EDITED

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Hurrah for pretty much losing your voice!

Early chapter, yay.

Pairing: SephxCloud and SephxZackxCloud

Chapter 5: This Puppy's Bite is Worse Than it's Bark

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Reno stalked in Sephiroth's temporary office scowling. The General's eyes glanced up to survey the red-head. "Who let you out of the stables?" he questioned cooly.

"Crouley did. I had to go get my arm healed. You know why?" the Turk demanded. When Sephiroth mutely shook his head, he continued with his tirade. "Your puppy broke it!"

Zack jogged through the open doors. "Reno, get your sorry ass down there and help me!"

Sephiroth raised a hand to silence them. "Why did Cadet Strife feel the need to break your arm?"

Zack answered before Reno could. "Cloud was well within his rights. Reno needed to learn it is so not okay to grope Cloud!"

Sephiroth rubbed his face with one hand, trying to ease the inevitable headache. He had been called away early that morning, and so he hadn't gotten to hear the other part of Cloud's story. Now it seemed he would not be able to.

"Zack, please tell Cadet Strife that he is not in trouble, but if this happens again... Tell him to file a sexual harrasment charge. I already have more paperwork than I can stand," he gestured to his desk. "And don't forget your paperwork."

Zack's arms fell limply to his sides, mouth falling open. "Janitorial duty, stable duty, fixing your office, AND doing paperwork?" Zack mournfully fell to his knees. "Reno, kill me now."

Reno eagerly reached for his gun, then was held very still by the leader of the Turks, Tseng, who had slipped in without notice. "Enough, Reno. Jokes are one thing, but you must not take them any further."

Reno wasn't an idiot, despite common belief. He knew Tseng was referring to the fragile peace the SOLDIER's and Turks formed. A few years earlier, they were constantly at eachother's throats, but Sephiroth and Tseng decided that they shouldn't let it continue. They began to form a tentative friendship as an example to their men. Zack took to the truce well, finding a great friend in the Turks. Other of Sephiroth's men... not so much.

Jokes that resulted in any type of bodily harm of the other side were forbidden. If Zack hurt a Turk, they would be out for blood, seeing as their hate for SOLDIER was just as great as SOLDIER's hate for them.

"Yes, sir," Reno softly replied.

Tseng addressed the SOLDIERS. "Sephiroth, Zachary, assign whatever punishment you think is appropriate for Reno's misbehavior.

Zack looked up at Sephiroth for help. He didn't want to do anything to his friend. Sephiroth tried to handle this diplomatically. "Tseng, I believe that I am correct in saying that Reno was not pulling a weapon in any real attempt on my Second's life."

Tseng was silent for a moment before nodding sharply and letting Reno go. "I was also coming to ask why you didn't consult with me before disiplining one of my Turks."

Sephiroth realized that he had, in fact, left out the Turk commander when punishing Reno. The other Turks must have been furious, he thought. "I am sorry for not consulting with you. I acted brashly because Reno is always somewhere around SOLDIER, and so I believe that I forgot for a moment that he wasn't one."

The black-haired man seemed appeased. He rather liked the idea that the truce was going so well that Sephiroth was even having a hard time remembering that Turks weren't a part of his command. They were achieving something that other before them could not.

"That is quite all right, Sephiroth. It seems that you and I may have to discuss something, though."

Sephiroth nodded. "Get back to the stables, Zack."

Zack left and Reno shifted uneasily. Tseng sat on one of the chairs before the General's desk. "Reno, you have a punishment. It is your duty to complete it."

Reno, though he hated the work, was happy to obey. It meant that his boss accepted that Sephiroth's judgement was allowed.

Once the door closed, Tseng began to speak. "I think that you and I should be given some amount of power over eachother's men."

Sephiroth leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. "I truly am sorry for punishing Reno. I never should have let myself think of your men as mine."

The older man shook his head, knowing Sephiroth was probably scolding himself for overlooking the fact Reno was a Turk. "I think it'd great news actually. It means that the SOLDIER leader is willing to treat the one of us as their own. But I think I should be allowed the same privilage."

"Yes. I believe that would be fair. If it is acceptable, you can have a hand in training the cadets. You may give any punishment to misbehaving SOLDIERs that you like, and I will back you fully."

Tseng was impressed. SOLDIERs took pride in educating their own. The offer to let a Turk help was unheard of. "Your men will not be pleased."

"They must adapt. They have no reason to have this meaningless hate," he said firmly.

Smiling, the Turk reminded Sephiroth of something he would have rather not been. "I hear your student is doing well. And breaking arms, if I hear correctly."

Sephiroth felt instantly weary. "As I said, I will back any reasonable punishment you give to him."

Tseng shook his head. "No, it would be pointless to punish him for something most Turks want to do. Just warn him to be a bit more careful with his temper."

"Temper?" Sephiroth smiled ruefully. "He doesn't have one unless caught off guard by a friend. He's shy and quite."

He recieved an odd look for his statement. "I think I must meet him someday. You sound much different talking about this cadet of yours."

Sephiroth knew Tseng wanted an answer and he knew he could trust the Turk with the conclusion he reached the night before. "Cloud Strife is more like me than anyone I have seen. He is awkward with friends because he has never had one before Zack. He is often confused because most of the time he doesn't know what he's feeling. He grew up quickly, and spent his life alone."

"What a world we live in," Tseng stood and strode to the door. "When a village treats a young boy as Hojo treated you." The door swung shut behind him.

Sephiroth only allowed himself a bitter smile.

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That afternoon, Sephiroth decided he would go to the stables and see how Reno and Zack were doing. On his way there, he wondered where Cloud was, now that he had a day off, and what he was doing. Would he be all right after pouring his heart out to his mentor, only to have him leave before he woke? He resolved to ask his second in command if he knew Cloud's location.

His firm resolve, in the end, was useless. The second he stepped in the stables, he was met with a confusing sight. Cloud was up on the hay loft, perched at the edge, feet dangling off. The blond had a bag of popcorn in one hand and, judging by the popcorn littering the floor and Zack and Reno's hair, just as much was being thrown as it was eaten.

"Turk, SOLDIER." The two men looked up at him miserably, probably fearing some gloating. A glance at the cadet showed much of the same emotion. He had no where to go, if not with his friends, and his friends were stuck doing chores on their day off.

Sephiroth revised what he was going to say. Instead of scolding them for slacking, he would show mercy.

"You both have been working hard. Zack, I relieve you from your duties here for today."

Zack's face lit happily, then fell just as fast. He bit his lip and looked at Reno. Even Cloud, high above them, looked disappointed.

Sephiroth gave Reno a level stare. "As a SOLDIER, I do not yet have the clearance to relieve you from this, even for a day."

Reno tried to summon up some cheer, but he was failing horribly. "Well, I did need a break from Rude's oath of silence or whatever makes him so unfun."

Cloud clambered down the latter quickly and walked over. "Sir? I'm happy to take Zack's spot with Reno, if that's all right."

Sephiroth internally cursed himself. Why did Cloud have to make it his mission to help every little thing he came across? A new idea came to him, one he wasn't overly fond of, but he would make it work.

"The punishment I assigned to you both does not extend to when the stables are clean. I will summon up the stable master to find some workers. We shall continue on until it is clean."

Reno and Zack looked up disbelieving. Why would the almighty legend Sephiroth agree to clean choco-shit for a Turk?

Cloud was thinking. "Who can clear Reno?"

"Only Tseng, the leader of the Turks, can clear me, what of it?" Reno replied.

"Can't you just ask him?" Cloud asked Sephiroth anxiously.

Sephiroth shook his head, causing the liquid silver of his hair to lightly flutter. "I am afraid he is in a very important meeting at the moment. He cannot be bothered."

Cloud rocked back on his heels, biting his bottom lip and his brow scrunched up. "Reno only has to work in the stables when he's off duty. Can't he just go on duty and clean a closet or something?" he hinted heavily.

When no one responded, he continued. "Like, say an office that is spotless, but he can claim he cleaned it while on duty...?"

Sephiroth caught on first. "He can pretend to clean my temporary office, therefore assuring that he wouldn't be accused of lazing on the job, when he actually is."

Zack grinned and high-fived Cloud. "You look innocent, Chocopuppy, but you are an evil mastermind at heart."

Cloud just did a little bow.