The title speaks for itself.

Meeting Reno

It had only been a week since he had returned to the apartment and already Cloud was growing restless. The cadet knew he was a captive once more, the feeling of being restrained driving him silently mad. Angeal had come to collect him as promised, each time training with him and then returning him to this place, to this prison. Cloud looked out of the window and wanted freedom, wanted to feel the air on his skin, to taste the rain as it feel on him, wanted to run with the shadows.

He turned and threw the cushion he had been holding, sending it flying across the room to land back on the sofa with a loud thud. He'd had enough of waiting around, of being held by unseen forces, of being here. He moved towards the door and kicked his boots on, heading out the apartment before anyone could stop him, before Zack could catch him.

Oh yes he knew that the soldier watched him, that the meals came from him and the constant surveillance was his doing. He vented rage and punched the lift wall, the metal denting slightly, his knuckles bruising a lot. He didn't hesitate when the doors opened and he was let free, didn't pause to savour the sweet air until he was lost in the darkness. He regretted the lose t-shirt almost instantly, the cold night air gripping his muscles and biting down hard chilling his bones. He pushed past it though, threw away the pitiful wish for a coat and ran, let the movement of his arms and legs heat is body, let the anger burn to warm his soul.

Normally he would stay within the compound, content to run the grounds, but not tonight. On this dark night he wanted freedom, real freedom away from this place. Thanking someone for the fact he was wearing Black jeans and a dark green t-shirt he made his way towards the nearest escape route. He knew of so many weaknesses in their defences, considered he should probably tell someone about them, but had never worked out a way of explaining how he knew about them without getting into trouble. Tonight he was glad that they were his alone to know.

The nearest one was part of the field track where they ran laps for training, it was near a tree alongside the perimeter wall. The climb would be easy for Cloud, he was used to such exercises and his nimble body could handle most awkward situations, but it was the jump on the other side which could be a problem. He quickly made his way through the undergrowth towards his destination, his senses on high alert for patrol's, not wanting to be stopped now that he was so close. He was so focused on looking out for soldiers that he almost didn't notice the red haired Turk who stepped out in front of him.

Cloud froze, his whole body dropping into a defensive stance ready for attack. He had no weapons to draw on to defend himself, there was no way he could fight this man, no way he could escape if chased. The Turk remained unmoving staring at him from a few feet away, green eyes glowing in the darkness, white teeth slowly becoming visible in an amused smile. Cloud counted his heart beats as they frantically pounded in his chest, knew that he was panicking, and suddenly he stopped. He stopped being afraid, stopped fearing the red head, and rose to his feet defiantly.

"Hey kid" Reno said in way of greeting.

"Turk" Cloud replied evenly.

"Names Reno not Turk" he informed the blonde cheerfully.

"Reno" the cadet spat back, not giving up on his anger.

"Good, now that we got that sorted, how about we head back to your place" Reno continued ignoring the cadet's tone.

"No" Cloud replied flatly

"Come on kid, don't do anything stupid"

"Not a kid"

"Yea, but you're still gonna do something stupid, aren't you?"

Cloud glared at Reno, the anger bubbling within him being contained by will power alone. Who was this man to say what he was going to do or if it was foolish or not.

"I was out walking, there's nothing wrong with that."

"There is if it's past curfew and if you're gonna go over the wall."

Blonde eye brows raised in surprise and Reno knew he had been right, knew it was a good things that he had stopped the kid in time.

"Thought so" the Turk sighed loudly

"How do you know what I was going to do?" the cadet asked, his body going into defence

"Did myself as a ki.. cadet" Reno replied "But that's no excuse for you"

"So it's one rule for you and one for me, right?" the blonde asked viciously

"No. It's one for all you cadets and a hell of another for the Turk's"

Cloud didn't even bother to respond, what was the point, it was always this way. Instead he turned his back on the red head and began to make his way back towards the apartment. He knew Reno was still behind him, could feel the Turks presence, even though he didn't look back to check.

Reno watched as the cadet entered the building, made sure the lift went up to the correct floor, and then made his way to towards his own destination. He hesitated outside the apartment before knocking on the door and waited nervously for it to be answered.

"Hey" he greeted the man he had come to see.

"Reno?"

"You were right, kid tried to do a runner" the Turk sighed moving into the apartment.

"Shit" the soldier replied slumping into a chair.

"Zack man, you gotta talk to the kid."

"He's not a kid."

"Humph" Reno snorted, "that's what he said."

"How is he?"

"Seems pretty pissed about being stopped, or maybe he just isn't fond of me"

"You did nearly kill him."

"Yea, I should probably apologise for that" the Turk mused thoughtfully.

"So where is he know?"

"I followed him back here so he should be in the apartment."

Zack nodded and quickly retrieved the small monitor from its hiding place, turning it on so they could both check to make certain Cloud was safely where he should be. Sure enough the form of the blonde appeared on the screen as he paced the living room area restlessly.

"Oh Spiky" Zack sighed slumping back into the chair.

"Kid's got more energy then you."

"He keeps everything to himself, it's starting to break him."

"Then talk to him" Reno all but shouted.

"I ... I can't" the soldier stammered looking almost defeated.

"Why? The Turk demanded angrily.

"I ... I blew my chance Reno, I told him he could trust me and then I let him down."

"Zack man, you gotta talk to him. Even if it's just to say sorry" Reno groaned in frustration.

Zack looked up at the Turk and saw the serious look in the man's eyes. He was so used to seeing the red head in a carefree way, or happily drunk, but this change was not something he was prepared for.

"That the look you get when you're working?" he asked trying to change the subject.

"Nope, this is my serious 'friend talk' look and it's aimed at you, so stop avoiding the topic."

"Fine" Zack sighed "Just give me some time to work out what to say."

Reno looked at the soldier questioningly, as if doubting Zack's statement, before letting out a deep breath.

"Ok, but don't leave it too long. The kid's a ticking time bomb and if he blows it's gonna do some major damage."

"What do you mean?"

"Zack ..." Reno began unsure how to explain the next part without upsetting the soldier "I confronted him at the wall, he was gonna leave the compound."

"You said that already."

"Yea, but what I didn't say was that he wasn't afraid of me. The kid looked me straight in the face, even questioned me, but it was his eyes man. There was something dark those eyes of his."

"It was night, maybe it was the ...." Zack's words died off as Reno's expression showed it was more than that.

"Zack ... he's letting go ... letting something else fill him ... and it's growing."

"What do you mean? What's growing?"

"When I first meet him I saw it, saw a glint of something cruel in his eyes, thought it was arrogance. Then when I knew who he was I figured it was just his anger at whatever happened between you both, but now..."

"And now?" the soldier asked nervously.

"It's still there Zack and it's stronger now. If he doesn't control it or learn to let it go ..."

Reno's words were left hanging in the silent apartment, unable to finish what he thought, afraid to voice what might happen. Both men looked at the small monitor and watched as the blonde disappeared into the bedroom the door slamming shut behind him. The soldier and Turk sighed, as once again the cadet shut them out.