A/N: I feel freeeeeee… Ah, don't you love it when you're free of previous obligations?! THE SENSATION IS SEX-ALICIOUS INDEED! ^.^ So because of the amount of non-baggage, you guys get another chapter of WYWA! Wow… that's a weird acronym. -.-; W/e lol. Is it strange that I also made a playlist for this story in my ITunes? Omg, with the way I have things planned it's like 20 chapters… but I only wanted 10… WTF BRAIN?! T.T

We do have a person from a different game making a bit of a cameo, but just for future reference, I don't know if he'll become a permanent fixture in this fic. Let me know if you guys see some potential in his being here… It all comes down to the readers after all XD (and trust me, if you play FF/KH, you'll know immediately who it is X3). Also, plot-points and DDR will be included in this chapter. I know… it kills me too. Lol!

Disclaimer: Don't own Final Fantasy (the entire series wtf) nor do I own "Here is Gone" by The Goo Goo Dolls. Shit. :C

"You and I got something-

But it's all and then it's nothing to me…

Yeah.

And I got my defenses

When it comes to your intentions for me…

Yeah.

And we wake up in the breakdown

Of the things we never thought we could be…

Yeah…

I'm not the one who broke you-

I'm not the one you should fear-

We've got to move you, darling.

I thought I lost you somewhere,

But you were never really ever there at all…

And I want to get free;

Talk to me.

I can feel you fallin'…

And I wanted to be

All you need…

Somehow here is gone."

-"Here is Gone" by The Goo Goo Dolls

Title: When You Walk Away

Chapter Six: Here is Gone

"We're here."

Sephiroth's booming voice made the boy jump, his eyes still slightly unfocused from the daydreaming he had been indulging in during the car ride. The older man said nothing else as he smoothly unbuckled his seat-belt and strode out of the car, making Cloud feel intensely inadequate without having to do much else. Struggling with his own buckle, Cloud nearly fell out of the car as Sephiroth opened the car door for him and patiently waiting for the boy to untangle himself from the mess he was creating.

'This… is so embarrassing.' Cloud thought to himself as he stumbled out of the large SUV (which made him feel just as miniscule as its owner did) and nearly face-planted (once again) onto the sidewalk before him.

Gently grabbing his date's arm so he could stabilize himself, Sephiroth kept his grip firm and relentless, even as Cloud attempted to subtly dislodge himself from the protective hold.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" Cloud breathlessly replied, the rose-colored flush painting his cheeks prettily with an invisible brush. Not noticing the sudden subtle widening of eyes or straightening of lips on his companion's part, the struggling blond finally managed to release himself from the death-hold Sephiroth had on his person and stared at the meek dinner in front of him. "Oh… I know this place. It's my favorite-"

Turning back to the still-stunned silver-haired man, Cloud wiped the bridge of his nose with the back of his hand and smiled, trying to reign in his embarrassment so as to not overwhelm himself before the older boy staring at him.

"How did you know? I don't think I've even told Aerith about this place…"

'By stalking you for hours on end without you noticing, of course. How else would I know?'

Sephiroth shrugged. "Lucky guess, I suppose."

'LIES. YOU SPEAK NOTHING BUT LIES!' Screamed Not-Zack's voice within the vestiges of Sephiroth's mind once again, making him internally scoff at the would-be insult had it been aimed at anyone except Sephiroth.

'You're point being…?'

"Well, you must be really good at guessing then." That same smile that nearly incapacitated Sephiroth the first time he had saw it aimed his way reappeared over Cloud's face, the tension slowly seeping out of his body as the familiar destination seemed to put him at ease.

Having the high-school boy relax in his presence was like a drug Sephiroth decided as he placed his hand on the small of the boy's back and pushed him forward, ignoring the stiffness of Cloud's limbs as he did so.

"It's cold." Sephiroth stated in order to excuse the sudden presence of his hand on the boy's back as he opened the door for the younger man and practically tossed him inside the establishment before them. One of the waiters gave Sephiroth the stink-eye after they smiled quickly at the man-handled teenager stumbling inside the café, automatically recognizing Cloud's outrageous hairstyle and unforgettable sky-blue eyes.

"Well fuck, if it ain't Cloud Strife!"

Cloud nervously glanced at the café's owner, Cid Highwind, who had popped out of nowhere just as the still-unknown waiter's glare became all the more ugly, prompting Sephiroth to glare back at the younger man. "H-hi…"

"Damn, what did you do, steal this one out of a factory?! Least ya got good taste, even if though I didn't think ya swung that way…" The older blond-haired man stage-whispered, ignoring Sephiroth's large form in its entirety and concentrating solely on Cloud's practically-shaking figure. "Ya both can sit right down wherever the hell ya feel like! Cloud, you know as my favorite customer you always have first pick!"

"Thank you, Mr. Highwind…" Cloud grabbed Sephiroth's hand and pulled him in the opposite direction of the crazy café owner and the glaring waiter who was now shoving his way past the other servers and flailing about as he spoke loudly in the Highwind's inflated ear.

"He seemed… rather rambunctious." The silver-haired 'gentleman' stated before sitting down opposite of the nervous blond, his smile, which was meant to pacify the other boy's nerves, only multiplying them without meaning to.

"Yeah… but the old man means well." After that comment, the schoolboy became disturbingly silent, making even Sephiroth slightly fidgety within his slightly lumpy booth seat.

Sephiroth, who was also not used to having to be the one to strike up conversation in these kinds of circumstances, glanced around the small restaurant a bit lost, not sure what to say.

"So… when are Aerith and Zack meeting us here?" Cloud quietly asked as he began to playwith the fork and spoon situated in front of him, not noticing the warm stare the older man was casting him at the adorable show of childishness.

"Well…"

"Do you think we did the right thing just leaving the kid with Seph like that?"

"I don't know, Zack. What do you think, it was your idea." Though the comment was sarcastic and cutting Aerith's tone held none of the vigor one would assume such a statement required to truly deal any sort of blows against another person.

Zack flinched as he lowered his head, scratching the back of his head in a nervous gesture that he was sure he would never get rid of.

Hell, if he had been standing he knew he would be straining the crap out of his calves with the amount of squats necessary to deflect the nervousness he now felt in result of his own half-baked plan.

"I just… don't know if Seph's ready to place himself in a relationship ye-"

"If you weren't sure," Aerith cut him off as the waiter arrived at their table, "you wouldn't have suggested the idea to begin with."

Nervously laughing to hide his own discomfort Zack wondered if he should remind Aerith just how impulsive he could be.

'Probably not a good idea my friend…'

And if the way the young woman was eyeing him was any indication, keeping quiet had certainly been the correct response.

"About that…"

Cloud began to fidget again, this time with purpose.

"We will be meeting up with them after dinner. Is that alright?" Not noticing how tense the blond's body language became after stating that fact, the tall green-eyed man took in the nod he received in return respectably and opened his menu, diverting his attention to the mountain of junk food now ready for his perusal.

Cloud, on the other hand, could only concentrate on the multitude of questions and statements building within his head as he mechanically picked up the laminated menu and emptily stared down at the pictures in front of him.

"Have you decid-"

"What can I get for you?" Sephiroth nearly growled as he snapped his head in the waiter's direction, green eyes glowing with anger.

Stormy blue orbs narrowed dangerously as long chocolate-brown bangs shifted slightly, the waiter's crisp white shirt bleached to near perfection whilst he glared a hole in Sephiroth's forehead.

"Cloud?" Forcing his glare/stare away from the snotty little shit disguised as a server Sephiroth quirked his eyebrow up in question, sighing in silent relief as the boy nodded and quickly asked for a grilled chicken sandwich and lemonade; the smile he shared with the waiter did not slip past Sephiroth's ever diligent attention.

Smoothly ordering his own food, Sephiroth felt the student sitting across from him tense up in discomfort as the two men now forced to interact with each other eye-strangled the other with equal glares of distaste.

"Thanks Leon." Cloud timidly offered the now-smiling waiter a gracious beam, trying to ward off the rays of anger he could practically feel radiating off of his… date.

Was it possible to feel both incredibly blissful yet impossibly distressed all at once?

Because Cloud was feeling it and he was feeling it all badly.

"He seems to be quite taken with you." Sephiroth deadpanned, eyes shining like deadly lasers.

"We have a little bit in common is all." Feeling the heavy brunt of his companion's intense glare, Cloud shrank into his seat to minimize the fierceness of Sephiroth's sudden irritation. "Leon's really protective of those he cares about. And no offense but… you don't have the greatest of track records with people, Sephiroth."

"Those rumors are completel-"

"I'm not saying I believe them," Cloud interrupted, "I'm just saying that not everybody else thinks the same way as I do. They don't know you like Zack, Aerith and I know you, Sephiroth, and I hate to say it, but can you really blame them with how persistent some of those people are?"

"I suppose so." Sephiroth reluctantly admitted. "If you are just coming to Midgar and don't know anything about me, I can see your point of view…"

Blushing a bit at the insinuation Cloud bit his lip as he thought of the first rumor he had ever heard about Sephiroth and how angry Zack and Aerith had been once he had quietly asked them about it.

"Yeah, but if you're smart and have connections, you know better than to just rely on what people say too. I bet if you opened yourself up a bit more…"

"Wouldn't that be the pot calling the kettle black, Cloud?"

"That's-that's different!" Face flushed red the usually quiet blond heard his voice go up an octave, the smug grin on his companion's own visage irking him even further. "I'm not…"

Blinking suddenly, Cloud felt his body immediately calm down as he whispered out the words that he had been hiding from since the first time he had met the silver-haired gorgeous man. "I'm not like you."

"Why… why are you doing this, Sephiroth?" Light stroking the table's surface with his index finger, Cloud coyly lowered his eyes and traced with the swirls of different colored blues littering the slab of marble in front of him. "You've never shown any interest in me before. Why now? It just… doesn't make sense."

"I ho-"

"Here you go." Sephiroth bit his tongue as Leon appeared out of nowhere, setting down the drinks with a tiny smirk in Sephiroth's direction. "Your food should be done soon."

"Thank you, Leon." Cloud answered for the both of them before the college student could form one of his signature sarcastic remarks. Leon's smirk softened into a slight smile as he nodded and went on to the next table. "You were saying?"

"As I was saying before I was interrupted by our… waiter," reclining back against the booth seat, cascades of silver hair fell over sturdy shoulders in a whirlwind of light strands, causing Cloud's attention to migrate from the words actually coming out of Sephiroth's mouth and the beautiful image the man had unknowingly painted as he lazed about in his seat "I hold an attraction towards you, Cloud, and I was advised by Zack that in order to gain your attention I would need to befriend you first before I could court you. I am simply going through the proper procedure."

"But that doesn't explain why-Ok, what I want to ask is how you suddenly developed this attraction to me. It just doesn't make sense! Before, you never even said a word to me and now, it's like you're everywhere I go!"

'That would be because I am everywhere you go.'

But Sephiroth wisely kept that thought to himself.

"Is it so difficult to accept that perhaps I have always held some semblance of attraction towards you and was simply too shy to act on it?"

Cloud nearly spit out the drink he had been absently sipping on as he abruptly laughed in Sephiroth's face.

They both knew that was a loud of bull-crap in the making.

"And the real reason would be…?" The boy uncharacteristically snapped, eyes sharpening under the diner's artificial light.

'Think of a lie, think of a lie, think of a lie, DAMN IT, THINK OF A BETTER LIE ALREADY!'

"I…"

"Here you go." Sephiroth nearly sighed in relief as Leon dropped his plate in front of him, his brusque manner pushing in at just the right time. "Need anything else?"

"We're fine." Cloud did sigh as he picked his fork and stabbed a couple of his french-fries.

Leon gave the boy one last probing stare before walking away with a swagger, not even pitching Sephiroth one last glare for his efforts.

"Cloud…?" The green-eyed student tilted his head to the side and quirked up a brow, smiling slightly at the boy's puffed cheeks filled with food and innocent inquire now resting over his gaze. "I like you. Is that not enough?"

A tiny burn settled over the blond's nose and cheeks as he swallowed his food. "I don't mind being your friend, Sephiroth; in fact, I always considered us friends even before all this weird stuff started happening, but I think it's better that we just stay friends. Ok?"

"You will not even give me a chance, Cloud?" Leaning forward, Sephiroth let the tiny smile on his face unfurl even further. "We both know that once I set my sights on something I will not give up until it is in my possession."

"But… I'm not a possession. I'm your friend." Pouting, Cloud crossed his arms over his chest, the food in front of him already half-eaten. "I won't let you treat me like some sort of thing Sephiroth and I won't settle myself to be used at your convenience."

"I am asking you to be my partner; I believe that is the farthest from a possession that one could be." Liking this new spit-fire attitude awakening within his companion Sephiroth inwardly smirked. "Don't you like me too, Cloud?"

"That's a loaded question and you know it." Sagging within his seat a small glare accompanied the adorable pout hanging from Cloud's lips. "And it has nothing to do with what we're talking about."

"Hm… not really. If you do indeed like me then all I ask is that you accept me as I am. If you do not then-"

The pout became all the more prominent nearly eclipsing Sephiroth with the cuteness of it despite how oblivious Cloud seemed to be about his own expression. "Then you'll just bug me until I say otherwise, right?"

"… … You know me so well, Cloud. Zackary and Aerith must be very good teachers."

"You've never shown any interest in anyone before. I just don't get it…" Cloud picked up a lone french-fry off of his plate and tore it apart with his fingers, teeth gnawing at his lower lip. "What's so special about me?"

"Get to know me better and you will see." Sephiroth dropped off mysteriously before pushing his plate forward and glancing over his shoulder to see Leon glaring at him with his arms crossed. "Check please!"

Cloud picked at his hoodie's zipper as he sat within the huge SUV, Sephiroth quietly driving with a relaxed look on his face.

"I want to give you a chance…" The tiny boy admitted, his voice small and fragile. "Is it ok if we take this slow?"

"Of course, Cloud." Sephiroth could already see a mini-Zack doing a jig within his mind, scoffing at the semi-amusing display. "I would never do anything you would feel uncomfortable with."

'Except stalk you. And read your journal. And prey on your insecurities. And stalk you some more. And-'

'Shut up Not-Zack.'

Smiling up at the older man, Cloud just about grinned as they parked in front of the arcade Aerith had been talking about. Two lone figures hung by the entrance, Cloud waving as he recognized them almost immediately.

"Aerith! Zack!" Practically jumping off the seat (and *not* nearly breaking his neck in the process this time) Cloud dashed towards his big sister and best friend, Sephiroth trailing right behind him.

"Well there's a foreign concept…" Zack muttered as he nodded towards Sephiroth, the only one to actually get the joke if the way he was glaring at the dark-haired student was any indication.

"FINALLY!" Aerith giggled as she grabbed Cloud's hand, pulling him inside. "Let's go, Cloud!"

"But-"

"C'mon, Seph, let's let the girls have their time together!" Zack guffawed before Cloud emitted a loud "ZACK YOU BASTARD!" and Sephiroth, who often liked to take the simplistic approach, violently smacked him behind the head. "Damn Seph don't take it so damn personal! I know better to make fun of your girl-"

Sephiroth, Cloud AND Aerith gave him varying sets of the same kind of baleful glare that Zack knew meant NOTHING but trouble if he were to finish that sentence.

"I mean, sorry Cloud." The raven-haired 18-year-old whimpered, head sagging forward a bit as those same glares turned into grins.

Rolling his eyes Cloud grabbed onto his sister and began to make his way towards the change machines. "I'll get some change with Aerith; Sephiroth, do you mind watching after Zack?"

Flailing his arms around, Zack exclaimed rather loudly "What am I, a dog?!"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"… Why am I friends with you guys again?"

"C'mon Cloud…" Aerith didn't even give her boyfriend another glance as she pulled out her money. "It's not even worth it…"

"So how did it go?!" Sephiroth nearly backed away from his friend as the crazed grin stretched out on his face became accompanied by a rather unsettling gleam within those violet-amethyst orbs. "Did you put 'the moves' on the kid? Mack on him? Make it through dinner? Tell meeee…"

"Zack, your ADHD is showing." Sephiroth deadpanned. "Calm yourself please."

"Fine…" Taking in a breath Zack took a step back and ran a hand through his darkened locks. "Ok. How was dinner?"

"Nearly disastrous. I almost told him about… well, you know."

"Damn. Well, the kid is sharp; he's probably gonna figure you all out sooner or later…"

"I know. But… is it disappointing on my part if I prefer 'later'?"

"Nah, but I know Cloud; he'll get it, Seph. Just tell him what you told me and I'm sure he'll understand. I mean, how badly could he react? It's freaking Cloud!"

As Zack said this, however, the older man began thinking back on Cloud's sudden fit of agitated discomfort within the diner and winced.

"Orrrrr I could be wrong…" Zack muttered as he noticed Sephiroth's sudden grimace and re-thought his game plan within his head. "But… this is real for you, isn't it Seph?"

Before Sephiroth could answer the same blond they had been talking about appeared through the throng of people now surrounding them, a large smile pulling against his cheeks.

"Got it!"

Aerith giggled as she handed Zack some change and Cloud did the same with his own (and he hesitated to say this even within his own head) date. "What do you guys wanna play fir-"

"Firsties!" Zack shouted out before cackling out into the crowd, Sephiroth practically chasing after him in a fit of competition.

Cloud laughed as he watched both Zack and Sephiroth rush towards a rather ancient looking machine and attempt to beat the other at the fighting game they stationed themselves in front of, blue eyes glowing with feverish delight. Aerith then tugged on his arm, pointing at the DDR machine that a few teenagers were crowded around.

"C'mon, Cloud! It's time to show me your moves!"

"But-but I have no moves!"

"NONSENSE! Let's go shake that pretty little tush of yours and make everyone jealous!"

"But Aerrrriiiittthhh!"

"No buts; it's time to dance!"

Cloud sweat-dropped as he was dragged to his DDR-doom, blue eyes wide with worry as he thought of his impending clumsiness.

His knee-caps throbbed at the thought.

After an hour of nearly falling on his face (again) and another hour of trying to pry Sephiroth and Zack away from the amazing machines called video-games, Cloud felt as if he were ready to fall asleep with his eyes open.

"Did you have a good time?" Sephiroth's quiet timbre awakened the boy just enough to get a response, a lazy smile tickling the corners of his lips as he slowly gazed over at the mass of silver obscuring Sephiroth's face.

"That was… a lot more fun than I expected it to be." Cloud quietly admitted, giving into temptation and playing with the zipper of his hoodie as he stared down at his feet.

"Would that mean that you would not be too opposed to doing it again?" Sephiroth smiled as Cloud's eyes widened and he slowly nodded, taking on the appearance of a bobble-head doll.

"I-I wouldn't mind. That is, if you wanted to do something, I wouldn't mind doing something with you." Lame, Cloud thought to himself. That was so lame.

"Are you free on Friday?"

"Su-Oh, no. Argh…" Cloud leaned forward before letting his head fall back on the cushion of the car seat. "Yuffie invited me to some party of hers. I tried to get out of it but she's pretty persistent when she wants to be."

"Yuffie… I recognize that name…"

"Her dad is head of Shinra's rival company; you know, that place that manufactures and helps import all Wutain goods? From what I've heard they're crazy people, and if you've met Yuffie… let's just say that I can believe it."

"Hm…"

"I would ask you to go, but I know you hate those things…" Cloud let his head fall to the side as Sephiroth turned a corner and began to slow down, his house only a couple meters away. "We can do something on Saturday if you want."

"I've got all-day practice on Saturday. How about Sunday instead?"

Cloud laughed as Sephiroth smirked, the lilting sound within the boy's tenor relaxing in its own right.

'No wonder Zack likes to make Aerith laugh if this feeling is the end result, even if it is indirect…'

"Sunday's fine." Cloud shoved his hands into his pockets as Sephiroth parked and both men got out of the SUV and made their way to the door… slowly. "You… have my number right?"

"Mm-hm." Nodding, the older man silently cursed as they made it to the entrance of the blond's home. "But don't worry; I'll be picking you up tomorrow from school. Same time, same place."

Cloud blushed as he smiled and lowered his head; one hand now on the doorknob as the other reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. "Ok…"

"I guess I'll see you to-Oomph!"

Just as Cloud turned his head to say goodbye to his (why was it so difficult to say to himself; he wasn't even admitting it out loud!) date, Sephiroth caught his chin with his thumb and forefinger and held it, face moving forward even as Cloud stood stock-still.

'Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God-'

A pair of warm slightly chapped lips met his own in a brief, if not completely mind-blowing, kiss. Cloud, not quite able to process the fact that his first kiss had been stolen by the most popular man in Midgar, let his mouth fall open in a rather unattractive gape as Sephiroth then reached forward and kissed his cheek as well.

"I believe that seals the deal, right Cloud?"

Knowing the boy wouldn't be able to speak even if he was being begged to, Sephiroth pushed the now-unlocked door open and gently shoved the teenager inside, trying to hide his smile of amusement behind a well-placed hand. "I believe this is goodnight."

Cloud followed the man's long silver hair as he spun around and made his way back into his SUV, leather duster swishing gently around his long masculine legs. Finally closing his mouth, the blond held in a yelp of excitement as he closed the door and leaned against the sturdy plank of wood.

Sliding down onto the floor, pale fingers traced the burning lips left in the older man's wake. Letting his head fall back against the wooden door still supporting him, the tiny blond raised his legs to his chest and clutched onto his knees.

After a night of never-ending surprises, Cloud could only ask himself one thing.

'Does this mean he's my boyfriend now?!'

"Almost done!"

Gast Faremis smiled victoriously as he stared at the various test tubes in front of him, hands on his hips in a rather relaxed stance. "I can't believe it, really…"

"Don't get too comfortable," Hojo muttered as he jotted down some notes, carefully taking note of the rats settled within the various cages surrounding the laboratory. "There's still much to be done."

"I'm just excited to be getting home; Cloud and Aerith have been complaining that they never get to see me anymore." Gast jokingly stated as he scratched the back of his neck, glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose. "You know, I'm just glad the kids are all getting along so well. Zack and Aerith went out on another date; they're still going strong you know!"

"That's nice," Hojo stated disinterestedly.

Scribbling down his own observations, Gast chuckled as he picked up a beaker with his free hand and began a set of new preparations for his experimentation. "Not only that…"

"It was awfully nice of Sephiroth to invite Cloud on one as well." Gast cheerfully spoke, measuring the number of milligrams that was in the liquid with a steady eye.

Hojo, on the other hand, nearly dropped the beaker he had been holding as soon as Gast spoke.

"… … You said he did what?!"

Gast blinked as the slightly younger scientist stared at him with wide eyes, feeling as if he had just stuck his foot in his mouth.

"Uh… Zack and Aerith are still going strong?"

Dark eyes narrowed as another beaker full of liquid behind the livid scientist tilted over and fell onto the floor with a bang, a small explosion darkening the spot on the ground it fell upon. Gast laughed uncomfortably as the rats surrounding them began to hiss as a result.

'Well, shit.'