Chapter 1

"Come on, Cloud, you've got to meet this guy," unwilling, he was being pulled along down the long corridors of the SOLDIER Program Command Center as boots slammed against the metal floor, "This guy can help you out should you not make it into SOLDIER!"

Soft blue eyes rolled in his head as he fought to wrench his hand out of the speeding raven haired man's hand, "I am going to make it into SOLDIER, Zack, I think it's you that needs to talk this guy more then me if you don't keep up your work to make it to First Class. I've been talking to your Mentor and he says you need to buckle down and behave like someone who wants to be a First Class SOLDIER."

As quickly as the footsteps had started, the men's steps stopped as the raven haired man, whom had become known as Zackary "Zack" Fair, 2nd Class SOLDIER, dramatically clutched at his chest as he started to swoon away from his friend, "Oh…you cut me deep, Cloud…I don't think I can go on…"

"Come on," the blond pulled the man along, "If you do faint, I'm making sure they stick that new thermometer up where it doesn't shine to remind you to never fake being unconscious again."

"Well! Then come on!" Zack grabbed at his friend's hand again with utter enthusiasm as the man all but dragged the blond behind him, "You don't want to make a Turk wait on you!"

Turks, the lethal Security Guards from Hell, or so that's what the unfortunates that dared to cross these peoples paths had to say if they managed to live through any encounter with these men or even women. They had been gathered from various backgrounds, areas, and had been chosen due to their varying qualities because they had placed and set their sights higher then others and had proven themselves to be better then others. Among the ranks of the Turks, there were those who did not need to wield a weapon to deadly or lethal; just mere brains were enough to bring down an enemy. There the others that relied on the prowess of power and a slick slip of the tongue to get them out of any situation, from having to chase down an enemy to knocking them upside the head a few times. Flying helicopters was in the job description as well as being called out to do away with any and everything that President ShinRa asked of the men and women to do, regardless if whether or not it was immoral or not. Leave your morals and values at the door as well buried deep away once you were signed up to be among the role of Turk.

Tseng knew this to be the only way to survive.

Shortly after he had been entitled to the role of Head of the Turks, which placed him in a rank of High Security standing; he had the privilege of working close with President ShinRa as well as distributing those under his command to do what was asked from above. Patience, a virtue it was, but it was something that had to be maintained when waiting to speak to someone that had said it was a moment of urgency and it couldn't wait.

Whatever it was…

Someone better be dying.

A heavy sigh came from the olive colored man where upon his forehead, the dot on his head that was a sign of a man of his lineage from the forest woodland of Wutai, it was slowly starting to wrinkle as the man's brow began to knit together, "Fair has five more minutes, then I'm off to go off to serious busine---"

"TSENG! TSENG!" Zack's voice could be heard calling out over the room as the blond in tow of him was beginning to stumble over his feet, in which he did, "Oh Cloud, what am I going to do with you?"

"You could've just left me alone to study for the upcoming exam, because I can't afford to fail the exam because then I'll have you to thank for my drop in rank and pay for the month…"Cloud picked himself up as he started to dust himself off, "I'm sure my Mother will enjoy having to hear you were the cause of my drop in pay when she was looking forward to using it to buy some fresh herbs this month…"

Zack pouted as he helped his friend clean himself off, "It makes you feel any better, if you fail, and you drop a rank and pay this month, I'll get on my hands and knees in front of your Instructor's and beg and plead them to give you a second chance and tell them it was all my fault," the man started to grin to himself as he thumped his fisted thumb into his chest, "No one, no man or woman or Teacher can resist the charm of the Zack."

"But there are some of us that are immune to your brand of charm, 2nd Class SOLDIER, Zackary Fair," Tseng sighed to himself as he shook his head as he internally chuckled to himself as he watched Zack scurrying about, Angeal is right…Zackary does behave like a Puppy, especially when it comes to a person of authority getting on him…

"Yeah, but you're special, Tseng," Zack greeted the man with a smirking grin, "You're made of a wall of steel, anything that bounces off you, just bounces onto a person that deserves my charm because you're not good enough for me."

Cloud groaned as he ran his hands down his face, "Zack, just tell me why we're over here and speaking to him."

"Him?" Tseng was taken back by the Cadet's utter lack of appreciation for authority figures, "Cadet, do you have any idea who I am?"

"Just another flunky of ShinRa?" Cloud cockily remarked which made Zack nearly gag on the spit in his throat as he seemed to chuckle to himself, but Zack was going to have bail out his little buddy, "Aren't I right?"

Zack clasped a hand over Cloud's mouth as he pulled him away, slowly, "Give me two minutes with him," the man lightly shoved the blond, "You idiot! He's a Turk! He could kill you with just a plastic fork from the Cafeteria! In fact, he's the Head of the Turks! ShinRa Security!"

Cloud about paled as he turned to address the man again, but, like the utter klutz he had grown to be since his time since joining the Cadet Program to enter into SOLDIER, he tripped over his feet, landing face first into Tseng's feet, "I-I'm so sorry about that…" he was preparing to pick himself up and apologize like a kicked puppy, but, "…S-Sir?"

Tseng helped the blond up, but there was something keeping on the floor, as he kneeled down to help the man up; his eyes had taken on a hue that no one had seen before aside from the occasional moment he would pass the President's son in passing. No one had made him earn that gaze and wonderment besides the President's son, why was Cloud any different? Those soft baby blue eyes, soft and innocent youthful face with a glow that was illuminated by the hued lights up over his head and the sweat that was beading on his face from the race of Zack pulling him along. It drew him in a light that caused Tseng to clear his throat, clearing out the haze of pure, unadulterated interest the blond had drawn him into; he couldn't think of this young man like that.

Or could he?

"Hey, Tseng, you two alright down there?" Zack tilted his head about as he stood with his hands on hips, watching as his youthful young friend nibbling at his lower lip and hiding his face behind the high collar of his uniform, but it caught him unawares as he felt his friend's hand working into his own, "Cloud?"

"Let's just go, Zack, I'm sure Tseng has other things to do besides humor a couple of bored teenagers…"Cloud had started to take the lead of the run away from the office end of the Compound, but only after bowing at the waist appreciatively to Tseng, "Sorry for taking your time, Sir…and I apologize for my earlier remarks."

Zack was taken back by the blonde's speed as he quickly waved his farewell to Tseng, "See you around, Tseng!"

Zack was still laughing as Cloud came around a corner with the laughing man as Cloud leaned up against the wall in hopes to catch his breath from the embarrassment he had endured in front of a Superior and a Turk nonetheless. Dishonoring a Turk was like walking up to General Sephiroth himself and telling him that he must have a large sword in his pants because he was a very tall and pretty man. What had all that been about? Why was he blushing even still after leaving in a rush from the Turk, the Head of the Turks? After that mistreatment of conduct as well as mockery of someone of rank that could have Cloud knocked out of the Cadet Program in a heartbeat was not going to be able to be lived down if Zack had anything to say about it.

"Man Cloud, dude; that was too priceless! You should've seen your face after you came up and saw that you were talking to the Head of the Turks," Zack was trying to catch up his breath, but that wasn't happening at the moment or none too soon as he pointed at Cloud's still blushing face, "That's the exact face!"

Zack's laughter was carrying out like a hyena had been released into the Compound, but Cloud couldn't help it; Tseng was a man with some feminine like features. Wutai men were regarded for their features and it helped them for the theatre they performed in; not too many women performed in the Wutai Theatre Company where plays of men dressed and painted as women came out on stage and performed in place the women. Women were none too highly regarded for the stage which left many of them in the position to have to dress and be painted down as men, but Tseng rivaled all of them; he had a simple glow about his face and that dot like mark on his forehead just added something to his face. Even his lips were feminine in design, they weren't full and pouty like a man's, and they weren't thin and drawn together like a woman's; they were just, perfect. Full, thin, and drawn together in a perfect design that if he had the urge to or even the desire to; Cloud could've taken the chance to at least attempt to break the barrier lying there on those lips. It would've been possible if he hadn't had a laughing hyena for a friend at his back.

"…It wasn't that funny, Zack," Cloud turned to pouting as the dusty color of the blush started to turn into a blush of embarrassment; he just wanted to forgot all about it, "Seriously, you can stop chortling like a tickled pink Chocobo."

That just sent Zack off into louder thralls of laughter.

But thank the Gods for Mentors that were looking for their wayward Puppy, "Zackary Fair, 2nd Class SOLDIER, Zackary Fair, please report, front and center to the attention of 1st Class SOLDIER, Angeal Hewley, your Mentor, this instant," from behind the chortling on the floor man was a man that could've doubled as Zack's father, aside from the way the man appeared over Zack.

"Y-Yes, sir, Yes, in just a minute sir," Zack was still chortling by the time Angeal had managed to make it to the man in which he grabbed at the scruff of Zack's uniform top, leaving the man to yelp like the trademark Puppy nickname he had been given by Angeal, "H-Hey! I was coming! Stop manhandling me in front of the Cadet! A-Angeal! Put me down, I can walk!"

"Don't you have a Class to be getting to, Cadet?" Angeal gave Cloud a weary gaze as he saw that Cloud was quieter then usual after a typical day with Zack, but Cloud seemed to spring to attention at the sound of Angeal's voice, "I asked you a question, Cadet."

Cloud quickly nodded his head as he started to stumble and tumble over his own feet as he gave Zack last final glance before running for class, the last place he wanted to be right now with the utter worry that his mind would stray. That wasn't going to be hard as he passed a figure he hadn't seen standing there till he found hands grabbing a hold of him. The only thing to do was to fight off the hands without drawing too much attention to himself, but when he heard a familiar voice whispering in his ear; he about lost it and started punishing the hands holding him.

"Damn it, Reno! You know I hate it when you grab me out of the blue, especially since you know that you could get busted for being down here instead up at your end of the World," Cloud was beet red and furious; Reno no last name was about the only other friend he had that had no other hidden intentions of why they were friends with him.

Reno was the big mouthed pilot and just as big mouthed muscle alongside his partner in crime, Rude and Reno tended to get away with a few things here and there, aside from breaking a few girls hearts when he told them that his job came first and all others would have to wait till he was allowed to retire. All Reno wanted out of life was to make sure his friends met their self created goals and without facing the absolute reality that on that road to facing their greedy goals was that they were going to end up dead eventually. Cloud had taken his attention shortly after his entrance into the Program for Cadets that wanted to become SOLDIERS, especially after he saw the blond being roughed up by some older boys. Their intentions of just "playing" with him were less then innocent as he saw how their hands were straying to places that they shouldn't have been touching and Cloud was making it known he wanted them to stop. Reno's eyes had been watching to see if the blond would fight them off; it started to turn bad as the boys all but had Cloud pinned against a wall, but before Reno could step forward, one of the boys had screamed out "The little bastard just bit me! Little piece of sh--!"

The teen didn't have another change to scream out the rest of his words as the cracking sound of a nose breaking made the others start to scatter as Cloud lunged at them and started clawing at their eyes and faces. No one dared touch Cloud after that. Cloud had learned quickly enough when he had been living in his hometown of Niblehiem that the only one to get out alive, even if you weren't capable of making it into ShinRa's Cadet Program for possible or future SOLDIERS, was to be able to kick back at those who attempt to harm you. Cloud's act of self preservation against boys that would've dragged him away into a dark corner and done the unspeakable to the boy had sparked an interest charge in Reno's head. Eventually, he had managed to befriend the young man, after being loped in with Zackary "Zack" Fair, and had become a close friend to Cloud, but he enjoyed screwing with the kid. Reno called it, keeping Cloud on his toes in case someone tried to pull the same stunt from the time before and Reno had become a study partner for Cloud. Cloud's class work and classes were similar to what Reno had taken when he had thought of doing SOLDIER as well, but he was later picked up for being a Turk after he cracked half a squad's nose with just the butt end of his practice rifle during target practice.

"Come on, Cloud, I was just playing around," Reno let go of his young friend as he placed his arms around the boy's shoulders, "Why you so uptight lately? Someone trying to get in your pants like the time I found you when you came here?"

Cloud started to blush as they made their way down the Hall towards Cloud's class, "It's nothing…I just had a rough morning, no thanks to a particular Puppy nearly getting me in trouble with the head of the Turks, since I mistook him as being just another flunky…"

Reno stopped Cloud there, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, stop right there, you mouthed off to the Head of the Turks, the Head of the Turks?"

"Need I repeat myself?" Cloud shook off his friend's shoulders as he watched Reno starting to pale, "What? What is it?"

"Let's just say, you just mouthed off to my Boss," Reno chuckled to himself as he watched Cloud pale, he was a pale as a white sheet, "Oh come on, Tseng is already tight enough as it is and he needs someone to take him down a few pegs at times, even if it's from someone like you."

Cloud shook his head, "No, that wasn't right of me and I already apologized for talking him like that…"

"Cloud, if you don't knock someone down a few pegs now and again, you're never going to be able to stand up for yourself," Reno ruffled his friend's hair gently as he heard the sound of the warning bell for those that were on their way to classes, they were best to hurry it up before they were late, "Go on, get out of here and go to class; I'll be by your room later to help you out with your homework and studying."

"Sure," Cloud seemed to show Reno the only thing that only he as well as occasionally, Zack, could see, a smile, "See you later, Reno."

When Angeal took to manhandling Zack, Zack knew that it meant one of a thousand other things; he had screwed up, screwed up a simple task that even a Chocobo probably could've done if trained to do so, or just plain Zack being Zack and Angeal needed to straighten it out. Now, Zack would never admit or blab under threat of torture or under torture that he didn't fear Angeal and his tactics of handling the young student. But in a sense, Zack was the one that was asking for it; if Zack hadn't become a masochist or even glutton for punishment in the time of being within SOLDIER, then there was something seriously amidst with the picture. Then there was one other thing he would never admit that he had liking for his Mentor as more then just a Student/Teacher relationship; he love and adored Angeal, but beyond that, way beyond that. He liked how his Mentor would comfort him when he was feeling down about missing his Mom and his hometown little village of Gongaga. It felt like having his Momma there, but it had a different twist on it; he could smell a certain aroma from Angeal when the man was willing to show a side no one, but him, got to see.

Angeal could be harsh, but fair, but it was all and only for Zack.

Even the mere thought of imagining those times when he got to see it would send a rosy blush crossing Zack's face. What was this feeling and why was Angeal placing him down on all two feet and…

Zack was taken back by the momentary lapse of change in the air as it might have been rubbed off as, but did that air have to include the smell of Angeal's minty toothpaste against his lips? As well as his tongue, oh Gods, what was all of this?

"…A-Angeal?" Zack was like a blushing school girl as he watched his Mentor pulling away with spittle against his lips, his own since Zack was tight lipped through all the man had been attempting, "…I love you too, Angeal, but what was that?"

Angeal Hewley, 1st Class SOLDIER of ShinRa's SOLDIER and Mentor, more like baby sitter as he had resigned to being when he took on the position of being Zack's Mentor a few years back. The man was highly accomplished SOLDIER that had worked alongside the other two known First Class SOLDIERS within ShinRa; killed countless of enemies, survived countless numbers of missions that would've killed any other mortal man and now, his own mission was making sure his Student just survived. And at least make it to his goal of First Class if Zack didn't manage to find himself being running through by the General's sword, Masamune. Even in the years he had gotten to know the boy; he had developed a slight crush for the boy, but he couldn't quite come out and blab that he wanted to be with the boy forever. Even if that wasn't possible. Zack had seemed like a naïve young man that would never realize that someone was interested in him and he had seen Zack eyed his young friend, the Cadet, Cloud Strife. It made telling his young student his interest in him without Zack breaking his heart because he didn't want to break the boy's heart by telling him that the General had his eyes on the blond. When he had come on his student this afternoon, he had found him embarrassing the one he seemed to have interest in by laughing at the fact the boy was almost as red as a Fire Materia.

But his laughter was a simple song that seemed to fill Angeal's ears and had been the way to find the young Pup, but now the Pup was staring at him with a look of curiosity; that's what made him so innocent and yet, open for other things, "…It shut you up, didn't it?" Angeal softly chuckled as he ran his gloved fingers through the boy's raven mane of hair, "It's kind of hard to talk to you and get your attention on what I'm going to do for punishment for embarrassing Cloud, yet again, when you're going a million miles per hour."

"And you figured kissing me would solve it?" Zack was blushing now and was growing as red as Cloud; it was absolutely adorable and it was taking all of Angeal's will to not push the young man into the wall and kiss him again, "You could've just thumped me upside the head and told me to 'Shut up' or something…"

Here it came.

The pout.

Not the infamous pout.

Please don't do that to me…It's taking all I have to not jump you right here, and now.

Angeal sighed to himself, "Forget about it…" it seemed that the tactic of just being forward like he had been was not the best tactic in the world, "Be at Lazard's office in ten minutes; we've got word that there is a possible mission."

"Angeal…?" Zack tilted his head as he watched the dejected man walking off, was it something I said?

Cloud had made it to class without time to spare as he scrambled into his seat, thankfully he sat at the far back of the classroom and his Teacher wasn't paying attention to the fact he had walked in late. His Teacher seemed more preoccupied with finding his notes for today's lecture and harassing some other students up in the front that seemed to be making trouble for the Teacher with no end in sight. Thank the Gods for the Classroom Troublemakers; there are usually a few or half dozen of them in every classroom. Cloud knew that such people existed because he used to sit within a few inches to feet of these people going to school in Niblehiem and he was usually the victim of their troublemaking when the Teacher had all but learned the ins and outs of their behavior. Thankfully, they gave him enough time to scurry into his seat and pull out his notepad for writing down notes, but it had been all for nothing.

"Heh, since your fellow classmates have made use of their own time for the start of the class time to all but destroy my Notes; we're going to review what we went over last class," the Teacher called out as an anonymous series of groans and moans erupted from the congregation while the Teacher's Pets, as few as they were, inwardly cheered to themselves.

Cloud saw it as a chance to just doze off.

He was already doing more then great in class and he had but written down every single word the Teacher had spoken in their last meeting, almost down to the very last little bit of dialogue of him reprimanding the troublemakers of the class. Sleep or at least a nap; that sounded nice and was the direction he was headed in as he laid his head down to rest. Working ahead on the homework seemed like a more appropriate idea, but his eyes were telling him that he could do that when he got to his bunk, rest now.

How he wished he hadn't succumbed to those thoughts.

In sleep he could dream, his dreams lead him back to times of being just a simple country boy in the mountain hills of Niblehiem, running through the woods; either out of trying to escape from the bullies from being even a little kid to just running through them for the fun of it. Swimming in the small lakes that were nearby, picking at berries and the occasional flower that caught his attention for Momma; she would smile so sweetly to him when he would bring her flowers. Joyous summers of watching fireflies that some of the older adults claimed were more or less parts of the Lifestream just floating up to cast a glow over the Planet since ShinRa was slowly starting to use the power of it to make Mako that was powering the inner cities. But there were times, his dreams would drift off to parts unknown and that's what it seemed to be doing.

A little version of himself had taken to wandering through the woods this time, chuckling and laughing to himself, but sounds were making him scared as the little boy started to run for the house, but no matter way he turned. Every way lead him back towards the sounds; he tumbled over his own feet and the uprooted root of a big tree as the little Cloud fell on his face. Sounds were growing closer as he managed to rub the dirt from his tear filled eyes with one hand as he looked up to find someone that looked like him kissing someone. It was hard to make out who the man was that he was kissing, but as it seemed they had been part of the scenery, the men shifted so that the little Cloud saw who it was.

Tseng?

Why am I dreaming of him again and why…

…Why am I kissing him and…

"Hey blondie, you going to keep dozing off here in class or you plan on going off to your bunk to do that?" Reno was leaning over the blond as he softly shook his friend, and if it had been for his fast reflexes; he wouldn't have seen him nearly decking him a good one in the chin.

"You okay there, kid?"

Cloud shook his head, "…I don't know anymore, Reno, but I think…I might have feelings towards Tseng…"

Authoress note: this is a collaboration with Kitsunefan203. she is amazing fun to work with and a really great author. check her out for yourself! just make sure you're sitting, or you might fall over at the sight of her awesomeness.