Hi

Yea, I know it's been a while since I update here and believe me I feel like a real s**t for it and can't apologise enough.

The thing is I sort of got caught up with my other story and ended up making the small rut I was in with this story even deeper and couldn't get out of it. I've actually re-written this chapter five times trying to make it sound right and have edited it to death, so please forgive me if it still has a few errors in it because I'm scared to look at it again in case I want to change something else.

That being said I really do hope you enjoy it and will try to update again much sooner next time.

A morning at the office

Cloud sat nervously in Reno's office waiting for the red head to return from his supposedly quick meeting with Tseng, his own anxiety about the situation steadily building as the minutes continued to tick by without any sign of the red head's immanent return.

Annoyingly it had all been going so well until this point. The early morning breakfast being calm, if not a little uncomfortable while they talked, and the unexpected turn of events actually making the blonde feel better about how the day ahead was going to turn out. But now, after spending over an hour sitting alone in Reno's office, Cloud was once again beginning to feel unsettled by everything in his life and very much out of place within his current surroundings.

In fact, had anyone entered the room at this point they would have been met with a closed off and clearly guarded cadet staring right back at them, his ocean blue eyes now just as cold and unforgiving as the arctic sea as they continued to watch the door with a hawk like attentiveness. But deep inside Cloud was anything but still as he continued to stare at the flat wooden surface which separated him from the outside world, his ever cautious gaze unwavering as it focused solely on every sound or hint of movement which came from just beyond the doorway. And instead of a calm relaxed rhythm, which would be expected from someone resting in an office chair, his heart was beating at an accelerated pace as steadily building feelings of insecurity ran through him. The large muscle within the blonde's chest pumping his adrenaline fuelled blood through his veins a little faster than was necessary as it kept him prepared for the appearance of some, as of yet, unseen threat.

And though the cadet knew that there should have been a sense of safety from being closed off inside the red head's personal room, within the Turk's main office building of all places, the cadet felt none of it. The extended period of time which had now passed meaning that he was not only feeling alone once more, but also very much abandoned in an unfamiliar place where unknown dangers lurked behind every corner. Or, at least they did in his spiralling thoughts.

It wasn't like Cloud to sit still for so long in unknown territory, the brief visit he'd had to this place with Reno a short time ago in no way making him feel safe or secure within this environment now. Especially on his own. He didn't know the building's layout properly, not after only coming here once before. And without any idea about points of entry or exit to go by, in case of an emergency, he was feeling more than just a little bit overwhelmed by all of the uncertainties which surrounded him. It wasn't like being in the barracks, the cadet training halls, or lecture rooms. Places the blonde now knew like the back of his hand and could probably run with his eyes closed.

He'd been taught that lesson early in life, the importance of knowing ones surroundings, of being able to navigate them quickly without too much thought, and it had been a painful thing to learn. His experiences growing up in Nibelheim, as a child who was disliked by so many, teaching him the value of such knowledge and the consequences of being ignorant to it.

It had therefore been almost heart-breaking to find that it was something he hadn't been able to let go of once arriving in Midgar, even though he'd hoped and prayed that it wouldn't be necessary here in this great city of all places. One which was built on the belief of supposedly achievable dreams and endless possibilities. Those initial induction weeks as a cadet proving that in fact nothing changed and that once again he would need those skills if he was to survive here, just as he had done back home.

As a result of those first few experiences amongst his new peers, and the pain which they brought him, Cloud had made sure to spend as much free time as possible walking around all of the places he could access within the ShinRa compound until he knew them by heart. Only allowing himself to feel a small measure of safety, and the confidence to be still within them, once he was certain that there would always be a means of escape nearby when he needed it. As long as he had a chance to reach it of course.

Yet, here he was, in a building he didn't really have any knowledge of, surrounded by people he'd never met before, with no idea how to get away should they turn on him. Even if they were theoretically Reno's trusted colleagues and meant to remain outside the office while he, the low ranking cadet, was supposedly safe inside the room. The only three Turk's that he did know, and could possibly rely on, all being busy with other things and leaving him alone and completely defenceless in this new environment.

Sadly though no one can sustain such a high degree of attentiveness for such a long period of time without becoming exhausted both mentally and physically by the self imposed restraint needed to maintain it. It was simply a case that no matter how had a person tried, or how uncomfortable they were with their surroundings, their body would eventually begin to falter in its preparation for fight or flight as the stress and strains wore it down.

As if to demonstrate this very point to the blonde himself, Cloud felt his body start to tremble slightly as his muscles finally began to show their displeasure at being forced to hold such a defensive stance for so long. The steadily building sensation of notable cramping in both his arms and legs gradually letting Cloud know that he wasn't going to last much longer in his battle ready position.

Frustrated azure eyes flickered hastily towards the clock on Reno's desk once more, if only for the briefest of seconds, and the cadet instantly saw that it was now closer to two hours since the Turk had left him there. Reno's parting words of "I'll be as quick as I can" still lingering in the air around the blonde and making a refreshed surge of irritation at the red head flow through Cloud's veins. Sighing heavily the cadet tried to shake off the feeling of stiffness which was now quite apparent in his shoulders, knowing that it wouldn't do him any good, and tried not to get so wound up about his current circumstances that his body would be unable to react properly should the situation actually call for it.

It was at this point that Cloud realised he had become his own worst enemy and drew a deep steadying breath as he tried to focus on the reason he was there in the first place. His inner turmoil finding some peace as he tried to calm the rising tension within his own body by thinking about what Reno had told him earlier that morning regarding their reason for being here. How this visit was intended to be the first of two days spent in the Turk's main building and training facilities so that he and the red head could have some one-to-one time in a secure place to continue his studies away from the other cadet's.

"This is stupid." Cloud huffed in mild frustration at his own negative thoughts, his hands now fiddling restlessly with the cuffs of the long sleeve top he was wearing. A heavy sigh escaping him as he sought another way to distract himself from his current situation.

Using the soft blue cotton he now fiddled with as a way of redirecting his thoughts Cloud tried to relax by rubbing the pads of his thumbs along the seam and concentrating on the ridges there, on focusing his attention on the faint bumpy pattern and using it as a tool to regulate his breathing. Slowly he counted the raised edges as he skimmed the top of them, a slow breath being drawn in as he moved around the complete circle encompassing his wrist. He then repeated the count but this time in reverse as he let the breath out, repeating the action a few more times until he felt a little more in control of his body.

The only problem with doing this however was that it reminded him of why he was wearing the long sleeved top in the first place, the item having been one of a selection Cissnei had packed for him and the one he'd actually chosen to wear for the day ahead. Cloud didn't know whether to thank the women or hide from her the next time they met, the selection of clothing she had fetched the night before making him both relieved but also unsure of how he felt about it all.

It had been obvious from the moment he'd started pulling the various items out of the bag that the young brunette had known he would want to cover his arms up, the first two tops he pulled out both having long sleeves that would go right down to his wrists and conceal the damage which had been done to his forearms. And something about that troubled Cloud greatly, something about Cissnei knowing him that well, or perhaps just being able to read him that easily, causing an unsettled feeling to form deep within him. He didn't like it when people could work out what he was thinking, or worse yet, what he was going to think, because it normally led to bad things. Things which the blonde really didn't want to be worrying about right now. Not when everything else was still so unstable in his head.

"Great, just great." Cloud sighed, his head dipping down and his hands moving up to run claw like fingers through his blonde spikes in frustration. "Zack wouldn't want you doing this, not right now." He berated himself, the almost desperate need to be moving, to be doing anything but sitting still, once again filling every fibre of his being. "He'd want you to trust them and you can. You can. You just … you just need to … let them in." The cadet mumbled uncertainly, his voice wavering notably as hearing the words slip past his lips made them more significant than having simply spoken them in his head.

Just then the sound of movement beyond the door caught the blonde's attention and drew it away from the new path it had been following, the noises he'd heard just behind the solid mass of wood being faint but still loud enough to have the cadet back on full alert again. Not even realising he was doing it Cloud's body began to tense once more in preparation for the unknown visitor, his shoulders rising and his arms coming up at his sides into a defensive position ready for attack. When the door actually opened however there was no enemy, no threat which needed to be fought against, and instead of danger Cloud found himself looking into surprised sea-green eyes as he quickly fought to repress the undeniable urge to fight before fleeing to safety.

"Everything ok in here?" Reno asked, his whole body having switched into its own version of combat mood based on the way the cadet was now poised in front of him. The very obvious show of barely contained aggression he was greeted with making him feel more like he was walking into a potential bar fight, or royally fucked up mission, than his own office.

"Where have you been?" Cloud demanded to know in a hushed tone, his voice tightly laced with the strongly contained emotions he was desperately trying to hide.

"I'm sorry it took so long, but Tseng and I had a lot to get through so I would be freed up for a couple of days." The red head apologised, still not daring to actually move too far into the room, or close the door, in case the agitated blonde took it as a bad sign. "I didn't mean to be gone so long, but some cases needed to be dealt with personally and I didn't want it getting in our way later." He explained calmly, hoping that his use of a soothing tone would encourage the cadet to relax a little bit as well.

Thankfully the tactic worked and Cloud did indeed start to ease up a little, his rigid posture relaxing just enough so that he settled back into his chair properly once more. The image of the blonde sitting casually in his office however didn't fool Reno for one minute, the relief such a view should have given being dismissed in a heart beat, as he noted the ever cautious look Cloud was still giving his surroundings. Carefully, and ever so slowly, Reno closed the office door and moved further into the room, his athletic form casually taking the long route round to his side of the desk so that it wouldn't draw too close to the cadet and make an already uncomfortable situation worse.

Except, in its own way, the attempt to keep things calm for the blonde didn't really help.

Tired sapphire eyes looked away in shame as Cloud realised how his growing paranoia was affecting the young Turk, could see how his behaviour was once again influencing the way someone else was acting and berated himself for being the cause of it, for putting Reno in a position where the red head clearly felt a need to keep a distance between them.

"I'm sorry." The cadet breathed softly, his head remaining turned away as he spoke. "I just don't like staying still in places I don't know. It … it gets under my skin, like an itch I can't scratch." He tried to explain without being able to make eye contact, his senses telling him that it wasn't really needed because the young Turk was undoubtedly listening intently to every word he said. "I need to feel like I have … options."

"It's ok, I get it." Reno reassured him, the gentle way he spoke making the blonde look back round and meet his friendly, though still clearly concerned turquoise eyes. "I need to know where all the exits are too."

And just like that Cloud knew he didn't need to explain it to the red head, didn't need to fluster about with words that would make him seem crazy, paranoid or pathetic as he tried to explain why he was so on edge, because Reno already understood.

One look into those sympathetic sea-green orbs was all it took for the blonde to see that the young Turk knew exactly what he was talking about without him actually having to say the words, had already guessed the reason before Cloud had even given one and that the confirmation of it had not been needed. But what made the cadet's heart skip a beat was not the knowledge that Reno knew and understood his problem, but that the red head spoke in a way which suggested he shared Cloud's feelings. The simply reply letting the blonde know that he wasn't alone in his need to be able to escape, that the nausea now rolling around inside him from not being able to move around and explore his surroundings was one that the young Turk felt too when the situation presented itself to him.

"Can we … can we get out of here?" Cloud asked uncertainly, the stifling room suddenly starting to feel almost claustrophobic now that his chance to get out of it was finally here.

"Sure, let's go." Reno replied without hesitation, the folder he'd been carrying with him quickly being thrown into a desk draw so that they could leave.

Knowing that Cloud wouldn't want someone walking behind him while he was still this unsure of his surroundings Reno led the way, his lazy stride moving easily down the corridors as he casually walked them towards the training rooms. Thankfully it only took Cloud a few minutes to work out where they were heading and he finally started to drop his defensive state, the tension within him still bubbling just beneath the surface but at least no longer as close to the breaking point as it had been reaching.

"So what did you fancy doing today?" Reno asked in an offhand way, knowing that it would be a better idea to give the cadet something else to focus on as they walked. "I fancied a bit of target practice, how about you?" He suggested in an unconcerned manor, the option now being left open for the blonde to make the decision and hopefully distract him from his current thoughts a little more quickly.

"Sounds good." Cloud replied after a few minutes of silent contemplation, his mind having debated the idea in comparison to some hand to hand combat and finding that he wasn't really in the mood for it. Or in the best physical shape either.

It was also clear to him that Reno probably wasn't comfortable trying anything too physical while he was till injured, that the almost blasé manor in which the activity had been suggested was in fact the red head's way of selecting the task without actually choosing to do it. It was quite clever really and the cadet hid a small smile as he realised that the young Turk was softening up on him even though he'd said he wouldn't the last time they spared. That Reno's statement about not babying him like Zack did, or words to that effect, were kind of going down the drain as they planned their day ahead.

Cloud decided there and then to sort out the situation and rectify that problem, because there was no way he was going to have two soft hearted people training him. And certainly not if he was as sloppy as the red head had implied after kicking his arse the day before.

"I know what you're trying to do." Cloud informed the young Turk cautiously, those intense sea-green eyes instantly coming round to look at him as he had spoken those words. The dread of what might be said next flicking briefly within the turquoise orbs before Reno quickly reined it in. "And I'm not upset at you for it." The blonde continued calmly, a trembling little smile managing to form on his lips for the red head to see and hopefully be reassured by.

"Just so that we're clear about everything, and I don't screw this up with some stupid comment, what do you think I'm trying to do?" Reno asked carefully, that tightly concealed concern slipping through just a bit more as he held Cloud's gaze.

"You're worried about hurting me more, about letting another training session get as rough as it did the other night." The cadet informed him softly, that slight upward curve of lips changing into a sad smile as he continued to speak. "And I don't blame you, especially with my arms being the way they are right now."

"The injuries you sustained last night were an accident." Reno cut in quickly, his steady pace coming to a halt so that the blonde was forced to stop walking and actually look at him as he spoke. "Yea, you mucked up and got hurt. And I should kick your cute little behind for doing it." He pointed out firmly, the stern way he spoke in fact helping Cloud to feel more at ease as he finally started to receive the anger he had been unconsciously waiting for all morning from the red head. "But I also get why you did it and I can't be mad at you for that."

"But you should be." Cloud pointed out hesitantly, his deep rooted need to feel some sort of disappointment for his actions from the young Turk pushing him to argue the point. "You should be pissed off that I ran like that, that I got hurt instead of coming to you, and that what I did is hurting Zack so much."

"I think you've got enough self-loathing going on right now to cover for the both of us. Don't you?" Reno noted with a heavy sigh, the way Cloud was obviously looking for some form of punishment or personal rejection irritating him. "And even though it bugs the hell out of me that you screwed up, I'm not going to toss you aside because of it." He added without breaking eye contact with those unbelieving big blue orbs, the shimmering sapphire spheres letting him know without a doubt that Cloud wasn't used to having his slip-ups forgiven so easily. If at all.

"Why?" The cadet asked, his pulse racing a little faster now as he started to voice the concerns flowing within him. "Why don't you hate me for what I did?"

"For a start it wouldn't achieve anything." Reno huffed, clearly annoyed by the blonde's suggestion that he would do such a thing. "And because I know you freaked out yesterday, that what you did wasn't on purpose, and if you'd been thinking straight it wouldn't have happened." He pointed out, his next words faltering slightly as he realised that they were going to come out wrong and in doing so it gave Cloud a chance to interrupt his train of thought.

"I'm … I'm ok about it, if you're angry I mean." The blonde mumbled hesitantly, that unwelcome waver of uncertainly still evident in his voice. "I didn't just let Zack down, I let you down too."

Reno growled softly at the defeated tone he heard and knew it would be pointless to keep arguing the subject, that as far as Cloud was concerned he'd screwed up and deserved to suffer for it in some way. Whatever that way might be.

"Look." Reno huffed with a slightly exaggerated sigh. "I'm not going to lie and say I'm happy about it, but at the same time I meant it when I said I understand. Just promise to try and come to me if it ever happens again."

"I …" Cloud managed before he was cut off, the look he received from the red head letting him know not to interrupt what was clearly a meaningfully speech.

"We've talked about a lot of personal stuff in the last few days and I'm not gonna get soft on you over what's been said, if that's what you're afraid of." The red head pointed out firmly, the flash of relief his saw in ocean blue eyes letting him know he was on the right path with his own thoughts concerning the way things were currently going between them. "But at the same time I'm not about to let our training to back to that level again so soon, especially with you're still hurt."

"Actually I'm kind of glad about that." The blonde cut in quickly, his lips twitching up into a flicker of a smile as his response instantly silenced the Turk's argument of what he'd clearly thought were going to be protesting words. "It's what I meant when I said I knew what you were trying to do."

"Oh, ok then." Reno mumbled, not really sure what else to say at this point.

"I don't want you going back on how we trained, on how … upfront you were with it." Cloud tried to explain, his feet shifting restlessly where he stood as he tried to justify himself. "I need that, even if it looks like I don't. I mean, I know that I freaked out and you're probably thinking the way we trained had something to do with that and it did." He admitted, watching intently as the red head now looked away in discomfort at what had been said. "But it wasn't our training that made me lose it like that. It was the things I talked about with the doctor which got me worked up, the other cadet's watching me that pushed me over the edge." He tried to rationalise, the stumbling words at least appearing to ease some of the worry in those turquoise orbs which now held his own firm gaze just as strongly. "I felt like a failure for so much and it all got mixed up inside my head."

"Which is another good reason why we should focus on some of the simpler stuff today." Reno pointed out, his tone being firm while his expression was soft and reassuring. "So that you can clear your head while you work on another area of your development."

"I guess that makes sense." Cloud agreed with a small smile. "But promise me you won't ... that you'll be honest if I'm screwing up." He demanded hesitantly, his sky blue eyes silently begging the red head to accept this condition of their training. "I need to get better if I'm going to make it into soldier, need to make sure that I'm using my head properly and not just relying on my instincts."

"Your instincts are fine so don't doubt them." Reno pointed out calmly, a tiny voice inside his own head scolding him for putting that idea in Cloud's mind. "In fact they're better than good, so make sure you do listen to them."

"But you said..." Cloud began, his voice trembling as the young Turk seemed to contradict himself in what had been said before.

"If your senses tell you to fight, run, duck, or whatever do it." Reno stated simply, his whole body leaning to one side so that the majority of his weight was now resting on one leg as he spoke. A hand on his hip helping to give the semi-formal speech he was currently giving a sense of casualness to it. "But don't lose sight of everything else around you when you do, keep your mind focused so that the two elements can work together rather than letting one take over completely."

"So thinking about it too much is bad as well." Cloud asked uncertainly, the simple question suddenly having another meaning to it as he met the red head's thoughtful gaze.

"Thinking about anything too much is bad." Reno agreed lightly, having easily picked up on the underlying question being presented to him. "If you let your head take over then your thoughts will consume you. They'll have you second guessing yourself, wasting time reassessing a situation, and probably end up getting you hurt because you didn't act quickly enough and let a good thing slip by."

"A good thing?" Cloud whispered nervously, the way he now looked humbly towards the floor showing that he clearly understood what the young Turk was talking about.

"Yea," Reno breathed softly, his hand slowly reaching out and gently giving the blonde a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. "What you and Zack have is a good thing. One I know is perfect for both of you, if you can just give it a chance."

"I am!" The cadet protested loudly, his face flushing pink with embarrassment as the words echoed off the walls of the corridor they were currently standing in. "I am." He repeated more quietly, the tone lower in volume but no less in its intensity as he spoke.

"I know you are." Reno replied calmly, his own voice softer in an attempt to sooth the wound he had indirectly caused. "But you're still letting the warring parts of your body take over and it's making you do things which end up causing more harm than good."

"What ... what do you mean?" Cloud asked, needing to know what the red head was talking about even as it made that sickening feeling begin to form once again in his stomach.

"What I mean is that sometimes your instincts kick in and you act without thinking, throwing yourself into a situation where you end up fighting, or fleeing, and always getting hurt in some way." Reno explained, a small heavy sigh between the first reason and the next giving Cloud a chance to absorb what was being said. "But when you start to think too hard about stuff you get carried away and start to second guess what is happening, your brain 'mixing stuff up' as you say and throwing your rational decision making skills out the window."

"So I ... I need to work on finding a balance." Cloud guessed thoughtfully, his sapphire orbs brightening a little as he began to make sense of what Reno was talking about. "I need to start using the two together instead of relying on one over the other."

"Exactly." The red head chuckled happily. His hand, which had not moved from Cloud's shoulder, now drifting casually across the blonde's back so that, in effect, he ended up with the cadet tucked under his arm. The long limb slung over the younger man's shoulders in a casual and friendly embrace as he turned and began to lead them towards the training rooms once more.

"But how?"

Reno couldn't help but sigh, even as he smiled warmly down at the blonde beside him, and replied in the only way he could to such a question.

"Only you can work that one out." He admitted sympathetically, his expression softening even more as Cloud practically rolled his eyes in exasperation at the answer. "But know that I'm gonna be here to help while you do. Ok?"

"Ok." The cadet sighed, his response being better than the red head could have hoped for as he appeared to accept the situation for what it was. "And thanks for ... well for everything I guess." Cloud mumbled bashfully, his pink cheeks darkening a little as he spoke, the blonde clearly not used to saying such things to the people in his life.

"No worries, it's what friends are for. Right?"

"Right." The cadet agreed softly, that small shy smile he did when he was grateful but still nervous once again visible on his angelic face.

"Come on then, let's go shoot some shit and have fun while we're doing it." Reno declared cheerfully, his jovial attitude making a blonde eye brow raise in silent question as to the current state of the red head's own sanity. "What?" The Turk asked in some sort of mini protest to the look he was now being given. "Can't a guy enjoy the simple pleasures in life?"

"Not when it involves destroying stuff so eagerly. That can't be healthy?" Cloud pointed out as they headed down the flight of stairs which would take them to the basement levels where a decent shooting gallery was set up.

"You have no idea how much we're going to have tomorrow Blondie." Reno replied dreamily, the far-to-happy look in his sea-green eyes making the cadet feel both anxious but also a little excited to know what plans were suddenly forming in the Turk's scheming mind. "Gonna have to get Cissnei on board though." Reno hummed thoughtfully, as he steered them into one of the target practice rooms and flipped a switch to let anyone who arrived after them know it was now in use. "She'd kick my arse if we played with the big stuff without her."

"Big stuff?" Cloud enquired uncertainly, his hands trembling slightly as the red head released him and went in search of weapons and ammo for them to use. "What kind of ... big stuff?" He managed to ask as a selection of guns appeared on the small table in the room, several boxes of various bullets joining them almost in the blink of an eye.

"You'll see." Reno laughed happily, the sound for some reason making the cadet smile as it stirred something inside him and chased away the nervousness with a small rush of excitement and anticipation.

After all, everyone had heard the rumours and knew about the Turk's reputation for having some pretty interesting toys to play with when they went on mission.

"Would Zack approve?" Cloud asked casually, his insides fluttering as the red head laughed openly at the question and replied with obvious amusement.

"Oh yea, he'd approve."

"What about Angeal?" The cadet enquired cautiously; almost sure he already knew the answer to this question

"What Angeal doesn't know can't hurt him." The Turk aired overly suggestively. The all too pleased smirk and easily seen gleam in Reno's eyes letting Cloud know that this was one experience he would not be sharing with the commander any time soon, if at all.

"Right." The red head declared with a bright infectious grin, his attention turning back to the task at hand. "First off I'm gonna see how well you do with something you're used to playing with." He stated simply, the cadet's eyebrows rising toward his hairline in a bizarre form of curious amusement at the red head's suggestion that they played with guns.

The look didn't go unnoticed by Reno who simply smiled even more and rolled his eyes as if to say 'you know what I mean' and then he was back to his original train of thought.

"Once I've got an idea on what you can already do I'll switch you to a couple of different models and see how well you coup with the various sizes and strengths."

"That sounds fair." Cloud agreed, his own soft lips now curved upward in a relaxed and open show of pleasure in what they were doing.

A few minutes later and both blonde and red head found themselves kitted out with a pair of strong plastic glasses to protect their eyes and a set of ear plugs wedged firmly in place, where they belonged, to help lessen the sound of potentially deafening gunfire within the specialised training room. Both stood with a solid stance and well placed footing which gave them the best balance for the weapons they were using, their sights being on the target at the end of the range as they emptied their clips and attempted to score higher than the other in some unspoken competition which had formed between them.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

By the end of the two hour session it was clear to Reno that Cloud was pretty good with a gun, that his aim was mostly accurate with a majority of the weapons, and that with a bit more practice he could become quite efficient with all of the models they had experimented with that morning. What pleased the red head most of all though was the blonde's calm and proficient use of each firearm, the way he took the time to get to know a little bit more about each one than was technically necessary so that he could handle it with the respect it was due. Or so he said.

In the young Turk's mind however he was pretty sure that the cadet just liked to know everything he could about the tools he was using, a skill which Reno wasn't about to discourage seeing as how ignorance could be deadly. He therefore took the time needed to show Cloud not only how to load the various weapons but also demonstrated how each gun could be dismantled and rebuilt, so that the blonde would have as much knowledge about each firearm as he needed to feel comfortable using it. And as he'd observed the cadet's progress Reno had felt something unfamiliar bloom within his chest as Cloud's hesitant fingers grew more confident in the way they manipulated each cold piece of metal as they became accustomed to them.

It was once they had sat down to eat a light lunch in the Turk cafeteria that the red head finally began to realise that his insides were in fact filled with a sensation of warmth and personal joy at the blonde's achievements. His own heart swelling with pride as the words which passed between them, as they reviewed the morning's training session, made him realise that the cadet had soaked up everything which had been demonstrated like a sponge. That every bit of knowledge he'd shared with Cloud had been listened to with a sort of respect he'd never thought another person could give him, and that the time and effort which had been put into making the private lesson more than it needed to be was appreciated greatly.

Needles to say it gave Reno a lot to think about as they threw their trash away and made their way out of the large dinning room, his head and heart now in silent conflict over Tseng's words of mentorship and the benefits it could bring. The ones he was now feeling as he supported Cloud, as he mentored the cadet through his training, making something pulse in delight within him. The thought of being able to feel something like this on a more permanent basis starting to swing his thoughts towards another, more positive, direction of the Turk's apprenticeship programme.