Shocked

Typos fixed.

Disclaimer: Nah, it ain't mine.

A/N: Alright, it's abit different than my usual. Just wondering what one of those Cloud-back-in-time fics with a dash of humor would turn out like. Style's a wee bit different than my usual work. Pairings are completely undecided so let me know what you guys think and I'll see if any'll fit, k?

Very little shocked Zachary Fair anymore. Since he'd been the practical joker of Gongaga, and SOLDIER, worked for ShinRa, and been a fierce fighter in the Wutai war he figured he'd seen it all.

Well, he hadn't.

It wasn't the pub he was shocked over. No sirree, he knew all the places that served alcohol near every SOLDIER barracks he'd been stationed at. Junon's was nice but nothing to be shocked over. Crowd wasn't anything out of the ordinary either. Sure, Seph was out with'em but it was pretty normal here. Whole of SOLDIER worshipped the man, so of course he was going to spend time with his Firsts. Guy wasn't half bad in Zack's opinion. Little formal but a fun guy when he loosened up abit. Wasn't doing anything shocking, would've been very odd if he did.

Nope, it was the shorter blond man with the buster-style sword that had shocked him. Guy was wearing black armor. Had Mako eyes but Zack'd never seen him before. Figured him for some ex-SOLDIER visiting his old turf or something. Zack hadn't paid him much mind. The guy'd been minding his own business in a corner, not staring or doing anything rude. Seemed like a nice guy. Pretty but nice. He'd managed to let the drunken troopers who'd mistaken him for a girl down easy enough. Made the whole bar laugh a few times.

'Course nobody was gonna leave a guy with Mako eyes alone in a SOLDIER bar for long. So the guys had dragged him out of his corner, pestered him with questions, and told him stories. Guy'd already paid his tab and was 'bout to leave when they'd bombarded the poor bastard with more. Braggin' 'bout Seph and how good he was. Perfect they said. Usual stories they told everyone they could get their hands on every night.

Then he'd done the thing that'd shocked Zack. He'd turned, looked Seph straight in the eye (quite a feat for a nobody) and said You have my condolences. Said it with a straight face an' all. Look in his eyes had Zack wondering how old he really was, his eyes could've belonged to Zack's grandpa.

Seph had blinked, surprised as the rest of'em. Asked they, man why he was giving him condolences for fuck's sake. Guy just smiled at him. Nice smile, not a mean malicious one. Said It must suck to be perfect.

Then he left. Just like that. No stammering, staring, starry eyes, no nothin'. Whole bar staring after him. Seph staring after him. Just up and left, the Glorioso General paying attention to him or no. Zack'd been the first one to break the silence.

Wow, guy's got balls. That's one cool customer. Entire bar managed to agree with him without saying an actual word. Guess he wasn't the only one floored.

Seph didn't say much the rest of the night. Just kinda stared at the door absentmindedly, like he could will the guy back.

Asked Zack who the guy was the next day. Turned out nobody knew who the stranger was, they'd never seen him before and he hadn't left a name. So Seph'd asked Zack to see if he could find the guy.

Likely Zack was planning on finding the guy anyway. Man had balls. He was worth knowing.

TBC? Review please?