Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no money from this work. Anything recognizable to the Final Fantasy VII series and its associated parts belongs to Square Enix and affiliated companies.
Green Dreams
Chapter Fifteen: An Extension of Yourself
If there was one thing going right in all the mess that was cadet training, it was his practice sessions with Zack. Thursday's had been particularly rough, but worth it, even if that meant Friday's classes weren't quite as much fun when he was still sore all over.
"Cloud, duck down some more. Even if you can't see 'em doesn't mean they can't see your chocobo hair." Reno was hissing under his breath and making furtive motions with his hands. Cloud's seriousness towards some lessons seemed to have rubbed off a bit. Reno had called Cloud "hardcore" and a "wannabe", but he was beginning to mimic him regardless.
It hadn't bothered Cloud that the other students resented his attitude towards classes; he figured it was only their loss in the future if they slacked off now. Still, it pleased him that Reno was slowly losing that immature edge. The group's resentment might have been caused because of the blond's sudden improvement, but the redhead was starting to take some cues and even he was showing signs of improvement. When Reno was as serious as Cloud about it, they could get quite a bit done when working together. The way AVALANCHE had done before.
The longer Cloud lay on his stomach like he was, the deeper the butt of his rifle dug into his side. He'd drifted off a bit, but thinking of his time with AVALANCHE and what they had accomplished together reminded him of other horrors, and he'd rather come back to reality than follow those thoughts.
He and Reno, along with four other boys, were hiding behind a low wall marking the edge of the fifth practice ground. More open fields were spread beyond it, but the boundaries of the exercise were right where Cloud and his group were crouched. The exercise today was in stealth, and each team had to retrieve an object and reach a designated spot without getting caught. They were sneaking towards the canteen they were supposed to steal, and still fairly well ahead of the competition. They were waiting for the guards to switch in this area, but someone else had triggered an alarm, so it was delayed.
Reno was quiet and still beside him, not fidgeting or muttering like the other boys. Cloud was thankful for Reno's attentiveness to the situation today, because the blond's mind couldn't seem to completely focus on what he needed to do. The heat, his lack of sleep last night, and the lack of movement now as the group waited weren't helping the situation.
The training sessions with Zack were changing, and Cloud had a hard time focusing on these classes when Zack's lessons were so much more useful. Tuesday's lesson had quickly evolved from being so much about technical details, movement and basics to more natural sparring, practicing combinations and working on quicker counterattacks and reflexes. It was a little more dangerous for Cloud's position if he intended to hide anything, but so much more worth it. Never dull anymore, that's for sure.
"You might not have much in strength, but you certainly have the speed to keep up. Don't block if you don't have to—your opponent can't hit you if you're not there."
Zack had spent most of the session calling out advice between slashes of their swords, throwing out useful tips he'd picked up on the battlefield. As they'd fought Cloud had tried to consciously incorporate what Zack said. Their swords had struck less often and they'd tussled more on the floor, mixing hand-to-hand combat into swordplay. Their old lessons of block - parry - parry - attack - block - counterattack were gone. It had been exhilarating to break form to try something new.
"Exhale on the attack. More power, more momentum, and a more even breathing pattern. That'll keep you up and fighting longer."
They were both so caught up in fighting on that Tuesday that the session had long gone past curfew. Zack had to escort him back to his own bunker because midnight was approaching. Their spar had lasted far longer than any before too, and Zack's mentoring nature that might have stopped the sessions before was receding. Cloud sensed Zack was beginning to see him on a different level. No longer was their relationship characterized as cadet to First Class, but now new warrior to old.
Being Zack's equal was something Cloud had longed for, and now it might actually do him a disservice. The last thing he needed was to be dragged back to the General's office for any kind of suspicion. And yet, despite that looming fear, Cloud was still excited at the prospect of working alongside Zack at a higher level. He had never gotten the chance before.
"Taller opponents have a longer reach, but they often leave their legs exposed. Head and torso aren't the only places to strike. And the point isn't to hit the sword; it's to hit the thing behind it. Beast or human doesn't matter. Blade or claws, same goes. If you can get around the blade, it doesn't matter what's in their hand."
The session on Thursday had been the most exciting and hardest yet. Zack had shown up with something new, something Cloud knew intimately: a buster sword.
"Practice with just a broadsword is like eating only waffles: unhealthy." He elaborated with a grin and a powerful swing of the blade. Seeing Zack's old buster sword was akin to the first time he'd seen Zack again here. It the one that Zack would give Cloud on that dreaded cliff. He could still remember all the details and grooves of the rusted version, the way the grip felt and the weight of blade. Cloud had called it the Buster Sword for a reason.
That sword had seen all kinds of horrible and wonderful things with Cloud, lived through all his adventures. Cloud had dragged it through the desert to Midgar, killed Sephiroth with it, and battled all over the world with it. He could almost see Zack's hand perfectly fitted to the hilt, the easy confidence he swung it with, the smooth movement of the sword cutting the air…
It would never looked better than when it was in Zack's hands.
It had been Cloud's. Given to him on Zack's deathbed on that cliff, his last request no man could have refused. But deep inside, Cloud had never felt worthy of it. That sword had been passed down through a line of powerful men, ones who upheld friendship and had proven their strength and mettle through countless trials.
And Cloud felt nothing like that. He'd stolen Zack's strength, his sword, his entire life, and the only thing that had been left of the real Cloud was humiliation at his own weakness, and regret. He hadn't even fought for friendship or the thought of peace. He'd hunted and killed Sephiroth because of personal obligation, love, and revenge. He'd done it for his own peace of mind, not for anyone else's, and he hadn't even accomplished that. No, his motivations hadn't been worthy of that weapon.
Zack chuckled, smiling widely at Cloud with an emotion the blond couldn't identify in his eyes. "This is Galatine. My mentor trained me against this blade, and I worked hard so I could fight equally with him. This was his sword passed to me. Maybe if I die in battle I'll pass it to you too someday."
Cloud was blindsided by both pleasure at Zack's acknowledgement and fear if it ever came true, and he accidentally loosened his hold on his sword. It clattered to the ground loudly, shaking the floor at Cloud's feet. The blond's throat tightened up dangerously. He couldn't refuse such an honorable request, and yet Cloud desperately wanted to. Such responsibility was something he hadn't felt ready for the first time, and something he felt he might never be ready for.
Cloud managed to swallow thickly, but his feet were leaden and the muscles in his arms jumped they were so tense. But Zack's face broke out into a grin, seeing Cloud's alarm. The raven-haired man laughed loudly and rubbed the back of his head. "No one's immortal Cloud. It'll happen someday." He didn't seem too worried though; more sheepish he'd given the blond such a scare.
The SOLDIER's words couldn't be heard above the pounding rush in Cloud's ears though. Zack's smiling face overlapped with his visage in death: grisly and peaceful all at once. No, Cloud didn't ever want the Buster Sword back if it meant Zack's life.
"…Don't …Don't joke about stuff like that." He turned his eyes away from the bright edge of the buster sword, its tip resting on the floor as Zack leaned on it. Cloud instead focused his eyes on the line of light reflected from it on the floor. It extended all the way to the wall, like a beam of sunlight. He wondered if maybe the serrated edge on two of First Tsurugi's blades would make a jagged line.
"Aw Cloud, I didn't mean it like that." Zack walked forward and his large hand landed on to Cloud's head. Any other day Cloud might have been insulted at the gesture, feeling like a dog, but now he felt a little better for it. Zack's hand was warm and strong, heavy and calloused. He wasn't going anywhere for the time being, and hopefully not for a long time. Not if Cloud could help it.
They'd sparred then, and the depressing atmosphere had lifted as soon as Zack accidentally broke Cloud's training sword with Galatine. The pieces had splintered off, and the ravaged ends were like the uneven teeth of a Behemoth. One broken-off shard had cut Cloud's arm as it went by, slicing through his sleeve and leaving a bloody trail behind.
Zack had apologized a hundred times, his face a little paler and eyes wide. He looked like a child whose joke had gone a step too far. But Cloud knew what happened with swords, and he'd been cut to ribbons before so this was nothing. He had just rubbed the blood away with the sleeve of his shirt and shrugged it off. He'd lifted up the destroyed sword, laughing a bit at the absurdity of what had happened. He went to retrieve another, swinging the broken one and laughing as it made a whistling sound through the air.
After Zack's initial shock at hurting Cloud, the man had relaxed. He didn't manage to completely hide the odd look in his eyes as he watched Cloud laugh at the sword. The blond didn't seem to notice though, and Zack couldn't really complain. It was a shallow cut and Cloud shrugged it off.
Catching up with Cloud, he joked, "That's probably the sharpest that blade has ever been," nodding to the broken one Cloud had discarded at the side of the room. The First leaned on Galatine, crossing his arms around her guard-less hilt. "Guess we'll have to make you work with an old-fashioned iron sword then. 'Least you'll work on upper body strength. These carbon steel swords are…" he paused, searching for a word to describe the cheap swords Shinra let cadets train with, "…functional."
"Functional?" Cloud had echoed followed with a snort. He was standing by the shelf where more swords rested, picking out one that looked tough enough to withstand Galatine's might. Carbon steel swords weren't bad; they were certainly better than the display stainless steel ones cadets were often tricked into buying. The really cheap ones weren't even folded. Those, Cloud could probably break over his knee even without mako. The Shinra standard-issue swords weren't very flexible but they did get the job done. Sometimes.
Zack tossed him a set of keys. "Here Cloud. The closet over there's got some better swords." He indicated with a nod of his head to a closet off to the side. Cloud unlocked the door, the little room dark without light. "Grab a flexible steel sword. Those are the best they've got here."
Cloud pulled one out and tested its weight and balance. "What's your's made of?" The one in Cloud's hand, the blond noticed, was a little off-kilter. The handle had been dented at some point, and that put the balance off. As he appraised the others while pretending to study the one in hand, the way an amateur might dwell on it just to be sure, Cloud took a good sweep of the closet. There weren't a great variety of weapons here, mostly swords of different make and size. Any fancier and rare weapons were probably personally owned and stored. Still, the weapons here were of fair quality, and probing around later might be worth it.
"Damascus steel."
Cloud put the sword down and reached for another. He'd already known that, but as a cadet he wouldn't have. "Expensive right?"
"Very. Worth it, but takes a lot of saving to get it. You could probably buy the chocobo farm for the cost of one sword of it."
Cloud said nothing as he took his chosen sword back over to Zack. He actually had no idea what First Tsurugi was made out of. The sword didn't rust and never needed sharpening, and after cutting through almost any material he'd given up on guessing.
Their spar continued almost immediately, but more furiously. At first Cloud was cautious, his blows careful, testing the bounds of Zack's reach, the angle of his swings. Much of Zack's style was eerily similar to his own, and Cloud was catching on to the patterns and repetitive moves quickly. That had impressed Zack immensely, and the SOLDIER pushed him for more.
By the end of the session it was three hours past curfew, and Cloud was in desperate need of a shower. Zack had driven him hard, and by the end it felt like he was only barely restraining himself from using his enhancements unfairly. Cloud had responded in kind, and though he had trouble keeping up or taking the offensive from Zack, he'd managed a good defense throughout. It hadn't occurred to him until his walk back that it might have been suspicious.
"Man, you're going to be sick when you're in SOLDIER." Zack was only panting lightly, but his grin was brighter than the lights in the room. He was feverishly elated and he swung Galatine up to rest on his back as he walked the now exhausted Cloud back to his quarters.
Cloud had been glowing inside as they walked, until that comment reminded him he might have let something slip. Looking back on it though Zack hadn't been acting suspicious at all, and Cloud had let those worries rest once he'd thought about it this morning. At least Zack was the kind of man who would confront him face to face if he thought something was strange.
And that was a relief. As long as it didn't happen, Cloud could rest a little easier.
"Cloud, ixnay on the running-behind-the-trees plan. There's some people over there and I wouldn't doubt they'd shove us right through the tree line. If we follow the wall some more there might be another opening." Reno pulled his ponytail over his shoulder, the back of his neck beaded with sweat. The sun was unbelievably hot today, and Cloud could feel the heat against the back of his shoulders and neck. He would definitely be burnt tomorrow. Reno might match his hair if they couldn't hide in some shade soon.
"Sure. Just crawl on your stomach when we get around that bend. The wall's almost half as high there." Cloud flattened his hair down with his hand, ignoring the heat of his burning scalp and the sweat creeping into his collar. His blond hair was drooping ridiculously, and if they had to do any serious running it could become a problem. A bead of sweat on Reno's face followed the slightly indented trail of one of his tattoos. The heat never got this bad under the plate, the constant shadow keeping it cool most of the time.
"Man, I think he dehydrated and passed out." Reno nudged one of the other boys on his team with his foot. The kid was sprawled on his stomach, face turned to the side with his mouth wide open. A blade of grass with a tiny bug on top was almost in his mouth.
Friday night dinner was hot dogs and hamburgers, and Reno scarfed down two of each in the first ten minutes. Cloud had eaten his hamburger at a more sedate pace, though Dan made constant comments on the state of the meat of his hot dog throughout dinner, which was mildly off-putting.
Eventually Reno and Cloud escaped dinner and headed in the general direction of the training areas, having shaken Dan off earlier. The brown-haired boy had disagreed with Reno's idea of picking the armory lock—actually a cover Reno had used to talk to Cloud—and had protested the plan by refusing to go.
"So what do you want?" Cloud didn't dilly-dally with words. Reno had been building up to something throughout the afternoon and Cloud's patience had worn thin. The redhead had any number of chances to speak up but he'd held his tongue. That worried the blond.
"Well, I got another question. And since today's got no moon and I know a guy who knows a guy on watch—"
"What's the question." It was more of a statement than an inquiry, and Reno noticed right away.
"Not sleep so good last night? You did come in late." He gave Cloud a one-over, leering at him for just a second before pulling back. "Naw, you didn't. Just toyed with you then?"
"No. What do you want?"
"Snippy huh? Fine. You got all tomorrow with me underground if you help out. Tonight."
Cloud's eyes narrowed even more than they had been at Reno's lewd questions. If the redehad was springing this on him now, the plan was probably risky at best or involved something highly illegal at worst. Even though the danger got Cloud's blood going it also made him put on the reins. "How bad?"
Reno leaned back on his heels, resting his upper arms against the wall of the empty classroom they were occupying. He stood just outside of the light from the window, his sleeves rolled up on his uniform, and his hair strategically unkempt and falling out of the tie. His mischievous smile and the disarming stance made Cloud wary since the blond knew he was deliberately hiding how he felt.
"You know Heidegger? That guy with the weird laugh and the mean right hook? And the totally hot bitch that runs the weapons department? I want some info on them."
"Heidegger and Scarlet." Cloud's disbelief was clear in his voice. Any deep or personal information other than the publicly known was hard to find on high Shinra executives—and those two were among the highest. How the hell did Reno expect to find anything on them? And why?
"Yeah yeah, all their nasty little details and all them skeletons are real hard to find, I know. But that's just asking for people to go digging Cloud!"
"I don't even want to know the plan." Cloud turned to walk away, intent to let this particular intrigue of Reno's lay to rest. He wasn't going to dig around in those kinds of files, and it wasn't like there was anything to learn from it anyway.
"Hey!" Reno caught Cloud by the back of his sleeve, stopping him in his tracks. "It's not that bad. And if you don't help I ain't showing you anything tomorrow." He looked like he was grasping for straws, already getting desperate for Cloud's help.
Reno had certainly grown up when he was with the Turks then. "Parkour isn't worth that risk."
That evening Cloud returned to his bunker alone. Cloud's refusal had put Reno in a bad mood and he'd left in the other direction. Walking always helped him to think things through, and he needed some peace of mind right now. His wanderings led him all the way to Shinra Headquarters. The mindless buzz of quiet voices was the perfect backdrop as he mulled over answers.
He wanted—no, needed—that information. Heidegger and Scarlet were integral parts of Shinra, and being out of the loop on even basic information on them wasn't something Reno liked. If he could just hack a high enough computer he'd be in, but that wasn't possible alone. And what was Cloud's problem? He could use all those nifty skills to make this work, and it was just more of challenge. He'd really put his foot down on it and the redhead was having trouble seeing why.
Maybe it was the specific people. Should he have not mentioned their names? No, Cloud would have probably demanded to know anyway. Maybe that last time had scared him? No, Cloud had been elated on their way back, looser and excited. Hm…
Reno's feet knew these paths by heart. He'd walked them hundreds of times before, chatting up old acquaintances and generally getting to know the area. He never came on a schedule and always took different routes, but it was worth it to hear the gossip behind Shinra.
"Reno, you out tonight? Gotta watch the first floor back hallway—Grieg's on duty there." The friendly guard hailed Reno down with a small wave, and the redhead obligingly went over. Guards like Marceto, gamblers at heart and good talkers, were Reno's best friends when he was having trouble. Even just tidbits of knowledge could sometimes be the key to getting around Shinra.
"Thanks, Marceto, I'll stay out of there. I was wondering if you knew anything on some First Class SOLDIERs? They pass by here a lot?"
Marceto's positioning tonight was by the back stairs of the second floor. The first six floors were the largest in Shinra, housing more than just offices but basic stores and conference rooms. Those were good areas to stalk around in the evening before the Headquarters started the night shift because people lingered picking up groceries or supplies here, and that meant eavesdropping.
They were also the floors everyone had to pass through to leave. And that meant Cloud's SOLDIER might have passed by. Reno had no real means of getting good information on Cloud. Other than the obvious—his cadet profile, which had been laughably easy to hack—Cloud was a closed door. He never talked about himself and he Reno was finding it difficult getting him to open up. To get anything on Cloud therefore, Reno thought the SOLDIER might be the key. And as Lieutenant General he was likely privy to things Reno would kill for.
The thought of Cloud having some big secret had been haunting Reno for weeks now. As long as he'd gotten to know the blond, he'd found there to be something off with the kid—just too many quirks popping up all at once. Reno had kept it a little side mission for himself: find out Cloud's secret.
Despite how he acted and how people thought of him, Reno had no intention of blackmailing Cloud with that information. The blond was growing on him a lot, and it wasn't like Cloud had anything Reno wanted. That, however, didn't discount a certain amount of arm-twisting. But he could justify it by saying he could better plan, and even guard it, if he knew.
Well, that, and he just couldn't sate his curiosity.
Marceto was a bit long-winded, since he didn't get much chance to gossip, but he got around to lamenting that no SOLDIER Firsts had come by, complaining of boredom. He said people had gotten into using the newly replaced elevators, so the only person that came by anymore was Reeve Tuesti, head of the Urban Development department.
"Really?" Reno leaned back on his heels, playing the part perfectly of an interested, but not overly so, friend. "He walks?"
"Said it was better for the environment. And his waist." Marceto chuckled at that.
"He's a funny guy?" Environment huh?
"No, not really. He has moments, but he's a fairly nice guy."
Reno nodded in response, but knew Marceto didn't know anything else. He only saw Tuesti in passing after all, and Marceto wasn't the cleverest of men.
Reno thanked the guard and mulled over what he'd learned as he changed course and headed for the stairs.
Reeve Tuesti was a high-ranked man, being Minister for Housing and Urban Development, and had been a member of the executive boards for a good while. Which meant Tuesti was at the executive board meetings with people like the General, the creepy Hojo, Heidegger and Scarlet.
Perfect.
If there were anyone who knew details about the last two it would be Tuesti. He had access and time, because Reno couldn't recall Urban Development doing anything all his life. The department had designed Midgar and the reactors, Reno knew that much, but that had been ages ago, and what had it done since? And if Tuesti cared enough about the environment to walk down the stairs from his fifty-some-odd floor, Reno might already have the upper hand.
It would be luck if he ran into Tuesti tonight, but Reno was willing to try it. Cloud's exercise regime was working for the blond anyway, so if Reno had to do this every night then he might as well make it worth his while.
It was on the thirty-eighth floor when Reno heard another's footsteps. The redhead had been moving steadily higher, taking care to keep his footsteps even and quiet. Guards this high were posted fairly close to the stairs, and Reno didn't want his boots to alert them. He could claim to be exercising—he was a cadet trying to be a SOLDIER after all—but somehow he didn't think they'd buy that. It might work for Cloud, but not for Reno.
"Evenin' sir." Reno slowed to a walk as he turned to the flight the other man was on.
He was a couple of steps higher than Reno and standing beneath a florescent light that did nothing for his pale skin. He had a crop of dark brown hair swept through with fingers so many times there were shadowed runs in it. Stress related habit clearly. He had the makings of a beard and mustache, but the hair was sparse and thin. Reno wondered if he rubbed his chin and the hair came out, or if he had just started to grow it out.
He had on dark navy slacks, with a white button-up shirt and tie that was a little tattered near the ends and missing both cufflinks. Tuesti obviously didn't care much for his appearance, though the necklace he wore under his collar, the chain just peeking out, gave way to his wealth: gold, probably real given the simplicity of the design.
The man's suit jacket wasn't really a jacket so much as a long, blue overcoat. The blue was actually a shade lighter than his pants, though considering his dress already he probably cared as much as Reno did. It had a high collar and some kind of crosshatch buttoning, but Reno couldn't see the details since it was folded in his arms.
Reno suppressed a grin as he recognized the executive from what publicity photos he'd done, and nodded his head politely. Tuesti mimicked the action but he stopped walking altogether.
"And what are you out for at this time, young man?" He had a soft, friendly voice that surprised Reno a bit. It was the kind of voice suited for teaching or some other scholarly pursuit, not for working at Shinra.
"I was headin' to the roof." Reno faked a wince as his accent came out a little more strongly than intended. Let's see what Tuesti makes of a street rat…
"The roof? Why?" Tuesti seemed genuinely interested and that was just what Reno was going for. Poor guy never saw it coming.
"To see the stars. Can't see 'em under the plate and it's too foggy on the ground."
Tuesti's face brightened in an instant and Reno knew he'd won.
"Do you do this often? And you said under the plate? So you've lived there and now intend to join Shinra? I've heard there's a place where a woman grows plants, is that true?" Tuesti's eagerness would have been endearing if Reno hadn't been aiming for it. The man wasn't cut out for Shinra if he was this easy to read. How had he lasted so long?
"Lived there all my life. And yeah, she says love makes 'em grow." Reno was pulling bullshit out of ass at the last part. He'd heard of the woman that grew plants, but he'd never spoken to her and he'd only seen them once. Figured she'd be meat for Shinra if she got too popular.
"Tell me, um…" Tuesti's polite pause held a little longer than it should have. Down under the plate people weren't nearly this polite. Reno always thought it a little funny, though it made him uncomfortable at times. This time it was intentional though, and therefore amusing.
"Reno. I'm a SOLDIER cadet." Reno held out his hand awkwardly, and Tuesti immediately lit up and took it gingerly. Compared to Reno's big, lean fingers, Tuesti's were smaller and far softer. He'd probably never held a weapon in his life.
"Reno. Reeve Tuesti. I work here in Housing and Urban Development." Reno noticed he didn't admit to being the top of that food chain. "I was wondering if you would tell me more about under the plate. I go rarely, no time you see, and well, it's not quite the same as someone's who lived there and 'seen it all' if you will."
The poor man was babbling a bit. Reno almost felt bad for weaning information out of him, but certainly not enough to stop. "It's real dark and smoky and there's plenty of trash. Some people burn it to keep warm when it gets cold."
"How much trash is there would you say?"
"Well, I guess Mr. Tuesti, sir, there's enough to go 'round. People make houses outta it in the poorest parts, and even then it's all on the streets and sh- er, stuff."
Reno was starting to sound like some of those people who lived in the real dumps. He'd put on the accent real thick and tried to ham it up—though he hoped he didn't go too far. It didn't hurt to add a sir here or there too he knew. He'd probably give Dan a heart attack if the kid heard him.
"Reeve, just call me Reeve. I wonder if burning that trash could make energy. I know mako provides for all but there's been some…issues with it."
Reno perked up at Reeve's pause. Issues huh? "Um, issues? Like there's no power down below sometimes?"
"Well, not quite."
They continued Reno's walk and together had headed up to the roof as Reeve dodged some questions, but mostly encouraged Reno to chatter about the slums some more. Reno had been so engrossed in making this believable and winning the executive over, that he hadn't quite realized how far up they'd gotten. Reeve pushed open the door and they walked on to the roof, Reno making sure to look up at the night sky admiringly.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yeah." Reno's neck was craned at an awkward angle and the number of stars in the sky was actually fewer than he imagined. Somehow that swath of black dotted with millions of lights he'd seen in books had become black with a couple of pinpricks. "Where'd all the stars go?"
"All the lights and the smog cover them up. Their light isn't as strong, so it can't reach us here. If you were to go out into the desert you'd be able to see far more of them." Reeve was staring up too, lost in thought. "I hope one day everyone in Midgar will be able to see them."
"Yeah…" Reno felt pretty stupid for a moment, even if it did help his 'mission'.
"If you're coming up again, time it around now. I'll join you and you can tell me more about what happens under the plate. And maybe I'll be able to answer your questions." Reeve turned fully to look at Reno, who stopped staring at the handful of stars to stare at him. "This will be mutually beneficial, Reno. It was lovely meeting you. I hope to see you again soon." Reeve gave him a quick bow and showed himself off the roof.
Reno stared after him in contemplation.
Guess he wasn't just for publicity. Sneaky bastard.
Cloud's return to the bunker was interrupted by his stomach. He hadn't eaten too much at dinner and now it complained.
Decision made, he changed direction and headed for a lounge where there were some snack machines and a couple of worn, yellow couches. Cadets hung out here sometimes and Cloud had caught some SOLDIERs once, but mostly it was for office workers and tonight the place was empty. Most everyone had gone into town since it was Friday night, and that left Cloud and the stragglers alone.
Oh, and Reno.
Cloud's frustration with Reno only grew as he thought about it. That boy had no idea what he was dabbling in, and Scarlet and Heidegger were dangerous territory. Even after Meteor, information about everything they'd done had been hard to come by, and Cloud was convinced they were the only ones alive who knew it all. But Reno wouldn't stop. He'd probably hound Cloud for a while then maybe resort to blackmail or coercion. Cloud didn't want to expect that of his growing friend, but he knew better than to underestimate Reno. The blond could hope there hadn't been too much of the Turk in Reno to begin with.
The lounge was deserted and the candy machine was still fairly full, so Cloud perused the selection in the lone light of the machine. The room was dark, just a scattering of lumpy couches and coffee tables. There were a handful of windows, but the night was full now and there was only a sliver of moon.
Speaking out loud to himself, Cloud wondered, "Chocolate… but which kind?"
Chocolate had been Cloud's vice growing up, and Tifa had taken every advantage she could to remind Cloud of it during their journey in AVALANCHE. He still couldn't forget the look on Barret's face when Tifa happily informed him Cloud's one and only weakness was chocolate—especially rich dark chocolate.
There were at least three different options and none were dark chocolate. However, Cloud didn't really want to get back to the barracks anytime soon, so he was procrastinating the decision, not to mention he couldn't quite remember what was in some of these candy bars. "Kit Kat…too easy to share, Dan'll want some…"
"Snickers are my favorite."
Cloud whirled around fast enough to cause whiplash, one fist lashing out instinctively. He hadn't heard or felt anyone come up behind him.
His fist was caught in a slender hand, the pale fingers curling over his knuckles. He really did have pianist's hands, long and supple, but their grip was tight and unyielding. Cloud couldn't help but lock his eyes on the difference in skin tone between them, one milky white the other with a pinkish flush. He tore his eyes away though as he realized what he was doing.
He was tall enough that Cloud had to look up, otherwise his eyes rested on the slip of skin peeking out where his shirt was unbuttoned. Cloud thought he could feel his heart stutter beneath his ribs, but it was like everything had frozen and it didn't matter.
He couldn't tell what Sephiroth was thinking, but it was probably something bad.
His stoic face was still hard, but somehow softer than it had been in the office. The lines weren't nearly so stressed or solemn, and his eyes had lost that imperial touch. Maybe it was because this wasn't a formal meeting, or it was the lighting, or maybe because Cloud had tried to punch him, but either way it was restarting Cloud's heart and making it flutter oddly.
Cloud loosened his fisted hand after a moment, realizing Sephiroth hadn't let go. He vehemently squashed the giddiness at that as Sephiroth's fingers slipped off his hand. This doesn't count as anything. This doesn't count as anything.
"Snickers are my favorite, Strife."
The hairs on the back of Cloud's neck rose at how mellow and smooth Sephiroth's voice was. Cloud's ears were as red as Reno's hair and the blush was spreading wildly. He could feel it crawling on his skin. It took him a moment to register the words, and then he looked away from those captivating eyes and let out an unsteady breath, nodding vacantly to the General's shoulder before turning to the machine.
Carefully, trying to keep his hands from shaking, he took the small handful of gil in his pocket and popped three in for the candy, doing it slowly so he didn't drop them and make more of a fool of himself. He pressed the buttons, acutely aware of Sephiroth's presence no more than two feet behind him.
His back was so rigid he thought it might snap, and every time Sephiroth exhaled it managed to tense just a little bit more. Cloud couldn't believe he hadn't realized anyone was standing there before, because now all his attention was fixating on the man behind him, relentlessly outlining every swish of his hair or twitch of his fingers.
He tried to focus as he waited what felt like an hour for the machine to register the money, his choice, and then laboriously push the candy out of the rack. The grind of the machine was grating to Cloud's ears, and he immediately wondered if it bothered Sephiroth even more. He had the ridiculous urge to apologize for it, but the words wouldn't come out, and Cloud knew he'd regret them if they did. Cloud tried to focus on Reno, his mind going high speed, trying to think of all the reasons the redhead was getting to him. He could use that frustration instead of this tumult of feelings he couldn't control.
It was beginning to work slowly, as he thought of how stupid he must look, being so nervous waiting for candy of all things. The General would never take him seriously like that, and it would disappoint Zack, but most of all Reno would never stop laughing. And then Cloud would be even more of a fool, and the General would see it and…
The Snickers was stuck. The corner of the wrapper was caught in the ring of its row and Cloud couldn't believe his idiotic luck. This day had started off well and just kept going downhill as far as Cloud was concerned. First Reno, now Sephiroth, and this. As though he hadn't been toyed with by fate enough.
Before he could think it through, he slammed his fist against the transparent plastic of the machine, even letting a growl of annoyance slip out. Sephiroth's presence was screwing with him, Reno's antics were stressing him out, and now he just wanted some chocolate to fill the gnawing feeling in his stomach, but the damn thing couldn't even do that.
"Hm…bad day?"
Cloud twitched at Sephiroth's infinitely smooth voice slipped into the haze of his mind. He relaxed his shoulders carefully, suddenly aware of what he'd done. He'd practically thrown a temper tantrum in front of the General. The General! Sephiroth!
He closed his eyes, resting his fist against the machine but loosening the strength in his fingers. He felt like a child and an idiot. "Ah, sorry sir. I just… things have been… well, what I mean is-"
"It's fine Strife. Here." Cloud turned back around slowly. In Sephiroth's hand was three more gil. Cloud's eyes went as wide as they could.
"No, no thank you sir. I couldn't, c-couldn't possibly-"
Sephiroth sighed and shook his hand before him. "I have plenty and I know cadets make little. I think I can spare three."
Cloud stared at Sephiroth, more surprised than anything else now. He could swear Sephiroth might be, well, unsure about this. His face was clear of any thought or emotion at all, but the way he'd slipped his hair behind his ear right before speaking had Cloud wondering.
Cloud reached out meaning to just say no, but his hand pushed the ends of Sephiroth's fingers and curled them back over the money before he quite realized it. "It's fine sir. I don't really need it."
He wanted to crack a joke about his teeth or fat, but his throat already had his heart in it and the words were all garbled in his head. Why did I touch him? He didn't really need the chocolate, and most of all he just wanted to get out of the stifling atmosphere before something even worse happened.
Sephiroth looked surprised for barely a moment, his eyes darting down to where their hands had so briefly touched. "Then wait a moment Strife."
With some reluctance, Cloud stepped aside. All he wanted to do was collapse on his bunk and hopefully wake up with amnesia.
The machine beeped as Sephiroth put his money and choice in, then two thumps of falling candy followed. Sephiroth crouched down to get them out and Cloud's gaze flicked away from the tempting sight in work pants. Sephiroth righted in a moment, too graceful to be real, and held out a Snickers bar.
When he reached out to take it, Sephiroth dropped the candy in his hand and folded his own fingers over it before walking away with a murmured, "Good night, Strife."
Cloud closed his fingers on the bar, knowing for a second if he'd been his younger self he would never have been able to eat the chocolate. The General walked out of the room without a second glance, already peeling away the wrapper of his own Snickers.
"I've got an idea Cloud, so will you at least listen?"
Reno and Cloud were walking through the hallway on their way out to Midgar. Reno had offered the parkour lesson if Cloud at least listened to his idea on how to get information on Heidegger and Scarlet. Cloud had agreed, knowing whatever Reno came up with he'd turn down.
"Don't get that look Cloud. I know you're gonna say 'no' no matter what, but you have to hear it. Who else am I gonna ask?"
Cloud sighed and looked away, glancing down a connecting hall. Reno turned to continue his argument and caught the most irresistible red blush coloring the blond's ears.
The General was heading down the corridor, an aide by his side and a clipboard in his hand. He was dressed perfectly normally with the sleeves rolled up even with all the air-conditioning, being all General-ly as usual, and Reno wasn't all that impressed. He was far scarier in that leather outfit, not that Reno was going around challenging him to fights. But Cloud had practically stopped walking, and though Sephiroth wasn't looking at them he knew he would be in a second.
As tempting as it was to see what would happen if Cloud were caught staring, Reno knew a good plight when he needed one. Cloud was going to grow roots and stick to that floor until Sephiroth walked into him or looked at him, in which case Cloud looked like he might faint.
Well, sometimes it pays off to be the knight.
Reno yanked Cloud's arm a little harder than necessary, walking the blond around a corner before he could be caught. Cloud would thank him later, and Reno might already have half of the key to Cloud already without even trying.