of his erection was lost.

"Fuck, this isn't going to work." Cloud muttered under his breath before pulling his pants up and storming out the door. He stood in front of his neighbor's door and rapped loudly, balling his fist and beating on the door as hard as he could.

Cloud was surprised when a bald, half naked, dark skinned and muscled man answered the door wearing a pair of sunglasses. If he wasn't so pissed he would have been laughing.

"Will you two keep it down? I'm trying to sleep," Cloud chastised before storming back into his room and slamming the door shut, leaving a stunned Rude behind.

"It was Cloud, wasn't it?" Reno asked when Rude came back into the room.

"Yup," Rude answered.

"Now he knows how I feel when he starts his boxing matches," Reno commented dryly.

"You plan on stopping?" Rude asked skeptically, knowing that not even if President ShinRa was in the other room he wouldn't keep it down.

"Hell no," Reno answered before pulling Rude down on his back and straddling his hips. "Let's give the kid an earful," he grinned evilly.

An hour later a fully dressed and clean Rude was led to the door by a half naked Reno dressed only in a sheet wrapped around his waist, which was held together with one hand.

"Later yo?" Reno inquired when Rude opened the door.

"Sure partner," Rude grinned. There was a pregnant pause because Rude knew Reno wasn't into the mushy stuff, but that didn't stop him from pulling the redhead into a passionate kiss. They broke apart and he turned to leave, but was surprised to see Cloud leaning on the wall opposite their door, a frown on his face.

Cute kid, Rude thought before throwing a questioning look at Reno. His partner gave him his "every thing will be alright" gaze and he acknowledged Cloud before walking down the hall silently.

"Wanna come in yo?" Reno asked before stepping to the side of his door.

The blonde pushed himself off the wall before stomping into Reno's room, looking every bit like the child he truly was.

"Do you do that all the time?" Cloud asked coldly after Reno had shut the door and turned around to look at him.

"Do what?" Reno inquired.

"Make so much damn noise I need earplugs."

"You'll get used to it like everybody else has," Reno said while walking towards his bedroom.

Cloud looked around and realized Reno's apartment was much bigger than his, even though you couldn't tell from the outside. He didn't want to look at Reno's body glistening with a light sheen of sweat from his earlier activities, and he sure as hell didn't want to imagine what it would be like to be with him. He couldn't tell his age but he knew Reno was much older than he was, and he highly doubted his morals would allow it….even if the man did seem really eccentric.

Reno shut his bedroom door and emerged a few minutes later wearing red ShinRa issued sweatpants and a blue t-shirt.

"I'm hungry, want some food?" Reno asked, ignoring Cloud's gaze.

"No, I'm not hungry," Cloud responded and as if on cue, his stomach growled loudly. He then remembered he had thrown Zack's food back in his face earlier.

"I'll take that as a yes," Reno grinned before heading into the kitchen and putting a frying pan on the stove.

Cloud stood in the doorway watching Reno do his business and it actually calmed his nerves a little to see the man so domestic. He tried so hard to convince himself he didn't need anyone, he had started to believe it. But now he saw he could do well with an actual friend.

"Orange juice or coffee?"

"What?" Cloud questioned when Reno broke him out of his musing.

"Orange juice or coffee?" Reno reiterated.

Cloud pushed his hands in his pockets. "Orange juice."

Reno didn't answer except to pull a glass jar from the fridge and poured the contents into two glasses. He handed them to Cloud before placing the two plates of food he had made on to a tray and walking out with it.

When both men were seated around the dining table, Cloud hesitantly reached out a hand and took a piece of fried meat off his plate. He put the item on his lips and took a small bite before quickly replacing it back onto his plate. He wasn't hungry.

Reno was watching Cloud's movements and he knew something was wrong with the kid. He had a theory and wanted to test it out.

"You ok?" Reno asked worriedly.

Cloud nodded his head.

"You sure yo?" Reno asked before stretching a hand out and squeezing Cloud's arm softly. He surly didn't expect the response he received when Cloud angrily shook him off. His rapid movement turned over the chair as he stood.

"Don't touch me!" Cloud ground out while holding his arm where Reno tried to touch him.

Reno could see many conflicting emotions on Cloud's face. He watched as the boy turned around and fled his apartment.

Bingo, Reno thought to himself at Cloud's reaction. Now he knew why he felt off, the other phase of his plan was to find out who made him that way.