Trioverse ficlets

They could always tell when Reno had a particularly bloody, stressful, dangerous day on the job, his terse text or voice messages barely hinting at desperation for their company. Zack would gather Cloud after clearing it with the boy's commander, and they would make their way to the small block of apartments far from the Shinra building. Outside the door, Zack exchanged a worried, unhappy look with his blond lover. They had done this too many times before, and Zack had made the journey alone even more times than that before Cloud.

Zack knew that Cloud didn't fully understand why Reno kept this shabby apartment, very nearly in the slums, when he had a much better place within the Shinra walls. He was still too young and too new to the organization to have much experience with the deadly game of corporate espionage. As full of secrets as Shinra was, personal secrets were bloody damned hard to keep, and any hint of weakness could bring down the secret holder.

Zack understood. Reno needed this place. Full of low class, powerless people who worked themselves to the bone during the day, the apartments were breathtakingly silent during the night, the people collapsing in their beds in an effort to escape through sleep. As long as the power bills were paid, Shinra had no reason to bother with them. There was no surveillance, no security beyond a pathetically low paid night manager, and definitely no one living there with delusions of grandeur for attacking the corporation. It was the only place Reno had that he could almost completely escape Shinra and pretend that he was just another person going home for the day.

Zack could see that no lights were on and wrapped a reassuring arm around Cloud's shoulders as he knocked at the door. He knew better than to use the key that Reno had once given him. His caution was justified when the door opened to reveal a pair of blood shot, haunted eyes framed by a wild cascade of red hair. Reno looked nearly demented with stress and pain. Zack tightened his hold on Cloud when the boy turned rigid with shock at the sight of their lover, reminding himself that Cloud still wasn't completely aware of the realities of a Turk's job.

When he was sure Cloud wouldn't bolt, Zack released him to close and lock the door behind and took a cautious step towards Reno. His heart broke a little when Reno flinched from his outstretched hand with a look of self loathing but desperate need making his eyes hard and shiny.

"I'm here now. We're here," Zack said softly and hummed in approval when Cloud immediately stepped to his side.

Some of the unyielding hardness in Reno's eyes softened when he shifted his searching gaze to Cloud. He started to reach for the blond and drew up sharply when he noticed the flecks of dried blood on his hand. Cloud took the hand before it could be withdrawn and held it to his cheek, his eyes full of concern and love.

"It's okay," Cloud murmured. He felt Reno's fingers tremble slightly against his cheek. "You don't have to do anything more tonight. Just let us stay with you. Zack?"

Zack caught Reno by the nape of the neck and pulled him close. He could smell traces of blood, cordite and ozone in Reno's hair. He could feel the strain and tension coiled in the slender body where it rested against him. Zack wordlessly guided them down the short hallway, his strength easily supporting his lover when Reno stumbled blindly, the Turk having yet to lift his face from where he had pressed it into Zack's neck. Cloud followed, steadfastly refusing to let go of the hand Reno continued to grip tightly.

In the bathroom, Zack coaxed Reno to lift his head so they could strip off their clothes. Reno kept his eyes on Zack's, leaning into the kisses and touches, while Cloud turned on the water and adjusted the temperature to be lower than the scalding hot Reno would normally use while alone after a day such as this. It was a bit of a squeeze, three men in the small shower, but they managed to fit with Zack holding on to Reno and Cloud using soap and cloth to remove all traces of violent work from the Turk's body. Reno never spoke, only shivered from time to time and blinked water from his eyes.

Zack could feel when Reno finally started to relax, his lover melting into their touches rather than just leaning on him for support. He reached behind himself to shut off the water when Reno gave Cloud a tentative half smile and ran his clean fingers through wet, blond spikes. Cloud toweled dry the long, red hair and pressed a kiss over Reno's heart as he rubbed the towel over pale skin and mentally catalogued every bruise, scrape and contusion. Zack urged them into the bedroom and the bed that was barely big enough to hold all three of them. It was plenty big enough to suit their need that night.

In the bed in the darkness Reno lay on his side with Zack's reassuring warmth and solidness at his back and Cloud's smaller form against his chest. He wiggled deeper into the mattress and released a small sigh when Zack draped his arm protectively over them both. Now, like this, with Zack holding him and Cloud's head tucked under his chin, Reno could let go and try to rest. Once again, his lovers had risen to the occasion to show him that he was loved, that he was wanted, that he was still human despite what Shinra required him to do.

Reno fell asleep to the soft sounds of Cloud's breathing and the soothing beat of Zack's heart. Tomorrow would be soon enough to replace his cocky, remorseless and unconcerned mask. Tonight he could allow himself to be comforted and bask in the love and presence of his lovers. They were his armor for sleep, his armor for life. Reno rested his cheek against Cloud's hair and let it all go.