1990/1991

It was starting to look like a good idea to swat Cloud upside the head. And it only looked better every day.

He knew that his friend had gotten with the General. He was pretty good at hiding it, but Reno was at their house on a regular basis, and he knew just how the sleeping arrangements had changed. When he crashed over from time to time, he slept alone. Though it seemed that Zack was as well, and that just amused the hell out of him.

In the privacy of their own home, it seemed like the pair were making up for the fact they couldn't express any affection outside of their door. If they managed to get any more lovely dovey at each other, Reno was going to have to throw up.

Not that they were really -bad-, but the fact that Cloud would all but take over Sephiroth's lap, doing his own work for the upcoming SOLDIER exams, and the older man would look over the work as well, assisting where needed, hand petting Cloud's hair... It wasn't overt, but, damn, if Reno saw any more understated sweetness, he was going to get cavities. He had enough destructive, but fun, habits of his own. Didn't need sap-cavities on top of it all.

Though he didn't do more than tease Cloud unbearably when it happened, the blond would growl, and usually turn a shade of red that made Reno tease even more. It was a fun cycle that continued until Cloud pitched a book at him, followed by a tackle that ended up in a wrestling match on the floor. The first few times, Sephiroth had growled at Reno, only to be soundly ignored as Cloud had taken advantage of Reno's sudden freeze to give the man a good, hard noogie.

Reno learned -real- fast to ignore the growls. Cloud hurt when he gave noogies. Brat.

Outside of that, though, he wasn't really sure how to react to them. Cloud had been crushing on the man for so long that, if he hadn't seen them together, Reno would have thought that Sephiroth was just taking advantage of the fact. Hells, when he had first found out about it, he had been all ready to go tear into the man. General or not, nobody hurt his friend like that.

When he had seen the pair together, though, he had paused. There was a lot of underlying affection there. A lot. Enough that even he could see it, and Reno tried hard to turn off his people reading skills around those he trusted. No need for it, and he really hated picking apart motives when he didn't have to. Still, he was good at reading people, and if there was ever a pair of people head over heels, it was those two. Maybe not yet, but they were working on it. Sephiroth was more relaxed than Reno had ever seen him, and Cloud was just...bouncy. Something he took great pains to tease him about when he could.

Though it didn't seem as if everyone was really happy. Zack seemed to be more confused than anything, though Reno was sure the man was happy for his friends. And it wasn't as if he had really lost anything. As far as Reno could tell, the other two in the house were just as affectionate as they ever had been. Not that that meant much. Sephiroth always was a reserved bastard, and Cloud was friendly, but he always did seemed to hold back some.

So he didn't have any idea on what was wrong with Zack, though he made a mental note to ask, eventually. After all, he liked Zack, even if the man was a mama chocobo when it came to protecting Cloud. That was just as fine by Reno. Cloud didn't really need the protection, but Reno was a Turk in training. He knew there was no such thing as -too- much protection. Besides, Zack had always been friendly towards them, for the most part, anyway. Not Reno's fault the man liked Cloud better. Probably because Cloud was sneakier in his revenge on things. Appealed to the prankster instincts that Zack had in abundance.

It didn't look like Cloud or Sephiroth noticed anything wrong, though. Reno himself only caught it because he had spent a lot of time just watching the way the three interacted. Zack was hanging back more. Maybe giving them more room? Didn't seem like something the man would do. He was an attention hog. Part of the reason Reno liked him, really. So for him to not be making some kind of production over the two of them while it was just those who the little group trusted...well, it didn't sit right.

And Reno really, really hated it when things didn't sit right. Meant they might blow up. And Zack blowing up would be...well, not bad, but not good either. Especially if the man decided to start a prank war. Reno had heard about the last one. And how it took three weeks to get all the feathers out of the guns.

Nobody touched Reno's Mag-rod.

So, therefore, he had to figure out what was going on now before it turned into something like that. A SOLDIER-Turk prank war wouldn't be good for anyone's health.

Humming, he thought about who he could talk to.

Well, there was always Zack's girlfriend...

She hummed softly as she worked on her flowers. That had been a very...interesting conversation.

Aeris didn't often talk to Turks. Nor Turk candidates. Her mother would have a fit if she heard about this. She loved the woman dearly, but she didn't quite seem to understand that none of the Turks were really going to hurt her. Tseng had been a protector of sorts since she had been little, and that attitude had seemed to spread to the rest of the department. Especially as nobody wanted to turn anyone in to Hojo's tender care. The man was just wrong on so many levels.

The visit from Reno, though, that had been a surprise. She had half expected a warning to make herself vanish for a while. Tseng brought those from time to time. Zack as well. Those two seemed to have something of an agreement. At least after they had had themselves a doozy of a fight. Tseng walking in on Zack mock pinning Aeris had been a situation that was not the best way for either man to meet each other.

After they had gotten calmed down, and she had worked on patching everyone up, they had talked. Tseng had been abrupt as usual, but he had managed to get across the point that he would not endanger Aeris, and that Zack had better not, either. There had been some snarky comments back and forth, but they had eventually figured out that nobody wanted anyone hurt, and things had settled. Which was just as well. Aeris had been about to take a flower pot to both their heads. Men.

So it hadn't been a warning. Well, not one she had really expected. Humming a song she didn't really remember as anything besides this soft, wordless pattern of sounds, she buried her fingers into the earth, pulling up and separating plants as needed. That was the thing with her flowers. Let too many grow too close together, and they knotted around each other. For the plants, that was bad. They tangled so tight they strangled their own roots.

People, though, you tangle them together, and they seemed to get stronger. Funny how different people and plants could be at times. Though they could be a great deal alike, at others.

For instance, plants often did better if you had them near other plants. She could almost hear her flowers grow better when she added new ones to the collection. It was as if they wanted to do better when they had company.

People were the same way. She had worried about Cloud when Zack had first told her about what had happened. Poor dear, cut off from others and too wary in his own home to really relax. She had convinced Zack to bring him down here from time to time, but she had only got a little bit of time to talk to him. Between their schedules, well, it was hard to interact. He was a nice boy, though, and she was just as happy when he did come down. Once or twice, he had come down on his own, even. That pleased her, and they often spent their time talking about Zack. She had never pushed about Sephiroth, and it had been enjoyable for both of them, what little time Cloud could escape down here.

Now she wondered how things were going in the house. Zack had been just as cheerful as normal when he was down here with her, so it wasn't something that really, truly bothered him. If it had, he wouldn't be able to escape it. So it must just be during certain times.

He had seemed a bit more subdued when he told her that Cloud and Sephiroth had worked out their differences, but she didn't think he was unhappy about it. She loved him, but the man had been far too smug when that had finally happened. So that couldn't have been what had bothered him.

She continued to think about it, collecting water and sprinkling it over the flowers. She had to be careful where she got the water, as so much of the city was contaminated, but she did have a talent for finding a clean supply, and did share that knowledge with others, so she didn't even really have to go fetch it for herself, anyway. A few grateful parents always had their kids bring a bucket to the church. Clean water, good clean water, was a precious thing.

Had they changed their attitudes towards Zack?

Neither of them seemed the type, and if that had been the case, she was sure that it would be affecting Zack far more than it appeared to be. He still called them friends, and gave her news on them easily enough, sounding quite pleased by the entire situation.

"Hey, Babe."

Smiling, she stood up from her flowers and dusted her hands up. While she hadn't heard Zack come in, she wasn't too surprised. He had a tendency to show up about this time, so Reno lucked out by leaving when he did. "Hey there. Defeat more evil paperwork today?"

He caught her up in a hug and a kiss, then set her back on the ground lightly before answering. "Barely. It tried to eat my pen more than once. Really, this would be all so much easier if Seph would just let me set the stuff on fire." He made a face. "I would think it was some sort of punishment, but Seph has even more of it than I do. So, what are you up to right now?"

Moving to sit next to the greenery, she smiled up at Zack. "The normal. Making sure the flowers grow. So, how are Sephiroth and Cloud?" She watched him, seeing if anything in his reactions would tell her anything.

"Same old, same old. Still fluffy. Seph was helping Spike with his studying, which, as far as I can tell, is giving rewards for right answers." He grinned at her. "So Spike is learning pretty fast. Not that I blame him. That's a hell of a motivation."

It wasn't as if Aeris didn't know Zack had been sleeping with both men. It wasn't as if she could really argue it, either. He and Seph had been sharing a bed on and off since before she knew Zack himself, and Zack was just that kind of person. So full of love and affection that one couldn't help to be drawn to him. And she knew he loved her, and that was all she needed to know.

"Maybe if you ask nicely, Cloud will let you give him rewards for good answer as well," she teased. He huffed back at her, sitting next to her and looping an arm over her shoulders.

"Nah. They're cute together, even if they are slow asses on getting to that point." He gave her a squeeze, voice low enough she barely heard it. "Just vacating to let them have their time. They don't need me hanging around when they got each other to focus on for now."

Oh. Ooooh. Suddenly, it made sense on why Zack was acting around them the way Reno said he was. Her boy never did seem to know what to do when he thought he wasn't needed anymore. "I'm sure they miss you, you know? Not that I mind having you to myself all this time."

Another squeeze. "Nah. Barely even notice I'm gone. And I'm glad you enjoy having me here. I'd have to make puppy eyes at you if you didn't. I'd be inconsolable. Though I know the truth. You just want me around to lift heavy things and get stuff off tall shelves."

Patting his shoulder, she smiled brightly. "Of course, dear. Though I do find your ability to kiss quite enjoyable as well. But as you were the one to mention heavy things..."

He grumbled teasingly, but did go to do as she asked. And as she worked with his help, Aeris was planning.

When he had gotten down here, at a carefully sent request from Aeris, Cloud had not expected what he had gotten.

Well, okay, he did kind of expect food. Aeris had said he was too thin, and proceeded to feed him every time that he had seen her. Usually that required being dragged to her home, where he got to fidget under her mother's very disapproving glare while Aeris cooked. The woman, Elmyra, seemed to be calming down around him, which did make him happy, as he reeeeally didn't like being glared at.

And the talk about Zack's birthday hadn't been really unexpected either. He hadn't had a clue on what to get Zack last year, and while knowing the man for as long as he did had helped in that regard, it was still kind of hard. Zack was one of those people who seemed perfectly happy when whatever he got for a gift, but he didn't seem to really need anything, which did not help Cloud pick out a gift. He knew Zack would love whatever, but that wasn't the point. He wanted to get his friend and the first person he had ever slept with something that he would really, -really- like, not just something he would like because it was a gift.

Strangely, that did make Zack the easiest and the hardest person to shop for that Cloud had ever known.

So last time he had seen her, Cloud had asked Aeris if she had had any ideas. He didn't want to steal her gift ideas, but a suggestion or two wouldn't hurt, right? And she was a girl. Girls just seemed better at picking out gifts. He was pretty sure it was in their genetics, or taught in some type of secret girl ritual thing. He didn't know, and he didn't ask. Girls were pretty mysteries that he was just as happy to be confused about.

None of that was what had him staring at Aeris in complete and total shock. Actually, he was sure that why he was staring at her in complete and total shock was not why he was staring at her in complete and total shock. He couldn't have heard what he had thought he had heard. "You want me to do what?"

Aeris just gave him an innocent look, which set off even more warning bells in his brain. Aeris plus innocent look wasn't good. He didn't know why he thought that, just that it was a bone deep and definite feel. Instinct, maybe? Stories from Zack? No idea, didn't care, he was just afraid.

"I think you and Sephiroth should take Zack to bed for his birthday."

Okay, maybe he -had- heard what he thought he had heard. His response was a wonderful gurgle noise. Aeris only smiled brightly at him and offered more tea.

"Really, hear me out. He does care about you both. Deeply. And I get the feeling he's been feeling a little left out now that you and Sephiroth have finally seen the light about each other. We both know he would never say anything about it. He does care, and wouldn't want to hurt your feelings. But haven't you noticed how often he's been gone? His visits down here took a leap up, and I know he hasn't been down here as often as he could be." She paused. "Though now I'm curious on where he has been, as I doubt very much that he's been staying home that often."

The look she gave Cloud was expectant, and he felt the urge to squirm. Now that he thought about it, he realized that Zack did have an alarming habit of vanishing on them. He could only vaguely recall lots of "I got plans, see you guys later" variations. "He's been going out every day," he said slowly as he realized it. "I've been studying and..."

"Making happy kissy faces with Sephiroth." Aeris chirped that far too happily, and Cloud eyed her, feeling guilty now. "I don't blame you, you two are cute in my head together, and maybe I'll get to see it someday, but right now, we're talking about Zack's birthday gift. I love him, but Zack tends to over think things." A pause. "Sometimes. Not that you'd see much evidence of that at times, but he does try really hard to make sure the people he cares about are happy. And now that you two are being blissfully cute at each other, he isn't sure what to do." She handed him a new cup of tea.

"Plus, I get the feeling he's feeling slightly left out. I can imagine it's hard when two people who used to be your lovers are just about ignoring you now for one another."

Cloud's cheeks burned. He focused on the food for a bit, waiting for his skin to stop burning, and thought about it. It wasn't just that he was embarrassed by Aeris's rather blunt assessment of the situation, but he felt -guilty- over it. Because she was right. They had been ignoring Zack.

"I got to go," he said, standing and giving her a weak smile. "We're idiots, and I got to talk to Seph about some things."

Aeris just gave him a pleased smile, and Cloud couldn't help but wonder just why she had such a pleased look. His brain would probably boil over from the blush if he thought about it too hard.

Taking his leave, he walked quickly for the station.

He had some ideas he wanted to share with Seph.

Sephiroth didn't act with too much surprise when Cloud finished talking. The man just sat where he had been, staring at the meal that Zack had brought home before heading out. His friend had claimed to be going to his lady friend's home, but he always said that, and Sephiroth wondered where Zack actually was now.

With a sigh, Cloud poked at the take out, not really paying attention to it, at least as far as Sephiroth could tell. The younger man had a glazed look to his eyes that said he was a million miles away. "I didn't realize how much he had gone away, you know? He always seemed so cheerful about it, so I never thought..."

"Zack is good at hiding things when he wants to. Especially when he's trying to be nice to you. Which makes him all that more frustrating when you want to speak to him." He was thinking hard. "I know we did not mean to offend him."

"I don't think we did." Now Cloud was looking at him. "I think we hurt his feelings."

Now that was just confusing. "How so?"

Cloud shrugged, looking as confused as Sephiroth felt. "We sort of, well, just ignored him. I mean, not -totally- or anything. But I know I wasn't talking to him much. Not with the exam stuff going on. Mostly been doing that and spending time with you."

A nod as Sephiroth started to try putting pieces together in a form that made some sort of sense. "Do you suppose...he is under the impression that we do not wish him around any longer?" The idea of not having Zack around was simply inconceivable to Sephiroth, and he found that now that he had that idea, he really did not care for it. Zack was someone he did care about, even if he wasn't sure how to show that at times, and if something happened to the man, Sephiroth would make sure the cause of it was dealt with. Permanently.

There was a vaguely unhappy sound from Cloud after a moment. Sephiroth focused on the other, seeing a familiar stubborn look in his eyes. That was a good thing, and he gave Cloud a faint smile. It grew some as Cloud snagged and shoved the phone at him. "You should give him a call."

Taking the phone, Sephiroth gave his younger lover a slow, small smile. "I think I will."

Flipping open the device, he hit the number that would connect him to Zack.

He and Cloud had plans to make. But, first, to make sure Zack would be where he needed to be at the right time.

Perhaps, Sephiroth thought as the phone rang, he should call Aeris as well.

She would be sure to have some ideas on this situation.