Lovers and Losses
Chapter Eight

Rating: PG
Category: AU
Pairing(s): Cloud/Reno, Tifa/Barret, Aeris/Tseng, Zack/Sephiroth, Vincent/Cid, Reeve/?
Warnings: Some angst, Turks, lemons, worms, mpreg. You know, the usual. And Cloud proves he can STILL sit on a secret if he wants.
Summary: Time to wrap up a long strange year.
Notes: I was reading an article about Reno, and found out something very interesting. In the Japanese version, he apparently has a very distinct accent, something that is as immediately identifiable to a Japanese person as, say, a Quebec or Newfoundland accent would be a Canadian, or the Jersey and Southern accents would be to an American. He also apparently has a tendency to say ‘yo’, and in the Japanese version, the audience would immediately know Tifa was speaking to Reno on the phone because when she says “Yes I remember you” she adds ‘yo’ to the end of the sentence. So I have decided to work on his dialect a little and try to make it a bit more in keeping with his character.

This is it, folks. The last chapter in this series. Hope you enjoyed it, and I’ll be sure to let you know when the next FF miniseries comes up.

"There will be another song for me,
For I will sing it.
There will be another dream for me,
Someone will bring it.
I will drink the wine while it is warm,
And never let you catch me looking at the sun.
And after all the loves of my life,
After all the loves of my life,
You'll still be the one…"
- Richard Harris, ‘Macarthur Park’.

Cid opened the door of the little cabin, peering inside. There was a musty smell, and the place was dusty, but the careful nature of the owners had prevented it from succumbing to any real damage. He stepped inside, Reeve behind him. Skippy bounced in and pounced on a sofa pillow, shaking it playfully, but dropped it when he tasted plastic. Reeve closed the door.

“Vincent?” said Cid.

“I’m in here, Cid.”

They made their way to the small bedroom, finding Vincent on his side in the large bed, his skin shining softly with sweat, his hair lank and sticking to his face and throat. Cid sat down on one side of him, Reeve on the other.

“We decided to be good boys and play nicely,” said Cid. He had broken his right hand on Reeve’s jaw, and his left eye was swollen shut.

“After you beat the hell out of each other, I see,” said Vincent dryly.

“We prefer to think of it as a lively debate,” said Reeve. He had three stitches in his lip and two in his brow.

Cid leaned forward, resting his brow against Vincent’s, and taking his hand. “I have missed you so very, very badly. There were times… I never thought I would see you again.”

“Me too,” said Vincent quietly.

They kissed, Reeve watching them as they touched each other, assuring each other that they were real. He was happy for Vincent, but he could not help but feel his throat constrict, his eyes beginning to burn with tears. Vincent was lost to him, and he knew it. He had no relationship, no Vincent, and, three hours later, he found out he had no child, either.

The baby had not died; it simply had never been called into being. Vincent had so desperately wished to have his children back that his body simply assumed Reeve had fathered one, and proceeded to emulate a pregnancy. But nine months later, the only thing that came forth was some fluid, an underdeveloped placenta, and some strangely shaped bits of calcified matter. There had never been a baby.

Cid took the bits away to bury, then lingered outside a while to have a smoke and watch the stars, and let Reeve and Vincent cry in peace. He didn’t mind, it gave him a chance to cry, too. It had been a very, very stressful night.

When Cid at last entered the cabin, he found Reeve and Vincent asleep, both too exhausted emotionally and physically to endure any more. Vincent was under the covers, Reeve on top of them and still dressed, spooned protectively against Vincent’s back. Cid sighed, and undressed, and slid under the covers, turning to face Vincent and draping an arm across both of them.

“This better not be a frequent occurrence,” muttered Cid, and fell asleep.

***---***

It was late afternoon when they awoke. Vincent was the first to move, and it was he who inadvertently disturbed the others. He leaned across Reeve to look at the old clock they had been using to time his contractions.

“It’s four-twenty in the afternoon,” he said.

Reeve yawned and rolled onto his back. “Well it was a long, hellish night. I think we needed some rest.”

Vincent touched his face. “I am so sorry, Reeve. I have put you through so much, and I didn’t even give you your baby.”

Reeve smiled tiredly, stroking Vincent’s hair. “At least I got to have you for a year.”

“Hmm. Some year. Suicide attempts, seizures, mental illness, a false pregnancy, and to top it all off, the dead husband comes home. I think I owe you a year.”

“Oh just let me have a dirty weekend with Cid and we’ll call it square.”

Cid muttered something into his pillow.

“He says you have a deal,” said Vincent.

Cid raised his head. “Did not.” He moved closer to Vincent and kissed him. “How ya feeling?”

“Sad. Sorry. Tired. Sore. But okay.”

“Good. How about the blue weasel and I make you breakfast in bed?”

“I am not a blue weasel,” said Reeve. “If you must know, ‘Gorilla’, I am Strange Kitty-Man.”

“Oh she got you too, did she?”

The pair managed to drag their weary and battered bodies out of bed and into the kitchen. Cid started the fire, while Reeve unloaded the few groceries they had brought. There was a silence, but it was only mildly strained. With the kettle set to boil, and Cid frying sausage and eggs, Reeve took a deep breath.

“I know that nothing has been said, but… I’m not stupid. I know I’m the one who will be leaving. You and Vincent have two children, you have an airfield to build, you… you two have a life together. He… he doesn’t love me. He never did.”

Cid turned, and Reeve flinched, but Cid didn’t hit him. He took him into his arms and held him tightly. Puzzled, Reeve accepted the embrace, though Cid was not a man given to displays of affection.

“That’s for all the crap you’ve had to endure,” said Cid. “And this is for saving my husband’s life.”

Cid shoved Reeve against a wall and gave him the full-body kiss of a lifetime, intense, hard, and passionate. By the time he was done, Reeve was almost a puddle, and he was more than a little aroused. Certainly it gave him some indication as to what Vincent saw in the noisy, smelly, and loud pilot. Cid drew back, and Reeve stared at him, panting, his eyes glazed.

“You do that again and you’d better plan on throwing me on the table and finishing me off.”

Cid smiled, and let him go, turning back to his burning sausage, not bothering to mention that Reeve was just too masculine for his tastes.

“I don’t envy what you have been through. I don’t know how to make it up to you.”

Reeve almost said that Cid could make it up to him by letting him have the occasional night with Vincent, but thought that may be just a bit too much.

“You don’t owe me a thing, Cid. I wanted to do it. My reasons were selfish, but… there really wasn’t any place else I wanted to be. And… I really am glad you are back, and all right. But… I would like to pop in on Benji and Aiden from time to time, maybe help look after them a little.”

Cid nodded. “Yeah, I think that would be okay. I think Vincent and I would like that.”

***---***

It was Reno who delivered Benji and Aiden to their parents the next day, and picked up Reeve. As the family reunited in the little cottage, Reeve came out to the helicopter and got into the seat beside Reno’s. He was silent, drained, and depressed, and sat staring ahead dispiritedly. Saying nothing to him, Reno raised the helicopter from the ground and pointed it in the direction of home. After a little while, Reno spoke.

“Hey, you know, you could come stay with Cloud and I little while, yo.”

Reeve nodded slightly, but said nothing. Reno had the feeling Reeve wouldn’t care if he dropped him into the ocean. He would probably just sink to the bottom without even a pretence at a struggle. Eventually, Reeve made himself speak.

“Is Cloud still pregnant?”

“For now. Eleven days. We’re hoping.”

“Zack says if he gets past a month then the foetus should be far enough along that the body won’t absorb it,” said Reeve, his tone distant and tired.

“Zack should know,” said Reno.

They flew along in relative silence, making the odd bit of small talk. Reeve was mentally exhausted and very depressed, so much so that they were landing before he realized they were not in Costa del Sol.

“Where are we?” asked Reeve.

“Oh, this is the home of the man who owns the helicopter. I have to drop it off, and we can drive home from here.”

Reeve noticed wearily that it was starting to rain. How appropriate, he thought.

They landed on the small helipad, and Reno shut down the copter and hopped out of the craft. Reeve undid his harness and stepped out, wanting nothing more than a bath and a good cry under the covers. Inattentive and distraught, he bumped into something warm, which he recognized as a person.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “I’m… a little distracted.”

He was taken into a pair of arms and held firmly, which was almost more than his over-wrought mind could comprehend. But there was something familiar about this person. Something about the fragrance of very expensive men’s cologne, and that white… coat… Reeve raised his head, and found himself looking into a pair of blue eyes.

“Reno tells me you have had the worst year of your life.”

Reeve stared, comprehension slowly setting in. “Rufus?”

Rufus smiled, and stroked the dark brown hair. “Welcome home, Reeve.”

Reeve shut down. It was too much. If he had been a computer he would have been showing a blue screen and an error message. His knees went out beneath him, and he began to slide to the ground. Rufus caught him, but wasn’t strong enough to pick up another man nearly his own height and weight. A guard the approximate size of the Shinra building stepped forward to pick Reeve up for him.

“Take him to my bedroom, Brendan. Let him sleep. He’s had enough.”

“Yes, Mr. Shinra.”

The guard carried him away, and Rufus turned to look at Reno.

“Thank you.”

Reno shrugged. “It just seemed the least I could do after everything he has been through, yo. He definitely deserves to be spoiled rotten and loved. And… I know you’ll do that.”

Rufus ran the back of his hand over Reno’s cheek. “You really are a scheming little shit, aren’t you?”

Reno kissed him, his hand dipping into Rufus’ pocket and coming out with a set of car keys. “I am.”

Rufus gave him a soft little kiss. “Don’t scratch the paint.”

“And if I do?”

“I get to sleep with your husband.”

Reno thought about that. “Can I watch?”

“Go.”

Rufus gave him another quick kiss, then turned and walked away, leaving Reno to drive off in his cherry red roadster.

***---***

Reeve awoke not long after Reno left, and looked around. It was early evening, the sun was only just setting, infusing the room in which he found himself with a pink and gold glow. His mind was fogged, and he knew he wasn’t especially well, but… this looked an awful lot like the silver bed Rufus Shinra used to own…

He was cracked. He had to have lost his marbles. Too much strain, and now he thought he…

A warm body pressed close, and again there was that soft fragrance. The body was dressed in a silk shirt, expensive white brocade vest, and a pair of white dress pants that Reeve would give his eye teeth to be. Reeve slowly rolled to his side, and looked into the soft blue eyes.

“You really should lose the white clothes; I don’t think anyone believes you’re a virgin.”

“Feel perfectly free to take them off me.” Rufus gently stroked back the askew brown hair. “Reno told me what you have been doing this last year. My father always did think you were too soft for your own good.”

Reeve smiled tiredly. “You’d have done the same damned thing and don’t you even try to deny it. You’re not a heartless bastard; you just play one in the boardroom.”

“And I play it very well.”

“I thought you were dead.”

“There’s a lot of that going around. No, I am very much alive. Scarlet bashed me over the head and took my coat thinking Sephiroth would let her go if he thought she was me. I can tell you the plan failed miserably.”

“I know, I saw the news footage of her impaled on the pole. Well she always did say there was no man large enough to satisfy her.”

Rufus smiled, taking Reeve’s hand. “She liked Heidegger’s pole well enough.”

Reeve turned green. “Heidegger. And Scarlet. That is a mental image I truly did not need.”

“Mmm, try this one. Scarlet and Hojo in the closet at the Shinra Christmas party.”

“RUFUS! Augh, spare me, I’m sick!”

“I know the feeling, Tseng and I were ill for a month. I nearly had the sweet young thing, and then we open the door and see that. It was like watching a mummy screw a stuffed leather mannequin.”

Reeve smiled. “You always did throw the best office parties.”

He closed his eyes, and felt himself drawn against a warm, strong body and held. Reeve nuzzled against Rufus’ neck, letting himself be cuddled and caressed.

“Where am I?” he asked quietly.

“Home,” said Rufus softly. He kissed his brow. “Home with me. Safe, loved, and wanted, for as long as you choose to stay here.”

“I’m so tired.”

“Then get undressed and under the covers. I’ll hold you.”

Reeve managed to get undressed, though he wasn’t sure how, exactly. Within moments he was underneath the silken quilts, his head resting on Rufus’ chest, his arm across his hard midriff. He fell asleep quickly, and did not move for the rest of the night.

***---***

Reno pulled up before the villa in Rufus’s roadster and shut off the engine. He then leaned across the seat to open the glove compartment, finding, as he knew he would, Rufus’ hidden stash of chocolate truffles.

“You’re not allowed to have these, yo, you knnnooowwww that! I shall just have to eat these for you and save you from yourself.” He popped one into his mouth as he shut the glove compartment, then rolled his eyes in pleasure. “These must be expensive, even the orange ones are good.”

He put the truffles in his pocket, hopped out of the car, and went up the stone steps to his house. He opened the door…

And stopped. Dead.

He wasn’t certain what alerted him, but something was absolutely not right. He knew the routines of his own house, and he knew Cloud should be home by now. But there was no smell of dinner cooking, no sound of the radio, and no lights on. The hair went up on the back of his neck, and he stood, listening. People always made mistakes when they had to wait too long. Reno stood motionless in the doorway, and finally was rewarded for his patience. It was a faint sound, perhaps only a sniff, but it was enough to give him a direction.

He kicked the door open, slamming it into someone. He heard a yelp, but chose to go after a shadow further into the room. Snatching up a knife, Reno launched himself at the intruder, throwing him to the ground, and was about to cut his throat with one deft move when the lights went on.

“Dammit Reno it’s ME, man, it’s US! Don’t kill me!”

Reno blinked at the man he was straddling. “Rude?”

“Yeah! Damn, who taught you to fight like a soldier?”

Reno sat back. “My husband, yo, who do you think? Little guy, blonde hair, rides a really big bike?”

Cloud stepped out of the bedroom. “The same guy who told you that this was a really dumb idea?”

Elena stepped out from behind the door, holding her streaming nose. “Well he never used to do this stuff,” she said, her voice congested.

Reno dropped the knife and held Rude tightly. “I missed you! I missed you so damned much!”

“I know man, we missed you too. Hey, look what Tseng has!”

Reno turned, grinning as he saw Tseng standing behind him, holding a bottle of tequila in one hand and a sack of lemons in the other. Reno let out a scream of joy.

“The Turks are back!”

“Let me know when I should go lock myself in the bedroom,” said Cloud, as Elena made her way to the bathroom in quest of something to stop her nose from bleeding.

Reno got off Rude, helping him up and hugging him again. “It’s been so long.”

“I know. But we’re back, okay? And no more garbage. From now one it’s like it was, we’re family. Oh, and not that you deserve it after what you just did to me…” Rude walked over to the couch and picked up a basket, handing it to Reno. In it were two of the tiniest black and white kittens Reno had ever seen, their eyes only partly open.

“Someone left them on the side of the road,” said Rude. “And… I thought of you.”

Reno picked up one of the teeny beasts, looking into wee little black eyes. “You don’t know it yet, little guy, but you and your little buddy there, are about to become the most spoiled little kitties in the world, yo.”

“We brought a baby basket,” said Rude. “Kitten bottles, kitten formula, kitten blankets…”

“Oh so we’ll have had plenty of practice when our kitten comes along, right Cloud?”

He turned to look at his lover. Their eyes met, and an understanding passed between them.

“It’s okay,” Reno said quietly. “We can try again in the summer.”

Cloud nodded. “Yeah, we can.”

Rude bent down and picked up the knife. “Now, who wants a drink?”

***---***

It was early evening, and, for the first time in a year, the Highwind-Valentine family was together.

Vincent lay in bed, tired but well enough, watching Benji and Aiden as they sat on the bed and played. Beside him was Cid, resting against the headboard, pillows piled behind him. His legs were stretched out before him, and Vincent had his head on his stomach, relishing the feel of Cid’s strong hand on his shoulder.

“I can’t believe how big they are,” said Vincent.

The last time he had seen the babies, they could barely turn their heads. Now they were sitting up on their own, pulling themselves onto the bed, and using furniture to support themselves as they travelled around the room on their own two feet. Very soon they would not need support of any kind.

Currently, however, the toddlers were just looking around at the new room, and playing quietly. Reno, well known for the sideways direction in which his mind worked, had somehow, somewhere, and probably using Rufus’ charge card, found them the most amazing outfits. Baby Benji had his blondish hair cut and styled into a remarkable semblance of Cid’s, complete with a set of tiny aviator goggles, and little blue t-shirt, jeans, and baby boots fashioned to look like work boots. He even had gloves, a coat tied around his waist, and, to complete the illusion, a touch of mascara on his little face to give him the look of stubble. Aiden’s hair had been left long, and he was bundled up in a little red headscarf, cloak, and black top and pants. Just where Reno had managed to find black toddler-wear, Vincent had no idea, but what really astounded him were the little soft plastic bands, painted to look like brass, on the little black shoes, and the little soft rubber gauntlet, likewise painted to look like brass.

Some unfortunate Godzilla toy had given his claws and tail so that Aiden could look like his mommy.

“I always knew Reno was sick in the head,” muttered Cid as he watched the babes play.

“I think it’s adorable,” said Vincent.

Skippy walked into the bedroom and up to Cid, sniffing him, then the babies. Vincent had been worried about how the mighty beast would react to himself, and the babies, but Skippy had given no indication that he was bothered by anything. He seemed to have simply assumed that the pack had grown, and that was that. He was not, however, above being a tiny bit jealous, and Vincent could not help but notice the way the long nose kept prodding at a yellow toy chocobo that Benji and Aiden had both ignored.

“Give the silly thing the toy,” said Vincent.

Cid did. Skippy seized it with delight and bounced out of the room, tail waving.

“Well the family is complete now,” said Cid. “There’s you, and me, two kids, and the dog.”

“That’s not a dog, it’s some sort of riding animal.” Vincent closed his eyes and snuggled close. “At the risk of starting a family brawl, I feel just dreadful for Reeve.”

Cid stroked Vincent’s hair. “I do too, but what can we do? I mean apart from have him come back here and give you a baby for real, and I gotta say I’m really not big on that notion.”

Vincent smiled. “The only person who is giving me any more babies is you.”

Cid smiled, but his mind kept coming back to something Reeve had said, something that had hurt.

“So… why him?”

“Why who?”

“Why Reeve? What… what did he do that I didn’t?”

Vincent had to think to try and figure out what Cid was talking about, then realization dawned.

“Nothing, Cid. The problem was with me. I wasn’t in love with Reeve. But with you… I was so afraid to lose you, so afraid to let my guard down for a moment, I just couldn’t let myself enjoy it. Then… I did lose you.”

“But I came back,” said Cid.

“I know. That’s why I think the next time we’re together, it’s going to be absolutely mind-blowing. I can finally let my guard down, and relax.” The red eyes narrowed, and he smiled. “And enjoy.”

Cid stared at Vincent, feeling his throat tighten with want. “Anything I can do to help you feel better?”

Vincent slipped his hand up the inside of Cid’s thigh, briefly touching him, then moving his hand away.

“I want your shellfish soup and a cup of your coffee.”

“Your wish is my command.” Cid kissed him. “How long until you are fully regenerated?”

“I would say… oh… shortly after the babies are fed, bathed and in bed.”

Cid stared at him with naked want. “I guess I had better get my ass in gear, then.”

***---***

It was ten in the morning when Aeris arrived with little Ifalna to collect her husband.

Polite taps at the door had no effect, so she took a key out of her small handbag, fitted it into the lock, and opened the door, having to push against some weight that was wedged against it. She stepped into the little villa and looked around, eyes large.

The villa was trashed. Feathers from an exploded pillow festooned the area, clinging to every surface. There were lemon peels and spilled tequila everywhere, and Raman noodles clung precariously to the ceiling, hanging like the webs of a large spider suffering from a severe webbing malfunction. Cloud’s gigantic buster sword was impaled in the dart board, implying a rather heated match, and all around the room there were lemons, more lemons, and yet again more lemons. Crushed lemons, peeled lemons, sliced lemons, lemons cut into intricate origami designs, and in the middle of the table was Rude, passed out, face down, wearing a wig of lemon rinds. The object blocking the door was Elena, passed out on the rug, toilet paper up her nose.

Aeris pushed the door shut and stepped over Elena, making her way to the bedroom. She opened the door, and saw Reno curled up on the floor, a part of a blanket dangling off the bed partially covering him. He was wearing only his pants, and his upper torso was covered in melted salt, stuck to his flesh by a paste of lemon and tequila. Splayed across the bed diagonally, one arm hanging off the side of the mattress, was Cloud, face down in a pillow, still fully dressed. Asleep in a ball on the right hand side of the bed, his head in the small of Cloud’s back, gloved hand resting on his butt, was Tseng.

The Turks had resurrected the Lemon Wars. There had been no survivors.

Aeris surveyed the pile of human wreckage, then reached out to move Tseng’s hand off Cloud’s butt. Tseng was utterly limp and completely unconscious, and his long black hair was stiff with half-dried lemon and tequila.

“Mommy,” said Ifalna, “is daddy dead? He smells terrible.”

“He’s just… really tired,” said Aeris, lightly jerking his wrist up and down to make his hand flop. She let the hand go and it thudded to the mattress with the finality of death. “Come on, let’s go make coffee.”

She left the bedroom and found Rude seated upright, eyes shut, a piece of lemon rind stuck to his face, a tequila worm plastered to his brow.

“Good morning,” she said sweetly. “Coffee?”

He nodded slowly, bringing his hands up to his throbbing head. “What did we do last night?” he whispered.

Aeris reached out and picked the tequila worm off his forehead. “I would say you were attacked by small worms, and they won.”

Rude forced one eye open and looked at the worm she dangled before him. “Yeah, that was the general.”

“You bravely used your forehead to smash him.”

“Go me,” said Rude weakly.

***---***

Reeve stirred, awakening to the cool feel of a breeze across his skin, and the song of small birds, as well as the unexpected quiet clucking and muttering of hens. He had no way of knowing, of course, that Cloud and Reno had solved Rufus’ recurring monster problem by shipping in two hundred chickens to gobble up the eggs in the grass, and some small, voracious fish to get the ones in the lake. He just knew that the noises he was hearing outside did not seem to mesh with the dignified opulence of the bedroom in which he lay.

He was wonderfully comfortable, sleepy and safe, reluctant to open his eyes and end this moment. He could smell coffee, and heard the sound of a newspaper page being turned. At last Reeve opened his eyes, and stared at the man in bed beside him. Rufus Shinra was sitting up, resting on pillows piled against the head board, chest bare, reddish-blond hair askew, reading the Financial Post. He had a pair of silver-framed reading glasses on, and Reeve honestly thought he had never seen anything so sexy.

“You’re gorgeous, you know that.”

“Of course.” Rufus closed his newspaper, folding it and setting it aside, then removing the glasses to stash in the drawer of a bedside table. He then turned to face Reeve. “Good morning. Feeling better?”

He nodded. “Yeah. A little.”

“So what did you have? A boy or a girl?”

“Neither,” said Reeve. “Vincent… did a very fine job of convincing himself he was pregnant, but… he wasn’t. There was no baby.”

Rufus reached out to touch his face. “I’m so sorry.”

“So am I, but it’s probably for the best. Now I can heal, and recover.” He reached up to place his hand on Rufus’ wrist. “Did… you mean what you said last night? About me being able to stay here as long as I wish?”

“Yes. Absolutely. I don’t know if you are aware of this, but… I happen to be quite mad about you.”

Reeve looked puzzled. “But… we were together so briefly, and… it was a long time ago. I didn’t think I meant all that much to you.”

Rufus smiled, and pointed, directing Reeve’s attention to something on the wall. “Behold the only thing I salvaged from the ruins of the tower.”

Reeve turned his head, and stared in surprise. “You… took my portrait?”

“I took with me the only thing I cared about. You.”

Reeve shook his head, eyes wide. “I… I had no idea…”

Rufus drew him close and kissed him with gentle passion. “Stay here, with me.”

“I don’t know, Rufus, I… I’m a mess.”

“I know. Stay anyway.”

Reeve looked into the blue eyes, and smiled.

“How can I say no?”

***---***

Winter ended, giving way to a spring of green and growth. Cid began work on his house, while Skippy raced up and down the field, catching mice and butterflies, and occasionally stealing gloves and other small objects from the workers there to help with the building. Reno’s kittens were now about three months old, and, unlike their predecessor, Goober, were shaping up to be truly large cats who had yet to find a person or piece of furniture they did not like to run over. And, with the arrival of April, the small and struggling gay rights movement received a massive boost when Rufus Shinra announced he was marrying his boyfriend in September, and anyone who didn’t like it could go fall off a cliff.

“Must be nice to have that much power,” said Reno as he read about it in the morning paper. He narrowed his eyes. “Too bad his dad is not alive to appreciate it. The old man would have crapped dynamite and had two heart attacks, yo.”

“Well don’t forget,” said Cloud, “Rufus’ mother is still alive, and she ain’t happy.”

Reno read further down. “Wow. No, she is not. She’s trying to get him declared incompetent and get control of his money to prevent him from squandering it on his ‘perversion’, fat chance of that. She also wants him to cease the usage of the Shinra name, and to disinherit and disown him. She has apparently already tried to have him thrown in a psychiatric hospital. Oh, lookit this, she’s publicly called Reeve a manipulative bastard who has influenced Rufus for his own sick needs. Like anyone can make Rufus do anything.”

Cloud smiled. “I dunno, Reeve manages to lead him around by the nose pretty often.”

“That’s not his nose he has, it’s his dick.” He then gave Cloud a sidelong look. “THEY are getting married,” Reno hinted broadly.

Cloud nodded. “Good. I’m glad Reeve has found someone who loves him back.”

Cloud grinned as he heard the paper hit the table, and the chair shoved back. He watched Reno stomp off in a snit, marching into the bedroom and slamming the door. Cloud sipped his coffee, and waited. After a few minutes, the door opened, and Reno came out, holding something in his hand; a small white box, containing little cards printed on rag paper.

“What are these?” Reno asked.

“I don’t know, I can’t see from here.”

Reno picked a card out and looked at it, turning it over, then opening it. “These are wedding invitations.”

“Really. Huh. Wonder who left those here.”

Reno looked at the card, turning it over, shaking his head as if he really did not understand what he was seeing. “May… tenth? That’s less than a month away. Are… are these for us?”

“They better be, with all the gil I forked out for the damned things. If they’re for someone else I’m going to complain.”

Reno leapt, knocking Cloud backwards off his chair and landing on him, pinning him to the ground.

“You bastard! Do you have any idea how upset I was?”

“I know. I’m sorry I just… couldn’t resist.”

“How long have you been plotting this?!”

“It was a group plot,” said Cloud. “Elena took care of the decorations and catering, Rude booked the band, Cid and Barret are getting the house built so we can have the wedding outside near that spread of old growth forest, since the church in Wutai was booked solid. Aeris, Yuffie and Tifa have been going mental at the florists, and Tseng did what he does best, which is direct crazy people. And Rufus held off announcing his own marriage until we were more or less completely organized, because I knew you would have a fit when you read about it.”

Reno stared blankly. “And… but… but I had no idea!”

“I know, for a guy who is trained in secret operations and underground work you are shockingly inattentive. Tseng, Aeris and I nearly crapped canaries the other day when you came home early. You damned near caught us with three bolts of fabric that Aeris brought over to start making patterns for what we’re going to wear. Aeris went out the window and Tseng tossed the cloth down to her.” He laughed. “The girl’s a trooper.”

“You BASTARD!”

“Thank you.” Cloud pushed Reno onto his back and kissed him, stroking his hand over the long red hair.

“But why May tenth? Why so soon?”

“Well I figured you had waited long enough. I knew it was getting to be an issue in our relationship, and I didn’t want to wait for it to get any larger. And speaking of getting larger, I didn’t want to be wearing silk robes looking like someone had shoved a watermelon up my skirts. So it was either May tenth, or make you wait another year.”

Reno blinked. “What? What are you… are you saying…?”

“Thirty-eight days,” said Cloud. “Should stick this time.”

“Thirty-eight days?! But… you weren’t sick! Not once! All the other times, all you did was roll into a ball and moan!”

“I’ve also been drinking Aeris’ tea by the quart. Believe me, I’ve been sick as the proverbial dog. I just… didn’t want you to get your hopes up.”

Reno rolled over, pinning Cloud to the floor, looking down into his eyes. “You are the single most underhanded, scheming little shit I ever met. And I love you.”

Cloud smiled. “I love you too. Wanna make love here on the floor, or in the bedroom?”

“In the bedroom. I hate it when the cats watch.”