AN: I wanted to use OC's in this chapter but decided against it and just use those two instead, I mean Cloud also had a cross-over with FFTWOTL. Anyway please review if you enjoy this chapter! Though, this is some really slow plot progress. ):
Edit: Minor typos ;_;
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Just a week had passed and Cloud had found himself in Zack's office. His so called advanced classes were more likely advanced torture, he realized, his lessons starting very early in the morning and ending at sundown. It exerted him physically and mentally, but required most of his mental focus than anything else. It had just been a week.
"Cloud." Zack called out to him, as he gestured for the blonde to sit down. He was holding a file in his hand, looking at him blankly. Angeal Hewley was also present in the room, a First-Class Soldier, and whom he learned to be Zack's mentor. If this matter isn't serious, then he doesn't know what else it was.
"Alright. I guess I'll just get straight to the point then. Cloud, would you care to explain the incident that happened earlier this morning?" Zack asked, his face still not breaking any emotion. Cloud tried not to frown instinctively and put on his indifferent face. So he was here to be reprimanded, huh?
"That thing with— well, I don't know his name, really." The blonde answered nonchalantly.
"Luciel Thorton." Zack looked physically pained as he said his name slowly, a single eyebrow shooting upwards.
"Cloud. You stabbed him. In the hand. With a fork." There was a pointed pause, as if to let the words sink in.
"Why is that?"
Zack sounded incredulous. Cloud tried to sound formal.
"Well, you see, Sir, I wanted to eat breakfast but the guy decided it must be more fun to mess with my food. He grabbed my ass suddenly and I dropped my plate, so I stabbed his hand in return. I have morning drills, he was bleeding at the back of his hand, but my stomach is empty. I could've just told him off but he laughed when my breakfast plopped to the ground and I was startled and hungry. It was such a waste of food. I mean, I really didn't mean to, Sir. I just don't want to pass out during the morning drills."
Cloud cannot explain how Zack looked like at that moment. Angeal seemed to be horrified. Zack cleared his throat pointedly at the blonde's explanation, trying to be professional in front of the First Class. If his mentor isn't here though, he might be laughing his ass off right now. Cloud just looked so serious while he was explaining everything, and he found it so funny. He might as well have clapped him by the shoulder, commending him for.. well, violence isn't really tolerated amongst Soldiers especially recruits, but knowing Cloud, he just wouldn't backdown with taunts. He'll definitely put up a fight and taunt you in return. Zack internally grinned at the thought.
Of course, those things he cannot say, so he opted for the formalities instead.
"I see. Is that all? Are you not getting along well with the other recruits?" Cloud just shrugged it off.
"I'm doing fine, sir. I'm used to things like this. And most of them were decent. I try to ignore it as much as I can, but I guess that it pisses some of them more."
"Well that was very unfortunate Cloud, but either way violence against each other isn't tolerated inside of this walls. Along with harassment, of course. We will handle this situation accordingly, right Angeal? I mean, we handpicked the best ones after all right? Going through all those screenings and whatnot. We can't have immature people wasting resources and starting fights." Zack said, sarcasm dripping to the floor. Angeal's eyebrows shot upwards and he gave Zack a smirk. He turned to Cloud then, nodding.
"I hope Cadet Strife that this will be the last time an incident like this will happen. We will take to account both of your statements regarding the matter. The two of you should find a common ground and move on, unless you want to leave the Shinra premises early on. This will serve as a final warning. No violence amongst each other. Are we clear?" Zack visibly winced at his mentor's statement.
"Yes sir." The blonde answered stiffly.
"You can go now then, and drop by the mess hall. Tell your instructor I gave you a thirty-minute break. Eat then."
Cloud nodded and stood, and excused himself. Zack turned to Angeal when he was out of earshot.
"You being serious about that? You're gonna expel them the next time?" Angeal shrugged, uncharacteristically.
"Not really, those kinds of things pass. Plus, I'm not the one who hired them, Lazard is. I don't have absolute power over them. But I wanted them to realize what's at stake. This is not some playground after all."
"On a more important note though, I hope that kid isn't trouble, Zack. He looks difficult to get along with."
Zack tried to not bite his lip in the sudden frustration he was feeling. Why can't people just leave Cloud alone, anyway? Not that he wanted him to be alone. But it will be much better and safer for everybody to just give him some space that he wants. But Angeal doesn't know Cloud.
"He isn't. He just— don't trust people that easily. Let's give him time to adjust, yeah?"
"You seem to have too much faith in him."
Zack nodded, looking at his mentor apologetically.
"I do. I mean, you accepted me after all, right? I'm telling you, he's much better than how I used to behave. I just don't get caught." Angeal shook his head, smiling.
"You seem almost proud." Zack flashed him a grin in return.
"Of course. You'll see, he'll take this seriously. We cannot focus on the one thing he did wrong, yes?"
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Just a week since he started, successfully adapting himself at Shinra's barracks, and he got reprimanded. This isn't the best way to get noticed at all. If he wanted to be a Soldier apprentice, he needed to have the good qualities and skills they are looking for. This isn't like the slums. Disputes can't be settled with violence. Cloud let out a heavy sigh and tried to distract his mind with something else. Since moving here, the blonde fully realized the utter difference between ranks of people in Shinra. Just how good should one be to stand right beside those First Classes? How much training should one endure? Zack was pretty high up there too. How much time did he spent training? Cloud continued to muse while he stared at the ceiling from the double deck he was in. In reality, his limbs hurt, his hands hurt. Damn, everything hurts. He expected the training to be hard, but not this excruciating. Drills in the morning, hand to hand combat and weapons training at noon, military tactics at the afternoon and then lastly and most curious of all, materia training last. Cloud had heard about materias before, and doubted about its existence. Magic? How can someone believe that? But as Zack said, there were many things out there that go beyond someone's imagination. Just because someone cannot imagine it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Even though his body hurt, he can say he was looking forward to all of it. He can manage this every week, he supposed. He needed to, until it's that day of the week again to face that creepy doctor, Hojo. Cloud grimaced at the thought. It was almost time for lights out. Recently though, whenever the darkness sets in, he would always remember the comforting feeling of his hand, raking through his hair gently. It was bothering thought, really. But he just cannot help but think about what he does in those moments at night, when he cannot yet fall asleep. Was he lying still in his bed again? Does he immediately fall asleep?
It had become almost impossible for him to see Zack ever since he started training, except from the brief meeting earlier that morning. Is that how it would go from then on? The times he had spent with the other male seem so very distant all of a sudden. He'll give his full attention to training then, for he isn't there to whine about not being able to spend time with Zack anyway. He had set goals for himself. He would just have to work his ass off and prove to them he was worth every Gil, right?
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Tons of paper works later (we are talking about an accumulation for about five days here), Zack found himself strolling to the infantry barracks at the bottom floors of Shinra. Tomorrow is Saturday, finally, the brunet thought, and he would like to know how Cloud was doing. He wanted to see him and catch up about the training. It was seven in the evening already and he hoped that the blonde had not eaten yet, he wanted to order food. It may sound a little creepy but he knows the blonde's schedules, so he was pretty sure he is available. He's got no classes after six. His estimate has proven to be wrong though, when he was greeted by Cloud's bunk-mates, all wide-eyed, telling him that the said blonde does not return until the next hour or so until before lights-out. They had pointed him to the direction of the training rooms, where he was more likely staying after classes, every single day.
Entering the massive, dim-lit room, Zack was able to identify immediately the spiky blonde head of the boy. He grinned as he walked towards him, excitement bubbling up from the pit of his stomach. He knew this feeling very well. He once was a green recruit. Hearing his footsteps, Cloud turned, and a look of shock passed through him. He was stripped from his standard infantry uniform, to just a white shirt and the cargo pants.
"Hey!" Zack chimed, stopping near the blonde.
"Zack.. What are you doing here?"
"I came looking for you at the bunker but you weren't there. They say you might be here. Do you do this every day?" The brunet asked, grinning further. Cloud cannot seem to fight the embarrassment that suddenly settled in his features, and flushed.
"Yeah. I don't like staying in the bunkers very much. And I'm having a bit of trouble with materia." The blonde answered, not looking directly at Zack. If anything, the brunet only found it adorable. He had never seen the blonde getting this flustered before. This was definitely something new for him to discover. His eyes almost sparkled at the thought.
"Materia huh? What kind of problem specifically?" Zack pushed, cocking his head a tiny bit to the side. Cloud just kind of peered at him in return and Zack guessed that he was getting embarrassed to realize that he needs a little help with studying. But the blonde seemed to have managed to dump his embarrassment to the trash and looked at him fully in return, hauling his more typical attitude back.
"I cannot target very well with it." The blonde explained, a small frown in his face.
"Hmm? Let me see." Zack replied, gesturing the blonde to give him the green orb.
"Ice? You need to concentrate on the thing you want targeted."
"That's what I did."
"Hmmmm— well, try it on me. So I'll know what you mean then. You can— I guess target my feet?" The brunet replied, handing the materia back to the blonde. Cloud opened his mouth and closed it. It looked like he really wanted to protest but decided to change his mind.
"Okay." The blonde said, stepping further away from Zack. He tried to summon the spell, concentrating on the other male. Shards of ice begin to materialize out of thin air, but it did not quite reach his target, colliding with the concrete floor beneath them.
"Ohh. I see." The brunet exclaimed, stepping closer to Cloud. Surprisingly, the blonde seemed to have a different idea how to use ice. He himself had never attacked something with pointy ice shards before.
"I told you. I'm off."
"Give it to me." Zack extended his hand to the blonde again, to give it a look.
"Well, I guess, where you're having trouble is, you know, imagining how the spell will actually materialize, or attack a target. You just don't summon it and expect it to do all the work. You need to know what you want it to do, Cloud. Give me your hand."
The blonde looked skeptical about it, but held out his right hand nonetheless. The brunet took it and turn his palm side up.
"Look." Zack said, a look of concentration passing his eyes briefly. Cloud looked in awe as he felt and see a tiny budding of ice in the center of his palm. It grew slowly and delicately smooth in the edges, into the size of a materia and stopped.
"See? It depends on what you want to do with it. If you envision it enclosing someone in ice, it definitely will. Wanna try again? Just don't enclose me on ice though." (Zack doubted that though, these materias were very low grade after all, created only for training purposes.)
Cloud nodded and took the brunet's hand in return. He again tried to summon the spell, this time following what Zack had said. And it did actually work. Once again, out of thin air, a chunk of ice fell, hitting the brunet in his head. Zack let ought a sudden yelp, a look of utter confusion on his face.
"Did you do what I just said?" The brunet asked, looking at the chunk of ice in the ground, rubbing the part of his head that got hit with ice. To his utter shock though, Cloud had started laughing.
"Yeah—"
"Actually—I did.. You— should have seen your— face." The blonde replied between his fits of laughter, eyes gleaming in mischievous mirth. Zack cannot seem to break away from his current awe, staring at the blonde with his mouth open. He was laughing. He never did that in front of him before! He never let that part of him out.. He looked.. absolutely adorable. Zack thought, engraving every second of his melodious laughter in his mind. He couldn't help and smiled himself, looking at the blonde boy fondly.
"That's not funny you know!" Zack exclaimed happily, tackling Cloud. The blonde managed to immediately squeeze his way out of his arms, still fully alert in his current elated state. Cloud was grinning openly, as if he was not holding anything back for the first time. It made the brunet unbelievably happy, and tried to playfully tackle him once more. After a few more seconds it turned into a more calculated sparring, the two of them not just foolishly trying to get ahold of each other. They took it a bit more seriously, though Cloud's light hearted smiles still lingered on, fueling Zack. The blonde threw him the hand to hand combat moves they had been practicing for weeks now. The brunet easily dodges and evades him though, ultimately being faster than the blonde. He then gestured for Cloud to pick up his sword.
"Cmon' spiky, let's see how your training is doing, yeah?" Zack taunted, grinning widely. If he's going to be honest, he can say he was seriously enjoying every moment of this. It was a very long time since he had done something remotely resembling a friendly spar. Him and Angeal were both too busy to do anything like this anymore and he missed it. Cloud nodded and skirted across the floor, picking up his sword beside his duffel bag. He had actually been practicing a lot with the sword, definitely favoring it from every other weapon in class, but was not able to look for someone to actually try it out with. Nobody wanted to stay after classes anyway. But Zack is here now.
Cloud smiled. He guessed Zack had seen it as he flashed him a knowing grin.
"You're not gonna use one though?" The blonde asked, hesitating a little.
"Nope. I just wanna see how you use it. Don't worry about it too much." Cloud didn't give him any type of warning as he lunged forward, slicing his way to the brunet.
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Cloud realized what pure happiness was like, as he lay on the training grounds, arms splayed wide on the floor, panting. It was nothing but raw exhilaration and a feeling of freedom, as he tried to one up Zack, but ended up fruitless every time, as he landed on his ass or his sword flying somewhere farther away. But it didn't matter and he didn't care even, because Zack was like an endless sea. Weaponless, he took the blade that he tucked away in his combat boot and flicked it open. He rolled to his side and stood swiftly, lunging at the smirking brunet. Zack let out an amused chuckle.
"Whoa. You never give up do you?" The brunet exclaimed, dodging the blonde's sharp swings.
Cloud gave him his cockiest smile. He never used that unless he faced a dangerous opponent. The brunet quirked one of his eyebrows and grinned at him in return, dodging more of his assaults. He was smaller, Cloud knows that very well, and used it to slip his way close to Zack's defensive space. He only managed to get close though, as the other male swiftly caught his wrist, tugging him close, gripping hard. The blonde winced and let go of the blade.
"Whoops. Sorry, was it too much?" Zack inquired immediately, releasing the other's hand.
"No, it's alright." Cloud said, shaking his head. Zack picked up the discarded knife, inspecting it briefly before returning to the blonde. It was the same knife as before, back in his apartment. Zack thought, heartbeat racing. A familiar scene resurfaced in his brain, a memory he had purposefully shoved to depths of his mind. Cloud was looking at him intently, and he had forgotten the reason why he was here.
"I got a little carried away there but anyway! I really wanted to catch up with you and your training. I'm so sick of doing paperworks I came down here to get entertained." Cloud's eyes seemed to twitch at that.
"Well, are you highly entertained now, sir?" The blonde deadpanned, taunting the brunet.
"Yeah! Never knew you got the talent for that, really." Zack replied, grinning. He ruffled the blonde hair fondly, casually slinging his arm around him after.
"Aren't you hungry? I'm actually starving and I want to order food. Let's hang out at my place?"
"I don't know if I'm allowed to do that." Cloud replied, frowning a little.
"You are allowed to do everything as long as you don't get caught." Zack replied, chuckling. Cloud shook his head in disbelief but smiled. The brunet brightened even more, leading Cloud by the shoulder.
"At least let me get my bag."
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"Cloud, it's necessary to build relationships with your colleagues, even if it's just one person. I mean, it would be easier for you especially if they would be sending you to missions together, right?"
That was Zack's advice. Cloud knows that is the very thing he wasn't good at, or wouldn't be good at. Dealing with people is just not his forte. Sometimes he wished he was more like Zack in that aspect but he's just someone that just cannot fully engage with another whom he didn't know well and trust. Living in the slums for so long, the one dangerous thing one could possibly do is trust too much. Habits were hard to break, but he needs to remind himself that he is in a very different environment now, and that if he wants to get good with this soldier situation, he needs to follow the brunet's advice. The thought of a certain recruit, Luciel, reminded him that he needs to deal with his temper. He grimaced. Lost in his own thoughts, Cloud did not notice the people that approached his side on the table at the mess hall.
"You are Cloud Strife, right?"
A voice asked, stopping the blonde's spoon from stirring his already cold soup. He looked to his side were the voice came from, and found two boys about his age watching him quite curiously. The smaller of the two is blonde himself, his hair tied in a low ponytail. The other one was a brunet. Both of them has got pretty long hair that can frame their face very well.
"Yeah." Cloud nodded, after giving the two a once over.
"That's good then. We're looking for you to inform you that the three of us from our class will join an assignment. There will be ten of us in total from different classes, and we will assist the Soldiers in our very first mission."
"Our first mission?" Cloud asked, surprise evident from his voice. It has just been over a month since they started training, and now he was being informed of assisting a mission.
"Yes. I guess we will more likely just watch and observe though." The blonde boy answered, an easy smile sporting his effeminate face. Cloud noticed he had beautiful amber eyes. The brunet boy beside him didn't utter a word, just watching the two of them silently. He looked pleasant as well, but the blonde one was rather elegant-looking, he must say. He's got a politely-practiced tone, like someone that has been raised from a wealthy family. He said they were in the same class, but he didn't really remember the two of them, or is he just too self-absorbed to not notice them before? He guessed he felt that Cloud was scrutinizing him as he let out another easy smile.
"I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Ramza by the way. This guy here is my friend, Delita." The blonde boy said, nodding and pointing his thumb to the brunet beside him. Cloud have absolutely no idea how to deal with very well-mannered people.
"Thanks for informing me, I guess. I didn't expect to go in mission this early on in the training program." Ramza's smile widened a bit.
"Me too. But it's exciting, don't you think? Well, we're also gonna have breakfast, mind if we join you, Cloud?"
"Yeah, sure." Cloud nodded, mustering every ounce of politeness he possessed. He was feeling very awkward, but he'll choose these kinds of company over the likes of Luciel any time.
"I'll go get us some." It was Delita who spoke, his dark brown eyes fleeting over his friend before turning around to fetch breakfast.
"Say, Cloud, why did you join Soldier?" Ramza asked the moment Delita was out of sight. Cloud stilled, not expecting the question. Ramza had seated himself in front of him, hands resting casually by the table.
"I— wanted to change my fate." The other blonde was studying him in the same curious manner as before.
"To change your fate, huh? I guess all of us here wanted to do that after all.." He doesn't know how to put it but Cloud could feel some kind of pain in the smile that he received from Ramza. Somehow, it pierced him like an arrow, and a feeling of silent understanding settled between them.
"Why did you join Soldier?" Cloud asked in return, as his interest about him grew little by little at the moment.
"I want— to protect my family." Ramza replied, smiling a little. He can't help but think how someone as beautiful and fragile looking as him, would think about something like that.
"I don't think I understand." Cloud replied, truthfully. Zack was much simpler than this.
"I need to be strong enough if I wanted to protect the people I love, right? And defy fate." Ramza was staring at him openly, his amber eyes burning with an emotion Cloud did not recognize.
"Let's get stronger then." Cloud nodded, wanting to reassure the boy in front of him, the same way he would reassure Aerith. Ramza's face lit up and he nodded in return.
"It's nice to meet you, Cloud."
Somehow, Cloud found himself together with Ramza and Delita throughout their classes for the day, and actually start noticing not only them, but most of the other recruits acutely more than ever. Watching them both on weapons class had made him realize that Ramza handled a sword the same way he talks, elegant and refined. Delita wasn't too far behind him, graceful still, but rougher along the sides and is more masculine. They really make a good pair, Cloud thought, and he can't help but wonder if he and Zack could ever make a good duo like that in a battle field. The blonde sighed in resignation and focused on training instead. Maybe he's gonna need to stay for a few more hours every day after all.
If Cloud was surprised, he never really did show it. But he was though, as his new found "colleagues" decided to also stay after class to train with Cloud. At first, he thought they were just curious about what he does after lessons, but soon enough he finds himself in their company almost every day, just grinding, and talking a little. They helped each other train, until it became somewhat a routine, Ramza and Delita doing most of the talking. Cloud knows Zack is a bit busy, but it has been two weeks now since he last saw him gracing the infantry floor with his presence. Missions, he guessed. The pair kept him busy too, and thankfully distracted. Just a few more days and they will be deployed for their very first mission. Was he nervous?
Exhausted, Cloud lied heavily on his bunk, finally able to rest his straining limbs. The weeks stretched on like a month, and he felt tired. Reaching for the pocket of his spare uniform, he felt for the familiar form of his phone and opened it. Like an itch on the back of his throat, it lingers, just beyond his reach. It was a feeling like a gradual falling from a cliff, frightening and hopeless. He had fought over this with himself so many times over now, but he was feeling really tired at the moment.
He dialed Zack's number.
Two rings were all it took to hear his voice again. Cloud felt utterly defeated. But his voice was relief, and he turned to side, clutching the mobile phone tightly in his ear.
"Hey, spiky. How are you buddy?" He sounded really happy and somehow Cloud thought that was enough.
"Hey— you on a mission?" Cloud asked soflty, half-lidded eyes focusing at nothing, his ears straining at every sound that the other make.
"Yeah. Didn't expect it to be taking this long.. Did something happen Cloud?"
"No. Nothing really." There was a chuckle from the other line, and he almost smiled, but he ended up just fisting his other hand at his pillow instead.
"Awww. Are you missing me then?" The brunet asked teasingly, his fondness travelling thousands of miles away from where Cloud was probably lying. The last time he was on his bed, asleep, safe and sound and gentle-looking. His smiling face still lingered in his brain, tugging in the corners of his mouth whenever he closes his eyes. There was only silence in the other line and Zack knew he was pushing too far.
"Are you okay, Cloud? You know you can talk to me, right?" The brunet nudged gently, waiting for the blonde to open up.
"I think I have made some friends, Zack. Like you said, it has been a little bit.. easier."
"That's great then! Were they good? My referral should be the best though!" The brunet exclaimed, a grin evident in his voice. It made Zack happy knowing the blonde has been taking his advice into consideration. Cloud snorted from the other line. A short pause has fallen between them until Cloud broke the silence with his soft voice.
"When will you be coming back?"
Zack tried to not bite his lip. How can he resist something like that? The brunet gripped his phone as he breathed in and out slowly, trying to calm his frustration. He put on his usual cheery voice instead.
"Very soon! We will be having pizza by then, yeah?"
"…."
"Okay, Zack."
"I'm— really sleepy now, actually."
"Ohh. Alright, goodnight spikyyyyy." So, he did miss him, right?
Somehow, Zack felt like neither of them wanted to really end the call, and just waited there a little more, trying to just listen to each other's breathing. It wasn't an awkward silence, but rather a comforting one.
"Sleep well, okay? You might still grow taller.." The brunet teased fondly, his voice soothing. He chuckled when he heard Cloud's response, broken by a repressed smile.
"Shut up."
Cloud finally smiled and hang up, falling into the depths of sleep.
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Cloud eyes fluttered shut as Zack's voice seemed to caress him like his hands does, soothing and gentle. It was such a comforting sound that took his aches away from the crevices of his body and mind. But this he cannot tell him, for it was so inappropriate at the current set up. Or maybe he wouldn't really tell him altogether forever. After a night of takeout food, Zack's beer and "catching up", he now lay again in one side of his bed, curled into a ball. The brunet was yet again sprawled beside him, back resting against the headboard. He was reading some reports he held by one hand, while his phone beeped and vibrated by the lamp in his bedside table occasionally. He rather ignored it, Cloud realized, as he watched Zack read the reports with an uncharacteristic frown in his smooth face.
Cloud sat up then, crawling his way closer to the brunet.
"What are you reading?" The blonde asked curiously, as he tried to take a peek of the document, a typical frown forming in his brows. Zack's own frown disappeared as he smirked, holding his hand up high above the blonde's head so he cannot see.
"You're not supposed to see it. It's confidential." The brunet teased, wiggling the documents in his hand. Cloud's frown deepened as he scooted closer, craning his neck to take a look.
He was too close and being too childish for Zack's comfort. The brunet stared as time seemed to slow down, from a smooth, pale neck, arching a little, to the delicate triangle under his jaw. It was the part he liked to nuzzle whenever he was being intimate with someone, finding the spot ultimately irresistible and sexy. He liked to stare at it and taste it, whenever that person throws their head back in a moment of pleasure. He wasn't supposed to be thinking about that right now, though, Zack thought as he tightened his jaw, lips pressing together in a hard line.
This was Cloud. He wasn't supposed to have thoughts remotely resembling something sexual in nature. He isn't allowed to—
"Are you okay?" Lost in thought, he found the blonde staring back at him, his annoyed frown earlier transformed to worry.
"Yeah, sorry I was just—"
Thinking about inappropriate things about you just now? Zack sighed deeply, lowering his hand down and replacing the documents inside the folder. He nonchalantly ditched it to the bedside table, along with his unattended phone.
"I shouldn't be bringing work in here anyway." The brunet finally said, stretching his limbs. Cloud seemed to let it go and plopped back into a fetal position, burying himself under the covers. Zack chuckled in response, ruffling the exposed part of his blonde head.
"Well— goodnight spiky."
His smile fell as he lay down, and slept with his back facing Cloud.
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