A/N: Hey guyyyys so this is my first fanfic, and I haven't actually played FF7, so this is going to be a semi-AU story, and if I get things wrong, I'm sorry! I won't beg you to review, but it would be nice, and though flames will make me feel icky inside, if you must flame, you must. But really, I'd prefer constructive criticism instead...XD

Zack couldn't think of the last time he'd been so awed by a cadet. At Sephiroth's orders, he had observed one of the training sessions to assess the recruits. Now he stood, leaning casually against the wall, watching the boys spar with each other. The sergeant was pacing back and forth, squawking out orders and correcting stances. He hadn't noticed Zack yet. The man grinned to himself when he thought about the sergeant's guaranteed expression of stupefied shock.

The small, blond-haired cadet he had his eye on was pounding his opponent into the matted floor of the training center. Zack bit back another grin as the boy caught his adversary in a headlock, forcing him to the ground, where the bigger boy tapped out. "Yeah!" Zack cried, punching a fist into the air. Everyone froze, and he almost started laughing.

"C-Commander Fair!" the sergeant stammered. "To what do we owe the pleasure, sir?"

"Oh, don't mind me," Zack assured him. "Carry on. I'm just observing."

The group got back to work under the sergeant's harsh instructions, and when the class had been dismissed, Zack approached the older man. "So who's the blondie?" he asked.

"Which one, sir?"

"The short one." 'Nuff said.

"That's Strife. OI! STRIFE! GET OVER HERE!" the sergeant bellowed, and Zack turned to see the small blonde trotting over from where he'd been about to exit the premises. He slid to a stop in front of them and snapped a smart salute.

"Yes, sir?" The boy's voice was soft and sensual, but firm, suggesting that he wasn't as delicate as he looked.

Zack nodded to the sergeant. "I'll just talk to him a little. You're dismissed." The man saluted and left the room. "So," Zack began, turning back to the boy. "What's your first name, cadet?"

"Cloud, sir," the boy replied, still saluting.

"At ease," the raven-haired man said, and Cloud relaxed a bit, bringing his arm back down to his side. "I noticed your performance in class today. You're a bit small to want to be in SOLDIER, aren't you?"

Cloud flushed. "I am not!" he burst out. "I'm just as—" He broke off with a terrified expression when he realized he had yelled at a commanding officer. "I-I-I mean," he started, then fell silent, looking sick with fear.

Zack snorted in laughter, and the boy looked puzzled. "It's all right, Strife. I was baiting ya. I like your spirit, and how you manage to perform so well despite your, ah, obvious size disadvantage. No, don't glare, you know it's true," he added as the boy scowled. The hen remembered himself.

"My apologies. Thank you, Commander Fair, sir. I appreciate your praise."

"At ease again, cadet. I won't bite. Now, I'm willing to offer private lessons; you're too advanced for this class, and I know there aren't any more openings in the next level up. If you'd like, I can give you some one-on-one instruction."

Cloud brightened. "Really? That would be so awesome! Sir," he added hurriedly.

"Cool. When are you free?"

The boy flushed again, only this time from embarrassment. "Any time," he said quietly. "I don't really have any friends I spend time with, so…" He trailed off, looking painfully awkward. Zack clapped him on the shoulder.

"Okay, short stuff. How about Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at, say, seven? After dinner? I'm off-duty then, so it should be perfect."

Cloud nodded. "Sounds great, sir."

Zack grinned at him, violet eyes affectionate. "All right, you're dismissed, Strife. I'll see you tomorrow at seven."

"Yes sir!" Cloud replied, looking ecstatic. "And thank you again!" He practically skipped off, and Zack smiled to himself, a warm feeling growing in the middle of his chest.

Cloud trotted down the hallway to the mess hall, feeling so light he could fly. Commander Fair! He spoke to me! He's almost as big a hero as the General, and he spoke to me and even wants to help me train! His heart fluttered in his chest as he accepted his food and carried his tray to an empty table.

Cloud always sat alone; no one else tried to befriend him, and he didn't try to approach anyone either. Sometimes he wished he had a friend to talk to and laugh with, but knew he wouldn't find one in his fellow cadets. He was constantly picked on for being short and quiet, and no one else stepped in to help when he tried to fight off multiple attackers alone. He was used to being lonely and could deal with it just fine, thank you very much.

The next day, Cloud felt nervous and jumpy. He couldn't wait for classes to be over so he could meet up with Commander Fair to practice. If someone so important had taken an interest in him, surely he would become a SOLDIER, right?

Right.

Cloud horked down his dinner and arrived at the gym far too early. He was feeling so tense he thought he would go ahead and warm up. He was jogging his fifth lap when the door opened and he caught sight of his hero. Well, one of them, anyways. Commander Fair flashed him his trademark grin, and Cloud slowed his jogging. His heart was pounding, though whether it was from the run or his superior's presence, he didn't know. It was the running, he ultimately decided. Definitely the running. "I was just warming up, sir," he told the man.

"Hey, I'm off-duty. Call me Zack, okay?"

Cloud gulped. "Okay…Z-Zack."

"No, no," Zack said with a laugh. "It's Zack, not Z-Zack."

Cloud flushed. "I know," he said heatedly. "It was just a stammer." He started to stretch out, loosening his shoulder, arm, and leg muscles so they wouldn't cramp and tear later. Zack leaned his enormous Buster sword against the wall of the gym and started to strip off his clothing until he was in only his standard-issue pants and a tight black wife beater.

"The other crap's a hassle," he explained, joining Cloud in warming up. "Sometimes I think about just showing up to work butt-naked to see what Seph would do to me." He grinned when Cloud blushed.

"S-Seph?"

"Yeah, you know, the General? I call him Seph."

"And he doesn't gut you?" Cloud squeaked. Zack laughed.

"Naw, we're buddies," he said, tossing a grin at the boy who was staring at him with wide eyes. "C'mon. Let's do this thing," Zack said, rolling his shoulders to loosen them. "We'll start with hand-to-hand combat, and maybe later on I'll work with ya on sword fighting. Sound good?"

Cloud nodded fervently. "Yes, sir. I mean, Zack," he added in a rush when the black-haired man scowled at him playfully.

"That's better. All right, come on. Attack me." Zack took his stance and beckoned. Cloud didn't move, assessing his opponent briefly. Zack was at least a head taller than him, and much more heavily muscled. Cloud knew he wasn't lacking in muscle mass but damn, this guy made him look frickin' scrawny. Zack's shoulders were broad and Cloud knew he'd never have a weight advantage. He launched himself at the tall man, trying to use his leaner, lither body to get a hand up, hoping he was faster than Zack. It proved to be fruitless; the SOLDIER seemed to flow like water, and was always just where Cloud didn't want him to be.

After half an hour, Cloud still hadn't landed a single hit, and he was gasping for air. Fuck, these guys are tough! he thought, panting. He spotted the man's fist traveling towards his face and threw up his arms in a block. The motion was weak, and the defense gave, slowing down the punch but not preventing it from smashing into his nose. With a small cry, Cloud's hand flew to the extremity as blood gushed out onto the mat and he lost his footing and fell. Zack dropped to his knees beside the boy and pulled his hands away from his nose to inspect it.

"Shit, Cloud, I'm sorry," he said. "I thought I was pulling my punches, but I guess I got carried away. It's not broken, is it?"

Cloud shook his head, using his shirt to staunch the flow of blood. "Just a nosebleed," he said thickly. "I'm fine."

Zack sat back on his heels. "Damn, kid, I'm sorry," he said again.

"It's okay." Cloud smiled, and even through the blood, he managed to look adorably innocent. It made Zack feel quivery inside, but at the same time saddened him. He thought of that naïve face among all the cruel machinery of war, streaked with blood and eyes turned to hard chips of sky blue flint. "Zack?" The voice wormed its way into his thoughts, and the man started. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Zack ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's take a break."

Cloud nodded, bunching the hem of his shirt against his face. The bleeding had slowed, and he wiped the excess blood from his mouth and chin. Looking down at the stained cloth, he grimaced. "Looks like I killed someone."

Zack gave a nervous laugh. "Yeah." He leaned back on his elbows to stare up at the dark ceiling. "So tell me why you want to join SOLDIER, Cloud."

The boy looked down, twisting the bloodied hem of his shirt in his hands. "I made a promise to someone back home," he said quietly. "I said I would become a SOLDIER and protect her from everything."

Zack grinned wickedly. "Girlfriend?"

Cloud blushed. "N-no! Just a friend, a friend!"

Zack leaned back so he was lying flat on the mat, his arms folded under his head. "Suuuuure, Cloudy boy. A friend."

"No, really." Cloud sobered and looked down again. "I guess I kind of have a crush on her, but she only sees me as a friend, and not a very close one." He sat cross-legged on the mat.

"Where's home?"

"Nibilheim."

"Where the hell is that?"

"Mountains." Cloud's expression was a little distant, and Zack could tell he didn't like talking about his past life, but wouldn't say admit it, especially not to a superior. He saw the blonde's gaze drift to his Buster blade, and Zack grinned at the longing in the boy's eyes.

"Wanna give it a try?"

Cloud's head snapped around. "W-what?"

"The sword," Zack said, nodding to it. "You're staring at it like a magpie looking at his hoard." He laughed at the red staining Cloud's cheeks. "C'mon, I don't mind. As long as you don't gain superhuman strength and run me through with it." He held a hand out to Cloud and pulled him to his feet, retrieving the sword from its spot against the wall. "Here." Cloud took the sword, a look of awe crossing his face. He frowned as the end dropped to the ground.

"How do you hold this, let alone swing it?" he asked incredulously. His arms trembled with effort as he managed to lift the blade about an inch off the ground. Zack laughed.

Cloud stiffened when he felt the man's chest flush against his back, Zack's arms coming around him so his hands could grip Cloud's on the sword hilt. "Like this," Zack murmured in his ear, lifting the blade easily and going through a few passes with it. Cloud, trapped between his body and the sword, was forced to move as well. He couldn't even breathe with Zack's chest pressed to his back like it was, his large hands covering Cloud's smaller ones that gripped the blade. He felt his body heating up, and knew his cheeks were on fire. When Zack stepped away, he let out the breath of air he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

Zack took the blade from Cloud's limp hands. "See?" he said. "Simple." Cloud snorted.

"Yeah, right. I don't have your Mako-enhanced strength, remember! That hunk o' junk weighs at least twice as much as me!"

Zack's violet eyes widened. "'Hunk o' junk?' Nooo! It's okay, baby, he didn't mean it!" He embraced the sword, rubbing his cheek against the flat of the blade as Cloud looked on.

"Uh…" was all the blonde could say. Zack started to dress again, grinning.

"Well, you insulted her," he said. "Give me a hand, will you? The shoulder armor is a bitch to put on yourself." Cloud hurried over and stood on tiptoes to help the SOLDIER dress. His hands were shaking, but if Zack noticed, he didn't mention it. "Thanks, blondie," the man said when he had his shoulder pads on properly. He reached out and ruffled Cloud's hair, drawing a blush from the blonde. "Sorry to cut the training session short, but I forgot some paperwork I had to do." This was a bald-faced lie. In reality, Zack felt his body responding to his previous closeness to the boy, and goddamn it, he had to get away before he threw the kid to the mats and did him right then and there.

Cloud nodded. "It's okay. I'll see you Friday, I guess?" He looked hopeful.

Zack forced a smile. "Yeah. Friday." He left the room, striding quickly to his own quarters where the rest of the 1st SOLDIERS' stomping grounds were. He let himself in and tucked the Buster sword away before flopping down onto his couch with a groan. Zack couldn't get the blonde cadet out of his goddamn mind. Whenever he let his thoughts stray, the boy was in them, the slender, lithe body that rippled under his clothing whenever he moved, his bright blue eyes, the angelic face framed with its spiky gold hair. Against his will, Zack pictured Cloud writhing under him, face contorted in pleasure as Zack pounded into—no. Shit, he was getting a hard on.

"Aw, I don't need this now," he moaned. "I'm frickin' tired…" The area between his legs throbbed as if in a declaration that it would not be ignored, no matter how exhausted its host was. His heartbeat speeding up, Zack's hands flew to his belt, unbuckling it in a rush as he opened his fly, sighing with relief when the hardened flesh sprang from its confines. With a groan, the raven-haired man wrapped his hand firmly around himself, closing his eyes and picturing Cloud spread-eagled on his bed, sans clothing.

Zack moaned, throwing his head back as his hand began to move in a quick up-and-down motion, pleasure coursing through his sweating body. God, he wanted Cloud. He wanted to fuck him senseless into the goddamn wall, bed, table, whatever was available. Floor. Bathtub. A tingling feeling was coiling down in Zack's stomach, winding tighter and tighter as he gasped and moaned in ecstasy, his hand moving faster. The tightness in his lower belly suddenly shattered, flooding him with white-hot heat as he came with a strangled cry, spurting into his own fist.

The black-haired man leaned back against the couch cushions, his chest heaving and sweat trickling down his temples. As he came down from his high, Zack felt guilt prickle at the back of his neck and was suddenly disgusted with himself. With a noise of revulsion, he wiped his hand clean on his pants. Cloud couldn't be more than sixteen. Zack himself was twenty-four, for God's sake! He shouldn't be thinking about children like that. Zack suddenly felt like a nasty old pervert, one of those old, crusty men who got off on kiddie porn.

"I'm a mess," the SOLDIER groaned, covering his face with his hand. He made his way to the bathroom, shedding his clothing on the way. He was going to take a nice, warm shower and think about the godforsaken reports Seph would make him fill out in the morning. He was not, he repeated, not going to think about the cadet who made him all hot and bothered with his spiky blonde hair and big blue eyes, that beautiful body—Zack let out a screech of frustration and stalked into the shower, turning the cold water on full blast. So much for a warm shower. Damn that boy.

Cloud switched off the shower, and the absence of sound made the silence echo all the louder. He could feel heat in his cheeks, heat that hadn't left since he and Zack had parted after the training session. All he could think about was the man's hard body pressed up against his, his heady smell wrapping around Cloud so he felt faint. And his hand! Cloud groaned. What he wouldn't give for those strong, calloused, battle-worn hands to run over his body, to hold him close and love him…

The blonde boy shook his thoughts away and began to dress, enjoying the quiet of the normally loud showers. He made his way to his room in the barracks, the one he shared with at least twenty others. He hated the lack of privacy, the smell of sweaty, adolescent males, but he knew SOLDIERs got their own quarters. He just had to stick it out until then. Right now, the room was mostly empty; his classmates were either doing work in the library, or more likely, picking up girls in the slums. Cloud stretched out on his bed, closing his eyes and thinking about his day.

In his mind's eye once again, Cloud saw Zack's broad grin, his jet-black hair and violet eyes, his flawless, honey-colored skin. For the millionth time that day, he felt his cheeks burn. He had to hide his attraction to the man; he was teased enough without everyone gossiping about how he was a queer as well. In reality, he'd never felt so much physical attraction to another male, though he had kissed another boy before in his youth. That kiss, however, paled in comparison to the electric feeling of Zack pressed up against his back, his hands covering Cloud's…