In The Distance, A Storm

by KnifeBinaryPrince

Summary:

Only the last person you'd expect, Rufus Shinra, could drag Cloud back to Shinra with minimal kicking and screaming to begrudgingly save the world before shit hits the fan.

Again.

Notes:

Posting this since interest was expressed, hope you all enjoy.

Chapter 1: The Beginning Again, Though Different

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.

Chapter 2: Of Board Meetings and Dumbapples

Summary:

Part of the first day on the job starts for the both of them.

Notes:

Had to tweak this chapter alot but I like how this came out so I do hope you guys enjoy!

The morning would begin with a board meeting at eight.

Which meant Cloud was up at four getting ready after having been up since two. Sleep came to him just as easily as it had before. Which was not at all it seemed. Something he'd grown used to in the years that passed. Though less so more recently if one were to count the time frame from before the jump that put him back here.

But he tried not to think about that or it's implications too much with the situation he had going on back then.

That was before after all.

Setting the apartment to blackout mode, Cloud began to go through the same routine of stretches he'd done the combined past and present years. Which, when he counted was easily over forty. Something that amazed him when he thought about it for longer than the second it passed his mind some days.

With the strain of the scars that littered and pulled at his skin and cut to the bone, the sets helped to ease the aches throughout the day. Which in turn helped with the memories that clung to them. Hard to get stuck in the past when you barely noticed the pull of such reminders.

That was how Reno found him when the Turk barged in. And he realized then his older brother was a fucking traitor and he would absolutely be replacing his shampoo in the future first chance he got.

He was sitting on the floor during the middle of one of his sets, skin bright with a sheen of sweat and his bare back was facing the Turk as he did his final sets on the hardwood, bent forwards with a hand touching the toes of his stretched out legs, every scar on full display; the good, the bad, and the ugly that cut through pale skin like the blades that made them.

The Turk had likely been ordered to get him before the meeting started.

"Yo, got a meeting in thirty! Rufus wants you there asap!" Reno called out, loud in the quiet of the room. He'd made himself comfortable, leaning against the doorframe as casually as only Reno could.

Cloud made no move he'd heard him, continuing the last of his stretches in the set before standing.

He ignored the wolf whistle made his way, walkig deeper into the suite further back. When he emerged again minutes later he had his visor and self appointed uniform on, brushing past the Turk as the door shut and locked behind him. Leaving them both in the empty, quiet corridor.

The quiet didn't remain however, Reno filling it quickly with his chatter. And lasting until they made it to the vice president's office. At one point it would have annoyed Cloud, but the years spent hearing it then and now brought some kind of comfort to him oddly enough. And the background noise drowning out the other sounds of the cold building was much appreciated whether the Turk knew it or not.

Rufus was sitting at his desk, Rude behind him as per usual these days since his father fell ill. Whether or not his perusal of the computer screen during these times yielded anything had yet to be seen. And if Rufus had his way, which he usually did, they wouldn't tell a goddamn thing the Turks or his father could use against him.

Rufus had been playing this game a lot longer than they had after all.

The blonde looked up as Cloud and Reno arrived, ignoring the pointed look his little brother was giving him. He knew the weight of his stare even from underneath that visor. And as usual he ignored it, gathering up the files and tablet he'd need for the meeting.

Cloud fell into step beside him, Dark Nation on Rufus' other side following along faithfully. The Turks trailed behind, the weight of their stares heavy on the two brothers.

They expected the Shinra heir to say something to the guard about walking in step next to him. But shockingly enough nothing was said. Rufus only murmured and huffed under his breath as he looked through the files on the tablet, ignoring everything around him as they got to the meeting room doors.

The two second class soldiers stationed on either side of the doors saluted as they walked by, standing aside to give the Turks room to open the doors for the vice president.

As acting head of Shinra until his father was well enough to return to his work, Rufus took the seat at the head of the table. Cloud took his own position leaning against the wall behind Rufus, content to stand back and watch the proceedings.

 

Slowly the other directors and executive officers trickled in, Tseng among them acting in Veld's place. Curious looks were made Cloud's way, whispers starting up about who he was between Heidigger and Scarlet. Reeve looked up at him curiously, making no comment otherwise. Even Hojo gave a cursory glance.

 

Nothing good ever happened when Hojo took an interest in something, even so small.

Rufus made a mental note he'd have to keep a closer eye on him. Not that he wasn't planning on it already.

Rufus also kept an eye on his Turks, Rude and Reno both standing by the doors just as passive as they had been before the meeting started. Seems the safeguards put in place within Cloud's visor were working then. He was sure any movement or sign of agitation would have taken up the Turks attention. Especially with how closely they've kept an eye on him so far.

While Rufus would have preferred to check on Cloud himself, he couldn't very well do that in the middle of the meeting. Trusting instead in the Turk's paranoia to clue him in instead.

There was no question that none of the Turks trusted his new bodyguard. And if Rufus didn't know or have a history with Cloud as he did he wouldn't trust him either if he were in their shoes. As it stood Cloud was an unknown variable that they couldn't predict and therefore couldn't make any proper contingency plans against him should something happen.

And something like that made them nervous.

Turks were a hard bunch to make nervous.

Seeing nothing else out of sorts Rufus began the meeting, listening to budget increase requests with little progress shown that there would be results. Those he denied until his father could review them.

Or so he told the board members.

With certain plans in motion his father would never come forth to approve such things.

Of course they didn't need to know that.

Rufus ended the board meeting with future projects and plans from Reeve on improving the city infrastructure and alternative means of energy that he was planning to look over and approve. Wouldn't do to put all their eggs in one basket as it were.

As per usual the directors would try and get some time alone with the president. Or in this case the acting head, to try and get a few words in of their own regarding their own interests veiled by cloying words of the company's profit and well being.

And this time was no different. Though before a perfectly manicured hand could land on his coat there was a rush of air and everything seemed to freeze.

A blade was held to a pretty, pale throat, Scarlet turning pale and shaking slightly as a bead of blood flowed down the skin of her neck.

Rufus turned to look over his shoulder, not at all looking like he cared for the situation present before him.

"Stand down." He ordered. Sounding more like a suggestion than a command as he lazily flipped through the papers in his hands, eyes flitting to the tablet on top of the pile.

The bodyguard, who had been still for the past three hours and therefore forgotten about, pulled the knife from Scarlet's throat. The woman backed up hurriedly, tripping into Heidigger who held her shaking form steady.

The rest of the room watched the scene in a mix of awe and fear.

"I'd watch what you do in the future. All of you. He was made like Dark Nation. Remember that." The guardhound in question perked her ears at the sound of her name, but otherwise made no move. She'd been obediently settled at his feet the whole time, only perking up with her head against his thigh to check his steady heartbeat before laying back down.

With those parting words Rufus left, guard and Turks trailing behind him. Tseng seemed taken aback by the events he just witnessed, though his eyes lingered on Cloud heavily, wondering, thinking, planning no doubt.

Once they entered the elevator and the doors closed, Cloud brought a hand up reaching for Rufus' collar.

"That one is Veld's." Rufus answered.

A hand to his cuff.

"Tseng's."

One to his pocket.

"That one's Reno's I believe."

The hand reached for his breast pocket.

Rufus tilted his head, "That one is new."

The Turks behind them watched curiously, with a bit of alarm at the Shinra heir knowing he had bugs on him, where they were, and by who.

With a quick hand the bodyguard snatched up the bug from his breast pocket. A pinch of his fingers and a flash of fire materia and the bug was no more, ashes falling to the floor.

Instead of stepping off at the floor that housed his suite or office, Rufus got off on the soldier cafeteria floor.

The conversation seemed to lower in volume as Rufus entered, his security entourage trailing behind him. Though he noted the whispers he could hear questioning who Cloud was and what class.

Rufus ignored it, finally looking up from his papers to peruse the breakfast menu. He picked a plated tray, handing his files to Tseng who held them without question. Only looking a tad bit surprised when Rufus thanked him.

Had he really been that bad back then?

Cloud looked out over the selection beside him, eyes falling on the fruit they had out. A quick scan from his visor identified the weird purple ones as dumbapples. Something he hadn't tried before. He hadn't been in Banora during his travels that often and certainly not often enough for the dumbapples to have ripened.

Curious he grabbed one, turning it over to have a better look before biting into it.

As they left the cafeteria Rufus looked over out of the corner of his eye at Cloud, very much amused at the sight he was met with. The blonde was munching contently on a dumbapple, the rest of the dumbapples that had been set out in the cafeteria now balanced precariously in his arms as he steadily ate through them.

 

Rufus could hear Reno cursing under his breath as the blonde idly dropped the eaten cores to the floor. Having the redhead pick them up to throw away in any trashcan they found along the way. It was a habit that had Rufus making plans to up the time table for a few of his little pet projects.

But that was for later, as it seemed now Genesis would have some competition for the fruits.

Rufus sent a silent prayer to the poor soul that would have to tell the Genesis Rhapsodos his dumbapples were out.