Genesis hated his birthday, ok that was technically a lie, he liked being the center of attention. It was more the fact that some of the things he was sent from his fan club were the weirdest or the most stalkerish of anything he'd ever encountered.

He was sitting at his desk sorting tokens from his fans now and had decided to make three piles; trash, give to the puppy, and keep. Sighing he tossed another bag of chocolate into the give to Angeal's puppy pile. Surprisingly this year he'd only gotten three new copies of Loveless and a lot more chocolate than usual. It wasn't that he hated chocolate but more the fact being, what would he do with 150 bags of it?

Pulling out some cards he grimaced at the atrocious poetry on them. Really, did those simpletons think this was the kind of thing he enjoyed? He was sure that 5 year old children could write better than some of the things he'd been gifted.

The red head's eyes were drawn to the door when he heard the sound of footsteps hurrying down away from his office. Well that was interesting, so far all of the gifts had been dropped at his door by the poor sap tricked into working the mail room.

Getting up he flung open his door, glancing down the hallway to see a glimpse of blond and blue before the elevator's door closed all the way. Even more intriguing, a cadet had braved his office door when not even his fan club had? A flash of white paper caught his eye and he reached down to pick it up before heading back into his office.

Commander Rhapsodos,

Zack told me it was your birthday and I wanted to get you something special but I wasn't sure what to get you that you didn't already have. Back at home the town hall has some of the oldest books I've ever seen. This is a poem I remembered from one of those, I hope you enjoy it.

Gil-galad was an Elven-king.

Of him the harpers sadly sing:

the last whose realm was fair and free

between the Mountains and the Sea.

His sword was long, his lance was keen,

his shining helm afar was seen;

the countless stars of heaven's field

were mirrored in his silver shield.

But long ago he rode away,

and where he dwelleth none can say;

for into darkness fell his star

in Mordor where the shadows are.

Happy Birthday Genesis

Well one thing was for sure, whoever the kid was he really had great taste. The redhead kept rereading the small poem, it was just the kind of thing he enjoyed and the penmanship. Damn, he'd never met anyone with penmanship like that, it was flowing and looked like something you'd see on love letters from the past.

Mind made up the Commander climbed to his feet and shrugged into his coat. Afterall, how hard would it be to find a blue eyed, blond cadet that knew puppy Zack?

*line break*

Cloud went back to smacking his head on the table in the cafeteria where he sat next to Zack.

"Aww come on Spikey, whatever is bugging you can't be that bad!" His friend's voice was relaxed but the blond could pick up some worry.

"I took Commander Rhapsodos a birthday present Zack. It is that bad! I don't know why on earth I thought it would be a good idea!" The smaller teen groaned and buried his face in his hands.

"Hey come on Cloud, it's not that bad. What did you give him?" Zack's voice was soft and there was suddenly a comforting arm around his shoulder, "I know you've been crushing on him a while so if you need a place to hide out my room is open. OR I can sign you out of classes and we can sneak off for some good food and not this crap."

Cloud couldn't help a small smile escape at that, "I wasn't sure what to get him, so I wrote him a letter with a really old poem from home. It's sad and I think he'd like that kind of stuff, Loveless is like that."

Zack smiled and shook his head, "He'll like it Spike, I know what kind of poems you like. You two could be BFFs if you ever met and he didn't scare you into pissing yourself!" His friend laughed before continuing, "So wanna play skipsies today?"

Cloud tilted his head pondering, it would be a great way to avoid the Commander for the rest of the day, "Can we get Ice Cream?" He asked softly and was almost knocked to the floor as Zack hauled him to his feet. He figured that was probably a yes and didn't question it as he was yanked out of the cafeteria and down the hallway.

*Line break*

Genesis cursed and flung open the door to his friend's office, four hours and he had not only not found the blond but the damnable puppy was missing too!

"Angeal! Where the hell is your pup!" He exclaimed slouching down into the chair across from his friend's desk, unknowingly wearing a very sad pout.

"What did he do now?" Angeal's voice was resigned and Genesis couldn't stop from grinning at the tone of it.

"I need to find out which of his friends left me a gift I liked!" At the surprised and cautious look on the dark haired 1st face, Genesis smiled even more brightly, knowing it usually freaked the hell out of Angeal and Seph.

"He kidnapped a cadet to go out and play today."

The ginger haired man froze and stared at his friend in confusion. Angeal was looking entirely to amused and pleased.

"Now that I know more of what's going on the rest of the message makes a lot more sense." Genesis glanced down at the screen of his friends PHS

/Stolen Cloud. Afraid of Demon in Red. Ice Cream. BBL/

He frowned and chucked Angeal's phone back at him, "I guess I'll have to hunt them down later. Thanks Geal."

As he sauntered out of the office his friend's worried voice stopped him momentarily, "You won't scare them too badly right?"

He grinned, sharklike and dark, "The cadet has nothing to worry about at all." He muttered and laughed as Angeal's shriek followed him down the hall.

"Dammit Gen! Last time I couldn't get him out from under the bed for hours!"

*Line Break*

Cloud slumped down next to his friend, giggling and out of breath. Aside from his momentary lapse in sanity it had been a great day. Zack had treated him to ice cream and pizza and then they'd gone to see Aeris and her garden. Once back at Shinra HQ, Zack had hauled them up in the training room that usually his mentor reserved for them.

They'd been training off and on and Zack had been entertaining him with stories about Genesis, Angeal, and Sephiroth. As well as the insane things he'd done to them. He looked up in shock as his friend fell silence and glanced to the door, blanching when he recognized the vision in crimson leather standing there.

He jumped to his feet, snapping at attention into a salute. At the rich chuckle the Commander let out he shivered a bit.

"At ease Cadet." The ginger 1st's voice was so heavenly to Cloud who glowered at Zack who hadn't told him the man had shown up in the same room with them.

Genesis couldn't help but smirk at the adorable blond in front of him, he crossed to stand in front of the cadet and let his hands fall on the young one's shoulders.

"Thank you Cadet...Cloud, I loved the poem and I daresay it was the nicest thing I've gotten today." Without giving the boy a chance to respond he gripped the other's chin lightly and pressed a very tender kiss to the upturned lips.

Turning he made his way out of the room, mentally thinking up ways his and Cloud's paths could accidentally cross. He'd be stupid to let a gorgeous blond who loves poetry get away from him, and stupid he definitely wasn't.

Cloud stared after the crimson coated man in shock, two fingers pressed gently to his fingers as a dark blush took over his cheeks. He ignored Zack's snickers behind him. He had just been kissed by his crush.

Life was Good

Words: 1413.

This came from my reading Tolkien and discovering it was QUEEN EEVEE's birthday. Happy Birthday Darling! I hope you liked it!

Not beta'd so I could get it up for her birthday. LOL