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Aftermath	By : Sterling Category: Final Fantasy Anime > Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children Views: 1239 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Author's Note: I want quickly remind readers that this is more of a Shonen-Ai love story than a plain ol' PWP smut story, so please be patient for the good stuff. Yes, there will be smut, it just takes longer to get there than it might in any given one-shot. ~_^;

Thank you to...
- Youkofox, for your beta help, and your review.
- Overdose Delusion, for your review. Cloud/Reno is one of my all time favs, too.
- [Acorn-ail], for your review. Hope this update was soon enough for ya.
- Iggy Lovechild, for your review, and your various and sundry viewpoints. Always a pleasure. ^^

Reviews are indefinitely appreciated! Also, I like receiving email, so feel free to drop me a line. Flames shall burn in hell, and will be deleted.

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Chapter 2: Lingering

Cloud glanced over at the corner where Rude was playing pool. He watched the bald Turk aim at something on the table, and take a shot. He was too far away to see if the ball went into the pocket, but it looked like it did as far as he could tell. Rude's expression remained serious and unchanged as he setup for his next shot.

"He doesn"t look like he's doing too bad," Cloud said. "Besides, you gave him money."

"Perceptive," Reno said, grinning as Cloud took the beer from his hand.

"I guess I don't need to be anywhere in particular," Cloud said.

Reno tilted his head toward the pool tables and waved his index finger at Cloud suggesting that the blond follow him. Cloud hesitated for a second, and looked down at the beer in his hand. He supposed it couldn't hurt to hang out with the Turks for a night. Maybe he could brush up on his pool skills; he really hadn't had time to play lately. And, Tifa wouldn't be worried about him. She knew where he was.

Rude glanced up as both men approached. He looked warily at Reno, giving him a warning glance, as he chalked his pool cue silently. Cloud noticed Rude's jaw clench for a brief second.

"Don't worry, man. I'm not gonna distract you like last time," Reno said loudly over the music.

Rude lowered his sunglasses and made sure he caught Reno's gaze, disbelief showing plainly on his face. Shaking his head, Rude turned his back on his partner.

"What did you do to him?" Cloud said. The Turk shrugged, and raised his bottle.

"He blames me for a certain game where he lost a certain large amount of his gil. Apparently, I was distracting him. Besides, that was like last week, yo."

Cloud stifled an amused smile. He could vividly imagine Reno being a distraction during a serious game, and Rude unable to ignore him. As it was, Cloud himself couldn't seem to ignore the red-head, despite his best efforts.

"To the gil I haven't lost yet," Reno said, tapping his beer bottle against Cloud's.

The dance floor was filling up steadily, and Cloud noticed that the lights had been dimmed again. It was fairly dark in the club, and the music was thumping a steady rhythm throughout the room. The area with the pool tables had one wall separating it from the dance floor, and adequate lights hung over each table. The music was a little quieter near the pool tables than if he had been out in the middle of the room. But it was still a little hard to hear Reno's voice over all of the commotion.

He tasted his beer, and closed his eyes, trying to relax. Not that drinking did him much good. Ever since he had escaped Hojo's experiments, he had been having a really difficult time getting drunk. No matter how much he consumed, he could never seem to tie on more than a light tipsy feeling. No hangovers and no memory lapses.

He supposed this was a good thing now, but he used to lament his inability to get drunk nearly every day before his Geostigma had been cured. Old habits being hard to break, he found himself thinking about his tolerance again, and he realized that he hadn't even started to feel any effects from the beer he'd been drinking tonight.

Cloud was alternating between staring at Reno's wild hair-do and the tip of Rude's pool cue, wondering how seriously either of them really took him. They probably didn't know anything about his alcohol tolerance level. Not that it should matter to either of them, but Reno did seem to be putting a lot of effort into getting him drunk. Cloud settled down onto a padded stool to watch the rest of Rude's game.

Rude was definitely not bad at pool. Cloud's brow furrowed, as he realized Reno must have been messing with him earlier. Just saying stuff to him, trying to get him to stay at the club. He stole a glance at Reno, who was concentrating on the game, and sitting on his hands, trying really hard not to get in Rude's way. Why would the red-head want him to stay so much? Maybe he didn't have many friends. Cloud could certainly relate to that.

Reno cheered aloud as Rude sunk the eight ball to win an important match. Rude's opponent reached out and shook his hand, and then pushed her money toward him. She walked away proudly, despite her loss.

"Who's next, yo?" Reno said loudly to those standing around observing. Most everyone backed up a step, content to be observers. Finally, one man stepped forward and placed a thick stack of money on the table. He adjusted his expensively tailored brown suit, and stood back quietly waiting for a response from Rude.

Rude picked up the money, to count it. He stopped to silently consider the proposition, and then nodded to the man standing before him. He placed the money back on the table and added his own cash to a separate pile. He stood by watching closely as his opponent counted his money and nodded in return.

Reno moved closer to Cloud, as Rude's new opponent racked and readied the table. Reno gestured for the blond to lean his ear closer to him.

"I'm tired of yellin' over the music," Reno said, speaking in close proximity to Cloud's ear. "That dude works for a local crime boss. His name's Razor." Cloud's brow wrinkled in thought, as Reno continued. "Seems to be a lot of those guys here tonight. I'm not sure why they're here, but we'll gladly take their money."

Reno's breath was warm on Cloud's neck, and his words vibrated strangely in his ear. The Turk was awfully close to him. Close enough that Cloud could smell his cologne and could almost identify it. He smelled cleaner than he looked. Cloud expected Reno to back off, but instead he just kept talking.

"You ever seen him before?"

"No," Cloud said.

"I've seen him a couple times. I think Rude can take him."

"Keeping tabs on them?"

"Maybe," Reno said, shrugging in a non-committal way.

Cloud leaned back, putting some distance between both of them. Reno's closeness was making him uncomfortable, even if it made more sense to speak in close proximity than to yell loudly at each other over the music. It was easier to just move away from him than think about why the Turk's close presence was making him so unsettled. Reno raised an eyebrow at Cloud, and looked at him questioningly. He moved in close again to speak.

"Am I makin' you uneasy?" Reno said, reading Cloud's minimal expression flawlessly. A leering smile played up on his lips, and his eyes glinted with the satisfaction of knowing that he had correctly pointed out Cloud's mild distress. Reno breathed deliberately down Cloud's neck as he spoke, causing Cloud's skin to crawl with chills.

Shocked that Reno had read him so easily, and disturbed by the Turk's warm breath on his skin, Cloud blinked in surprise and got off the stool to try and put more distance between them. He took a step away from the red-head casually, trying not to make a big deal out of it.

Reno took the same step, and stayed right next to him. He looked like he was enjoying the little game Cloud was playing with him.

"Wanna dance?"

"What?" Cloud said, in disbelief. His posture stiffened and he narrowed his eyes disapprovingly. Speaking so only the red-head could hear him, he allowed himself to speak closely to the Turk�s ear. "Dance?"

"Sure."

"Seriously?" Cloud said. His voice had become more forceful, and his expression more angered.

Reno jerked back suddenly, as he seemed to detect the sudden change in the blond. Cloud was pretty sure he saw a flash of disappointment enter into the red-head's bright blue eyes as he composed himself enough to answer the question.

"Nah, just messing with you," Reno said, completely backing off. He lifted his chin, and nodded toward the bar. "Need anything?"

"No," Cloud said, shaking his head.

He watched Reno swagger over to the bar, his surprise still lingering in the air. What a strange question: of course he didn't want to dance. He'd never danced at a club in his life, and wasn't about to start now. Yet, he felt some regret he couldn't quite process. Maybe it wouldn't have been such a weird question, if he actually knew how to dance. Or was it just weird that it was Reno who asked him?

He glanced at the dance floor, and this time studied the crowd more carefully. There, he saw mostly women, but there were a few men. Some of the men appeared to be friends, and were having a good time: drinking, talking, laughing. Then the realization hit him. He wanted to dance. More than anything, he wanted to just let go and have some fun. Yet, he was holding back for a reason he couldn't quite identify.

Cloud suddenly wished that he had said yes, but the moment had passed. It was too late to change his mind. He might have enjoyed the experience, even if he had no idea what to do when he got out there. Not to mention, Reno probably wouldn't bother asking him again because of the way he'd overreacted. Cloud tried to push the negative thoughts from his mind without much success.

Rude hovered nearby, casting a slight shadow over him. Cloud looked up, trying to see the taller man's face in the semi-darkness. Rude had just won his first game against Razor, and both men were taking a short break. Cloud blinked, trying to clear some fuzziness from his mind; how long had he been thinking about all this?

"He doesn't mean any harm," Rude said simply, jerking a thumb toward Reno. "You get used to it."

Rude stretched his arms and back, re-chalked his cue, and went back to his game. Cloud stared at the Turk's back for a moment, wondering what exactly Reno's partner was implying.

Cloud glanced over his shoulder, looking for Reno. He saw the red-head at the bar, waiting for his order. After a few minutes the bartender returned to him, and Cloud watched Reno quickly down three shots; what was in those glasses, he couldn't venture to guess. Reno put some money on the bar, lifted two beer bottles, looked up and saw Cloud watching him. He waved, a smile returning to his lips as he made his way back over to the pool tables.

He offered one of the bottles to Cloud, who took it quicker than he had the others handed to him earlier. The beer was going down smoothly now, and he was enjoying the taste, even if he was a little embarrassed that the Turk was buying so many for him.

"You should let me get the next round," Cloud said.

�Strife, don�t worry about it.�

A short silence passed between the two men, as they both suddenly had nothing to say to each other. Cloud glanced over at the crowd on the dance floor, staring wistfully. Try as he might, he had never really been good at releasing guilt and regret, and apparently this wasn�t his night to improve on that skill. He kept wishing that he could just loosen up. Maybe he could be more like normal people if he tried a little harder. Unbeknownst to him, his expression became serious, reflecting his inner turmoil. It was that moment that Reno caught his gaze.

�I�m sorry Reno�� Cloud started to say, prompted by the eye-contact.

�Huh?�

��it�s just that I can�t dance.�

Reno laughed, and held his newly opened bottle out toward Cloud. �To Cloud�s shameless honesty.� Cloud reluctantly clinked his bottle against Reno�s, not really sure what to make of such a toast.

�It doesn�t really take talent. Not the way those guys move around out there, anyway.�

�Yeah, right,� Cloud said.

�C�mon, it�s easy. I could show you, if you want.�

Cloud hesitated, unable to affirm whether or not he wanted to learn anything about dancing, despite his earlier regret. Losing his nerve, he was just about to decline again, when Reno stood up.

�Watch this.�

The red-head took another swig of his beer, and started walking toward the dance floor. As soon as he reached the crowd, a playful bounce entered his step, keeping perfect time with the beat pulsing through the room. His red ponytail bounced with him, whipping around behind his back. Almost immediately, he made eye contact with an pretty brunette, and smiled at her. She smiled back, and moved over, making room for him to join her circle of friends.

Reno leaned in to say something to her; Cloud couldn�t be sure what. But whatever the Turk had said to her, she seemed utterly delighted that he�d said it. She laughed, covering her mouth with one hand, and the other landed playfully on Reno�s tailored shoulder. Reno blended well with the crowd, sliding his feet back and forth rhythmically in time to the music. The brunette and her friends spoke to him occasionally, some moving in for a closer dance, even though Cloud thought the music seemed more appropriate for an exercise workout than an intimate dance. Reno shot Cloud an exaggerated wink, expertly timing it so that only Cloud saw it.

Cloud smiled. It was a miniscule smile, one that most people wouldn�t even have noticed, but it was there. He reached up and traced his lips with his fingernails. He was enjoying Reno�s company, more than he had thought he would.

There was something about the man he liked. No matter what his past had been like, the red-head seemed to fully allow himself to enjoy life. That seemed amazing, considering what Turks were often required to do on a daily basis. The lines of right and wrong blurred for Cloud, as he considered that he and Reno had a lot in common regardless of what side they happened to be on that day. And even though he�d been a jerk, and wouldn�t join in on the fun, Reno hadn�t given up on him.

A happy feeling warmed Cloud�s chest. It was almost the same feeling he got when Vincent sat by listening to him, or when Tifa asked him if he was alright. It was sort of like� friendship.

Lost in his thoughts, Cloud watched Reno dance through at least three more songs, until the Turk disappeared from view, lost within the crowd of bodies. He sighed. He could never do what he�d just seen Reno do. For one, his sword and harness made that nearly impossible: he might knock someone out with it. Second, even though his heart could feel the beat echoing through the room, he wasn�t completely convinced that his feet could feel it. So much for allowing himself to let go and have some fun.

�Where�d he go?� Rude said. He held up a stack of money in his right hand, and pressed his lips together in a calculated smile, as he added to the bulk of his money clip. He deliberately flashed it so that Cloud could get a good look at his impressive winnings, then he placed the cash in his breast pocket and zipped his suit jacket up protectively.

�Out there,� Cloud said, pointing to the dance floor. �Did you win?�

�Of course,� Rude said. �Those guys ain�t a challenge.�

Rude glanced around the room. His gaze stopped when he looked back at Cloud, who was very obviously looking like he wanted to join the party.

�You oughta lose the sword.�

Unable to answer right away, Cloud suddenly felt like nothing either Turk could say would surprise him the rest of the night. Both of them were reading him like an open book. He wished that he could see the taller man�s eyes through his dark lenses, so that he could tell when Rude was looking at him.

�Yeah, right. I don�t have a place to put it.�

�That can be arranged,� Rude said. �Follow me.�

Cloud finished his beer, putting the empty bottle on the table. He reluctantly shadowed behind the bald Turk. After a few more steps, they both stopped before a dimly lit door in the back of the club. A lone bouncer stood there guarding the door. He took one look at Rude, and held his hand out.

�I.D. please.�

Rude took a step toward the bouncer, towering over him in height, bulk, and determination. The club employee thought better of his request, and stepped aside, allowing Rude access to the door behind him. When he saw Cloud, he stepped up again to ask for identification, but was stopped by Rude�s dangerous-looking fist, as he pointed a thumb toward the smaller blond.

�He�s with me,� Rude said.

Rude opened the door. Plush silver carpeted stairs lined with fancy tear-shaped runner lights led up a straight hallway. Both men climbed the stairs, until they arrived at another door. As they stepped inside, Rude flicked on the lights.

�Shinra�s finest,� Rude said with a subtle smirk.

Cloud looked around, and his clear blue eyes widened in amazement. It was some sort of V.I.P. room, furnished richly with some of the finest decorations and furniture he had ever seen. His eyes were first drawn to a striking portrait of Rufus Shinra on the wall, then to a large glass window spanning nearly the entire length of the room. He moved close to the window, and looked down. From his vantage point, he could see the entire dance floor, the pool tables, and the bar. He took a sharp breath as he realized that he was scanning the room for Reno. Quickly, he turned around to see what Rude was doing.

Rude had crossed silently to the private bar in the corner, and was pouring himself a scotch on the rocks. It seemed that Shinra�s private bar only stocked hard liquor, and they even had their own ice machine.

Rude took a small sip of his drink, slowly savoring the taste. He noticed Cloud watching him, and pointed to the wall behind him. There, against the wall, was a sizable weapon and armor rack. It was empty, probably because no one had used this room recently. Cloud stood there pondering whether or not he really wanted to remove his sword. Before he could decide, the main door burst open, and Reno stumbled inside.

He noticed Cloud staring at the weapon rack, and smiled broadly. �Strife, I thought you left, yo.�

�Not yet,� Cloud said.

Rude was holding his glass up, contemplating a second sip, when Reno�s slender hand reached up and grabbed the drink from him. He downed the rest of the scotch in two gulps, and crunched a piece of ice loudly before handing the glass back to Rude.

�Thanks, partner,� Reno said.

Rude scowled, and glared angrily at Reno. A sound escaped him that sounded like a combination of a grunt and a cough. He gestured with his empty glass in Cloud�s direction, rattling the ice for attention. It looked like Reno was getting under Rude�s skin tonight for whatever reason.

�Your sword,� Rude said.

�Oh, yeah,� Cloud said. Making a snap decision, he took his harness and sword off, and hung both on the weapon and armor racks. Something about the look on Rude�s face made him want to cooperate; it seemed like the man wanted some downtime, and he wanted to be alone. Cloud figured that Rude saw him as his ticket to a much needed break from his partner, even if it was only for a couple hours.

Reno paced around casually in front of Rude, a curious expression on his face. �How�d you know about the V.I.P. room? You�ve never been here before.�

Rude shrugged, digging into his suit jacket. He looked forlornly at his empty glass while Reno continued to talk.

�I mean, I found it easy enough, so I guess you would, too. We got rooms at every club, pretty much,� Reno said, talking more to himself than to anyone else. �Well, whatever.�

Rude pulled his money clip out, and stripped a few bills from the outside of the fold. He held them out in Reno�s direction, and sat down on the white leather couch.

Reno plucked the money from Rude�s hand with his thumb and index fingers. His eyes seemed to quickly count and calculate his profits.

�At every club?� Cloud said.

�Yeah. I mean, Shinra does. We just get to use them.�

�For what?�

�Well,� Reno considered Cloud�s question. �For private parties, you know.� Reno raised his eyebrows suggestively at the blond, tilting his head toward a fancy four-poster bed against the far wall. �And you can�t beat the view. You can even see the bar from up here.�

Cloud�s brow furrowed mildly and he considered what sort of parties Shinra and the Turks usually hosted. He could picture Rufus, finely groomed and dressed, surrounded by various good looking men and women, all wanting to be the one receiving the President�s attention. Cloud blinked, realizing that his imagination was quite able when he allowed it to be. As he started to consider Reno in the same position, his face flushed warmly, making him uncomfortable. Trying to clear the thoughts out of his mind, he changed the subject.

�Speaking of which,� Cloud said. �I could use another beer.�

�Me, too. Let�s go,� Reno said.

�Have fun,� Rude said, still gripping his glass tightly.

Clearly intoxicated, Reno draped his arm across Cloud�s shoulders and grinned, walking with him back down the stairs. Cloud took a deep breath to calm himself. His urge to push Reno�s arm off his shoulder had almost been overwhelming, but with a few focused breaths, he had managed to stifle the reaction. Had he reacted that way because he had actually liked the gesture?

Cloud set his gaze straight ahead as he heard Rude close the door behind them. He knew he was probably on his own with Reno for the rest of the night. The thought made him nervous and excited at the same time; he might get the chance to loosen up a little, and could even end up with a new friend if he played his cards right.

�My turn to buy. What do you want?�

�Whatever you wanna get for me, yo.�

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A/N: If you made it this far, please please rate & review. Thank you! ^_^
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Aftermath