A/N: Hey, guys. There a slight skip here due to my unwillingness to write Kunsel's arrival. I didn't like the thought of Kunsel hogging all the attention, plus I didn't feel his actual arrival was all that important. So, I skipped to after Kunsel joins Cloud and Zack and they're already heading to Midgar. I hope you enjoy, and thanks for your reviews so far. If you have any suggestions or requests for this story, then feel free to share them.

Chapter 3:

Lying On Our Bed

"Why do I have to carry him?"

"Nice to know I'm loved..."

"Cause I have to concentrate on getting us inside Midgar!"

"Can't you at least help?"

Cloud took back everything he'd said about Kunsel being a nice, devoted friend. The guy was an asshole, pardon the language. It was bad enough that he practically shoved Cloud out of the way upon his arrival, desperate to check if Zack was okay, but now he was just being a bully-no matter how childish that sounded.

Granted, he'd shown genuine concern for Zack's safety and he'd agreed to help them, despite the disastrous consequences. However, you'd think if he was willing to give up his SOLDIER career, then he'd be willing to help carry the ravenette into Midgar.

Guess it just wasn't Cloud's day.

The three of them trudged down the rocky slope of the cliff, leaving behind the scene of chaos and conflict. The best-off of the three walked a bit ahead, practically rubbing his health in their faces, whilst the blond was left to support Zack's weight entirely. The poor boy had only just recovered from his severe mako addiction. Only that morning had he seemed to have regained use of his body, ignoring the odd twitch and stumble. Most would say that he needed to rest until his body completely regained its original strength. But, how was he supposed to rest with one of Zack's arms slung over his shoulder, the hand grasping Cloud's own from fear of falling and the entirety of the man's weight on his small form as they limped, side by side?

The only helpful thing Kunsel had done was carry the Buster Sword for them, waving it around every so often with glee. It was pretty obvious that he'd offered to carry it for selfish reasons rather than kindness.

"No can do, Chocobo! I need to focus on getting us into Midgar. We don't wanna get caught, now do we?"

"So, you have a plan?" Cloud asked with daring hope, dragging Zack along beside him.

"Plan?" The question in the man's voice crushed Cloud's spirit. They were doomed...

"We can't just walk in there; we're supposed to be dead!"

"Good point..."

"And with Zack too injured to fight..." The blond trailed off. He was beginning to think that they'd only prolonged the inevitable. If they were caught, they might be taken back for more experiments and that was certainly worse than death.

"Hey!" Frightened, blue orbs glanced up at the SOLDIER. Kunsel was jabbing his own chest with his thumb, chuckling from beneath the helmet confidently. "Zacky here ain't the only 1st!"

"DUDE!"

Cloud stumbled, almost dropping his friend on the ground, his weight (along with Zack's) shifting all onto his right leg. He suppressed the urge to block his ears by telling himself that any possible damage had already been done. Kunsel seemed less affected, probably due to the distance separating him and Zack, another little detail about the man that got on Cloud's nerves.

"You made 1st?" Zack said, his voice losing the high volume, but keeping all of the excitement. "When the hell did that happen?"

"Come on, Zack! Did you really think I just nicked one of the 1st Class uniforms to show off?" Cloud scoffed; passing it off as gentle clearing of the throat- he wouldn't put it past Kunsel. "I got promoted a couple of months after you vanished; they needed some new guys to fill in the positions anyway. The 1st classes are idols for the public and with Angeal, Genesis, you and Sephiroth all gone- only a small amount remained."

Cloud looked to his left, feeling all of his anger evaporate as he saw Zack's smiling face. How could a man full of bullets smile like that? He truly was amazing.

"And you gave up your fame for us? Aw, I love you man!" Zack chuckled, squeezing Cloud's hand gently. The change in pressure made the blond shiver, the threat of a blush looming over him. He didn't know why it got such a reaction from him, it was completely illogical.

"Actually, people found it hard to adjust. They were all too busy moping about the loss of the previous 1st Classes that they barely paid any attention to us, it was a lot less spectacular than I thought."

"You know," Zack said, his eyes narrowing at the loss of his smile. "You could have just gone with the caring friend act."

Kunsel turned around to face them fully, walking backwards as he shot his friend a thumbs-up.

"Hey, I don't wanna be too sentimental. Save the lovey-dovey stuff for Aerith." With that, Kunsel turned back around- waving the Buster Sword again.

"Fine." Zack said with a childish huff. "You love me, right Cloud?"

The blond's widened eyes stared at the man, whose face held a fake pout. He couldn't hold it back now, the blush that formed on his cheeks. He could feel his skin getting hotter and almost released the man.

"Dude, he has to carry you. He probably hates your guts right now!" Kunsel called from the front, unaware of how angry the statement made Cloud.

"No way!" Zack retorted. "I know he loves me, he told me so."

Oh Gaia.

'I can't believe I said that!' Cloud groaned silently, remembering the words rolling off his tongue the night before.

"Really? When?" The SOLDIER glanced over his shoulder at them, his eyes hidden beneath the helmet.

"Last night." Zack said, grinning again.

"I don't wanna know what happened after that..."

"Hey, shut up!" Zack shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the man. "He didn't mean it like that!"

Kunsel laughed, having received the reaction he'd wanted.

"Whatever. I just know what your sex drive is like, Zack."

"I was dying!"

"That wouldn't stop you."

During the exchange of words between the two, Cloud could feel his blush worsen, knowing that the others would surely notice. All this talk of Cloud loving Zack and Zack having a big sex drive...it got to him, made him uncomfortable.

"You're never gonna let this go, are you?" Zack asked, still smiling through it all.

"Nope." Cloud gulped at the confirmation, imagining the constant barrage of accusations regarding...Oh Gaia. "I'd be careful if I were you, Cloud. Don't get to close to him, especially at night."

The blond looked down, almost stopping his journey. He didn't want to think about that. It was...disgusting and wrong and Zack!

Silence followed between the three of them as they continued down the rocky path. Midgar was getting nearer and nearer every time Cloud looked up. He didn't like the idea of just marching in without a plan and he just couldn't believe that Kunsel and Zack were alright with it either; otherwise he'd be seriously worried. If this was the amount of caution 1st Classes took when faced with danger, it was no wonder so many turned up as K.I.A (Killed In Action). However, despite the looming fear of being caught again, he didn't press on. He was too nervous after the previous exchange, afraid that his voice may come out as a croak, or fail to come out at all!

Luckily, he did not have to break the gruelling silence. You see, certain benefits come from having loud-mouthed friends, one of them being the lack of awkward silences.

"If you're a 1st, why are you still wearing that helmet?" Zack asked, seemingly having forgotten the other topic completely.

"I'm a master of stealth, Zack. With this on, no one would know it was me sneaking off during a mission." The answer infuriated Cloud. He had a strange suspicion that Kunsel had put the helmet on in the presence of others, explaining to them that it was for 'stealth'. Once or twice, the blond was forced to remind himself that he was the cadet and they were the SOLDIERs. Cloud may have been no good at actual battle, but he seemed to better at considering possible outcomes than the other two. Then again, perhaps it was just their laid-back attitudes that were deceiving him.

"Nice excuse...you just think it looks cool." Zack said, lowering his voice into a tone full of pity.

"Oh, shut up! Every 1st has a special accessory- The Buster Sword, Masume, LOVELESS...I needed something! Besides, I've grown fond of this old thing." He smirked over his shoulder, his lips just visible beneath the helmet as he tapped it with a fist.

"Loser..."

The room was dark, the light having been shut out purposely, as was custom amongst this cluster of people. Silence echoed through the hallways, despite the shifts of the workers having begun so long ago. It always seemed such a gloomy place, too professional, too dark, too silent...

It didn't bother them so much today; they had something else to focus on.

Believe it or not, but their boredom was erased by a single figure sleeping peacefully on the bed. Usually they would spend hours upon hours searching for something to clench their thirst for entertainment, having nothing else to do but fight amongst one another.

But, today was different.

Today they had a special guest.

A guest whose gentle breaths seemed to fill the room with the sense of overwhelming excitement, distracting them from the bitter quiet.

And he achieved all this in his sleep, clutching his pillow protectively as though it were his favoured puppy. The five of them watched him carefully, examining every minor detail of his body just as they had been since he arrived.

Even when placed clumsily on the mattress (lying on his left side), his auburn hair had remained perfect, each strand an image of perfection- as though they had been specially crafted. It was such an unusual sight, for someone's appearance to remain so unblemished during slumber.

Indeed, even his face displayed a pure image of peace- reflecting the comfort he had found within himself. They didn't truly understand how he could be like this, so tranquil, after such an arduous struggle.

One of his arms dangled over the side of the bed, the gloved fingertips brushing against the metallic flooring gently whilst the other had wrapped itself around the pillow.

His legs had been carefully re-arranged by his hosts in an attempt to make him more comfortable. In a way, they were laid out similar to the early steps of the recovery position- with his right leg slightly bent; resting upon his straight left one.

They hadn't undressed him. They had considered it, discussed it amongst themselves, pondering over whether it would help him relax and bring him more comfort. However, they understood that some people were modest around others, reluctant to remove even a jacket in fear of exposure. Not knowing whether their guest was one of those people, they left him clothed- hoping that he would be pleased when he awoke. All they wanted was for him to be pleased...

The five had taken up spots all over the room, suited to their various sizes and preference when it came to a resting position.

The smallest of them all had sat herself on the windows sill, staring fondly at the sleeping man as though he were a beloved friend. I call it a window sill, yet I must explain that no such window existent- merely an alcove in the wall above the perch.

In contrast, the largest of them had sat next to the window sill, tall enough to gaze over the bed at the sleeping man despite his lowered position. He would grin every so often, glancing at his comrades as he did, before returning his lingering stare to the center of their attention.

The other female had leant herself against the headboard of the bed, floating over the man with her crimson stare. She had an urge to reach out and brush his brown locks out of his face and stroke his cheek affectionately- yet she dared not. She did not want to disturb the man, even with signs of loved.

The smallest of the men had gradually lowered his weight onto the end of the bed, afraid at first- fearing that the sudden sink of the mattress would crush the sleeper's rest. However, over time, he had become more comfortable on the bed. He now sat upright near the man, watching him closely. At some point, he had moved the brunette's legs, placing them over his lap gently. He noticed the jealous glare from the larger of the females, knowing full well that they all wanted to be close to him, but his touch was more subtle and gentle- incapable of disturbing the brunette.

Lastly, the fifth of them stood across the room. He was glancing around at his comrades, hoping they could suppress their desire to awaken the man. He had more self control, he knew that now was not the time for discussion- their guest needed rest desperately. He had his back leaning against the wall, one leg bent so the sole of his boot could rest against the metallic wall also, whilst the other firmly planted itself on the ground. He had folded his arms across his well-built and bare chest, feeling his lungs take in breaths more rapidly, causing his chest to rise more intensely than it normally would.

"He is so gorgeous." Came the admiring whisper of the taller woman, her Russian accent adding an obsessive tinge to the remark.

"Like an angel." The second female added, also in a hushed voice as she released a content sigh.

"He has an aura about him; you can't help but feel calm in his presence. Even I feel at peace." The largest of them all growled, trying to keep his voice quiet. He didn't like to admit his fondness of the man, finding it all too melodramatic, so his compliment came in a less obvious way.

"I am glad we went." The smallest man said, tracing his fingers over the brunette's boots, following the patterns on them in his distraction. "Do you think he will accept us?"

"Hard to say." The last of them spoke, watching their heads turn to give him their full attention. "He's a stubborn one, to say the least. We don't know what state of mind he's currently in, so we need to handle things delicately."

They all nodded, displaying their silent agreement, before their eyes returned to the sleeping man.

Even they knew it was weird. They must have appeared like such stalkers or perverts to be watching the auburn-haired warrior rest. But, ever since he had arrived, they had been captivated by him. Though the white-haired man across the room, with his arms folded so defensively, tried to stop any signs of adoration shining through, even he couldn't resist the urge gaze at the angel.

It wasn't that he attracted them, though they did find him beautiful (or handsome for those too stubborn to use such a soppy word), they didn't stare due to any desire to ravish him. Only the two females of the group had thoughts of kissing the sleeping man running through their heads...but, it was to be expected. The men showed no interest in such things, they just found him amazing...captivating in a different way.

He was precious to them, despite not having yet spoken to the brunette...he was special...loved.

"And that, my friends, is how I got my pay rise!"

Cloud and Zack stared at him with eyes as wide as they could get, their mouths hanging open at his ludicrous words. The story itself had caused them to stop in their tracks; halting just at the base of the cliff-side as the man threw his arms out triumphantly.

"You killed a guy with a p-paperclip?" Zack squawked, the shock and horror evident in his hesitant tone.

"And got a pay rise for it?" Cloud added, hardly able to hold on to his injured friend.

"Well, that and I agreed to do all the paperwork." Kunsel smirked like the show-off he was, revelling in their thunderstruck faces, loving every moment of being the center of attention.

"I have fought with an umbrella..." Zack stated, still gaping at the SOLDIER.

"And I've killed a man by accidentally throwing a grenade thinking it was a rock..." Cloud claimed, not sure whether to run from the lunatic before him or not.

"That was you with the grenade all those years ago? I remember getting the paperwork when I was still 2nd!" Kunsel groaned, ignoring their true point.

"But, a paperclip?"

Kunsel let out a faint sigh, turning around to continue his journey to Midgar. He waved a hand over his shoulder, beckoning them to follow whilst also silencing them.

"Attention gets lame after a bit..." He muttered, advancing forwards along the, now flat, rocky terrain.

Only when he heard the two wounded men start limping again did he truly return to a regular pace, eager to see Aerith himself. Having only met her once, while Zack was away, he really wanted to see her again. She was a fun person to be with, he could see why Zack liked her so much- not that Kunsel would actually get involved. However, two grouchy, injured and pissed-off young men weren't his idea of good company.

"We'll sneak through the slums-gate to avoid attention." Kunsel announced, pointing over to the right edge of Midgar.

"The what?" Zack called.

"Slums gate, it comes in just next to that weird playground. Don't tell me you never saw it?"

"I was too busy with my girlfriend." The ravenette teased, sticking his tongue out at the helmet-clad SOLDIER's back. "Some of us have the looks!"

"Whatever..."

A/N: So, I hoped you liked this weird chapter. I didn't know how to make Kunsel, as we don't see too much of his attitude in Crisis Core. It's clear that he's laid back, but I fear that I made him too similar to Zack, what do you think? Also, I'm sure all of you have figured out who the other guys are...

5 of them...

2 females...

3 males...

One shirtless and white-haired...

One with a Russian accent and crimson eyes...

I think it's obvious, though some of you may not know depending on what Final Fantasy VII games you've played. I tried to make the totally mysterious (NOT!) 'brunette' appear as...I dunno...appealing as I could without over doing it, even though he's not gonna be involved in any romance (unless you want him to). Let's just say, I'm trying to follow the canon plot (when it comes to these 5 people and their brunette) while adding my own sick taste. Anyway, please review and look out for the next chapter!