Title: SOLDIER

Disclaimer: Yes, I own Final Fantasy VII, just like I own Microsoft, the state of Oklahoma, and the Swedish break-dancing team.

Summary: Just a little fic about Cloud's training for SOLDIER. I know it didn't happen this way, but hey...

Warning: Rated for later yaoi, possible lemons. If you haven't got a scoobie of what I'm talking about, go find out before you read, I will not be held responsible for the damage to your mental health. Flames will be laughed at hysterically, since you obviously didn't read this.

Oh yeah, and there's some violent language too... heh

Chapter two

Buuuuzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Cloud moaned, rolling over on his bed so that his face was buried in the pillow and pulling the duvet more tightly around himself. He was warm! He was comfortable! And that buzz was an evil evil message proclaiming that he must now leave that source of comfort. Whoever invented the doorbell was going to be found inexplicably murdered...

Buuuuzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

"All right already..." Cloud mumbled sleepily, forcing himself to get out of bed, he slipped his feet into his slippers, and pulling on a pair of boxers, he went over to terminal, pressing the intercom button to greet his early visitor.

"Hullo?" He asked sleepily.

"Cloud?" Dammit, that sounded like Zack!

"Zack?" the blonde asked, a little more awake now.

"Yeah, sorry I'm late. Time for your lesson."

"Uh... sure, come on up." And he pressed the button to release the electronic lock on the security door downstairs, then unlocked his own door so Zack could get in. He rushed around the apartment for his clothes, finding a pair of faded blue jeans and trying his hardest to put them on, find more clothes and panic at the same time. He heard the door click open and froze, turning slowly to find Zack standing in the doorway, an amused little smile on his face as he watched Cloud watching him with wide eyes, holding his jeans shut.

"Just up are we?" Zack said with a grin.

"Uh..."

"Gee, and I thought I was late..." Zack carried on, still grinning. He raised an eyebrow, "Well? Are you just going to stand there half naked all day?"

A furious blush crept up Cloud's cheeks at Zack's words. "Well, I... Uh..."

Zack's eyes softened as he watched the small blonde blush. Aww, how cute...

Deciding that Cloud wasn't going to do anything without a push, Zack stepped over to him - so close that Cloud could practically see the threads where his pocket was sewn onto his shirt - Zack took Cloud's hands away from the zip of his jeans. Cloud gasped, Zack wasn't going to-?

No. No sooner had the thought of Zack touching him entered his mind, Zack had taken hold of the zipper and pulled it up and did up the button.

"Get dressed," the SOLDIER said, his voice barely a husky whisper, "we've got work to do."

Cloud looked up at him, his eyes still wide. Something had passed between them then. What he didn't know, but there was definitely something. He felt like he should ask Zack what it was, but something else held him back. He gave the older man the smallest of nods, then retreated to his bedroom to get dressed.

"I'll be back in a sec!" Cloud called from his room, "Have a seat in the living room, put the TV on if you want!"

A few minutes later, Cloud - fully dressed - made his way to the living room to find Zack sitting on the sofa, papers strewn around him, glasses perched on his nose. Cloud made his way over quietly, sitting beside him on the only empty space on the sofa, which was uncomfortably close to Zack for his liking, especially after the previous... incident. He could feel the blush creeping up his cheeks again.

Zack turned to him then with his constant smile. "You ready?"

Cloud nodded and they got to work.

XXXXXXXX

"Well," his words were muffled with a yawn as the First Class SOLDIER stretched, "I think we should call it a day."-

Cloud heaved a sigh of relief. He never knew that getting into SOLDIER could be so difficult! He yawned as well, leaning back on the sofa, since - half way through the lesson - they had decided to sit on the floor.

"Tired Cloud?"

Cloud nodded, looking up at the clock, five-thirty, they'd been working since eleven-fifteen! Geez...

"You did pretty well though, we go through a lot of it." he paused as he took in the sight of the small blonde leaning on the sofa, his neck arched back so that his head was leaning back on the cushions, eyes closed. He looked so vulnerable, how could one so innocent want to be a SOLDIER?

Cloud made a vague mumble of agreement.

"Heh, you look exhausted." Zack said, still not taking his eyes from the pretty blonde, so young and so innocent... He wondered what Cloud would do if he leaned over just that little bit and kissed those full lips, just a feather-brush on the boys with his, nothing much...

Deciding that he could try, Zack scooted over so he was sitting next to the boy, their arms brushing together. Zack leaned closer still, wondering if he really should. Getting too attached would be a very bad idea. Besides, the boy would probably bolt like a startled chocobo...

But those pretty features, pale and relaxed. He looked so irresistible... He couldn't just turn away... He leaned a little closer, just next to his ear.

"You awake Cloud?" Zack whispered.

Cloud's eyes twitched as he mumbled something incoherent... He was far too tired... Just a moments rest.

When the only reply he got was a tiny murmur, Zack decided, and hoped somewhat, that Cloud was indeed asleep. He leaned in just a little more and brushed his lips against Cloud's cheek. The lush swell of Zack's lips barely touching the boys flesh.

"Zack...?"

Zack hissed in a sharp breath. How could he have been so careless? "Uh... Yeah?"

"Same time tomorrow?"

Zack blinked his violent eyes, a bewildered expression on his face, "Uh... Yeah, sure."

Cloud smiled a sleepily little smile. It wasn't much, but it was there, the first proper smile Zack had seen. The blonde opened his eyes and got to his feet. "Wanna drink?"

Zack, still utterly confused that he'd managed to kiss the boy and he was none the wiser.

Cloud cocked his head to the side, "Er... Zack?"

Zack shook his head, "Huh? Oh, yeah, please Cloud."

"Tea? Coffee? Soda?"

Zack considered it for a moment, "Coffee please kiddo. One sugar and milk please."

Cloud smiled sweetly at him, then disappeared into the kitchen. Meanwhile, Zack ran the last few moments through his head. He kissed Cloud. Cloud didn't shout at him. Cloud didn't hit him. Cloud didn't yell at him to get out of his house. Cloud didn't do anything. There was something about the whole situation that had Zack puzzled. He reasoned that either Cloud knew what happened and actually liked it... Or - more likely - he didn't feel it. It was hardly a kiss after all, just a tiny little feather brush and-

"Zack? Geez... you daydreaming or something?"

Again, the SOLDIER was snapped from his thoughts by the boy, this time, he was extending a steaming mug of coffee towards his tutor, an innocently questioning look on his angelic face.

No... Don't succumb to his cuteness... Don't let that sweet face draw you in too far... Don't fall for the little angel... Don't make another mistake. Just don't.

"Thank you." Zack said politely.

Cloud sat next to him, sipping at his cocoa with marshmallows floating on the top; "You okay Zack? You seem in another world all of a sudden."

Zack, also sipping his coffee, shook his head, "Just got some stuff to think about..."

Cloud looked up at him, his eyes seeming so big and blue. Zack could stare into them for hours, those ocean irises seemed to beckon to him, like the stories his mother told him of the Sirens that would sing to sailors to bring them to their unmerciful end on the rocks. Cloud's called to him as well, but still had that message that he'd get burned if he got to close. It was simple. Cloud's eyes drew him in, but if he tried anything - and if Cloud didn't refuse him - he's lose his job as a tutor - being demoted to a bog standard 1st class SOLDIER again would suck - and thus he'd have no further opportunity to see the blonde again.

"Zack?"

The raven haired man shook his head. Dammit! Here was himself thinking about how lost he could get in those blue eyes, whilst actually being lost in them! What a moron!

"I'm fine kiddo."

Cloud blinked, frowning, "Something on your mind?"

Zack shook his head, ruffling Cloud's impossible blonde spikes. How did they defy gravity like that anyway? He looked up at the clock. Darn it!

"Agh... I gotta go kid-"

"We agreed you wouldn't call me that..."

"Yeah, sorry Cloud. I gotta run. Got an appointment I don't really like the idea of going to, but I like the idea of missing it even less." He put his coffee on the table and threw his jacket over his shoulders, fishing his car keys out of his pocket. "See ya later Cloud!" and with a cheery wave, he was out the door.

Cloud stared at the door for a moment, a wistful expression on his face. So his tutor would kiss him in his sleep - what Zack thought was in his sleep anyway - yet not even hug him goodbye? What a jerk.

Cloud found himself smiling at that. Why on earth was he so interested? With a sigh and a shake of his head, Cloud started tidying his apartment. He cleared that table, picking up something that didn't belong.

"Cloud sighed at the pair of glasses in his hand, "Now if that isn't a hint that he's going to come back, I don't know what is."

Chapter two down! R 'n' R!