Forbidden

by spopococ

Both of us knew it would never be easy. When there’s a personal war waging between two opposing sides, happiness was never a Gaia given gift." Tseng/Cloud YAOI. Requested by KHfujoshigirl98.

Kay, here we are. Due to the mutual love of this pairing, we have a request for a Cloud/Tseng one-shot. Hopefully this inspires me –giggles-

Warnings: Boy/Boy relationship, aka yaoi. Dun like, dun read. Maybe a lil OOC, maybe not. Not actually associated with Conflictions, so don't tell me they're not consistent in their characters. Lol. Language, as is with 98 per cent of anything I write.

Prompt: Even if it's a sin, say that you love me with your forbidden lips.

Requested by: KHfujoshigirl98 – I hope you like it! ;D Feel free to tell me if you don't. lol.

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Both of us knew it would never be easy. When there's a personal war waging between two opposing sides, happiness was never a Gaia given gift. We had to work for it, all the while remaining completely composed in each other's presence. I couldn't help but let my thoughts trail to how things once were, when he was with us. Not specifically the same division, but we could walk past each other in a hall and offer a polite nod with nothing said from either of our comrades. That, in a matter of speaking, was how it all began. Courtesy. He was obligated to provide it to me, due to my rank preceding his by far, but I returned the favour out of my own free will. He was an attractive young male at that time, innocence still apparent in those pristine blues, along with a shy determination for success. He knew nothing of what was to come; maybe it was better back then for that reason alone.

I'd approached him one afternoon, after seeing him at SOLDIER training, pushing his limits as far as they would go. He'd be unlikely to make the cut for a variety of reasons, but something within me, be it intuition or otherwise, knew something great would come from Cloud Strife.

"We're heading to Modeoheim for a mission," I'd said flatly, not letting him become aware of the effect his presence had over me, "I think it would be good for your training should you come with us as a guard."

His face had lit up, before uncertainty flittered across his features.

"That's at the General's discretion, Sir," the blonde nodded, "Thank you for the offer though."

He'd offered a small smile then, which I couldn't help but return, before I turned away. I knew then that Cloud would be coming with us on that mission, at Sephiroth's discretion or not. When I'd requested Cloud's presence, Sephiroth seemed to have not cared less. It was apparent he had little hopes in regard to the blonde, and it appeared that Cloud was nothing more than a disposable grunt at his possession. This only encouraged me further.

Cloud had come along on the trip with a high amount of energy, his smile lighting up every time he was spoken to, be it by Turk or SOLDIER. He almost instantly took a liking to Fair, which I had assumed he would. The two were compatible beyond most, from personality to appearance, and I was quietly pleased that the blonde had found such a fitting mentor. The mission had been a success, much to the quick thinking and actions of Zack Fair himself. From then on, Cloud was often by Fair's side, and if he wasn't, he quickly became attached to mine. More often than not, Zack would leave for missions, leaving Cloud behind. With no other figure willing or able to offer the budding fighter the advice or assistance he sought, he came to me. Much to the surprise of many, he and I quickly formed what you could call a shaky friendship. Too much time together would have people questioning my morals and Cloud's loyalty to the SOLDIER program, and too much time apart would jeopardize Cloud's steadily growing progress. When Cloud started seeking out my company for nothing more than friendship, or get togethers became decidedly more secretive. Much of the time, we would do little more than discuss anything and everything over a cup of coffee in my apartment, or I would offer Cloud some friendly advice over training tactics over lunch at a slum restaurant.

I'd learnt a lot about Cloud as a person over the next few months. I learnt of his desire to be in SOLDIER, of his hapless admiration of Sephiroth as well as Zack. He knew the General saw nothing in him, and every time he'd allure to this fact, my heart would ache a little with the pain that shook through him. To have a hero that passed you off in such a cold manner would undoubtedly have been distressing, regardless of the individual. More often than not, I'd had to comfort Cloud from tears, as he spoke of his dreams to be something that his hero had never believed he would. Those were the days when Cloud still had tears to shed, and did nothing to try and mask his heart on his sleeve.

It was that which brought us together, Cloud surprising me by taking the first step in progressing things further, his lips timidly pressing against mine over a cup of coffee in my apartment, before boldly letting it progress into something more. He was young, he was seemingly innocent, and he was in training to be a SOLDIER, but none of it had made him any less irresistible in that moment, and undoubtedly it never would. I'd given into temptation, allowed myself to be drawn into sin, but nothing would take that moment away from me. We'd not gone too far that day, only resorting to touching, teasing, lips pressed against sensitive skin, as my mid night mental images of a breathless, topless Cloud writhing beneath me was brought partially to reality. Then, duty had called. Things with Angeal and Genesis had escalated, and by the sounds of things, Sephiroth would not be too far behind them in their descent. Lazard was thought to be with them, much to the dislike of Shinra, and they were planning a trip to Nibelheim. Apparently, Cloud would be leaving with them. Every day for the next week, we'd meet in secret, sharing heated kisses, tender touches, shared moments of emotions neither of us was yet willing to confess to. Then, despite my intuition, I'd let him go to Nibelheim. Despite every fiber of my body filling with dread as I'd given the go ahead for Mark to be the Turk driver, despite every breath in my body catching slightly as I filled out the paperwork, I'd let that smiling face go. Had I known that I would lose almost six years of his company because of those decisions, I'd have never agreed to it.

We'd done our best to stop what happened on those cliffs that day, and I'd silently begged that Zack wouldn't do anything too brash that might put Cloud in danger. But he did. Reno had found Cloud on that cliff edge, half catatonic and in no state to be providing any danger. He'd also found the slain body of Zack Fair, and on my orders, he'd left the two there. Had I known Cloud was alive, I'd have ordered Reno to help him into hiding. The redhead would have been less than pleased, but his loyalties would have had him do it anyway. But I hadn't known. The next I'd had a chance to properly speak to him, we'd come across him and his party on the field. He'd changed from a thin, attractive youth, with bright eyes full of hope and determination, to a handsome adult, with eyes of steeled caution, unresolved contempt, and an undeniable grief, all topped off with a form that would send any SOLDIER into envy. He'd worked hard, and the results showed. I felt mildly sickened at the thought that Hojo's mako meddling and Gaia knows what else had helped him along the way. What an ironic twist, really, that Hojo's tampering would become a weapon against us. He was different even a few weeks ago, when we'd brought down the plate… Now though, he was well aware of my presence. His eyes had settled on me, seemingly surprised, before a sense of familiarity washed over him and he almost smiled.

"Tseng," he'd said, a low rumble in his voice, "Still with the Turks I see."

I'd nodded, and we'd battled then, before he'd made his escape. I'd followed them on my own, and Cloud's senses had known I was there. You could see it in his eyes, yet he said nothing to his companions.

By nightfall, his team was resting, and he was walking slowly through the dark, his eyes illuminating a path for him as he headed to my concealed position in the nearby forest.

"Commander," He'd nodded, his gaze roving over me briefly, before locking with my eyes, "You're looking well."

"So are you," I replied softly, and he graced me with a small smile.

"You followed us all the way from the mines," He said dryly, "I'd say that's determination."

"I wanted to talk with you," I said simply, and he raised a brow, teasing smirk creeping along his lips.

"There are a lot of my memories that I don't have any more, Tseng," He said lowly, "But for whatever reasons, ones involving you have always stuck."

He paused, leaning against one of the nearby trees and turning his head to meet my gaze once again.

"I remember you very well," He said lowly, suggestively, "So answer me… Did you really just want to talk?"

I smirked slightly and walked over to him, slowly, deliberately, putting a hand on either side of his head at the trunk, and effectively pinning him against the tree.

"Straight to the point, as always," I continued to smirk, and he offered one of his own before closing the distance between our lips and blistering me with a kiss.

Once upon a time, his kisses had been gentle, probing, and almost shy in their softness. As his personality had changed, apparently so had his boldness. Rough hands gripped at my waist and pulled me to press against him, as his tongue slid deliberately into my mouth, dominating and teasing, unlike any other embrace we'd shared before. I allowed my thigh to press lightly against his groin, and he let out a heated groan into my mouth. I thread my fingers into dirt flecked hair and yanked slightly, as his hands slid to cup my ass in a demanding sign of appreciation. His teeth nibbled my lower lip slightly in a messy haste, before I stooped to trail wet kisses along his neck, my saliva dragging lightly along his throat as my tongue caressed it slightly. He said nothing, but if his firm grip on the back of my head and his short breaths were any indication, he'd craved this as much as I had. I'd worked at marking him then, and when he abruptly pulled me away, I could see my handy work in the darkness. His eyes looked mildly startled, as he stared at mine with a burning intensity.

"…Cloud?" I prompted, and he held a silent finger up, willing I stay silent. It was then that I heard it, a soft voice from a distance away, calling his name. He'd let out a small curse, and turned his head from mine in frustration, before righting himself. I brushed a few pieces of bark from his shoulder, and he smiled softly, leaning in to offer me a series of small, almost chaste kisses, before leaning to murmur in my ear.

"I've missed you, Commander," He said with a nostalgic smile, before turning, sword in hand, and heading for the village.

That statement had left me breathless for a few moments, recalling when he'd said that on so many other occassions, usually after my return of a mission, or a return from his own. He'd then offer a brief friendly hug, before having a customary catch up session. As our relationship had progressed, he'd turned it into an opportune statement to say before he ravaged me, his lips trailing along my skin, and his fingers kneading against every inch of my body until neither of us could take any more. It seemed I was someone he'd remembered clearly, and it prompted me to think if Cloud had held something for me all of those years, as I had done with him.

I'd returned to base with little more than some scattered pieces of information to report back to Rufus. Should he have known of the relations between Cloud and I, he was likely to have had me killed for treason, running the company like an empire as he so often deemed it. Reno had approached me on my way to my office and had stopped me in my tracks, stubbornly refusing to move.

"I can see it in your eyes, yo," He said smoothly, tilting his head back slightly, "You got a past with Strife. Don't think any of us have forgotten how tight you were before all this shit went down."

I'd let nothing show through my emotions, and headed for my office again. He'd blocked me once more.

"I ain't gonna say shit yo; you're like a father to all of us," He shrugged, "But watch your back. You let it show through too much and someone else might just fuck you over."

I nodded and he gave me a pat on the shoulder, before heading off, offering a half assed salute as he left. I knew then, that once again, Cloud and I could never be seen out in the open. Our affairs would have to be shielded from the rest of the world, and I considered my own stupidity at marking him. Surely it would raise questions amongst his own party?

I'd run into him several times after that. Sometimes he was with his party, and others he was on his own. On those occassions that we were blessed enough by Gaia to have such luck, we would talk as we used to, reminisce about things that we still held dear to us. I didn't talk of too much, knowing that things Cloud hadn't mentioned were often things he had no memory of. A part of me ached to realise that Zack was on of them. As an added part of that, things that Cloud said at times were false or inaccurate. He seemed to be under the impression that he'd made it to SOLDIER first class, just like he'd always dreamed. As those conversations progressed, it had finally occurred to me that Cloud hadn't forgotten Zack, he thought he was Zack. I stubbornly told myself that it wasn't my place to correct that. Idolization and worship for his saviour and best friend had brought him closure for his future, by allowing him to live another past. What right had I to take that from him? Instead, I offered comfort like I always had, and far often then not, found myself with the blonde pressed against my body in heated exchanges, raunchy gropes and whispers of touches, whilst he offered his body to me. But, we'd never gone all the way. I think we both knew that should that happen, we'd be truly lost. Within that first week, we'd both known what we were to each other, what we meant to each other, but words hadn't been spoken, and actions had not consummated anything between us. Maybe it was irrational fear, but it was the only fear we'd known to accept.

I could see him now, perched up on the Ancient Forest by Cosmo Canyon. His party had left him there, apparently to do some solitary exploration. I wasn't terribly sure how he'd react to it, but I turned to Reno anyway.

"Reno," I began quietly, and he did nothing more than offer a small smirk.

"Not often you two get alone time, and hey, I think the kid ain't half bad," Reno shrugged, taking the helicopter control stick in his hands and navigating for the rock structure, "Just make sure you know who you're doing."

He paused then and made a cocky smirk.

"Sorry boss, meant what you're doing," He shrugged, "Remember the shit he's put us through. Some people ain't gonna be as forgiving as us."

He gestured his head back at Rude's sleeping form then.

"The big guy wouldn't say a word, you know that yo," Reno smirked, flipping his goggles down to cover his eyes, "Pick you up in an hour or two. We'll make sure Cloud's crew doesn't come back too soon either."

With that he offered a wink and hovered nearby the ground. I gave a grateful nod, and he smirked wider, before giving a wave as I jumped from the helicopter.

Almost immediately, the buster was swinging full force at me. Thankfully, quick reflexes had my EMR blocking the object from my skin just as suddenly. As metal clashed with metal, he lowered his weapon and let out a small laugh.

"Scared the shit out of me…" He murmured, and I looked him over. He was thickly covered in dirt and dust, his face smeared with what appeared to be mud, as he tucked his sword into its sheath. There was blood on his clothes and arms, and I quirked a brow.

"We had a few run-ins with some unusual monsters," He said by way of explanation, "What brings you to my neck of the woods?"

"We saw you land here, and I was curious as to what you were doing," I replied, also returning my EMR to its holster. He quirked a brow, before turning and heading back into the forest. I followed after him, and he smirked.

"More importantly, you saw me land here alone," He suggested, "And didn't want to miss the opportunity for a customary catch up."

He saw through me every single time.

"Perhaps," I replied evasively, although my barely repressed smile was doing nothing to help my feigned innocence. He nodded, remaining quiet as he pushed his way past some branches, holding them away for me to get through. The forest was heavy with the smell of rain, and it wasn't long before it began to fall in torrents, the wildlife retreating into the growth around them. For the most part, it was a dense jungle, but there seemed to be very few insects. Gaia had surely blessed this place with serenity, stopping everything but her true beauty from showing through. We walked for a little longer, before he pulled aside some more branches and stepped through. There was a small clearing up ahead, complete with small stream and bubbling pond, and he gestured at it with his head as I stepped by him.

"This is what I'm doing here," He explained, before heading for the water.

"Mako spring?" I asked, noticing that the bubbling was likely to have come from a heat source, "Are you researching materia creation methods?"

He smirked at this and shook his head.

"Turks, huh? You're always over-analyzing shit," He teased, as I fought back an uncharacteristic blush, "It's just a normal hot spring. It might have slipped your attention, but I kind of need a wash."

I opened my mouth, but words failed me at the mental images that his statement was suggesting. A part of Cloud that I'd grown accustomed to all those years ago was all but gone. He wasn't shy around me any more, and I think it might have a lot to do with the Zack characteristics he'd picked up, along with the reserves of strength he'd finally managed to tap into. Cloud had grown up, it seemed.

I was interrupted from my musings as Cloud began to peel his soaking sweater off, stretching out as he did so, to reveal a rippling expanse of lean, pale muscle. He tossed it aside and began working on removing his belt, followed shortly after by his pants. Apparently, he chose not to wear underwear.

"You're lucky you caught me," He remarked casually, "It's not often I get time to myself."

He stepped into the water then and ducked his head under, the action flattening his usually fluffy hair down even further than the rain had, so that he looked noticeably different. Now, he was all bright blue eyes, no blonde frays of hair hanging over them. He scrubbed at his face, as the blood, mud and sweat rolled off his skin and stirred briefly in the water before disappearing.

"I was aware of that," I replied after a few moments of recomposing myself.

"Funnily enough when you start to smell like rotting animal, the girls tend to politely suggest you have some wash time to yourself," The blonde smirked, scrubbing at his hair and dislodging some pieces of unknown matter that had apparently been lodged in his hair.

"The others don't bathe with you?" I asked curiously, taking a few steps forward as he watched me curiously the entire time.

"Barret seems to think that deodorant is the equivalent of a shower, Cait's little more than fluff anyway, and Red?" Cloud laughed a little at his thoughts, "He pretty much just licks himself clean."

He gave a shrug at this, and smirked.

"I suppose it's not a bad skill to have," he smirked, before ducking under the water again.

When he came back up and started scrubbing at his back, I was tempted to ask if he needed a hand, but made no move to do so. Unlike Cloud, I still remained relatively reserved in my actions, despite the blonde now naked in my presence for the first time.

"You okay there, Commander?" He asked, smirk lingering along his lips. I became aware then, that I was in fact staring anyway.

"Fine thank you," I nodded, clearing my throat, "How's Aerith?"

Cloud nodded, smiling softly.

"She's alright I guess. Full of surprises, as always," He remarked dryly, "But you would know that already."

It was a mood killer, I knew, judging by the slight frown now creeping across both of our lips.

"I followed orders, Cloud."

It was a stupid excuse, but it was the only one I had. Thankfully, he turned his head and started rubbing at his arms, offering a small "I know".

He was watching me then, as I drew a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped at my face, collecting the rain that had gathered there. A small shiver ran through me, and he quirked a brow.

"Cold?" He asked simply, and I gave an uncomfortable nod, not used to being so ridiculously saturated in the presence of others. He gestured then, his head flicking to the hot springs he was in.

"It's a heck of a lot warmer in here," He suggested, "If you feel like having a bit of a wash yourself."

I smirked, and he held up his hands in a passive gesture.

"I'll behave," he smirked, "Scout's honor."

I looked him over, before slowly working on my tie and shirt. He watched the entire time, despite pretending to be busied with his own cleaning.

"It isn't an executive bath," He shrugged, "But at least it's an experience, huh?"

I smiled, removing my shirt and watching as his gaze lazily shifted across my chest.

"I'm more willing to be rid of the cold," I replied casually, sliding my belt from the loop on my pants.

"That's too bad, I was going to offer to scrub your back," He smirked teasingly, as I raised a brow, working on lowering my pants, and then my briefs. He stopped pretending to wash himself and shamelessly allowed his eyes to roam my body. I felt heat pool in my cheeks and… lower areas… before slipping into the water. He slowly started to move over, barely contained desire illuminating his eyes as he approached me.

"I just realized something," he remarked softly, closing the distance between us and resting his hands on my waist.

"What's that?" I murmured, as he smirked.

"Unless it's a repressed memory, I never was a scout," He said quietly, leaning closer to my lips, "So I do believe that the Scout's honor thing doesn't apply…"

I smirked, and felt him do the same as he slowly pressed his lips against mine, followed shortly after by the rest of him.

I felt a thrill through my body as his bare skin pressed directly against mine, and I got a direct feel of just how much of an effect I'd had on him. It seemed as if some things were mutual. He tugged roughly at the tie holding my hair up, and let my hair fall down around my shoulders. He pulled back slightly to have a look, before groaning slightly, as I slipped a hand into the water to press slightly against his growing hard-on. He pressed his lips to mine again, and thread his hand into my hair, before leaning to whisper in my ear.

"Gaia, you're beautiful."

What was that saying? Took the words right out of my mouth? It seemed he had done that quite literally, and as he slid his tongue to meet mine, the rain continuing to fall down upon us. I placed my hands around his waist, and he lifted his legs to wrap around my hips. He kissed me harder as our erections brushed against each other, and he groaned shamelessly into my mouth.

"Tseng," He murmured, and I shivered slightly at the roll of his tongue across the word, as if he was savouring it.

"Yes?"

"I just-" He began, but was cut off when I began to nibble on his neck. All he emitted then was a shaky breath, as he clutched onto the back of my head. This was the Cloud I could remember; shaky, docile, and entirely submissive, as he bared his neck to me in a primal display of trust.

He bit down on my shoulder, and I let out a shaky breath of my own. If we went too much further with this, I wouldn't be able to help myself.

"Cloud…" I said in warning, and he raised fiery eyes to meet mine.

"I don't care any more," He replied simply, his brows furrowing, "I…"

He stopped though, and simply kissed me once again, his fingers pressing deeper into my skin as his hand clutched into the water to wrap around my member, slowly teasing with his touches until I was near writhing beneath him.

"I need you," He whispered, and it was enough to send me into the point of no return, forcefully grabbing his hips and lowering him rather abruptly onto my aching cock. We'd both needed this, craved this, for far too long.

Gaia, the heat.

He let out a shuddering moan, his teeth pulling on his lower lip and his eyes clenching shut as he adjusted to me.

"Cloud…"

"I just… need a minute…" He grimaced, shifting himself slightly and sending a ripple of pleasure through the both of us. He let out a startled gasp and gripped my shoulders, as my fingernails damn near drew blood from his hips. He was tight… So unbelievably tight…Then, he started moving, slowly raising himself up, before sliding back down with a little more force as my fingers gripped him tighter, guiding him as he moved. His lips pressed against my cheek and neck as we went, his hot breath filling my ear with every thrust. He was like putty in my hands, but his hips… Gaia, those hips were like a force of their own, pulling me into him, and guiding me out, as he started to bite lightly along my skin.

"Gaia, Tseng," He breathed, "You have no idea how long I've-"

He trailed off into a breathless cry as I changed my angle slightly. I pressed inside him again, and his face screwed up in pleasure.

It made me wonder why I'd waited so long to claim this moment for myself. For six years, my dreams had been haunted of Cloud in such unadulterated beauty, in the moments where he knew nothing but pleasure and happiness. It had been far too long since he'd allowed himself this kind of indulgence, and I was all too pleased to provide him with it. We moved together, surrounded by bubbling heat, and feeling as if it burnt us from the insides out. The rain slid down his cheeks, and ran along his lips, falling from the bottom one like a private waterfall for my own lips to sample. I teased him into a kiss, and he near devoured me, his heat clenching around my erection as I pulsed inside him. I was getting too close too fast, but by the blissful sighs he was pressing into my mouth, his eyes clenching tighter as his fingers grasped onto my skin, it seemed he wouldn't be much longer himself. The friction between his own body and mine, as well as the continual torment of his prostate, had Cloud writhing against me, cries pouring from his lips, and finally, my name, as he released himself into the water around us. His passage tightened and released, and I felt a wave of blinding heat course through me, a bubble of pleasure coursing from my stomach to my groin. I held my breath, the pressure dizzying me, and Cloud's name stumbled from my mouth before it was quickly swallowed by his lips, my release being sought after inside him finally being rewarded.

He kissed me lazily for some time, and trailed his hands across my skin, encouraging me to give him the same treatment, before he pulled back, his eyes seemingly unable to meet mine.

"Are you alright?" I asked softly, trailing a fingertip along his lips, which he kissed lightly, his eyes turned away in what appeared to be anguish. I wouldn't lie, I panicked slightly, terrified that I'd done something wrong, or hurt him in a way I was as yet unaware of.

"I want to say something, but I'm not sure whether it's appropriate," He frowned, his cheeks blushing slightly, before I slid from his body, and he laid his head on my shoulder.

"You've never seem too bothered by inappropriateness before," I murmured dryly, and he laughed softly, raising his eyes. He met mine for a moment, before turning away, and then returning them. His inner conflict seemed to mirror my own, and I wondered briefly if the words he would not allow to spill were the same as mine. Everything about this was morally wrong, as it always had been. Even back then, we were opposite sides in the same team. Now, him fighting against Shinra had only made things complicated. Nothing could have stopped it though. What I felt for him, what I had always felt for him, had washed any fears of sin or immorality from my mind. Every moment he gifted me with was surely a blessing from Gaia herself.

"I think that I love you," He murmured against my neck, and I seized. As soon as I had, he turned his head and pulled it from my shoulder, his face refusing to turn to mine. I caught him abruptly however, and pulled his lips to mine, offering a gentler pressing of reassurance against him, as he curled his fists against my chest. He pulled back, his forehead resting against mine.

"Should sin be a factor in our demise or not, Cloud," I whispered, "Gaia be damned, I love you too."

And there it was. Almost seven years of tortured words left unspoken had finally been cleared. He offered a shy smile, so much like his younger self, that I ran a thumb along his cheek.

"Some things never change, I guess," I smiled softly, and he held my gaze for some time, unperturbed by the rain, before I heard a distant helicopter land just outside the forest. He let out a soft sigh, and pulled himself from my arms, sliding out of the springs and slipping into his usual gear. It was still smeared slightly with mud and blood, but he didn't seem too stressed about it. I slipped out, and he allowed his eyes to roam me once again, a smirk of smug confidence slipping across my lips.

"I meant what I said by the way," He murmured, as I pulled on my suit. I turned a curious gaze to him, and quirked a brow.

"Everything I said," He shrugged, pulling on his waterlogged boots, "Not just the whole 'I love you' thing. You're beautiful. Noticed it from the moment I first saw you."

"Oh?" I smiled softly, and he blushed slightly, an awkward gesture on the now confident blonde.

"Yeah. I just remember the first time I saw you again, on the field. I hadn't recognised you on the chopper. I guess it was the new suit and hair. You've gotten a little darker too."

"More time in the sun, I suppose," I smiled, and he returned the favour.

"Where do we go from here?" He asked suddenly, and I froze as I was pulling on my shoes. His eyes were serious, questioning.

"Where can we go?" I asked solemnly, and he nodded.

"I know. Doesn't stop me from asking. Guess the idea of you with someone else just kind of unsettles me," he shrugged, before his eyes widened slightly and he drew his sword.

"There's no one else, featherhead," I heard Reno drawl, as I turned to see the redhead approaching with Rude, "Boss man's smitten."

The redhead had his EMR out, and it was apparent why Cloud was on the defensive.

"Reno," I said warningly, and he flicked eyes to mine, before begrudgingly putting away his weapon.

"You're secret's safe with us, Strife," The redhead said coldly, "And as long as Tseng here is around, you're pretty safe too."

He let out a small, mirthless laugh then, before gesturing for me to go. He turned and started walking, Cloud's eyes flashing with a malicious intent. One day those two would have a serious clashing of heads, but it wasn't today, and for that I was glad.

"We gotta go Tseng, or Rufus will start chewing off heads," The redhead shrugged, "Catch ya later Strife."

"Guess you better go," Cloud said softly, putting his weapon away. I gave a small nod, and he smiled slightly.

"I'll miss you, Commander," He murmured, giving a smirk and a half assed wave, before heading off into the opposite direction of the others. The feeling was mutual, but I said nothing as I watched him leave.

One day, he'd amount to something that none of us would be expecting, and I intended to be by his side, forsaken by sin or otherwise. For he was a forbidden temptation that this Turk could not refuse, and I wasn't letting him go again.

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A/N: Hmm… Did I like it? Dunno. You tell me what you guys think. Lol.