A/N: Happy Birthday Silverleaf14!

Cloud didn't usually take Angeal on walks. His schedule was too hectic for the luxury, and he was always too stressed about overwalking. That's why he hired the dog-walker.

But, today was different. For the first time in months he finally had a full day off! One phone call to Sephiroth, and Angeal was his to walk. They were going to go to the park and play fetch, and Cloud was going to watch his newfie play with all the other dogs, and let him tromp around in the lake like the water dog he was. It was going to be great.

It was a sunny day out, but not warm enough to make Cloud worry about 'Geal overheating. Angeal's tail was swishing loudly, clearly just excited as Cloud was. They usually just played inside or laid up in a dogpile for a nap. That was always fun. But it was nice to get outside every once and awhile.

There was a runner in the distance, bobbing up and down in hideously yellow hot pants and a tank top. Cloud tried not to feel envious at the guy's even pace. It was his own fault for getting out of shape, but how fun would it be to run with Angeal again? Ever since he got that promotion, he'd let a lot of things slide...

There was a fierce tug in Cloud's hand, and suddenly the coarse fabric of the leash was yanked right out of his fingers. It took Cloud a minute to realize that Angeal was bounding down the sidewalk at full speed and -

Heading right for an intersection!

"Angeal! Wait!" Cloud took off after him. Once, just once, Angeal looked back, his tongue was lolled out of his mouth and a happy smile on his jowls. Panic flooded Cloud's system. "This isn't a game of chase! 'Geal! Come back!"

The newfie kept running ahead, heedless of Cloud's fears. Oh god! Angeal was a smart dog, probably smarter than most of Cloud's co-workers. There was no way he would run straight into the road, right? Right? But Angeal didn't look like he was stopping, and Cloud kept chasing. His lungs burned and legs felt numb.

It looked like the suddenly not-so-distant runner was moving to intercept. Thank god! But, when had he gotten so close? He'd crossed the intersection and, now on the same block, had put himself right in Angeal's running path. If he managed to snag 'Geal, Cloud would be so much less of a heart attack right now. They were about to collide.

But Cloud didn't stop running he kept pushing himself until -

Angeal reared on his back legs and tackled the runner to the ground with a bark. Cloud made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded like wet radio static.

"Oh my god! Angeal! Stop! Get off of him!"

Cloud jerked to a halt, heaving for breath, as his dog and the poor stranger wrestled on someone's lawn. The runner certainly didn't look at all put off after being mowed over by a newfie. In fact, he was laughing and jostling Angeal's fur just so to maximize the amount of nips and nuzzles he could get. They were literally rolling around on someone's lawn.

Had Angeal found a long lost canine spirit trapped in human form?

Cloud shook his head trying to dispel the thoughts. Even if this dude was clearly enjoying Angeal's company, there was absolutely no reason that Cloud should condone it. Cloud had trained him better than that! Cloud grabbed the leash before 'Geal could get it in his mind to run off again. He tugged. Angeal obediently pulled away, just enough that the stranger could sit up.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry." Now that Cloud wasn't trying to chase him down, and not trying to catch his breath, all of his panic was turning into embarrassment. "Angeal never doesn't this sort of thing!"

"What are you talking about?" The man laughed. Grass was stuck to his hair and the sweat of his skin; he looked just as covered in it as Angeal was. Seeing the guy without a wiggling fluff ball on top of him suddenly brought to Cloud's attention the pleasant shape of his muscles, the tan of his skin, and a smile that felt like drugs. Butterflies filled Cloud's stomach. "He does this all the time!"

The butterflies promptly died. "... he what?"

The runner nuzzled Angeal, getting a big sloppy kiss in return. "Yeah!" Cloud was trying not to get distracted by the contrast of those chocobo-yellow (and heinously tiny) booty shorts and the sepia of this dude's thighs, but it was really hard when he was just laying back like a model and casually playing with Angeal. There was just something about people who got along with his dog that just made Cloud weak-kneed. "Seph lets me play with him whenever I'm out running."

Sephiroth?! "He what?!" Cloud felt a surge of annoyance in his brow. He treated that asshole to coffee and let him raid his fridge all the time, and that dick just went back let Angeal play hard with strangers?

"No, no, no!" Zack waved his hands. It should have looked disarming, but somehow it just looked like an overgrown puppy trying and failing to paw something out of the air. "Don't get mad. I asked. Well, it was really more like begging, really. I mean, Angeal's such a cool dog!" The man promptly hugged Angeal around the neck, he got a lick back. "I never see newfoundlands around here. I just had to say 'hi', yanno? And we had so much fun that we just kept hanging out together. So… you're his owner, right?"

"Uh, yeah." Cloud nodded dumbly. Angeal was pawing at the stranger's leg, even as he got nice scritches along his side. "I'm Cloud." Cloud had absolutely no idea why he'd offered his name.

"Oh!" The runner stood, some grass fell off him, but most of it was stuck to his glistening body. Angeal whined a little bit, until the stranger rubbed at his ear. A hand was furiously wiped against booty shorts before it was thrust into Cloud's face. "My name's Zack!"

"Uh, Hi." Cloud accepted the handshake. It was strong, surprisingly so. And his hands were warm, they felt really great touching Cloud's. Oh shit, he didn't want to let go. "Look. I-I'm sorry Angeal jumped on you like that. It was nice meeting you. But we really need to get home." Cloud yanked his hand back and tugged on the leash all at once, but Angeal didn't move. The newfie was just sitting there, completely content in Zack's company and totally ignoring him. Cloud pulled a little harder.

"Oh, wow, he's not moving, is he?" The way Zack scratched the back of his head looked bizarrely dog-like. "I could tire him out for you if you want." Wait. Did this man just tilt his head like a puppy? It wasn't allowed for someone to look that cute. Not at all. "He's usually pretty easy to manage once he gets played with."

"N-no," Cloud could feel the heat in his face. If he got called on it, he could blame the impromptu run. "We're really in a hurry." Cloud tugged again. Angeal turned his head, blinking his big eyes in confusion, but was absolutely not moving. "C'mon, boy."

"Yeah, 'Geal," Zack pushed on Angeal's cheek. "It's time for you to go home. I'll play with you next time." Angeal assessed the hand for a moment before giving it a lick. "Aww, c'mon man. Stop being stubborn, dude."

Angeal wasn't going anywhere. That was for sure. Maybe…

"Maybe... maybe you could walk us home?" Cloud had no idea what possessed him to say that. He was kicking himself even as the words left his mouth. He was literally inviting a stranger to his house. But, at the same time… Angeal clearly loved him.

Zack stared at Cloud, and then he smiled. Cloud didn't know people could smile so brightly, he didn't have any other word for it. It might have had something to do with his horribly yellow outfit.

"Really? You mean you'll tell me where you live? So, like, I can come and play with Angeal all the time!" If Zack had a tail, it would be wagging. "Awesome! Let's go!"

As Cloud handed Zack the leash, he couldn't help but think with a smile: great, I adopted another one.