Author's Note: This is one short story, from a bunch of them that have been floating around in my head. I've actually written down a bunch of them. I doubt it will turn into a chapter thing, but it'll probably be a series of short stories/drabbles. Any new stories for this that I write, I'll update here as "chapters" just to keep everything neat. Doesn't mean they'll be in chronological order, though.

Also, I am working on that expansion of Losing Love. Slowly, but it hasn't died yet.

Partners

Each gryphon in the flock had a distinct coloration and personality. Before he'd become a rider, Cloud hadn't been able to tell the difference between one of the great birds of prey and another- he'd barely been able to distinguish between their riders. Even after he'd joined, at first he had barely been able to tell Fenrir apart from the rest.

Now, though, he could tell which gryphon was which even when they were just blurs of color in the sky. Sometimes, he felt that he knew them better than he knew their riders. For all their intelligence, the gryphons were still animals, and were simpler than people. They liked what they liked, hated what they hated, and they didn't hide it from anyone. It was so much easier than dealing with humans, who had layer upon layer and could never, in Cloud's opinion, be fully understood. All he had to do with the gryphons was bring them their favorite treats and give them attention, and he'd made a new friend. It was so much easier than dealing with other people that Cloud had taken to spending most of his time up on the cliffs where the birds nested. Now, three months after he'd become one of the Free Kingdom's riders, he had gotten to know the birds quite well.

Today, since he didn't have any tasks to perform, Cloud had once again slipped away from the outpost and up to the cliffs, where the gryphons always went to sun themselves. He'd never actually seen any of the other riders up there, since most had their gryphons land by the drill grounds to dismount there. He hadn't expected to find Cid already up there, petting and crooning to his mount Sierra.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to-" Cloud stammered, backing away a bit toward the path down the cliffs. Cid had apparently just gotten back from a patrol- Sierra's saddle and other gear were laid in a neat stack off to the side. Cloud felt like he had just intruded on a private moment, something more intimate than just taking care of a gryphon. He didn't want Cid getting embarrassed, or irritated at him, so he got ready to quickly depart. Cid had a sharp tongue when he was angry.

Despite his expectations, though, Cid only laughed and waved him back over. "Naah, kid, 's fine. Don't let me keep you from spendin' time with these beauties."

Cloud cautiously edged forward, toward Fenrir, burying his hands in the gryphon's crest feathers, much to the bird's delight. He'd wanted to spend time with the gryphons, but now that Cid was there, he wasn't sure what to do. He did his best to ignore the other man, but he still felt tense and awkward about being in his presence. Was it taboo to touch someone else's mount? Why was Cid still up here, anyway? His patrol was finished. Cloud almost started to edge away again, instead of staying to deal with the tension the older blonde's presence had created.

The birds weren't about to have that, though. Before he could get more than a few steps away from Fenrir, Heaven and Gaia moved into his path, butting at him with their heads in greeting and to demand scratches.

Behind him, Cid laughed again, and Cloud flushed, though he still reached out to pet Gaia's smooth brown feathers. Aerith's mount made a contented chirping sound and pressed back against his hand, hazel eyes half-shuttered. Cloud heard Cid approaching, and was slightly surprised when Heaven peeled away from him and moved over to Cid, to demand preening from him instead. Heaven was a prideful bird, and she wouldn't do that for just anyone. Cloud had only just gotten her to like him.

Cid crooned over her for a few more moments before turning to look at Cloud, who was staring at him disbelievingly. "Ya must spend a lot of time up here, if y've gotten Heaven to like ya." Cloud was only able to nod mutely. Cid had seemed to him a soldier through and through, when they'd been introduced, or when he saw him in the mess. It had never occurred to him that the man could be so... soft.

"I c'n see why. I used ta do the same thing when I first got a gryphon. Spent all my time with them, 'stead of making friends with the other trainees. Always thought that they were damn beautiful, could barely believe it when I first went to the training grounds," Cid continued, ignoring the stare that Cloud had continued to give him in favor of lavishing Heaven with more attention.

"Why?" Cloud asked hesitantly. "I'm sure you could have made plenty of friends." Cid was confident in a way that Cloud had a hard time imagining himself. In fact, it seemed like all the other conventionally trained riders were confident in themselves and their abilities. In his mind, it was probably a result of their training.

Again, Cid laughed. "Upstart brat like I was? No way in hell. Only friend I got during that was Vince. Back then, I thought the birds were better company than people. Still do sometimes, though this squad's a good bunch. Love these birds, though. Got to know 'em all almost as well as Sierra. Not that I'd give her up, though. Best damn partner I could've imagined."

"I've never seen you up here, though," Cloud pointed out. Highwind simply shrugged and finally turned away from the gryphons, hoisting up Sierra's tack to carry over one shoulder.

"Well, sure. I've been busy. 'Sides, Sierra can take after herself," the older rider said as he walked past Cloud toward the path down the cliff. He paused and turned back to look at Cloud. "Kid, let me tell ya somethin'. It's a good thing that ya like the birds an' all. No one will get angry at ya for spendin' time with them. But it won't hurt you ta get to know the others, you hear? There's a reason we let our gryphons choose their riders here on the border. Means that all th' riders are trustworthy. You trust the gryphons, right? You c'n trust their partners, too."

After Cid was gone, Cloud sat among the gryphons, simply absorbing their presence, and thinking about Cid's words. He had been too intimidated before to think about trying to socialize, and the others had seemed too busy with their own work to spare any time for him. SO he had retreated to the gryphons.

If Cid was right, though... then they at least wouldn't bother him. The gryphons picked their partners, so they must pick someone who would take care of them. And the gryphons liked him as well. That meant the others would like him too, right?

He wouldn't just go out and start making friends with them. That was a bit much for him to do in one go. But he would watch and see. Maybe Cid was right.