Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no money from this work. Anything recognizable to the Final Fantasy VII series and its associated parts belongs to Square Enix and affiliated companies.

Green Dreams

Chapter Twenty-One: The Long and Short of It

Cloud pulled on a thicker long-sleeve shirt for the autumn chill while Reno lounged on his bed with his arms tucked behind his head. The redhead had on a sweatshirt and thick socks with a hole in one toe. The bunkers weren't heated or air conditioned, so the cadets were subject to the whim of the weather, and with winter rapidly approaching, the temperatures were really dropping at night. Cloud was long-used to cold nights. He'd lived in Nibelheim throughout his childhood, and then in the desert, where it could be below freezing at night and dangerously hot in the day.

They had finished painting the shed by mid-afternoon on Sunday, much to their relief, and Zack had swung by to check the job and ask if Cloud wanted to head into Lower Midgar with him to cap off the weekend. Despite Cloud's desire to hang out with Zack, and the fact that he wanted to visit Aeris again, he was still a little reluctant. He'd overheard something last night that any thought of Zack made Cloud a little grumpy and a little embarrassed.

Reno coughed pointedly and Cloud ignored him, pushing that particularly thought back where it came from. He had already explained why he was leaving and why Reno couldn't come. The redhead hadn't looked too miffed or hurt, but he still liked to talk the topic of Zack to death. "Doesn't your Firstie have to go off and fight AVALANCHE?"

Cloud sighed. Reno's inherent nosiness would probably never go away—and that was both a blessing and a curse sometimes. Right now it was giving him a headache. Reno seemed to be suspicious of Zack, and Cloud didn't want to know if it was jealousy or if he was just fishing for information. "He doesn't leave until tomorrow. Which is why we're going today."

The other cadet sighed loudly, but he'd exhausted this conversation earlier and Cloud remained stubbornly silent while he laced up his second boot. When Reno's eyes remained on him, Cloud finally looked up, starting to get really annoyed. "Zack needs to go down to Lower Midgar for some supplies and equipment. He's just inviting me along."

Reno looked like he wanted to open his mouth, but Cloud didn't wait to hear it; he had to get going if he wanted to make the next train. He stuffed his wallet into his pocket and swept a quick glance around the room. He had his knife in his boot, the switchblade he owned now in one pocket. His Shinra ID card was in his wallet, which had some Gil for the train ride and dinner, though Zack was likely to treat if he got the chance. He didn't have a scarf or gloves, and he couldn't remember why he wouldn't have brought those from home, but no matter.

He left without a goodbye to Reno and met Zack down at the station, where the First was casually dressed in jeans and a long-sleeve shirt with a vest over it. Unlike Cloud's dark colors, Zack boasted a green long-sleeve shirt in an eye-catching shade. It didn't matter to Zack that he stood out—being a SOLDIER on its own was usually fairly distinctive. It was hard to disguise a First. For starters, the mako-glow of their eyes was a dead giveaway. More interestingly though, most people could inherently tell they'd been enhanced and automatically gave them a wide berth, something no one quite understood. Most assumed it was the level of mako inside them reacting to people's limited connection to the Planet. Cloud had gotten the same reactions once upon a time.

The blond didn't even step on to the platform before Zack's hand was ruffling his hair and he was already talking. "Cloud, we're going to pick up some great food from this restaurant I found for tonight after I get my stuff done. They do a lot of this heavy meat stuff—food you mountain boy should recognize. Beef stroganoff's a specialty there I think."

Cloud's mouth almost watered as his mind immediately drew an image of his mother's homemade broth. He hadn't had the heavier, meatier food of the colder regions in years. More than years, a decade. The fair was so different from the lighter food Midgar imported or the dairy, seafood, and wheat products of most other towns, that his hometown's style of cooking was hard to find. Trust Zack to think of something like that.

Cloud had a flash of his childhood bowl painted with rabbits before the train came into the station in a screeching cacophony of sound that made sure any conversation was impossible. The blond realized he hadn't bought a ticket, but Zack already had two in his hand. The SOLDIER grabbed Cloud by the elbow and steered him into a seat before he could open his mouth.

"Don't worry about it. I was a cadet too you know, and I know you guys are living on pocket-change."

Cloud closed his mouth and figured it prudent not to mention that he had pocket-change for spending whereas some people in the slums really did live on pocket-change. Zack knew that, and Cloud knew that Zack had hardened himself to the sights of the slums just as Cloud had done years ago. The blond refused to consider what might happen to these people if Meteor never freed them. It was not something he wanted to think about on an outing with Zack.

Cloud had been planning to make this trip to Lower Midgar for a while now in fact, but he had never found the time to do it. Now that he was healed from his injuries and had the time, he was going to Aeris to see if she knew what it was all about. He may command massive power over the materia, but that didn't equate to control. After nearly melting the floor of a practice room by accident, Cloud had decided it was simply safer not to rely on materia right now. Magic wouldn't be a major part of the exam anyway, so it wouldn't matter too much if he neglected that part of his training.

As they sat on the train together Zack chattered to Cloud. "I've got a couple of errands to run, back and forth, you know? You don't mind doing a bit of shopping alone right? Wall Market's safe enough so long as you don't keep your wallet in your back pocket."

"Sure," Cloud nodded along, secretly relieved. The blond didn't question if Zack had something to hide, because it conveniently let Cloud hide his own errand too.

The train rattled to a grinding halt, the force of the momentum almost knocking several people over, and Zack and Cloud left the train and walked to Wall Market together, Zack sticking closer to Cloud than was strictly necessary. There really wasn't a way to lighten the mood is this dismal part of the slums, but Zack valiantly tried. Cloud didn't pay much attention to his words though, keeping his eyes forward. He didn't look at the children that scurried by barefoot, or flinch at the stench of the trash heaps that were making his eyes water.

Zack's eyes, he knew, were focused on him to stop them from roving. Cloud's situation years and years ago had allowed him to master the ability to ignore what was happening around him and focus on one thing, and Zack was doing the exact same thing. As he talked to Cloud ideas for their next training session, Zack didn't have to put those glowing eyes on any uncomfortable Wall Market patrons, and he didn't have to look straight at the way the people down here lived. Zack was more sensitive and sympathetic than Cloud, and it hurt the SOLDIER to see it. Cloud had long ago learned how to wall off those parts of himself.

They had just crossed the perimeter into the market place when Zack's arm tightened across Cloud's shoulders, drawing him in closer. Cloud was about to ask Zack about it, when the SOLDIER casually steered them to the left, the darker-haired man subtly looking over Cloud at something. The blond picked up on it and slid his eyes over in time to see Barret, his gun-arm swinging as he trundled along, cut through the crowd.

Cloud's eyes were riveted to Barret as the man trooped by. He had to consciously suppress any visible reaction so as not to alert Zack, forcing himself not to turn his head as the man walked past. He lowered his eyes, aware that he hadn't been thinking much on his AVALANCHE. They had been as close as possible to being his family, and though he had hardly ever visited the more distant members, it had been because he knew they were just fine and they'd always be there for him. Jenova's second reunion attempt had proven that.

But here… Barret had looked pissed. His face had been set in a scowl, his cheeks faintly colored—Cloud had worked with him long enough to spot it even under his dark skin tone—his good arm had been clenched, and the muscles of both biceps and forearms had been tight with protruding veins. His gun-arm had swung in a dangerous arc, and he'd radiated ferocity.

Cloud hadn't realized the crowd had toned down or backed away at Barret's passing until their voices surged up again when the AVALANCHE member was safely out of Wall Market. Cloud felt like an hour had passed when in reality it had been seconds. He raised his eyes back to Zack's, whose own eyes lingered on the gate before he turned back to Cloud all smiles. He rubbed Cloud's hair affectionately before the blond could duck out of the way. "I'll meet you back here in an hour. Don't eat since we'll be picking up that food as promised a bit later. We'll eat in my apartment—the place is too small for tables. And don't spend too much gil!"

With a quick wave and a big smile, Zack trotted off into the crowd. Cloud waited for a moment at that spot, making sure Zack really was gone, then summarily turned right back around and walked out of Wall Market.

He wound through the playground, full of children on the weekend, though children would be here all week because the school system under the plate was so poor. He walked through the garbage dumps and through the wall, past trash heaps and dangerous electrical wires lying on the ground waiting for a baby to gnaw where the rats had not. It was a dangerous world in the slums, but Cloud was, unfortunately, familiar with it.

Aeris' church looked exactly the same as it had the last time he had been here, still an island of serenity in an otherwise chaotic and dark world. He could see the beams of sunlight through the lone hole in the plate shoot down and into the church, like the Planet had punched a fist through the metal and stone just so Aeris could have her flower garden.

This time he didn't hesitate as much. He knew more or less what to expect. He pushed open the heavy oak door and strode down the aisle. The stone angel standing beside the altar had its arms open wide to greet him. The room was heated with the sun, enticing a pleasant shiver along his spine. The flowers at the end were like a great pool of beauty, spilling out around the stone and rotting wood. He remembered this place so well.

Almost reverently he sat in the second pew, half afraid to step into the flowers for fear of crushing them. Aeris had always been able to walk amongst them without hurting a single blossom, and Cloud had done so on occasion, but he felt heavy now, clunky. He wasn't sure why.

"Ah, would you like a flower, Cloud?"

He sagged a little into the pew at hearing her voice. He hadn't quite realized he'd been afraid she wouldn't be here.

"Yes, one please."

She whispered by him, her leather boots as soft and quiet as silk. She meandered amongst the flowers looking for just the right one, leaning her hands down sometimes to brush her fingers along the satiny petals. She plucked one and carefully murmured something softly to it before handing it to him. With the utmost of care, he took the flower and admired it for a moment, before reaching up and tucking it behind Aeris' ear.

She smiled softly at him, like a mother looking over a child, and Cloud had the distinct impression that the Planet was looking at him too. But then he blinked and her eyes were the fresh green that was Aeris and Aeris alone. His love for her was overwhelming, and he felt full and warm because of it.

She settled down in the flower grove now though, her skirts spreading out around her until she looked like the pink queen of flowers in her garden. "It's wonderful to see you, Cloud." He nodded. "I suppose you didn't just come here for a flower?"

He leaned back in the pew and stretched his legs out in front of him. He rubbed his hands down his face and tried to muster what he wanted. The sheer purity of this place was a balm on his soul, and he didn't feel like anything could bother him here.

"I- my magic. It's more powerful than before."

Aeris smoothed her skirt out with both hands, smiling down into her flowers. She petted one gently as she spoke. "The Planet knows more than you can imagine, and yet can only guess. But a more natural… boost was the only thing the Planet could offer."

Cloud tilted his head back to look at the ceiling, staring at the patterns made by the rafters and the cracked roof. He could see the nest of what must be a bird, and the jagged edges of the hole that let the sun through.

"It's to help me?"

"Yes." Aeris' voice was soft, pleasant.

Cloud didn't need to say anymore. He didn't know if the Planet was trying to make up for something, or if it knew he would need that ability with materia later, but if the Planet was offering, he would accept. He had a healthy respect for the Planet now, even if he didn't always agree with it.

Standing up from the pew took more effort than usual, the strange peace of this place lending lethargy to his limbs. He carefully walked into the field of flowers until they gathered around his boots. He thought of how her church had changed after the triplets turned it into a pool of water, how the flowers rimmed it and their petals would congregate on the surface.

And Aeris watching the children play in it; no longer burdened by Geostigma. When he thought of it that way, he could feel the coolness of a different lake again: a darker, deeper one; her gentle weight in his arms; how her dress billowed around her as he let her drift to the bottom with his tears accompanying her the way down. He felt like he was standing in that lake again, looking down at her peaceful face, eyes closed as she rejoined the Planet.

He had deliberately not thought on those memories in many years. But as he stared down at her now, as she beckoned to him with a single motion to submerge himself in flowers, he was able to look back on it with a degree of respectful distance he hadn't dared to think he would ever achieve.

"There you are Cloud!" Zack threw an arm around his shoulders, squeezing them just as he had this morning. Only Zack could ever get away with being that touchy-feely around Cloud. "Where'd you wander off to?"

Cloud pressed a little closer to Zack, remembering that memory of him leaning against the doorframe of the church. It had assaulted him as soon as he turned to leave the church: Zack with a smile on his face as he stood with Aeris while Cloud looked on, always a few steps behind.

"Just found a quiet spot."

Zack ruffled his hair with the hand on his shoulder before guiding Cloud into a different part of Wall Market. "Sometime I should really take you to this church. It's too late now, but there's the sweetest girl there. I dated her for a bit you know—but Shinra and her don't get along, and it didn't work. Still, she's beautiful and there's no place more peaceful than that church."

Cloud held back the 'I know' and settled for a half-smile.

They walked together through the streets, the day failing as the lights when on. Shop owners lit lanterns outside their stores, and the crowds subtly changed from families to couples and working men. Zack seemed to know where he was going, and Cloud basked in the feel of Zack's powerful arm across his shoulders, protective, as the man had always been.

"Here we are!" Zack beamed as he pulled his arm off Cloud and opened the door. The blond followed him in, ignoring the sudden cold across his shoulders.

Reno grabbed the darker-haired man's arm and twisted, unbalancing him from where he hovered over the redhead, effectively pulling him down on his left side. Quick as he could, Reno slipped out from under him and attempted to slither off the bed before the other could get up, only to have him flip over and, like a snake, slip his leg around Reno's waist, pushing him flat on the mattress again.

They'd been going at it for some time, no one quite able to get the upper hand, though Reno knew that like every other time, Tseng was just playing with him. Tseng was a bastard like that.

"Get off me you- mmf!"

Tseng chuckled before shoving Reno's head into the pillow. "I have every right to detain you. Again. You did break into my rooms."

Reno tried to buck futilely, but Tseng's grip was like iron, and he had one leg straddling both of Reno's effectively trapping him. He was going to bruise—again—because Tseng couldn't play nice.

"What the hell do you want?" Reno deflated back into the bed. With Cloud out for the rest of the day and Reno left with nothing to do, after a couple of beers, a shot or two, and some pumping up from the other drunk cadets, seeing what Tseng was up to or at least poking around his rooms had sounded like a fabulous idea. And hey! If Tseng's guns were there then, what the hell? Reno had to try it now.

(He may have had a little more to drink than anticipated.)

Of course, Tseng was supposed to be in his office because that's what all of Reno's sources said, but the one time he wasn't there was the moment a somewhat drunk Reno decided to break in. Tseng was even more of a bastard now than he'd been before, if that were possible. Reno thought the interrogation had been the worst, but Tseng had never gloated quite like this before.

The man shifted, sinuously brushing the length of his body against Reno and the redhead blanched. "Hey, hey!" He immediately renewed struggling, determined not to let Tseng grope his way out of this mess. Not his fault being a teenager meant that tactic worked. Let them do another interrogation or whatever, he'd take the General over this.

Tseng was laughing, Reno realized, as he gave up twisting out of the grip. The man had this low laugh that wasn't quite mirth so much as mocking, and Reno was miffed as the Turk put his free arm on the redhead's back and reclined there, perfectly relaxed. Like he didn't have an angry cadet ready to punch him in the throat under him.

"What did you think you were doing, Reno? What was I to think?" Tseng started laughing again, and Reno resolutely didn't shiver. Angrily the cadet opened his mouth to defend himself and mention the guns, when he realized suddenly how bad that was going to sound. He'd sound like a thief or, worse, like he was making some sexual innuendo—and Tseng would take that the wrong way. On purpose.

Reno promptly shut his mouth. He wasn't giving this bastard any ideas.

"Hm? No answer?"

With surprising agility, Tseng was able to slip Reno's knife from his boot, cut through the seams of the cadet's tattered coat, slicing through it like butter because that was a fucking expensive knife and discarding the jacket a moment later. Reno cursed into the pillow but didn't dare move. He knew that knife because it was his, and it was razor sharp, and it was currently in an expert's hand.

Thankfully though Tseng carelessly tossed the knife to the floor. At Reno's revived attempts to free himself, Tseng tsked in the back of his throat and pressed down with his body weight to keep the redhead under him. He weighed more than he looked, as Reno's staggered breathing could attest. "I will let you go if you tell me what you were attempting to find in my room—and how you knew these were my rooms at all."

Tseng pulled the redhead's head up by his hair, allowing him to speak. Reno gasped, "Didn't know they were your rooms."

Reno was panting for air, but Tseng had a genial smile on his face, the scary kind that meant he was enjoying this. Tseng shook his head, and he pushed Reno back down into the pillow. Immediately Reno started fighting back again, but he still couldn't break his grip, though he kicked up frantically trying to dislodge Tseng's leg.

Tseng was forced to half-straddle Reno to keep the cadet's legs from getting free. Still, he managed to lazily run a hand down the redhead's spine, over one hip, and ghost down the back of his left leg, running along his clothes with a lover's touch despite how much Reno was fighting. Much to Tseng's amusement, Reno could help the shiver that ran up his spine, though he attempted to roll to the side to escape it. Tseng laughed breathily.

"I'm asking you again, Reno."

When the redhead came up for air this time, he didn't even try to meet Tseng's eyes, though he looked just as angry as before, perhaps with a mixture of embarrassment in there as well. "I tol' you, okay?"

Tseng noted how his accent had gotten thicker, and his voice wasn't nearly as sarcastic as before. He was still trying to sound angry, but it didn't come off nearly as strong as before. Reno really did have a weak spot.

He pushed the redhead back down, still locking both the boy's arms with one hand. This time Tseng brushed away Reno's ponytail before putting two fingers against the back of his neck. Then, with great precision, he made sure to run those fingers down every bump and dip of his spine, going slowly enough for Reno to squirm. This time he didn't swivel his fingers away to the redhead's hip, but kept a straight line right for Reno's-

"I heard 'bout your fuckin' guns and I wanted to see 'em!" Reno sounded mildly hysterical as the Turk's fingers came to a slow stop right at the rise of Reno's backside. Interesting…

"My guns?"

Reno turned his head to the side away from Tseng. His breathing was harsh, and he looked incredibly uncomfortable. "Yeah. Can you let me go now?"

Tseng's lips curved up. "I am afraid I only have one on me at the moment. I would be willing to show you if…"

He let it dangle knowing what Reno would read into it. Just to add a little more spice, his fingers on Reno's lower back began to drift just a little farther down.

Reno squirmed even more. "No way asshole! I ain't some whore."

"Please," Tseng was terribly close to laughing again at the way Reno tensed at his deliberately pleading tone, "you mistaken me," He corrected before Reno's heart gave out. He really was susceptible to sexual ploys. A huge weakness when it came to the Turks, althought Tseng did wonder if it might just be him alone who could do this to Reno. He'd have to test that theory out some time… "Though I'm not adverse to that sort of payment, I do wonder how you've heard of them."

The response was immediate. "Slums. You hear things."

"Hm… I'm not sure I believe that," Tseng breathed out as he leaned over the redhead enough to see the boy's Adam's apple bob as he gulped. Teasingly slow, Tseng made sure to drag his entire body over Reno's back and buttocks as he came over the redhead to be on the side Reno's head was facing. Making sure Reno could see him now; he let the boy's hands go.

Almost immediately Reno rolled on to his right side, rubbing his wrists mutinously. He quickly stood up from the bed as Tseng unbuttoned his jacket, laughing lightly at Reno's outraged face, before he opened his jacket to reveal a holster with a gun. Reno tensed instinctively at seeing it, but the Turk pulled out the solid black weapon and held it out sideways for the redhead to see.

He was going to say something more, but Reno was staring at it in awe, momentarily distracted from the situation. "That's the Beretta automatic loadable two ways. How the fuck do you shoot that thing with one hand?"

He looked like he wanted to reach out and touch it, but Tseng pulled his hand back. "Ah, ah, ah. You've got your wish. It seems you know quite a bit about this gun, so tell me, where might a cadet and… slum-boy have picked that up?"

Standing while Tseng was sitting didn't give Reno any sense of security. Tseng was on the side of the bed with the door behind him, and the man was too fast for Reno to slip by. Answering was out of the question too; Reno wasn't going to rat on Cloud.

"I ain't tellin'. Would 'I forgot' be a better answer?" He tried to regain some of his arrogance, but Tseng just laughed at him, seeing right through the bravado.

"Come now Reno, we both know how… adept I am at interrogation."

Reno wanted to say that wasn't true, that Tseng didn't interrogate, he got handsy with people and sniffed out lies like a fucking fiend. Reno had prided himself on his ability to talk himself out of things, but the man had some kind of freakish radar for Reno's weak points.

"That's because you're a damn cheater."

Tseng carefully holstered the gun as he stood and smoothed his pants out. "You won't leave I'm afraid, until I know."

Reno tried to continue feigning disinterest while he hurriedly wondered about Cloud. How the fuck had he known? Reno would bet anything only Turks and dead men had seen that gun. Maybe Cloud was actually a Turk? It didn't really make sense, but at the moment it didn't matter. Reno still wasn't telling. No one was interrogating Cloud until he got the first swing.

"I'm not talking."

Tseng was up in his face in a second, pushing Reno up against the wall. The Turk had two warm fingers in Reno's belt cuff; he could feel the heat from the digits even through his pants. Tseng jerked him a little closer that way, and even though he and Reno were about the same height, Reno felt very small as Tseng casually smoothed out Reno's shirt with his other hand. He could certainly fake disinterest a lot better than Reno, but he wasn't the one being molested either.

"You see Reno, you shouldn't think of it as tattling. Children tattle. You are an adult. And adults know when they've lost."

Reno, unnerved by the proximity and getting angry at Tseng for being such a fucking perv, lashed out. "Fuck you Tseng, you can–"

Tseng's mouth was unforgiving against Reno's as he took his free hand and curled in around the boy's ponytail, pulling hard so Reno bowed his back and let Tseng take more of him. He pulled on the belt loop until he could feel Reno's hardness against his own. The redhead made some vague attempted at saying something, but Tseng's tongue was right there, and Reno stopped thinking all together.

When Tseng's fingers followed the waistline of Reno's pants, spreading molten warmth along his skin, Reno seemed to regain some semblance of control. He tried to bite down on the other man's tongue, even turning his head to get away, but Tseng was hardly letting him breathe let alone move, his hand on Reno's hair tugged unmercifully if the redhead tried to shift away.

It wasn't until Reno pulled Tseng forward by his jacket that he had his chance. As soon as their chests touched, Reno shoved the Turk away, actually managing to make Tseng stumble for a second.

The redhead was panting, his mind a blurred mess of, "what the fuck" and "holy effing Planet". He touched his lips to check if they were wet and really bruised, and by the time he looked up, Tseng had collected himself. Somehow behind that blank façade he looked smugger than before.

Reno felt his face get hot as he realized the Turk wasn't even flustered. It was like he casually kissed any man that he dragged into his personal space anytime. Reno certainly felt uncomfortable, but more than anything he was pissed that he didn't feel more violated. This bastard had groped him twice now in as many weeks, and Reno came from a place where he understood well sexual violence. But really, before he'd understood Tseng groped and teased him like that because it got results—hell, Reno had used that trick once or twice not that he'd ever admit it—but making out with him was another ballpark. And then well…any man getting rubbed up against like, like… that would react.

Tseng took a step forward, and Reno wanted to back up but he was already against the wall. Tseng reached up and Reno's mouth went dry, but he only unbuttoned the top three buttons on his shirt enough to show off the lean muscle of his chest, before he discarded his jacket and loosened his tie. His hair was mussed up and his lips red, and he looked so goddamn edible… Reno's mind stuttered to a halt.

Oh fuck. Sorry, Cloud.

"Cloud. He told me. Now let me the fuck out of this room!"

Tseng tsked even as he smiled. He shook his head and took a couple more steps towards Reno. The redhead had no qualms about pressing himself more firmly against the wall, but after a moment to take in the very distraught redhead who was having a personal crisis at the moment, Tseng simply went and sat on the bed. "A pity. Well, as promised you may leave. I'm sure I'll be seeing you again soon enough."

Reno would have run out of the room if Tseng weren't just sitting on the bed with that… look. A look that did not belong on a Turk's face aimed at Reno.

The redhead skirted around the bed, taking careful measures not to touch Tseng or be anywhere within reaching distance, before bolting through the living room and slamming the door as he ran out.

Tseng sat there in his bedroom, admiring the tousled sheets on his bed. He rolled the taste of Reno around his mouth before padding out to the living room. He pulled out pad of paper and scrawled out two words:

Moonshine

Cloud

The restaurant and train ride back had been uneventful. Cloud had hardly been aware of where they'd been going, just breathing in the familiar spices and scents of the food. The man at the counter had been an easy-going fellow who jumped at the chance to talk about his hometown. Zack had immediately said Cloud was from Nibelheim much to Cloud's embarrassment, but the owner came from a similar mountain town, so with Zack's help the small talk hadn't been too bad. They got out of there with a discount, and Zack left an outrageous tip before Cloud could even reach for his wallet. They walked back to the train station with Zack asking easy questions about Nibelheim and then telling his own stories. The night had almost been perfect until now.

Cloud was walking with Zack down the hall to Zack's apartment when another SOLDIER turned the corner. The blond recognized him immediately and had to fight down a grimace. He had hoped to never see this particular SOLDIER again.

Zack grinned before dangerously swinging one of the bags of food as he waved to the man down the hall. "Kunsel!"

Zack jogged halfway down the hall to his door where he met up with Kunsel who was heading towards the elevator. Cloud trailed behind, playing up being a nervous cadet even though he was sure no one was buying it.

"Kunsel, this is Cloud, Cloud this is Kunsel. He's a Second Class SOLDIER who's stationed at Mideel." Zack turned back from Cloud to the copper-haired man, "You're headin' back tomorrow right?"

Kunsel smiled, his lean face looked open and genuine, a sharp contrast from his harsh appearance in the interrogation room and later in the med wing. Cloud didn't like it one bit. "Nice to finally meet you properly, Cloud. I'm sure you're aware Zack brags incessantly about you." Cloud tried to form a half-smile to be normal, but he was sure he'd mangled it badly. The interrogation, the hospital, and now last night made for a bad impression. Kunsel looked away after a second.

"Whatever you're eating smells good. I'd steal a bite, but I'm late as it is." Cloud didn't visibly show any sign of relief, but he certainly felt it.

Zack looked dramatically disappointed of course, but he laughed it away easily. "That's fine. Another time. I'll see you before you leave tomorrow."

"Yes, I'll see you then. Nice meeting you again, Cloud." With a cheery wave, the SOLDIER walked down the hall.

They both seemed to be pretending the interrogation hadn't happened, and as far as Cloud was concerned that was fine. HE still glanced over his shoulder discreetly at Kunsel, feeling unaccountably angry with him for another reason altogether; the same reason he'd been somewhat reluctant earlier to go out with Zack.

"Come on Cloud, the food's getting cold!"

Zack's apartment was truly lived in. His kitchen was on the left as Cloud stepped in, and even from the doorway he could see how the dishes were a mess around the sink, and the countertop was stained a variety of colors from all sorts of spills Zack had never bothered to clean up. Cloud pulled his boots off at the door even as Zack strode in without a care.

The SOLDIER dumped the bags of food on the counter and dropped his own shopping on the floor of the living room. Cloud could tell one had two materia in it from the glow; there was a visible canteen, but what else the blond couldn't make out. As he pulled out Styrofoam containers from the food bags, Cloud wandered in a little deeper. He never felt all that uncomfortable in Zack's apartment, probably a side-affect of Zack's influence. The man could make anyone feel wanted.

The living room was just behind the kitchen and the biggest open space. It had one long glass window that had a stunning view of the desert and the mountains in the distance. There was a brown suede sofa and a comfortable chair with a glass table in front of them. The carpet was cushy even though there were a variety of random things strewn across it, including cleaning supplies for weapons and plenty of shoes.

Zack hummed as he pulled out the food. "Cloud, can you get some glasses from the kitchen? Just dig around 'til you find some."

Cloud nodded before heading into he kitchen and rummaging around before pulling some blue plastic cups from the back of a cupboard. "What do you want to drink, Zack?"

The SOLDIER crumpled the two bags into a wad in his fist as he looked up. "I think there's some soda in the fridge."

Cloud found the soda and poured some out for them both before he went back into the living room and took a seat on the couch.

The couch was perpendicular to the window and faced a mostly unused TV set. There were also two doors, one the bathroom the other the bedroom, and Zack's bedroom door was wide open. Cloud could see a disaster area of clothing and odds and ends on the floor. No one would ever call Zack neat.

The First flopped down next to him on the couch with two plastic forks in hand along with a metal knife. "I figured a plastic knife wouldn't do the job," he shrugged when Cloud glanced at the mismatched cutlery.

The food was delicious of course. Cloud was fairly sure it wasn't the same as Nibelheim's style—the restaurant owner had said he was from closer to North Corel than Nibelheim—but Cloud couldn't remember what his own home food was like. Either way, the consistency and taste of the food was familiar and warm, and Cloud savored it happily.

Zack seemed to have no complaint either as he ate with occasional sounds of approval. After a couple of minutes of just eating, Zack toed his boots off and scooted back on the couch sideways until he could sit cross-legged while reclining against the arm. Cloud turned halfway to look at him.

"Is your hometown food like this?"

Cloud swallowed before putting one leg on the sofa to look at Zack better. "Yeah, it's similar. The spices are a little different, but this is really great."

Zack smiled as Cloud ate some more just to remind Zack that he was very thankful for the dinner. The SOLDIER didn't often fish for compliments, but a straight thank you was never as good to him as seeing someone's gratitude.

Cloud swallowed another couple of bites before he spoke. "What's food in Gongaga like?"

"Hm?" Zack picked up his container and set it on his lap, not even wincing at the heat. "Gongaga? Fruity I suppose. There's a lot of fruit in the jungle, so everything's got some kind of coconut or lemon sprinkled on it at least. Pan-fried is really popular too. We eat strips of meat in meals with a lot more veggies and stuff. There's no animals that are big enough and good enough to eat in the jungle," Zack paused, and Cloud noticed his vacant stare for a moment. The blond wondered what Zack was recalling. "Nothing like your Nibel wolves."

"We don't eat them. Bad luck."

"Really?" He scooped another bite into his mouth before smiling at Cloud again. "Your people real superstitious?"

Cloud shrugged. He hardly remembered anymore. "More or less. It depended on what though."

"Huh." Zack seemed to chew thoughtfully before changing the subject. "How have classes been?"

"Fine as usual. Mind-numbing mostly."

Zack chuckled, "Yeah, that's the way I remember them."

"The exams are soon so they're pushing us. I'm sure you already know that."

Zack smiled widely at Cloud. "You'll do find. No one in Shinra could let someone like you go, Spike. You're already a SOLDIER as far as I'm concerned."

Zack exaggerated compliments went unheard as the Cloud's imagination conjured an image of him in Red XIII's cage, trapped in the labs while Hojo stood outside the glass chamber laughing. No one would let him go indeed.

Something of what he'd been thinking must have shown on his face because Zack leaned forward, putting his nearly finished dinner on the table. "Everything alright, Spike?"

Realizing Zack's concern, Cloud shoveled another bite of food in. Zack didn't go away though, so Cloud chewed slowly before finally speaking. "Yeah."

He tried to sound glum, and hoped Zack might mistake his mood for sudden nerves. Zack scooted closer and lifted Cloud's food away from him before settling next to him, big and warm. "You don't have to worry, Cloud. With all the extra training you've been doing, you'll be fine. I wish I could give you a hint or something, but Seph's playing it really close to the chest—something about favoritism." He winked at him as Cloud leaned a little into Zack. He hardly heard the supportive words as Zack kept speaking, "You know Kunsel, the guy we met out in the hall?" Cloud blinked and tried not to react to mention of that SOLDIER. "He barely even passed the first time. Seriously, he fumbled the most important part, and the only reason they passed him was because they needed more SOLDIERs after the war and he was halfway decent. You're way better than he was, Cloud, so don't worry so much. The only thing you should worry about is what you'll be drinking when you come here to celebrate getting into SOLDIER!"

Zack smiled fondly and ruffled his hair, and Cloud smiled back, but he wasn't thinking about parties and exams. Kunsel: the interrogator, the SOLDIER, the guy he'd overheard with Zack. As Zack went back to eating, Cloud struggled to forget what he'd heard between him and the Second last night. He'd been on his way to report the finished first layer of paint to Zack when he'd heard them:

"Tonight's no good, but I can do Friday."

"You better make it worth it. It's been months."

Chuckle. "Aw, I missed you too, Kunsel."

Tussling sounds, Zack might have been ruffling Kunsel's hair or hugging him, but then the moan that followed made it clear it was a lot more familiar than that.

"Don't you dare, Zack. You know I hate to be left hanging."

"Impatient as always. Well, you know I'm a broom-closet sort of man but I can settle for empty conference room…"

A couple low groans and some murmured words, then the sound of a zipper before Kunsel's voice cut in loudly. "Planet I hate these quick ones."

More muffled grunting, then Zack's voice: "Too late now."

"Hey, Cloud!"

Cloud blinked as he realized Zack had been saying his name and had finally resorted to nudging him. The blond flushed bright pink as he realized what he'd been thinking about. Zack was sitting right by him as Cloud remembered overhearing him having… getting together with Kunsel in a conference room.

"You okay, Cloud? You totally spaced on me there."

He mumbled a quick apology in the hopes of Zack letting him off, but the SOLDIER reached out and with two calloused fingers touched Cloud's cheek. "You're on fire, Cloud." He smirked before slyly adding in a low tone, "What were you thinking about?"

One glance at Cloud's horrified face and the darker flush on his cheeks that spread quickly to his ears and neck, and Zack threw back his head and laughed deep and full. "I'm only kidding, Cloud. We all know you're squeaky clean between the ears." Zack laughed again and reached out to ruffle Cloud's hair.

The blond had barely had time to get himself together before Zack leaned in and asked in a conspiratorial whisper, "So, is that a girlfriend we're thinking about bringing to the celebration party? Someone you dropped by in Midgar when I had my back turned?"

Cloud could feel the red seeping into his cheeks again and how his face was burning. How did Zack always manage to bring out the teenager Cloud couldn't even remember? The First just gave him a lopsided smile. "Or maybe it's a boyfriend?"

Cloud this time ducked his head to hide the even darker blush and stop the errant thoughts before they could fully form. Zack didn't laugh this time but pulled his arm tight around Cloud and tucked him into his side and set down his empty carton. It was a brotherly, friendly action, but Cloud tensed under it.

Zack ignored the blond stiffening under him and pulled him a little closer, before popping both his socked feet on the glass table, perfectly relaxed. "Don't worry about it, Spike. Most of SOLDIER is bi at least. Mako makes it hard to have a normal relationship, and trust me, when the scientists give you the little 'talk' on safe sex with mako, you won't sleep with a woman for years."

Zack's accompanying shudder wasn't able to crack a smile out of the blond, but Cloud did relax a little. "So you got nothing to worry about. Plenty of SOLDIERs have casual and long-term relationships you know."

Like you and Kunsel? was the traitorous thought, but Cloud stuffed it down. For some reason he couldn't explain he was uncomfortable with Zack being with anyone else like that, even angry if he tried to imagine it, but Cloud didn't think he felt that kind of emotion for Zack anymore. Sure, the SOLDIER was handsome and very friendly, and Cloud had certainly had a crush once, but after everything the blond had been through, well, he knew Zack more intimately than anyone else. Now he was just Zack.

"Don't sweat it, Spike. I don't suppose you've been up to anything here have you?"

Cloud shook his head and relaxed deeper into Zack's embrace until he was practically slumping, his legs stretched out in front of him under the table. The SOLDIER smiled down at him. "Save it. Mako gives a SOLDIER a huge libido, so you'll be getting plenty of offers down the road so you can be picky. You can always crash at my place if it's too much or your roommate's getting frisky."

Zack winked at him and laughed, and Cloud smiled slightly. "You know, you make a good pillow, Cloud." Zack abruptly snuggled into Cloud's head and pretended to throw his other arm and a leg around Cloud like he was some overstuffed teddy bear. "I think I'm just going to sleep on you."

Cloud tried to shift from the strange entanglement of Zack all around him, but the SOLDIER was heavy and he wouldn't budge.

"Zack let me go."

He snored.

"Zaaaack."

Zack pretended to snort in his sleep before continuing to snore ridiculously loudly.

"Aw c'mon Zack. You're heavy."

Nothing.

"The moment I get out I'm taking that stash of strawberry shortcakes in your kitchen with me."

Zack sat up immediately. "You wouldn't Cloud!" He tried to look horrified, but his lips were twitching with the suppressed need to laugh.

Cloud put on his best poker face. "I would."

Zack tried for the panicky look, but he couldn't hold his huge smile in. Cloud managed to hold his own strict face for a full three seconds before he too smiled.

Writer's Note: People seemed to be confused as to what "moonshine" is. Moonshine is a common term for home-distilled alcohol, especially in places where this production is illegal. (Courtesy of Wikipedia.)