Shado: I apologize for the wait. College caught up to me, I had to step away from this story for a bit. Now that finals are upon us, I have a little more time to spare. As a bonus this is fairly long, I hope this would satisfy all of my wonderful readers who've favorited and reviewed this for the lovely support for this story. I personally thank all of you for being patient, and I hope this chapter will bring some joy and a little bit of teasing.

Disclaimer: It's what I've been saying for the past four chapters. I own nothing.

Chapter Five – Floor 49 and Coffee

"Beauty is power; a smile is its sword."

John Ray

=3=

It would be a shame to say that Sephiroth didn't even so much as twitch at the taunt from Genesis. Despite the rising desire to either stab the red commander with Masamune, or pounce for a rough dominating round of hot sex as punishment, the general willed himself to remain still. The only problem with either of those two responses was a witness stood stiff in the room, ready to intervene or bolt out the door.

At most times, Sephiroth would go for the most logical option and not kill off his friend. The pair were famous to taunt and fluff each other's feathers at any chance they could as an excuse to have a tumble between the sheets. In a strange way these kinds of acts killed two birds with one stone.

One, after they got it out of their system so their differences wouldn't clash into an exchange of swords. From the beginning they wouldn't stand each other's presence. Unfortunately they met every day as they trained their way up the ranks of SOLDIER, and often they shared the same schedule. When fists were exchanged too many times Genesis had enough and came up with the 'friends with benefits' option.

At first the hatred to each other remained even after the first five or so times they've done it. They were each other's firsts in anything sexual, so from the start they were only experimenting and learning how to make the sex less awkward and more pleasurable.

But once Sephiroth got the hang of it, the afterglow worked wonders. After a good round they didn't despise each other. And depending how wonderful their throes of passion was, they wouldn't have any arguments for over a week. For Sephiroth it was well worth a try of accepting the redhead's proposal, for they've found a friend in each other as a result.

The second reason, once they've become close friends, the pair continued the 'friends with benefits', as a means to blow off steam. So long as neither fell in love, then these acts were simply harmless. Of course both of them would be given strange looks from Angeal, as well as experience his famous speeches of honor a hundred times. But hey, so long as they weren't fighting then for the most part Angeal kept his opinions to himself.

However, lately they haven't done more than a few quickies. And each was far between. The sexual tension between them had been gradually taking effect. This was vastly different from a few years before where it climaxed very quickly and left no drama in between or after. At first, Sephiroth thought that Genesis needed a little distance. Or he was just simply bored of their routine.

But now, the general realized that there was a change in the red commander. What kind of change, Sephiroth can't quite put a finger on it. Whatever was wrong with Genesis he would eventually come to either Sephiroth or Angeal about it. The thought didn't quite settle in the general's head. Something was nagging him in the back of his mind not to wait.

And thus, here he sat before a smirking Genesis and a trembling Zack, Sephiroth relaxed his tense muscles. He was no longer in Friend Mode, but General Mode, the cold bastard that demanded everyone's absolute attention or someone faces the consequences.

"Exactly what are you implying, Genesis? That I have some fantasy with someone who I don't even know, let alone a face to a nameless boy you met some time ago?" Cold green eyes seemed to be piercing through Genesis' body and soul.

The red commander was in complete shock. He blinked, glaring back with a scowl.

"No, I just happened to notice that you seemed almost, what's the word I'm looking for? Relieved? Yes, that's it. Relieved. Relieved to finally know of the little chocobo's name." His sarcasm only made Sephiroth's eyes narrow with suspicion.

Genesis was hiding something. No one would really see his behavior as such, but Sephiroth had known him for too long and worked too hard to gain the hot headed commander's trust and friendship. Sephiroth wanted to keep this friendship, but for some reason Genesis was making it harder for the socially challenged general.

"Perhaps I was simply relieved that you now know his name. I couldn't help but notice that you've been acting distant since you met him. Maybe I'm merely hoping that now you know his name, you'd return to normal." Sephiroth hissed in a low tone.

"So I can get him out of my system? Is that it?" Genesis spat, the air growing thick from the tension.

Zack took one step back. He had a bad feeling that this would escalate to either their usual rounds or something far worse. The lieutenant was desperately hoping that this wouldn't end in bloodshed.

"Genesis, I do not care who you play around with so long as I am not dragged into such matters. Who you decide to take to bed does not concern me. However I do worry when a friend is behaving rather odd. And whatever the reasons that has caused such behavior from you, you have yet to confide to me or Angeal. I am patient, I will pull off asking you what is wrong when you'll only push me away. But I will not tolerate this childish behavior from you." Sephiroth snarled in response, barely resisting the urge to summon Masamune and end this here and now, regardless whether Genesis was his friend or not. The general's patience was wearing thin.

The temperature literally dropped several degrees.

For a few tense moments, no one moved. Sephiroth's dominant hand twitched, fisting and then flexing in hopes to relieve the urges of using his sword. Genesis could sense the other was ready to attack when the moment was given to him. The red commander wished to sit down and talk this over, to see what exactly set the general off. But his instincts told him to leave.

While Genesis hesitated between what he wanted and what his intuition told him to do, Zack bit his lip. The lieutenant prayed to every being above that this wouldn't turn into a fight. When there were fights, there were swords and materia. A fight between Shin–Ra's top general and one of publicities favorite commanders would result in a devastating disaster for both their friendship and political standards. If they fought Shin–Ra will have no choice but to take action.

Even for someone such as Zack, who basically charges into danger head on, understood the casualties that could arise should these two to fight.

Luckily, it wouldn't turn out the way the puppy had feared. For Genesis gave into his instincts, cautiously backing away. Sephiroth watched him with narrowed eyes as the red commander quietly left his office. Genesis even had the courtesy not to slam the door, as he's usually accustomed to when he leaves with bitter emotions.

When the door closed with a click the tension ceased in the air, becoming less suffocating for the two remaining men. Sephiroth leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. He could feel the unwelcome migraine invading. This time there was little chance of it going away before he returned to his apartment.

Zack, who was still as a statue up to this point, released a loud and relieved sigh. His shoulders slumped as he relaxed his muscles. And despite how relieved he was, Zack had a feeling that this was a bad omen, the way the conversation had ended. It didn't end with a fight, which the puppy thanked every being above for such luck, but it didn't end with hot sex either. He heard from Angeal that any prolonged drama between them would result into a clash of swords. Worst of all they would lose trust within each other for some time until one of them apologizes.

Concerning their pride, it would be a long wait. Maybe Angeal will have to step in and make them apologize to each other on this one if it got out of hand.

Biting his lip, Zack watched the general with worry. Sephiroth was never one to show he was affected by anything that came his way. It came with the job as general, as any man with his position should hold in some degree pride as a means to show the world he's the best, as well as Shin–Ra's most prized possession. The rare times Sephiroth's mask cracked enough to reveal a troubled expression was when he was overworked and reaching his limit.

This time around worrying over a close friend was involved. This sort of drama Zack was usually good at helping out, for he was an expert at helping people (or try, anyway). But this was the sort problem he wasn't sure if he could do anything more than give Sephiroth his support. If he could he'd follow Genesis and demand what the hell was going on, but then he would have Hell Firaga thrown at his ass. Again.

But he did happen to know someone else who might be able to get farther than Zack. As a bonus both Sephiroth and Genesis took to Angeal more seriously than they did with the young lieutenant. Those three knew each other for years, long before Zack literally crashed into their lives as the hyper soldier boy Angeal had taken under his wing.

It would only be a matter of time and this whole drama thing will blow over. Then everything will return to normal. Well, as normal as it could be for the high ranked SOLDIERs. Once one problem was solved another would soon take its place almost right afterward.

Starting to feel that he had overstayed his welcome in the office, Zack nervously shifted his weight on his feet.

"I guess I'll head out, now. If you'd like, I can keep you updated over Cadet Strife's progress? I plan to talk to him at some point, see if he's really cut out for the SOLDIER program. Thus far he seems to know well about strategies. So, um, yeah… I'll take my leave." Zack made a move to the door, hesitating only for a moment to see if Sephiroth needed anything else. The general was silent, and thus the lieutenant made his leave.

Now that he was completely alone and most likely not to be disturbed for the rest of the night, Sephiroth released a tired sigh. The general was briefly tempted to type in the cadet's name and bring up his file to read over. Or at least have a look at his face. One look at the computer, he was simply too mentally exhausted. He'd spent too many hours already staring at the bright screen. Sephiroth might as well call it a night.

Tomorrow, he promised himself. Tomorrow he'll take a look at the file of one Cloud Strife.

=3=

Commander Angeal Hewley had been sent off on a mission in Wutai. The mission had been planned a week before the new rush of cadets came through, and he couldn't really turn this one down. Sephiroth was expected to provide a speech to the new recruits. Genesis had classes of the basics of materia and how to use them. As an expert of materia, no one could fill his position with such short notice. Even Zack was out of the question, for this was his first year teaching.

As the gentleman he was, Angeal inwardly sighed and accepted the mission the director presented to them. It was a very important mission, one that could effectively end the war between Shin–Ra and Wutai. Unknown to the rest of the world, the war between them had been ongoing. The heat of battle had dispersed after General Sephiroth first shown the world he was not to be underestimated. The Wutain soldiers had shown fear for the first time when they saw Sephiroth cutting away his opponents with little effort.

But despite the public announcement that the war was finally over, no one knew what happened behind the scenes. The Wutain army had been divided into smaller sections, and their emperor had no knowledge of how to defeat an army of enhanced soldiers. Rumors had it that when the Wutain general made a hasty retreat to the emperor, saying how a silver haired demon had lead the Shin–Ra army and nearly wiped out half of their army in one fell swoop.

Not that Angeal believed such rumors. He was one to look at all of the facts before stating his own opinion of the matter. Nonetheless, he had been there to witness the raw full power Sephiroth had unleashed on that battle. Before then the young general had been tentative to use his full strength, even in serious combat training against him and Genesis. All of that changed when Sephiroth stepped onto a real battlefield for the first time.

It was from that day on both Angeal and Genesis had newfound respect towards Sephiroth. They had never realized exactly why Sephiroth would be hesitant when not holding back until that day. On that battlefield, both he and Genesis learned why they would never reach the level of a general, when witnessing such raw power and infinite strength. From then on, Angeal held a lot more respect to Sephiroth than he did before.

Back then Sephiroth had been around the same height as Genesis. A bit short, scrawny, socially awkward, and if one paid close attention, he was a bit timid. Right off the bat Angeal sensed the young man who was destined to be the general was socially awkward. It was obvious with the way he didn't understand jokes, pick up lines, taunts, or anything to do with interacting with other people.

As Angeal realized Sephiroth's inability to socialize was a lot deeper than it should, he started to pay more attention to the young man's gestures and mannerisms. What he found surprised even him.

Sephiroth was timid.

Not saying that he was a coward, the silver haired boy knew how to stand his ground and never stepped down until he won. But as Angeal began to have a better understanding how Sephiroth's mind works, he only had confidence within himself only when it concerns fighting by either argument or crossing swords. When neither of those is presented, Sephiroth was a completely different person.

He spoke softly, he would speak his own opinion only when asked, overly polite, frowned or scowled when he didn't understand something (which was a lot whenever Genesis was around), and never opened up to anyone. Such behavior made him wonder what kind of life Sephiroth had growing up.

As of now Angeal still didn't know, but he could guess. From his understanding, Sephiroth was rarely allowed outside, sometimes confined away from other humans, and never had anyone to call a friend. When Angeal came to this conclusion from studying the future general, his heart ached. He grew up in poor conditions and at times envied Genesis for his prosperous upbringing. To learn someone had grown up far worse than him was quite a shock.

Even now, it's still a shock. Angeal found it hard to believe, but just imagining living with Hojo made him cringe.

But through careful guidance from both him and Genesis (whether he agreed or not to help), Sephiroth was gradually coming around. The general can at least interact without the conversation turning awkward or have anyone run away with fright. He's learned to read other people's emotions well enough he understood if they needed to be alone or have someone to listen.

And yet Sephiroth still has trouble interpreting his own emotions. As much as Angeal hated to say this, Sephiroth would have better chances talking to a wall than figuring out how he feels.

Sure, he would be stressed from work, frustrated with paperwork and calming down Genesis from one of his flame throwing tantrums. A crack of a smile will show through now and then when he had a very good day. Sephiroth could laugh, but most of the time it was forced. Not to mention the sound of his laugh sent chills to the very bone.

'If he happens to find his special someone, I hope he or she can do a better job of helping him than Genesis or I ever can.'

Angeal could only hope.

His phone beeped, abruptly interrupting his train of thought.

"Who can be sending me a message this late?" It was around two in the morning.

Nevertheless, Angeal reached into his pocket and flipped the device open. He raised an eyebrow at the screen that displayed Zack's name under New Message.

"Shouldn't you be in bed, pup?" He spoke to no one but the phone.

Even so, it'd have to be an important message if Zack was sending him one this late. Angeal opened it up and began to read it.

"Wait, what?"

=3=

The first week passed like a blur to Cloud. He had never felt so sore from work outs. And he thought Vincent's training was harsh. It took until friday for Cloud to realize why he his body ached in places it shouldn't.

It's because this was completely different training. Vincent's training was to develop his speed, flexibility, and improvising. Even a well planned out strategy can have loopholes. But this training has to do more with building up muscle. Although Cloud did have some muscle, but it's not the kind he can be proud of.

And due to his height and weight, it is unlikely he can gain more muscle. Not unless he grew several inches. The chances for a random growth spurt were agonizingly low since the last growth spurt was when he was fourteen. All he gained from that one was a mere two inches. This is another something he was not proud about.

Still, what he lacked in height and strength, Cloud had speed. Thus far only Xaoli was the only other recruit who could possibly match him. Maybe the blond could use his speed to his advantage if he were to be successful here.

But recently, since around wednesday, Cloud began to have the strange feeling of being watched.

And yet when he glanced around he saw no one else staring at him.

This strange feeling stayed with him through thursday and friday. The night before Cloud finally confided to his roommates about it. He told them someone had been staring him, and that he's felt it whenever he was walking from class to class, anytime he was in the hallways heading to and from the cafeteria, and even in the restrooms he didn't feel safe.

When he explained to his roommates, Carter and Ozzie told him they hadn't noticed anything strange. Still they promised to keep a better eye on their surroundings from now on. However Xaoli did notice the same feeling. But the eyes followed him even when he and Cloud departed for their third class.

When the blond learned of this, he had the dreaded feeling he knew who was following him now.

The Turks were taking an interest in them. This explains why Cloud couldn't locate anyone studying him. It was understandable why they would take an interest in Xaoli, but why follow Cloud? Did it have something to do with Genesis' signature on his paper? It didn't make sense, though. If the Turks were suspicious, they would've gone to the red commander and question him if they'd met before. It would surely save a lot of trouble than tailing him. They were starting to become pests in Cloud's book.

And speaking of pests, there was one annoying Lt. Zack Fair. In class, there were times where he would become distracted and turn the lesson off topic. If that wasn't enough, for some reason the First was trying to follow him around like a lost puppy. The blond recruit would hear his name called by Fair, and he'd speed away to his next class without slowing down. As of yet the lieutenant hadn't successfuly ambushed him, to which the blond was thankful for to say the least.

Cloud didn't have much time to ponder further on this mystery. For when the weekend came around he wanted nothing to do than to lie down and sleep away the aches and pains. His roommates had a different idea, showing Xaoli around Midgar and partying with other recruits.

The blond felt bad he was too tired to come along. Xaoli's distressed expression didn't help matters, either. But the four of them knew if Cloud didn't have a nice, long nap, he'll practically collapse half an hour after they were well on their way. He was that tired.

And nap, he did. As Cloud roused from his lovely bliss, he was aware it was dark outside. Glancing at the clock he realized he'd been asleep for only a few hours if his memory was correct about the time he went to bed.

'It's too quiet. I guess they haven't come back, yet.' Cloud noted there wasn't a sound of breathing or of Carter's soft snoring nearby.

The young recruit closed his eyes and snuggled closer to his pillow, trying to sleep once more. But after five or so minutes of trying, there was little success. Decided his mind was too awake Cloud sat up on his bunker, contemplating what to do to fill the time until sleep called him or when the other three come in for curfew.

Looking around there wasn't exactly anything to do.

Suddenly a loud grumble filled the still air. Cloud frowned at his stomach.

"I'm alone, with no food, and nothing to do. Guess I'll have to go find something to eat."

'Can't hurt to have a look around, either. When in a new environment, it's best to know it well enough you won't have any surprises.'

Decided, Cloud grabbed for his boots. He was so tired earlier all he could get off were the shoulder pads, boots, and gloves. His knees felt weird upon standing up, as he had somehow forgotten to take off the knee pads. With a sigh, Cloud came up with a good compromise and began to adjust the uniform for his late night outing.

=3=

Sephiroth was exhausted, stressed from work, and in much need of coffee. As his eyes threatened to droop for the seventh time, the general set papers aside and began his trip to the coffee filter just down the hall. But his trip was for nothing when he found out the machine had run out of coffee beans.

It was too late to ask for a secretary, for she had already left for her family night dinner or something along the likes of that. Overall Sephiroth only knew that there was no one to turn to and ask where the coffee beans were stored so he could add more into the machine.

The mere thought he couldn't have his coffee brought on a headache. Sephiroth's head was already throbbing from lack of sleep and stress. And thus, he found himself on the lower levels in his search for coffee with his headache transforming into a really bad migraine. A tired, exhausted Sephiroth in combination of an irritable, possibly unstable Sephiroth is not the best combination.

Perhaps it was good to mention he hadn't met any other employees, otherwise they just might meet Masamune and never see the sun rise again. But meeting no one else within the building came with a downfall.

There was no one he could simply ask where he could find coffee beans, or where the other coffee machines on this floor were.

After searching for the most obvious of places to locate a coffee machine with no success, Sephiroth didn't have the energy to reach for the elevator to go back up to his floor. The idea of crashing out on the couch sounded very tempting.

So, the General of Shin–Ra Army sat down against the wall, one knee to his chest, and about ready to fall asleep. A small part of him felt grateful none of his friends were around to see him in this condition. Angeal was off on a mission, Genesis was Gaia knows where, and Zack was most likely out partying and drinking until he drowned.

What a lovely image that crossed his mind.

Before he could chuckle at the mental image, Sephiroth heard soft footsteps heading his direction from the right. The general's eyebrows furrowed. If his memory was correct, someone was walking up the stairs onto this floor. But why, when everyone used the elevator?

Sephiroth turned his head to eye the door as he waited for the owner of the footsteps to come through. The general nearly flinched as the sound of every step rang through his head. As a general with a body practically made of mako, his senses were ultra sensitive. His enhanced senses were about ten times as a second. He would say a first, but Zack had yet to reach anywhere near his level compared to Angeal or Genesis.

Curious feline green eyes blinked when the steps stopped. Had he been imaging things? Just as he began to believe his mind had finally snapped, the door swung open. The harsh screech of the hinges in serious need of oiling made Sephiroth flinch as it tortured his ears.

He watched as a strange figure stepped out from behind the door. The first place Sephiroth's eyes were drawn to was the bright platinum blond hair that stood up in all directions. The first thought that crossed his head was the cute behind of a chocobo. Not that he would ever admit to having such thoughts, anyway.

Next was the uniform. A young recruit with a few improvising on the outfit. The pants and boots remained the same, but the top half was replaced with a matching blue everyday jacket. The green scarf remained around the neck. Sephiroth couldn't see if the gloves were any part of this get up, for the recruit's hands were stuffed inside the pockets of the jacket.

As tired as he was, Sephiroth felt something in his chest stir when they made eye contact.

Mako green met startlingly bluest of the blue. In the back of his mind he wondered if this was a hallucination. Sephiroth had never met anyone with such blue eyes in his entire life. At first, no one reacted. The general's head was filled with cotton, he couldn't think of what to say let alone care. Sephiroth was, to put it simply, too captivated by those blue eyes.

After some awkward moments of still silence, the recruit with the prettiest eyes in the world spoke.

"General, sir? I'm sorry, I wasn't aware you were here. I was looking for something to eat, sir. You see, I missed dinner, sir."

'Sweet Mother, he has the sweetest voice.' Was all Sephiroth could think of in his slow, cotton filled mind.

If there was one thing he learned from his few experiences with relationships, whether it was friends with benefits or serious romantic relationships, Sephiroth's first interest in a person was their voice. Whenever Genesis rehearsed lines from LOVELESS in his seductive, poetic voice made him shiver with want.

But this voice, this sweet voice was a different want. Sephiroth knew he did have a slight interest in this recruit, but he also knew it wasn't the same hot need he had with Genesis. He couldn't think of what this meant, his mind was too clouded from lack of sleep.

"Sir? Are you all right, sir? General?"

The blond stepped closer and knelt down next to him. A small, tentative hand reached for his cheek. But as if he was reminding himself about their rank, the hand lowered to his shoulder instead. Sephiroth blinked, finally registering the words spoken to him.

"I need coffee."

He watched the angelic face show concern. Thin eyebrows furrowed while a small frown appeared as the recruit eyed him over.

"Sir, forgive me for saying this, but I think you need sleep more than you need coffee."

All Sephiroth could do in response was to hum.

"Um, sir, may I ask, how long has it been since you last slept?"

Sephiroth pondered for a moment. If he was right, the last time he took a nap was around Wednesday. Wasn't it? Or was it the night before?

"Yesterday, I believe. I took a nap during lunch break."

Silence ensured, as the blond registered his words and Sephiroth studied the angelic face. The general tried as much as he could in his current state.

Pale skin, not as pale as Sephiroth's, but he would bet it was soft to the touch. He had a small mouth, but a little plump and plenty kissable. There were blond spikes in all different directions, seemingly untamed and stubborn. Sephiroth had the strange urge to reach up with an ungloved hand and touch those spikes just to see if they were as soft as they appeared to be. But once again he was too entranced by the blue gaze staring worriedly at him.

Wide, expressive, and a deep blue Sephiroth wouldn't mind drowning in. He could stare into those blues for the rest of eternity and never have enough. He was that entranced.

"You don't remember when you last slept? Sir, I think it's about time for you to turn in. If you try too hard to the point you're about to collapse isn't good for your health." The blond bit his lip nervously.

"Would you mind if I help you, sir? Or perhaps I could call one of your friends for you?"

"I'd rather have coffee." His voice came out hoarser than it should have.

The recruit's frown deepened to an almost pout. Sephiroth couldn't help a chuckle rising up.

"What's so funny?" The blond spoke defensively, forgetting his rank.

"Your pout. It's cute."

Blunt and to the point. As a bonus, Sephiroth achieved the desired effect. The recruit's cheeks blushed as he stared and gawked at the general as if he suddenly grew another head.

"I…I am not cute!" The recruit sputtered.

"Cute as a chocobo chick, I accuse." Sephiroth spoke in a husky tone that had straight men tremble in the knees.

The blush on the angelic face deepened tenfold. His hair even stood up straighter a little, resembling ruffled feathers.

"What are you, a dirty old man on the inside?" The blond huffed.

"Guilty as charged." The general chuckled with a smirk.

"Pervert!"

A deep, bone chilling laugh resounded from Sephiroth. Although many would cower in fear, a few (such as Genesis) would shiver at how the most dangerous man on the planet has a laugh that was both frightening and a major turn on.

Even in his cotton minded state, the general saw the blond shiver. But it was not in fear. No, the eyes told him it wasn't fear. The blue in those eyes intensified while the pupils dilated.

"Pervert, am I? I suppose I am. But what does that make you, you who came to such naughty thoughts first?"

"I didn't think about that stuff!"

The quick defense and the way the thin shoulders tensed told Sephiroth it was a complete lie.

"Liar. You're a recruit who sees a stunning general who happens to be in no condition to give your ass a whooping, and nothing's stopping you from taking advantage of the situation at hand." Despite how slow his thoughts came in, his voice still came out a smooth purr. It was the kind of tone he's only used on Genesis, until now.

"… You… That's unfair, sir."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.

"You're not in your right mind. Therefore, I don't have the obligation to show you that maybe it's you who sees the eye candy."

"Now you're unfair." Sephiroth frowned.

"I never play fair, sir." Although it could be overconfidence, there could be some truth somewhere in there.

"Neither do I, little chocobo."

For some reason he found this conversation amusing. Perhaps his head was filled up with too much cotton. Sephiroth was never one to tease. Such simple interactions simply didn't come naturally to him. Not even the flirtatious red commander could help him.

"… You're crazy."

"So I've been told countless of times."

Sephiroth's amusement was cut short when his phone beeped. His playful smirk turned into a scowl as he lazily reached for the annoying device in his pocket. Caller ID told him it was from Angeal.

Not feeling like dealing with another one of his lectures, Sephiroth promptly set his phone down on the expensive tiled floor and ignored it. The small recruit stared in wonder as the phone rang again, this time not deserving even a glance from the general.

When the ringing stopped, silence echoed the room. Then just when Sephiroth was about to speak again, the phone rang again. This time the recruit voiced his concern.

"Um, sir?"

"Mm."

Taking his response as a yes, the blond continued.

"… Aren't you going to answer that, sir?"

He was more concerned for the ringing to stop. The sound was hurting his head.

"No. I don't want to deal with him right now."

The recruit tilted his head slightly with curiosity. There can't seem to be enough of his cuteness for Sephiroth.

"How come you don't want to deal with him? Isn't he your friend?"

"Yes, he's a friend."

Just as he answered, the phone went silent. Sephiroth nearly thanked every god above out loud.

"Then why?" The blond pressed.

The general paused for a moment, contemplating. He didn't want to go into any details with an unnamed recruit.

"I need my coffee."

So he went back to his original mission, the reason why he came all the way out here in the first place. A scowl adorned the angelic face. Sephiroth almost felt bad for avoiding the question. A smile would be a better match for a cute face.

"Sir, if I get you a cup of coffee, will you answer my question?"

"Yes."

Immediate answer. A coffee deprived Sephiroth is an agreeable Sephiroth. A fact not even Genesis or Angeal knew of.

"All right, I'll go find you a cup of coffee. I'll be right back, sir." The blond got up.

'He's short.' Sephiroth realized as his eyes followed the recruit.

A playful smirk made itself known.

'He's fun sized.'

Sephiroth nearly sniggered at the thought. Clearly he had spent too much time with Genesis. It was only a matter of time until the fiery redhead grew on him.

Eyes beginning to droop, Sephiroth reminded himself he was being given sweet life. Well, perhaps he could rest his eyes for a bit. Hopefully the cute blond would come back soon.

When the recruit came back, warm coffee in hand, he found the general passed out uncomfortably against the wall.

=3=

Cloud had originally come to this floor to check out the SOLDIER training room on Floor 49. Yes, only Third, Second, and First Class SOLDIERs are allowed on this floor, but who would forget the staircase that goes from the lobby all the way up to Floor 64? It was the perfect route to use to sneak in.

But upon entry, he didn't expect to meet someone he wasn't prepared to meet in person yet.

The entire first meeting with General Sephiroth was strange, Cloud thought. He was certainly glad he found the silver haired man when he did. Gaia knows what would've happened if someone else who wasn't honest would do if they found him first. Probably a murder scene with a strange twist of self defense on Sephiroth's part.

But as he conversed with Sephiroth, the blond was surprised to experience how perverted some people could be. At least the general didn't even try to reach out towards him. Maybe Cloud was just lucky Sephiroth didn't have the energy to do anything other than talk. And flirt.

And flirt he can. His voice alone almost had him. Almost.

An image of Vincent inside his head prevented Cloud from falling for the dark side. Quite literally, too. If Father ever caught wind of this, it would surely raise questions. Questions Cloud would rather avoid. It would be rather difficult to pull off. Father had the knack of picking up any and all information from just lurking in the shadows.

Worrying about Vincent was the least of his problems at the moment, for he had an unconscious general to take care of. Cloud stood there, thinking over how he was going to do this. Sephiroth was nearly twice his height and weight, so carrying him was out of the question. If he knew where the general's floor was, Cloud would put him on something mobile that he can push the general to the elevator and push the button.

Just as he was about to talk out loud what he could or couldn't do the forgotten phone rang again. Cloud nearly jumped, not expecting the noise to interfere his train of thought. His blue eyes blinked as he watched the general, still out of it despite the loud ringing.

'He must be really tired. A phone that loud can wake the dead.'

Perhaps it was a good thing, though. If someone was this deep asleep would most likely not recall the last thing they were doing before dozing off. Cloud secretly hoped Sephiroth wouldn't remember the conversation they had when he woke up in the morning.

Phone forgotten once again, Cloud set the coffee down on a nearby desk before kneeling down on his earlier spot to study the general up close. When Sephiroth had been awake the blond didn't have enough time to fully examine the general. He had been too distracted from the teasing and flirting. Really, he hadn't expected such behavior from him of all people.

Cloud tentatively scooted a little closer, tilting his head from one side to another as he analyzed a sleeping Sephiroth.

Long, silver tresses cascading down his back, appearing so silky soft Cloud was half tempted to reach out and run his hand through it. Surely hair this stunning would make many women envious. The blond wondered how Sephiroth took care of his hair, which seemed so easy to tame from tangles and bird nests. A special brand of shampoo meant only for Sephiroth by the company?

It was a likely scenario. General Sephiroth was the face of Shin–Ra.

Silver bangs feathered and framed a handsome young face. Forehead was set broad and high, which reminded him of Vincent's own forehead (from the few glances without the red bandana), which was half hidden from the bangs. And although the eyes were closed, Cloud wouldn't forget the snake like green eyes that bore into his anytime soon. The blond tilted his head the other way when he realized the man's eyelashes were long and dark, almost like soft black feathers.

Cloud began tilting the other way for a better angle of the general's nose. Long and narrow, as if sculpted to perfection to match his face. Cheeks were also set high, but not too much where it was noticeable. The chin and jaw were narrow, but not too narrow. The cheeks, the jaw, and the chin were features Cloud also found similar to Vincent. Sephiroth's lips were thin, but plump enough for passionate moments and –

He must stop that train of thought.

Shifting uncomfortably, Cloud eyed the rest of the general but purposefully avoiding the waist area.

Right off the bat he could see similarities between Sephiroth and Father. Tall, well proportioned, well toned muscles, and built for speed and power. And although the facial features were almost similar to be twins, their bodies couldn't be more different than north and south.

Vincent was raised and trained as a Turk. He was slim and all about speed. For a Turk, speed was power. Since Vincent jumped from one place to another in a blink of an eye, his strongest muscles would be his legs. With heavy trained legs such as his, there's no small wonder why Vincent would use kicks in close combat compared to punches. No, the claw did not count. Unless he was really ticked off, Vincent wouldn't use his claw anyway.

Sephiroth, however, was built for power. He was all muscle, not too heavily bulky where it was ridiculous, but just the right amount. Strong arms to wield the best of weapons, the most famous and well known of swords used was Masamune. It was rumored he could make the most difficult of weapons sing while wielding her. Masamune is a legend of itself in the swordsmanship, rather the perfect killing tool for the best general of Shin–Ra, right?

Although Cloud was a bit skeptical, he wasn't sure if Sephiroth had an equal amount of speed and power behind him. As he learned earlier this week, the SOLDIER program is all about muscle power. It is not until a recruit passes the test and makes into the SOLDIER program are they taught about the proper balance of power and speed.

Maybe it'll all be clearer if he witnessed Sephiroth in action. Just by watching the real thing and he could learn a lot. Half the time of his training with Father Cloud had to watch a demonstration before knowing the gist of the form or combination of attack. This happens to be a good method to study the timing of attacks and control the velocity.

Mind set to keep an eye out for any Shin–Ra events Sephiroth has no choice to participate, Cloud was startled once again from his trance by the annoying phone.

Honestly, why wouldn't they just leave Sephiroth alone if he doesn't answer the first time?

'… Maybe I can ask whoever is on the other line to help move him.'

In a flash Cloud reached for the cell phone and flipped it open, not bothering to look at caller ID.

"Finally! I thought you'd never pick up, Seph. Do you have any idea how long I've been trying to call you?"

The voice on the other line was masculine, and obviously concerned. Biting his lip, Cloud glanced at the still sleeping general. When he took too long to reply, the voice became suspicious.

"… Seph?"

"Um… I apologize, sir, but the general is asleep."

Cloud silently prayed he wouldn't be kicked out of the program for this.

"Who is this? What's happened to Sephiroth?"

"This is Cadet Strife, sir. I was trying to find my way back to the barracks, and I found him slumped against the wall asking for coffee. When I brought coffee back at his request, he was asleep. Then his phone rang, and well… I can't just leave him here…sir."

The blond looked around, and to his great relief found no cameras nearby. The upside, they wouldn't question what he and Sephiroth had been talking about before he finally got up and retrieved coffee for the general. The downside the higher ups would find his alibi suspicious.

To his luck, the voice on the other line understood. Sephiroth's friend had found truth in his words, despite how nervous Cloud sounded to his own ears.

"All right, you did the right thing. What floor you on?"

"Floor 49, I think, sir."

"… How in the world did you get on that floor? You know that's strictly for SOLDIERs, right?"

Cloud couldn't dodge this one. Better come clean now, before facing the consequences.

"Um… The staircase, sir? Please don't tell anyone, sir. I won't come here again, I was just exploring. I promise I didn't see much, I found the general by the door upon entry, sir."

He heard a sigh on the other end.

"All right, I won't say a word. But can you do me a favor, in return?"

'Please let it NOT be something that requires a bed...'

"Y–Yes, sir."

"You sound nervous, cadet."

"Um…"

Darn it. First, he had been teased and flirted by THE General Sephiroth, and NOW someone he hasn't even met face to face was teasing him. On the phone. Not just anyone's phone, but THE General Sephiroth's phone. As soon as this was over and done with, Cloud was going back to his room and straight to sleep.

"Relax, cadet. I'm not like that. I would like to help you, but I'm away on a mission. The favor I'm asking is if you'd like to find the name Zack Fair in Sephiroth's address book? I'm sure he can help you."

'Huh?'

"Zack Fair… You mean, Lt. Fair, First Class?"

"Ah, so you know him. I assume you're among one of his classes?"

"Yeah…"

'The lieutenant, who would be better off teaching about how to commit suicide on the field by barging into battle, Zack Fair, is friends with Sephiroth?'

Cloud was at a complete stump. If he had known this a lot sooner, he probably would've paid a bit more attention to the hyper First.

"Good. Call him, he should be somewhere in the area. Although since it is Friday, he might be off drunk somewhere. If that's the case, call one of the Turks."

The blond gulped. He'd rather go with a drunken Lt. Fair than a Turk.

"… And if I have no choice but to ask one of the Turks, who should I call, sir?"

The man on the other line hummed in contemplation.

"The best one to keep secrets and get away with it without drama drawn to him, would be Tseng."

By the sound of it, this Turk has Wutai origins. Cloud blinked with surprise and slight interest. How in the world did that happen?

"Anymore questions, cadet?"

"No, sir. Everything's perfectly clear, sir. I call Lt. Fair and ask if he can help me move Sephiroth to his office. And if he's too drunk, I'll call up Tseng."

"Good. Oh, Cadet Strife? Will it hurt to ask for one more tiny favor?"

Knowing he can't refuse a higher up, Cloud nodded.

"Yes, sir?"

"Would you leave a note on Seph's desk for me?"

Sounds easy enough. Now for the message.

"Sure, what would you like me to write?"

"How about…"

=3=

Shado: Any guesses as to who the person who called Seph? Should be pretty easy. There are two major big hints there xD

1) Next chapter, a lot more interaction between Zack and Cloud. I wanted to focus mostly on Cloud meeting Sephiroth for the first time (I'm a little sleep deprived myself, and today I have just been told I'm only allowed to have caffine once a day from now on, so I'm going to be in Seph's shoes within the next few days). But that doesn't mean Zack may or may not be the person who helps Cloud with moving Sephiroth. As of right now, I'm still deciding. There are very interesting outcomes depending if I choose Zack or Tseng. It'll be worth the planning.

2) Floor 49. I know, I've played Crisis Core, and that floor is strictly for SOLDIER or staff (i.e. Professer Wackjob Hojo) only. But I've also played Final Fantasy VII, original, playstation and all of the good ol' things. All three discs, too. Yes, good condition. And NO, I am not SELLING. Anyway, at one point in the game you're supposed to rescue Aeris. You could just barge right in (like Zack), or, choose to run ALL the way up the stairs and sneak your way in. If you've only done the barged in thing, and you've got Barret and Tifa in your team, use the stairs. It's some hilarious coversations going on there.

3) Probably should've warned Seph might be a little OC in this chapter... But I want his meeting with Cloud to be memorable (no, not just a pun, I'm serious), yet a little different at the same time. My first thought was that they met at a bar or something while the cadets that made the first week celebrating and all of that. I tried that idea, but it didn't feel right. It felt like I didn't have control over Seph's thoughts and emotions as much as I would've liked. So I went with this: a coffee and sleep deprived Sephiroth. Leaving him a little out of it, and perhaps a little mellowed out. To me this worked a hell of a lot better than the first idea would've been.

I believe that cleared up everything. If not, tell me, and I shall fix it when I wake up and had my sweet, sweet coffee. Now, if you would please, click the magic button that keeps this story alive.