Awwww, you guys make me feel loved. You make me think that I might actually have a bit of talent as a writer. Thanks for that, it flatters me and makes me smile :)

For Hitokimi and The Well Loved Stray, for both hassling me endlessly =P

Warnings: Yaoi, Coarse language. I do not own or make any profit from FFVII stories or anything affiliated with them. This work is purely fan based and shall continue to be so.

Association - Chapter Three

General Stuffy-Pants' point of view

Sephiroth had never had any trouble getting what he wanted. People remained happy with him out of fear, and in Zack's case, out of respect and friendship. Now, with the Lieutenant so obviously torn up about the events that had occurred between Cloud and himself, Sephiroth was coming to realise that sometimes getting what you wanted wasn't always easy, and even the most joyous of people could fabricate smiles.

--

It wasn't that I was ignorant to Fair's issues at the moment. I was well aware of when he was hiding things from me, and with wearing his heart on his sleeve, far too often you could see when he was having an inner conflict that was chewing him apart. The stunt he'd pulled with the motorcycle had been idiotic, and for three days now, I'd been trying to determine what it was exactly that would push him towards such reckless behaviour. Had he been truthful when he said he'd been hurt by my keeping secrets from him? I highly doubted so.

"General Sephiroth?" I vaguely heard a voice from across the table. All eyes in the room were now on me, and I saw my mistake in letting my concentration stray for too long.

I heard the Commander let out a soft sigh from my left.

"If you trust me enough, you would answer yes," Tseng murmured, and I nodded. I continued to meet Reeve's gaze across the table and nodded.

"Yes," I said simply, and the entire table seemed satisfied with that decision. There were times when I despised Tseng. This was not one of them. The meeting continued with a discussion from Scarlett and Heidegger, and Tseng leant a little closer to me.

"It's not like you to be this pre-occupied, General," He murmured, and I offered no explanation.

"What did I agree to?" I asked evasively, and he smirked slightly.

"Added funds allocated to SOLDIER third class training," He murmured, and I nodded in approval. There was a moment then where Scarlett had apparently made a joke, and the Commander and I were the only two not feigning amusement. Nobody seemed to question this, as the meeting continued. They rarely questioned either of us, on further thought…

"Also, General, I've assigned a Turk to watch over your Lieutenant," Tseng said calmly, as I whipped my eyes to meet his.

"What?" I hissed through my teeth, a calculated smirk creeping along his lips.

"Temper, Temper…"

"There is absolutely no need for you to-"

"To say the very least General, I'm sure you'd agree that he has been somewhat distracted of late," the commander interjected softly, ensuring not to draw un-necessary attention. There was no argument there, as I'm sure he realised, before he continued.

"It's only for a few days, simply to ensure that he is fit to be working. You understand that this is a standard procedure," Tseng said softly, almost warningly, "I expect your full participation, as always."

There was a silence between the two of us for a few moments then, before I let out a barely audible sigh.

"So be it, on one condition," I said in all seriousness. He quirked a brow and waited, showing he was listening.

"No wires or audio bugs. You understand that he is privy to confidential information, and I expect none of this information to abruptly come into possession of the Turks."

He thought on this for a few moments, before nodding his head in agreement.

"Understandable," He said simply, before seemingly returning his attention to the meeting. My thoughts, however, strayed to Zack.

He was no fool. Despite how eager or experienced the Turk assigned to him was, Zack was too well trained to not realise when he was being followed. This was information I would not share with Tseng for obvious reasons, but it was my beliefs that Zack would be sure to be nothing short of angelic for the next few days. Gaia Zack, for your behaviour to become of interest to the Turks… The meeting drew to an end at that moment, as everyone stood whilst Shinra left the room, Rufus never too far behind. If he were to turn out anything like his father, Shinra may very well become under siege from its own employees. As they left through the door, I saw two Turks flanking them. A lean Turk with flaming red hair and bright cyan eyes offered an urgent gesture with his eyes towards Tseng, and the Commander politely excused himself from my company.

"I'll be sure to keep to my words, General," He reassured as he left, "So long as you keep to yours."

"We're both honorable men, Commander," I replied curtly, "I'm sure we can rest confidence within each other."

He nodded, before meeting with the red head and speaking in hushed tones as they disappeared into the halls. It was then that I felt an all too familiar hand on my shoulder, and smelt the distinct fragrance of mako and antiseptic creeping into my nostrils.

"Interesting behaviour of late, General," Hojo said quietly into my ear, a smirk lacing his every word, "Perhaps we should look further into this?"

I calmly raised a hand and removed his from my shoulder. His very proximity made me feel as if some foreign power within me was stirring, willing to draw the line on his life.

"That won't be necessary, professor…" I murmured, and he offered me a smile almost as oily as his hair as we both headed for the door.

"Oh no General, I insist. You remember your agreement with President Shinra, do you not?" He asked, and I swallowed down the string of cuss words that were brimming on my lips.

"Should there be any signs of distraction that may possibly affect your contributions to this company," He chided, "You're been instructed to undergo tests, have you not?"

"Zoning out at an office meeting is hardly enough of a distraction to raise alarm," I snapped, and he shook his head slowly.

"Oh, but it is. You see, you're well aware of how much attention you garner, General. People have been noticing both you and Lieutenant Fair have been a little… off colour… since his little… incident…" He smirked slightly, and I felt my fists clench involuntarily by my side. He'd get what was coming to him some day, and it would be by my own hands.

"Very well," I said curtly, "I'll meet you at your office within the hour."

He seemed ready to say something further, but apparently decided against it, giving a simple nod before heading out the door.

I walked the halls and thought over my distraction. Perhaps it was a cause of concern for those around me. It was not often that something bothered me as much as the current situation. Cloud Strife, 'grunt of the year' this year, and undoubtedly one of the most fascinating creatures I'd come across. Had Zack not interrupted that moment the other day, I could only imagine all the ways I'd have ravaged him, starting with those sweet little lips perched so delicately upon his face. He was delectable in every way imaginable, but as much as his looks ensnared me, something about his fun-loving and caring personality was even more alluring. In that way, he was so very much alike to Zac-

This was ridiculous.

It had gotten to a point now, that even simple indulgences in terms of my attractions to Cloud, could not be considered without my thoughts straying to Zack. I suppose the rational thing to do would be to admit that I had feelings for both Cloud and Zack. Rationality was a necessity, but something I sometimes found difficulty in. This would prove to be no exception. So far, things had not progressed any further than heated kisses with Cloud. He'd come to my office not long after Zack had left the other morning, and despite my Lieutenant's words still ringing fresh in my ears, I'd had the lithe little blonde backed against my desk within minutes. Gaia knows how long we'd been locked together there, before the call had come in of Zack's accident. Needless to say, the moment had been killed. It was as if Gaia was conspiring against the blonde and I, insisting that if things should get too heated, she would remind us of the presence that wasn't there. I could recall the blonde's eyes staring up at me as Tseng had given the news down the telephone line. I was naïve to believe that I may be the only one who held Cloud's attentions, and seeing the same panicked heart ache I was feeling mirrored in his eyes was only further confirmation. Cloud had stayed in my office as I'd gone to see Tseng. I'd come back to him and we'd waited together, Cloud's face resting against my shoulder as silent sobs had racked his body. I'd felt for the blonde more in that moment than I'd ever felt for anything in my entire life, and I couldn't help but feel a stab of jealousy also. Not only was he able to express his pain far more adequately than I could, he was expressing it for someone other than myself. He was expressing it for my Lieutenant.

--

I stared at the tiles across the ceiling, falling into the familiar pattern of counting the tiny holes that separated one from the other by the corners, whilst holding my lips into a thin line of feigned nonchalance.

"Choosing to ignore me once again, I see," He remarked lightly, as his face appeared above mine. He smirked as he locked me in, the cold metal bars pressing down across my bare chest as he pushed his glasses to rest further up the bridge of his nose.

"Are you going to be willing to talk at all today, or am I to reluctantly allow the President to remove you from active duty, hmm?" he asked smugly, staring down his nose to meet my eyes. I flicked my gaze to his and made no effort to hide my dislike.

"I fail to see the necessity in these tests, considering your concern was over my state of mind," I replied coldly, and he laughed in his throat. It was much alike to that of a hyena stealing carcasses on the prairie under the cover of night fall. It was cold, conniving, and so self-assured of its success. As for what he'd felt that he'd succeeded at, I'd never and would never take the time from my day to care.

"Another agreement, you may remember, is that anytime you come to the labs, we are permitted to run whichever tests we see as being valuable at the time," He explained, drawing a sample of blood from my arm, "And considering that you have been away from active duty due to a lack of any war, now is the first opportune moment we've had to put you through your paces."

I turned my eyes back to the ceiling and resumed my counting, as he prepared the mako shots and Gaia knows what else the slimy little bastard pumps into me.

I stared at the roof through most of his tests which allowed me to remain lying down, whilst he continued to pry for a response from me. By now, I had come to realise that most of the time, these routine tests were nothing more than an opportunity for him to do just that. Hojo had been a part of my life for far longer than I'd have liked, and yet in an odd way, I considered him a part of my family. He was a figure that was forever present and whether the presence was good or not, it was familiar. There was nobody else alive who would have the balls to test my limits like he had, and loathe as I was to admit it, his persistent torment during my childhood had been a prime factor in making me the SOLDIER that I was today.

"Lieutenant Fair is certainly an interesting individual," he remarked off-handedly as he withdrew a syringe from my arm. Unwillingly, my eyes snapped to him and narrowed slightly.

"We have a defensive streak there, don't we?" He asked, his voice a little higher than usual, as he raised his brows, "Why would that be, I wonder?"

"Lieutenant Fair is a first class SOLDIER, professor," I said curtly, "I find it necessary to hold caution when another individual speaks of them in an ill manner."

"Ill manner? Sephiroth my boy, you have little need to make such accusations," He laughed. I often wondered how an individual could exhume nothing but fake emotions. A laugh should be genuine, and a smile heartfelt, if they were to be shared at all. Individuals such as Hojo were not worthy of projecting such hollow emotion.

"Tell me," He paused, choosing to unclasp my restraints and raise the table, "Do you believe that an individual such as yourself would honestly be capable of drawing love from someone like him?"

I shot another cold stare, but said nothing as I stretched my arms and rolled my neck, ensuring to get all the cricks out.

"Or even someone as innocent and doll-like as that little blonde fellow you've been spending your time with," He continued, pushing further boundaries, "Do you think even a heart that open to those around him could fathom affection… true affection… for you?"

My arm shot out of its own accord and caught him by the collar of his shirt, slamming him against the wall, old flakes of paint and plaster falling from the impact. He let out a gasp, seemingly winded, even as his lips curled into a satisfied smirk. He spluttered slightly, before snorting, as I dropped him to the floor. As he stood, he dusted himself off and gave me a nod.

"I think you're quite alright to leave now, General," He smirked, "I've gotten everything I needed. It's quite apparent what your distraction… pardon me, who your distractions are…"

I turned on my heel and left the lab as quick as my legs would take me. I loathed him, and he knew that all too well.

--

I'd hardly stepped into the training hall, before Cloud was heading toward me with a concerned frown tracing his lips. The other SOLDIERs in training stopped what they were doing, and saluted. When Cloud had reached me, he stopped before me and offered a quick salute before speaking.

"If you don't mind me saying, sir, you look like shit…" He murmured, and I offered a fleeting smirk, before reminding myself of where I presently was. The others had no need to become aware of my affections towards Cloud. Any sign of physical emotion from me had become a rarity in their eyes, and so I had little grounds to be able to show them.

"How flattering," I replied, allowing a little amusement to show through my words as he blushed and smiled slightly. Gaia, that smile had enough potency to wipe whatever bullshit Hojo had implanted in my mind. I walked towards Cloud's instructor, a retired First Class SOLDIER by the name of Korum, and he offered a polite nod in my direction. Firsts weren't required to salute, but it was seen as favourable to do so in the presence of lower classes or cadets. Korum, however, was in a league of his own.

"General, a pleasure to see you," He said gruffly, twisting a toothpick he held in his mouth with the tips of his fingers.

"Korum, the pleasure is mine," I replied politely, and he clapped me on the back, much to the stunned surprise of his group.

"Ah you old stuff-ass!" He laughed, and I held back the urge to smile, "What can I do you for?"

Korum had been in Shinra for as long as just about anyone could remember. He'd been a strong figure in the military, primarily because of his courage and vast amounts of usually untapped talent. To say the least, he often caught people by surprise and left them beyond impressed when they'd fought alongside him. He'd often mentored rising stars within Shinra, and I had been one of those. When I'd passed him in rank, he'd been far beyond proud, and showed no signs of jealousy or bitterness. He'd cheered enthusiastically when I'd received the title of General, and I'd offered a small smile to him standing in the back of the ceremonial hall, forever twisting that toothpick between his lips. He was quite possibly the closest thing to a father figure I'd had. Hojo had laughed when I'd told him that.

"Him? A father figure to you? Ha!" The professor had snorted, "Sephiroth, you are full of unexpected stupidity."

Needless to say, it had only made me admire Korum more and respect Hojo less. Not that the bastard had very much respect to lose from me…

"I'd like to borrow Strife for a little bit if I may," I said flatly, even though I allowed my eyes to offer a small sign of modest adoration for the man before me. He didn't miss it, if the cheesy grin on his lips was any indication.

"Can do General," He winked, "Perhaps the boy can help you pull the stick from your ass."

With that he laughed heartily, once again stunning his group. I turned to face them, and they hurriedly returned to their training sessions. Cloud stood rigid by Korum's side, ensuring that he held the signs of utmost respect for me that were expected.

"Well, you heard the General," Korum barked, as the blonde startled, "Move yer scrawny ass, Strife!"

Cloud nodded hurriedly and scampered to my side as I nodded politely at the drill instructor and headed for the observation room.

"How come he's so nice to you?" Cloud muttered enviously, and I bit back a smirk.

"I've earned it," I replied simply, and he scowled.

"Earned it my lily white ass. Just because you're the General, he kisses up your ass," Cloud scowled, and I let a small laugh out.

"As much as the discussion of your… 'lily white ass' doesn't bother me," I smirked teasingly, as his cheeks flared, "I am bothered by your disrespect for the man. Respect is a two way street, Cloud. Should you choose to start seeing him in a different light, then perhaps he would see you differently also."

When we'd entered the observation room, he'd turned abruptly and wrapped his arms around my torso, pressing his heated cheek against my chest.

"Are you quite alright, Cloud?" I asked, not bothering to hold back the amusement in my tone.

"Sorry," He murmured, "I just…"

He faltered then, as if he were thinking over his words before he said them. More and more often lately, he seemed to do this, as if he believed he might let something slip that he wasn't willing to.

"I really kinda missed you and training was just so frickin boring today and Gaia you smell good…" He blurted, before muttering an embarrassed "…Shit…"

I let a low laugh rumble through my chest, and he laughed awkwardly too. He raised his face, cheeks positively burning, before pulling away from me and scratching the back of his head. I felt my eyes flaring a little as they settled on him, his mere proximity casting much the opposite effect of Hojo's. Rather than encouraging a darker part of me I had no interest in delving in to, Cloud seemed to soothe it. He held my gaze with a focused intensity, and he smiled a little, as if holding onto a personal joke. I quirked a brow, still smirking down at him and he snorted slightly. It was a simple sound, but entirely befitting of the awkward nature that Cloud possessed.

"It's nothing, it's just…" He hesitated, "The guys in my class were saying how if a first class flared up when looking at them, they think they'd shit their pants from the fear."

"I certainly hope that's not the case with you?" I teased, and he laughed.

"Nah, I'm all good. I guess we were all just under the impression that flaring up is only produced by anger."

I willed my eyes to dull, and he looked up at me curiously.

"How do you do that?" He asked, and I gave a soft smile.

"I have a little more control than most. Mako flare-ups can come from any sort of emotion, should they be strong enough," I explained, "And due to extensive training and… other things… I've come to be able to control my flare ups on demand."

"Can't all first class SOLDIERs do that?"

"Only in regards to anger. During my childhood, the head of the Turks at the time had decided that with my emotions, it was too risky for an enemy to determine how I was feeling," I elaborated, feeling a hollow ache through me on mention of my Turk mentor, "Rather than risking my giving of vital information should I be captured and interrogated, I was trained from a young age to resist it."

"So… you can pretty much become void of emotion?" Cloud asked, his brows creasing.

"Yes."

There was no simpler answer, but once again, the brash truth that I had been use to giving seemed to upset the blonde.

"But that's… I dunno," He worried his lower lip slightly, "Is it a handy skill to have?"

"At times," I admitted, my hands encircling the blonde's waist of their own free will, "At others, it leaves me a little intimidating, as some parts of the training had an odd effect over me."

"Odd effect?"

"At times, I can't shut it off," I said, mildly uncomfortable. Why was it that I had never shared this information with anyone before? With Cloud's bright blue eyes latched onto mine, rapt with attention, it seemed natural to give him every explanation he could ever ask for, before the need to ask ever even arose.

Cloud was thinking, and he seemed to be thinking hard, his brows creased slightly, his teeth nibbling his lower lip, and his fingers twiddling against each other as he pressed against my chest.

"So when everyone talks about those times where they say you're cold, and you're cruel, and that you have no heart," He whispered, seemingly uncomfortable about what he was saying, "It's not that you're not feeling anything, it's just that you can't show it…"

I nodded, and he was quiet for a moment, gently laying his head back against my chest. It was an odd feeling, a foreign one. A part of me wanted to make a witty remark, or a perverted gesture or action, just to cheapen this up a little. I wasn't one to ever feel fear, and I figured it had something to do with Hojo, but something about the thought of Cloud changing me to something that I'd been programmed specifically not to be… It was a little frightening.

"I came here to talk about Lieutenant Fair," I interrupted, my face falling straight as he pulled back from my chest and scratched the back of his head. He turned and headed to the viewing glass and sat down on one of the chairs there.

"I'm… worried…" He murmured, frowning vacantly out the glass.

I know the feeling.

"Do you think… Do you think it might have something to do with… you and me?" He asked timidly, his cheeks flaring, "That is to say, not that I was assuming there was a you and me, just that maybe Zack had realised that there was something going on, not that there's anything wrong with that either, but the thing is, it might have made him uncomfortable or-"

"Cloud, there is almost certainly a you and I," I smirked, and his mouth closed shut, his cheeks continuing to burn.

There was a small silence as I mulled things over in my head, which was probably best. Cloud and I both had things to consider now, and sometimes continued conversation would only strain the subject one was trying to avoid. In this case, Zack. He was… He meant more to me than perhaps I was willing to admit… But if I were to compare him to Cloud, I was not able to pick a favourite between the two. Each had such similar qualities, yet remained miles apart. When Zack got passionate about things, his eyes lit up with something beyond mako, and he took charge and made sure everyone listened to what he had to say. Cloud didn't have that amount of confidence just yet. When Zack was thinking, he'd poke his tongue out a little. When Cloud was, he'd furrow his brows, lower his head, avert his gaze, and worry his lip, effectively showing you that every thought he had mattered to him. Cloud liked reading fiction and poetry; Zack liked reading comics and SOLDIER biographies. Cloud liked dark chocolate because of the taste; Zack liked white chocolate because he thought it was easier to wash out if he got it on his pants. Both of them had smiles that were contagious, but Zack's were so natural due to their frequency. Cloud's were special because you had to earn them. Cloud was the type of person you could envision spending every night of your life with, whilst holding a different conversation each time. He loved to talk and to learn about the individuals around him, he was the… 'Cuddly'… type, and he was submissive in almost every aspect. Zack was the type of person you could envision spending every night of your life with, and have no idea where each minute would lead you. He was wild, spontaneous, and entirely unpredictable. But both took on the other traits at times as well. If I were to choose, it would be an impossible task.

"Cloud," I said softly, and he turned his eyes to me, "Every time we're spending time together, do you ever feel as if something's missing?"

His mouth parted slightly, his gaze falling from mine as his cheeks burned further.

"I…" He paused, seemingly carefully considering his words, as if he were about to spew them out in a blurted rush of air once again. He stopped entirely then, catching his breath and letting out a defeated sigh.

"I do," Was all he said, his face turning from mine, "Don't get me wrong, being around you was stupefying enough for me. To find out that you thought of me the same way I did about you was even better, but I feel …"

I said nothing, and he shook his head, more to himself than me, I think.

"What am I saying?" He laughed nervously, and I moved to his side, placing a hand on top of his head. I ran a hand through his hair, and he leant into the touch, before leaning further to rest against my stomach. I held his ear there and looked down at him as he let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes. So incredibly trusting of me, he was…

"This is so fucked up…" He murmured, before his eyes snapped open abruptly in apparent mortification, "Did I just say that out loud?"

I smirked down at him and he groaned slightly, not realising the effect it had over me. I leant towards him, eyes glittering as I met his square on. He made to speak but stopped, as I got closer, closing the distance between our lips. He seemingly got impatient however, pulling me towards him and pressing his tongue firmly against my mouth. Cloud Strife was forever full of surprises.

He eagerly thread fingers into my hair and pulled me closer to him, before I reminded him just who held the upper hand by placing my hands around his waist and hoisting him up to wrap his legs around me. I trapped him against the nearest wall, a habit of mine I was yet to shake, and he let out a surprised 'hmph', though he hardly stopped his ministrations. Today, my usual composure was slipping fast, and my fingers trailed from his waist to rest against his firm little ass. He seemed to notice my brash move almost immediately and gasped into my mouth, his eyes opening abruptly with a wicked surprise. I pulled back from him and smirked slightly, before pressing my lips against his neck in as sensual a manner I could muster. He clutched at my hair tighter, and regardless of my own feelings, his next statement stopped me where I stood.

"…Zack…"

I almost dropped him, as I felt him tense against me when he'd realised his mistake. Instead, I lowered him to his feet and willed my possessive jealousy fade away.

"…Sephiroth…" He whispered, wide eyed and seemingly on the verge of tears.

"It seems that there is someone you would rather be spending your time with," I said flatly, ensuring all emotion faded from my face. Truthfully, I'm not sure what he'd find there if I hadn't. A part of me had received a thrill hearing Zack's name on those lips, and another had felt consuming jealous rage at the fact that he'd not uttered mine…

"I didn't- Gaia, I don't know why- …Sephiroth?" He pressed softly, his hand reaching out for me. I pulled back however, raising a hand wearily to my forehead.

"You should leave, Cloud," I said quietly, pinching the bridge of my nose, ensuring not to open my eyes on the odd chance I may catch his gaze.

"But Sephiroth…"

"Dismissed, cadet," I said warningly, my eyes opening regardless of my mind's influence, as the stunned blue eyes met mine in hurt remorse. Gaia, nobody should ever have to witness that…

Cloud picked up his sword and headed for the door, seemingly determining that there was no talking to me now, blinking back tears as he passed me. Once again, Gaia had reminded the both of us of the void we were continuing to ignore. No matter how hard we'd both tried to push him away, Zack always had a way of worming himself back in, and I don't think anything would ever change that.

--

A/N: Short chapter, sorry. But hey, next chapter's gonna make up for it, so don't complain xD

Also, I may get called to work any day soon, so sadly, chapters might become sparse again. It all depends on whether I'll be travelling again. Fingers crossed I get to stay home.