To AVALANCHE,

This SeeD deployment contract will last until your current objective at the Northen Reactor in Sector 1, Midgar, is achieved.

During this mission, the SeeD member has agreed to act primarily as a tactician and to follow the commands of AVALANCHE's present-day leader, Barret Wallace, as well as the assigned squad leader for the operation, Cloud Strife.

Please keep in mind that, in case of failure of the operation or otherwise event of death of the deployed SeeD member, no replacements can be made and Garden will hereby not be liable of any damages caused by, or to, said member.

I wish you the best of luck with your objective.

Balamb Garden Headmaster,
Cid Kramer


Midgar was nothing like Balamb; Where the land still flourished, and the air was fresh and always bore a waft of brine. Midgar reeked of dirt and rusted iron, and the air was thick and hard to breathe. A concrete jungle that at some point must have tired of acting the middle-ground between Heaven and Hell, and tried to reach for the former. The entirety of the circular city balancing on tall pillars with questionable dependability.

The looming, ever-present plateau shielded the local bar - ironically titled 'Seventh Heaven' - from the sunlight, draping the entire slum quarters beneath in its bleak shade. On the bar's upper floor, one of the windows stood ajar and a jingling tune could be heard. A silver-coated belt buckle dancing back and forth in rhythm to a creaking bedstead. Here, deep within the cold night that knew no end; warm breaths turn into steam. They clash and twine together before evaporating between shy lips that barely touched.

Squall stared into intense blue eyes, his previous curiosity about their origin long forgotten. Now he only admired their beauty. They glowed in the dark, their light spilling out from the globe they were attached to. Somehow, they reminded him of Balamb and his hometown's marine architecture and the fishermen and the clear skies and ocean – and suddenly he can't breathe, as all he can see turns cerulean and he feels like he's falling through the water. Drowning. He gulps for air and averts his eyes, lest he lose himself completely. He must be going insane.

Despite the goosebumps along his chilled skin, Squall's insides are on fire. With each thrust a wave of pleasure splash through his abdomen, washing all the way up to his head. Almost, almost, leaving through the tip his tongue but not quite. Stubborness keeping the sound at bay. Refusing to be the first one to break the silence. And as the wonderful feeling spreading through his body ebbs away, it left an aftertaste of smug victory in its wake.

He shivered as lips pressed a chaste kiss to the junction between ear and jaw. A wet tongue trailed down his jugular, blunt teeth nipping at his flesh. Skin slapped against skin. With a sharp thrust of Cloud's hips, Squall let out a broken moan against his will. He shut his eyes tight and focused on breathing. His heart beating like a hummingbird's in his chest.

Sharp nails clawed down Cloud's back, its wearer uncaring of the damage prone to tell tales come morning. Realizing what he is doing, Squall reprieves his partner's back and wraps his arms around his neck instead. Pushing their upper bodies flat together. And when the teeth nipping at his neck bites down, Squall can't stop the hint of a smile to kiss his lips. It doesn't last there for long. As the man between his thighs roughly grabs onto the hollow of his knee's and uses them as handles to spread him wider. And the pace picks up. The silver-coated belt buckle slapping bruises to the side of his thigh.

He sinks his teeth into his bottom lip. Steadfast in his determination not to lose this unvoiced challenge. He won't make another sound – and by the raw look glistened in oceanic, blue eyes, he was certain that Cloud thought the same.

Though silent, Cloud's mouth hang open, his lungs opening and contracting violently behind a herculean chest. His body demanding more air than he could give. Squall could relate. He saw the room spinning around them, like a picture show playing against the wall of his eyelid. He didn't trust himself to breathe. As the feeling in his loins intensified, caressing him even between thrusts and touches.

Soft lips pressed against his own and then retreated and Squall chanced a look. Blue eyes stared directly into his, the tips of their noses touching. Squall must of made another sound without realizing, because the bastard wore a smirk that wasn't there before. Squall would have none of it.

He regained his grip around Cloud's neck. Their foreheads bumped together as he forced their lips to meet and pressed hard and insistent up against them. Licking against the wall of teeth blocking his path, wordlessly begging for entrance. The hands at the back of Cloud's neck trembled as he let the younger man's tongue inside him.

Waves of pleasure turned into a rising tide, and Squall nearly strangled the man in his hold. Anchoring himself to not get washed away.

His body felt light. Weightless. Pressure pushing at his edges. Feeling like a balloon that was about to burst.

The load, drawn out moan vanished between feverish lips and never left the room, making it impossible for anyone not involved to make out who the sound had belonged to. But Squall knew. And so did Cloud.

Squall grunted at the added weight as Cloud collapsed on top of him, a heaving mess of short breaths and residual feelings. Apparently uncaring of the white smears covering his chest, and now also his. Squall made no attempt at moving him, as he himself was in a similar state. His usually clear mind lost in a pleasant daze.

The moment passed, and as the real world slowly built itself back together around him, Squall frowned. A touch of red painting his cheeks."This wasn't part of my contract," he said between breaths.

He felt the lips resting against his collarbone twitch and form into a smile. "Funny, you didn't mention that until after we finished," Cloud replied.

"... Whatever."