It had been a really, really long time since the story was updated. Anyway, thank you for the favourites, alert and reviews left for this story.

Here's a teaser for you to enjoy…

This is starting to feel like an annually updated story.

"Look at that cadet's ass," Genesis pointed out cavalierly, taking a sip of his beer.

Sephiroth nodded with a bored look. This topic wasn't his priority right now. He was tired. Paranoid. Tense. And his neck muscles constantly ached from looking over his shoulder. Besides, tonight had gotta be the lamest night ever.

As usual, Friday night was drinking night. However, nobody seemed to be in the mood today. And yet nobody wanted to break the tradition. Everyone was just sitting on their chairs, drinking from their mugs, seemingly deep in their own thoughts.

The loud music was starting to get on Sephiroth's nerves. His head seemed to throb painfully with the beat of the music. It was driving him insane. Or maybe this had something to do with the argument this morning.

Genesis nudged him again. "Lighten up, Seph. When was the last time you looked at another's ass since you met Cloud?"

The moment Sephiroth heard the name, his whole body coiled up tightly. Why did everyone and everything around him have to remind him of Cloud? He had had enough. Gathering his face into a fierce-some scowl, he was about to explode in a rage when he realised with a start that he was at a public area. This would be very bad for his reputation. Very bad.

Taking a deep breath, Sephiroth forced himself to mutter in a bored voice, quickly hiding his clenched fists under the table. "You've been asking me to do nothing but that for the entire week."

Genesis shot him an amused look like he found his comment witty. "Come on, Seph, you've been so rigid," then he sniggered. "Like you got a stick up your ass."

Sephiroth jerked violently, his emerald green eyes flashed ominously as he exuded a murderous aura. Despite the steady appearance he was putting on, he was a bundle of nerves on the inside. Genesis struck a raw nerve. He couldn't remember the last time he ever looked at any other guys. It was like he completely lost interest in everything after he met Cloud. And then his blood froze. Wait. What did Genesis' comment mean? Did he know something?

Before Sephiroth could dig further, Angeal cut in abruptly.

"Cut it out, is that the only thing on your mind?" Angeal snapped angrily, glaring at both of them like Sephiroth had anything to do with this.

Everyone glanced at him in surprise before exchanging wary glances with one another. It was very uncharacteristic for Angeal to make a fit. Genesis turned his gaze away, taking a sip from his mug and drumming his fingers against the beat of the music, as if oblivious to Angeal's ranting.

"That's precisely why the SOLDIERS got into a rift with the infantryman in the first place," Angeal continued in a rage, his mako blue eyes glowered. A sight that was hardly seen. Still breathing heavily, Angeal stood up, knocking over his chair with a clatter.

His faithful puppy immediately came to his side. "Angeal, is everything okay?" Zack asked beseechingly.

The hard look in those eyes began to fade away. "It's okay, pup." His voice was still gruff, reflecting the strain of tension. "I just need a refill." Then without waiting for Zack, he headed to the bar by himself, holding his half-empty cup.

Zack looked startled by the outburst. As expected, he tottered after his master like the obedient puppy he was. Damn. Angeal sure was lucky. For a second, Sephiroth felt a pang of jealousy. From the way Zack looked at Angeal, it was like he was the only one in his thoughts, the only one that he wanted, the only one that mattered.

Why couldn't Sephiroth meet someone like that?

To his own annoyance, an image of a pair of innocent sky-blue eyes cut into his mind. Before the image could go any further, Sephiroth forced himself to focus on his drink on the table.

Shaking his head at himself for his own silly train of thoughts, Sephiroth took a drink from his mug. Maybe he just wasn't cut out for a life like that, he truly took pleasure in tasting random boys, having risky, wild and dangerous sex, with no boundaries to the pleasure that sex could offered.

Yes. That was the life he enjoyed so much. Until… Cloud appeared.

After that one mistake which could have ruined his entire career – and life – taking boys back to his house had been the last thing on his mind.

Maybe he was just afraid of making another mistake, thinking that someone was naive when he turned out to be someone sadistic like Cloud.

At least it was a more logical explanation than the one that he was hung up on one particular person, right?

Because there was absolutely no logic explanation why he would be hung up on Cloud.

Sephiroth took another deep gulp of beer, hoping to clear his mind.

"What's up with him?" Genesis voiced out everyone's thought.

Sephiroth merely shrugged his shoulders, taking another huge gulp. He knew the reason for Angeal's outburst. But he just wanted to forget about it. Just like all the troubles that seemed to be following after him recently.

Earlier this morning…

Angeal had managed to corner him at his office.

"Sephiroth, a word if you please?" Angeal stood waiting for him outside his office.

Sephiroth squinted at him suspiciously. It was just a gesture of politeness. After all, how could Sephiroth go anywhere when Angeal was blocking his entire path? He had guessed something like this would turn up ever since that meeting. With nowhere to escape, Sephiroth had no choice but to hear him out. His face darkened with every passing minute.

"This is the outcome of your discussion?" Sephiroth asked through gritted teeth.

Angeal raised an eyebrow and shot him a look that clearly said, 'well, what do you expect?'

Sephiroth growled silently under his breath, raising his fingers to massage his throbbing head. Little did it help. "There's no way I'm gonna be part of it," he said firmly.

Angeal stared at him in surprise. Obviously this wasn't the answer he was expecting. "Seph–"

"I really appreciate all you did but Angeal, I've already made up my mind," Sephiroth said briskly.

Angeal refused to budge. "How would the others react if the most famous General of Shinra didn't join?" Angeal argued, looking annoyed.

Sephiroth shrugged his shoulders. "Ask them."

Angeal glowered at him, rare lines of annoyance appeared on his face. "Sephiroth, do you know that–"

"Spare me," Sephiroth held up one gloved hand and then he brushed past Angeal and began to walk away.

"Sephiroth!" Angeal called out behind him harshly. "As the 1st Class General of Shinra, you have a duty to fulfil."

Sephiroth merely nodded his head, quickening his pace. He knew that Angeal was angry with his attitude. But Angeal didn't know what what was really on his mind. He didn't want to face Cloud, especially in front of everyone. He didn't want anyone to know that Cloud had the ability to empower him. He didn't think he could stand that humiliation. Let them thought of him as some slacker, at least it was better than losing to an Infantryman, right?

Sephiroth drowned the remaining beer in his glass, pointedly ignoring the drama that was unfolding in front of him. It wasn't his fault at all. He never said he wanted a part of it and yet everyone tried to shove the role to him. Why couldn't he say no? He had the right to reject right? This was his freedom.

Unlike him who had about a hundred brooding thoughts on his mind, Genesis was glancing at a group of young lads sitting near them. There were around four of them and they were eyeing back at Genesis with interest. One of them even winked at Genesis as he lifted his mug towards them with a grin.

Knowing Genesis, he was probably thinking about hooking up with one or two of them. This had always been his way to release stress. With his good looks and his impressive quotes from LOVELESS, he could have anyone he had his eyes on. Any guy would want to be in his position. Even so, Sephiroth knew that despite the bravado manners Genesis always portrayed himself, secretly, Genesis was apprehensive about falling in love.

Instead, he chose to run away and forget all his burdens through a brief period of pleasure with no strings attached. Being such good friends with him, Sephiroth must have something in common with him and this was the sentiment they shared.

But for that split second just now, when he saw the look Zack gave Angeal, he couldn't help thinking that it might actually be a good thing to have a partner too. To have someone to look at him the same way Zack looked at Angeal.

He was so preoccupied in his thoughts that he didn't realise someone was standing next to him, reaching out a hand to touch him by the arm.

"General–"

He thought he caught a whiff of the familiar cologne Cloud usually put on and a flash of golden blond. His reaction was so violent that the mug fell down to the floor as he overturned the table in his hastiness to get away. Genesis gave a yelp of surprise, fuming silently as a dark stain began to spread on his trousers. Broken glasses littered the ground. The music was still playing loudly in the area but it was like the whole party came to a stop. Sephiroth's lips were barred in a snarl, his breathing haggard as he stuck so close to the wall behind him that he might as well have been glued to it.

It was only then when he realised that it wasn't Cloud.

Genesis was cursing under his breath while the lad who touched him gaped at him in astonishment. And so did everyone else in the pub.

Everyone was staring at him like he had lost his mind.

Which he probably did.

To be continued…