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Meet the folks	By : Cynthia Category: Final Fantasy VII > Threesomes/Moresomes Views: 1293 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all characters therin belong to Square/Enix. I make no profit from the writing of this fanfiction and it is for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
“Meet the folks”
Part three
(An “Alliance” universe mini-fic)
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(Warning: Possible spoilers for all FF7 game/movie titles)
*Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all related characters belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.*
~***********************************************~

The next day, early afternoon:
"I can't believe I'm doing this shit," Reno grumbled to himself as he gave his company vehicle a tune-up that it didn't really need. "I should scat while the scatting is good, not hang around waiting for Wolfy's folks to show up so I can try to impress them."
According to his info, the Fairs were country folk. It was Reno's experience that country folk didn't think much of city folk, and vice-versa. He was a city boy through and through, and even when he wasn't impulsively cussing, his mouth tended to run away with him. It was going to be a challenge to keep from saying or doing the wrong thing in front of Zack's parents. He finished tuning the engine and he wiped his hands off on the rag hanging from his jeans. He checked his watch and sighed.
"Probably too late to skip out now," he reasoned. The Fairs were due any time, now. Deciding he needed to calm his nerves, Reno got out a clove and walked out of the garage to light it up. He lowered his shades as he stepped outside and he took a deep, slow drag of the spiced cigarette between his fingers. He saw Cloud in the distant chocobo paddock, filling the bird trough with fresh feed. The blond wore jeans for a change, and a dark green muscle shirt with a beer logo on it. He noticed Reno watching him and he waved, giving him one of the quiet little smiles he seemed to reserve only for the people he was closest to. Reno couldn't resist smiling back as he returned the wave. To think, not that long ago, he never would have gotten a smile like that from the blond.
Reno heard the sound of approaching helicopters and his grin faded as dread took over. He looked in the direction of the mountains where it was coming from and sure enough, he could see an aircraft cresting the horizon. From inside the house, Zack must have heard it too, because he came out on the porch with a mop still in his hand, and he shaded his eyes with his free hand to investigate.
Keeping an eye on the ShinRa chopper approaching, Reno puffed his clove like a locomotive, smoking it down to the filter before he even realized it. He grimaced when he got the taste of burnt filter in his mouth and he looked at the stub of cigarette between his fingers. He put it out hastily and placed the remains in the little butt container he kept on him, before going back into the garage. He lifted the hood of his car again and obsessively inspected the engine, though it couldn't get any more fine-tuned than it already was.
~*****************************~

"Mom! Dad!" Zack jogged over to the helicopter as his parents got out with Rude's assistance. Inside the bird, Tseng was shutting the engine down and communicating with someone over the transmitter. Zack hugged his mother close and she chuckled, patting his back.
"Hi, Son," greeted Mr. Fair, his hazel eyes sweeping over him. "Looks like you got yourself a summer tan, there."
"I've been doing a lot of work outside, Pops," Zack answered as he released his mother to give his father the same treatment. "Cloud and I made some pretty radical changes around here, this year."
"I can see that," said Mrs. Fair as she looked around. "Oh! You have chocobos, now! Hello, dear!" She waved at Cloud, who had just finished trimming the animal's claws. He waved back and left the paddock to join them.
"Hi, Mr. And Mrs. Fair," greeted Cloud politely as he approached, pitching his voice to be heard over the slowing engine of the chopper. "I hope the flight was okay."
"It was fine," assured Mr. Fair. "Though the wife got a little airsick, partway through."
"I'm not used to flying," confessed Mrs. Fair. Her blue eyes smiled at Cloud. "And I want you to call me 'Mama Fair', understand? We're family, now."
Cloud lowered his gaze bashfully and nodded. "Sure…Mama Fair."
"Oh, just call me 'Mama'," she revised. "Or 'Mom'. Come here so I can hug you."
Blushing, Cloud obeyed and Zack chuckled as his mother doted on the blond. "Where's Red at, Sunshine?"
Cloud pointed at the garage.
"Hmph…I thought he was already done in there. Let's go introduce him to the folks."
~*****************************~

Mrs. Fair wasn't quite sure what to make of Zack and Cloud's friend when they joined him in the garage. He was a handsome fellow to be sure, with his cinnamon-red hair, pretty blue-green eyes and sculpted, fair features. He had a pair of protective goggles propped on his forehead, and a pair of shades peeked out of the breast pocket of his shirt. He smelled like a combination of cloves and cinnamon—oddly fitting to his looks. The strange red crescent tattoos slashing over his cheekbones gave her pause. She'd heard of gang members tattooing themselves and she knew he was a member of the Turks.
"Reno, meet my parents," Zack introduced. "Mom, Dad, this is our buddy Reno. He's staying with us while he's on vacation from work."
Reno started to stick his hand out, realized it was covered in grease and hastily withdrew it. "Shit…I mean hi. Nice to meet ya. Sorry about the mess in Gongaga." He wiped his hands on the rag he kept on his person.
"Well, as long as they're trying to clean up the damage from the reactor," Mr. Fair remarked. "I guess we can put up with it. So you fought with our boy against those Deepdirt people, eh?"
"Deepground, Pops," corrected Zack with a grin, "and he sure did. He saved my life, too."
Reno shrugged. "You saved mine first, yo. I had to look out for ya, after that."
"Don't be modest," Zack insisted. "I was out of my head and if it weren't for you, I would have probably charged out to join a wolf pack and ended up freezing to death."
Something passed between the two young men and Reno smirked. "Yeah, well…couldn't let ya do that, could I?" The redhead looked at Mr. And Mrs. Fair again, uncomfortably. "He's a good guy, your son."
"We're very proud of him," enthused Mrs. Fair with an adoring look up at her Soldier son. "And of you too, dear," she added with a smile for Cloud.
"General Strife," agreed Mr. Fair with a chuckle. "That ought to make you feel pretty good, son."
Cloud lowered his gaze and smiled. "It's just a title."
"He loves it, don't let him fool you." Zack winked at his suddenly blushing, blond lover. "Come on, let's get your bags and get you settled in. I can't wait for you to see what we've done with the house."
~*********************************~

Zack's parents approved of what he and Cloud had done with the house. They spent the afternoon getting caught up, and they had barbeque for dinner. Mr. Fair helped with the grilling and Mrs. Fair insisted on preparing dessert.
"I haven't forgotten how much you love my ginger snaps," she told her son with a grin. "I happen to have brought all the ingredients with me in this bag. It's been too long since I've made my boy his favorite dessert."
Zack smiled and helped her retrieve the containers and jars from the bag, setting them out on the counter island for her. He leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Mom. Make yourself at home. Our kitchen is your kitchen."
"Then get out of my kitchen, and let me get started."
Zack laughed at her fondly and he ushered Cloud out the archway prudently. "Come on, Spike; she's a real sweet lady until you get in her way in the kitchen. We'd best not push it."
"Oh, not you, dear," she admonished when Reno started to leave with his companions. "I could use a baking assistant, if you don't mind. Zack, why don't you and Cloud go and see if you can help your father while Reno and I handle this in here?"
"Sure thing, Mom," agreed Zack. "Come on, Cloud. Let's do as the lady says."
Reno gave them both a barely concealed look of panic and Cloud hesitated long enough to give him an encouraging nod, before leaving with Zack. Now alone with Mrs. Fair, Reno forced a smile for her and gulped back his uncertainty, schooling his face into a mask of false casualty.
"So, what do ya need me to do, Mrs. Fair?"
She cracked a couple of eggs into a bowl and handed it to him, along with a whisk. "You can start by beating these, while I get the spices ready. Do you like gingerbread cookies, Reno?"
He nodded and obligingly began to whisk the eggs for her. "Sure do. I've never had any made from scratch, though."
"Then you're in for a treat," she informed him, smiling. "Even if I do say so myself. Tell me about yourself, Reno. What sort of work does your department do, these days?"
He read the hidden meaning behind the question and he kept his tone level. "Things have changed a lot. Most of it involves investigating safety hazards with the WRO and cleaning them up."
"And the rest?" Her gently rounded features regarded him with a sort of honest curiosity generally not found on the faces of city dwellers. Her blue eyes blinked and her expression changed to one of slight mortification. She tucked a chestnut strand of hair back into place that had come loose from her bun. "I'm sorry dear, I suppose it's really not my place to ask."
He found himself unable to be annoyed with her. "Nah, it's all right. We Turks have a bad rep...I get that. You just don't want your son getting mixed up with the wrong crowd."
"It's a mother's burden," she sighed, "But I understand enough about big city corporations and government agencies to know you can't rightly tell me all the details."
"No Ma'am, I can't," he agreed as he rapidly whisked the eggs, "but I won't lie to you, either. Turks get violent when we have to, just like SOLDIER and the WRO. Most of the shady stuff is over with now, but I'm not going to try to convince you we're heroes. If it's any comfort to ya, guys like Zack and Cloud are my allies. Anyone messes with them, they mess with the Turks. That's a promise."
She nodded in understanding, and some of her tension seemed to fade. "Then I'd best be thankful the boys have such a loyal friend, and not worry about the rest."
Reno didn't know what to say to that, so he kept on whisking.
"Do you have any tales of adventure you can share?" persisted Mrs. Fair as she mixed some molasses with some cinnamon. "Is it anything like those mafia shows on TV, dear?"
Reno grinned. "Sometimes it can be. I guess I could tell you a story or two."
~*********************************~

When Zack came in to check on things and see if his mother needed any extra help, he overheard part of the conversation and his jaw dropped. He stood there staring at Reno as the Turk described a shoot-out between his people and the original AVALANCHE members, while his mother listened with rapt attention.
"So Rod copped it right in the butt," Reno was saying between chuckles, "and he was yelling at the top of his lungs. Tseng just stepped right over him and kept shooting, casual as can be."
Mrs. Fair looked as though she wanted to laugh, but was too sweet-natured to do so at another's pain. "Doesn't your boss care if his people get hurt?"
"Oh yeah," assured Reno. "He just doesn't let it get in the way, ya know? Tseng's motto is 'take care of business first, and then lick your wounds'. He got medical attention for him right away, once he finished off the threat. Me and Rude were boxed in at first, so it was pretty much up to Tseng to cover our associate."
"He sounds like a real scrapper," observed Mrs. Fair.
Reno nodded. "Yeah, but he doesn't advertise it. He's one of the calmest guys I know, 'till someone crosses him."
Zack gathered his wits enough to make a sound, then. He meant to clear his throat, but it came out as a half-growl. When Reno and his mother looked at him, he nodded toward the archway leading out of the kitchen and held the Turk's gaze.
"Hey Reno, can I snag you for a second?"
"Sure." Reno put down the baking tin he was holding and joined Zack in the hallway. "What's up?"
Ordinarily not one to be harsh with his loved ones, Zack reminded himself that Reno grew up in a very different world from him. He took a breath to calm his annoyance before speaking. "Look man, I'm sure Mom's been asking you questions, but I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't give her a recount of all the kneecaps you've blown off."
Reno's brows went up. "She's a grown woman, and it's not like I'm describing guts and brains flying everywhere. She just wanted to know a little more about what it's like to work the kind of job I do. I'm not telling her anything confidential. Hell, I'm not even cussing!"
"Still, Mom's lived a pretty sheltered life," insisted Zack. "I just don't want you getting too...open...about it all."
"But you want to tell her what's really going on between the three of us." Reno whispered the reminder, beginning to look annoyed himself. "You think a story about people shooting at each other is going to traumatize her more than—"
"Okay, okay," Zack hastily interrupted, before Reno could get colorful with his language. He definitely didn't want his mother to find out the through by overhearing one of the Turk's crude descriptions of the things they did together. "You don't need to go there."
Reno sighed and scuffed the polished wooden floor with his shoes, sticking his hands into his pockets as he leaned against the hallway wall. "What was I supposed to do, Fair? She asked, and she called me 'dear'. Made me think of my own Ma. She's a nice lady, yo."
Zack's aggravation faded, quickly replaced with sympathy. He reached out and patted Reno's shoulder, softening his expression. "You know what? Go ahead and tell her all the stories you want, bud. Just keep it PG-13, okay?"
Reno smiled crookedly and nodded. "You got it."
~*******************************~

After dinner, they sat down to a movie and a game of cards before Zack's parents retired for the evening. Mrs. Fair gave her son and Cloud both a kiss on the cheek goodnight, before giving Reno a more reserved but motherly pat on the shoulder. Cloud nearly choked on his juice when Reno got flustered in response and bid her an awkward goodnight in return. When the older couple were safely up the stairs and out of hearing range, Cloud sat down next to Reno on the loveseat and gave him a silent, inquisitive look. Zack was too busy putting away the cards to notice the redhead's reaction.
"What?" demanded Reno, pointedly avoiding Cloud's gaze as he sucked on his cocktail.
"You blushed."
The Turk grimaced. "You're seeing things, man."
"I'm pretty sure I'm not." Cloud smiled softly at him. "I know it's not attraction, if that's what you're worried about. So what is it?"
Reno shrugged. "It's just nice to be around a mother like that again. I miss it, sometimes. I don't want to disrespect the lady."
Understanding, Cloud nodded. "You're doing fine. She obviously likes you."
Zack finished putting the cards away and he overheard. "Yeah, Mom likes you, Red. Don't sweat it."
Reno smiled a little with pleasure, but then he sobered. "I'm not too sure about your old man, though. He ain't exactly an open book."
"Tell me about it," sighed Zack. "When I did something bad growing up, I could never tell whether I was going to get a switch or time out in the corner, until he was good and ready to let me know."
"I'll bet it still didn't keep you from misbehaving," guessed Cloud with a smirk.
"Nope. I was hard-headed," agreed Zack. He glanced toward the living room exit, before considering Reno thoughtfully and taking a seat in the armchair next to the loveseat. He put his hands on his knees and leaned toward his companions, speaking in a low voice.
"The offer's still open to join us in our room, Reno."
The Turk looked a little uncomfortable with that. "I dunno, man. Seems risky."
Knowing that Reno wasn't generally one for playing it safe, Cloud empathized with his ambiguity. They would have to be very careful not to get too loud, if they did anything together in the house while the Fairs were there. "We don't have to fool around," he compromised. "You could just sleep with us, you know."
Reno sighed, looking from one swordsman to the other. "When have I ever been able to 'just sleep' with you two, Blondie? You know I can't keep my hands to myself."
"We'll deal with that," insisted Cloud, holding back a smile. "Just come to our room when you're ready for bed, okay?"
"Mom and Pop are early risers," Zack said with a nod. "They'll already be up and downstairs having breakfast, by the time you get up. You can come out without worrying about them seeing you."
Reno's uncertainty was overruled by temptation. "All right, you've talked me into it."
~*****************************~

This wasn't exactly what he had in mind, but it went against Reno's nature to complain about kinky cuff usage. He put up token resistance at first when his lovers ambushed him in the bed and started securing his wrists to the headboard. Cloud muffled his complaints with kisses, while Zack overpowered him and secured the restraints. Reno ended up with both wrists cuffed over his head and his borrowed pajama pants riding up his calves.
"So where'd you get the cuffs?" questioned the Turk breathlessly after losing the battle. "You two holding out on me?"
"You left a couple pairs behind, the last time you visited," answered Cloud between kisses.
Reno grinned. "Knew you had a bondage kink in there somewhere, Strife."
Cloud shrugged, his mouth tracing a seductive path over Reno's jaw and throat. "You said you can't keep your hands to yourself, so we're improvising."
Reno squirmed as Zack fondled his nipples to hardness and grinned down at him. "So you cuff me to put a stop to that and then you feel me up? What the hell kind of logic is that?"
"The fun kind," Zack chuckled. He leaned over Reno and closed in on him to nibble his ear, while Cloud continued licking, kissing and nipping at his throat and shoulder. Zack kept teasing his nipples and Cloud began to stroke his belly, steadily making his way down.
"I thought you didn't want to fool around," reminded Reno against his better judgment. His crotch started to tent and his libido warned him to shut the hell up and roll with it.
"I said we didn't have to," corrected Cloud. His fingers loosened the drawstrings of Reno's pajama pants. "I didn't say I wouldn't."
Even now, Cloud could surprise him. Of course, he'd always been decisive with his actions. It was when he tried to talk about these things that he typically faltered. His lips were confident and satiny against Reno's skin as they caressed and kissed, and his hand burrowed deftly into the Turk's pants. Reno started to groan at the combination of sensations, and it grew in volume when Cloud's hand gripped his cock in a firm hold and began to stroke it. Zack quickly covered Reno's mouth with a kiss as the exclamations of pleasure intensified.
"Shh," remonstrated Cloud in the Turk's ear, his lips smiling against the curve of it. "We'll have to stop if you can't keep it down, Reno."
"Mmph," came the redhead's distorted response. Zack's tongue delved into his mouth and danced against his, thrusting and curling in that special way of his that both seduced and dominated at once. Reno's hips lifted eagerly to thrust his taut sex into Cloud's deftly stroking hand, and his breath huffed out through his nostrils. Zack kept kissing him as he gently pinched and rubbed his nipples, making tingles shoot through his body.
Had Reno's mouth been free to speak, he would have begun demanding that someone bring the lube and get ready to fuck him, but his companions weren't letting him get a word in edgewise. His ankles were free, but he really didn't feel like fighting this and he squirmed fitfully, pumping into Cloud's touch. He flicked his tongue against Zack's invitingly, unable to stop the needy whimpers from vibrating in his throat. Zack's kisses kept them muffled enough to prevent them from carrying beyond the bedroom, however.
Their attentions soon had him writhing with pleasure and panting heavily. They were very good—having come to know him in their time as his sexual partners. Zack knew just when to put more pressure behind the kiss and muffle the cries before they escaped, and Cloud tugged the captive redhead's pants down and started to suck him off with that mind-blowing expertise of his. Zack covered his mouth with a hand and winked at him, before kissing his way down his neck to his chest. His lips and tongue replaced his fingers in teasing Reno's nipples and soon, the wet pleasure of two hot mouths were taking him straight to heaven.
"Omph goffs," moaned Reno behind Zack's muffling hand, his eyes rolling back. He muttered an unintelligible curse after that, his back arching and his hands clenching into fists. Cloud began to swallow the length of his arousal as it tightened up, and he massaged his balls as Reno's pelvis lifted off the mattress again.
It came on him like a brushfire, sweeping through his body from head to toe. Reno shuddered and deposited his load down Cloud's throat, and Zack took his hand off his mouth to replace it with his lips as the climax ravaged the Turk. Cloud kept swallowing until the last of the spasms ended, leaving Reno shaken and helpless on the bed. He released his softening cock and stretched out beside him, watching his flushed face with intrigued blue eyes.
"Think you can sleep now?" murmured Cloud.
Reno opened his eyes and stared up at him, gasping for breath as Zack released his mouth. He nodded. "Like a baby, yo."
Zack procured the key to the cuff from the bedside stand and he freed Reno's wrists. He lay down beside the Turk and pulled the sheets up over them, while Cloud pulled up the other side. Pleasantly sated, Reno started to ask if they wanted some nookie too, but he understood that this little ambush on their part was orchestrated with the intention of giving him pleasure and helping him sleep.
"Sorry I'm such a damned nympho, guys." He covered his mouth on a jaw-cracking yawn as he caught his breath.
Cloud turned off the lamp and cuddled up to him, dropping one arm over his torso with familiar ease. "We're used to it."
Zack reached across to lay a hand over the one Cloud had resting on Reno's stomach, and he nodded. "You're in good company, Red. We don't mind taking care of you."
Reno grinned sleepily as he was sandwiched between his two "wolves".
"Yeah, life is good."
~*****************************~

The next day passed without any serious incidents, until dinnertime came around and Reno decided to try his hand at the grill again. He knew how to operate the appliance and he'd already cooked on it once since arriving, but this time he misjudged his fuel usage. When he dropped the match over the charcoal, the resulting roar of flames had him backing away hastily and patting himself to be sure he wasn't on fire.
"Honey, stop staring."
Zack's father tried to comply with his wife's suggestion, but the spectacle of the crimson-haired Turk nearly catching himself on fire with the barbeque was hard to look away from. He shook his head as the young man cast a glance back at them and approached the grill again, waving smoke away.
"He's a strange fellah."
"He's a city dweller," reminded Mrs. Fair. "Imagine how strange people must have found our son, when he first joined SOLDIER. You leave the Turk be and don't give him a hard time."
Mr. Fair grumbled and took a sip of the iced tea she'd made for him. "I don't trust any of those ShinRa folks, and neither should you."
"Our boy works with them," she reminded, "and he trusts them. We should at least give them the benefit of the doubt. That Mr. Tuesti is a nice man, and they did go through the trouble of bringing us here, free of charge."
"If it weren't for ShinRa, that reactor wouldn't be near our village in the first place," insisted Mr. Fair stubbornly. He sighed and looked over his shoulder into the house through the screen door. He briefly caught sight of Zack in the dining room, setting up the table with Cloud. "But if the boy likes these strange folks, I guess we've got to accept it. I suppose some of them like that little lady Cissnei are okay."
Reno blurted a curse again as he dropped a glazed chicken leg he had been trying to transfer from the tray to the grill.
"Be nice," warned Mrs. Fair when her husband looked like he wanted to criticize the Turk's cooking skills. "The boy's trying his best, I'm sure."
~*************************~

Indeed, Reno was trying his best...but he was uncommonly nervous. As a person who could pick locks with ease, juggle with nary a thought about it and spar with the best of them, his inordinate clumsiness was humiliating. He flushed and turned away from the Fairs as he picked up the chicken off the brick patio and studied it with a sigh. Cloud would just bitch about wasting food if he threw it away, and he was sure the rest of them would too. Country folk didn't like to waste anything, if it could be salvaged.
"I'm surrounded by hayseeds," he muttered under his breath. He supposed he could wash the soiled chicken off and glaze it with more sauce. He picked it up, put it in the tray and started for the sliding door with the intention of doing just that, when Mr. Fair stopped him.
"Hold on, son...you can't leave an unattended grill with food cooking on it!"
Reno stopped, looked over his shoulder and bit back a curse. He'd forgotten that he'd put the rest of the chicken on the grill, already. "Oh, right. I just...I dropped it and I figured I should clean it off and glaze it again."
Mrs. Fair came to his rescue. She approached him and gave him a kindly smile as she held her hands out for the tray. "Why don't you let me take care of that for you, then? My husband will keep you company while I go clean this up."
"Thanks, Mrs. Fair." Reno handed over the tray and glanced at the woman's husband, before returning to the grill. He started to turn the chicken pieces that were already cooking, but every time he tried to slip the spatula beneath them, he only succeeded in pushing them away.
"Try the tongs," suggested Mr. Fair with a nod at the grasping utensils hanging on the side of the grill.
Feeling foolish for not thinking of that himself, Reno did so and he turned the chicken over. "Thanks. I guess I'm not going to be winning any grilling awards, soon."
The older man shrugged.
"Our president could rule this thing," Reno said, speaking without really thinking about it. "Not me, though. Most of my meals are takeout or from the cafeteria at headquarters. I can cook simple things, like soup and burgers, but if it's got angles or a lot of ingredients, I get lost."
"It just takes some getting used to, son. Be careful not to let it get too much char."
Reno nodded. "Gotcha."
He felt Mr. Fair's gaze on him and he disciplined himself not to fidget like a nervous teen. "Something you wanna ask me, Mr. Fair?"
The older man hesitated for a moment, before answering. "Zack says you like working on cars. Are you a mechanic?"
Surprised by the question, Reno paused what he was doing and he nodded. "Yeah. I know automobiles like the back of my hand. Choppers, too. I used to own an auto shop in lower Midgar."
"Did you?" Mr. Fair looked surprised, finally revealing some of his inner thoughts. His gaze swept the redhead appraisingly. "Don't take it the wrong way, son, but I wouldn't picture you as the sort."
Reno smirked, aware that his choice of clothes for the day reflected his corporate status; even if he wore the outfit more casually than his co-workers. "It takes all kinds, Sir. I'm not some rich kid that grew up on the upper plate. Most city dwellers can tell by my accent, but I guess people from the country wouldn't know that."
"I guess we don't," agreed the older man. "So where did you grow up?"
Reno couldn't decide whether the man's interest in his background was a good thing or not. On the one hand, it showed that he was willing to learn more about him, but on the other, it made Reno wonder why he was so interested. Maybe country folk just liked to know more about their kids' friends than city folk, overall.
"Well, we didn't have money when I was growing up," Reno admitted, figuring there was no harm in giving some basic info. "My old man died when I was little and my Ma had to raise me alone." He chose not to mention his abusive stepfather.
Mr. Fair's lined face frowned, betraying some sympathy. "That's a crying shame. Didn't the community help at all?"
Reno looked at him blankly.
"The neighborhood," elaborated Mr. Fair. "Didn't any of them pitch in to help your mother feed and clothe you?"
"Well, there were soup kitchens and charity outlets where she could get food and clothes for us when she couldn't afford it herself, but the neighborhood pretty much minded its own business."
"Hmm. In our village, a widow and child would never be left to fend for themselves. Seems indecent."
Reno shrugged. "That's not how it works in the big city, Mr. Fair. We managed, though. Ma made sure I got an education and I took odd jobs to help pay the bills."
Mr. Fair nodded in approval. "How did you end up with the auto shop?"
Reno shrugged and turned the chicken again. "Lots of hard work, determination and business research. I did it so I could take care of Ma, more than anything."
"You loved your Mama. That's good. Well, I'll bet she doesn't want for much, now."
Reno grimaced, and he wondered if the sting of losing her would ever completely fade. "You ain't wrong about that, Sir. She's…not around anymore. Cancer."
"Oh." Mr. Fair hesitated, before reaching out and patting Reno's shoulder in an awkward gesture of consolation. "I'm sorry for your loss."
"It's okay. It's been a few years, and she's not suffering anymore."
Mr. Fair nodded and lapsed into silence. Mrs. Fair came out with the cleaned and re-glazed chicken and she gave both men a sunny smile before joining Reno at the grill to put it on. "My husband hasn't been giving you a hard time, has he?"
Reno offered a little smile her way and shook his head. "Nah, we just had a little guy talk. Thanks, Mrs. Fair."
~***********************************~

As the days passed, Reno began to relax a little more and Zack's parents started to see more of his personality coming out. He snuck into Cloud and Zack's bedroom each night and snuck out each morning after the Fairs got up and went downstairs, always remembering to keep his voice down when fooling around with his lovers. Zack and Cloud had to help him with that, of course, but they managed to avoid giving an audio porn show, and for all he knew, they remained ignorant of the true nature of his relationship with their son and Cloud.
His mannerisms were still odd to them, being as he came from a different world, but under it all was a charm they couldn't deny. He wasn't aware of how boyishly he grinned when he helped Cloud feed the chocobos—which Mrs. Fair found endearing. He worked on Zack's truck a little bit to tune it up and make it run better, and Mr. Fair joined him and found himself impressed with his mechanical skills. They spent most of their time interacting with their son and Cloud, of course, but by the end of the week, they'd seen enough of Reno's layers to be satisfied that he wasn't a bad guy.
Mrs. Fair had to tease her husband about it, the day after they got word that the work in Gongaga was complete and the company was sending transport to take them back home. They sat together on the porch of the house, rocking in the chairs set out there and drinking iced tea.
"Do you still think he's such an 'odd fellah'?" she questioned, while the boys sparred together under the shade of one of the big oaks, near the gravel driveway.
Mr. Fair nodded. "Of course I do…but I guess he's not a bad fellah, all the same." He watched the redhead teasingly poke his son in the side with the odd baton he carried as his chosen weapon, and he almost grinned at the resulting yelp.
"Then we can both stop worrying," she sighed. "Think he knows?"
Mr. Fair watched their son and he shook his head dubiously. "I think he's got the idea we're still buying his story."
Mrs. Fair regarded him thoughtfully with soft blue eyes. "Then maybe we ought to keep it to ourselves, dear. He'll tell us the truth when he's ready."
Mr. Fair scratched his chin and considered the proposal. He didn't want to torture the boy, after all. He shrugged. "I guess so. I just don't like families keeping secrets from each other."
"He's a SOLDIER member," she reminded him, "or at least, he used to be. Government folks have to keep some secrets, even from family."
He grumbled into his drink. The sound of approaching rotary blades drew their attention and in the field, the boys stopped their horsing around to search the skies as well. "Here comes our ride," muttered Mr. Fair. "Did you take that motion sickness stuff, Sweetheart?"
"I surely did," she answered with a nod. "Let's just hope it does the trick for me."
Mr. Fair got out of his chair and he offered a hand to his wife, who took it and allowed him to help her up. They went inside to retrieve their bags for the trip back home.
~*******************************~

"It doesn't feel like it's been a week," Zack sighed after handing his mother's luggage up to Rude. He turned to her and hugged her close. "I'll come and visit as soon as I can, Mom."
"I know you will," she answered with a little sniffle, hugging him back. "Thank you for making our stay so pleasant…all of you. I felt like I was at some fancy Bed and Breakfast!" She kissed him on the cheek and turned to Cloud for some affection.
Cloud smiled modestly and returned her embrace as she hugged him. "You're always welcome to come and stay with us, okay?"
"At least you don't live in the city." Mr. Fair sighed at his wife. "Let go of the boy, woman. We've got to get going."
"Just a minute, you," she insisted. She kissed Cloud on the cheek and ruffled his soft, golden spikes. "You keep our son out of trouble, Cloud. You hear?"
"As much as I can," he promised, shooting a smirk Zack's way that said he could only do so much.
She released him and gave him one last pat on the arm, before turning to Reno. "Lift those sunglasses up so I can see those pretty eyes, would you?"
Reno obliged, propping them up on his head to rest in his styled, vivid hair. Mrs. Fair smiled at him and she hugged him, patting his back. Reno hesitantly returned the hug, looking a little stunned.
"You were a good kitchen helper," Mrs. Fair informed him. "And thank you for your promise. You know, about your people protecting my boys."
"Well, I meant it," he assured her. "They're part of the 'family' now, and we look after our people."
"Good." She pulled away and smiled up at him once more. "Take care of yourself too, Reno."
He smiled back and nodded, dropping his shades back down over his eyes. "Can't promise anything, but I'll give it my best shot." He nodded at his partner and slapped hands with him as Rude jumped down from the hatch to help Mrs. Fair get aboard. Tseng left the pilot seat to come around and speak with Zack.
"Zackary, I would like to contact you about a possible mission, after we've returned your parents to Gongaga. Would you be interested? I know this is Reno's vacation time, but it would be a weekend endeavor and it's of personal significance to me. I would appreciate having your assistance."
Zack's eyebrows went up, and he stared at the raven-haired Turk. Tseng has his hair pulled back into a long ponytail, but a few glossy strands had escaped the binding and the wind from the rotors whipped them around his fine-boned face. It looked kind of dramatic.
"Sure, I'd be interested," he assured him. "I've been waiting for some action. I feel like I haven't been earning my paychecks, since things settled down with Deepground. What can you tell me about it?"
Tseng cast a brief, meaningful sidelong glance at Zack's father, who stood listening a few steps away. "As I said, I'll contact you later with the details. It should be a simple task, but the department has its hands full with cleanup matters and I would feel better with a Soldier at my side. You can decide after I've briefed you."
Zack shrugged. "Sounds good. I doubt I'll turn you down. Cloud can keep Reno company while I'm on the mission and it's only for a couple of days."
Tseng nodded, his dark gaze softening a bit in what could have been a smile. "I knew you wouldn't disappoint me. Until then." He shook Zack's hand, gave Reno a familiar nod and returned to the aircraft.
"We'll call when we've made it back home," Mr. Fair assured him as Zack gave him a hug goodbye. If he was curious about the nature of this new mission, he didn't show it. "Oh, and son? I hope you're not planning on adding any more oranges to the bushel. I think two is enough for one man, don't you?"
Zack stiffened, his eyes popping open wide. "Uh…what?"
Mr. Fair pulled away and shot a quick look at Reno, who was discussing something with his tall, bald partner a few feet away. "You can't fool your old man for long, Zackary. I can't rightly tell you who to love or what to do with your life, but I didn't raise you to be greedy."
"I'm not…I mean…" Zack flushed brightly, his heart pounding with anxiety. "Are you mad?"
"Boy, if I was mad I wouldn't have stayed here all week," assured Mr. Fair. "I don't really understand it, but having gotten to know the fellah a little, I guess I can live with it. Just don't push it, son. Your mother and I have limits in our old age."
Zack nodded, too thankful that his father wasn't threatening to disown him to argue. "Got it. Don't be greedy. I'll remember that, Pop."
Mr. Fair patted him on the arm and he waved at Cloud. "Keep making us proud, boys."
He climbed into the aircraft and Rude gave Reno a brief hug, before shaking hands with Cloud and Zack and joining them. Zack watched with his two lovers as the hatch closed and the rotaries sped up. The helicopter lifted off and flew away, moments later, leaving them standing there in the wind-flattened grass together.
"So, what was that all about with Tseng?" Reno asked.
"A mission," answered Zack. "He said he'll contact me with the details later. It's going to be a weekend assignment. Are you guys okay with that?" He looked at each of them in turn, eager to feel useful again but unwilling to spoil Reno's vacation by taking off for a few days.
Reno shrugged. "Hey, work is work. If you have a job lined up and you want to do it, then you should, man."
Cloud nodded. "We'll be fine. I know you've been going stir crazy, Zack. It might be good for you to get out and make some noise."
Zack put an arm around each of them, drawing them closer. "I love you guys."
Reno snorted. "Don't start with the mushy stuff, Fair."
~**************************~

A few mornings later, Zack found himself revisiting memories of the past as his father's words forced him to recall all the people he'd been with. Not that he'd been with bucketloads or anything, but he'd experienced lovemaking with both men and women, and sometimes it made him feel guilty. He was sure his folks had fooled around with other people before getting together, but he doubted they'd gone all the way with them. They were from a different era than he was, with different values. It made it even more amazing to him that they were apparently accepting his relationship with Reno, after they'd already accepted Cloud. How many other people in similar situations could say the same of their parents?
Zack's mind went to Lazard, and he recalled something very important he'd said to him that had stayed with him, ever since. He'd told him that he wasn't "for him" when Zack asked if he would be expected to bottom, and he informed him that he would know when he was ready to share himself with another man that way. Every time he looked back on that conversation, his thoughts immediately went to one person…and they'd been straying there often, of late.
"Hey," Cloud said to him as he came out of the house and leaned over the porch railing beside him. His sapphire gaze scanned the horizon as the wind picked up. "We could be in for another storm."
"Yeah, it's that time of year," agreed Zack, smiling sidelong at him. "Reno's still crashed?"
Cloud nodded. "He might even sleep 'till noon, this time. I think we wore him out."
Zack chuckled and put an arm around the blond. Cloud didn't resist as he pulled him closer and nuzzled his hair. He inhaled the fresh, rainy scent and he thought about what it would be like to reverse their usual roles and give himself to Cloud. He didn't find himself shying away from the thought at all, but then, this was his Sunshine. Maybe someday he could do the same for Reno, but he wanted his first time to be with his first true love.
"Cloud," Zack murmured, making his decision. All that was left to do was figure out how to word it. "There's something I want to say."
"If this is about seeing me in a dress, you can forget it," Cloud informed him in a tone that wasn't quite teasing. "Aerith never should have told you about that."
Zack chuckled and shook his head. "It's not about that. This is about me. Look at me, kiddo. I want to see into your eyes when I say this."
Cloud pulled away enough to meet his gaze, his blue eyes searching on Zack's. "Something wrong?"
Zack shook his head again and he brushed the pads of his fingers over those soft, shapely lips. "No. Something's…right. Really right. I mean, right enough for me to be ready to do something I've been thinking about for a long time, but I was too nervous to act on it."
Cloud blinked. "Okay." He looked like he couldn't decide if he wanted to run away or encourage him to speak up.
Zack licked suddenly dry lips, anxious but eager to get the words out. "You're always putting up with me rutting over you. I think maybe it's time…no wait…that isn't how I want to say this. Cloud, I want…you're really—"
His phone started to play a loud, hard rock tune.
"Dammit!" Zack reached for the cell and he held up a finger. "Hold that thought, babe."
Seeing the number and ID on the screen, Zack rolled his eyes. Of course, Tseng would pick this moment to get back to him on the mission details. "Cockblocker," he muttered before answering the call. "Zack here."
"Good morning, Zackary," Tseng's voice answered. "I hope it isn't too early."
Zack rubbed his eyes with a thumb and a forefinger and he suppressed a groan of frustration. "No, it's fine. We're just getting the day started, over here."
"Good. I would like to discuss the details of the weekend assignment with you, if you're still interested."
Zack gave his partner a mournful glance. Cloud was staring at a butterfly that had flitted its way over to the porch and landed on the railing. He looked so cute as he watched it with one of those quiet little smiles rarely seen by anyone else.
"Yeah, I'm still interested. Hold on for a minute, and we can talk about it."
Zack covered the phone with one hand and he gave Cloud an apologetic look. "Sorry Chocobo, I've got to take this. Maybe we can finish this conversation another time."
Cloud turned his attention away from the butterfly and looked up at him with concern. "Are you sure everything is okay?"
Unable to resist, Zack leaned over to give him a soft kiss on the mouth. "Absotively. It's nothing that can't wait and everything's a-okay. Don't worry."
Cloud relaxed. "If you say so. I'll go in and get breakfast started. Maybe Reno will wake up in time to have some."
"Good plan," agreed Zack with a wink. He watched him go and he sighed, admiring his backside before bringing the phone to his ear again. "Okay Tseng, let's hear it. What are we going to be doing on this mission?"
~***********************************~

The End (Author's note: There will be a follow-up ficlet soon enough, so worry not.)
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