Disclaimer: Sephiroth is owned by no one! He is untouchable! Mostly everyone else is Square Enix's.
Cloud woke up around 4:00 that morning, but stayed in bed, not wanting to get up. He sighed quietly, thinking about Zack and Sephiroth. If it was really true that he didn't like guys, then why did he feel so pleasantly strange when Zack touched him, or why did he get that same feeling just by looking at Sephiroth? 'But...I do like Tifa, don't I? She's like a little sister to me...' he thought, and that was it! Of course he liked Tifa, but he liked her as a sister, like a family member. It was the kind of love that could never grow into love, love. 'Alright-I'll admit it to myself...maybe I do like guys. And maybe...if Zack persists, I'll-' he left the thought hanging, and fell asleep again, thinking that he'd try to get as much sleep as he could, since the aftereffects of the Mako and all the exercises were getting to him.
He finally really awoke when he felt lips pressed to his own and a body on top of him. He was quite startled and jumped, opening his eyes to see a face with black, spiky hair. Zack grinned at him and sat up, still on top of Cloud, "Good morning. Boy you are a heavy sleeper. I've tried at least five different ways to get you up, but they just didn't work- though apparently that did. Sleep in more often, will you?" He leaned forward, resting his elbows on either side of Cloud and looking at him, "We don't really need breakfast, do we? Besides, I think I'm a lot hungrier for something else." He smirked.
Cloud felt heat creep up into his cheeks and was tempted more than ever to give in. After all, they were both there...and-
Without warning Zack descended, going straight for Cloud's neck this time, kissing it and then moving upward to lick right below Cloud's ear, and then nipping his earlobe lightly, "Yep, you taste just fine." he whispered seductively. Cloud shivered and drew in a shuddering breath, about to give in, but his stomach chose that moment to growl loudly in the silence.
"I...I think I need breakfast." Cloud said apologetically. Zack sighed depressedly and looked at him with an utter longing look that made Cloud's breath catch in his throat, and he was about to revise his statement, when his stomach growled again. Zack got off him and went over to the door to wait. Cloud sat up and put on his clothes, looking over at Zack just once to catch the look of desire and sadness on his face, before turning guiltily away.
They made it down to breakfast in time, and Cloud sat down, looking worriedly around for Seymour, but he didn't see him anywhere. Cloud ate his breakfast silently, tuning out Zack and Laguna's animated chatter. Suddenly, he asked, "Where's the medical center?"
"Floor 32, why?" Laguna replied.
"That Seymour isn't back yet? You missing him already?" Zack teased Cloud, and then added, "You wanting to 'see more' of Seymour?" he asked with a wink.
"Zack, that was so lame, I'm tempted to ground you." Laguna said with a mock pained look on his face.
"From what?"
"Me." Laguna replied, winking.
Cloud blinked at them and stood up. "Floor 32...thanks..." he then walked away.
Zack grinned at him and called, "I'll look for you when I get hungry again!"
Cloud blushed brightly and hurried a bit faster, getting on the elevator and punching '32'. He felt rather let down as he saw that there was no one else on the elevator, but how likely was it to run into Sephiroth two days in a row? The elevator stopped at the floor with nothing interesting- no Sephiroth.
He stepped into a metal room like so many others in this building were. This one had lots of machinery like the place where they got the Mako injections, though everything seemed more orderly. There was a desk in front of him with a person in a white lab coat was sitting. She looked up at Cloud as he arrived and asked, "May I help you?"
Cloud nodded and asked, "I'm here to see Seymour Shinra...is he here?"
"Well...let's see...what would he be here for?" She asked, picking up a clipboard.
"He collapsed yesterday because of the Mako injection he'd been given." Cloud explained, feeling rather intimidated by the bright, harsh shine of everything.
The lady looked up from her clip board, "Oh, him. You said you wanted to see him? Come with me." She stood up and started walking with Cloud following through an area full of metal things and plastic screens, and a constant beeping that came from different places in different tones and patterns. She pulled aside one of the screens to reveal Seymour eating food that looked even worse than Cloud's own breakfast, a bored, annoyed look on his face. "Don't upset him or do anything dangerous, he's still recovering." she told Cloud warningly, and then left.
Seymour's face brightened considerably as he saw Cloud. "Cloud! I am so glad to see you. The people here have no sense of fun, entertainment, or leniency."
Cloud sat on a chair next to Seymour's bed. "Good to see you too. Are you feeling better? Do all your body parts work?"
Seymour's face was much more colored then it was the day before, and he laughed, "I'm fine. I keep telling them to let me out, but they won't. They say I have to stay until at least dinner time before I can leave, for full recovery."
"If you dislike it so much, why don't you just leave?" Cloud asked him.
He got a somewhat embarrassed look on his face, "Well...I tried, but it turns out I have a lot less energy than I would like. I got about five steps before collapsing again." He sighed.
"Then you are not fine! No wonder they make you stay here!"
"Oh, come on. Not you too, Cloud. I'm not an invalid, I just don't react well to Mako."
"That's an understatement."
Seymour's face took on a truly depressed look. "Cloud, do you remember me telling you about that promise I made to Rufus about trying out for SOLDIER?"
"Yeah, why?" Cloud asked worried.
Seymour looked at his half eaten food and confessed, "Well, that wasn't all of it..." He took a breath, "It was also part of the agreement that I stay at ShinRa until I make it into SOLDIER."
"Oh...well that still doesn't sound too awful. You're much better at the training than I am. I'm sure you'll get in." Cloud said reassuringly.
Seymour shook his head, "Don't you get it? I hate it here, I'd rather go back to living in the streets, even in the slums if I have to. But that'll never happen now. I figured that if I got into SOLDIER I'd just quit then, but..."
"But what? What's wrong?"
"There's no way I can do it now. SOLDIERs have to have a tolerance for Mako- not only because of the treatments, but also because of the places they're sent. They told me...they told me to give up and go home...because I'd never be allowed in, not with my Mako allergy. So now I'm stuck here..." Seymour gulped slightly, as if he were about to cry.
Cloud, in a gesture of friendship, held Seymour's hand, "It's still not that bad. I'm sure there's a way out, why don't you talk to Rufus about it? Or you could just leave."
A choking sort of laugh came from Seymour, and he looked up at Cloud ruefully, "Well, if I left, Rufus has people who would and could track me down. And have you met him? I highly doubt he would revise the promise if I asked him. Besides, what would anyone care about me? My life is useless."
Cloud squeezed his hand in slight disbelief of what he was hearing, "What? I would care about you- I do! Stop being pessimistic, and go talk to Rufus, or something."
"Thanks, Cloud, but...how? You need a keycard to get to the floor that is his room and office." Seymour said, squeezing Cloud's hand back.
Cloud shrugged and then an idea sparked. "Well, Zack can get there... Maybe if you talk to him he can tell you."
"Yeah...maybe. Thanks again, Cloud. Just so you know, I care about you, too." Seymour looked at Cloud and smiled a sad smile. "I-" he paused.
"What?" Cloud asked and Seymour held up his other hand in a shushing motion. Suddenly Cloud could hear voices and one word stood out most in his hearing.
"-Strife. He seems to have a very high reaction to the Mako injections. In fact, it's the highest we've seen since yours." Came a voice that sounded lazy and idle...maybe Hojo?
Then a cool, calm and penetrating voice came that sent shivers through Cloud just hearing it, "Is that so?"
"Yes, Sephiroth. In fact, I believe that if he makes SOLDIER he could grow to become something like you. That is if his training and demeanor are up to snuff."
"Like me?" The silvery voice came again, "I'll have to meet this Cloud Strife someday and observe him. If he is, as you say, worthy of becoming like me, he will be worth checking out."
Cloud felt his stomach tightening and heart racing. Sephiroth was talking about him? Sephiroth? Discussing the possibility of becoming like him? Sephiroth? The sound of footsteps moved on as the conversation ceased. Cloud was both glad and disappointed that the screen was closed, so that Sephiroth couldn't see him, but then again, he couldn't see Sephiroth. After they had left, Cloud looked to Seymour, to insure he had not been dreaming or imagining it.
Seymour was staring wide eyed at Cloud. So he hadn't imagined it... Seymour glanced at his watch and said, "Shouldn't you be in training now?"
Cloud jumped and looked at his own watch. He cursed, "I'm late!"
He said a quick goodbye to Seymour, excusing himself before pelting off to training, cursing along the way, unable to think more about what he had just heard. At one point he thought he glimpsed the back of silver hair, but it could have just been his imagination.
As he suspected, he was in trouble, and had to do ten extra laps as well as their training. Finally, at the end of it all, he collapsed in a corner, awaiting dinnertime.
He must have fallen asleep, because when he looked at his watch, it was much later than before. He slowly went to dinner, to find that Zack, Laguna, and even Seymour were already there. He collapsed into a spot next to Seymour and across from Zack. Zack had an almost guilty look, which matched Seymour's, but Cloud was too exhausted to notice.
"How are you feeling?" He asked Seymour.
Seymour jumped slightly, and replied, "I'm doing much better, I can walk on my own and everything." he said somewhat sarcastically.
"I'm glad one of us can." Cloud told him exhaustedly. He ate some of his food and eventually shoved it away. "I'm going to bed." He stated and stood up.
"I'll escort you, then." Zack said, standing up as well.
"I can manage." Cloud told him and made his way out of the room.
Zack ignored his statement and followed him anyway. They got on the elevator, and Cloud was still standing. When it stopped at their floor, though, Cloud stumbled at the slight lurch and fell into Zack's arms. Zack smirked and said, "You sure you can manage, 'cause it doesn't look like that to me. I can carry you again."
Cloud shook his head and managed to stand by himself, leaving Zack's arms slightly reluctantly. They were so comforting...and strong, and warm. They left the elevator and Zack smirked at Cloud again, "You know, if you think this is hard to stand...I can do things to you that'll make your legs turn into jelly."
Cloud blushed and they entered the room. Suddenly, Zack grabbed him and pulled him closely, kissing him. Cloud was startled enough to kiss back, allowing Zack's tongue entrance. His hands were on Cloud's waist, holding him close as he kissed him passionately. One of his hands boldly moved forward and down, brushing his crotch teasingly as he broke away from the kiss and turned out the door, "Sorry, Cloud. Not tonight, I have an appointment- unless you want to wait up for me?"
Cloud's face reddened into an even deeper color, his heart pounding wildly as he fought to control the shivers that were still spreading through him at Zack's touch. He shook his head and managed to say, "Uh, good night..."
"'Night Cloud. I hope you don't need a story to go with that bedtime kiss- I know ones that could have you blushing so deep you'll be purple." Zack said teasingly and left.
Cloud shook his head, which was caught up in a maelstrom of emotions, and went to his own bed, undressing before sliding under his covers and letting blissful sleep take him.
Yay! Five down, however many more to go! I'm so proud of myself for getting so many done in such a short amount of time. Don't get used to such frequent updates-I'm warning you now. I don't think I've ever finished a story in my life unless it was a short, one chapter one. In other words, I need frequent encouragement to make this my first. -hintcough- REVIEW!-hinthintcoughcough- BTW, this chapter has just been finished at 2:20 at night.