Leo: Someone made a very good point to me that I should probably address, my last chapter had a lot of typos in about the last four pages…well you see…I had Beta'd it…and AFTER ward I added in those pages…and forgot to RE-BETA it…And this my typos are like…total suckage…Sorry about that…I try to keep them relatively SHIT free, aside from the fact that the story is shit itself (in my personal and possibly wrong opinion). Also mentioned to me, was that I use CAPS to emphasize words…I do that and not Italics, mainly because fanfiction(dot)net doesn't like me and likes to take out all my italics when I upload…and I usually don't have time to quick edit it…so I simply caps them…in a Spoken (dialogue) sentence, it usually means yelling when it's more than four words, but other wise I'm just stressing a word…Sorry if that confused anyone...

Okay now ON to the story!

He Wasn't Always Insane

Chapter Eleven

The next day we all went about our merry ways. I left with Zack, so he could explain my absence from the previous day, which I thanked my lucky stars Zack had such a persuasive personality. He sweet-talked the conductor into giving me a free pass for missing the first day of real training. Of course by the time we actually got there (thanks to the glory of over sleeping) the current days exercises were already completed and we got to leave early anyways. Funny how that worked out, no?

"Hey Zack, you seem OFF today, what's wrong?" I asked looking at him as we walked out into the warm daylight, which both of us had been lacking for the last twenty-four hours.

"I got evicted from my apartment!" He sighed showing me the eviction notice, which appeared to have been taped.

"Evicted? Wow, what did you do?"

"I haven't BEEN there! They're evicting me because I don't stay there enough! I always joked that it would happen but COME ON! I didn't think that they could really kick someone out because they're not there enough! They gave me some reason like, they need the space that I'm clearly not using…It's fucked up man…" He mumbled scratching the back of his neck and trying to look like he wasn't infuriated.

"Well, if you REALLY need a place to stay, we both know that there's plenty of space in my room…I mean it wasn't entirely uncomfortable last night when we cleared my room out and made it livable…"

He looked at me with a certain amount of surprise and let his arms hang down at his sides. "That wouldn't bother you?"

"Not at all."

"Wouldn't that constitute under invasion of privacy? Or something?"

"I don't think so…I mean I've nothing real personal anyways…As long as you can tolerate Reno and what not. Though I have a feeling he'll be spending a lot more time with Sephiroth." I replied with a faint smile. I kinda had to feel bad for him, it almost seemed as if he was being left out or something. I mean, I was only kinda THERE, but he, Sephiroth and Reno were close, like tight knit…and seeing Zack being on the outside…was kinda heartbreaking…Gaia, that sounded gay, didn't it?

"Wonderful," He mumbled lowly, assumingly about the Sephiroth and Reno thing, but he shook away his momentary irritation and smiled up at me. "Well you just made my day a whole lot less stressful man! I mean really, that lifted a major weight off my shoulders…you know what! Come on!" He pulled by the arm and dragged me away with him, which seriously took me by surprise. His sudden burst of enthusiasm made me feel like I'd done something right for a change, though.

"Zack where're we-"

"I'm taking ya out to lunch as a thank you!"

"Oh Zack you don't have to do that!" I chuckled as I finally caught up with his strides. He was taller than me by almost half a foot and it made matching strides with him hard at first, mainly because I was already behind.

"Come on man! My treat! Besides, I know that you have nothing to do for the rest of the day, and neither do I! You wouldn't deny me companionship now would you?"

I shook my head and laughed outright, "No of course I wouldn't! After all with a pout of that magnitude how could I have the heart to refuse?"

"Not pouting man! Just persuading!"

"Oh please that's a pout and you know it!"

"Is NOT!" He stopped abruptly and a large force slammed into him. "The fuuh?" He yelped in surprise as he caught himself before hitting the pavement.

"Augh…You weren't supposed to stop so fast…" The 'large force' that ran Zack down groaned as he stood up with a dazed look.

"Pharallah?" Zack blinked, "What are YOU doing here? Aren't you supposed to be slaving under Hojo's command?"

"Technically yes, but he wanted me to bring you this appointment schedule…I was hoping I would catch you before you left…Granted I didn't expect you to stop just as I caught up…"

"Not MY fault man…"

I took a moment to actually look at Pharallah. I'd heard about him a few times but I'd never seen him, I'd only been acquainted with the other one. Pharallah was not what I'd pictured. The way the other's had spoken about him made me assume that he would be smaller than Marka, with a complexion more like Sephiroth's and long hair, like everyone else. I couldn't have been more wrong. He was almost as tall as Sephiroth, but he didn't have the muscular build. He also had short hair, the same texture that Tseng's hair had, but with bangs and cut short to his ears. Another standoutish feature was the slash tattooed on his left cheek.

He's apparently noticed I'd been staring at him. He looked over at me and smiled, it wasn't the openly bright smile that everyone else had, his was more reserved…Almost shy seeming. "You must be Cloud, Marka's babbled a bit about you…Though I didn't really catch much…Marka never makes any sense when he goes on and on about things…"

"He never makes sense anyways…" Zack mumbled. "So WHAT exactly AM I scheduled for? It's not very direct…of course, knowing Hojo it's supposed to be discreet…what with 'letting information out' and all…"

"Just another injection…You know the drill…"

"Oh lovely…Speaking of needles, how'd he receive Sephiroth this morning?"

"Well, I really don't know I wasn't there, but since he hasn't lit fire to all of creation and summoned Satan himself to search the premises I think we're doing good."

"You are SUCH a scary person, you know that?"

"So I've been told…Now before he slaughters me and turns me into one of his experiments, I'm going back inside. Oh and tell Sephiroth he needs to stick a mute button on Reno, he about driving me insane."

"As if you weren't already." The black haired man calmly and almost discreetly rolled his eyes.

"I heard that, and some people happen to find me charming!"

"Yeah if your five foot six and commonly titled "the biggest pervert in ShinRa" or you're a massive follower of the Lord of HELL!"

"I'm telling you I'm NOT into the occult! I just ACT questionable!"

"Geeze…Cloud do you see the weirdoes that accumulate in our group? I swear I don't have any idea why I hang out with these people…" He shook his head and gave me a amused grin.

"Oh…I can see just perfectly why you fit in…" I chuckled and returned the grin with a mischievous one of my own.

"You're wicked man, just evil…It must be caused those destructive vibes 'Allah gives off. Anyways," He caught the look from Pharallah, "don't look at me like that man, you know it's true, ANYWAYS, we're heading out now. Call us sometime will you! It's hard to track you and Marka down anymore…Geeze I almost feel abandoned by you!"

"Fine fine, I will! And it was nice meeting you Cloud, you're quiet but I can sense that sense of humor in you! Oh and be nice to Zack, sweet talk him and he'll melt like ice in a sauna. Seriously, be just enough persuasive and you can OWN him!"

"PHARALLAH!" Zack blushed deep red in his cheeks and gave the shorthaired man the 'death glare'. The response was only a wink and the simple motion of blowing a kiss.

"Love ya darling!" He ran off toward the building before Zack could let loose the words that were on the tip of his tongue ready to be unleashed to the poor scientist.

"He's SO been corrupted…Alright Cloud, it's time to go find us a place to chow down! I'm starved! And you're still growing there, eh?"

"Zack I'm eighteen years old…"

"Hey you told me that you were six-"

"I lied." I cut him off quickly. Okay, so I DID lie…but that would make me look SO pathetic if I was eighteen and JUST becoming a cadet…I mean…Most of the boys are sixteen…Then again I hadn't anticipated a mix up…

"Damn there, you're pretty good at that then aren't you? Hell Marka would be proud of you, seeing as how that's a piece of info that managed to get passed him… He still thinks you're illegal! Hell if he knew you were legal he'd probably have hit on you too…That's probably not comforting though…Anyways guys grow into their early twenties, so the statement still applies! …Hmm…I have an idea of somewhere we can go! Come on!" He pulled me by the arm again and we left off in the opposite direction.

It wasn't long before we found ourselves in a nice little restaurant/bar type of establishment. It was comfortable, and probably my favorite thing about it was that is was nice and DARK! The lights were low and it was decorated with dark colors, saving my sensitive eyes from the suffering of being exposed to glaring light. It seemed he was thinking along the same lines.

As I looked around, from my seat across from him, I noticed that there were several people wearing suits similar to Reno's (granted they all looked less sloppy) and I sent Zack a questioning look, which he, gratefully, understood easily.

"This is a major hang out for Turks…Reno showed me it, and I liked it so, I figured we probably had similar tastes…" He shrugged.

"Seems so." I paused, and after a few minutes of trying to think of how to word my question I finally gave up and just asked. "You're mad at Reno aren't you?"

He looked up at me with surprise. I suppose he'd assumed that it wasn't obvious, well to a certain degree…since most people didn't see how he was acting differently. I did, but only because I'm a chronic silent observer.

"Yeah, I guess I'm obvious to you huh?" He looked at me through one open eye as he rested his head on his arm.

"Well you seem to like to keep yourself distracted a lot when you're upset…at least that was my assumption. Not to mention you kept giving this….LOOK…every time Reno's name was said…see there you just did it again!" I snorted.

"…I'm not so much MAD at him as I am irritated…I'm kinda irritated with Sephiroth too really…Augh I don't know…I guess I really didn't stand much of a chance anyways." He chuckled to himself.

I was about to open my mouth when our waiter came to us and provided a brief distraction. He almost looked pleased. I suppose he really didn't WANT to discuss what was bothering him with someone he barely knew…Which, even though we'd spent the previous DAY around each other, it didn't change the fact that I was still the "new kid".

Zack some how managed to go back to his normal "happy" in less then ten seconds, which is more than I can do…By far. I got to credit him on his ability to NOT push his problems on people…Some how I kept feeling more and more like him, the longer I was around him. Maybe he had a past like mine…Hell maybe I would learn to chill out and stop being so reclusive…(We can all see how THAT idea turned out.)

"Okay man, you can stop with the looks…I'll spill my guts to you if you quit with your psychic voo-doo shit. God, I hate how you people READ me like that…I seriously think you're being possessed by Pharallah."

"Eh? Psychic? I'm not! I can just tell when there's something wrong! You know Zack there are two types of people, the ones who talk and the ones who listen!"

"And it's ALWAYS the silent ones that see everything right? God, you're just like Sephiroth…though I think there's one big difference." He smirked at me, taking a swig out of his, possibly alcoholic, drink.

"Oh? And what's that?"

"You're a lot nicer than he is. I mean…he CAN be nice…Well, at least I THINK he can…He's nice to YOU anyways."

"So…if I ask a question will you answer it?" I pressed gently.

"Yeah sure, what have I to lose? I'll just have to kill ya if you spill my secrets." I paused, and he laughed outright. "Come on man, it was a joke, I'd feel wrong to kill you, you're too…NICE."

"Okay, so…which one? And I think you understand what I mean so I'll keep it simple."

"Ah, you're the 'speak in codes' kind eh? Well, honestly?" He sighed. "Reno…don't ask why, or how, but apparently I'm hot for rude, obnoxious, obsessive and crazy, red-heads. Not to mention chaotic and messy."

"Hey, we all have our strange likes and dislikes."

"Oh? And what about you Mister Silent Observer?" He leaned on his elbows and smirked at me. "What's kinda crazy fetishes do YOU have?"

"Oh, nothing spectacular…I like it casual…. occasional smacks, maybe bound up and gagged every now and then- oh wait you meant qualities? Hmm…I like smart people. You know, people that aren't Reno? No offence but I'd like to hit him sometimes…I think honesty is a good quality…A sense of humor, even if you have to poke them with a cattle prod to find it, hmm…and perhaps some sadomasochism every once and a while…After all you can be sure that it won't be boring if every now and then you get violent…You'd be surprised how hot it can be to get smacked around like a cheap whore every now and then."

He was dead silent for a minute, with his mouth half hanging open. It took and act of some God up there to not burst into laughing tears.

"…Whoa…That's the longest I've ever heard you consecutively speak sentences……Are you really into…?"

"No you moron! But you really did have the most priceless expression! I was almost afraid you would faint! I'll have you know I can be just as outward and rotten as you can…Though I won't deny the masochism part…" I put my hand to my chin in a gesture of genuine thought.

He looked at me again and blinked.

"Kidding! Now now, don't give me that look. I know I'm dead sexy but PLEASE Zack restrain yourself!" I giggled to myself, hoping internally that I didn't sound like a girl, which was probably the case anyways.

"You keep teasing me like that and then say no? Ah you are a cruel mistress!" He looked at me slyly and then I realized in the back of my mind that I'd just participated in a complete cycle of homoerotic flirtation. At first my mind spun but then settled into a comfortable 'you're probably gay, get over it' spot.

"Hey I have to play hard to get, no? Otherwise what fun would I be?" I winked playfully.

He smiled at me and chuckled out loud. After a moment he shook his head with mirth. Score one for Cloud! At the expense of my heterosexuality I managed to cheer up Zack a little bit. Go me! …Looking back at the statement I realize how adolescent I sound…

"You're something else, Spiky. I have to say I wasn't expecting you to be and outward type, but I guess you can go against the stereotypes…Are you SURE you're straight? Because if not I call first dibs!"

"Oh my! Now what could you POSSIBLY want with me?"

"Oh I'm sure I could think of SOMETHING!"

"I'm worried now! I'm just a poor innocent boy, totally none corrupted and vulnerable, absolutely helpless and-"

"You are just plain out ROTTEN! You know that? I mean just down right EVIL. Taunting a guy like that, bah. You're just cruel!"

"Heh I can be a devil, I certainly can. Anyways, I have an idea that we can do as a sort of payback tactic…" I said idly.

"And what's that?" He looked interested.

"What say you, we clean Reno's apartment?" I cracked a wicked grin that I couldn't possibly restrain.

"Oh that's just DEVIOUS! …I like it!"

Heh, Reno would HATE me that's for sure.

XxX

Leo: Sorry for the no update in like a MONTH! I've been grounded and what not, but I've FINALLY gotten control of my computer back…YAY! I WAS gonna make this a longer chapter but I had several other stories I was working on, so I went with this. I hope you guys don't mind! I love ya all for following this story! I hand you all free hugs from Sephiroth!