An all-new fic while I wait for some ideas for all my others. Hope you like it.

When I first met Zack Fair, he was doing squats in the lobby. I distinctly remember thinking, "what's up with this guy?" and giving my friend Kunsel a confused look. He walked over to me, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"That's Zack. He's 1st Class," Kunsel reported.

"This guy?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Hey! I take offence to that!" Evidently Zack had stopped doing squats once I entered the room. He walked over to me, his gloved hand extended. "Zack Fair, SOLDIER 1nd Class."

I shook his hand. "Perseus Flynn, SOLDIER 2nd Class."

"For how long?"

"About two days. I got promoted yesterday."

"No way!" Kunsel marvelled. "How did…?"

I scrunched my face. "They made me fight a simulation of Angeal Hewley. Needless to say, it was not fun."

Zack's face suddenly turned sombre. I noticed it and asked about it. "What's with the long face?"

"Angeal was my mentor," Zack replied, sadness in his voice.

My eyes widened, but I didn't say anything. Angeal Hewley was one of the top three fighters in SOLDIER, along with Sephiroth Hojo and Genesis Rhapsodos. Angeal and Genesis had both been reported KIA about a month ago.

"You gonna be OK?" I asked gingerly.

As if on command, Zack's face brightened up again. "No problem! I'll be fine." He slapped me gently upside the head, clearly a gesture of friendship. "So, will I see ya 'round?"

"Uh, sure," I replied. "But…where are you going?"

"Got a mission up in Modeoheim!"

"Modeoheim? So, one of those backwaters? Like Nibelheim or Gongaga?"

"Hey! I'm from Gongaga!" he protested mildly.

"Well, that explains a lot."

Zack looked confused for the briefest of moments, before he got my joke and laughed, running off to get ready for his mission.

"So that's Zack Fair, huh?" I marvelled.

"Yep," Kunsel said behind me.

"Why do I get the feeling we're gonna be hearing a lot about him?"

**SOLDIER**

About a week later, Zack returned from Modeoheim, looking forlorn. He had a fresh scar on his left cheek, and Angeal Hewley's trademark Buster Sword was slung on his back.

"What's up? You okay?" I asked him when he returned.

Zack sighed but looked up at me. He had unshed tears in his eyes. "Can you keep a secret?"

"I grew up in the slums. Of course I can keep a secret."

Zack sighed again. "When Angeal and Genesis were reported KIA, they weren't actually dead."

"But…"

"Genesis had gone rogue, and Angeal had deserted."

My eyes widened. "You kiddin'?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Zack demanded acidly.

"Sorry."

"Angeal was in Modeoheim. He made me fight him. He's really dead now. He…" He grabbed the Buster Sword from his back, hefting it in one hand. "He gave me this as he died."

I gripped his shoulder. "Sorry, man. I…I looked up to him."

"Yeah…"

"Hey, if you ever need to talk… You know, man to man… I'm right here."

Zack gave a slight smile. "Thanks." He walked off, the Buster Sword still in his hand.

Just then, a man in a Shinra infantryman's uniform walked in, searching the room. He had short, spiky hair not too dissimilar to mine, and blue eyes.

"You lookin' for someone, kid?" I asked.

"Yeah. A guy named Zack."

I looked at the hallway Zack had just walked down. "He's here, but it's probably not a good idea for you to go storming in there right now. He's mourning."

"Oh. Right."

"Don't worry. If I see him again, I'll tell him you stopped by."

The guy nodded. "Thanks. When you do see him, tell him Cloud stopped by."

I returned the nod with one of my one. "No problem. Oh, my name's Perseus," I added, extending my hand. "Nice to meetcha."

He looked at my hand as if I had a gun in it.

I grinned at him. "Any friend of Zack's is a friend of mine."

He smiled at that and shook my hand vigorously. "Thanks. See ya." With that, he walked off.

"Hey!" I heard a voice call out. I turned; it was Kunsel.

"How are ya, Kunsel?" I asked in a subdued voice.

"Did ya hear that Zack's back?" Kunsel sounded excited that his friend was back.

"Ssh!" I hissed at him.

"What's up?" my friend asked, tilting his helmeted head in confusion.

Gritting my teeth, I told him the tragic story of Zack and Angeal.

When I was done, Kunsel let out an explosive breath. "Man, I think I look up to Zack now more than ever. I mean, having to put up with that… Wow."

I nodded sombrely.

"Hey, I just saw Zack walking into the city. He looked like he was headed for the slums."

"The slums?" I asked, confused. "Why would anyone go willingly to the slums?"

Kunsel shrugged. "Probably that girlfriend of his."

"Girlfriend?"

My friend nodded. "Her name's Aerith. He hardly ever shuts up about her. To hear him talk about her, she's the most beautiful girl on the Planet."

I raised an eyebrow briefly before walking off to the elevators.

"Where are you going?" Kunsel yelled after me.

"I'm gonna follow Zack. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

Kunsel scoffed. "He wouldn't do that."

I gave him a look, but said nothing.

**SOLDIER**

I followed Zack all the way to an old, run-down church in the Sector 7 slums. Funny, I mused, this isn't that far from where I grew up.

When I got to the door, I heard a faint sobbing. I couldn't possibly imagine who was making the sound, so I carefully peered in.

Sitting right in the middle of the hall was Zack, tears rolling down his face. A girl, roughly my age, had her arms wrapped around his neck from behind. She wore a simple white dress with blue trim, and there was a pink bow in her brown hair. Her eyes were the brightest shade of green I'd ever seen. I had to admit, she was beautiful. This must be Aerith, I thought.

Then she saw me. She didn't gasp. She didn't even make a sound. She just looked at me. Almost like she was seeing right into my soul. She smiled. I felt myself flush. What am I, some little schoolgirl?

Cautiously, I walked in, kneeling down next to them. "Zack…it's okay. We're here. We're gonna take care of you." I looked at Aerith. "The two of us, together."

Aerith offered me another of her knee-melting smiles as she said, "Yeah. No problem." Carefully, she helped Zack to his feet. Immediately, Zack latched onto me, crying into my uniform. I patted his back awkwardly, constantly repeating, "It's gonna me OK."

Aerith looked at me. "Look out for him, please?"

I nodded. "I'll make sure the old Zack comes back soon."

"But…" She looked worried. "What if he doesn't?"

I smiled shyly. "Then I'll step up to the plate and look after you."

Her eyes widened. "You promise?"

I nodded, holding out my pinkie. "Promise."

Aerith giggled and interlocked her pinkie finger with mine. We stayed there briefly, looking straight into each other's eyes, before I broke the contact, leading Zack back home.

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