I wrote this in a horrible mood, so forgive me for the Cloud abuse.

Pairings: SephxGenxAngxZackxCloud, TsengxReno, Eventual TsengxRufusxReno

-o-o-

"I can see that," the man answered calmly. "I also see you've brought some friends."

"Yeah, well... They're actually my boyfriends," Zack said boldly. "The one with the silver hair and green eyes is Sephiroth. He's the General of Shinra. Genesis, the one with the almost red hair, is a former General. Angeal is the one with the sword, and he was my mentor when I was trying out for SOLDIER. The last and smallest one, Cloud, is a cadet, but he's skilled enough that when he takes the exams, he'll get into SOLDIER."

The man looked a little angry. "Zack, I understand you are an affectionate person, but you want more than one partner?"

"I love them all, so yes. Well, I love Cloud and Sephiroth more than Angeal and Genesis, but still..."

"Is he even old enough to be involved in such a relationship?" he asked, pointing at Cloud.

Zack shifted nervously. "Not by Midgar standards, but they don't apply to him. He's a resident of this backwater little town that has no age limits."

"You have a relationship with three men... and a child that isn't old enough?"

"Dad..." Zack said quietly. "Let me show them to the inn and to the market, then I'll be back and we can fight, alright?"

Without a word, the man stormed off.

Zack's mother looked from the man's direction to her son. "I'm so sorry...."

Zack shook his head with a lump in his throat. He just stood and wordlessly led everyone out and down the street and to the inn. Sephiroth rented two rooms and helped Zack up to their room and left Genesis and Angeal to find their own room. Cloud followed them to the room and closed the door behind them. Sephiroth guided Zack to the bed as tears began to roll down his cheeks.

"I hate fighting with my parents. And I don't think my father will ever come around. I HATE THIS!" he sobbed, crawling into Sephiroth's arms.

"Zack, it's fine, he'll probably get over it. He-"

"Shut up, Cloud!" Zack yelled. "You never loved your father, and he never loved you! And I can see why!"

Cloud recoiled in shock and pain. He began to tremble and he looked down at his boots. "I-I know..."

Sephiroth drew away from Zack and slapped him. Not enough to hurt him too much, but light enough that he wouldn't heed it. Hopefully it would snap him out of whatever gripped him. Cloud had fully opened himself up to them, and here Zack was, hurting him again.

"Zackary Fair. You will apologize to Cloud. NOW."

Zackary, hurt by the slap, but still spiteful, looked up at him in shock. "Hell no, and I'm not staying here where I'm obviously not wanted, even though I'm giving up my family for you!"

Zack stood and attempted to leave. Cloud shot forward and grabbed his arm. Zack looked down at him. "Zack, please, don't go," he begged.

Zack almost regained himself. Almost. He hesitated, but shook the boy off harshly and continued out. Cloud had to stop Sephiroth from leaving less than a second later.

"Let me go Cloud, he has no right to treat you that way," Sephiroth argued.

"He- He's just in shock, that's all! Give him some time! Please! D-don't leave me here..." cloud pleaded.

Sephiroth looked down at Cloud tenderly. "I love you. He does too, though he doesn't know that now. Stay here for a moment; I will go retrieve Angeal and Genesis. They need to know to steer clear of him."

Cloud nodded weakly, and then Sephiroth was out the door and down the hall. Cloud flopped back on the bed in hopeless despair. Within moments, he felt fingers brushing at his cheeks and concerned muttering. His eyes fluttered open to behold Sephiroth's face.

"You were crying," he said with a worried tone.

"I miss Zack," Cloud said without thinking.

"What happened?" Genesis asked from the doorway, Angeal beside him.

Cloud was pulled into a sitting position by Sephiroth, who sat next to him. "Zack was very upset... And he seemed to think that taking it out on Cloud would be the best course of action. I slapped him, he stormed off."

Angeal tried to hide his shock, but Genesis didn't make the attempt. "You SLAPPED him? What type was it? A pimp-slap or a bitch-slap? I'm guessing pimp slap."

"I thought it would bring Zack out of it... He was being very mean. On that note, Cloud are you all right?" Sephiroth turned to the blond, who smiled weakly and nodded.

"Of course. Zack didn't know what he was saying... Right?"

Sephiroth nodded and brushed his lips across Cloud's own, then brought them back for a proper kiss. When they broke apart, Sephiroth licked his lips and looked at his old friends. "I just felt the need to warn you."

Angeal nodded and tugged Genesis out of the room, shutting the door behind them. Cloud looked up at Sephiroth weakly. "I don't feel very much like cooking, but if you're hungry I could try?"

"No Cloud. We can take this opportunity to get some studying done for the assessments. You can't study for a battle, but you can study the weapons you are going to have to rely on."

"What weapons will I be allowed to use?"

"Pretty much anything, really. Materia is also allowed," Sephiroth told the cadet. "I just wanted to know what type of weapons you prefer so that I can have them handy."

Cloud blushed at the thought of someone buying expensive weapons on the off chance that he might need them. "Uh, I'm okay with the issued gear and the sword you gave me, really."

"I want to but weapons. I haven't had an excuse in years, with Shinra requiring their SOLDIERs to use the standard issued equipment. And of course, I can't fight with any other weapon than Masamune."

"Why not?"

"I have to keep up a certain image, as you might have seen. Masamune is one part of that image."

"...That's really stupid."

"Yes, it is. So tell me what you want so that I get the chance to look at all the shiny, dangerous things."

"Uh... I really don't know. You've taught me to fight with a sword, and as a cadet I'm required to use a gun, so those are the only types of weapons that I know."

"I'll get you a shiny, dangerous gun, then. And you can come with me. And Zack can too. Then you could pick something out and we could train you in it."

"Uh, okay then."

The door burst open with a loud crack and Sephiroth seemed to be on his feet at the exact moment. Cloud was propelled back onto the bed by a blur of darkness. He gasped and blinked up at the man above him.

"Zack Fair, what the hell are you doing?"

Zack looked close to tears. "I'm sorry, baby. It took me a while to cool my head, but now that I have, I'm so sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it. I love you, and you're awesome and I don't see how anyone could not like you."

Sephiroth gave an amused sigh and closed the door Zack left open.

Cloud blinked up at Zack, still trying to calm his racing heart. "Zack, I know. I love you too," he said with a light blush. He wrapped his arms around Zack's neck to pull him down for a light kiss. Zack took it a step further by hiking Cloud's leg above his waist, causing Cloud to gasp slightly.

Sephiroth appeared in an instant to put a hand on Zack's shoulder. "You shouldn't start something you can't finish. Your father is waiting for a confrontation. You should go."

Zack pouted. "I can't leave Cloud like this," Zack whined. "He's as horny as I am, I bet.

Sephiroth smirked down at him. "I can take care of him. You go work out your family problems."

Zack pouted and stood to leave. When he made it to the door and was about to open it, he glanced back to see Sephiroth take his spot above Cloud while pulling Cloud's legs apart enough so that he could keep one on either hip.

"You sure work fast," he called out grumpily, leaving them to their own devices unwillingly.

-o-o-

Another short chapter, about a week until school ends...