Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII

Warnings: Fluff, Language

Mindless Babble:

Twenty minutes later, the doctor emerged from the bedroom. "Well, he'll make it. He'll have a nasty scar for a good long time, but it will heal. He just needs to keep using this ointment to keep the wound from getting infected. And he'll need to take one of these every twelve hours, but I'm not giving him any pain killers. They'll mess with the antidepressants."

He paused for a moment. "Eating might also help, too "

Rufus smirked. That was why this man became his personal physician: his sense of humor. "I'll keep that in mind, Yu-kun."

Rufus walked the other man to the door and thanked him for coming. After he closed the door, he turned back to the surprisingly clean apartment. A black leather couch and matching easy chairs surrounded a cherry wood coffee table that held a ribbon wrapped box. The entertainment center held a plasma screen T.V. that was hooked up to the latest version of the Playstation game system. There were book cases full of well read books and little nick-knacks that Reno had picked up in his travels. Rufus ran a finger over some of the titles, surprised to find the classics and even one of his favorites. Reno was truly not the idiot he sometimes made himself out to be. That realization made him wonder even more about the enigma that was Reno.

Rufus made his way into the bedroom, where Reno was still asleep. The butterfly bandages that lined the side of the Turk's face almost blended with the pale skin. His chest rose and fell rapidly, the onset of a fever making itself known. A quiet moan escaped cracked lips.

As he wrung out the washcloth that had been sitting in a bowl of cool water beside the bed, Rufus noticed the vase of dried roses on the dresser. He realized with a jolt that Reno had saved every rose Ashii had given him. He didn't know whether to laugh of weep at the sight. Maybe the Turk had known subconsciously that they were special in some way.

"Shachou ?" Rufus looked down and met fever bright blue eyes with his own malachite ones. "Why are you still here ?"

"Because I care, Reno. Rude will be back in a few hours. I will not leave you alone for a very long time since I've found that I can't trust you."

Reno blinked back the tears. He had again lost something very precious to him. "I...I'm sorry, sir."

Rufus raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For being such a fuck-up."

That hadn't been the answer he was hoping for. "Reno, you're not a 'fuck-up'."

"Then why didn't I recognize Fraishta?" Reno broke the contact and looked away. "And why can't I even do death right?"

The first was one question Rufus could answer. "While she was in Quarry, one of her 'clients' didn't like the service she provided. He smashed her face so badly, they had to reconstruct it. The 'doctor' the Master used didn't really pay attention to detail."

The second question caused Rufus to pause. He now thought back on all the reports written by Reno, where one or more of the Turks had been injured. They all had two things in common- they glossed over any personal injury while going into depth about the othe's and they all placed the blame on himself. Rufus hadn't ever made the connection until that moment.

"Why is it so hard for you to believe that there are people that love you no matter what you do?"

"Because love only hurts when I'm involved."

Eyes of green blinked in surprise. "Why did you stop taking your medication, Reno?"

The Turk struggled to sit up, the fever and blood loss making him dizzy. He leaned against his headboard, still not looking at his superior. "It wasn't working any more and it was slowing me down. I started to realize that after Cloud beat me at Healin Lodge."

"What do you mean 'they weren't working'?"

Reno looked down at the sheets. "I started to feel again." He pushed down the sheets to reveal lanky, yet muscular legs extending from the black boxers he was wearing. The white skin was marred by dozens of angry red lines.

"I guess the docs thought that these were done by the same guy that carved up my chest."

Rufus' jaw dropped as he caught the implications of what his subordinate was saying. "Reno Why?"

The redhead shrugged. "I guess I needed a release or maybe I just wanted to have something to prove that the pain I felt was real I don't know. I'm sorry for being so weak."

The last part had been spoken so quietly that Rufus almost missed it. He again grabbed the Turk's jaw and forced eye contact. "Let me make this perfectly clear Reno. You. Are. Not. Weak. With all the shit you've taken in your life, weak is not something anyone with half a brain would call you. You are also very much loved. I wish you could let yourself feel it! You are not alone in your fight!"

Reno blinked and continued to stare at his boss even when he was released. He had never seen or heard Rufus express so much emotion in such a short time. "Shachou "

Rufus looked away suddenly. "I brought you something, a get well sort of thing. I'll go get it." He returned shortly with the box that had been sitting on the coffee table. He set it on Reno's lap and stepped back.

The box was white with a red ribbon tying the lid down. Reno noticed the small holes that had been cut out of the sides and suddenly found himself wondering if Rufus had meant to kill him anyway. He tugged the ribbon loose, letting it fall to the side. He was about to take the lid off when it moved. Reno pulled his hands back as the lid flew off and a pair of golden eyes set into a sea of midnight black popped out to stare at him. I tiny black tentacle rippled with excitement at the sights and smells of the new place.

"What... " Reno pulled the little cub out of the box so Rufus could set the container aside. A tiny paw swatted at a lock of dangling red hair before Reno set it back down on his lap. The baby creature, the size of a small dog, curled up next to the man and proceeded to wash said paw, with a purr that reminded Reno of Cloud's bike.

"I don't understand sir..."

Rufus grinned at the little ball of fur. "She's Dark Nation's granddaughter. I was supposed to have the pick of the first generation litter, but that business of everyone thinking I was dead kind of knocked that to the back burner. The breeder recently got in touch with me, offering me one of the second generation cubs. I picked her out with you in mind Reno."

"Why?" Slender fingers had obviously found a good scratch spot, as the volume of the purr increased.

"Because you need someone to watch over you as you watch over me."

A genuine smile appeared on Reno's face as the cub rolled on her back for a tummy rub. "Does she have a name?"

"Not yet."

"Then I'm naming her 'Angel'. Is that okay?"

Rufus smirked, something completely missed by the Turk. "I couldn't think of a more perfect name."

Rude showed up at the appointed time, surprised to find his boss sitting in the living room, reading one of Reno's books. As he pocked the keycard he, Tseng and Elena had been issued, he stepped over to his boss.

"Shachou? I thought you would be in the room with him?'

"I don't need to be," Rufus replied with a grin. Closing the book, he stood and returned it to its home. "Reno will now have a guardian looking out for him at all times." He motioned for Rude to look into the bedroom, which the man did, wondering what he was going to find.

Reno lay on his side, facing the door. His breathing was shallow and somewhat labored due to the fever but his lips were still curved slightly upwards. Curled up next to his chest was a mini version of Rufus' deceased pet.

Rude closed the door and looked at Rufus who simply shrugged.

"See? He's not alone anymore."