Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

For as long as he remembered there had always been a voice.

Something at the back of his mind that settled within its recesses.

Waiting and watching over him.

It had been cold, detached at first. Words and feelings curling like the tongue of a venomous snake in his head.

But it soon turned gentle after week long tests at the age of eight that left him pale and aching and arms riddled with needle marks across his skin.

And gentler still after his first field mission at thirteen, his first kills and the smell of blood fresh in his senses, retching into the toilet as he tried to blink the tears from his eyes.

And when he looked blankly in the mirror, wondering if he truly was a monster his head had split, pain radiating from his frontal lobe as the voice inside echoed.

N O

N O T  A  M O N S T E R

"Then what am I?!" He had yelled, voice broken and pained as he fell to the floor in a mess of limbs and his uniform.

His bloodstained uniform.

The voice seemed to pause then, as if thinking.

The feelings of confusion, hesitation, and realization seemed to hit him all at once in quick succession.

And he felt a small curl of warmth ease his headache, ease the tears he didn't realize were running down his face.

Human.

A statement.

A fact.

"And what can I call you?" He asked it, voice small, voicing the question he'd been wanting to ask since the first he'd been made aware of such a thing residing in his head.

Another pause, this one lengthier. The anxious churning of his nerves getting the better of him as he pulled himself up above the sink on wobbly legs, thinking he'd get no response after a few minutes had passed with complete silence.

He nearly ended up on the floor again, feelings of protectprotectprotect crashing through like a wave against the shore.

Your hero .

Sephiroth had taken to referring the voice in his head as Father.

Mother was a no go for the voice and it seemed disgruntled about being called anything representing a parent of him, though it seemed more like it felt undeserving than anything else, but Father did not oppose any further than the initial grumblings so Father it was.

He kept Father a secret from everyone.

From Hojo at Father's insistence.

Though Sephiroth had planned on not telling that man anything ever regarding the voice in his head so that went without saying.

And as loathe as he was to keeping secrets from the only two people he felt he could call his friends, as foreign as a term and feeling that was, it was best under Father's guidance that he keep himself a secret from the other two firsts.

The less that knew the less that would get punished should the secret of the voice in his head somehow come to light.

Father wasn't there all the time.

Sometimes leaving Sephiroth alone in his head for hours at a time, though not without saying something beforehand.

Another thing Father did a lot was watch.

Looking through Sephiroth's eyes with interest when on missions traveling out past Midgar.

The only symptom of such ability being his pupils turning cat eyed.

Though it was an often enough occurrence everyone just assumed his eyes were like that.

Father could also take control.

Though he rarely demonstrated such an ability. It was between getting clawed at his chest by a dragon and waking in the transport vehicle upright and bandaged that he couldn't recall getting there.

Between getting the injury and waking was just a black void.

Father had explained himself, sounding stilted and nervous but explaining it had been necessary to ensure Sephiroth survived.

Sephiroth was probably not as worried about the new development as he should have been, brushing off the implications of another something taking control of his body rather easily.

Why?

Why aren't you worried?

Sephiroth had tilted his head in thought, thinking on his words.

"You are Father. You would never hurt me. Had never hurt me. Why should I start thinking you would now?"

Father had no answer for that.

Chapter Text

Callused fingers rubbed at pale temples, a futile effort to soothe the migraine that pulsed behind blue eyes.

Cloud sighed, eyes glancing at the clock to see there was still an hour left before he could end the work day and get home, eager to be done with fine print lettering and the smell of printer ink he'd been exposed to all day.

With the promotion to Head Secretary of Shinra came more paperwork and the need for a new filing system. The current one so outdated and poorly kept Cloud had just decided to be done with it and had thrown the whole thing out, starting a brand new system from scratch.

It would take awhile to fully implement, the current paperwork piled up gargantuan. But with the help of the secretaries and interns underneath him and Nibel born Strife family stubbornness he knew he would eventually get it accomplished and sorted through.

What he was finding with the sorting system of the paperwork there was that it was mostly bullshit.

Most forms were just clutter and busywork, sent to departments for no reason other than to keep them busy, especially the Turks.

And considering the Turks were supposed to be keeping tabs on company corruption and any internal conflicts, it was motive enough for any department to want them busy and out of the way without directly invoking their ire or attention.

Smart.

But, considering Cloud was here in the past, now Head Secretary and wanting certain people out of the picture, he couldn't very well have that with the Turks too deep in paperwork to lift their heads high enough to do anything about the internal conflicts that afflicted certain departments and let others run rampant like the Science Department.

So Cloud focused on the Turk's papers first.

Get their busywork down to near nothing and they'd have enough time to actually do their jobs.

And if it curryed favor and got him on their good side within Shinra walls, well there were no losers here.

With that thought in mind he buried himself in work, distracted enough to not notice when the clock hit three hours past when his shift should have ended.

Tseng sat back in his chair, the last bit of paperwork neatly placed with the other finished documents.

His brows furrowed as he looked at the time, at least a couple hours before noon.

He eyed the pile of paperwork, at least a third of the size it would be normally.

A glance out of his office found most of the other Turks in the same situation, all paperwork finished and sitting at their chairs like lost moogles, unsure what to do with such a rare phenomenon.

A rare phenomenon that was becoming more and more common as the weeks went on.

A strange occurrence indeed, though not unwelcome.

Tseng pulled open a locked drawer at the bottom of his desk, taking out several folders of files detailing points of interest in the company for the Turks to investigate.

It took no time at all to pass them out to his Turks, each one looking grateful for something to do, the only two left being Rude and Reno.

"Rude with me, Reno I need you to go down to the secretarial floor, see why our paperwork was...thinned. I'm not so inclined to believe it was just luck or a good day." Tseng ordered, brows furrowed.

"On it boss!" And with a casual salute Reno was off.

"Carla darlin' how've you been?" Reno crowed, wide grin aimed at the front desk receptionist for the Secretarial floor.

The woman in question gave a weary smile, her tired demeanor something Reno picked up on right away.

"Tough day already yo?" He leaned with both arms on the desk, brows furrowed as he looked over into the offices, the interns and secretaries there in much the same state.

"We just got a new Head and the offices are going through an overhaul right now." She explained, sighing as she sorted through papers on her desk. "The new Head didn't like the filing system that was in place so he threw it all out and is compiling a new system. We got through the Turk's section of the system done so if you have barely a stack of papers to go through thank the new boss."

"Oh really now." Reno's curiosity was piqued, teal eyes landing on the office door of the Head Secretary, curious enough to want to see the man himself.

"I'd suggest coming back later" Carla advised, recognizing the glint in Reno's eye. "I came in early today and the boss was still here, I don't think he even went home last night. He's not very...approachable on a good day." She grimaced.

"He's not causing you guys any problems is he?" Reno asked, eyes narrowing.

"Oh no! Nothing like that! Just not that sociable is all." Carla corrected, "He's a gentleman, just a bit rough around the edges, a little stiff but hardworking and polite."

Reno hummed in reply, giving Carla a nod as he stepped deeper into the offices, heading straight to the Head Secretary's door.

Cloud muttered darkly under his breath, fourth cup of coffee off to the side and tired eyes glaring at the reports in his hands. He placed the report into the redo pile, fully intent on hunting down the SOLDIERs that had written them up to redo them in a more legible manner.

He was not spending over an hour on each paper to pick out someone's k's from their e's. Nor was he going to put that responsibility on any of his colleagues or interns.

The poor things could do without anymore late nights in the office.

Light footsteps entered the office, his enhanced hearing picking up the oh so obvious Turk easier than anything. When they stopped in front of his desk however, he nearly snarled.

"Unless you have a coffee blacker than the Science Department's moral compass I suggest you turn right back around before trying to say anything Turk."

There was a slight pause where dead silence hung in the room, like every intern and secretary had held their breath simultaneously.

The footsteps left the way they had came.

Barely fifteen minutes had passed before the steps returned, this time the smell of rich coffee permeating the air and tickling Cloud's senses. High quality and imported by the smell of it, the large mug settled gently on a stray coaster on his desk confirming it when his eyes landed on the tar black liquid, large wisps of steam rising from the near boiling blackness.

Coincidentally, just how he liked it.

He took the mug in careful hands, ignoring the burning heat that seeped through the ceramic.

"I might be inclined to answer your questions Turk."

A large thermos was placed heavily on the desk, half a gallon at least.

A pleasant hum left Cloud, eyes drifting over the red head with faint appreciation.

He pretended not to notice the barely contained shiver that went through the red head at his piercing gaze.

"Ask away Turk."

"Cloud Strife, twenty-five, born and raised in Nibelheim, came to Midgar at twenty, lived in sector five slums until he got a job as an intern at twenty-four, became head recently after a year at Shinra." Reno twirled a pen in one hand, eyes skimming the words on the page held in his other, he was muttering slowly under his breath as he read the head Secretary's file.

A hand appeared from a blind spot on his right, finger poking into the paper as if making a point.

If Reno hadn't heard Rude's steps seconds before he might have broken his wrist.

"No." Was all Rude uttered as he sat at his desk.

The indignant look Reno shot him looked out of place on the red head.

"What?"

Rude pointed to the file Reno still held in his hand.

"No dating the head secretary."

"It wouldn't even be dating-"

"No sabotaging our paperwork free nights, I actually went to bed before 2am you are not ruining this for me. And besides, Tseng would have your head." Rude explained.

Reno's eyes flitted to Tseng, who was watching him with such intensity Reno actually backed off.

"Whatever, wasn't even eyeing him anyways."

"He's blonde, blue-eyed, and has some bite. You were eyeing him." Rude added.

"Whatever dude." Reno waved him off, going back to the few papers he had on his desk.

Chapter Text

Viruses evolve quickly and effectively, adapting to the surrounding environment all for a bid for survival.

Organisms evolve to survive.

This is fact.

Viruses are no different.

Jenova cells are not exempt from this fact.

Jenova cells are no different.

He'd been sleeping for awhile now, years even, maybe a lot longer. The cave system he found was quiet, the rush of mako in the pools and water dripping down the walls the only sounds that lulled him into an easy, deep sleep.

And for a long time he slept, even as his breathing grew deeper and filled the cavern, the floor scraped smooth by slow morphing skin made into hide tougher than a dragon's, and a content rumbling that shook the air and caused the pools of mako to ripple.

Chapter Text

The wind whipped across white dunes of snow, flurries swirling and cutting across everything it could touch in sharp stings that stung skin and sunk into every layer of warmth and insulation one could wear to try and combat the cold.

But for a hide of thick scales and thicker fur the cold was nothing, merely a comfortable chill for the beast that lay heavily in the snow, a decent piling gathering onto its exposed back as snow was want to do on any and every surface it could stick to.

The beast in question lay out in the snow, having settled down for the night before the storm hit. With no caves around big enough for it to settle properly it was laid out in the open, its immense size deterring anything in the northern mountains from even going near it, so it hardly cared for cover.

Warm breath blew out in thick clouds that got lost in the wind and snow, continuously melting the snow around its snout into a slushy mess. Bright, blue green eyes opened lazily, sharp eyesight picking up the Icicle Inn nearly two miles out. The prickling feeling of being watched had it huffing a breath, closing its eyes for the last time that night, not at all perturbed by the feeling.

"Is it still out there?" A trooper whispered, struggling to look out the snow encrusted window of the inn.

"I think so, what the hell's a dragon doing this far north?" His friend answered, readjusting his binoculars to focus on the snow covered lump of the dragon outside.

He could just barely make out its horns against the backdrop of white. And he'd give it another hour before the beast was completely covered from sight.

"Should we call this in or?"

"Leave it."

Both troopers jumped, both calling to attention at the sound of Kunsel's voice.

"At ease you two. The dragon out there isn't a problem, we leave him alone and he leaves us alone." Kunsel explained, looking futilely out the window. The snow was too thick in the wind by now to see anything properly.

"Yes sir!"

"Besides, he's been hanging around here for years, why do you think no ones seen a Bandersnatch in so long? Now get some sleep, we have patrol in the morning before the supply run gets here."

"Yes sir!"

With the two troopers gone Kunsel stayed by the window, whatever dragon shaped structure of snow deftly covered and rendered invisible through the storm of snow that swirled and howled outside.

When the voice of Gaia whispered so sweetly, so mournfully about having to send him away, for Sephiroth's link to him was causing and would continue to wear on her until she wouldn't be able to heal herself of those wounds, he expected to die. Or float aimlessly in nothingness at least.

What he didn't expect was to be sent to a sister of Gaia as a dragon pup, barely days old and thrust into the forests of Nibelheim before it was Nibelheim. Before any people really settled on the continent, before Mako reactors and the events that had broken and shattered him into a facsimile of the person he once was were ever even a thought in someone's mind.

Whatever dragon he was, he was big enough to hunt smaller game when he could, using his small size to his advantage, his body built to resist the cold enough that he didn't have to worry about the Nibelheim winters that would have killed him had he been a human child.

Months turned to years, and with it he grew and continued to grow, watching the humans slowly start to settle and build up what would become the Nibelheim he was so familiar with.

He kept hidden, not too keen on getting on the hunters or god forbid, SOLDIERs radar while he was still young and vulnerable to their attacks.

So he kept hidden, settling deep up into the mountains away from human eyes.

Decades passed unknown to Cloud, the only tracking of time he kept was his growth, reaching a decently dangerous size, claws longer than a man's torso and teeth just as big when he bared them. Horns curled down jaggedly, lifting up at the side of his temples. Fur lined the back of his neck, some at his throat and down the back of his tail, the end tipped with a blanket of a thick mane he'd use to wipe his tracks clean from the freshly fallen snow.

His scales were wheat colored, fur just a shade brighter. While not the snow white that would allow him perfect camouflage it was good enough and coupled with his speed allowed him to catch his meals with a high enough success rate that he didn't go hungry often if at all.

With decades of his life spent on the mountain came decades of exploration, his findings digging up various Materia and other treasures that only a dragon could cherish.

Finding a cave for his finds was easy enough, deep enough into the mountain no human would be able to easily get to it or leave out alive if they did.

It was maybe a hundred or so years after his rebirth into this world so familiar yet strange that he came upon his mother.

She was younger than he remembered, blonde hair swept back into a ponytail, her winter clothes thick and warm looking.

He'd been patrolling his territory when he came upon her, both dragon and woman freezing at the sight of the other.

Both human and dragon looked at one another, Cloud's own heart shattering at his mother, a healthy red to her skin, bright eyes and hair that fluttered in the cold wind.

It wasn't until she nervously took a step back, a hand resting protectively over her stomach that he realized he'd been staring at her, his form next to her making her seem tiny and frail.

A low croon left him, eyes looking at the bump she sported at her stomach, realizing that was him. Or this world's Cloud anyways.

She took another step back, the scent of her fear thick in the air despite the determination in her eyes and the protective stance she took, nothing but a hunting knife in her hand and the firewood she'd been gathering at her feet.

Another croon left him before he shifted himself, lowering his head towards the ground as he took carefully measured steps back.

As much as it pained him to do so, he turned his back on his mother, not wanting to cause her more of a fright than he already had.

If he had looked he would have seen her incredulous gaze at his back.

If he laid in his cave among his treasures heartbroken for the rest of that evening and into the next day it was no one's business but his own.

That winter he had ended up saving his mother from a Fang, getting both a meal and a tentative friendship with Claudia who looked ready to pop.

In the week leading up to his counterparts birth he'd set a fresh kill of a deer on her porch in the dead of night when the town was quiet and sleeping, leaving it for her to find in the morning.

And if his sharp eyes and hearing picked up the tell tale beating of a little heart along side hers as she sang while making stew in the kitchen, well the only one to hear him coo with contented rumbles was him and the birds.

She had approached him a month later, a tiny baby with blond hair napping quietly in a sling across her chest. She held her hunting knife in one hand and what looked to be large door knocker of some kind in the other, the shape eerily familiar.

She was nervous. So very nervous, her child sleeping contently across her chest, armed with a knife that may as well have been nothing to a dragon like him.

But he didn't display any signs of aggression,  even if he was capable he would never.

Not to her.

His eyes looked at the wolf's head door knocker calmly, Claudia raising it up for him to see clearly, the family heirloom shining pristinely in the cold light of day.

With a low croon he settled his head down on the ground, eyes lazily half lidded, posture relaxed and unmoving.

Slowly she came closer, each step undoubtedly harder than the last with her child so near until she was standing at his eyes, her own blue eyes taking in his immense everything. Presence, body, and overall size.

She carefully dropped the heirloom to the side at her feet, her now freed hand coming up to gently fall against the scaling under his eyes.

A low rumble left him, akin to a purr as she smiled.

"Aren't you sweet?" She cooed softly, bright blues boring into lazy blue green.

A low rumble left him, heart hurting at her growing smile in response.

"I have you to thank for the deer at my porch earlier this month don't I? Thank you dear." Her hand swept lovingly just under his eye, warm bouts of air leaving the line of his snout in a cloud of heated mist at her words.

Her eyes traveled across his face, settling at the tip of his horn that presented at her back.

"Would you accept a gift of mine as thanks?" She asked him, blue green eyes turning to slits as they focused all on her, dragging to the ground where the heirloom lay.

With another low rumble Cloud tilted his head towards her, the tip of his horn now at her knees.

"Thank you." With a bow she grabbed the heirloom and sat at her knees at the horn tip, making sure her baby was properly swaddled and comfortable before she went to work.

Hours later she was finished, latching the large ring of the chain that held the heirloom through the hole she'd made with work of her hunting knife into the horn itself.

"There we go."

Cloud shifted, eyes catching on the heirloom that now dangled from his left horn, admiring the craftsmanship and the glint of metal from the snow.

"We'd better head back then, the little one will get fussy if his dinner's late." Her smile towards the infant was warm and delicate. A longing like no other filled Cloud at the sight.

The snow around his head had long since melted, the heat from his breath creating a muddied, slushy mess. But not once had Claudia shivered or the baby fussed from the cold, so he could live with the mud that stuck to the fur at his throat.

The encroaching darkness was fast approaching and without the heat the dragon gave off the cold once again wrapped around mother and child.

Unwilling to let her travel in the cold like this he gave a low rumble, laying out his neck next to her, eyes shifting from her to the back of him.

She glanced nervously at him, "Are you sure?"

The answering croon and slight shift towards her was all the answer she needed. And knowing she was too far up the mountain to get safely down with her baby, especially at night in the winter she decided to take the beast up on its offer. She had only chanced leaving with her child because the weather was nice today.

So with a breath and determination in her step she climbed up onto the dragon, tucking herself between the exposed root of where his wings would be amidst the fur at the base of its neck, holding on for dear life as she soothed the baby that was jostled by the movement.

As if he'd been waiting for her and the baby to settle the dragon began to move, carefully through the trees and snow, conscious of the delicate passengers it had.

Over an hour later it stopped at the treeline, just out of sight of the small sleepy town covered in a blanket of darkness even with the moon out.

Claudia slipped carefully down his back, clutching her baby in her arms against her as she looked up at the dragon; who had lowered his head down to her level, allowing her to rub a hand over the delicate scaling under his eye as she pressed a soft kiss to the warm scales.

"Thank you." Her thanks was heartfelt against him, one last lingering touch before she left for the safety of her home.

He watched her, mako blue green eyes glowing in the night as he waited to hear her door close and shuffling in the home before turning to make his leave, a content low purring lingering in his chest the whole night.

It was four years later when he spotted the beginnings of construction on a Mako reactor. Memories from his past tore through his mind so painfully he could barely look at the foundations they set for the reactor and Shinra mansion.

That year he left for the Northern continent.

The temperatures of the Northern Continent this time of year were abhorrent, low enough nothing but the toughest creatures could steadily survive. Snow was a given every other day, storms and blizzards more so.

It was perfect.

By the time he'd properly settled the last finishing touches were made to the Icicle Inn, the buildings the only spot of life in the bleak, white landscape of snow and ice.

Cloud stayed well away, knowing Shinra troops and occasionally SOLDIERs would frequent the outpost they had there. So he kept his distance and the Shinra troops did the same when he occasionally passed by.

The human activity brought in Bandersnatches, and in turn brought him a meal or two when winters were particularly hard. He guessed the troopers were thankful, the few times he allowed himself to be seen and looked over he had a few look as though they were waving to him.

It didn't matter much to Cloud, he was simply surviving, but if anything could keep Shinra off his back he was all the more glad for it.

As the years wore on he made the Northern continent his home, going to Nibelheim during the harsh winters if only to rest assure that both his mother and other self were okay and well fed. Occasionally he'd leave game on the porch like all those years ago just for them.

It was another twelve years at least before his time by the Icicle Inn got interesting. It all started on a fairly sunny day, barely any clouds, blue skies as far as the eye could see and a fresh layer of snow to nap in without anyone to bother him.

He was miles out from the Icicle Inn this time, having traveled a little further for a bigger meal, one he was sleeping off right now as a matter of fact.

But even miles out like this didn't stop him from catching a familiar scent in the air, pupils pinning to razor thin slits as he sat up quickly to scent the air.

Eyes scanned across the snow, before settling on figures by the Icicle Inn, one looking very familiar albeit bigger than he last saw.

Cloud considered whether or not he should go over, feeling as if he'd brought up enough goodwill with the ones stationed there he decided to risk it. So with a renewed step and a shake of his massive head he started on his journey back towards the Icicle Inn, excitement and anticipation in his every large step.

The air was crisp, carrying a familiar bite of cold Cloud was used to growing up in Nibelheim.

The Inn had been too warm and stuffy for him, letting a nearby trooper know he was leaving for some fresh air in case Zack came looking for him.

Snow crunched beneath his boots as he walked further out into the field of fresh fallen snow, the Icicle Inn at his back but still within sight in case a snow storm appeared out of nowhere. Cold weather was always unpredictable in that regard.

Cloud took a deep breath, letting the cold snap of the air burn in his lungs before it settled and warmed. His eyes were drawn towards the open expanse of snow around him, white as far as the eye could see. And for a few moments it was quiet.

Then he felt it.

Like a pulse beneath his boots of a resounding thud that he felt before he heard.

Cloud turned to look up, his eyes catching a mass of something in the distance bounding towards him and getting closer every passing second.

Blue eyes lit up in recognition, his body moving before he could fully register what he was doing, running to the ever growing mass that barrelled towards him in turn.

He met the solid hide of a snout head on, his body thudding against warmed scales. Giant puffs of heated air surrounded him in a dense fog before being swept away in the cold. A low rumble reverberated through him to his very bones, rubbing his cheek against wind roughed scales still smooth enough to only lightly scratch at his own delicate skin in comparison.

"Hey big guy, nice seeing you too." Cloud murmured against the warmed, scaled surface of the dragon's hide.

A huff of heated air answered him in greeting, the large snout moving over him, checking over him for injuries or sickness. A routine Cloud was familiar with his whole life.

"I'm fine big guy, ma says hi and wants you to visit by the way. She misses you, we both do."

The dragon rumbled a reply, agreeable if Cloud remembered right. So they'd be expecting him this coming Nibelheim winter.

Chapter Text

Nibel Hawks were infamous creatures, large as a guard hound, serrated beaks with enough bite force to go through a behemoth horn let alone bones with no problem, claws as long as a coeurl's, and feathers that could get as sharp as a blade.

Their tempers were known to be short and the list of things they ate living or dead had them earn the name "Mountain Vultures" by the locals.

Taming one was a no go unless one could somehow find a nest and come back alive after plundering it.

None ever did.

Which was why Angeal and Genesis could only look on in Sephiroth's office in baffled silence as a Nibel Hawk sat perched on his desk, claws pressing at least half an inch into the wood just from it sitting there as it preened, the silver general idly going through his paperwork as if the bird wasn't even there.

"Sephiroth, pray tell what do you have there?" Genesis finally spoke. He'd never admit to the shiver that went down his spine when the bird's eyes landed on him, Mako blue and slitted as it seemed to glare at him before resuming its cleaning of self.

"Just some third class mission reports." Sephiroth answered airly, eyes never leaving the papers in his hands.

"I think Genesis was talking about the bird Sephiroth." Angeal clarified.

"Ah." Sephiroth spared a glance at the bird, its pale, wheat colored feathers glistening even in the limited evening light that poured in from the windows.

"Yes well, he lives with me now I assume."

"What on Gaia do you mean?!" Genesis said.

"He won't leave, so I guess I have a bird now." Sephiroth explained.

The bird growled.

"I don't know his name though. Any name I suggest he bites me. So he's just the bird that lives with me."

Angeal took a deep breath, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.

Cloud let out a chuff, shuffling his shoulders to situate the harness better across his back. The Firsts had put him in it, both for protection and as a notice to others that he wasn't just a wild monster.

He shook his head, feathery spikes popping out before settling in the slim crested shape it held originally.

Gaia really had a sense of humor.

Though he was grateful it wasn't that good or he'd end up a Chocobo.

He shivered at the thought.

Currently he was set beside Sephiroth as the Thirds trained, on his own perch set for him like many others in nearly every corner of the Shinra building since his arrival.

Even as he loathed the man he had to give him credit for going the extra mile for things he actually cared about.

A shame it hadn't carried in the other timeline.

Or maybe it had just not towards the things he should have cared for.

Cloud was pulled out of his musing by the sound of heart achingly familiar laughter, head snapping in the direction he heard it, glowing mako eyes landing on dark hair and tanned skin, laughter spilling out of a smiling mouth as boisterous as it had been the first time around he saw such a sight.

He couldn't bear it.

With a clack of his beak he caught Sephiroth's attention, the man's eyes taking keen attention to the down mood of his bird. (He'd have to try and find a proper name for it. Just bird seemed disrespectful in a way.)

Taking a chance and offering an arm he was surprised when the bird actually hefted itself to the appendage, balancing its immense weight by hooking one taloned foot to one shoulder pauldron, the dents in the metal becoming a fixture of the general's look by this point.

"I take it you're ready to go inside?" Sephiroth asked quietly.

The clack of the hawk's beak sounding out sharply only confirmed it.

"Alright then." With a steady stride that barely ruffled the hawk's tail feathers the general left the training field, awed whispers from the thirds following behind him.

Chapter Text

"Strife's missing yo."

Tifa looked up from where she'd been wiping down the counter of the bar, wine red meeting aquamarine eyes that watched her like a hawk.

She sighed, "Cloud's probably off on Fenrir somewhere Reno, you know he leaves sometimes."

"No, he's not. He's missing."

Tifa sighed, put upon, hands on her hips as she looked at Reno with an annoyed expression.

"And how would you know?"

"Blondie's got tells like red flags when he's in one of his pre-leaving moods." Reno explained, leaning languidly on the bar top. "And he showed none of that last night."

"And why would you know how he was doing last night?"

"He was at my apartment last night." Reno drawled lazily.

Tifa's eyes sharpened, "And just what was he doing at your place Reno?"

"Playing fuckin' yahtzee what else?" He said sarcastically.

"What's yahtzee?"

Tifa seemed to choke on her words, flushing red as she turned to see Denzel at the bottom of the stairs, looking between the two adults curiously.

"Dice game, one cup, five dice but if you're playing with SOLDIERs you gotta play with four cups twenty dice because they cheat almost as bad as Turks." Reno explained with a straight face, "It's for keeps, gets pretty bad, remember Uno night kid?"

Denzel nodded.

"It's worse than that."

Denzel winced, "I don't think I'd wanna play."

"Yeah it gets bad." Reno continued, eyes glancing back at Tifa, who still looked mad but at least had something grateful in her expression towards Reno for the on the spot explanation he gave to Denzel.

Chapter Text

 Rufus was a bright young boy, a smart head on his shoulders and intelligent eyes that seemed to see through anyone he looked at.

And being practically raised by the Turks that description wasn't far off.

Veld kept an eye on the boy, watching him from where he stood beside the president.

The nine year old was seated beside his father, a young guard hound sitting primly at the boy's feet, ears at attention and looking every bit the protector it was made in the labs to be.

The board meeting dragged on for another hour before it let up, the board members and the president leaving the room.

Veld hung back, leaving the President in the hands of Shotgun and Two guns, staying back to watch over Rufus in silence.

The young boy took something from his pockets, clicking his tongue to get the guard hound's attention, the young pup turning her head awkwardly to look at her master.

With a snap of her jaws, a powerful bite even now, she snapped up the treat offered, tentacle wagging as he scratched her behind the ears.

"I'm sure your father has told you not to spoil her." Veld commented lightly.

Rufus barely spared him a glance.

The response he got from the boy was unexpected for someone so young. "Dark Nation is by my side by the same manner you and the Turks are. I'm not stupid like my father to be ungrateful towards the ones responsible for my safety."

Without another word Rufus hopped off his chair, whistling shortly to command the guard hound, Dark Nation it seemed, to follow at his heels; leaving Veld back in the conference room, expression the closest thing to surprised the Turk could manage.

Chapter Text

When Rufus Shinra awoke to a clean, painted ceiling and bright sunlight streaming through his apartment windows in the Shinra building that by all means should not have still stood standing, suffice to say he was speechless.

When one considered he'd fallen asleep in his bed in the modest living space him and his Turks occupied his confusion and bafflement seemed rightfully justified.

A chuff sounding across the room had him turning his head to look towards it.

Rufus turned on his side, clicking his tongue to get Dark Nation's attention, the guard hound's ears perking up as she turned her head to watch him in turn. Another click of the tongue and a hand patting the bed sheets prompted her to stand up and approach her owner, head tilted to watch him.

"Hey there girl, come up." Rufus cooed softly, his free arm coming to wrap over her upper body as the canine got on the bed and laid next to him, ears still pointed up. Likely confused about his sweet tone and odd behavior of letting her on the bed, as she had never previously been allowed to before.

Rufus held her, refusing to acknowledge the moisture that collected at the edge of his eyes as he hugged her close.

Chapter Text

Pain is what registered through his senses first, blinding and sharp across his skin and through his bones.

Everything felt hot to the touch, skin burning.

Mako blue eyes opened only to close right after, a pained hiss leaving dry, chapped lips, a searing migraine pulsing at the forefront of his head.

Cloud huffed, limbs heavy and aching as he tried to move, to make some sense of where he was. Every sense was on fire, air running across his skin like fine needles, head pulsing with sharp pain, and his whole body stiff and aching.

The ground below his fingers was hard and gritty, sand running across his fingers as he moved to sit up.

Despite the pain of his headache he opened his eyes, squinting against the harsh light of the sun against the Midgar wastes, eyes scanning over to see the cutting mark of Midgar against the sky.

No ruins to be seen.

He couldn't look for long before the migraine pulsed again, pain coursing through his head and causing him to shut his eyes quickly in response. The pain was near crippling, having him bury his face into his arms against the sandy ground to block out the harsh sun even behind closed eyelids.

Time was unfeeling to Cloud, hours passed by in the scorching heat, in pain and hot to his very bones, any strength he had in him sapped whenever his head would pulse with a vengeance.

Hours seemed to pass, the feeling of sun's rays against his skin falling away to a cool breeze that could only be brought on by darkness out in the Midgar Wastes.

It was the cool air that soothed over his burning skin that had Cloud brave enough to look around him once more. Without the sunlight burning across the sand it was easier for him to see.

He was just outside Midgar, the city burning bright mako green against the backdrop of night. A cursory glance around him had him taking a deep breath, the cliff he was on achingly familiar, once marred by blood in his memories.

Cloud shook his head, the ensuing pain from the motion clearing his thoughts from the painful memories he spent so much time gathering back.

Chapter Text

The HoneyBee Inn was alive tonight, the warm atmosphere abuzz with music and the sound of laughing patrons and singing from the stage.

As it was the weekend the place was decently packed, with Shinra being the main employer in Midgar both SOLDIER and Turks seemed to crowd the space, looking to relax on one of their rare days off.

Zack was one of the SOLDIERS in question, dragged by Kunsel and the rest to quote unquote, "Stop moping over some girl and relax."

Not that he was moping over some girl mind you. Quite the opposite in fact, but he wasn't about to explain that.

If he did he'd have to explain why and he wasn't sure how to explain having died and woken up years in the past.

So here he was, nursing a drink that had long lost its chill the past hour, sitting with Kunsel across from him in a booth. The others had long since found girls to entertain themselves with, whether to drink or dance with.

A few girls and guys had expressed their interest in Zack, only for the SOLDIER to politely deny them, choosing instead to sit at his table and watch the other patrons, his thoughts swirling through his head.

It was hard, realizing he was alive and well and apparently years back in the past but still ahead of whatever had transpired to ultimately cause his death.

He'd gone to the Shinra mansion only to find that Vincent and Jenova were decidedly not there, the latter's tank nothing but slag metal and ash. And any degradation that would have affected Genesis and Angeal were nonexistent.

So as far as Zack knew from his memories everything was more or less solved except for the fact of Shinra's reactors actively killing the planet. But even some wayward whispers were talking of reactors being shut down and alternative sources of power were being researched.

All this essentially meant Zack should have been able to relax.

Keyword should have.

But there was nothing but a nervous anxiety hiding out under his skin, patiently though anxiously waiting for the other shoe to drop.

And then there was the matter of Cloud. The last he remembered seeing of the blonde was unfocused teary blue eyes made all the more blurrier by the rainfall, everything falling into frigid darkness right after.

Trying to find the trooper proved difficult. Or ex trooper.

Cloud Strife was nowhere to be seen in the Shinra database and Zack had double and triple checked the labs to be sure before he had cast a fire spell that would make Genesis proud. Nibelheim offered no clues, the Strife family home laying cold and abandoned last he looked. Asking around had gotten him answers that they had moved away years ago but not where.

So it was back to square one.

His fingers tapped out a nervous, offbeat rhythm against the table. He had half a mind to just pay for his drink and go.

As if sensing his intention to leave Kunsel and the others appeared, all crashing into the booth with a thud as they laughed and joked with each other.

"Dude you need to lighten up, relax, find a girl or guy, dance awhile! No use moping around all night." One of the guys said.

Zack shook his head, rolling his eyes as he brushed them off. "I'm fine guys, really."

The only reason Zack had gone out tonight was to get the guys off his back for awhile, otherwise he was taking missions all over to look for Cloud. But it seemed as if his friend had just disappeared off the face of Gaia.

Chapter Text

He'd been living at a small farm for the last five years since being sent here by Gaia, a reward for all his work that she felt he more than deserved.

This world was at peace, no Jenova or unstable Sephiroth to upset the balance like the last world. And for that he was grateful.

He didn't dare reach out to those he had known previously, content with the knowledge that they were all alive and okay. And truthfully he doesn't know how he'd be able to bear it seeing certain persons alive.

Aerith.

Zack.

Cloud shook his head from those thoughts, wrist deep in fresh dirt and tending to the flowerbeds that were all too reminiscent of Aerith's flowers.

He couldn't bear the thought of not having something there to remember her by.

Zack moreso, an unfinished blade he'd started on lying cold in the forge he had further down from the house, the finishing touches still needed before it was complete.

Cloud went back to tending the flowerbeds, the soft clucking from the chocobos in their pen a nice background noise for him to get lost in.

Chapter Text

"Fuck."

A metallic clang echoed through the garage as a wrench fell, the owner of said tool hissing in pain and cursing under his breath enough to make Junon sailors seem innocent by comparison. He shook his hand out, blue green eyes narrowing at the current offender to his hand.

Bits and pieces of a motorcycle engine were spread out on the floor, the bulk of it in between spread out legs as he worked on it.

Delicate hands clamped down on his shoulders, and if it wasn't for the scent of flowers that filled the air he might have startled or broken said hands.

But as it was he found himself relaxing into the gentle, welcoming touch. Fingers carded through blond spikes despite the sweat and grime that surely clung to them from the summer heat. Summers in Midgar were always muggy and humid.

Summers in Midgar were always muggy and humid, an oppressive heat that blanketed the slums especially thick this time of year.

Tucked in the sector 7 slums among the metal and framework was a mechanic's garage, decently sized and kept up despite the state of everything else around it, with enough space for a forge as well.

Inside the garage bits and pieces of a motorcycle lay strewn across half the floor in a semi circle that looked partly organized. The owner of said garage sitting among the various parts and bits of metal, one leg tucked up with his torso resting on it and the other stretched out lazily across the floor.

Blonde spikes bobbed to the music that played from the radio, carding fingers through sweat damp hair only to make a face of disgust before wiping the hand against grease stained pants.

Chapter Text

It was quiet.

He wasn't used to quiet.

He was used to barely discernible voices from the other side of thick glass, the sound of his own heartbeat through the mako that surrounded him. The buzzing of electricity as it powered his prison.

He could just feel pulses, other beings his cells had been used to make just out of his reach.

Rewritten

It had been silent for so long, nothing but the pulse of the lifestream and the humming of what he assumed to be equipment buzzing through the tank of mako and crystal he was encased in.

It was quiet despite that.

Eerily so.

He was used to muffled voices barely discernible through the bright green liquid that surrounded him and the faint glow of the lights behind his ever heavy eyelids.

He doesn't know how long he'd been here, among the buzzing and voices. Having been dug up from deep underground within Gaia's soothing embrace, finding peace after finally been allowed to rest.

He was foolish to think it would last.

But for the most part whatever or whoever lay on the other side of his glass prison rarely sought to wake him. Only taking parts of him with a pinch of needles that caused headaches and a rise of nausea that never went past the queasiness in his stomach.

His memory eluded him as to why this was.

Chapter Text

"You're not Cloud."

The statement was said with such confidence and finality, that despite the conversational tone used the whole bar fell silent at the admission.

All eyes were focused on one spot in Seventh Heaven, a booth housing two ex-Soldier, a blonde laid casually against the wall and a black haired man sitting across from him, violet blue eyes gazing at the other with an unreadable emotion.

"Zack, the hell are you talking about?"

Both soldiers ignored Barrett as they stared one another down, the blonde's eyes roaming over Zack in a mix of curiosity and amusement.

With a soft sigh the blonde sat up, sitting properly across from Zack, hands folded neatly over one another, bending slightly forward as if to inspect the other closer.

"What gave it away?"

Mako blue eyes flitted down to see Zack's hands clench, everyone in the room tensing at the admission.

"I am quite curious. Only Mother's been able to tell us apart." Not Cloud continued, waiting patiently for an answer with an innocent doe eyed look that seemed wrong and off on Cloud's face.

"Just a feeling."

A hollow laugh sounded from Not Cloud's lips, an empty thing that layered and seemed to echo through the room.

Several members of Avalanche and the Turks all reached for their weapons, the sight before them causing them to tense.

"The puppy has good instincts after all." The thing said, Cloud's voice nowhere to be heard. Instead an overlap of many voices distinctly feminine seemed to echo out. And when his eyes opened they were no longer blue but mako green and glowing brightly, the pupils just pinprick slits like a cat's.

The sound of a gun safety being clicked off echoed through the room, bright green eyes turning to see the barrel of Vincent's gun and said man himself staring him down.

"I'll let you know right now you kill me you kill Cloud as well." It said.

"Where's Cloud?" Zack demanded, staring down the thing when it turned to look back at him."

It tilted its head to the side, eyes searching.

"You misunderstand. Cloud isn't somewhere else. He's still here. So your threats of violence against me won't do anything but hurt him too if you decide to carry on with them." It said plainly.

"What'd you do to Cloud?"

It tilted Cloud's head back up, turning to look out the window where the sky was dark and the stars could just barely be seen.

"He's resting right now. That fight with the Emerald WEAPON took a lot out of him. Both physically and mentally. So I was brought forth while he rested." It explained.

"What do you mean brought forth?" Tifa asked.

"Most of the time Cloud is present, but sometimes I am as well. And rarely it's ever only me."

"Who are you?" Zack asked again, more firmly this time.

It turned to stare at him.

"Your scientists called me Jenova. But Mother named me. And you already know me. I am called Storm."

Chapter Text

An old upbeat pop song played from an even older jukebox in the corner, filling the air with something besides the buzzing of insects and struggling fans that barely moved the air in the thick humidity that was a staple of a Midgar summer.

The sound of small feet thudding quickly across wood flooring caused the lips of the man at the bar counter to curl up in a crooked smile. At the last possible second he turned around to catch the small body that launched itself at him, loud giggles filling the currently empty bar.

"Uncle Reno!" The little girl yelled gleefully, all smiles as she looked at the man that held her securely in his arms.

"Hey there Marlboro, what are ya doin' here yo? Where's ya dad?" Reno asked, settling her on his hip to free up an arm to put out his cigarette. He didn't need Barrett on his ass about smoking around Marlene again.

"He's coming!"

As soon as she uttered her answer Barrett's booming voice made itself known from outside.

"Well speak of the devil." Reno muttered.

Barrett's heavy steps were followed by Tifa's slightly lighter ones, the two crossing the threshold of the bar and making their way towards Reno and Marlene with steady steps.

"Daddy!"

"Hey baby girl, hey Red." Barrett greeted, Reno nodded towards the man in acknowledgement.

Tifa sent him a wave as she sat on a barstool, grabbing the drink Reno slid her way smoothly.

Chapter Text

Fresh air tinged with the burning petrichor smell of mako woke him, his senses each coming back to him as he slowly regained consciousness, the vestiges of sleep curling at the edges of his being; wanting to drag him back down into its inky depths.

It was the feeling of soft sheets under his fingers that dragged him back above the waves. The feel of it so odd and out of place from what he usually slept on it forced him to open his eyes.

The room was bathed in warm light, open windows bringing in city scented air he hadn't quite smelled in a long, long time.

He was laying in a king sized bed, comforter plush and pillows plusher, the blankets meticulously made and tucked around his prone form.

Curtains billowed in the slight breeze, mako blue eyes snapping to the movement instinctively.

He was in a bedroom of some sort, and besides a heart monitor and saline solution at his bedside, both conveniently facing him and the slightest smell of antiseptic, there was no other indication he was in a medical room of any sort. Any feelings of fear and suffocation that usually arose in a medical setting held at bay with his surroundings looking as far away from medical as they did.

A purposeful arrangement.

With slow movements reflecting the soreness he felt all over his body Cloud sat up, removing the I.V expertly and just taking a moment to breathe.

His eyes glanced over at the folded clothes on the corner of the bed, a towel right next to it. His eyes landing on a simple door to a smaller room, a bathroom by the looks of the tile he could see.

@@@

"Come in."

Rufus looked up from where he'd been minding paperwork, wholly unsurprised to see Tseng enter.

The other bowed his head in greeting before speaking.

"He's woken up sir."

Rufus hummed, the corners of his mouth lifting in a barely there smile.

Though Tseng caught it all the same.

Rufus stood up from his chair, Tseng following him as he left the office.

"Tell Reno and Rude to meet us there." Rufus ordered.

"Of course sir."

Chapter Text

Heavy, grey clouds blanketed the sky, the air turning humid with the impending rain that threatened to pour at a moment's notice.

"Think it might rain soon."

Cloud looked up from where he'd been faithfully cleaning down First Tsurugi, glowing blue eyes looking from the red-head to the window and back again, the slightest hint of a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"No shit."

"Whatever asshole, get rained on, see if I care." Reno scoffed, busying himself with sipping at his mug of hot tea.

Cloud went back to cleaning his sword as Reno reclined back into the breakfast nook, watching the going ons of the countryside, both of them knowing full well he would care enough when Cloud inevitably got rained on to provide him with a towel and warm up whatever leftovers from the other night they had in the fridge to warm him back up, despite not needing to with his enhancements.

They'd been doing this for years, ever since Rufus' passing and the reveal that Cloud Strife was essentially the last living Shinra heir they knew of, the Turks were put under him. Having nowhere else to go they continued their protection duties as was their oath when working for Shinra.

Cloud could never shake them off after and nearly thirty years later he was glad for it.

Though he wouldn't easily admit it.

Blues eyes looked over at Reno, noticing the furrow in his brows and how he squinted even against the cloud covered light of the day that came through the window.

With a shake of his head Cloud set aside his sword, boot clad feet moving towards the kitchen. Reno paid him no mind in the following minutes that passed, looking out towards the fenced in pasture that held their small flock of chocobos.

A hand came over to retrieve his mug, sea green eyes looking up at the blonde who switched his mug with another. The familiar scent of herbs and spices from the new mug made Reno sigh.

"Drink it and you can get your tea back." Cloud answered him, the guttural sounds of Old Nibel rolling over his tongue. He carded his fingers fondly through red strands in patterns made by over thirty years of familiarity, silver crawling up handsomely from the roots. He'd need to touch up his roots again. Or convince him to let his hair grey like the old man he was.

"Careful blondie, might think ya actually care about me." Reno laughed into his drink. A tightening of fingers in his bangs and a short tug had his head tilted back, looking into glowing blue eyes with sharp slitted pupils. His face was calm, the deep crows feet at his eyes crinkling as his face softened just a touch.

"What?" Reno asked, voice soft in the mingled air between them.

"I do."

Reno's eyes softened, "Yeah, I know blondie."

Cloud hummed, smile curling his lips as he looked down at Reno. "You're pronunciation is almost good enough to pass. Only took you over twenty years."

"Should hope so, as many times as you kicked my ass when I got the words mixed up." Reno quipped, drinking his tea.

"You were invoking the gods wrath instead of asking where the toilet was, we Nibel folk take that very seriously. Plus there were some insults to my mother in there, I was obligated to beat your ass in her honor." Cloud said, breathing in the scent of Reno's shampoo lingering in his hair.

"I can confirm, her honor was upheld, so, so many times."

Thunder rolled overhead, the clucking of the chocobos reaching the house and cutting through their conversation.

"Seems your people are getting nervous." Reno said, shit eating grin on his lips.

Cloud punched him in the shoulder, "Asshole," Reno's laughter following him out the door.

"You love it!"

Two hours later found Cloud just inside the front door, soaked to the bone and smile curling at his lips at the smell of stew warmed on the stove.

A shower and bowl of stew later found Cloud walking down the hall towards their shared bedroom, ignoring the small pangs that crept up in his chest as he walked past three other rooms that had long gone empty.

The room was blanketed in darkness, curtains closed and anything that would produce light shut off, the only thing on was the fan whirring quietly on the dresser.

A head of red hair was the only bright spot in the dark, unhidden by the blankets and pillows that otherwise covered the bed and the body in it.

He walked with quiet steps, one knee in the bed as he leaned over, carding fingers through red strands.

"Did the tea help?" Cloud asked, voice barely above a whisper to avoid breaking the peace and quiet the darkness offered.

"Lil' bit." Reno mumbled, eyes still closed as he turned over and from the cocoon of blankets to wrap solid arms around Cloud's waist, missing the concerned frown the blonde held for him.

The tea he gave was the strongest dose yet, a homemade remedy passed down from his mother's medicinal knowledge to cut through severe migraines and hangovers like butter.

"You should get that checked out Reno."

The red head just grumbled, unwilling to take part in the same conversation they've had for around ten years now.

Cloud huffed, hand tangled in the longer strands of hair at the back of Reno's head, laying his cheek on the other's temple.

"I survived getting my ass kicked by you, a headache isn't going to take me out." Reno quipped, pressing his face closer into Cloud's bare chest. A content sigh left him as he settled down.

A low rumble settled in Cloud's chest, at this point it wasn't even a concious action, to the delight of Reno and Elena when they had first found out.

Elena had thought it cute and it had broken down whatever wall on Cloud's side that had been between them after living together for five years at the time.

Reno had gotten him a collar with a bell as a joke.

The asswhooping he got after however, was not a joke.

Tseng had said nothing more than commenting on how traits like his were similar and one of the more pronounced traits that sprung up from the SOLDIERs in the program, going back to whatever paperwork he was working on in the quiet of the shared office in the house.

And Rude hadn't said one word of it, taking it in stride like everything else.

Though when you were involved with someone like Reno, that didn't surprise him about the Turk.

Reno's breaths came out slow and quiet, finally settling to sleep as the world outside rumbled and lay soaked with falling rain.

It wasn't long before Cloud had finally drifted to sleep as well.

@@@

Waking up was slow and syrupy, the light from outside turning the room a soft amber even behind the curtains.

His back popped in several places as he stretched out lazily, pushing at Reno's shoulder in the hope of waking the red head on the first try.

He was dressed within minutes, "You better be up by the time I'm back Reno!" He was out the door before he could hear any reply.

He had fed and was brushing the last of the chocobos by the time the sun was really up. The chocobo in question was an old temperamental hen Reno affectionately had named Ladybird. She was a mean old thing, barely tolerated Cloud, but just adored Reno.

And by adored she only bit him maybe once a day instead of the three to five bites Cloud had to dodge whenever he handled her.

Despite the mean streak they had kept her, any other farmer had promptly returned her when they tried to sell her off so they kept her around.

It also helped she actively kept the coeurl population around the property down to zero despite how much they upgraded the fencing.

A low hiss left Ladybird as she seemed to glare at Cloud.

"Yeah I know girl, Reno's lazy ass is still in bed." Cloud answered her, putting up the brush as he finished the last of her neck feathers. He knew better than to try and brush the rest of her.

She was meticulous about keeping herself neat so he wasn't too worried with her feathers. He was lucky enough she allowed him to help with her neck without taking his hand.

Finishing with the last of the tasks in the barn he let the chocobos out into the pasture, the grass thick, freshly green, and wet with last night's rain and dew.

Cloud entered the house to silence, unusual but not unheard of when Reno had a bad migraine episode. He made his way towards the kitchen, muscle memory helping him make the herbal tea without having to think.

Cloud carried the steeping mug of tea into the bedroom, walking carefully through the mess laden floor to the window, placing the tea on the dresser before opening the curtains, allowing the light to brighten up the room.

"Wake up asshole, your bird wants her morning scratches." Cloud called loudly, turning the small fan on the dresser off, the room plunging into complete silence.

Reno hadn't moved an inch.

"Reno?"

Chapter Text

The Honeybee Inn was ironically buzzing with energy, the weekend had it packed and lively with SOLDIER, Turk, and civilian alike.

One such Turk was seated at a booth, his partner sitting across from him. Both were nursing their drink, the redhead's eyes scanning over the crowd of people but always landing on a blonde that sat alone at the counter.
The blonde wasn't always alone for long, a lone SOLDIER or civilian would be brave enough to go over and attempt to chat him up. Only to be rebutted he assumed when they left either down in spirits or even once or twice angry.
But the angry ones were usually the ones that tried too hard, were too pushy. Something the blonde didn't seem to appreciate.

"You should go talk to him."

Reno's eyes fell on Rude, the other looking pointedly at him even under the shades.

"Maybe."

"Go talk to him or I cap your drinks." Rude ordered.

The look Reno gave him could have killed a lesser man.

"Better than seeing you make puppy eyes all night. Go." Rude tilted his head towards the blonde, urging Reno on.

"Whatever asshole." Reno muttered as he got up.

"You love me."

Unfortunately Reno couldn't refute that fact.

He walked across the floor, making a beeline for the blonde, snagging two drinks off a Honeybee girl holding a tray, leaving her with a wink and a skip in his step.

As smooth as a snake he slid into the unoccupied seat next to the blonde, passing over the drink with a clink against the wooden counter.

Without missing a beat the man grabbed the drink and downed it one go, setting the glass down before speaking.

"Was wondering when you'd finally get off your ass."

Reno seemed to pause, "What?"

"You've been making eyes at me for the past hour." The blonde explained. He flagged down the bartender, ordering another drink, this time sipping from it leisurely.

Chapter Text

The Honeybee Inn was ironically buzzing with energy, the weekend had it packed and lively with SOLDIER, Turk, and civilian alike.

One such Turk was seated at a barstool, his partner sitting next to him on his left. Both were nursing their drink, the redhead's eyes scanning over the crowd of people but always landing on a blonde that sat alone at the other end of the counter.

The blonde wasn't always alone for long, a lone SOLDIER or civilian would be brave enough to go over and attempt to chat him up. Only to be rebutted he assumed when they left either down in spirits or even once or twice angry.

But the angry ones were usually the ones that tried too hard or were too pushy. Something the blonde didn't seem to appreciate if Reno's observations earlier were anything to go by.

A gentle kick to his shin brought Reno out of his musings, teal green eyes glancing over to his partner, asking an unspoken question.

"You should stop eyeing him and go talk to him already." Rude said, taking a sip from his glass.

Reno glanced back at the blonde in question, already rising out of his seat when he spotted Roche back on his way to the blonde for the second time that night.

Seems the first rejection hadn't gone through his thick skull.

The blonde's face looked none too happy to be dealing with Roche again. Reno noticed his fingers seemed to twitch against the bar top, as if itching for a weapon.

That was his cue.

He really hoped he didn't get punched too hard for this.

Reno downed the last of his drink in one go, stepping from the barstool and making his way towards the two blondes. His steps were sure as he made his way towards them and as he got closer he caught the pretty blonde's eye, winking with a curl to his lips.

With a smooth flourish Reno went around Roche and approached the blonde's back, wrapping a loose arm around his waist, pressing flush against him.

"Hey babe, wait long?" Reno asked, brushing lips near a pale ear. The shiver he felt from the SOLDIER was a win in his book. And the hand that curled gently over the arm he had around a slim waist coupled with the blonde laying his weight fully against him had Reno fist pumping internally.

"No, not long." The kiss that was pressed to his cheek caused heat to rush to his cheeks. Oh he knew Rude was laughing at him.

Roche ended up stuttering on his words and quickly leaving shortly after.

Even SOLDIERs knew better than to fuck with something of a Turk's.

"This seat taken?" Reno asked.

Damn his eyes were pretty. The brightest blue he'd ever seen on a SOLDIER. And there they were, looking him up and down before tilting his head towards the stool.

The edges of his lips nearly curled into something triumphant.

"Thank you. If I had to hear one more pickup line about how he'd make my engine purr I think I'd actually get kicked out for murder." He said.

Reno chuckled, "Just kicked out?"

The blonde smiled something small, eyes full of knowing, "I'm Andrea's favorite. He won't admit it though."

Reno flagged down the bartender, ordering a drink before looking to the blonde again. "You work here? Funny. Think I woulda noticed you."

"Not officially, just sometimes."

"Oh keeping secrets are we?" Reno leaned in a bit.

The blonde did nothing but look at him, eyes roving over his face and taking in every detail Reno noticed.

"Thought Turks loved those, how else do you keep one interested?"

Reno leaned back and cackled, "Ain't that the goddamn truth!"

Chapter Text

This is what's expected of him.

Save the world, be a hero, get the girl, live a happy ending with said girl, have a few kids, live the rest of your life behind a white picket fence and mundane tasks between work.

As Cloud kissed at sweat soaked skin on a pale neck that had strands of red clinging to it like snakes he couldn't help but think he never really ever did what was expected of him.

"You gonna move or what Soldier boy?" Reno said, the harsh tone belied by the way he arched against Cloud deliciously so.

"Not. A. Soldier." Every word was punctuated by a thrust that had Reno mewling, head pressed back against Cloud's shoulder by the hand resting against his throat.

"You try to piss me off on purpose don't you?"

Cloud could feel the smirk on the Turk's face against his cheek. "When you treat a guy this nice why wouldn't I?"

"You're an idiot."

"Your fault, fucking me stupid and all."

@@@

On the list of decisions Cloud's made in his life, he can't say his bouts with Reno were one he expected to be added onto it.

As he looked at the redhead sleeping peacefully beside him, the moon highlighting the curve of his cheekbone and washing his hair in blue, he can't say he minded much, this decision of his.

Ironically he felt Reno was one of the few decisions he's made that he didn't regret.

People had always expected something of him, good or bad. And he'd never hit the mark on either side. Disappointing someone no matter how hard he tried to do the opposite.

But Reno didn't expect that from him. Not to Cloud anyway. Reno had caught glimpses of him as a trooper, a short, shy, clumsy thing still trying to find its footing even after months at Shinra.

Everyone else he'd met had never seen him before everything. Before the mako and experiments, before the deaths and sacrifices.

Reno hadn't seen much but he'd seen alot more than most.

Alot more alive than the others that lay dead.

"You're thinking. Stop that yo. Night is for sleeping." Reno mumbled sleepily.

"Hm. Thought night was when the Turks came out." Cloud teased lightly, running a hand up a pale neck to bury fingers in red strands.

"Only on drinking nights." He mumbled.

A huff of breath left Cloud, amused and warm as he ran his fingers through smooth, sleep mussed hair.

The first time they fell into bed together had felt so long ago.

@@@

The chilly air felt brisk and fresh against pale cheeks, turning them a ruddy red as soon as they hit the outside air. Cloud let out a breath in white plumes against the starry night sky, his steps sounding loud in the quiet as he made his way down the stairs of the bar and around the corner to the side.

He almost didn't notice the Turk sitting amongst a pile of old crates until a plume of smoke drifted out towards him. He waved a gloved hand to disperse it, narrowed eyes looking straight at the Turk in question that just chuckled in amusement.

"Trouble in paradise hero?" Reno said, every word syrupy and sly.

"Don't call me that."

Reno only tilted his head, dressed in nothing but jeans and a simple shirt, leaned back against the wall of the bar with his legs crossed, and a cigarette in his hand on a knee he looked like any other civilian just out having a smoke. But Cloud could just feel the underlying danger he exuded, like a live wire hidden beneath the surface of the water.

"Alright then Cloudy-"

"Don't call me that."

Reno only rolled his eyes, taking a drag of his cigarette. "Heard what happened in there. You good yo?"

"Fuckin' fine Turk."

"Don't sound fine." Reno retorted, taking another drag and letting the ensuing silence settle before speaking again.

"In my opinion-"

"No one fucking asked."

Reno continued like nothing even happened, "Read your file and shit, started out a trooper, failed the soldier test like twice, couple weeks later you get thrown into the fallout, kill Sephiroth, get thrown into a tank for a few years, come out fighting, get to Midgar and stay fighting with no breaks and shit. Impressive by the way." Reno nodded his head towards the unimpressed Cloud who now had his arms crossed, waiting impatiently for the Turk to get to his point.

"Then you travel the world, still fighting, can barely catch a break, fight Sephiroth, and you can basically rinse and repeat the next year or so let's be fuckin' real." Reno took another drag, burning the cigarette to the filter before flicking it away and letting the smoke leave his lungs in a slow fog.

"And then after it all." Bright teal eyes looked into Mako blue, the owner of the blue eyes looking tenser than when the conversation started. "They expect you to stay still and play house at twenty-four. Did I get it all?" Reno leaned over, elbows on his knees as he looked up at Cloud, who by now looked strung like a taut wire.

"No."

Reno tilted his head, the corner of his lips up in that unbearable smirk of his.

"Oh?"

"Twenty-five, birthday was a few weeks ago I think."

Reno tilted his head, "Well then happy birthday Soldier boy."

"Not a soldier."

"Yeah, yeah, we know already, been through this song and dance before yo." Reno got up from where he was seated, all long limbs and a grace he didn't at all look like he should have. And yet there was an undercurrent of admiration as one looked over it. Like watching a coeurl stalking through the brush.

"Anyways I want a souvenir, something small and tacky, gotta be tacky as fuck or its not a souvenir." Reno said as he walked past Cloud. The blonde's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Souvenir? From where?"

"Wherever you're going next." Reno answered, like it was something he should have already known.

"I'm not-"

"Aren't you though? Nothing else is happening, it's the best time to fuck off and see the world you fuckin' saved without having to worry about a sword in your back." Reno explained, turning to look at Cloud. Against the backdrop of night with the moonlight highlighting his profile Reno was...pretty. much to Cloud's chagrin. But he mulled over what Reno had said and he couldn't necessarily find fault with it.

Now was the perfect time to actually go somewhere, anywhere to clear his head and just be. To take in the sights he could barely chance a second glance at when he and everyone else were racing against time.

"I can't just-"

"You can actually." Reno grinned at the look Cloud shot him for interrupting again. "You've defeated Sephiroth how many times now? Anyone can tell you not to but who the fuck is able to stop you yo?"

And that...was a good question.

Who could stop him?

"Besides, it all comes down to what you want to do in the end."

"Then why say all that?" Cloud asked, more curious than anything.

"Seen plenty of powerful people forget they're not the scared, weak kids they grew up being told they were. Ones that had the choice to live life as they want, they just...forgot they were capable of grabbing it ya know?" Reno spoke solemnly, like he was speaking from experience.

Cloud knew well enough to leave alone, already having an inkling as to what or who he was referring to. Reno had been a Turk long before Cloud had ever entered the picture that was Shinra.

"Well, be seeing ya soldier boy, got shit to do." Reno said, taking out another cigarette from his pocket and lighting it with quick motions. The smoke that licked at red lips in tendrils of white against the moon looked especially dazzling.

"Not a soldier."

A pale hand waved out as the redhead walked away, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, and I'm not a Turk, see ya round."

That night when Cloud lay in bed his mind was running on repeat of the conversation with the Turk.

And before the dawn had even pinked the sky he'd made his decision.

@@@

 The sound of loud knocking echoed through the apartment, followed by louder steps and a door that swung open to reveal it's owner in a less than pleased state, the gun he aimed at his surprise guest cold against pale skin.

"Cloud what the fuck yo?!" Reno set the gun down at his side. He eyed the blonde that had showed up at his apartment at three in the morning.

"Is someone dead?" The redhead asked.

"What? No."

"Why the fuck are ya here then?" Reno asked, irritation clear in his tone at being woken up.

"I need a favor." Cloud told him. Reno would have cracked a joke, if Cloud looked in any mood for a joke and it wasn't three in the morning.

"Whatcha need soldier boy?"

The scathing look Cloud shot him would have made a lesser man shrivel up and die.

But three in the morning Reno was unaffected by such things.

"Can you watch over them while I'm gone?"

Cloud didn't need to specify who "them" was.

"Yeah, yeah, I got you soldier boy, go and enjoy yourself or whatever. And remeber yo, tacky ass souvenir or its not a souvenir. Can I fucking go back to bed now?"

Despite the careless act and joking demeanor Cloud could see Reno was serious about what he was asked to do. He gave the redhead a nod before turning to leave.

"Have fun soldier boy."

"Not a soldier."

"Yeah, yeah, see ya. And next time don't fuckin' wake a guy up at three in the fuckin' mornin'. Don't care how pretty you are, fuckin' rude is what it is."

Chapter Text

Cold winds blew freezing rain, the conditions on the Shinra Tower roof magnified with its immense height. The complaints made by Reno getting swallowed up in the ensuing gusts that blew up water across the concrete and over the edge of the roof in swirling arcs.

From afar the lights of a helicopter finally revealed itself, heading ever closer until the roar of its engine and the louder whips of the blades churned the water on the ground away from it as it landed, drowning out the sounds of the storm but only barely.

The suited Turks that awaited this particular passenger all straightened up in anticipation, the direct order of no Soldier units on the landing pad to greet them all going through their minds and causing a silent unrest, as no explanation for such an order was given.

As there rarely was.

The door opened, a shock of finely combed and styled blonde hair revealing itself, the signature white coat of Rufus Shinra following after as he stepped down and was sheltered from the rain by an umbrella Tseng was holding out for the man.

And behind him another stepped out, an unforeseen variable that had the Turks on edge.

It was another shock of wheat blonde hair, modified SOLDIER uniform in all black complete with sword strapped to his back and a visor similar to the Trooper helmets covering his eyes, ears, and forehead. The strange soldier followed closely behind Rufus, coming to a stop a few feet from the doors. Rufus turned his head, the Turks stopping with him.

"If I need you I'll send Dark Nation to retrieve you."

A nod from the soldier was all he got before the man turned and walked to the edge of the roof, standing there as the rain and wind whipped at him, soaking him completely.

Rufus continued into the building, Turks following behind him, though not without lingering looks to the other blond that appeared to do nothing but stand in the storm. A redhead's gaze more piercing and calculating than most.

It was silent in the elevator save for Rufus adjusting the cuffs of his coat. Apprehension was thick in the air and it wasn't long before Tseng sought to speak up.

"Sir, if I may ask?"

Rufus tilted his head, as if considering like he hadn't already made his decision before he even made the trip back to Midgar with Cloud in tow.

"You may." Certain, approval.

"That SOLDIER, he's not in the employee or SOLDIER database."

While the others made no move, Rufus knew they were alert, listening, waiting.

Rufus let a beat of silence pass by before he answered. "Hojo and Hollander have their toys, I think it's only fair I can bring mine out to play too is all." And he said no more on the matter, walking out with a stride and confidence as a Shinra heir was meant to.

Until the Turks were truly his he'd keep what information he could to himself. Cloud however, Cloud could do as he wished. Wasn't like anyone could stop him anyways.

But my, my, wouldn't the ensuing play be fun.

@@@

Rufus was in his office when Cloud finally returned, soaking wet and looking as cold and lifeless as the storm that raged outside. A quick flash of fire materia and he was dry, steam coming off him in thick wisps. Something he noticed that caused Reno, who had been lounging idly on the couch, to straighten up and watch him with rapt attention.
Rufus didn't miss how Rude also seemed to perk up. Which was nothing more than a twitch of a finger against his crossed arms, leaning lazily against the window behind Rufus.

"Enjoy yourself?" Rufus asked, only sparing a quick glance before he returned to the screen where he pretended Rude wasn't looking at what he was doing.

The Turks were still under dear old dad's orders after all, sick or no. Only death could change that.

What left the soldier's tongue was a language thick through his teeth, the accent rough and heavy. It was nothing the Turks in the room recognized, something that put them on edge.

Though Rufus made no motion he heard anything out of the ordinary. He even seemed to understand it given his answer. Something that caused both Turks to glance at each other, engaged in a silent conversation.

"I'm glad, here's the keycard to your room. Reno, show him to his quarters won't you?" He threw a small black card towards the Turk, the man catching it out of the air with no hardship. He was fast, reflexes just as sharp as Rufus remembered. "If you need anything just ask." And Rufus went back to whatever was on his computer screen.

Reno lifted himself from the couch with an air of someone tasked to do the insurmountable. Though the grace at which he walked to the door belied the previous movements.

"Alright new guy, let's go." He said, eyes alight the only way a Turk's could when faced with something new they hadn't yet picked apart.

The soldier turned and walked out of the door, ignoring Reno and the fact that the Turk was the one supposed to be leading him. The redhead clicked his tongue in annoyance, but trailed after him all the same.

The elevator ride was only semi-quiet, Reno's chatter amidst the burn of eyes that roamed over the soldier appreciatively the main things the blonde was aware of within the small space. But he did nothing but stand with his arms crossed, only lifting a hand to scratch idly under the part of the visor that rested over his ears, lowering the volume until all sounds were muffled into a low hum.

The elevator finally stopped at it's destination, the doors sliding open with a happy little ding that echoed down the large corridor they were met with. Before the Turk could take a proper step out the soldier had already crossed the threshold, hand flitting out to hit a button causing the elevator doors to close and start its descent. The red numbers blinked as they counted down the Turk's impromptu trip back down.

He could only imagine the indignant yell Reno would have let out as he realized a beat too late what happened.

Deft fingers idly twirled the keycard he'd swiped from the Turk, the barest uptick of his lips the only sign of his amusement.

With the sound still muffled and quiet he walked to the door of the suite that stood across from Rufus'. It opened easily to the whims of the keycard, shutting and locking behind him with a hiss he didn't hear.

The space was furnished lavishly, if sparsely. A plush couch or two, some small tables, and a few bookshelves littering what made up the living area. The dining area sported a large table with multiple chairs, the kitchen just as large if not larger, with every essential and more for a kitchen packed into the space. Most of which he wasn't familiar with at all at first glance.

Nor did he think a second would have helped either.

The bedrooms he looked into as he ventured further in sported the same setup, simple but lavish, the air smelling fresh like the windows had been open for a while before the storm hit.

Cloud sat himself on the bed of the master bedroom, the plush mattress and blankets giving under his weight easily. All the lights were off, his hands reaching up to take off the visor. The mako in his eyes was bright, eerily so, glowing. His vision and sensitivity to light the strongest it had ever been, which was the reason for the visor in the first place else he get a migraine like no other.

The storm raged on outside, rain pelting the glass and blurring the city on the otherside in colored smudges that were barely discernable with the green of the city and the colorful neon lights that littered it.

Even after years being here it all felt surreal that he was actually back before everything had happened.

Both him and Rufus.

Finding out the other had his memories just like he did was a surprise. Especially when he showed up in Nibelheim.

Cloud had wanted nothing to do with Shinra, staying home instead of leaving to go off and achieve his SOLDIER dreams at fourteen. Not that he needed it, the one thing besides his memories that he kept from before was the enhancements, explained away by bullying kids and the many mako pools that littered Nibelheim alone.

Even after Tifa left for Midgar with her father's fury behind her he had no wish to go follow her like he had decades ago before. When her mother had passed and she had naive, innocent hope to see her again.
He couldn't ever fault her for that. He still found himself thinking of his mother even when she was right there in front of him, whole and warm.

So he stayed, the years passed by. He was still an outcast, unused to the feeling but familiar with it all the same. And like before he slowly got used to it, living out his teens up to his twenties caring for his ma. And finding his own peace amidst the dangers that lurked in the mountains and the snow that hid death underneath it's veils of thick, white, ice.

He'd even had a tentative truce with the local wolf pack that owned the surrounding territory. He left out whatever scraps from his own hunting endeavors for their pups and they left him and his ma well enough alone.

The rest of the town though, the wolves had apparently decided they were free game.

In the midst of chopping wood for their stores, Rufus had come, a Turk Cloud didn't recognize at his back. His older half brother had spoken, paying no mind to the black gauze Cloud wore around his eyes lest the blinding snow blind him further.

A target for taunts of his apparent blindness and oddity by the others in town. But Cloud paid no mind to it. He'd been privy to worse things in life.

It took some convincing on Rufus' end to get Cloud to even consider his offer. Come back to Midgar, to Shinra, as his personal bodyguard to prevent what happened before from happening again.

And Cloud listened, head on the hands that held the axe on the stump, the chopped wood long forgotten in the snow. Once Rufus had finished his piece he waited, patiently in the negative degree weather while the Turk at his back stood stoic and at attention.

Soon enough Cloud made his decision, giving a nod. An agreement to Rufus' proposal he would have otherwise said no to had he not known the man for three decades prior his death from before.

Though the next words out of his mouth, in Old Nibel, fluid and thick from learning from his ma sought to ask the question he'd been wondering since Rufus arrived.

"Who's he?"

Rufus had given him a smile, something cold and chilling. Moreso than the snow and ice that surrounded them. And Cloud knew.

Was all too familiar what the smile was for. Had seen it directed at him once upon a time. And then directed at another for him.

It clicked then, just why this was this one Turk instead of Tseng, Reno or Rude.

Rufus had talked about how the Turks were thinned, how there could have only been a leak from inside that led to such an event.

Seems he found it.

The Turk however didn't see the knowing smile, or the silent looks of understanding the two brothers had.

He merely followed his charge as the vice president of Shinra followed what he assumed was a nobody Rufus wanted to recruit for his own personal gain. Or maybe just another pretty toy Rufus had seen on a previous trip into this backwater village with only a reactor to give it even a name on a map. Something the president would give to his son as punishment for a reason or another.

And so he followed, his advice that they should go back falling on the deaf ears of what he assumed was a spoiled, rich son of the President he was assigned to babysit.

He felt something was wrong when they stopped in the middle of a clearing, moreso when the backwater blonde made a nose akin to a wolf's howl, small barks interspersed within the call.

The howls that answered his call had the Turk on edge.

He didn't stand a chance.

Not to mako enhanced Nibel wolves.

And a few months later, after everything that could be settled was settled, Cloud was on a helicopter headed to Midgar; desperately trying not to lose his lunch with Rufus next to him grumbling over reports and work emails he now had access back into after his timeout in Junon.

Which led him to the here and now, sitting in his new bed, in his new suite, watching a storm rage and thunder with only a thin barrier of glass to shield him.

A beep from his visor pulled him from his musings, having him pull the PHS from his pocket and looking over the notification with squinted eyes against the screen's brightness.

It was an email from Rufus, details on his schedule and the different levels of security within the building along with a file attachment of the employees he comes into contact with on the daily, including the censored files of the Turks that would be around him at all times.

Everything a bodyguard would need to start working for their charge.

Tomorrow would be a busy first day it seemed.