[[[[[-VERYVERYVERYYYYYYY VERY LATE CHALLENGE FOR MYSELF AND PRINCESS TURK FROM NOT LAST WEEK BUT THE WEEK BEFORE. "VANILLA"-]]]]]

"Sweet Vanilla"

- ["Sweet Vanilla, I give myself to you.
laying like a rose having a wonderful dream
Darling it's all for your love."] -

The white rose was stunning… extremely rare here, even with the return of the sun to the once smog ridden and perpetually dark city. Flowers were still hard to care for…raise…and be successful with.

Cloud rolled the sturdy dusky green stem in his hands, the barbs had been lovingly trimmed. The White head of the rose was barely opening… stunningly perfect. Pert and crisp petals curled around each other a creamy and deliciously color of off white. The only roses he'd seen before had been wild ones in his mothers garden long long ago…

He picked the note up off of the table again, the envelope had been sealed so he knew no one else had read it, but his cheeks flamed lightly anyway at the thought of the others possibly seeing the gift to begin with. He'd gotten notes and small gifts of useful items for fighting monsters when on his delivery runs. But this… it shocked him how much it touched him. He reread the note again… that was hand written in the beautiful and slanted cursive…

'Cloud Strife,

I am humbled to tell you of a secret… I have been growing this small rose plant for some time now, trimming and lovingly caring for it. I dreamed of the day that the first flower would open. When it finally did, my heart was in wonder. The flower sang to me, of you. It was created by the gods to be in your hands.

I wish to invite you once again, and I pray you accept. Please, be my guest this evening for dinner, at the lodge if it makes you more comfortable than coming to the main building. And please, wear this rose… it suits you and is your likeness, in beauty, strength and so much more…

Truly yours,

Rufus B Shinra'

Cloud's cheeks flared even more red after reading the note a 4th time. He knew that Rufus had used every excuse available on Gaia to try to get him to come see him. But as time went on, he realized and caught on… that it was not to get him to work for him. As the months flew by after the emergence of the remnants, Rufus had stayed true to his words and had slowly been rebuilding the world itself… not just Gaia. Truly trying to make things right, find new safer energy sources and try to amend for what the Shinra company had backed from Sephiroth, Hojo's creations, Deep ground… and many other atrocities from health issues to the great city of Midgar herself, and the doomed air, and grounds! But still trying at every opening to see Cloud more, invite him over, and somehow seek him out at every chance.

Thus... cloud had slowly caught onto the fellow blond man's intentions. but... how could he return these feelings when they'd once been enemies. Also... when Cloud didn't even know if he WANTED that in his life at all. He was flattered, nonetheless... he'd never been given gifts by anyone who was interested in him the way Rufus seemed to be. And the rose was so beautiful.

It shocked him that Rufus finally made such a bold move. He'd pride himself in being discreet for as long as Cloud had known him. And for this bold of a statement to be made... Rufus was all but openly admitting his attraction...

'what could he see in me, that could be considered beauty' In a way, Cloud truly wanted to find out. A part of him yearned to be told sweet nothings, and given compliments from a lover. Or simply to not be alone, or to be held. He was scared though. what if this was all just a big game. Rufus Shinra owned everything... except the savior of Gaia.. 'Some savior... I'm afraid to face the beautiful man that obviously is interested in me... wait... beautiful?...'

~ . ~ . ~

Cloud had ran the thoughts around in my head, rolled them... digested them... should he take this chance? His body told him yes, his heart told him no... But evening came and found Cloud Strife... humble young man from Nibelheim ... respected swordsman that defeated Sephiroth... standing in front of his closet.

"What the... damn.." He whispered to no one but himself. He always wore similar simple.. yet reticent of his days with Shinra, styled clothes. He didn't own anything fancy. but why would he need, or WANT anything fancy. what was wrong with him. 'It's only dinner with the biggest man on Gaia... the man who is impeccable and straight laced... only the scariest thing that I've ever had to face alone... ever...'

He pulled out a simple pair of flared black leather pants and a satin shirt that Tifa had gotten him for helping her out with the bar, it was charcoal colored. He liked it, but never felt the need to wear something that nice. there.. That's nice and somewhat fancy. well.. it would have to do. Lastly... he pulled out the rose that had truly won him over.

"Beautiful as this... you're blind... blind.. and crazy Rufus..." But the shudder he felt when he spoke the name aloud awoke nerve endings that he didn't think were even still alive in his body. He was dressed up and carrying a rose for Rufus Shinra... Gaia help him...

~ . ~ . ~

The lodge was quiet, somehow Rufus had managed to keep his TURK's away for this evening, Cloud thought about the safety factors of that, unwillingly. Why was he even CARING about Rufus' safety. Hell... he could take care of himself if he needed to. So why did Cloud get a chill up his neck when he walked up to the lodge's front door. He went to knock... but instead a voice called out before he could. "It's open"

Cloud opened the door hesitantly, not sure what he was expecting. But certainly not what he actually saw. He walked in to see a dimmed living room type of an area, he didn't remember it being this homey when he'd last been here. with a small table in front of the couch, that was covered in paperwork and used disposable coffee cups, and behind the mess was the very reason that Cloud came, and was nervous and didn't want to be here all at once.

Rufus didn't even look up from where he sat, in white pants that were normally starched perfectly, but were a wrinkled mess, and only in a dress shirt and vest, his tie loosely undone and hanging around his neck. He had a coffee cup in his hand and papers and a pen in the other. He looked like he was in the middle of calculating something. "All I wanted was the coffee... I'm fine I already told you... why are you back this time?" The normally smooth and deep voice sounded tired and ragged for the first time that Cloud ever could remember.

Cloud looked on the wall that ran on the left side of him, and there was papers on all the horrendous things that had happened since the war in Wutai... 'It's haunting you...'

Cloud stepped a couple of steps closer to the stressed President of Shinra inc. "I believe you ASKED 'me' to come here..." He said in as soft and non threatening of a way that he could.

- ["You do not grieve even in the end of the world

where it stops wanting to close your eyes."] -

For the briefest of seconds shock and denial registered in the presidents normally stoic face. But as soon as the emotions flashed, then they dimmed. He looked up at Cloud who stood maybe 15 feet away in the broad room who was showing no emotion himself and that was when the cold face of the president turned to a full mask again.

"You need to learn to announce yourself. But who would have thought you'd actually come." Self doubt flickered again across his features, but Cloud caught it no matter how brief it was again. Why was he able to read him so well today. Normally the President was epic in his ability to not allow himself to be read. and he also was good in hiding his intentions. in fact it had taken well over a year for Cloud to catch on, to the real reason for Rufus' intent for asking Cloud to help him repeatedly.

Cloud needed to be honest, but he wouldn't let on to the real reason he came 'you are more selfless than anyone would ever begin to realize... yet... you do want me... but... you don't want to tell me why.' Rufus had been 100% forward for him. He studied the blond again.. who was sheltered by his mask like usual again. but, was that slight pinking to his cheeks.

- ["I will show to you the stars,

there's so much that you should know.

I won't cause you any tears,

Believe me.. Believe me!"] -

"But, you wanted me to come, Rufus." Cloud took a couple of wide steps his heavy boots clunking as he moved towards the man and stopped in front of the table that was covered in obvious paperwork.

Rufus looked up, his appetite whetted by the succulent look that the hero of Gaia had about him in the outfit he'd chosen to meet with him in. 'Gaia help me' the young Shinra president thought as he set his cup down. "I... had about given up hope of earning your trust..." The surprisingly truthful words slipped past his lips before he could even think twice. Cloud stopped in front of him but shifted from one hip to the other while standing there. Rufus had to push the burning desire that overwhelmed him suddenly, to the back of his mind.

"You have earned that trust... and I only wish you'd be 100% honest with yourself as well as me." Cloud said. "I don't know why the hell I'm saying this... or even here for one hundred percent sure if I WANT to, but... Rufus..." Cloud moved around to stand in front of Rufus between the table and his own self. "You need to take a break.. you're wearing yourself ragged..." Cloud suddenly pushed the white-wearing and very shocked man, back to lean on the back of the couch and straddled his legs."

"Fuck..." Was all Rufus whispered...

- ["Sweet Vanilla, I've waited here for you.
On your sweet bare body...

... I kiss with love not sparingly"] -

Their eyes burned with unspoken questions... neither knew what the other was thinking... or why. Was it a big trap... or a huge joke. Rufus kept his hands at his sides though they itched to touch this wild rarity that had been out of reach for so long. He opened his mouth but Cloud hushed him with a fingertip.

"No... Shhh... just enjoy this.. you lock yourself away and I think I understand... I have done it for so long. But unless you don't want me the way I think you do... just ..." Cloud took Rufus' hand and placed it on his cheek, closing his eyes. "I'm not beautiful like that rose... but you are."

Rufus' eyes clouded over for a split second. But instead of noticing it he was taking Cloud's face into both of his hands and crashing their lips together. They were silent. Their lips meeting for the first time... tingling like electricity yet warm and soothing like a gentle summer breeze. Cloud was amazed at the gentle lead that Rufus was taking.

Rufus deepened the kiss and wanted to moan at the taste of the man that was sitting in his lap. He hadn't touched him anywhere, but anywhere their bodies met was on fire. The taste that he could get from the usually quiet blond was sweet. Something soothing and sweet. His whole essence smelled like how he tasted. his lips were small and chiseled yet soft and pink and felt so tantalizing against his own. He felt Cloud's hand go his chest and grip his vest as he arched against Rufus again.

Feeling him arch like that was enough to push Rufus' buttons... something woke up... He brought his own hands quickly down to Cloud's hips, but was gentle as he gripped them. "Oh Cloud..." He whispered as he pulled back and kissed the swordsman's jaw. Cloud arched up again, this time pressing his very evident arousal against Rufus' stomach. He groaned lightly and gripped Cloud's hips tighter, splaying his fingers across the back of his firm backside and pressed the shorter blond down and thrusted up at the same time. Pushing his own erection through dual layers of clothes against the slightly writhing Blond. "Are you sure..?" He whispered with an uneven tone to his voice.

- ["Come, my outstretching hand is dirty

in contradiction with society."] -

Was he sure?... could he be?... Cloud's body screamed at him for being indecisive in a moment like this. "Yes... now shut up..." Cloud said without giving it another thought. He reached down and touched Rufus' sizable erection through his white pants, before sliding off the man's lap and reaching down at the zipper from his knees on the floor.

Cloud looked up at him from kneeling in from of his lap on the floor and every nerve ending in Rufus' body jumped, wanting to suddenly fuck that pretty little mouth. HE groaned as Cloud looked up at him through his thick lashes as if asking permission. Rufus answered without words by cupping Cloud's head from side behind his ear and rubbing lightly.

Cloud swallowed lightly before undoing the zipper on the pricy pants and the button. When he went to reach in he was surprised at the fact that the man before him was wearing silk boxers. He shouldn't have been. But for some reason he saw Rufus in pressed perfect briefs or something. He reached into them and wrapped his hand around a Very hot and thick erection. It wasn't huge in length, but not tiny either. and the girth was amazing, he could only just reach teh tips of his fingers together with his hand wrapped around it.

Rufus' eyes closed as he leaned back on the couch and that soft hand only slightly firm from wielding a sword, wrapped around his manhood. the touch was gentle and firm at the same time, and so warm. But as a sudden hotter wet warmth enveloped him his eyes flew open again. He looked down at the precious face and pert lips of Cloud Strife wrapped around his thick erection. His blond and spiky covered head bobbing up and down his thick length. "MMmm" He slightly moaned and thrusted ever so gently a time or two. He didn't know his limits, and didn't want to hurt or scare Cloud.

Cloud continued licking, sucking and rolling his tongue around the sensitive piece of flesh in his hand and swallowing down as far as he could go. his nose almost brushing the almost invisible and fine blond hairs at the base. He was interrupted by a hand gently tugging in a fistful of hair and a whispered plead.

"Let me take you... please..."

- ["I will show to you the stars,

there's so much that you should know.

I won't cause you any tears,

Believe me.. Believe me!"] -

Cloud reached down while his mouth and one hand was still on Rufus' Straining member, and began to unbuckle the belt holding up his black pants. His hand shook, he wanted this... right? He pulled his pants down and off and pulled his mouth off of Rufus at the same time as he stood up. He'd let the flesh slide from his mouth covered in his spit.

He didn't trust his voice as he looked down at the lust filled eyes of Rufus and the look of awe and respect on his face. Why hadn't he seen it all sooner? So instead he lifted himself over Rufus' lap and leaned down to kiss him again. He reached beneath him and lined the man's throbbing flesh, up to his opening. His insides clenched at the thought of being filled after so long. he needed it and wanted it.

Rufus felt Cloud reach between them and position him at his entrance. Oh gods... could he take him like that? he didn't want to hurt him. He pulled back from the kiss and watched as Clouds eyes closed shut in concentration. He could physically feel and see Cloud relax his body. His features tightened up in a mixed wash of pleasure and pain. His mouth opened in silent and faint panting. His pale skin and blond angelic features almost glowed in the dim lighting of the room. Rufus contained a moan as his shaft was slowly enveloped...

The tip went through the tight ring of muscle.. and Cloud gasped through the slight pain. the stretching and the pressure were welcome... and even the pain was ok, but he wanted to take him in fully and with little pain so that they could both be pleasured the fullest. He let himself fall further. "Gods" he breathed... the man was wide. Surprisingly wide for his build, yet Cloud knew he'd take it ... and "Oh dear Gaia!" Cloud cried out... not panted, not whispered... CRIED out.

Rufus had felt himself impale the blond swordsman on his lap, Cloud had taken almost all of him in, and with almost nonexistent pain painting his features. She as Cloud went to settle down on his length again, Rufus angled a slight shifting thrust so that his shaft would brush against the inside of Cloud, towards the front of him. "That's it…" He hissed as it stimulated the both of them.

Cloud panted lightly again. "Fuck me Rufus... Fuck me now..."

- ["you make me feel brand new,

cause you chase the clouds away

Believe me, Believe me !"] -

Rufus shuddered at the demand. He wrapped his arms around the shorter blond and started slowly yet firmly thrusting, pressing in tight at the end of each thrust. "You really want me...too?" He whispered again in question. almost hoping that cloud wouldn't hear him.

Cloud pushed back on Rufus again. "I wouldn't be here at all if it wasn't something I wanted to be doing, I just wasn't sure about... the outcome..." Cloud was dead honest then pressed both palms to Rufus' chest and took over the movement. He began lifting and lowering himself repeatedly fucking himself on the thick cock. "Gods Rufus... you fill me..." He finished with light breath and wrapped his arms around Rufus' neck trying to mimic the angle that had made him cry out earlier.

"You make me feel alive Cloud... even without this. just one look in your eyes and I feel free for a moment... no Shinra on my shoulders... only the world through your eyes. I dont feel tainted for a split second." Rufus buried his face into Cloud's collar bone, got irritated with his shirt and carefully pulled it off over his head.

Cloud leaned forward and grabbed Rufus' lips in a kiss again, he started to move again, this time rolling his hips with each thrust. but was stopped by Rufus' grip suddenly tightening on him and his teeth clamping down where his shoulder met his neck. He gasped in loudly and was about to ask what he'd done wrong, but was shocked again...

Rufus grabbed Cloud firmly around the waist and leaned forward standing up and shoved out with one arm to clear a spot on the edge of the table quickly. Papers flew everywhere and empty coffee cups went flying who knows where. But when Rufus finally leaned Cloud's ass onto the table and stopped long enough to look him in the eyes he told him exactly how he felt... "Beautiful sweet vanilla... is what you are. You are creamy, savory, and sweet all at once... yet beautiful all around. And don't deny it. this is what I see and sense through my eyes..." Rufus hadn't placed the sweet taste and scent till then, but Cloud reminded him fully of vanilla. He smirked at the thought. a Favorite.

But Cloud was given no chance to reply as Rufus ground his erection inside of him and pulled out again to slam home against his prostate. This time Cloud didn't cry out... no... he screamed. He screamed Rufus' name, which spurred the man who was leaning over his naked body splayed open on the edge of his work surface, on even harder.

Rufus felt his completion edging closer, he slammed into Cloud a couple more times before picking up the pace and reaching between them to touch Clouds straining and very neglected member. The strained gasp and the panting breaths coming from the blond swordsman helped urge him on, If he was right, Cloud was close as well. Cloud clung around his neck and kissed and suckled on his shoulder... it felt so good in this moment, he was inside the man he'd only dreamed of before now. They were in each others arms, and kissing, touching, and feeling so alive.

Rufus couldn't take it any longer. he felt his end building far too quickly, so he tightened his grip on the hot pulsing flesh that belonged to Cloud, and sped his stroking up into a quicker jerking action. their moans and breathless gasps were all that could be heard aside from the damp friction of flesh. Cloud's panting eventually turned into slight cry's and then louder cry's,... then as he tensed up he 'screamed' out Rufus' name, his muscles clamping down inside of his entrance all around Rufus' erection that'd not stopped slamming into the blond swordsman.

Rufus began to groan and thrust more blindly and wildly. the increased pressure and friction caused by Cloud's orgasm had him falling over the edge of that waterfall of immense feeling himself. He pumped in and out a few more times so slowly, enjoying the last of the stimulation as he finished his decent then kissed the side of Cloud's neck and gently pulled out.

Cloud didn't complain, though he'd have liked to have stayed connected together a little bit afterwards... but he was beginning to panic emotionally. So when Rufus so quietly and sweetly kissed him and then helped him off of the table. Cloud silently helped him to adjust himself in the now EXTREMELY ruffled pants and zip himself up. He still had his shirt and vest on. So Cloud motioned for the now heavy lidded man to lay down. He wanted nothing more than to get Rufus to rest. So he stayed naked and climbed on top of Rufus to lay down.

Rufus allowed Cloud to lead his actions once he was standing up. He was tired and he could tell that Cloud was distancing himself. But when he laid down on top of Rufus on the couch, his legs over the edge a little, then Rufus knew something was wrong... but still he went along. Finally after a while Rufus allowed his breathing to even and his body laid perfectly still, and felt Cloud so ever gently make his way off of Rufus' body.

His insides wept, he knew this would happen. But he kept his breathing even and stayed with his eyes closed and laying still. He heard Cloud put his clothes back on, and leave the room. Rufus was left alone... again. Who knew whether this was real of a cruel joke, or if he was reading it wrong. Maybe he'd find out, maybe he wouldn't. But no one could ever accuse the president of Shinra of being weak. No, no one would know that as he lay there still pretending to be asleep, that his heart was beginning to break.

- ["I will show to you the stars
There's so much that you should know
I won't cause you any tears
You've no need for any fear"] -

Reno walked up to the door quietly but opened it without knocking. he knew his boss was asleep. He'd been listening and watching. Even though it made him ache for the man that was like a brother and a friend... and more. He'd watched over Rufus. even Rufus himself didn't know about the third line surveillance. He'd ordered the 1st set off and the backup's off. But Reno wasn't disobeying by keeping the third lines on... no, Rufus hadn't told him to shut them specifically off.

He walked in and smirked at the destructive disarray that the room had been left in. Papers and coffee cups and a couple of pen's strewn everywhere around the table. Seeing it in person made him ache even more. But he'd begin cleaning up soon enough. Right now his main concern was the now finally sleeping and golden headed man.

"No one knows of your tears... don't worry" He whispered and wiped the stray tear's that had made their way out of the man's eyes as he slept. "Ok Cloud... now you'd better return to him one day soon..." Reno's own heart broke... "Cause... you're my sweet vanilla..."

- ["I will show to you the stars,

there's so much that you should know.

I won't cause you any tears,

Believe me.. Believe me!"] -

[[[[[END]]]]]

A/N: I am VERY extremely late in this challenge and had a hard time with it despite wanting to write it soo badly. I was sick (still don't feel well ) and am still getting used to my work. I'm exhausted... but here it is. forgive me for any writing errors.. my normal program is gone off my comp and I need to get it again.