The Path to Redemption

 

Disclaimer: I don’t own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters. SquareEnix does.  I make no money from this…I just like to play with them. 

A/N:  Warnings for this chapter . . . um, boys smooching boys?  Muci, as always, thanks for your review!  Kayla, I’m glad you are so happy with what you’ve read so far!  Hope the rest of the story makes you feel happy, too! :-)

On with the fic!

*****

Chapter 11

Kadaj stared out the car window and tried to make sense of the day.  So much had happened, and his life had changed so drastically in the short span of a few hours!  He had a brother, and now, there was a very good chance that he had a father as well.  It was almost too much for him to internalize, and the more he thought about it, the more mind-blowing it was.  Family.  He really had family, and it was something he’d never thought he would have.

“Kadaj?” 

“I’m okay,” Kadaj replied in answer to Rufus’ unasked question.  He turned his head to look at the Shinra President and gave him a shy smile.  Here was something else that had brought change into his life, and perhaps it was the most unsettling of all.  It wasn’t that it was a bad thing, but it made Kadaj’s heart thump wildly in his chest, and the morning’s kiss was still vivid in his mind.  He still didn’t know why he’d initiated it, but it had started a slow burn in his blood that had stayed with him for most of the day.  He’d been able to ignore it for the most part, but now that there were no distractions, all he could think of was that kiss.

“You’re sure?” Rufus reached out to touch his face, and Kadaj leaned into the touch. 

“Yeah.”  He closed his eyes and smiled softly.  “Today has been nice.  I don’t want it to end.”

“There’s nothing that says it has to,” Rufus said.  “We’ve not had dinner yet.  We could go out somewhere.”

Kadaj glanced towards the front seat when he heard Reno laugh.

“Boring!” Reno drawled.  “Let me take him to the Raven!”

“The Raven?”  Kadaj looked questioningly at Rufus. “What’s the Raven?”

“A dive,” Rufus said with a puff of laughter.  “If we’re taking him clubbing . . .”

“We’re?” Reno sounded surprised. 

“. . . We’re taking him someplace far classier than that,” Rufus continued, as if Reno never interrupted him. 

“Clubbing?”  Kadaj had never heard the term before.

“Dancing,” Rufus said.  He was smiling, and his blue eyes were sparkling. 

“Dancing?”  Kadaj knew what that was, but he’d never done it before.  “I . . . is it easy?”

Reno chuckled and met Kadaj’s gaze via the rearview mirror.  “Not everyone can do it well, but I have a feeling you’ll be a natural.  And even if you’re not very good at it, that’s not the point at all.  The point is to have fun.”

“And if you’d rather watch other people dance, that’s okay too,” Rude said.  “Unlike Reno, not everyone likes making a fool of himself.”

Kadaj found himself laughing when Reno made an indignant noise and slugged Rude in the arm.

“I do not make a fool of myself,” Reno said with a mock pout.

“I’m sure,” Rufus drawled.  “Do you want to go, Kadaj?  If you don’t like it, we can leave.”

“Okay,” Kadaj said. 

“Woo hoo!” Reno crowed.  “And where are we going then, Boss?”

“I rather think you’d enjoy The Lone Wolf, Reno,” Rufus said.

Reno fell abruptly silent, and Kadaj saw the two men make eye contact in the rearview mirror.  It was quiet for several long, agonizing moments, and then Kadaj heard Rude give a low laugh.

“Idiot,” Rude said, not unkindly.  “I told you he knew.”

“For quite some time,” Rufus said quietly.  “And just to set the record straight, it doesn’t bother me, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your work.  And as far as I can tell, that hasn’t been a problem.  So, as I said, I think the Lone Wolf is the perfect place for us this evening.  They’re one of the few clubs that actually serve food, and I should be able to get us a private table.”

Reno opened his mouth to say something, but Rufus cut him off.

“And don’t worry about the cost.  This one is on me,” Rufus said smoothly.

“What about Kadaj?” Reno said. 

“What about me?” Kadaj asked.

“Is he going to be comfortable there?”

Kadaj frowned.  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“It’s a gay bar,” Reno said with a snort. 

Kadaj just stared at Reno’s reflection for a moment before understanding dawned.  Kadaj suddenly understood the exchange he’d just witnessed.  Reno and Rude were more than just work partners! 

Rufus chose at that moment to reach over and intertwine their fingers.  Kadaj gasped at the contact, and his fingers tightened reflexively around Rufus’.  Reno made a surprised noise and actually shifted in his seat so he could look a back at them.  Kadaj felt as if his cheeks were burning, so intense was his blush, but he only clung tighter to Rufus’ hand.  Reno’s eyes rested on their joined hands for a moment before he looked up at Rufus.  The man looked truly surprised.

“Any further objections?” Rufus asked.  Kadaj risked a glance, and Rufus was smirking uncontrollably at his bodyguard.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Reno asked.  He sounded put out, but he was grinning from ear to ear.

Rufus returned the grin.  “Immensely.”

*****

Rufus stepped up to his full length mirror and eyed his reflection with a critical eye.  It had been a very long time since he’d last gone to a club.  His lifestyle no longer allowed for it, really, but there was no way in Hell he was letting Reno take Kadaj clubbing without him.  He finished tucking in the white silk shirt he was wearing and straightened the collar.  He turned to the side, deciding the black leather pants had been the way to go.  They were slightly big--he’d lost a lot of weight when he’d been wounded--but he liked the way they hung low on his hips.  He hardly recognized himself without the suit and tie.  He looked, and perhaps even felt, a few years younger.

“Looking good, Boss.” 

Rufus turned his head and smirked at Reno.  The man had forgone his Turk issue suit and was now wearing dark jeans and a skin tight shirt made of some black slinky material that clung to the curves of his finely honed muscles.

“Are we ready, then?” Rufus asked.

“Yes, sir,” Reno drawled.  “Just wait until you see him.”

Rufus smiled slightly as he followed Reno from his room.  The Turk had taken Kadaj shopping right after they’d returned from the hospital.  They were gone for nearly three hours and it had been after dinner time when they’d returned.  Reno had bustled Kadaj right into his room and had refused to allow Kadaj to show Rufus anything they’d bought.  That had been nearly an hour ago.

“Having fun, Reno?” Rufus drawled.  He followed Reno into the living room.

“Tons,” Reno shot back with a laugh.   He gave a flourish and a bow and indicated he should look towards the picture window.  “Sir, may I present your date for the evening?”

Rufus felt his breath catch when Kadaj looked over his shoulder at them.  Reno had found jeans that actually fit Kadaj, and the soft cotton hugged the muscles in Kadaj’s legs and buttocks perfectly.  Rufus managed to tear his eyes away from Kadaj’s finely sculpted ass and found that he was wearing a shirt made of similar material as Reno’s, only it was a shade of green that perfectly matched Kadaj’s eyes.  There was a slender chain of silver hanging around his neck, and a silver stud in his right ear.  It was a simple outfit, and very tasteful, but Rufus still found himself rendered speechless. 

“Well?” Reno arched a crimson brow.

“Stunning,” Rufus finally managed after a moment.  He closed the distance between himself and Kadaj.  “Absolutely stunning.”

“T-t-thank you,” Kadaj managed.  He turned to face Rufus and offered him a shy smile.  “You look nice, too.”

“Thank you,” Rufus murmured.  He couldn’t help himself, then.  He leaned down, and Kadaj met him halfway to seal the kiss.  It was soft, tender, and just as sweet as the kiss they’d shared that morning.  He broke the contact slowly, and then smiled down at the younger man. 

“Ready?”  Reno’s voice was quiet.

“What, no jokes?” Rufus glanced his way with a smirk.

“No,” Reno said with a shake of his head.  “I don’t joke about serious shit like that, man.  And that kiss was serious.”

It was the closest Reno would ever come to outright telling Rufus he was okay with it.

“I think we’re ready,” Rufus said.  He took Kadaj’s hand and tugged him towards the door.  “Are you sure this is okay?”

“Yeah,” Kadaj said.  “Reno explained more about dancing . . .it sounds fun.  Do you dance?”

“I haven’t in a while,” Rufus said.  He led Kadaj to the elevator and trusted Reno and Rude to lock the apartment door as they followed.  “But I’ve liked it in the past.”

Kadaj hesitated for a moment.  “Then . . .then you’ll dance with me?”

“If you like,” Rufus said.  He’d do it, simply because it was what the younger man wanted.  He also suspected that the ‘sharks’ would be circling around Kadaj that evening, and there was no way in hell he was going to leave him to their mercy.  Not that Rufus thought Reno and Rude would let anyone get that close to him.  The two were going for fun, but first and foremost, Rufus knew the Turks would see to his and Kadaj’s safety first.

“The car’s ready and waiting,” Rude said.  The elevator arrived and they all got in. 

“Excellent,” Rufus said. “As I said, the entire evening is on me.”

“Have I mentioned how much I love working for you?” Reno quipped. 

Rufus’ lips twitched.  “In passing, once or twice.”

“Well, I do,” Reno said with a sniff.  “Where else can I get all of these perks? Nights on the town, meeting rich and famous people . . .”

“ . . .hospital stays, dire injury . . .”  Rude interjected with a snort of laughter.  “Reno, shut up.”

“You gonna make me?”

Rude was on him before the words had even died in the air.  He pinned his partner against the wall and kissed him hard.  Rufus and Kadaj both laughed at the stunned look on Reno’s face when Rude finally let him up for air.  Rude stepped back and straightened his tie, a self-satisfied smirk on his lips.

“Well done,” Rufus said.  Reno still had not found his voice.

Rude’s smirk became more pronounced.

“Thank you, sir.”

*****

Sephiroth had one final visitor before the night was through.  Penelope had talked with him for nearly half an hour before taking her leave, and then he’d been alone for a while with the pictures of his mother and father.  He was still silently contemplating them nearly an hour later when there was a knock on the room’s door.

“Come,” Sephiroth called softly. 

“Hello.” 

Sephiroth looked up into startling blue eyes.

“Cloud.”

“Sephiroth.”  Cloud pulled up a chair and sat on it.  His eyes flicked towards the pictures Sephiroth held.  “Maggie said you had some good news today.”

Sephiroth smiled faintly at the mention of the nurse, and then handed the pictures to Cloud. 

“Vincent?” Cloud murmured.  He looked at the second picture and gave Sephiroth a questioning look.

“Hojo was not my father,” Sephiroth told him.  “Vincent was.  And the woman is my mother.”

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Cloud said, and he actually smiled slightly.  He looked at Vincent’s picture again before looking up at Sephiroth.  “Now that I’m looking for it, there is a resemblance . . .”

“Yes,” Sephiroth said with a nod.  There was a moment of awkward silence, and then Sephiroth spoke again.  “Cloud . . .for everything . . .I’m sorry.”

“I know,” Cloud said softly.  “If it makes you feel any better, I know it wasn’t you I was fighting.  It was really Jenova.”

“That doesn’t make it any less painful for me,” Sephiroth said, his tone bitter.  “Zack . . .”

“You didn’t kill Zack,” Cloud said.  He locked gazes with Sephiroth.  “If anyone is responsible for his death, it’s me.  And . . .and I forgave myself for that a while ago.”

“Was it that easy, then?”

“No, not at all.”  Cloud sighed and shook his head.  “But it was killing me, and holding on to my guilt and grief was unfair to my friends and family.  Ironically, it was you that made me see that.  When you taunted me during that last fight, I realized just how important living really was.”

“You have good friends,” Sephiroth said.

“Yes,” Cloud said.  He looked pointedly at Sephiroth.  “I do.”

Sephiroth felt a lump rise in his throat as he looked into those blue eyes.  “Cloud . . .”

“No more apologies,” Cloud said.  He gave Sephiroth a half smile.  “Let’s just look to the future, ne?”

“Okay,” Sephiroth managed. 

Cloud looked one last time at the pictures before he handed them back to Sephiroth.  “Vincent is going to be shocked.”

“Do you . . .”

“He’ll come,” Cloud interrupted.  “He doesn’t talk much, but he’s said enough that I know he’ll come.  He loved Lucrecia above everything in his life . . . you can rest assured, Sephiroth; you were the result of a deep and lasting love.  It will matter to him.  He‘ll come.”

Sephiroth felt sudden tears spill from his eyes.  He reached up and wiped them away with the back of his hand before he managed to nod.  Cloud reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed slightly. 

“Everything will be okay,” Cloud said. “I’m still your friend.”

Sephiroth covered Cloud’s hand with his own and nodded.  “Thank you.”

*****

TBC