Chapter 9

You know that feeling you get when you wake up and find that there is something, or in Sephiroth's case, someone in bed with you and all that can be thought to be said is, 'What did I do last night and am I wearing underpants?' Sephiroth's world was much like that as he awoke the next morning on the sofa of his office, but thankfully for him; that half of the mental question was answered. But the question as to why there were bite marks on his neck and on various other parts of his upper torso that he couldn't account for was a question on his mind this morning. Even when he looked over to the backside of the sofa that had somehow, mysteriously, had found its way wedged out from the wall that it usually against the wall. He found a softly snoring with a grin that could turn a Cheshire cat's stripes from their usual color to the color of envy man behind his sofa; it was Genesis. Yet again, the mental question popped up but with coarse language that Sephiroth would swear he never knew such words.

Something was off and whoever was responsible for placing this man in his office with him and possibly slipping whatever kind of gas through the vents was going to hear about it later or in this case, now. Genesis started to stir from his hiding place behind the sofa as he greeted Sephiroth with a kittenish grin that looked like it belong on an imp, but that smile soon disappeared. All the way up to the President's Office; even as far as Tseng's office, the sounds of a monstrous roar could be heard throughout the building putting every man as well as small number of women on alert to the possibility of a Monster loose in the Compound. The alert would later be called off when it was revealed that a put down, angry, moody auburn haired SOLDIER who had been AWOL for the past two weeks strolled through the Halls towards a Department that he hadn't been to in weeks, even months; he was facing down the President for his actions. Everyone was watching as he took what could've been considered a death march with Sephiroth's leering gaze on his back.

That's when everyone decided it best to scatter and get back to their lives.

Rumors started to spread by mid-afternoon when classes were beginning that it was possible that the General and the AWOL SOLDIER were having a lover's spat when the sounds of a stray Monster was heard. There were some that suggested that it was something else, making remarks about the size of the General's "sword", in various ways of both the object and physical anatomy. Students were becoming like giggling school girls while some didn't bother to keep up with the gossip; all they cared about was getting into either being a Turk or SOLDIER as soon as possible and away from the childish ones. Cloud couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he seemed to overhear in passing the sounds of the whispers going on; it was like living at home again in Niblehiem, the wives would usually gather in the Town Square and gossip about the latest gossip. His Mom was never one for keeping her ear to the ground for such trash talk and she had raised him to not be such a person. When others approached him with information he would politely turn them down and they would run off to another person that would be willing, but that sort of thing is hard when you're best friends are hounds for gossips.

"So, Cloudy boy…you excited about the upcoming Project you've got to do with the rest of those eggheads in the class?" Reno seemed to smirk at his friend; even Cloud's attention was drawn more to a textbook on High Class Materia, "Hello, earth to Cloud Daniels Strife, you in there?"

Reno wasn't given a second to respond before Cloud was on him with the textbook closed soundly next to his head, "…Don't you EVER repeat my middle name again…And besides," as if nothing had happened and as if the young man hadn't lost his temper just then, "…How do you know my middle name? That's classified documentation that no one other then a…Oh, yeah, I forgot…You're a Turk."

"Sorry about that Cloudy boy, but you never answered my question; you excited about your upcoming Student Assistant Project? Who do you think you'll get?" Reno's bony elbow prodded into Cloud's ribs playfully, "Maybe Tseng?"

A rush of dusty blush crossed Cloud's face at the thought of being assigned to Tseng as a Student Assistant; the Student Assistant program was new to the Company, more or less, it was yet another wonderful 'brought to you by the ShinRa Electric Power Company; assuring you a better future while we screw with your body to the molecular level' idea. The concept for the project was to allow the students within the Cadet Program; no matter their rank to be paired up for a week or two with someone of a High Class, be it a SOLDIER or Turk to gain an insight into the world of their job. As to give a sense of what to expect should the Student find himself in the position they were assisting in and to gain insight to another field. Should their field of study and choice fall through on them for whatever reason there may be. Cloud had been excelling in his classes even before the run in with the General and even after the run in with the General; he had been excelling, excelling to the standard that he had been picked among a small handful of other students to participate in the new Program.

"…It would be nice if I could picked to be with him, but…"the young blond began to blush and become as nervous as a girl who was face to face with her crush for the first time, "…it would be kind of awkward in a way…neither of us would get any work done because we'd probably spend most of our time getting to know one another and…and…"

Reno chuckled as he placed a hand on his worried friend's shoulder, "Don't sweat it, I'm sure whoever you get paired up with will be an okay guy or gal to work with. Just remember, you're doing this because you've earned it. Try and have a little fun, loosen up, alright?"

"Or what; are you going to string me up a flag pole?" Cloud smirked as he playfully shoved his friend as the sound of the class bell rang, "If I don't show up for food in a few days, call out a search party for me."

Reno laughed off the blonde's remark, "You'll be fine, get your butt to class before you end up in detention."

"I thought that was your department, Reno," Cloud turned off around the corner with a smile on his face that neither Reno or Zack had seen in many days; maybe it was a good thing he was hooked up with his Boss, Don't do him wrong, Tseng…Cloud's a nice kid…a little skittish, but he's a nice kid…

A soft whine broke from a pair bruised lips as hands scrambled to lock harder around the strong neck, but the whine became a soft, hurt whimper as soft puppy dog like eyes cast down to the cat walk, "I already gave you a treat, twice now, you don't need more or else you'll…" a soft playful smirk crossed the voice's lips as fingers playfully plucked and tickled at the sides of the whimpering young man, "…plump out and I won't be able to pick you up as easily I can when we play…"

"You calling me fat, Angeal?" the younger voice pouted as he crossed his arms across his chest, showing his back to the man; hoping that it would tempt something out of the other voice, "…I could say the same about you. I don't like too much bulge on my playmates…"

"Oh, really?" Angeal slipped his arms around Zack's waist; fingers teasing at the straps of the stomach guard around Zack's waist, but they seemed to slowly slip south wise as both hands grabbed a different kind of filler on the young man, "…You don't like that hard filler bulge on your playmates? I didn't hear you complaining about it the other night after we got back from seeing the sights of Edge…If I recall you rather," his fingertips of one hand traced a curvature of a thigh attached into slender hips while the other brushed against the clothed "extra add on fat", "…enjoyed my extra bulge on me…you want me to work it off so that I don't look fat to you?"

Zack was biting his lower lip so hard that he knew that his lips and soon his tongue would take on the taste of Mako tinged blood if he bit down any harder; he was trying with all his will power to avoid leaning into Angeal's touch and wiggling his butt in against Angeal's hips, "D-Don't talk about yourself like that…you're perfect…perfect like the extra bulge on you that's knocking in against me right now," he softly whimpered then gasped as he found himself thrown against the wall and the same mind blowing kiss that he had received previously rocking his world as he was left to fall onto his butt, "…And here I thought you weren't going to kiss me again before I had to run off to the Call In Room for that new Project, ShinRa has made up to amuse themselves?"

Angeal softly smirked as he squatted down in front of his young lover and student's face, brushing aside strands of hair in his face, "You really should get these trimmed…but maybe…"his gloved fingertips traced Zack's face as he chuckled to himself as he watched Zack nuzzling and melting into the man's palm, "…Just leave one little bang hanging…"

"I could give you the locks they cut off as a kind of sentimental token of my affection for you?" Zack could hear footsteps coming their way as he pulled out of Angeal's hand and began to straighten himself up, "…But we can talk about that later."

With a last kiss upon the lips that seemed to last forever, the two departed for their respectable areas, but what they didn't know was; Cloud had almost by fate, taken a wrong turn and had seen and heard his close friend making out. Nearing second base and would've slid towards third if Angeal hadn't had any better restraint to not initiate sex in the halls that lead to classrooms. He had thought something was different about Zack recently, he seemed, lighter, happier. Reno claimed it was because he had finally gotten laid by the little brunette flower girl he had seen Zack hanging out with whenever he went towards a local run down Church. Zack would claim it was "to gain a sense of humility and humanity since ShinRa all but beats that to crap out of you when you join up…have to stay sane some way." Reno had surmised that he had found more then just "humility and humanity" in that little Church; he had found a girlfriend and had all but plucked all her flowers after coming back to the Compound after being gone overnight.

Zack claimed that nothing happened between the girl and him.

She was merely a girl who wasn't about to give it out easily to a man just because he was a SOLDIER and was infused with high doses of Mako; she wasn't like the other women of Edge who would open their legs for any man willing to pay. She had virtues and it was also because she only saw him merely as a "friend' and just a "friend." But now, after seeing what he had seen; he had reason to believe that everything he had said was true.

He hadn't deflowered the flower girl of the church.

He had been deflowered by the man he had looked up to for guidance; it may have seemed demoralizing, but, wasn't that he was doing by being in love with a Turk? Cloud shook his head, clearing his thoughts as he walked towards the room where he had been assigned to alongside the others that had been chosen out of the others for the new specialty program.

Genesis had been put into a less then pleasant mood after being thrown out on his butt as it may have seemed after he had found himself facing a less then thrilled General Sephiroth. It seemed smiling like a cat that ate the canary and cream wasn't a pleasant 'Good morning, sunshine' greeting that the man wasn't worth appreciating especially after the mental Hell the man had put Sephiroth through both verbal and text actions. Sephiroth had been less then grateful to have the man back after being gone for almost two weeks or more; he was more grateful to have the man out of his office and out of his sight. Even if that had been the case, that was not how the cameras had captured it after the auburn haired man had been tossed out in an angered form of greeting.

"What are you doing in here and how did you get back in without someone seeing you?" Sephiroth growled, an angry finger pointed at the man's face while surveying for possible exit points should the need come for it as well as casing the room for Masamune, "Haven't you done enough damage without coming back?"

Genesis' head tilted in a manner that had Sephiroth had any other reservations about the man; he would've found the man's expression adorable and a 'kiss and make up session' on the books, but the man's look was a look of confusion and mixed in crestfallen, "…What damage have I done to you? I left because I knew you wouldn't want me, but I found a little assistance on the outside…" that same impish kitten like smile that had been on his face before slowly crept back onto his face, "…And I'm sure you'll agree that it was a good move for me to leave only to come back to win you back to my side."

As if by some odd magic, Sephiroth's sword, Masamune that almost as tall he was had materialized into the man's hand and the tip was tickling just a few inches below the man's Adam's apple, "You have five seconds to get out of here before I disembowel you and claim that I attempted to save you when you mistook a summoning for your weapon with that of a Summon…" Sephiroth's face was unchanging as he watched the man place his hands up in a non threatening gesture as he moved towards the door.

"…If that's how you want it to be?" Genesis placed his hand on the handle of the door, looking over his shoulder as he gave one last passing glance, "Just remember this, Sephiroth…If you want to play it like a game; well then come on, come on let's play, because I'd rather waste my life pretending, then have to forget you for one whole minute…"

"OUT!" Sephiroth bellowed; the sound of the metal of Masamune hit the door of his office door, "…Stupid man."

But who is truly the stupid man here? Him…or you Sephiroth? A man like that would a choice man for any man to be with…even if there is no way for offspring of the combination of Super SOLDIER like you and guinea pig back country bumpkin trash like to be created from the combining of you two together…Think about it…You will always be alone…Is that how you want to live your life?

Shut up…Just shut up…He's the one reason why I nearly killed that Cadet…innocent civilian in the wrong place at the wrong time…I don't need him…

Oh? You don't do you? Then why were you blushing at the sight of seeing him waking up behind your sofa with that sleepy eyed look on his face that was made into a wonderful and beautiful dream by the way that auburn mane of his created a beautiful halo about his shoulders. Admit it. You enjoyed the image of seeing his face scrunched up in rudely awoken slumber…

Stop it…just stop it…stop putting those images into my head…

Sephiroth clutched at his head as he fought to free Masamune from the door, but his anger was creating an invisible grease or watery substance on his gloves which made him lose his grip on the hilt each time, "DAMNED THING! DAMN YOU GENESIS! DAMN YOU ALL! DAMN YOU!" the proud General gave up as he left into a form that he hadn't been since being in utter seclusion as a young boy in the ShinRa labs; a helpless, tearful, crying little boy who just wanted someone to lavish affection on him.

Affection or feelings, desires of wanted affection and touch from another human were beaten out of him countless times over and over till he had become numb to the put forth emotions of others. At least, until that cold feeling of being numb had started to melt away the first day he had seen Cloud at the Induction Ceremony to the Program, but when that feeling was soon destroyed. It was destroyed, more or less, it left him the day Cloud was unwilling to share his feelings for the blond back; he felt he would never feel anything again until he had started to get the annoying text messages from Genesis. At first, he had thought nothing about them as more then short annoyances, but when he had received the message with the attached photo of the flask Genesis had come upon. A fluttering sensation had grown into his renewed cold heart; he had heard stories about various potions and concoctions that people would resort to make another fall madly in love with them.

Was the flask Genesis' way of saying he wanted to warm him up? Was he playing on false emotions just to get into the man's life then to leave him? He had all but deleted the entire message, the text part of it at least. The picture he had kept and as he sat in his moping state next to the lodged in the door Masamune; he pulled his phone as his gloved fingers traced over the picture. A soft, blushing smile crossed his face as he eyed the bottle; he had to admit it, Genesis was a snake in the grass kind of character, but if he truly wanted the man…then…

"…Stupid man…you truly are a stupid man, don't think I know what you're up to, Genesis," Sephiroth chuckled to himself; he would let Genesis believe that Sephiroth didn't want him, but in an almost, sick sadistic way, he truly did, but was playing hard to get, "Well, better get going to the Meeting Hall…those little brown nosers aren't going to stand around forever."

Cloud gulped for what seemed the tenth time in the stretch of five to ten minutes that he and the others had been standing at attention waiting for the ones that were going to be "stuck" with this Program. He could already imagine that at best Zack's mentor would be one of the "Partners" for this week and a half program, possibly the General, but as he heard the sound of a door opening; he was surprised to see how many of the "Partners" he knew. Zack walked in with a slow gait; he had the look of a kicked puppy on his face, maybe Angeal had informed him of this minutes before it happened, that wasn't going to go over well with him. Angeal walked in just a few paces behind his kicked Puppy, consoling him with whispers in the ear that it was only a short arrangement; he only had eyes for his Puppy. If they weren't in a Public place, Zack would've jumped all over the man and lavished his face with peppered kisses, at least, not till later. A small handful of Turks that Cloud had never seen before strolled in with the long legged and swaggered stance red head that was his close friend, Reno and the raven haired man that had taken his heart walked in. Reno gave a secret wink to Cloud before playfully trying to nudge Tseng with the utmost of discretion while being just as discreet to direct his gaze to a slowly blushing Cloud. Tseng could only give an obligatory head nod to the boy; he couldn't let on that he already knew the young man; it wouldn't look fair to the others. Genesis walked in soon after followed shortly after with the man of the hour, General Sephiroth.

Please don't let me get picked by the General…

"Alright you lucky little buggers, when I call your name, come over here and reach your hand into the bowl; when you find your name, take the slip and go back to the line. No one is to read their slip till they are told and there is no trade offs…" the Instructor called out as the sound of a few heartbroken Cadets made sounds of disappointment mixed in with some rather tasteless remarks about how they wished they could get the General, "First off…"

For what seemed like forever, Cloud's name was finally called as he came forth to accept the slip, "Alright, you may now open your slip of paper and when you are ready; please report to the one that is to be your Superior for the next week and a half."

Cloud's eyes opened wide with fear as he read the slip of paper and the name on it that he was assigned to; this had to be some kind of sick and cruel joke by the Gods, "So, who did you end up with Cloud?" Zack walked over to Cloud as Reno soon joined him; it seemed that their names hadn't been picked, lucky for them, "Did you get Tseng?"

"…G-G-G-Gen…"Cloud couldn't speak as he began to shake like a leaf.

"That doesn't give us much to work with, buddy," Reno rolled his eyes as he took the scrap of paper from the boy's shaking fingers, "…Oh sweet Gaia…him?"

Genesis looked around for his young ward; even if Sephiroth had thrown him out unceremoniously that morning, he still had ways of getting into the man's life, "So…who did you end up with Angeal?" he had to make small talk before he finally walked up to the turning white as a bed sheet blond that was trying to be stirred out of a standing up coma by his companions, "Anyone good?"

"Heh…Doug McCalister…Grade A Brown Noser…" Angeal sighed as he rolled his eyes.

"How do you know that?" Genesis questioned his old childhood friend as he watched the man place a hand against his rolling eyes while pointing out the young ward he was saddled to, "…Oh."

From the way the young man he was pointing out was gloating about how he had been picked to be with Angeal; the boy was filled with nothing but hot air and if it had been possible, his nose seemed like it would've grown several inches. Genesis shook his head as he patted his dear old friend on the shoulder, "Just imagine, its only for a week and a half, he'll be on to bigger and better things before then and this will all be all behind you…"

"You better be right, Genesis," Angeal sighed as he looked up to see his gloating ward for the week and a half motioning for the man to join him among his friends, "You better go find your young ward before he slips off under your radar."

"No one can pass under my radar," Genesis flipped his nose to the air as his hair tousled behind him as he walked off to retrieve his shaking like a leaf young ward and key to winning Sephiroth to his side.

Zack and Reno saw the auburn haired man walking up, but Sephiroth could see it happening as well as his young ward was writing down everything still that he had told him before. Unfortunately for the questioning ward, Sephiroth's attention was drawn to the man walking past him, so close and yet so far away, but why did it matter to him? All Genesis had ever done was do everything short of jump in a hall to get into his pants, why should he give into newly blossoming feelings for the man? Reno kept a steady hand on his friend's shoulder while Zack began to stand down to the sight of Genesis' appearance.

"Call us if you need anything," Reno whispered as he patted his friend on the shoulder before playfully pushing him towards Genesis, "He's all yours now, Boss Man."

Genesis wouldn't give Reno ever one passing glance even if he was see him on the streets outside of the Compound, "Well…shall we get going then Cadet Strife?"

With a wild nod, Cloud agreed to the man's words as he let Genesis lead him out the door and towards his office, it's all going according to plan…

"So, what do you think of things so far to get towards being in SOLDIER, Cadet?" Genesis attempted to make small talk with the skittish Cadet; Cloud was acting just as he had when he had walked in on Sephiroth trying to feel the boy up, the first time he had made a bad move towards Sephiroth, "What inspired you to want to become a SOLDIER?"

Cloud played with the hem of his uniform shirt as he followed quietly behind the 1st Class SOLDIER, "Cadet, I'm speaking to you and it's not polite to not answer a Superior Officer's questions."

"S-Sorry sir…I'm just nervous…I've never been this close to a man like you, well, Zack may be a First Class too, but…you're different in a way…"Cloud softly mumbled as he found himself smacking into the back of Genesis' back, "S-Sir, why did you stop?"

"We're here," Genesis pushed the Office Door open as he waved a hand out across the small area of his office, "You may sit wherever you wish…"

"T-Thank you sir…

For what felt like an eternity, both men sat in utter silence until Genesis couldn't stand it much longer, "Coffee?"

"Sir?" Cloud questioned the man nervously.

"Would you like some?" Genesis made for the door, but Cloud was quick to stop the man, "Cadet?"

"…Let me do it, that's what I'm in this Special Program for, right?" his eyes never came up from the door handle, "Do you want some, sir?"

Beautiful…this could work to my advantage…

What seemed like hours later, Cloud strolled in with coffee for himself, Genesis and the two guests that Genesis had mentioned in passing as Cloud had left for retrieving coffee, "I brought creamer and sugar for anyone who wants…some…" his voice seemed to drift off as he saw the General sitting across from Genesis with his ward, "…General."

"Cadet Strife," Sephiroth seemed monotone in his speech as he cast his eyes back to the ward in his charge.

Cloud set the cups down on the table separating Genesis and Sephiroth as he took his seat next to Genesis, "Cadet Strife, would you please place a single packet of sugar and about two tablespoons of milk into the General's mug?" Genesis eyed Sephiroth, leering at the ward in Sephiroth's charge as he seemed to reach for the mug to do it for Cloud, "You don't mind my Intern doing that for you, General?"

Sephiroth rolled his eyes, "Whatever…"

He doesn't suspect a thing…he shall be all mine later…I'll have to commend Cadet Strife on being a good sport…after I've had my fun…

Cloud proceeded to do as Genesis had ordered him to do, luckily for Genesis; Cloud's attention was diverted to the condiments to put into the coffee and Sephiroth's ward had Sephiroth's bored and undivided attention. Genesis quietly pulled the colorful flask out of his secret pocket in his jacket, slipping it onto the tray in place of the coffee creamer that he knew Cloud would add. The man secretly sat back as he began to sip on his coffee, a dash of the flask's contents splashed into his own coffee to assure should anything go array with the General's coffee. He would be assured of himself to get what he wanted should all else fail.

"Here you go, General," Cloud handed the cup off Sephiroth; there was no reason to suspect that something was off about the coffee.

Only what seemed a few hours of visiting in Genesis' office, Sephiroth began to feel lightheaded and dizzy; he couldn't explain the reason behind it, he had not received any recent Mako shots. They were typically the reason why he would feel sick to his head and stomach, but there was no other reason to explain this new onset of various symptoms, "General, are you going to be alright if I was take my leave, sir?" the young man that was interning to the General questioned to the man as he saw that Sephiroth was seeming off and it rather worried the young man.

"I'm…fine…you may leave for the day…I'll be fine, just having a bad reaction to the coffee this afternoon…" Sephiroth gritted his teeth against the rushing heat running through his body; he wanted to disrobe of his battle guard over his stomach, leathers and trench, but to do it in front of the young Ward would possibly scar him, "You're dismissed till further notice."

"Feel better, sir," the Cadet saluted as he walked back towards his Dorm, "…Note to self, never drink coffee with 1st Class SOLDIER, Genesis again…"

Sephiroth locked the door behind him as the young ward disappeared and without any regard for the video cameras in his office; he began to strip of his leathers and the battle guard against his stomach as he fell to his hands and knees. The heat wouldn't leave him. What was this feeling? It was like there was a heat all through his body that was pooling downwards in a southern region of his body; he was reacting like a cat in heat, but he was a human. He had a feeling in his hazy mind that Genesis was responsible for this feeling; his hazy mind had turned to a hazy gaze as he never once heard the door open. Feel the cool, bare hand draping around his neck as soft kissing lips caressed the hairline of his neck, pushing all of the long silver tresses over the man's shoulder while more cool fingers caressed a hot shoulder. Sephiroth began to softly purr at the sensation, eyes closing soft surrender as the neck caressing cool, ungloved hand, started to move down the man's chest till it stop halfway down the man's chest. He couldn't reach far enough to reach his navel as glistening white teeth were shown through pulled back lips as they found their way into latching onto the back of the man's neck. General Sephiroth became like a wild Chocobo, attempting to buck his assailant off, but the assailant had him pinned with strong knees pinned in against the man's slender hips. His retreat was cut off as the man felt himself being lowered to the floor, sunken in teeth soon left the man's neck as they moved towards a heated earlobe.

"…I told you…Loveless has an ending…and that ending…is made up of you…"Genesis' sultry voice purred as the chest draping hand managed to make its way down the full length of Sephiroth's body; making the man buck violently back into grunting and groaning Genesis' lower body, "…and me…mnmngh…Don't fight it, love…the more you fight…"

Sephiroth clawed the floor to attempt to escape but that was halted as he let out an airless gasp as Genesis teeth sank into his earlobe, drawing out Mako tinted blood onto Genesis' pert lips; Genesis had gotten his hands on a truly wonderful prize. The stick shift that was driving Sephiroth to find a way from Genesis, "…Mmh…So it is true…that sword you have isn't just for showing you're over compensating for something…"

"Unmgh!" Sephiroth growled out between moans as he felt Genesis taking over the situation, "G-Genesis…I…I…don't wa—AAH!"

As it was said, Genesis had his hands on the stick shift that was driving Sephiroth as the man pulled him around so that Sephiroth was looking up, eye to eye with a half dressed Genesis, "…Don't want what, Sephiroth? Me? Oh…I think you do want me because your little friend…" Genesis' eyes turned to a look of a sleepy, impish kitten as his fingers nimbly worked the man's fly open and hands flushed down the man's commando wearing leathers, "…says otherwise…"

"Oh sweet Goddess…whatever you do, do it long and make it last…"Sephiroth groaned out as he raised willing hips up into Genesis' working hands.

"…With much pleasure, General…"Genesis purred as he leaned in, heartily taking in a heavy helping of the pouting and delectable lips of the General, "…You don't know how long I've waited for this."

"Less talk, more action," Sephiroth growled as he flushed his hands up through Genesis' auburn locks, groaning as he rubbed his lower upper body against the willing one of Genesis as he heard a hearty groan come from between Genesis' lips.

Genesis was lost in a daze and haze; he finally won his long wanted prize, Oh sweet Goddess indeed…you've got a mouth like a God…Oh Gaia, stop that…I'm going to…OH SWEET GAIA!