Can Barely Hide

"Reno!" Cloud knelt next to his lover and turned him over. "Please be okay. Be ok. Be ok." Cloud touched his lover's face and felt warmth.

He had to get out of here. Picking Reno up behind his shoulders and knees, Cloud lifted him effortlessly. He went back into the room that had his blood on the table and floor and walked past to the door he remembered being walked down to. He glanced back to look for Pet and frowned. It seemed everyone had disappeared rather fast.

Up the stairs he squinted into the sunlight as they emerged from the underground darkness. Setting Reno down on the grass, Cloud kneeled next to him with a hand on his chest to feel his breath and heartbeat as he waited for help.

Rude rounded the corner at a dead run, the remote detonator to his last bomb clenched in his fist. Tseng, Elena and damn near a squadron of other Turks were systematically cleaning house and coming up with nothing. Whoever had been down there had melted away into the shadows like ghosts. His answers were going to have to come from Reno when he finally found the little shit.

A flash of gold and unmistakable red caught his attention. Rude changed directions in a heartbeat and skidded to a stop beside his fallen partner. None too gently he shoved Cloud out of the way and started a head to toe inspection of injuries. Rude recognized the restraints from Hojo's lab before it was destroyed and fished a skeleton key from a ring in his pocket. The restraints were thrown violently away and Rude hissed in sympathy at the mess of Reno's arms where the man had clearly struggled and fought.

Finding nothing immediately life threatening, Rude decided it was safe to move his partner to where a specially equipped ambulance waited. He scooped the limp redhead up in his arms, promising himself that as soon as Reno was healed he'd kick his ass for the trouble, and turned to Cloud. The blond looked a little shell shocked.

"C'mon, you can come with us to headquarters. I'll...explain to Tseng." Rude paused. The role of comforter was not one he usually did. "He'll be fine, Strife. Just needs a few potions and a little time. Maybe now you can convince him to take some of the vacation time he's been racking up for years."

Cloud followed them, his feet moving on autopilot. Reno was going to be fine. He would be a good little puppet and this wouldn't happen again. He would keep Reno safe.

In the ambulance Cloud sat by Reno's head, maintaining contact with a hand on his lover's shoulder and chest. He idly wondered where Fenrir and his swords had been stashed. He might need them if he were to follow the orders in his back pocket.

First he had to be sure Reno would be taken care of.

"Ngh! Bloody fuck!" Reno groaned when the ambulance hit a pot hole and jarred him back to the land of the living. Or make that the land of the hurting. He cracked open his good eye to see his partner busy with IV lines, bandages and syringes. Rude was a damn good medic, and it came to Reno not for the first time that Rude would have been a fine doctor had fate not intervened. "Hey, Rude, glad you could make it."

Rude grunted in annoyance. "Try a stunt like that again and I'll just save everyone the trouble and break your legs myself."

Reno felt someone's hand on his chest and squirmed to get away. "Cloud! Where's Cloud?"

Rude started to say something snarky then realized Reno's left eye was still swollen shut. "Right beside you." He held up a hypo of pain meds questioningly. "Long ride to headquarters. Need this?"

"Yeah," Reno murmured after taking a moment to rub his swollen cheek against the soft skin of the arm beside him. "Stay with me, Cloud? Rude, don't let him leave until I can go home, and don't let him try to get out of being checked out by the doc. Bastards hurt him."

Rude slid his shades down his nose to pin Cloud with his best "or else" glare. "I won't."

It wasn't that Rude disliked Cloud or the idea of the two men together. It was simply concern for his reckless partner that was making him cool towards Cloud. Rude shunted the syringe into the IV line he had set up and depressed the plunger slowly.

"Ah..." Reno sighed in relief at the lessening of pain and clumsily moved his arm to clasp Cloud's fingers. "Everythin' be all right now," he slurred in drugged euphoria. "Jus' stay, Clou'. Love you."

Cloud held Reno's hand tightly between his own. He leveled his own gaze at Rude. Just try and stop me. He wouldn't let them hurt Reno. He had a job to do and he didn't care what it was as long as it meant Reno would be left alone.

He stunk of blood and sweat and probably looked like a zombie but even that wouldn't stop him if he didn't have time to shower and change and rest. As Reno began to doze Cloud leaned over and nosed his lover's ear. "I can't, Reno. I won't let them hurt you again. I'll do whatever it takes. Please understand."

Reno still responded to the sound of his lover's soft voice even in his twilight half sleep, and tried to curl closer with a faint whine of dismay.

As soon as they reached headquarters a swarm of doctors and nurses whisked Reno away to a secure department housed deep within the building. Rude eye the blond at his side and put an arm around Cloud's shoulders that might have looked companionable but was really just a few inches away from a headlock. Cloud seemed to be in much better shape than Reno was thinking. He steered the man into a waiting room and keyed the lock to keep out anyone but a fellow Turk with highest security clearance.

"While we wait we're going to talk. I want you to tell me what went down."

Cloud eyed the door and remained standing. He couldn't stay. He still had to read those orders. And the faster he did them the faster he could be safe with Reno.

"I have to go," he raised his chin defiantly. If he had to fight his way out he would.

Rude blinked in astonishment that faded into anger.

"You're going to just leave him now? Without even making sure he's okay? You're cold, Strife, and I'm damned if I know why Reno loves you so much."

Rude thought about his own words to his partner. He could try and attempt to keep Cloud from leaving, but what was the point really? What good did it do Reno to force his lover to stay if he didn't really want to be there for him? Rude released the lock and stepped out of the way with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Just so you know...all he cared about was finding you and trying to protect you." He left unspoken the last part of the sentence...he deserves better than that.

"And now I have to protect him," Cloud said flatly. He opened the door and began to walk out. Then jog. Then run. Panic was starting to set in. He didn't have a vehicle. Or weapons.

Reaching the outside he fished his pockets and pulled out the folded paper. It had a time and a place and a list. He didn't have that much time. But it was enough if he acted. Now.

He searched faces as he walked further out towards the gates. This was the wrong place to hijack a vehicle; he'd have the entire force breathing down his back. He ran to the nearest road and kept running until he heard an approaching vehicle. He stepped right in front of it.

"Get out," he grabbed the man without looking at him and threw him down as he traded him road for car seat.

-

Rude sat next to Reno's bed, grateful that the redhead was sedated. It wasn't just that he didn't want to explain Strife's absence. Healing that much damage by potion strained a body tremendously and it *hurt*. Rude felt that Reno had been through enough for one day. The fact he had also wielded an enormous amount of channeled power without adequate time to recharge was complicating things, too.

A soft hand on his shoulder made him jerk in surprise. He was either really distracted or Elena was just getting that good at being sneaky.

"Want me to take a watch?" she asked softly. She looked at Reno's slack face. "He never looks like himself when he's lying there, does he? And we've seen it too many times."

"Too many," Rude agreed. "Reckless." He rubbed a hand over his eyes and replaced his shades. "I'll just be next door. If he comes to and asks for Cloud, come get me."

-

Cloud barely saw traffic or pedestrians. He pushed the old vehicle as if it were Fenrir and grew angry when he realized it wasn't. For now it would have to do.

He left the laboratory as clean as he could in his rush. Thankfully he hadn't had to hurt anyone. The nurses stood aside when they saw who it was, or seemed to be. The crazy look in his eyes and disheveled look told them not to interfere.

On his way back to where they had played with him and sliced him open he rolled the car. It wasn't meant for the abuse he was giving it. With a gash on his forehead and blurred vision he gritted his teeth. What hell was Reno going through now? His side ached and chest burned as he ran the rest of the distance.

-

Reno came to again, still in pain, but in much better shape. When he opened his eyes he noticed that he could see out of both of them, and the first thing he noticed was the blonde head dozing on his bed. Cute, but not the blond he was looking for. He struggled to lift heavy, weighted limbs to sit up and look for Cloud, and his heartbeat accelerated enough to set off the alarms on the monitor. Elena's head jerked up and she pressed lightly on his chest with gentle hands.

"Hey, hey woah!" Elena did her best to calm Reno, saw that she wasn't being effective and yelled for back up. "Rude!"

The bald Turk glided into the room, handed Elena a cup of tea, and shooed her out.

"Where. Is. Cloud?" Reno demanded, biting off every word.

"He left while you were being treated. I wasn't going to force him to stay if he didn't want to be here for you," Rude said unhappily.

Reno gasped and turned sheet white as a sharp, tearing pain assaulted his heart. Cloud had left. Reno guessed he wasn't forgiven after all. The pain grew worse until he almost screamed from it.

-

Cloud pounded the earth until he finally saw a familiar face... he collapsed, gasping. On all fours he struggled to catch his breath as Pet slinked from under the low hanging tree limbs. The creature looked ridiculous on all six legs. Reptilian.

"Give," Pet held out his four hands and squatted in front of Cloud.

Sitting in the dust Cloud handed over the vials and tubes and dishes from his cargo pockets. "Everything," he rasped.

"Come here," Pet quickly slithered up the hill and into some tall weeds. Cloud gasped and took several deep breaths before he slowly got to his feet, a wave of dizziness causing him to walk sideways the first few steps.

His Fenrir had never looked so beautiful. And inside... Cloud opened the specialized compartments to be sure... his weapons. And strapped to the right handle, more orders. Cloud unfolded them and breathed a sigh. He had a few days to rest. Stuffing the paper in his pocket he mounted Fenrir and headed home. Home was Reno.

-

Reno was released from the medical department with bottles of pain pills, muscles relaxers and strict orders that he was now on medical leave. Any attempt to come back to work before he was released would result in an extended, involuntary stay in the infirmary. Reno really didn't care. He never said a word, just dressed himself in the clothes Rude had brought him, pocketed the pills and papers, and silently allowed Rude to escort him home.

Rude hurt for his partner. He hated seeing Reno looking so lifeless and defeated, and he walked around the empty apartment, reluctant to leave.

"Go on home, Rude," Reno said. "I'll be fine. I think I'm just gonna sleep some more." He popped a couple of each pill in his mouth and settled on the plush couch, studiously avoiding both his bed and the pillow nest on the floor.

"Call me if you need anything or if you just want company."

Reno waved a hand and closed his eyes as Rude let himself out. As soon as he was sure Rude was gone he curled up in as tight a ball of misery as his battered condition allowed.

-

At the edge of town Cloud stopped and pulled his cell phone out. He hoped Reno was home by now. But if he was still in the care of the doctors Cloud didn't want to waste his time going home.

He held the phone to his ear and waited through the rings, wishing to hear that voice. Needing it as his center of gravity swayed. How long it had been since he had a real meal or slept or allowed his body to fully heal wasn't as important. He needed Reno first.

-

Reno heard his phone ringing and simply pulled the blanket over his head. Despite the thick mind fog caused by the pain pills he still hurt, the worst pain centered in his chest. He didn't want to answer the phone. The only person he was interested in talking to right now had left him alone and could have just come to the apartment anyway.

Reno shivered and tugged the blanket tighter around himself. He was so cold. Part of it was probably a low grade fever giving him chills, but mostly he was cold down to his soul.

"Wherever you are, Cloud, I hope you're safe. Still love you even if I messed it all up."

He succumbed to the medicines and dropped into a fitful doze.

-

Slapping his phone closed on the voice mail message, Cloud sat in a moment's thought. The sun was nearly gone. Surely they had released his lover by now.

Deciding he had been, Cloud drove home. Home was Reno.

Before heading in he pieced his swords together. He would protect them if he had to. But he had three days...

Seeing his lover on the couch Cloud tilted his head. Why wasn't he in bed? Cloud knelt on both knees and gently pulled the blanket from Reno's head. He wanted to see those beautiful eyes tell him everything was fine, but he didn't have the heart to wake him.

Sitting on the floor he leaned sideways against the couch and laid his cheek on the edge of the seat cushion. His sword rested by his legs as he let himself doze.

-

Thrashing at the blanket because he was now too hot, Reno cursed as his arm connected with something hard. He reluctantly opened his eyes to find the hard thing was his lover's head. Reno's heart leapt into his throat. Cloud! He was home. Reno stroked a shaky hand through the mess of Cloud's hair.

"Cloud? Oh babe, am I glad to see you."

Cloud woke when something hit his head. Wincing, he opened one eye to peek at Reno. Happy to see him, to hear him, Cloud drew his knees under him and leaned on the cushion with his elbows. "Are you alright? He didn't hurt you again did he?"

He took Reno's hand from his filthy, matted hair and cupped it between his equally dirty hands. "I'm sorry I left," he nosed and kissed Reno's knuckles.

"I...don't understand why you left, but maybe you'll tell me?" Reno asked and curled his fingers around the warmth of Cloud's cheek. "After a shower, I mean, and some food. You look thinner, and I don't like seeing you so ruffled."

In full protective nurturing mode, Reno levered himself from the couch with only a small groan and clasped his lover's hand to lead him into the bathroom. Hope hurt, and he kept stealing glances at Cloud to make sure he was really there while he busied himself gathering towels. One thing that did bother him, though...

"Is there a need for the hardware, love?" Reno asked softly, referring to the sword. He would understand if Cloud no longer felt safe in their home, but it still made his heart ache.

A hot shower to wash away the crusted blood and grim sounded like heaven. Cloud's wounds were all mostly healed by now, but the blood still covered him head to toe. A few scabs here and there and some bones that still ached, but he didn't really feel those. What he did feel was Reno's hurts, and he would never let that happen again.

He looked down at his sword hand and only then realized he had been carrying it. "I didn't have them when I was jumped, I let my guard down so easily... and they got away. They're still out there." They were in his back pocket, how easily they could be in his bed or shower.

He laid the weapon up against the wall.

Pulling the shirt over his head he tossed it aside, it stunk. He piled the pants on top of these and laid his boots next to them. Looking at his blood crusted chest and abdomen he remembered feeling the blades and screaming. He closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath.

Swallowing against the hard lump of tears in his throat, Reno reached with gentle fingers to trace the newly healed scars on Cloud's chest and abdomen. Flashes of copious amounts of blood pulsing from Cloud's pale skin crossed his vision. And even worse, above all that horror, the absolute terror he had seen in impossibly wide blue eyes.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't fast enough," Reno whispered on a choked breath.

He yanked off his own clothes, unmindful of his own half healed injuries and threw them to the floor. The Turk stepped into the shower first so the water could conceal any tears and carefully drew Cloud in after him. He urged his lover to lean against the wall.

"Let me take care of you," he asked softly.

"You're too good to me," Cloud whispered. "I love you so much. But please don't hurt yourself on my behalf..." He leaned back against the wall, the heat making him dizzy. He didn't have the energy to argue and so relented to Reno's loving care.

Who was he kidding; it felt wonderful to be cared for. He felt his tense muscles slowly relax and the blood and goop wiped away. He felt himself cleaned and marveled at Reno's tender hands.

Reno kept all his actions slow and careful. He had never seen Cloud looking this worn and tired, and it worried him. He absently chewed on his bottom lip while gently scrubbing away blood and grime. While he wasn't precisely looking for it, Reno was relieved to see that none of the mess seemed to be another's bodily fluids. It was bad enough to know that he hadn't been able to protect Cloud from the hurts already inflicted. If they had sexually violated him...Reno was pretty sure he would have gone on a killing spree as soon as Cloud slept.

"Hush," Reno soothed. "You deserve all the love in the world. I just try to be good enough."

He pulled Cloud forward to rest against his body and held him to wash his back. He desperately needed to feel Cloud next to him, skin to skin, for a while, but he also knew that other needs required care. Wrapping them both in robes, he guided Cloud to sit in front of the fireplace and returned with a simple, hot meal of a thick soup and juice. Reno nestled Cloud in his arms and tipped the mug to his lover's lips.

"Can you drink a little of this? I promise you can sleep afterwards."

He didn't remember the shower. Or much of it. Reno had been so loving and tender he had dozed, or let his mind wander. But he felt warm and clean and just hoped that Reno had taken the time to clean himself as well.

He didn't have an appetite and felt his stomach roll at the delicious odor. Still, he knew he needed to eat. His stomach had shrunk, that's the only reason it blanched at food.

Parting his lips he sipped at the mug. Just a taste. Then pushed it away and sat up as his stomach threatened him. "Sorry... tired." He sighed when the nausea passed and leaned back again. "Just a little more." But now the taste beckoned him to take more and he tilted his chin and drank faster.

When he felt his shaky lover was able to handle it, Reno handed over the mug and simply sat with his arms around Cloud. It had been a helluva, well, however many days it had been. Reno still wasn't too sure. He sighed.

"I'm off on medical leave for a while. How would you feel about leaving town for a few days? Just you and me? We could go anywhere, the beach, the mountains. We could even go to the desert if you wanted, but I'm really not too keen on that idea."

Cloud ran the back of his hand over his mouth after draining the mug. He looked back at Reno. "I can't leave." How much he longed to though. Just leave with Reno and forget everything.

He turned forward again and stared at the wall. If he left they'd both die. Reno first. And then Cloud because he'd kill himself without Reno. And it would be his fault. He sighed and put his face in his hands.

"You *can't* leave?" Reno noticed that Cloud had tensed up again. He took a deep breath to stay calm. "Cloud, I love you. Anything you want to tell me, just tell me. If there's something you think is none of my business...I'll try to understand. I just hope that you still trust me."

Reno rubbed his hand up and down Cloud's back and leaned forward to place a kiss on his shoulder. He felt a little lost and uncertain, and found himself missing the warm, happy smile that had been on Cloud's face before all this had happened.

Cloud desperately wanted to tell Reno everything. He turned and looked at Reno again. "I'm scared... if I tell you... something..." He looked tired and worried. Tired enough he might slip and show and tell something deeply important...

Pushing away he stood up and walked back to the pile of his filthy clothes. He fished the folded paper out and walked back to Reno. Kneeling next to him he stared at the paper in his hand, wanting to show Reno the date, location, items, and drop off point. But the paralyzing stab of fear kept him frozen and on the brink of jerking his hand away.

Reno's stomach churned at seeing Cloud's fear. He set the fingers of his right hand under Cloud's chin to make his lover meet his eyes, and rested his left hand on the folded paper. He didn't try to take it or tug on it, just waited for Cloud to make a decision.

"No matter what, I'll always love you. I don't want you to be afraid of anything ever again."

Nodding slightly, Cloud hesitated a moment and then let go of the paper.

"I had to leave today." He dropped his hand into his lap and waited for realization to dawn on Reno. "I thought I'd lose you. I stole a car..."

"You stole a car?" Reno asked absently as he quickly scanned the paper. The strange contents made his eyes widen and his brow furrow in confusion. "Cloud, what is this? Why are you afraid of losing me? What exactly did they threaten you with?"

The questions spilled from his lips until he noticed how drawn in and afraid Cloud still looked.

"Come here," Reno said and pulled his lover tightly into his arms. He brushed Cloud's hair back and covered his lips in a warm, reassuring kiss. "I want you to tell me everything. Then we'll figure out what to do, together."