New chapter, who diss? In all seriousness, if you are someone other than me reading this (because I read my own stories like a weirdo), please comment and tell me why the strangeness of my muses and headcanon is at all appealing to you.

A VERY CHOIR REMAKE
Chapter 4

"Sephiroth! Look this way, please!"

"Sephiroth-san, just one picture!"

"Sephiroth! I love you!"

"Sir, can you comment on your upcoming appearance in Smash?"

My appearance in what? Sephiroth thought, but gave no outward sign of interest as he entered the ShinRa Compound and the saluting attendants closed the gate behind him. He had been dealing with the him-obsessed press since childhood and had been taught that if you give them the slightest bit of information or attention, they will always want more. Such things were better left to the Public Relations Department, which Sephiroth did not much like either, associating them with the interviews he'd had to endure and the endless photographs he'd had to pose for.

Despite the lack of change in his expression, the general felt a vague sense of relief once back on the familiar grounds of ShinRa. It was not home in the way, for example, Zack seemed to consider Gongaga, but everything was more predictable here, on the land Sephiroth knew every square meter of, with people who both respected him and understood that he was…it was hard to explain himself even to Sephiroth, his social awkwardness balanced with the warmth he felt for his SOLDIER family. (As Amarissia put it, "You're honorarily on the autism spectrum, Sephy-Pants, that's all.")

I do wish she would stop making up her own honorifics, Sephiroth thought vaguely as he headed straight for the 3rd Class gym, located in one of several large buildings on the Compound, because Amarissia had never been able to rationalize all of ShinRa being contained in one building, however large. Everyone he passed, from Army to groundskeepers, saluted, and Sephiroth gave each a solemn nod. He didn't say anything until, as planned, he met Commander Hitchcock at the large room's entrance.

"Sir," Hitchcock said in greeting, the word spoken casually, as he alternated it with the given name all 1sts were permitted to use, and though he didn't fully salute, he unconsciously stood up straight. "I can set my watch by you, people ever tell you that?"

"Yes. Is he here?"

"Sure is."

The 1st gestured to the other side of the room, where there were three men near each other. Sephiroth immediately recognized two of them – 1st Class Lieutenants Morgan and Dunley, best friends nearly always together and known to be the 1sts who spent the most time sparring with the lower classes – and therefore was able to identify by elimination which one was Roche, apparently the one currently dueling with Morgan.

"Thank you, Jason," Sephiroth said by way of farewell, and left his close comrade at the door to slowly approach the fight that held his focus.

The general's analytic mind first looked at this Roche's fighting style and ability, assessing him as Sephiroth would any possible threat. A faint relief quickly followed; the 3rd was capable but not remarkable, possessing the skill a SOLDIER needed, perhaps a bit more, but was having to struggle against Morgan, so was certainly nowhere near a match for Sephiroth himself, or Cloud. There are other kinds of weapons, Sephiroth thought moodily; he was aware his own attractiveness had distracted and disarmed opponents before, and Cloud had experienced the same with his innocent cuteness.

Roche was, the general supposed, marginally attractive, with a symmetrically handsome face and blond hair in an odd style Sephiroth couldn't place. (Amarissia silently suggested the word "mullet.") Not that Sephiroth ever for a moment questioned Cloud's fidelity to him, but it made him feel a bit better to see his young lover would not be tempted away by this man.

Morgan, a capable but not remarkable swordsman, was winning, that was easy to see, but not so much because his opponent lacked skill. Sephiroth recognized in Roche something similar to what Angeal had tried to work out of Zack – he was too passionate, throwing himself dramatically into every lunge rather than calculating each move of his own and the resulting ones from Morgan.

"My engine roars with excitement!" the blond man yelled suddenly, which startled Morgan, but the 1st still managed to disarm, the sword flying up and wooshing to stab the mat below them.

Roche bowed deeply and elegantly. "My thanks, sir. A fitting wrench into my gears you've been."

"Uh…good." Morgan nodded and tried not to look confused by that. "You're doing well. But you've got to cool that head of yours. Save the theatrics for weaker opponents, and don't feel so much, think instead."

The 1st looked over, and smiled. "General. I don't think you've met Lieutenant Roche."

"I have not, no."

Sephiroth expected all the bravado to drain out of the 3rd and be replaced with stammering; this was what usually happened when he met new SOLDIERs. Instead, sword retrieved and sheathed, Roche gave another exaggerated bow, not straightening up until after he started speaking.

"General Sephiroth, great pinnacle of all we fight for here, it is an honor…"

Well, flowery speech wasn't SO unusual. It just usually came out of middle-aged executives trying to seduce him, not younger men.

"…and might I say, you are a vision beyond what the likes of I could hope to see outside of dreams."

Morgan laughed uneasily. He was relieved, however, that Sephiroth merely looked a bit annoyed.

"Nice to meet you," the Silver SOLDIER said tersely.

"I hope someday we can cross blades," the 3rd said confidently, almost making Sephiroth miss the ones who reacted to him with stammering amazement.

Morgan spoke up quickly. "That's a long way off. Definitely dream big, Lieutenant, but some things have to be earned, and likely won't be till you reach 1st Class."

"Of course." Roche bowed again. "My engine will rev solitarily until I make a worthy opponent for the honored general."

Morgan caught Sephiroth's gaze, and he subtly shrugged. Shinra as a company tended to attract a lot of odd characters, but Roche was hardly the weirdest either of them had encountered. Working his way through the SOLDIER program would shave some of that bravado off of him and add some humility; he was only a 3rd and had a lot of time to grow.

Sephiroth nodded to them both, trying not to feel irked by Roche's flirtatious sort of smile. "As you were."

"Yes, sir."

"A great pleasure to have spoken to you, General."

Well, better that he flirt with me than Cloud.

azazazaz

Commander Angeal Hewley, admired SOLDIER, decorated 1st Class veteran, respected head of the 2nd Class, was known for his calm, reasonable manner, his practical even-temperedness in the face of odds and stressors. He handled deadly enemies and mischievous younger SOLDIERs with seemingly no upset of his good-natured equilibrium. He was greatly liked by his colleagues for how easy to work with he was. For his patience and talent for teaching, every young recruit dreamed of getting one-on-one time with him. In short, like Sephiroth stared blankly and Genesis hmphed, Angeal was rational.

So it really stuck out to observers whenever the commander was not behaving like his usual self, like now, as Angeal briskly strode through the hallways, often looking down at the phone he continued to dial, though his calls kept going to voicemail. His expression was fairly placid; it was in his eyes and hurried movements that Angeal's worry could be seen. Sometimes Zack forgot to charge his phone, but rarely, because he knew Angeal's concern for him was helped by the fact that the boy's phone had a panic button connected to Angeal's phone. The unwholesome attention Zack attracted was an ever-present fear for Angeal, and despite Zack being a very capable fighter, Angeal worried. He was worried now.

On top of everything, Zack had been very on-edge recently, more sensitive than ever about Amarissia, her portrayal of him in her stories, and comparing himself as a character to himself as a "real person." Angeal, himself maintaining a sort of distant friendship with the Musee, didn't mind what was written about him and wished Zack could feel the same way, but as things were right now, Zack was frazzled, distracted, sometimes showing signs of paranoia. Angeal had temporarily taken the boy off duty and suggested he spend time with his friends, and hopefully he was doing so. But…

"Puppy, answer your phone," Angeal muttered at the little screen in his hand. Voicemail again. "Damn."

He'd checked most of the places Zack could reliably be found, all except the one he was headed to now, a good guess, the 1st Class gym. Zack was a 2nd, but considered a little brother by most of the 1sts, and welcome to use that facility, since his training was mostly with the 1st Classes, after all. Finally putting his phone back in his pocket, Angeal reached his destination, and said a quick prayer as he pushed the swinging doors open.

Thank Gaia, he spotted the missing boy quickly, about halfway across the enormous room, engaged in a sword spar with Lieutenant Collier, a talented and well-liked 1st with shaggy white hair and a face that looked much sterner than he actually was. In addition, Zack's best friend Kunsel was nearby, leaning against the closest padded wall, and he saluted as Angeal approached.

"Hello, sir."

"Hello, Kunsel." Angeal glanced over; Zack was not unaware of him, of course, but was trying to focus on his duel. "Have they been at it long?"

"No, sir, but Lieutenant Collier is about the seventh in a row Zack's taken on. I myself was number four, and I'm still catching my breath," the young man said dryly.

"What's going on?"

"Varley," the 2nd Class sighed. Angeal recognized the name, another of Zack's peers and friends. "He was first, and made the mistake of innocently commenting about how Zack always smells so good. I don't know if he's dumb enough to have been flirting or if he just wanted bath-product recommendations, but Zack didn't take it too well."

"I see," Angeal said, and he thought he did.

"It's funny, Zack's not usually so insistent about being uber-masculine. I tried to remind him that even the general smells like a different flower every day, but by that point he seemed to be muttering angrily at someone the rest of us can't see."

"It's…difficult to explain."

Kunsel shrugged. "Not really. He told me not to make comparisons to religion, but I mean, a lot of people believe they're being controlled or influenced by some higher power."

Angeal suppressed a chuckle at the thought of Amarissia being called a higher power. "So, basically, he's trying to make himself sweat."

"Think so. Unfortunately, Gongagans don't seem to do that too easily."

It was true. Zack, a proud native of that hot, humid jungle village, even now, after so much and so long an exertion only had the faintest sheen of dampness on his fair skin. Angeal watched his student/lover, noting with his teacher eyes that Zack was, as usual, doing very well; in fact, he was more focused now than he usually was. But the tension Angeal sensed from the teenager as well as his complete lack of smile (when usually Zack loved sword-fighting) had him worried. Or rather, more worried.

Angeal was considering pausing the fight, watching for a good, safe moment to interrupt and demand swords be held up. He was spared the need when Zack struck an excellent blow, sending Collier's blade falling several meters away from them. The 1st yielded and congratulated him with a good-natured humility that Angeal valued and encouraged in his SOLDIERs, and Zack bowed back at him and thanked Collier for training with him. The 1st saw Angeal on his way to retrieve his weapon, and nodded to him as if to say, "The kid's okay, I think."

Angeal still wasn't sure. He reached Zack just after the boy had sheathed his weapon, before he could pick out another opponent, and pulled him into a tight hug.

"You haven't been answering your phone."

"Huh? Oh, crap, I'm sorry, Angeal. Edwards from PR was calling me, like, non-stop, so I put it on silent, then I got kinda distracted here."

"I noticed. Are you feeling all right?"

"Uh-huh."

Now the 2nd was smiling, and he seemed genuinely happy to see Angeal, like he always was. But that new thrum of tension in the boy's lithe frame was wavering in the air like heat, and there was the hint of bags under his eyes that had not been there until recently.

"Oh, since I've got you here, Angeal…"

"Yes?"

"Smell me."

"Smell you?" Damn it.

"Yeah!" A more genuine smile, though not without tension under it. "I'm all sweaty now, so I smell like I need to hit the showers, right?"

At times like this, Angeal sometimes hated his own honest-almost-to-a-fault nature, and even his general opinion that honesty was almost always the best policy. But ultimately, he had resolved he would never lie to Zack unless doing so was necessary for the boy's safety. Although he knew the truth now wasn't what Zack's current state of mind wanted, he knew Zack wanted it. And what Zack wanted, Angeal always wanted to give him.

"Puppy…you still smell good, even when you sweat. I'm sorry, I know that's not the answer you hoped for, but really, what's so bad about it? A lot of people would love that trait, even other SOLDIERs."

He winced as Zack's hopeful expression fell, and reached out again to the boy. Zack didn't protest this, let Angeal's arm curl around him and a large, calloused hand settle on and massage just below the nape of his neck. And indeed, the only faint aroma in the air surrounding the boy was the usual pleasant one, which Zack seemed unable to smell himself, though he lifted his arms up to sniff his armpits, which were just barely wet anyway.

"Damn it…"

Angeal didn't like the defeated tone on those words, and with his other arm he pulled Zack close to embrace. "Baby Puppy."

That variation of his nickname, an intimate one used only when the pair was alone (as they were now, Kunsel having taken his leave at some earlier moment) tended to disarm Zack, make him open up, and that was exactly what Angeal wanted right now.

"What's made this such a concern all of a sudden, Puppy?"

Zack mumbled something into the 1st's uniform sweater, and hugged Angeal back, tightly.

"Hmm?"

"…her." Zack knew he didn't have to be more specific. "She keeps writing about me smelling good, so – "

"So, naturally, you don't want to. I understand."

"I'm not a girl," Zack huffed grumpily. "She is aware of that, right?"

"I should think so," Angeal chuckled. "Remember, Puppy, Amarissia doesn't have any experience with male bodies, so we can't really expect her to be accurate about every aspect of us. And you do, after all, smell nice. I used to think it was your bath products, but even when we've been out in the field, you never smell any other way."

"What exactly do I smell like?"

"Floral, not in a girly way," Angeal said quickly, "but sort of a wildflowers-in-the-wind sort of scent. It's always put me in mind of purple flowers specifically, but that might just be because of your favorite color."

The teenager groaned, but Angeal was relieved to recognize that the sound was intentionally dramatic. "Damn it, woman, I am a SOLDIER, not a scratch-and-sniff sticker," he grumbled, face almost pressed, comfortably, to Angeal's neck.

Angeal rubbed his nose against Zack's cheek. "Sephiroth never smells anything but good either. In his case it might be canon, rather than the odd choices of a fangirl, but still. It can't be unmasculine to smell like flowers when Sephiroth does it, too. Right?"

"I guess," Zack said uncertainly, though Angeal felt his body relaxing and counted this talk a victory. "Does Genesis ever smell bad?"

Angeal laughed softly. "He's rarely dirty or sweaty long enough for anyone to notice. We probably have to ask Amarissia."

"Let's not." Zack drew back just enough to lift up onto his tip-toes and move his face close to Angeal's. "Can it just be you and me here? Just for a bit, even?"

"As long as you want, baby."

The kiss they met in was slow, soft, full of the patience soul mates are able to have when they're confident they'll have a whole lifetime, or indeed more than that, together, for moments like these when all of Gaia and its wonders was reduced, or expanded, to how right and happy these two SOLDIERs felt in each other's arms. Were any of their friends and comrades watching, even the most unimaginative fighter might be moved to describe the scene poetically, moved by the sight of their love.

Hee hee. I like making hot guys touch each other.

Zack groaned, and Angeal patted his back comfortingly.

scscscsc

Cloud sniffled at the small screen as it faded to black over sad music and displayed the words "Please insert disc 2." He set the GamePro down on the slightly disarrayed sheets, hopped off the bed, and was on his feet before he realized where he was going. When upset, yes, Cloud would talk to Zack, or Angeal, or even Genesis (though Genesis's advice tended to be over-careful and confusing). But his best and favorite source of comfort was still in his office catching up on paperwork, and Cloud had a long-standing permission to interrupt Sephiroth whenever he needed him, as long as doing so wasn't dangerous.

The general smiled as he looked up from his desk – he knew who it was because only one person entered his office without knocking – but frowned at once when he saw the blond's face. "Cloudy, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"Uh-uh."

Displaying much more ease and comfort around the famous Silver SOLDIER than anyone else would, Cloud went around the desk and plopped right down on his lover's lap, hugging him tightly as familiar, leather-clad arms encircled him protectively. Cloud felt at least a little better at once. He was in general a cheerful boy, but nothing made him happier than Sephiroth. He rested his spiky head on a shoulder and breathed in one of Sephiroth's usual scents – apple blossom today - as Sephiroth squeezed him and ran fingers through his bright hair.

"What's made you sad?" Sephiroth briefly thought of Roche, and enjoyed a brief imagining of pinning the 3rd to a wall using Masamune.

Sniffle. "The game got sad."

Some would laugh with relief at that answer, but Sephiroth took everything related to Cloud very seriously, including the boy's feelings, all of them. "Oh? What happened?"

Though they were alone, and Sephiroth was quite good at keeping surveillance equipment out of his personal spaces, Cloud stretched to put his mouth close to his ear, and whispered. The general listened patiently, and nodded when he seemed to be done.

"I see. You know, right, that I would never harm any of your friends."

Cloud rubbed his face against the long waterfall of gleaming silver hair, always loving the sleek softness of it. "I know."

"I am sorry you are sad."

"I feel better now, since I'm with you."

"Good. I will make sure the occurrence that saddened you is not replicated in the new game."

Cloud placed a wet, noisy kiss on his cheek, which made Sephiroth chuckle. Paperwork gladly forgotten, he adjusted Cloud so the boy was sitting on his lap and they were facing each other. Cloud beamed at him, sadness indeed seeming to be gone, and his wide blue eyes were so innocent and expressive that Sephiroth thought he understood the term 'windows to the soul.'

The glow of mako lighting them from within was more questionable, as Cloud seemed to recall his pre-ShinRa life only vaguely and had never been able to explain when and how he'd been exposed to enough mako to make him sufficiently enhanced to be Sephiroth's only challenging opponent. It was ironic that the boy who was so honest and open about himself remained such a mystery, and was likely to remain such, as Sephiroth had no intention of allowing any ShinRa scientist near him.

"Perhaps you need a break from your game and to do something else."

Cloud's usual glow brightened still as he remembered something. "Ooh! When I did before, Ammy-chan showed me a funny video!"

"It wasn't inappropriate, was it?" Amarissia was usually considerate enough to indulge the general's protectiveness of Cloud, but Sephiroth wanted to make sure.

"Nope." Cloud giggled. "It was of you fighting a monkey!"

The thought, combined with Cloud's infectious merriment, caused Sephiroth's lips to curve into a smile. "I hope it was a worthy adversary."

Cloud continued to laugh through what he said next. "The monkey was wearing…a tie! He was so silly!"

Sephiroth laughed lowly as he gently stroked Cloud's hair. "That does sound very silly. Will you show it to me?"

"Yep. But not right now."

"Why?"

Cloud's expression shifted, not all at once, but only over a couple seconds. He was still smiling, but it was a secretive, knowing smirk, and the look in his eyes was far more serious than his usual childlike persona ever was. The manner in which he draped his arms around Sephiroth's neck and tugged him close was insistent, possessive. Full of want, as was the very adult voice that came out of him next.

"Because now I need you to distract me."

Cloud leaned closer and initiated a kiss that was sweet, but passionate, and Sephiroth at first let the boy take the lead, as always letting Cloud demonstrate his very adult willingness and indicate what he wanted. Then Sephiroth's natural dominance let itself show, and Cloud drew back just enough to make the other mouth find and claim his. The couple's intimacy was a strictly private thing, but had anyone been permitted to observe, they would be given the definite impression that in their sex life, the two lovers were very much equals.

Though Sephiroth was admittedly lacking in his understanding of people and social situations, it was a point of pride for the man that he was uncannily good at guessing what Cloud wanted, both the chibi version and the mature young man. He easily lifted the teenager to sit on the edge of his desk, and Cloud grinned and leaned back on his hands as his pants were unfastened and drawn down. He stretched, almost purring with happiness as wonderfully-familiar cool hands stroked his sides and hips, and let out a beautiful, needy cry as Sephiroth's mouth enveloped his erection.

The general (and his lack of gag reflex) was naturally good at this as he was at most things, and amid the intense pleasure Cloud fought the urge to fall back and sprawl across the large desk. Instead he leaned forward, reached around to run his fingers over and through the untangleable silver hair. After several minutes of teasing alternated with pressure, Cloud knew he was close and didn't hide it, though his moans were muffled as his face was pressed reverently to the top of Sephiroth's head.

Ejaculating always drained the energy out of Cloud, in addition to making him dreamily happy, so as he came down Sephiroth held the smaller body up, and when he had finished drinking pulled Cloud back to hold on his lap. He liked, at times like these, to touch Cloud's flushed face and feel the difference from his usual temperature, and Cloud always gave him a few moments to do so before grabbing the smooth hand and kissing each fingertip.

"You'll be with me always, right?" Sephiroth asked softly, trying to make it only an endearment and not an expression of a real fear he sometimes had.

Cloud looked at him adoringly, perhaps understanding. "Forever. I love you more than anything."

"What did I do to deserve you, I wonder."

Probably helps you didn't torch his hometown in this universe, Sephy-Pants.

Cloud giggled, the sound of it signaling he was phasing back into his less serious persona, but he still hugged his lover supportively when Sephiroth grumbled "I've spoken to her about making up honorifics."

To be continued.