The day before.

Morning I thought. Opening my eyes slowly I looked at the small stream of
sunlight shining down on me from a crack in the curtains. Sighing quietly I rolled
over and faced the still sleeping raven-haired beauty beside me. Reaching out I brushed my knuckles gently across his cheek and his eyes flickered open.

"Hey..."

"Hey yourself." I said, smiling lightly.

"What time is it?"

"Almost 5am." I answered sitting up. Running a hand through my hair I climbed
out of the bed.

"You're getting up now?" He asked, sitting up.

I looked back down to him he's so beautiful I thought. "I've got a meeting in
a hour."

"A meeting? At this hour of the morning?"

Nodding I leant down and kisses his forehead gently. "Go back to sleep Zack, I'll come back to pick you up later, ok?" He nodded and I walked into the ensuite bathroom. Having a quick wash and getting dressed I left him, sleeping once again.


*    *    *    *    *


I looked up at the clock on the wall, 10 minutes had past but it seemed more like
10 hours, being the head of SOLIDER I had to come to these meetings whether I
wanted to or not, and right now I'd rather still be in bed. Running a hand absent
mindedly through my hair I sighed as the voices around me droned on and on.
That's it! Slamming my fist down on the table infront of me I growled angrily.
"Get to the point already!" They all looked at me in silence, everyone of them.
Glaring at the faces around the table, I stared each one of them down, knowing
the Mako in my eyes was intensified by my anger. "All you ever do is bicker about
money! Who has it and who doesn't," I growled, "and I'm sick of it!"

"Sephiroth is right." Came a voice from behind me. Turning around I stared at
the young boy sitting in the corner near the doors, strangely enough he didn't look
away like everyone else did, just stared right back at me. The boy raised one
blonde eyebrow at me and I was about to say something when a voice from the
other end of the table cut in.

"That's enough Rufus!" President Shinra growled. Turning around I faced him
as he looked to me. "Sephiroth, I value your opinion as always. But right now 

you are out of line."

"Out of line?!" I was shocked. The atmosphere in the room had grown very
tense and I felt every pair of eyes on me, I couldn't take it anymore. Standing up
I pushed my chair back violently and stalked out of the room not stopping until I
reached the apartment Zack and I shared.

Entering the apartment I slammed the door closed behind me loudly and collapsed
onto the couch in the living room. Leaning forward I rested my head in my hands,
a few seconds later a gentle touch to my shoulder broke through my thoughts.

"Seph, are you ok?" A worried voice asked.

Raising my head I looked at the raven-haired bishonen sitting beside me. "Yeah,"
I sighed. "Did I wake you?"

"Not really." Zack shook his head and flashed me one of his trademark grins.

I melted, I loved it when he smiled at me like that. Everyone knew of my temper
and they were always careful around me. Zack was the only one who could calm
me down and everybody until recently had always taken care not to anger me.

"Listen," Zack said, breaking through my thoughts again. "Why don't you just
forget about everything for today."

"I can't do that." I sighed. "I've got a ton of paperwork on my desk that needs
sorting out."

He leant forward and placed a gentle, heated kiss on my lips then pulled back and
grinned at my disappointed look. "Forget about it Seph. Just for one day. Stay here
with me." He raised an eyebrow at me questioningly.

"Oh Zack..." I brushed my knuckles across his cheek gently. He took my hand and
kissed it lightly, smiling at me. "Very well." I nodded, "we'll spend the day here.
It'll teach those damn fools a lesson in annoying me."

Standing up I unstrapped Masamune and places her on her shelf then removed
my trenchcoat, hanging it up on a hook beside the door. Zack came up behind me,
slipping his arms around my waist he just held me like that for awhile. I loved it
when he held me like that, and he knew it. Turning around I looked at him and
blinked just noticing he was only wearing a pair of boxers and his hair was all
messy, very much looking like someone who'd just got out of bed.

"Don't you think you should get dress?" I asked looking him over again.

He grinned, "I'd rather you got undressed."

I smirked and leant down and placed a passionate kiss on his mouth, parting my
mouth slightly I ran my tongue slowly across his lips and he moaned, opening his
mouth and giving me access. I willing snaked my tongue into his mouth, licking
and wresting it with his own.

Pulling me back to the couch he pushed me down and sat on me, pinning me down.
I raised one eyebrow and he grinned. "I think we should get rid of these..." He
purred, his hand playing with the top of my pants. I was about to answer him when
there was a knock at the door.

"Sephiroth? Sephiroth, open this door." Came a voice and I groaned knowing who
it was already. Zack knew too and he sighed, climbing off of me and returning his our
bedroom. Standing up I ran a hand through my hair and walked to the door, opening
it I looked at the person on the other side angrily. "What do you want now professor?"
I growled.

Hojo chuckled. "Have you forgotten our appointment already?" He asked. looking
at me over the rim of his glasses. "It's time for some more tests."

I shuddered inwardly as Zack came back into the living room, his hair now combed
and he was wearing a robe.

"Who's at the door 'sir?" He asked and I stepped aside so he could see. "Oh, good
morning professor."

Hojo smirked and nodded his head slightly as Zack walked into the kitchen. No one
knew Zack and I where lovers and we didn't want anyone to know, least of all Hojo.
I grabbed my trenchcoat and put it on then grabbed masamune and strapped her to
my side and nodded slightly.

"Whenever you're ready professor."

"Actually, I'd like Zack to come with us. I need to run afew tests on him as well."

"Very well." I said and called to Zack. He came out of the kitchen with a cup of tea.
I told him to hurry up and get dressed. That the professor wanted him for a few tests.

He raised a worried eyebrow at me then nodded. "Ok 'sir. I'll just be a few seconds."
With that he dashed off to his room. Returning a moment later he nodded to me. "Ok,
I'm ready." And we followed Hojo to his lab in silence.

*    *    *    *    *

Zack and I sat on opposite ends of a sterile work bench as Hojo was looking over some results. "Ah yes Zack. You're responding quite well to the Mako. But I'm going to have to inject you with quite a bit more." He chuckled as he filled a large syringe.

My eyes widened and Zack looked at me worried. "But 'sir, wouldn't that risk him
getting Mako posioning?" I asked.

Hojo turned to me and lifted his eyebrow over his glasses. "Worried about him?"

I knew I was on dangerous ground here. We couldn't let Hojo know about us, I shook
my head. "Not exactly 'sir. I just don't want to see my best SOLDIER out of action." I
said calmly.

He thought about this for awhile and Zack watched us quietly, I could still see the
worried look hidden deep in his eyes. Looking back to Hojo I noticed he was empting half the syringe.

"You're probably right Sephiroth, although I hate to admit it and I'd say it was my idea if anyone asks of course." He smirked.

"Of course." I repeated and I saw Zack visibly relax out of the corner of my eye.


*    *    *    *    *



"You know, I was thinking about this young recruit in my training unit." Zack said to
me as we walked down the hallway to my office.

"Really, what about him?" I asked as we reached the door. I opened it for him then
stepped through and closed it behind me.

"He shows alot of promise." Zack said, sitting on the edge of my desk as I sat down
behind it. "I think he could be First Class."

"Really and what where you thinking?"

"You should meet him. He confessed to me one evening after training that he only
joined so he could be like you."

I smirked at this. "Like so many others."

"Yes, but I could tell that he meant it."

"What's his name?" I asked, standing up and walking over to the file cabinent that
held all SOLDIER and recruit personal files.

"Strife, Cloud Strife." Zack said watching me as I searched through the files.

Sitting back down at my desk I opened the file and read through it. "Hmm, where is
he now?" I asked not looking up.

Looking at the clock on the wall above my door Zack thought for a minute. "Probably
in the lunch hall."

I nodded slightly and looked up at him with a smirk. "Page him would you." I gestured to the intercom on my desk.

Zack nodded and pressed the button down, speaking into the microphone. "Paging
recruit Strife, Cloud Strife. Report to General Sephiroth's office at once. That is all."

"What is he like?"

"He's very shy." Zack answered. "But I see alot of potential in him."

I nodded and read through the file again quietly. A quiet knock at the door made me
look up, Zack was already there and was opening it.

"The General wished to see me 'sir?" Came a quiet voice.

"Yes Cloud," Zack said steeping to one side, "come in."

I quickly looked down and pretended to be busy reading the boy's file. When I heard
Zack clear his throat I looked up seemingly annoyed at being distrubed. The young boy they called Cloud was standing a few feet infront of me, hands clasped behind his back and head lowered. Zack was standing just to the side and a few steps behind him, a small smirk playing on his lips as he noticed my eyes rake over the young boy slowly.

He's even more beautiful than his photo. I thought then composed myself. "Yes Zack,
what is it?" I asked using my superior tone of voice that I saved for scaring new recruits.

"This is the boy you wished to see 'sir." Zack answered, bowing his head slightly.
"Cloud Strife."

The boy looked up at the mention of his name. I saw him stare at me with awe, but I
also sensed a sort of longing in his gaze.

"Zack tells me you have the promise of becoming a First Class SOLDIER." I said looking the boy directly in the eyes. Just as I suspected he lowered his gaze again and looked at the floor. "So I'm going to take you on and train you myself." I continued. "How does that sound?"

Cloud blinked and stared at me speechlessly, then stammered out, "th..thank you..'sir."

Zack looked at me quietly, trying to figure out what I was up to no doubt. "That is a
great honor 'sir. You've not personally trained anyone since...well since myself."

"I know, but you said the boy has potential and I wish to see it. Are you questioning
my judgement?" I asked, narrowing my eyes dangerously.

Zack held his ground but lowered his head slightly. "No 'sir."

"Good." I said then looked back to Cloud. "Now, let us go to the training arena and see what this young boy is made of shall we." I commented standing up. Zack and Cloud nodded silently and followed me out of my office and to the arena.

Once there I walked into the centre of the arena and gestured for Zack to stand beside
me. Cloud looked a bit nervous and I suspected he thought I was going to test him myself. I had to admit the thought had crossed my mind, but I still wasn't feeling all that well from Hojo's last series of injections, though I wasn't about to admit it to anyone.

"Now Strife, I want to see how good you can fight." I said commandingly. He looked
up at me briefly and I saw a worried look pass through his eyes. I smirked slightly and
stepped to the side. "Zack shall be your opponent."

They both looked at each other then to me and nodded slightly. Drawing his sword
Zack dropped to a ready position and I noticed Cloud copy him, yet all his shyness had disappeared, he seemed a different person when he fought. Cloud made the first
move and I watched them back and forth, the young blonde boy was doing quite well
yet I knew Zack was holding back on him. Soon Zack had Cloud on his back, sword to his throat.

"Enough." I said. "A very good attempt young Strife. I must say I do see alot of
potential in you."

Cloud nodded as Zack helped him to his feet, "thank you 'sir."

"You were right about this one Zack." I said looking the blonde bishonen over again.

"I thought you might like him." Zack chuckled giving me a knowing look.

I sighed and shook my head slightly. "You two need to clean up. You're both dismissed."

Cloud bowed his head slightly and headed for the showers. Zack turned to me. "Well?"

"What?"

"What do you think. Will he do?" He asked.

"He's very beautiful, is he willing?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure." Zack sighed. "But I'm going to find out right now." He grinned.

I chuckled lightly, a thing I rarely did. "Well if anyone can find out, it's you." I kissed
his cheek lightly. "I'll be waiting for you back at the apartment."

"I won't be too long and hopefully not alone." He winked and walked off to the showers.

*    *    *    *    *


Entering the apartment I unstrapped masamune and returned her back to her shelf then
removed my trenchcoat and hung it up again on the hook beside the door. Walking to my bedroom I removed the rest of my clothing and left them lying on a chair beside the bed. Walking into the ensuite bathroom I turned on the water for the shower and looked at myself in the mirror. Sighing quietly I noticed that my eyes were a little red after Hojo's last injections, I hated what that man, no he didn't deserve that title, what that creature was doing to me. Just because I'd had these damn injections all my life didn't mean I liked it. I shrugged off the thought with a sigh and stepped into the shower, letting the water run over me, reaching to one side I grabbed my bottle of shampoo and began to wash my hair.
Bubbles ran down my back and shoulders and along my chest, embracing me gently and I thought of Zack. As if by magic I then heard his voice entering into the bedroom, it was soon followed by another.

"Someone is in the shower Zack." The voice commented nervously.

I heard Zack's reply as I turned off the water. "That's just my roommate. Forget about
it." I wrapped a towel round my waist and quickly ran a comb through my hair when the voice spoke up again and I recognised it as Cloud's voice.

"But what is he doing in your shower?"

I opened the door and looked at them, sitting on the black silk sheets of the large bed.
Zack grinned at me, his shirt already off. Cloud had his back to me so he didn't see me
until I spoke. "It's our shower actually." Cloud spun around quickly and froze noticing I was only in a towel. His eyes raked over me hungrily but I noticed that there was still fear within those ocean blue eyes of his.

Zack got off the bed and walked over to me, kissing me deeply and then looked at an
even more shocked Cloud. "Shh, Cloudy-boy. It's ok, you just have to promise never
to tell anyone." He said sitting back down beside the young bishonen. "That's all."

Cloud blinked. "You two are..."

I nodded and sat down on the bed beside him, on the opposite side to Zack. "Yes."
I said simply.

"What.. what do you want with me?"

I smirked and Zack grinned. "I've already told you that." Zack answered kissing one of Cloud's shoulders gently.

"We want you Strife. If you please us I'll let you come with us on an important mission to Nibelheim tomorrow."

"Nibelheim? But that's my home town."

"I know." I whispered in his ear as I kissed his neck gently and ran my hand slowly
down his leg. "Do you accept?" I asked as if it where a challenge.

Cloud moaned quietly at my gentle kisses and looked toward Zack who smiled
encouragingly. "Ok, I accept." He whispered and I grinned.

Zack pushed him back onto the bed and set about removing Cloud's clothing while I
watched quietly. Leaning forward I kissed the blonde-haired boy and felt him return
my kiss passionatly.

That was the start of a night I thought I'd never forget. The next morning we left for
Nibelheim and the rest, as the say, is history.


The End.