Can Barely Hide

Reno became aware of sharp pain and damp concrete. The roughness of the floor hurt his face, but the cold felt good against the hot swelling. He tried to touch his face and found he couldn't move at all except for some slight squirming. His arms jerked against the restraints and he heard the dull clink of chain.

Oh, gods, where was Cloud?

"Cloud?" he rasped.

"Hello, pretty. Back with us again?"

Reno didn't recognize the voice, but it sounded oily, smug and sinister. He turned his face, but all he could see was the hem of a blood stained lab coat.

"What have you done with Cloud?"

A soft, humorless chuckle grated on his ears.

"I'm afraid Specimen C is a bit busy right now. If I am pleased with his progress perhaps I will allow you to see him later."

Reno didn't respond, but inside he was screaming wordless, burning anger.

Cloud couldn't see or hear the things touching him now. His head had been covered with something that flashed words at him. Words and pictures with a simple, soothing voice.

Gradually Cloud no longer felt the things touch him. His body began to heal as he listened and watched to the seemingly random but repetitive images. Eventually he made a few connections. And those connections made him connect more. They were telling him things. About Reno. And himself. And these creatures and people down here.

Things that made him shudder.

He was linked to Reno. He could feel his lover's pain. Why else would his body be in such a physical shape? He was laced with mako. They couldn't hurt him. His body was whole, but the pain was his lover's. If he refused to cooperate with these creatures and people he would feel Reno's agony, maybe even his death...

He felt the probes and felt the sting of the implants. But it was Reno whose body was suffering. "Stop hurting him," Cloud wept, even as his knee jerked from the needle withdrawing.

-

Damn. Reno hadn't hurt like that in just about forever. Sure, he'd been injured in the line of duty before, but he was always able to be healed quickly either in the field with some Cure or back in the infirmary. His left eye was swollen nearly shut from the swelling in his face, and the constant stinging let him know that the cheekbone was definitely cracked at least. His back felt like he'd been stomped flat by a behemoth and the awkward way he was restrained kept him from being able to stretch to ease the painful spasms that wracked him every so often.

But the worst pain was knowing that he had failed Cloud. He hadn't seen anymore the man he had taken to calling the puppet master in his mind. His only company was one of the creatures that liked touching his hair and his own guilty thoughts. Reno had promised to protect his lover from his greatest fear. He had failed, and badly, too.

"Love you, Cloud, so much. I'm so sorry," Reno whispered to himself.

"Love?" echoed the creature. "What is love?"

An ironic laugh burst from Reno's swollen lips.

"I don't think you could ever know, pal."

"Hmm," the creature hummed softly. "We take you to the other one so he can see you soon."

Reno blanched. He desperately wanted to see his lover in the flesh, but he didn't want to see what his failure had cost Cloud. He sent wordless prayers to the gods to help his fellow Turks find them soon. The complex was huge and obviously underground, but he had faith in his partner. Hopefully it wouldn't be too late.

-

How long had it been? It seemed like minutes but by the time the goggles and headphones were lifted from his head Cloud's stomach had shrunk considerably. He knew it was his lover's hunger that he was feeling, but he scarfed the bread and cheese as it appeared anyways. He choked several times as eating lying on your back was a difficult task. And the water just about drowned him.

He blinked the water from his eyes as Pet moved it away and began to pour it over his body, followed by a pawhand. Pet was cleaning him. It was tender compared to its earlier attitude but the long claws still left scratches in their wake.

How he had learned Pet's name he didn't remember. But Pet was so loving. Such a sensitive creature.

"Reno," Cloud hissed as Pet passed over a still-raw wound. The cold water numbed it but the memory made him ache for Reno. "Pet, please... Reno..."

"First, we need to talk," the voice sounded so familiar and Cloud perked his ears. "Do you know who I am?"

Cloud nodded slightly. "Crane." But that didn't seem to fit this deep voice and powerful mind.

"Why are you here?"

"To help you. It's important that I help you."

"Why is it so important?"

"Your work is secret."

"If you don't help?"

"I'll feel my love die. I already feel his pain."

"Who is your love?"

"Reno. I love Reno," Cloud's voice cracked and he gritted his teeth.

"Do you understand that you can only do what I say?"

"Yes. I won't disobey you. Please don't hurt him; I'll do what you want!"

"If you fail me?"

"I'll feel Reno die."

"You may see him after you finish a simple task for me..."

Cloud nodded.

"First, we need to get you dressed. You will lie still until we tell you to move. If you move before I tell you, we will hurt Reno."

Cloud shivered in anxiety as his knees were unbuckled from the table. His eyes still shone their sickly green and he fought to control his rage. Then his abdomen was untied and he breathed easier. Then he felt slack in his arms, but he kept them held above his head until he saw Pet reach over and guided them down to his sides.

Pet was so gentle. How could his kind be hurting Reno?

"We have to leave your metal sleeves on. For security reasons. Feeling your love die may send you into a blind rage."

Cloud whimpered and trembled on the cold, wet table while waiting to be told to move. But the room had grown silent, with the exception of Pet's purring.

-

"Get up. You go to see the other one."

The rumbling voice of his guard startled Reno from a fitful doze. He raised his head to see the hulking thing looming over him. It stroked several hands through his hair like it was trying to groom him. Reno choked back hysterical laughter. Did it think he was a pet? A muffled groan burst from his lips when his legs were released from the restraints and he was pulled to his feet. The pain of returning circulation was immediate and intense. Didn't matter. He'd suffer anything to get near Cloud.

"Master says if you do anything to get away the other one will suffer."

"I won't do anything," Reno mumbled in defeat. Yet, he added in his mind.

Just a little longer. If he could keep them alive a little longer surely they would be found. Reno's arms were still bound behind his back and forced into awkward positions. The creature used grips on them and his long ponytail to steer him down a dim corridor back to the room where he had originally found Cloud.

-

"Sit up, sit up, sit up..." Pet danced on two hind legs and gently patted Cloud's healing chest.

Cloud started and then stopped. Pet wasn't Crane. But Crane had left the room. He sat up a little and paused with his elbows supporting his weight. He ached all over. And when he saw Reno he knew why.

He looked at Pet. "Can I get up?"

Pet pulled at him and Cloud swung his legs off the table. A rush of dizziness and weak knees made him stumble as soon as his weight was fully upright. He grabbed onto Pet's fur instinctively to keep from falling in his own bloody mess.

"Reno," Cloud reached out a hand for his lover.

Reno wanted to reach back, to touch and reassure himself that Cloud was okay, but his arms were still bound. So he leaned forward, pulling against the restraints of his arm bindings and his own damn hair.

"Hey, Cloud. Next time we go out you really outta let me pick the place. The service here sucks." The attempt at a joke fell flat.

Reno schooled his features. He knew he probably looked pretty bad, probably as bad as he felt, but he didn't want to show any more signs of weakness. He did wonder, however, about the way the other creature was hovering over Cloud. It looked almost...protective.

"Are you holding up?"

It was so good to see Reno. Afraid that they didn't have much time, Cloud took a step away from Pet and stiffly walked forward. His knees felt so weak.

"I'll be fine," he stumbled and reached Reno's side. "I love you." He grazed a finger under Reno's swollen eye. "Next time we'll eat in. We always go home hungry anyways."

The other thing didn't seem to want to let his lover go, but Cloud wrapped his arms around Reno anyway.

A fine tremor he couldn't control rippled through Reno's body and he turned his face into Cloud's neck. He couldn't do much more than lean, but it soothed him somewhat to have Cloud's arms around him. Reno hoped that meant Cloud could eventually forgive him for the botched rescue.

"Cloud," Reno murmured, letting his lips brush against Cloud's skin. It was the closest he could get to a caress. "You know, busting in on a private party is a very Rude thing to do."

A moment of confusion before Cloud realized what Reno was saying. "It was Rude to have a private party in the first place," Cloud whispered against Reno's ear. Fearing their guards would get antsy if he stayed so close for too long, Cloud began to pull away.

He didn't want to let go. He touched Reno's face and neck. "I love you," he kissed his lover briefly. "I'm sorry." He whimpered and hugged Reno again. "I won't let them hurt you anymore, I'll be good."

He could feel his strength slowly returning and stood a little straighter when he stepped back.

Cloud would be...good? That didn't sound like Cloud at all. That sounded more like a traumatized child. Just what in the hell had been done to his lover? There was no time to think about it. Reno heard a muffled explosion from somewhere in the complex. He suppressed both a wince and a grin when the sound made the creature holding him tighten its fingers in his hair and squeezed his arms painfully.

"Last call, babe. Any requests?"

Cloud bared his teeth and cringed. They were hurting him again. "Stop hurting him," he pleaded and grabbed the creature's arm. "Please. I'm not doing anything!" This wasn't part of the deal. He was good, Reno shouldn't be hurting.

He was jerked backwards by Pet, the thing's four hands holding his arms and abdomen as it whisked him into the next room.

Cloud went limp. He wanted to fight. He had to. But Reno's life held in the balance. He found a new pair of pants, shirt, and boots pushed into his arms. Looking up at the doctor he clutched the little bit of warmth tightly to his chest and the structure rumbled again.

"You'll find orders in the pockets. If you don't do this, we will find Reno again. And this time we won't have the resources to kidnap and torture..." He perked a brow and let that sink into Cloud's head.

"Now go."

"No. No!" Reno screamed after the thing that took Cloud away.

He struggled against the hold of his own nemesis, even knowing that he couldn't match the things strength, knowing that it would probably be a fight that led to his own death. So be it.

Reno dropped into a crouch, the movement surprising enough to startle the creature into letting go of him. With a war cry on his lips he launched himself at the opposite door full tilt. Metal screeched in a warping scream, wood splintered and so did bone. Didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was on the other side of the door.

Reno literally fell through the demolished door and met with the sight of Cloud fully dressed in strange clothes and...alone. His head spun with pain and confusion and his mouth opened to say the first nonsense that came to him in his relief to see Cloud unharmed.

"Hey, babe, going my way?"

Then he hit the floor in a bloody sprawl.