Morbidezza

Author: Ebraheart
General Pairing: RenoXCloud
Warning(s): Mild Language/Violence {Blood and Gore}/Lemon-Fluff/Sap
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy Advent Children {The Movie} is not of my personal property, though I do respectfully own my own copy of it for my PSP. I adore the people at Sqaure-Enix and won’t profit from this fanfic.

Legend:
{Name} Indicates POV change.
~!@!~ Indicates the passing of time

Ebra: I am taking a mini break from my Naruto Fanfic to write this for a friend. I promised it to her a while back and I hit some writers’ block until I remembered to give this a shot.

Please, Read, Review and Enjoy.


~!@!~

‘Morbidezza’
Chap. One: Red is trouble

~!@!~

“Pass the red one, Mar, please”

Marlene unfolds slightly from her seat and reaches across the length of the table. The red marker is just out of her reach.

Cloud picks it up silently and hands it to Denzel. The boy smiles and Cloud takes a seat at the table overflowing with papers, magazine cutouts and predominantly of markers.

Marlene grins and pauses in her drawing, “Are they still arguing?”

Cloud seems to consider the question before nodding

“Figures”, Denzel says, already abandoning the red for a nearby purple.

Cloud smirks very slightly and leans close enough to look at what Denzel is drawing.

The landscape is slightly more colorful then Cloud knows it is from personal experience but the rocky outcrops and the barren quality of the surrounding landscape is discernable in the picture, despite the over-exaggerated colors chosen for the setting-sun sky in the background.

Cloud marvels briefly at the detail in the picture before switching sides to look at Marlene’s efforts.

He suppresses a chuckle at the sight of Barrett’s gruff face starring back at him.

Oddly, the quiet of the room makes him feel at ease. Aside of the arguing going in on in Tifa’s office, all seems more or less right with the world.

He’ll be the first to admit that the limitation on his freedoms are a little over the top but he’s been examining his behavior and knows that it’s painful for his reconstructed family when he’s away so many days at a time.

Maybe hanging around isn’t bad after all.

Breakfast was an oddly pleasant affair, even with Tifa fussing right and left over what the kids were and weren’t allowed to eat not to mention the scolding he got himself for only having a banana.

Washing up afterwards was also interesting; as Denzel had taken to initiating water fights in the bathroom.

Cloud could not say he was not entertained.

Admittedly, he hadn’t been out on an errand for over three weeks and his traveler’s spirit had become ever increasingly restless but he refused to succumb to it and contended himself with learning how to leave peacefully.

After all, it wasn’t like he had only himself to look after.

He wasn’t alone.

His musings are interrupted by the arrival of Tifa, flushed and annoyed.

Her dark hair is swept aside in a faintly inpatient movement and she enters the room briskly, handing Cloud reluctantly his new phone, “Reno called. I think that silly guy is in trouble somewhere. Other then that, it doesn’t seem too important”

Cloud takes the phone slowly, although his face does not betray his slight apprehension.

What on earth would Reno want with him?

Tifa eyes him as he moves to stand, “I expect you back in time for dinner, at least, and you can bring that Baka if it means you’ll be on time. No joyriding, understand?”

Cloud smiles faintly at her commanding tone but attributes her gruffness to her argument with Cid downstairs.

He ruffles Denzel’s hair and the boy ruffles it back into place one-handedly without looking up, though he smiles.

He taps Marlene under the chin and snatches his gloved hand back before she can make a grab for it.

He tweaks the end of Tifa’s hair and she bats absently at him as he walks by.

Then he is out the door, headed out the main entrance of the bar, and across the street to the bike he’s been dying for an excuse to ride.

He pauses to admire it only a moment before he slips his leg over the seat, pulls on his shades and tugs his gloves firmly into place.

The powerful machine roars to life and Cloud tears out of town headless of the noise and spectacle he makes.

It’s not before he’s well outside the city’s outskirts that he realizes his phone is ringing.

He reaches for it and effortlessly flips it open.

The voice message is loud and abrupt: “No Joyriding!”

Cloud let’s himself grin and puts away the phone.

She’ll never know, he tells himself, as long as you’re back before dinner.

~!@!~

It’s not hard to find Reno.

He’s loud, slightly obnoxious and the clincher is that he has a notorious head of red hair.

In this barren wasteland, the only red Cloud knows is blood or that.

Cloud observes Reno’s situation from a little ways away and can’t help but wonder why on earth the red-head is out here, much less in this predicament.

He reaches for his phone, never taking his eyes off the sight before him and re-dials Reno’s number.

He watches the redhead still abruptly and scramble at his pockets in search of his own phone.

Cloud watches him pick up and begins to speak as soon as he’s sure Reno can hear him: “What the hell are you doing?”

He doesn’t mean to sound so annoyed, concerned and amused all at once, but this is Reno and that is all that makes the difference.

He watches the redhead scan the immediate area before giving up on spotting him, “Can’t the questions wait, Blondie? I could use a little help here”

He’s breathless and Cloud finds himself wanting to smile. He ignores his urge to scowl to prevent the smile and continues, “I can see that.”

Reno, oblivious for a moment to his mess, stills in surprise, “You can? Where the heck are you?!”

Cloud answers the question with another question, “Where’s Rude? Aren’t you joined at the hip?”

Reno growls low in his throat and waves an arm frantically as he talks into the phone, “Do your superthing first, stupid questions later…PLEASE”

Cloud shrugs; he finds talking on the phone easier than face to face. If Reno fails to answer now, he won’t be asking again anyway, especially not face to face.

Cloud pops the latch for his swords and selects the first one his hand falls on, never looking away from Reno’s predicament, “Fine. Coming”

He hangs up swiftly and puts the phone away.

He climbs onto his bike and adjust his shades leisurely before hitting the gas and tearing down the slope, sword held left handed and ready.

~!@!~

{Reno}

I’m and idiot sometimes, you know? But I really don’t deserve the kind of bad luck I have.

Okay, yeah, it was stupid not to check if I had enough gas before I left, or to even consider walking the rest of the way, or even not wearing something a little more discrete in terms of clothing, but you learn a new lesson everyday, ne?

My hair’s already the most noticeable thing for what? Five-fucking miles at least? And I had to wear my favorite; equally red jacket to add on top of that and even opted for sandals instead of my boots.

Why? Obviously because I’m stupid.

Well, anyway, it wasn’t like I was planning on getting into this much trouble in the first place, but at least I hadn’t left my phone.

The rock I’m taking shelter on shudders violently and I grip a jagged edge to keep myself from tumbling off.

Hesitantly, I peek over the nearby edge at the Rock Golem at its base.

There, in all its rocky glory, stands my problem.

I was basically minding my own business when I happened to lean on a rock for rest and it turned out to be this guy’s backside.

Well, he took just one look at me and decided to get all pissed off, no questions asked.

What’s a guy like me to do, dressed unsuitably for a fight and having incidentally left his only weapon back in the jeep?

Nothing, really, cept maybe call for help.

I actually wanted to surprise Cloud and his bunch, you know, visiting and everything, but I managed to get myself into this.

I cannot express how relieved I was when Cloud called me back, especially since I only got his voicemail the first time around, but that was short lived as he insisted on being an ass and not tell me where he was or whether or not he had any intention of saving me.

So, presently, I am waiting for the hero make his grand entrance.

I don’t wait more then two minutes after hanging up, when the man of the hour comes tearing down the stony ridge off to my right.

The Golem leaves me alone long enough to take interest in the high velocity object approaching and headed, unluckily, straight for him.

Cloud doesn’t slow down and I begin to worry what exactly he is doing.

Suddenly, Cloud veers a hard left and his bike slides sideways, Cloud leaning closer to the ground then I would’ve though possible and crashes into the Golem head on.

The poor thing stumbles back and falls onto its backside before reaching out to grab the bike’s back wheel.

Cloud hits the gas and the bike veers away, using the leverage he has on one hand and flips off as it races by kicking up a hell of a lot of dust.

He flips neatly into a crouch as his bike comes to a halt at the base of the rock I’m stowing away on.

The Golem wastes no time in getting as angry at Cloud as it did at me and stands slowly, its entire body shaking as solid rock shifted back into place.

Cloud doesn’t wait for it to get up again: he darts forwards and anchors his sword in the ground between its legs and uses the hilt’s leverage to lean back and place both legs solidly on the Golem’s underbelly.

In a movement too fast for me to completely follow, Cloud pushes, hard, flying up into a back flip and the golem stumbles back and collapses completely, pieces of rock shattering noisily as the dust finally settles and Cloud yanks his sword from the ground effortlessly.

He makes his way to me, businesslike, and puts his sword away.

Relieved, I jump down and am about to give Cloud a good smack on the back for a job well done when the rock Golem’s remains shudder and slowly start to draw together again.

Cloud only glances, completely disinterested at the reconstructing menace, and climbs onto his bike smoothly.

I stand there for a bit, dumbfounded; before Cloud catches my attention by tossing a helmet at me, “Get on”

I stare first at the helmet, then at the Golem bits, then at Cloud.

He raises an eyebrow at me over the rim of his shades and motions for me to hurry up.

I shrug and pull the helmet on, all the while wondering why the hell Cloud didn’t finish it.

I climb onto the bike, behind Cloud and lock my arms around his waist before he takes off, circling the half-formed Golem once before tacking off up the ridge at break neck speed.

~!@!~

{Cloud}

“Why didn’t you kill it?”

Reno’s voice is loud in the chapel’s typical quiet.

I tell myself that my getting annoyed is a figment of my imagination.

I ignore him and set my things aside before making my way purposefully towards him.

He stares up at me from where I dropped him in the small patch of flowerbed by the mini pond and grins cockily.

Intent on my purpose, I ignore how his confident attitude turns to loud protests as I pull his jacket off and pull the black poet’s shirt he wearing aside to expose his abdomen.

He falls more or less quiet as I examine the litany of bruises starting from under his right pectoral all the way down the curve of his stomach and hip and disappearing onto his back.

Reno smirks at my querying look, “He grabbed me, once”

I nod and reach for the salve I brought.

“You didn’t answer my question, Blondie”

The insolent tone of his voice makes my fists clench momentarily, but I ignore it again: he has to be presentable if I’m taking him home with me later.

I grab a small towel and dip it into the ever-clear water and scrub at his bruises.

Reno yelps and tries to push my hands away but my arms are stronger then his; I’m the one who wields large swords one-handed.

When I’m satisfied that the area looks cleaner overall, I pull off a glove and lay it on his bent knee.

I unscrew the cap slowly, taking my time and pause a moment to observe Reno’s face from beneath my lashes.

His expressive face is twisted into a childish air of annoyance and his eyes are narrowed, starring holes into the far wall over my shoulder.

I resist the urge to smile easily, but allow the tiniest smirk as I begin to rub the salve roughly into the bruises.

Reno’s tense muscles dissolve beneath my fingers and he drops the pout to stare at me in amazement instead.

The best thing for fresh bruises is a good rub down; I would’ve done it for anyone close to me.

This I do not bother to explain and Reno’s expression becomes increasingly baffled.

“What the hell has gotten into you lately?”

I ignore this question and answer the first instead, “Golems are near extinct. Their bellies are lined with coal and Mako crystals so they are hunted and dismembered as a common supply of resources”

Reno balks and grimaces, “Dismembered?”

I nod and work my way lower, over his hip, “Uncharacteristically, they are generally gentle despite their looks, but the recent attacks to their habitats and mating grounds have made them aggressive in the interest of self preservation”

Reno’s expression turns curious, “Mating grounds?”

I reach for more salve and continue, “Shallow valleys like the one you stumbled into are suitable as a certain amount of water can gather and they are able to blend easily into the surrounding rock faces”

Understanding dawns and his expression turns guilty, “You mean I was disturbing a pregnant Golem?”

I finish up and lean away, “Basically, yes”

Reno stares at his bruised abdomen ruefully, “Guess this wasn’t wholly underserved then?”

I don’t answer. In my opinion, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It occurs to me then that I don’t know what he’s doing down here either: “What are you doing here?”

Reno sits up gingerly, tucking his poet’s shirt haphazardly into his pants and fits his arms back into his jacket before answering a bit sheepishly, “I’m supposed to be on vacation”

There is no suitable response, so I remain silent.

Reno takes my silence for the incredulity that it really is, “Yeah, I know. The President figures I’m a little tense lately, even with all this free time on my hands. Decides outta nowhere that I need to get out for a bit”

I nod, more to get him to keep talking then anything else.

“So I’m thinking Rude’s going with me right? Nope, the lucky bastard’s taking off with Tseng and Elena and I’m the one that needs ‘time alone’. How do you figure shit like that?”

I frown as something else occurs to me, “Who’s with the President?”

Reno grimaces, “He’s with himself”

I frown.

Reno takes my expression in stride, “I agree, man. I was pretty mad about it myself but the guy insists that it’s been three weeks since that Sephiroth bullshit and we should be clear of any dramatic disasters for a while at least”

I shrug: the president has some precautions set up, whether his subordinates are aware of it or not, and in all reality, the president is not nearly as dependent on them as he pretends to be.

I’m sure he can handle himself.

I glance back at Reno and give him a once over to verify that he is more or less all right.

Reno shoves his goggles farther up onto his forehead, making his bangs stick up and hands me back the glove I left on his knee, “So, right, here I am”

I shake my head and stand, moving to the entrance of the chapel.

I hear Reno scramble to stand and follow me.

We are both silent for a bit while I put away my sword and flick some dust off the tapered back bumper of my bike.

Much the same as earlier in the afternoon, I climb onto my bike and motion him to follow, “We’re leaving”

Reno stares at me, puzzled, before climbing on.

He shakes his head no when I hand him the only helmet again.

I turn the ignition and the engine roars to life and fades into a heavy purr.

Reno pauses, “Aren’t you surprised? Even a bit?”

I put my shades on, tug my gloves into place and say distinctly, over my shoulder, “Not at all”

Reno is prone to talking too much for his own good, so I floor the gas and we take off. At least he won’t be able to chat my ears off and I am relived that Tifa previously said she wouldn’t mind Reno over if I weren’t late about it.

He’s chatty but maybe this isn’t all bad. If Reno agrees to help out in the bar, I’m sure Tifa will let him stay and maybe I’ll get some of my freedom back as a result.

Then again, I think, tearing around a corner and reaching the rough roads outside the city, Reno’s hands tightening in mild panic, I’ll be lucky if Tifa doesn’t throw a fit over Reno staying longer then for dinner.

~!@!~

Ebra: Then, how was that? I had fun, so I’ll be posting soon. This won’t be an especially long fic but my chapters are about thirty or so pages in length, except for this first one. Please tell me what you all think: comments are the best thing to receive ^_^ Ja~ne!