Usual disclaimer: Don't own them, wish I did. This is written for fun and not profit.

Dillon "Dill" Marquard is an OC of mine who appears in stories from time to time - he is a friend of Cloud's and a fellow SOLDIER (or cadet, depending upon the storyline).

Cloud was nervous, but that was to be expected on a first date. His emotions vacillated between the aforementioned nerves, giddiness, and irritation with himself that he hadn't even had the balls to ask the man out on a date.

Then again, Cloud mused, Sephiroth didn't ask me either. He grinned, recalling Zack's insistence upon playing matchmaker with the two of them.

"Come on, Spikey. You like him, he likes you - the both of you should just stop being idiots. Ask him out!"

"I can't, Zack! What if he says no?"

And Zack had laughed - not at Cloud, but he had thought the whole situation to be ridiculous. It was clear that Cloud was besotted with Sephiroth, and the general felt much the same about the blond Third class SOLDIER; but Sephiroth didn't want to do anything that might look 'improper', as Cloud's commanding officer.

Which was exactly why Zack decided to step in and take matters into his own hands; arranging for dinner reservations at a quiet bistro on the upper plate. It was the type of restaurant Cloud had never been in, and would likely feel uncomfortable once he got there, but these were things that Zack didn't even think of as he phoned the maître-d, pretending to be Sephiroth's assistant in order to procure reservations at a quiet corner table.

"I have no idea what to wear," Cloud muttered as he rummaged through his closet in his dorm. He heard an amused snort from his roommate, Dillon, who was sprawled upon the futon, eyeing Cloud curiously.

"Got a hot date, eh?" Dill remarked, lips curling up in a smile. He narrowed his eyes and shook his head in disapproval at Cloud's outfit.

"Dill...I can tell by the look on your face...it looks that bad, huh? Do I look overly nerdy?" Cloud turned around to let Dill take in his appearance; he was wearing a pair of khakis, a white button-up shirt and brown loafers.

"Uh...yeah," Dill nodded, chuckling. He got up from the bed and stretched, then opened his own closet and began rifling through his dress shirts. "You look like a total dork. You're not going to get laid dressed like that, Cloud."

"I'm not trying to get laid!" Cloud protested, sputtering. "Just - it's just a date, okay?"

"Just a date, huh?" Dill muttered, his fingers rapidly flicking through the hangers. "Who you going out with?"

Cloud bit his bottom lip, hesitating before replying. "S-Sephiroth," he stuttered. Dill's head whipped around, the silk shirt in his hand fluttering to the floor.

"What!" Dill fairly shouted in disbelief. He placed both of his hands on Cloud's shoulders, and pushed him back gently, a critical eye looking him up and down.

"Sephiroth," Dill muttered, yanking out a black silk shirt, a bright blue tie, and slim dress pants in a dark charcoal shade. "Guy's going out with Sephiroth and dressing up like he's going door-to-door selling religion. Or encyclopedias, or vacuum cleaners - "

"I get the point, Dill," Cloud said crossly. "I don't really have anything dressy, and the place Zack picked is nice -"

"Here, try these on," Dill said quickly, shoving the clothing into Cloud's hands. "And wear black shoes. Wait, what does Zack have to do with this? I thought your date was with Sephiroth?"

"It is with Sephiroth," Cloud explained as he quickly undressed. "But Zack made the arrangements. Um, for dinner," he added, blushing. Cloud didn't want to have to explain that Zack had actually done the asking as well.

"Cool," Dill replied, averting his eyes slightly as Cloud stood there awkwardly in his boxers. He felt suddenly embarrassed checking out his roommate like that, but Dill was only human, and Cloud was an attractive young man.

"Put some damned clothes on, Cloud," Dill muttered teasingly, "before I jump your bones myself."

Cloud's face colored at the remark, and he hurriedly finished dressing in the borrowed clothes. The pants were a bit loose on him, so Cloud grabbed a belt from his dresser drawer, and then slid his feet into his black dress shoes. The tie remained slung around his neck - Cloud hated wearing neckties - but began a fumbling attempt at tying it in a knot.

"Gods you're hopeless!" Dill exclaimed, swatting Cloud's hands out of the way as he faced him. "Here, let me do it, or you're going to miss the damned date."

"Okay..." Cloud murmured, holding his breath as Dill adjusted the tie into a neat knot. "Thanks, by the way. For letting me raid your wardrobe. Guess I'm lucky my roomie is a clothes whore."

"Hey!" Dill retorted, pretending to be hurt although he was grinning. "You look good, Cloud. Really good. Hey...now I can tell everyone you got into my pants."

"Shut up!" Cloud protested, laughing. "So–you sure this tie isn't too bright?" he asked dubiously.

"It works for you, man," Dill assured him. "Brings out your eyes. Now…get the hell out of here. Go have fun on your date. You nervous?"

"Nervous as hell," Cloud replied, eyes widening. Dill winked and cracked a smile.

"Go get 'em, tiger!" It was Dill's parting shot as he hurried Cloud out the door.

Sephiroth was not suffering from any similar indecision regarding his wardrobe; the general had meticulously picked out the outfit he'd planned on wearing days prior. The general was a well-known customer amongst the menswear shops and haberdashers on the upper plate. His usual choices for clothing involved clean, simple lines; though not a label whore the way Genesis was, Sephiroth appreciated quality in a garment. It didn't hurt that some of Midgar's top menswear shops had gifted the renowned general with some of their new fashions each season.

Genesis would often bemoan the 'favoritism' of the shop owners seeming to prefer Sephiroth over himself, though he never missed an opportunity to raid the general's cast-offs. Nor did he ever miss an opportunity to critique Sephiroth's wardrobe, though the Banoran's tastes in clothing were slightly more ornate and ostentatious than Sephiroth's.

"Genesis…I'm meeting someone shortly," Sephiroth informed his unexpected guest, who was, at present, rifling through the general's closet.

"Faux leather trim," Genesis was murmuring, holding up a pair of skinny jeans. "What? Wait, you have a date? Well, well, well. No wonder you're dressed to the nines!" he exclaimed, smirking. "You do look good, Sephiroth," Genesis admitted. Sephiroth was well attired in a pinstripe suit with a vest, though he wore no tie with it; the pearl gray silk shirt lay open, exposing a lean expanse of chest. Genesis stared rudely though appreciatively, grinning.

"You know, you're likely to get laid tonight, looking that good," Genesis remarked, laughing. "So, let's dish, Seph. Who's your date tonight?"

"You'll likely find out in the gossip rags tomorrow morning anyway, Genesis," Sephiroth replied mysteriously, smiling. "Though I'm hoping I can dodge the paparazzi for as long as possible this evening…Zack advised me to tip the doorman generously."

"You're taking advice from Zack?" Genesis chortled. "Oh, that's rich. Well, he does have a point, I suppose. Where are you taking your mystery date, hmm?"

"Chez Melisse," Sephiroth replied. Genesis whistled appreciatively.

"Rather fancy," Genesis commented. "Rufus has a drink named after him there, you know."

"So do I," Sephiroth replied, grinning. "Genesis – just, take what you want, I really must go. Cloud will be waiting for me." The general froze, suddenly realizing his error. Genesis was such a horrible gossip, and he'd wanted to spare Cloud from all the tongue-wagging, just in case their date didn't go well.

Though Sephiroth fervently hoped it would go as well as he'd been envisioning it, ever since Zack had set things in motion.

"Aha!" Genesis said triumphantly. "So, it's the cute little blond you're after, hmm? I should have known…he's been making eyes at you since day one. Then again, they all do," he added, sounding somewhat annoyed.

"Genesis, take the clothes, and go," Sephiroth said firmly, glancing nervously at the clock. He would need to leave soon to pick up Cloud from his barracks; the general grabbed a motorcycle helmet and strapped it to his head as he escorted Genesis out the door, though the helmet did little to disguise Sephiroth's appearance.

"If you're trying to be discreet, though, you should put it up in a bun," Genesis advised as Sephiroth locked up. "I must be honest, Seph…that would be a terrible look for you."

"Do shut up, Genesis," Sephiroth replied unceremoniously, and Genesis stuck out his tongue, tightening his grip around the armful of clothing.

"Thanks for the threads, Seph," Genesis drawled. "I expect a full report in the morning."

"And you shall get nothing," Sephiroth deadpanned. "Good night, Genesis."

Cloud paced nervously in front of the vending machine in the lobby of the Shinra building; he'd told Sephiroth he'd look for him in front of the building, not wanting to attract too much attention by having the renowned general show up right at his door. The cadet was grateful that the lounge and adjoining cafeteria were beginning to empty out; it wasn't as if he was ashamed to be seen with Sephiroth, far from it. Cloud was painfully aware of how very much in the public eye Sephiroth was, and merely wanted to avoid any appearance of impropriety. Or, more likely, give any grist to the gossip/rumor mill that surrounded Shinra's top SOLDIERS.

It suddenly occurred to Cloud, that he had no idea how Sephiroth was going to pick him up. He knew that the general didn't own a car; he had no need for one, Midgar had a relatively decent public transit system. Were they going to walk to wherever it was they were going?

Cloud had no idea where they were going on their date, either; all he knew was that Zack had orchestrated everything - which could be either a good thing, or a bad thing. He grinned in spite of his trepidation; Cloud knew Zack's was well intentioned when it came to his friends.

If I hadn't opened my big mouth that day…Zack never would have known that I had a crush on Sephiroth, and none of this ever would have happened, Cloud mused, staring out of the oversized windows of the cafeteria. Then, Cloud strained his ears as he heard the low rumble of an engine. Could it be him?

Zooming up on the curbing, stopping short with a sudden screech of the brakes was a sleek, black-and-red motorcycle; the rider was alone, silver hair streaming out underneath the black lacquered helmet. Cloud's face split into a wide grin at the sight, and he ran out to meet Sephiroth, completely forgetting about the need for discretion.

Cloud felt slightly out of breath as he reached the curb, and stared vapidly at his date for the evening. Sephiroth looked as though he'd stepped out of the pages of a society magazine, and the thought wasn't all that far from the truth, given the haute couture designs Sephiroth was sporting.

"Good evening, Cloud," Sephiroth murmured in a low purr, pushing up the visor of the helmet. Green-blue eyes peered out at the cadet, sizing him up appreciatively. "You look very nice. I like the tie."

"Ah…you look nice too," Cloud replied, shyly averting his eyes for a moment from that intense gaze. He took in a deep breath to steady his nerves and gave Sephiroth a bashful smile. "I didn't know you had a motorcycle."

"I don't," Sephiroth replied simply, scooting up on the seat. He gave Cloud a reassuring smile. "It's borrowed….Angeal's, actually. There's a helmet back there for you as well, Cloud."

"Okay." Cloud found the helmet and seated himself behind Sephiroth, heart beating madly at their close proximity. "What about helmet head, though?" he asked, half-joking.

"My hair has a mind of its own," Sephiroth replied, glancing behind him at Cloud, who burst out laughing. "Hmm? "

"Nothing…just that my hair has a mind of its own too," Cloud flashed a brilliant smile at Sephiroth, finally beginning to feel just a bit more relaxed around the man.

Then, Sephiroth started up the engine again. Cloud hunched over and leaned in, hugging his arms tightly around Sephiroth's torso. Sephiroth snapped his visor back down and smiled secretly to himself as he sped off; feeling Cloud's arms tighten around him just felt wonderfully right. He couldn't wait to finally have some time alone with Cloud, to get to know him even better after all these months of bantering and flirting.

Sephiroth knew right in that moment, that after this evening was over, he'd owe Zack big time.

Chez Melisse was as busy as it normally was on a Saturday night, and as Sephiroth pulled up to the valet parking area, he suddenly began to have second thoughts. As much as he wanted to show Cloud off and treat him to a fantastic meal, the truth was, they were really just getting to know each other. And the more Sephiroth thought about it, Chez Melisse was not the place that would afford them much privacy. Every time Sephiroth had dined there – usually with Rufus Shinra or Genesis – he felt like he was in a fish bowl, with all eyes upon him. He knew that Cloud would probably feel uncomfortable being scrutinized in such a fashion, though Sephiroth was used to all the attention by now; he'd had to endure it most of his adult life.

Zack had meant well – Chez Melisse was a five-star restaurant, but Sephiroth suddenly felt that this was all wrong for a first date. They needed something a little less public. Sephiroth had already spied the papps lurking nearby, and he felt oddly protective, wanting to shield Cloud from the wagging tongues of the gossip columns. At least for one night.

The paparazzi were already lurking in little clusters just outside the restaurant, armed with cameras, tablets, and notepads, all congregating a respectful distance from the imposing looking doorman.

"Look! It's General Sephiroth!"

Both Cloud and Sephiroth heard the shout from the crowd, and cameras suddenly started clicking and flashing. Sephiroth gave the valet a nod as the man approached, and then shook his head.

"Sorry…we won't be staying," Sephiroth suddenly informed the valet. "Would you please let the matire-d know I won't be needing my reservation after all….my apologies. Something else has come up."

"Of course, General," the valet replied, confused. "We hope to see you here again soon – "

"You will," Sephiroth assured him. "Please give my regards to the staff. If you'll excuse me…"

Sephiroth turned around and grinned at Cloud as he adjusted the throttle on the bike, gunning the engine. "Change of plans, Cloud," Sephiroth called back over the roar of the engine. "How about someplace that's a bit quieter?"

"Fine by me!" Cloud shouted back, feeling somewhat bewildered. Did Sephiroth not want to be seen with him in public? Cloud supposed he couldn't blame Sephiroth; after all, the man was a general as well as his commanding officer. Nor did Cloud want it bandied about that he'd had to sleep his way to the top.

His cheeks colored at the very thought, and he leaned into Sephiroth's back - all long and lean, the spine almost serpentine, his musculature a thing of beauty. Cloud inhaled deeply; Sephiroth smelled of leather, clean aftershave, and the faint scent of sword oil. It was intoxicating.

This didn't seem real, flying through the streets of the Upper Plate, clinging to Sephiroth on the back of a speeding motorcycle. Where were they going, anyway?

They rode on and on beneath the setting sun, on top of Midgar's Upper Plate. Sunset was a strange phenomenon within the city limits; you couldn't see the stars out here the way you could in the clear, crisp night sky of Nibelheim. For one brief moment, Cloud felt a pang of homesickness, but it quickly passed.

This was exhilarating; Cloud grinned as the wind whipped into his face, leaning as Sephiroth did, banking and curving the bike through a network of alleyways and tunnels as several small sedans wove in and out of traffic, trailing them closely.

It was then that Cloud realized what Sephiroth was trying to do; he was trying to shake the paparazzi.

Finally, the motorcycle came to a shuddering stop in front of a rather nondescript but neat looking restaurant, down a hidden alleyway between Sectors seven and eight on the upper plate. Cloud immediately recognized the neon signage in the window as Wutaian characters. A neon graphic of a sushi roll, flickering on and off with a slight buzzing, appeared and reappeared beneath the Wutaian wordage.

Sephiroth parked the bike and pulled his helmet off, giving his head a good shake to loosen his tresses just before glancing back at Cloud. "Sorry for the rather abrupt last minute change in plans," Sephiroth told him, voice as smooth as silk, smiling as Cloud pulled off his own helmet. "I believe we've dodged the paparazzi...for now. They can be persistent, as you can see."

"Yeah…I wondered who that was, following us," Cloud shook his head, and impressively, his hair arranged itself back into its usual spikes, even after being flattened beneath the motorcycle helmet. Sephiroth chuckled, taking the helmet from Cloud and fastening it to the back of the motorcycle.

"You were right, about your hair," Sephiroth commented. "It truly does have a mind of its own."

"I know," Cloud replied, blushing. "It's –uncontrollable, really. Drives me insane."

"I rather like it," Sephiroth said, holding the door open for Cloud. "I hope you like Wutaian food? I know this a little bit out of the way…but that is kind of the point. We can seat ourselves here," Sephiroth continued, pointing toward a small table in the back.

"It's mostly a take-out business here," he explained, sliding into the booth. "I just wanted to take you somewhere a little more...private." Sephiroth suddenly found himself staring down at the backs of his hands for a moment, and then looked up toward Cloud, smiling.

"This is nice," Cloud said quietly, glancing around them nervously, though he saw no further signs of paparazzi. "I think we lost them.'

"Yes, I believe they got the hint," Sephiroth said wryly, grinning. "Cloud, I hope you're not disappointed about Chez Melisse – "The General frowned, worrying suddenly that Cloud might have been looking forward to dining there; he hadn't really asked the Third for his input, it really had been a spur of the moment decision.

"No!"Cloud exclaimed, shaking his head. "Not at all. I just wanted to spend time with you, Sephiroth." He stared down at the paper placemat for a moment and scratched his head nervously. "Uh…I guess it's a good thing Zack set us up, huh? Otherwise I never would have worked up the nerve to ask you out."

"We'll thank him later," Sephiroth agreed. As the waiter came by, Sephiroth and Cloud placed their orders, and the general ordered a bottle of sake for them to share. They clinked the little porcelain cups together in a toast, and smiled at each other.

"So you do like sushi," Sephiroth commented, sipping on his sake. Cloud nodded vigorously.

"Yeah….never tried it until I came to Midgar," Cloud replied. "There aren't any sushi places back home in Nibelheim."

"Nibelheim, hmm?" Sephiroth leaned forward, listening intently. "I don't think I knew where you were from. Your accent is difficult to place."

"Ugh…that," Cloud rolled his eyes. "I have trouble pronouncing certain letters still. I'm trying to lose the accent, though."

"Don't," Sephiroth interrupted, smiling. "I think it's delightful."

"Oh." Cloud smiled as he drained the rest of his sake, face reddening. Their food soon arrived, and the two made small talk as they ate, Sephiroth sharing with Cloud his dislike of the fame that came with being the poster child for Shinra's SOLDIER program.

"Genesis, of course, is the opposite," Sephiroth explained. "Absolutely revels in it. I'm more of a private person, as you know...Angeal is much the same." He stared intently at Cloud, and took the Third's hands in his own.

"I'd like to get to know you even better, Cloud," Sephiroth said quietly. "But you should know...being with someone like me can be a bit challenging. You saw how the paparazzi were earlier; some of them can be relentless in their pursuit, and the gossip columnists..." Sephiroth frowned, then sighed. "Well. They can be quite nasty at times, starting rumors and speculation - "

"I don't care," Cloud said stubbornly, and Sephiroth couldn't help but smile at that. "I - I want to be with you. Get to know you outside of SOLDIER, that is. They can say whatever they want. It'd be worth it."

Sephiroth laced the fingers of his left hand through Cloud's, and ran his other hand over the Third's cheek. He leaned forward, nearly upsetting the bottle of soy sauce as he pulled Cloud in closer, softly kissing him.

Cloud couldn't breathe. It was perfect. He closed his eyes and returned the kiss, hesitantly at first. Sephiroth's lips felt pliant against his own, and Cloud could taste the dregs of the evening's sake on his breath.

He wanted more. So much more, and may the paparazzi be damned. Cloud would put up with anything to feel Sephiroth's lips on his again.

"Let's go," Sephiroth whispered, kissing him across the table one more time as the waiter arrived with their check.

"Will there be anything else?" The waiter inquired, eyes widening at the public display between the two men. He knew, of course, who Sephiroth was - everyone in Midgar, upper and lower plate both, knew who the man was.

Sephiroth smiled serenely at the man and slid him several fifty-gil notes across the table - much more than what was needed to pay the bill. "I would like to enjoy a nice, quiet evening with my date," he said simply.

The waiter nodded knowingly, and leaned in, murmuring in a low tone.

"There is an alleyway behind this building, but there is a chain link fence blocking our portion, to keep out thieves. Bring your motorcycle around the back, sir. I will open it up for you, and lock it up behind you."

"Excellent," Sephiroth replied, winking at Cloud. "You've been most helpful. And the meal was fantastic." The waiter bowed and excused himself, hurrying out through the kitchen toward the back entrance.

"Damn," Cloud said admiringly, as they headed out. "That was pretty slick. So that's how you dodge the paparazzi."

"That is one way to do it," Sephiroth replied. He put his hand on Cloud's shoulder as they left, and Sephiroth heard the unmistakable click of a camera shutter, capturing the moment. Glaring out into the dimly lit street, Sephiroth spotted the culprit right away; hunched back behind the steering wheel of a sedan that was parked diagonally from where Sephiroth had parked Angeal's motorcycle.

"Well, they've found us at last," Sephiroth told Cloud as they got on the bike and pulled their helmets back on. "Time to give them the slip. I know a place where we can go."

"Okay - " Cloud had to shout above the din of the engine, but soon they were off, tires squealing as Sephiroth took a sharp turn into the alley, then another right turn toward the chain-link fence. He heard someone behind him - on foot, thankfully - and saluted the waiter of the restaurant as he sped through the gate, grinning triumphantly as he heard the gate being slammed shut and locked.

He sped on, knowing exactly where he wanted to take Cloud; Reeve's latest construction site. A new skyscraper was being built - nothing as large or grand as the Shinra building, but a skyscraper nonetheless. It was intended to be a high-rise condominium complex of high rent apartments and condos, marketed toward Shinra employees - mainly those who were executives.

The elevator system had been installed and tested; Sephiroth and the other Firsts had been present for yet another photo op just days before. The general hadn't known then, how this unfinished building would come in handy for his date with Cloud.

"I thought we could sneak up to the rooftop," Sephiroth explained, walking with Cloud toward the elevator. "Perhaps do a bit of star-gazing...and get to know each other." Cloud smiled happily.

"I don't think anyone's going to follow us up there, do you?" Cloud asked mischievously as they got into the elevator. Sephiroth pushed Cloud further in the elevator car, pinning his back against the wall as he jammed the button for the top floor.

"I wouldn't care if they did," Sephiroth murmured, leaning down slightly to kiss Cloud. The Third stood slightly on tiptoe, and reached his arms up, wrapping them around Sephiroth's shoulders. He began panting as the kiss deepened, Sephiroth's arms encircling his waist.

The elevator went up, up, up, and they didn't stop kissing until the telltale ding sounded at the top floor. Cloud broke the kiss, breathless, and the doors opened.

"I can't breathe," he whispered. Sephiroth smiled, and gestured toward the stairway that would lead them to the rooftop.

"I can't have you not breathing, Cloud," Sephiroth teased. "That would make for a terrible date."

Cloud giggled. "I think it's going pretty well so far," he remarked, and Sephiroth nodded in agreement. "So what's this building we're on top of?" Cloud asked.

"New condominiums," Sephiroth explained. "Reeve's heading up this development...construction should be completed within the next several months. Rufus has selected a penthouse already, of course. I've been offered one as well." He shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

"Wow," Cloud gaped at the view. He could make out several mountain ranges in the distance; Mt. Corel was recognizable, not far from the neon splendor of the Gold Saucer.

"I can't believe we can see Gold Saucer from here," Cloud said, squinting into the distance. "This is incredible, Sephiroth. Thanks...for bringing me up here."

"Look a bit harder, and I believe you can even see your hometown from here," Sephiroth told Cloud, draping an arm around his waist. Sephiroth pointed off into the distance, leaning in toward Cloud; his lips brushed against the blond's ear as he murmured softly.

"See...right there, Cloud. Mount Nibel." Cloud stared into the distance and smiled. He turned around and hugged Sephiroth.

"The stars...they're a little bit brighter back home, away from the city lights," Cloud told Sephiroth, looking up at the night sky. "Oh, hey...look!" He pointed excitedly as a shooting star passed by, seemingly just over their heads. "A shooting star."

Sephiroth smiled and leaned down, cupping Cloud's chin in his hand.

"Make a wish...Cloud," Sephiroth whispered, as their lips met in a tender kiss.

"I'm pretty sure it already came true," Cloud whispered back.