DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, places or subjects listed within these chapters. All rights to claim go to Square Enix.
I adore this pairing and have done since I started roleplaying as Cloud, it's nice to finally get to writing for my OTP as well! Sorry the chapter isn't as brilliant and exciting as it could be: writing at early hours really is a silly idea. However, hopefully you'll enjoy it for a first chapter!
Blistering cold winds swept across the mud stricken grass, fingertips clawing into the dirt that remained soggy from the dusk rain. Lights were beaming down overhead as groans filled the training grounds, ropes tied from one end to another growing lower and lower as the metres went on.
"Get lower, maggots!" Screamed the corporal, beckoning to those who were pushing their backs against the ropes strung above them.
The new recruits were scrambling to the ground at the first rope; the starting line and were crawling, getting lower and lower, until dragging themselves with muddy hands toward the last rope.
This was training at six in the morning, and not one of them was enjoying it.
"Street rat! Touch the rope one more time and I'll tie it round your throat, you here me?!" Bellowed the tall balding man with greying facial hair which masked his upper lip, chin and jaw.
"Y-Yes sir!" Yelled back the recruit.
They had been at this for two hours already, diving under the ropes and trying to get to the last as quickly as possible (this task among other obstacle training of course). This was not only a test endurance but a test of intelligence.
Most could not figure out the best way to stay below the ropes and not touch them, though some figured it out rather easily. And the slowest, though the surest was able to figure it out the quickest: Cloud Strife.
The blonde petite male with spiked hair and a young face had finally managed to get to the finish, face smeared with mud and almost blinded by the lights - everyone seemed to be in awe at his ability to scurry under the ropes so easily.
"Sheer luck...", "It's because he's so small!", "I never thought of doing it that way." All were mixed opinions, however it was not theirs that mattered.
Once all were clear, they stood in formation ready to be addressed by their superior. Some felt disgusting with their muddy appearance, others annoyed at their chosen technique and the rest just wanted to get back to bed as quickly as possible.
"So, you think you did well?" A clear rhetorical question which the man dressed in their clean dark uniform expected an answer to, and to his disappointed got nothing in response.
"Tch..." he sounded with his tongue, standing directly in front of their best recruit; Olivier Caros. "I see you've all learnt not to answer a question that needs no answer... You did shit."
Oh how blunt he was and most even winced at the wording. "You believe that you can become Soldier if it takes you two fucking hours to get through this course?! Two. Fucking. Hours. You're all pathetic!" he spat angrily, his clearly disgusted voice echoing across the grounds.
The male with short scruffy hair nicknamed 'Street rat', better known as Thomas, swallowed heavily and glanced sideways to Cloud with a frown. The pair always were the worst with these types of exams, perhaps that was why there were always put together.
"If you ever believe you can become like the great Sold-"
"WOOHOO!" Screamed a joyful male from the distance; blazing red hair, wearing a shirt and tie in a messy fashion, strolling along the grass with his arm slung around another man who seemed less eager to be there. "Guess who's gonna get laid tonight motherfu-"
"RENO!" roared the corporal. Behind the redhead were four other mean, all of ShinRa though were clearly not as drunk as their friend. "How dare you interrupt a training session. And at this time of morning you stagger here, drunk?!"
"Oh chill out, Harrison, have a drink! I've got plenty!" Reno spoke, stumbling toward the man with an arm outstretched holding a half empty bottle of gin.
"Harrison here-"
"I beg if you're to interrupt, you call me corporal." The gentleman grumbled, clearly giving up on what little achievement any of them had made that morning.
"Oh right, right... CORPORAL Garrison- it sounds better than Harrison, thank me later, doesn't know how to have a good time! See, he hasn't had a good fuck in a few years and that's where I come in."
Within seconds Reno was keeled over, cackling from sheer amusement of his wording. Most had to bite their tongue to hold back laughter and managed to get away with a quiet snigger.
"Come in, cause I can come in his a-"
"Alright, let's get you back before you get shot." interrupted a handsome looking man; hair slicked back and evening wear of a shirt and tie with smart trousers still in perfect order. He wrapped an arm around the redhead and nodded to the corporal in apology, soon leading away the drunk that began singing 'gay bar'.
With a chuckle forward came a male with raven spiked hair, enticingly bright eyes and a perfect build. He gave a handsome smile toward his superior.
"I'm terribly sorry sir, Angeal will get him home." his eyes trailed toward the new recruits and settled on Thomas for a moment; him being the muddiest and looking the most shameful to be in their presence.
"Fresh meat huh? Well this man is one fo the best and that's not just the alcohol talking. I'm Zack Fair, Soldier Second Class, a rank one day maybe all of you will be too. Just don't get into a state like our friend and you won't end up crapping yourselves in combat." he smirked. After another glance down the line, Zack's eyes stopped at Cloud. Cloud was stood at attention like the rest, however his eyes were immediately downcast when the Soldier looked his way. It was an utter embarrassment for their unit to be in such a sorry state... They were head to toe in mud, exhausted and being yelled at for being 'shit' at their training. Sure enough they looked the definition of pathetic and now they were on show like animals.
Zack smirked, chuckling quietly, before saluting and wandering on his way once more.
Men like them, though preferably sober, were the ones these cadets had to look up to for the next long while they were training. It looked as though they were going to need to get on the corporals good side to get anywhere and to do that was to be the best.
"Yes, well..." The corporal cleared his throat and clapped his hands together, making idle listeners jump. "Off you go to shower and whatnot. Same time tomorrow, be late and be sorry. Dismissed!"
The unit began to disperse simultaneously, Cloud and Thomas lingering at the back of the group to walk together. Thomas scraped some mud from his hands, flicking it to the floor as the pair walked along.
"We did better than last time, right? I mean we were last again... But..."
"But we finished." Cloud smiled reassuringly. "Let's go shower and maybe sleep, then we can go training. We can work hard and get better than I bet we'll be better than those stupid Soldier."
"You bet!" The brunette grinned high-fiving Cloud, happily striding ahead with him with the thoughts of warm showers and beds to greet them.
