Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

A/N: Sorry for the delay in the posting, this flashback was not cooperating with the changes. I am going to blame it on Kunsel and my OC Rick for daring Zack and Cloud into this predicament in the first place. I will not tell you that I forgot... because I did... not... Okay yeah I forgot, sorry guys.

Also, instead of writing the word out like SOLDIER, I have opted to just capitalize the first letter. (Regular infantry soldiers will not have a capital so that will distinguish the difference.) To me, sometimes I just find it distracting if I see the word a few lines down and my eyes are drawn down to it instead of the line I'm on.

I want to thank my fantastic beta SubZeroChimera!

"Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results." -Albert Einstein

Nexus

Chapter 3

"Calm down Zack, I really don't think that you will get in too much trouble for crashing Rufus' party. I mean geez, did you see how many people were going to be there tonight?" Kunsel stacked his feet on the coffee table.

Just as he started to lose hope, there was a knock at the door, "Yes!" He exclaimed with a fist pump and when he opened the door, grabbed Cloud's arm and yanked him into the room. Cloud's head whipped back at the sudden forward movement. Shutting the door in a hurry, the well-dressed man once again leaned against the door.

Cloud rubbed the back of his now sore neck, "Ouch."

Sheepishly grinning, Zack apologized, "Oh, sorry."

"I waited until some other Soldiers were gone before I came to the door," Cloud said flatly. Noticing Zack, already dressed and ready to go surprised him at how well his friend cleaned up. Luckily, it wasn't a military event, so the average black tuxedo that Zack wore actually looked really good on him. Then he took a look at the apartment and it looked just like it did when he had been over for the game, messy. The raven-haired bachelor said that the messes made it look comfortable.

Zack looked him up and down and in a calmer tone than the earlier one, "Well shall we get started?"

"... I guess… so…"

Zack clapped his hands together and almost hop-skipped into his bedroom. The Soldier figured if they had to do this, he might as well make the best of it.

Cloud followed, head hanging down as his feet shuffled loudly on the carpet. Kunsel smiled as he watched the young blond, "Hey don't look so down Cloud, it could always be worse."

Raising his head, Cloud restrained himself from yelling, "How could it be any worse?"

"Well one thing, you would have to have a picture with Rufus and Sephiroth. Right now, it is just one of them," Kunsel leaned forward and picked up the camera and tossed it to Zack. Kunsel stealthily pulled his phone from his pocket and set it near his leg.

"Oh… yay, that makes it sooo much better..." Cloud retorted.

Ignoring the sour attitude from his blond friend, Zack began taking things out of his closet. The knee-length dress was off-white with royal blue embroidering in the shapes of leaves and vines. The embroidering started at the bottom of the gently flared skirt and waved up as it tapered off at the bust. It had sleeves that went to just below his elbows and the front went all the way up to the neck. The back of the dress had a dip in fabric with extra material made from a sheer material the royal blue color as the embroidering on the front of the dress. That little extra pizazz was going to show more than half of Cloud's back.

With a grin, he added, "I hope you shaved your legs," As he shut the door, Zack finished "Okay, I'll be in the living room if you need any help."

Cloud looked at Zack and smirked sarcastically at him, knowing full well, that his legs weren't hairy, which was one of the things that fueled the teasing from the other soldiers.

Zack shut the door and Cloud just looked over the array of items. Beginning to undress, he started to go through some of the things. Some things he didn't know what they were for, "Hey Zack, what is this for? I already have underwear."

He stuck it out the door for Zack to see, "Oh that! Yeah… um, tuck your junk!"

"Tuck my junk?" Cloud asked himself under his breath, "Great…this should be comfortable. Well at least that's not girly."

As he wiggled himself into the 'underwear' that was about 3 sizes to small he yelped at the pinching, "I think you got the wrong size, these are way too small!" He yelled at Zack.

"Oh no, they have got to be small so nothing shows up!" Zack said with a small smile on his face and it showed in his voice too.

Fully amused, the two Soldiers heard through the door, "I hate you!"

Bursting into quiet laughter and a clink of beer bottles with Kunsel, Zack couldn't help but picture the fight that Cloud was putting up to get in the super-tight tidy-whities.

Back in the bedroom, Cloud started on the pantyhose, then the slip, but the bra, with that he had difficulty. So that the back clasp of the bra didn't show from the dip in the back of the dress, Zack had gotten one that was strapless and went down to the waist. Fighting with it, trying to get it clasp together, he tried turning it around to clasped it in the front. When he turned it so the clasp was in the back, a couple of the hooks came undone. Turning back so he could study the problem, he noticed that the hooks were bent a little and didn't completely hook around the small metal loop that that particular hook was supposed to go to.

Thinking that this was a way out it, he took a breath to call it off to Zack when the hooks slipped unimpeded onto the loop. In a huff, he exhaled and blew his bangs from his face and cursed quietly, "Gaia-dammit."

Grabbing the rolled socks, he stuffed his 'boobs' but noticed that he couldn't see his feet, "Maybe two pairs of socks per boob are too big." Taking out a pair on each side it left his bust at a modest size. Of course he preferred big breasts and he wanted to get his hands on Tifa's big... Freezing in place, the extra small underwear began to get smaller. In a louder volume, he cursed, "Fuck!"

"Spiky? Is everything okay in there?"

When the door began to creep open, Cloud grabbed his crotch and leaped at the door, shutting it in Zack's face. In hastiness, he yelled, "Yes! No! I mean... Go away!" That was all Cloud needed was Zack and Kunsel thinking that dressing as a girl turned him on, he had to get this under control quickly.

Going into the bathroom, farther from the bedroom door, he leaned on the counter and began whispering to his unruly dick. The tight underwear was getting tighter and began cutting off circulation, "Listen," Unwilling to pull them down because he would never get them back on he continued, "This is not going to happen right now," Getting a drink of water, he tried picturing his grandmother sitting in her large overstuffed living room chair just before she died. That was the night she gave him her wedding ring to give to his future wife. Cloud had never known his Grandfather, but from the fond memories she shared, he was a kind man.

Getting his body back under control, he picked up the dress and turned it around, flipped it over and seemed to start back at the beginning. Growling in frustration, he slammed the dress on the bed, then he saw what he was looking for. Slipping the dress over his head, he whispered, "How did I get myself into this?" Rubbing the material down his sides and legs, it smoothed out and lay flatteringly against his body, "Oh yeah, I remember, I suck at poker."

The shoes weren't flats, as much as his protests at the store went in deaf ears. Both Kunsel and Zack overrode his bid for flats and instead, they picked four inch heels. His practice walk at the store was full of laughter, mainly because of his lack of grace. After about an hour, he finally got the hang of it to a round of applause that he quickly squashed when he threw one of the shoes. When Zack ducked, the high heel knocked over a display of pantyhose and they decided that they should leave when the sales girl crossed her arms and threatened to call the police.

Back in the bathroom, he flipped the wig on and the long process of tucking his spiky hair under the dark blond shoulder length hair. Sighing at his reflection, he shook his head and readied himself for the juvenile remarks that Zack and Kunsel were sure to throw at him.

Opening the bedroom door, Zack was speechless at first, but it didn't last long. Zack couldn't help himself as he let slip from behind his hand that covered the huge smile and muffled a laugh. Cloud glared at him and Zack squeezed out between snickers, "Oh now, don't get mad," holding his hands up in surrender, "We need to get your make up done and get your earrings on," Zack said as a flashbulb of the camera phone went off.

In a fit of angry yelling, Cloud shrieked, "Damn it Kunsel! No pictures until we get to the party!"

With a grin, Kunsel pocketed his phone and stood to help get the young infantryman ready by brushing out some of the noticeable tangles and fixed the subtle curls of the soft wig so he didn't look like he'd been through a wind storm.

Fidgeting at the added attention from Kunsel, Cloud turned his eyes back to Zack while he applied the make-up. The dark-haired Soldier unconsciously commented out loud to the fuming blond, "It's a good thing you don't really have to shave yet." Zack ignored the tight scowl he received and ordered, "Stop making faces, you're gonna mess me up."

Clenching his jaw tight, Cloud remarked, "All of you guys are already messed up."

After everything was finished, Cloud stepped to the coffee table to get his purse and when he bent over, his super small underwear shifted and he hollered, "Oww! Freakin underwear!" Bouncing around, he groped at himself trying to stop the pinching in his nether region. The two Soldiers laughed and Cloud shouted, "Hey… I got a problem here! Don't laugh!"

Zack said very matter of fact, but with a hint of a smile, "You're gonna have to act a little more feminine than that."

"It's your fault! The underwear is too small and it… pinches!" Making a trip back to the bathroom, he fixed the problem undies.

Once his problem was fixed, he started to relax a little about the situation, until Zack spoke in a semi suave voice, "You know, if you're a good girl, you might get lucky tonight." Snorting laughter erupted from both Soldiers as Cloud ignored them and Zack shut the door leaving an utterly humored Kunsel to lock up when he left to go back to his own room.

Stomping down the hall, Cloud ignored him as Zack hollered, "Hey, don't walk away, I'm sorry."

Cloud clenched his fists and if his eyes could have shot lasers, Zack would be a pile of smoldering flesh on the floor. Once Zack got himself under some form of control, he took Cloud's arm and they walked to the courtyard. Stopping just short of the door, Cloud moved to the window that led to the corridor leading to the reception hall and peeked through it.

Zack slowly walked up with his hands in his pockets, "I guess it's now or never," At the beginning feeling of butterflies in his stomach, Zack almost second guessed himself about crashing this party. He really didn't want to get on Sephiroth's bad side if he found out.

"Can I choose never?"

"Sorry Spiky, we can't renege on this or we might never be trusted again," Grabbing the dress clad man, he spun him around, "Reneging on a bet goes against, you know, Soldier honor and all."

"Fine, let's just get this over with," Cloud moved his head back and forth over his shoulders trying to loosen the tightened muscles in his neck.

"Now remember, we are going to try to find Rufus as soon as possible," Adjusting his jacket, Zack offered his arm to his date.

Cloud took Zack's arm, "Remember, we're in this because of you and your big mouth, you know that right?" The Soldier didn't respond, he knew it was true.

As they walked in, Cloud was in awe at the sight of all the people in their best dressed. Zack escorted him over to the drinks and ordered two. Handing Cloud a fruity looking drink colored blue and a tiny twig of a blue flower in it. Just holding the drink out in front of his chest, Zack looked at the drink and then Cloud, "What's the matter? You don't want a drink?"

Whispering loudly, Cloud narrowed his eyes, "Really? You got me a girly looking drink?"

Leaning comfortably on the bar, Zack's lips turned up in a faint, but endearing smile, "In case you didn't look in a mirror before we left the apartment… for tonight you are a girl."

Resigning to the drink he was handed, he held it up to his nose and all he could smell was alcohol. Taking a test sip, the cold beverage swirled around in his mouth, and then he could taste it, his favorite, chocoberry. Nudging Zack with his elbow, he asked, "They have chocoberry flavored drinks?"

The huge smile on the taller man answered his question, but then Zack started talking to one of the party guests that walked up to him. After short introductions, Cloud continued to look around mesmerized. Everything was decorated very elegantly and he had never seen anything like it. Dark red and gold linens and tapestries and a dark red carpet covered the room. Soft music played in the background and the sound of quiet conversation filled the air.

While looking around, Cloud finally saw HIM. The General, Sephiroth, his childhood hero and he was looking right at them. Cloud looked around to see if he happened to be looking at someone else next to him, but the dress wearing infantryman and his fun loving friend were the only ones in the vicinity right then. Sephiroth was standing directly across the room from them and the General noticed a look of recognition and admiration.

"Oh, my Gaia, -t-there's S-S-Sephiroth…" Cloud's mouth hung open as his arm squeezed Zack's unconsciously.

"Yeah, you knew he would be here, didn't you?" Glancing to his friend, it was obvious that Cloud was caught in his wildest childhood dreams of wanting to actually be Sephiroth. Reaching over, Zack lifted Cloud's chin so that he was looking directly in his face, but the deep blue eyes stayed glued to the General. With a mild shake, the Soldier broke the spell, "It is time to go on inside the main room. I bet good money that Rufus is in there somewhere," Zack finished, "You ready?"

Pausing, Cloud swallowed and cleared his throat, "You mean this isn't it?" Zack shook his head and Cloud asked rhetorically, "Of course not. How could I get that lucky?" Leaving their empty glasses on the bar, Cloud took the arm that his date offered. There was a huge crystal chandelier hanging in the middle of the half illuminated room. Smaller chandeliers spotted around the larger one helped light the room. Music started up and people started to make their way to the dance floor on one side of the room.

After several songs, Zack pulled on Cloud's arm, "Let's go dance."

Cloud pulled back, "I hate dancing."

Tugging forward again, Zack asked, "You know how, don't you?"

Again pulling away from the dance floor, Cloud grimaced, "Yes, I just hate dancing. My mother insisted that I learn how to."

Zack leaned in and whispered in Cloud's ear, "It won't be that bad, besides, I see Rufus," Zack pulled harder and Cloud followed, but not willingly.

Leading Cloud to the middle of the dance floor, Zack pulled him close. Fighting back, the blond moved away from the taller man. Zack just doubled his efforts to pull him close. Finally relenting, but only because Zack was stronger, Cloud danced the tango with as little enthusiasm as possible. "I think you're enjoying this a little too much Zack," Cloud whispered and all he got in return was one of his famous smiles. Zack went gliding around the floor with flourish and Cloud just rolled his eyes and got pulled along for the ride.

When the song finally ended, Cloud started to walk off the dance floor, but Zack grabbed his hand just as another song started up. Zack pulled him in close again with a "humph" escaping from the force that he was pulled into Zack's chest. The Soldier's smile made Cloud want to punch him right in the face, but he opted for a roll of his eyes and a sigh, "I swear, if you tell anybody about this-" Cloud started.

"I know, I know, I promise I won't tell a soul," Zack interrupted. A few more steps of the dance and he looked down to his date in an inquisitive way, then he asked, "Did you take off that tight underwear?"

It wasn't that he was aroused or anything, it was just something that was not supposed to be there on a woman. Blushing brightly he glanced up and angrily whispered, "Well, if you really must know, they were pinching my balls and I almost lost my dick somewhere farther north than it should have been." When the song ended, they walked from the floor and stood by and watched for the President's elusive son.

Leaning over, Zack whispered in Cloud's ear, "He has to be here somewhere. I lost sight of him half way through that second dance. Maybe he left?" Suddenly, Zack stopped and straightened his back.

"May I get a dance with your lovely date Zackary?" A deep sensual voice from behind Cloud asked.

Zack smiled the largest grin he had ever seen and then graciously offered his date to the General.

Cloud narrowed his eyes at the Soldier and mouthed a few choice words at him while the General guided the blond out to the dance floor. Zack was glad that he didn't really know what he was saying, but he knew that he would hear about it later.

Sephiroth took him by the hand and pulled him close, however he was much gentler than Zack. He had to make sure to keep his crotch away from Sephiroth's leg just as he had done with Zack when they first started dancing. It was only when he wasn't thinking about it that he had moved a little in the hold and that's when the brunette noticed.

Cloud had always wanted to meet the great General of Shinra, but this was ridiculous, "I suppose from the look on your face earlier that you know who I am?" Sephiroth took to the dance as if the song was specifically written for him.

Cloud cleared his throat and tried to sound as feminine as possible, "Y-yes sir."

Sephiroth asked in a pleasant voice, "So how do you know Zackary?"

"Uh… I… uh, we're friends, -were friends," Clearing his throat, the flustered blond grinned nervously, "We're just friends."

Without missing a step, Sephiroth asked, "Well you know my name; may I ask your name?"

"Oh… I'm M-Maria"

Sephiroth went gliding around the floor as he pulled Cloud even closer and an added hand on his ass. Cloud's heels clicked and his left one almost fell off when he stumbled at the disturbing touch. Desperately looking for Zack, he couldn't find him at first and when he did finally spot him, Zack was grinning and giving him a thumbs up as he took a quick picture. Cloud rolled his eyes and mouthed a few more words over Sephiroth's shoulder. Too bad it wasn't Rufus, or they could have left.

After the dance, Sephiroth offered his arm to Cloud and he hesitantly took it so he could be escorted from the dance floor. Instead of going back to Zack though, Sephiroth walked over to an area with very few people. Cloud got a little nervous and quickly started looking for Zack again. 'Damn him!' Cloud thought.

Just as he thought things were going to get even more awkward, dinner was announced by one of the waiters.

"Would you mind if I escorted you to the dining table? Zackary looks like he is busy at the moment."

Cloud found Zack talking up three girls that had him almost surrounded.

Without waiting for an answer, Sephiroth took Cloud's hand, hooked it over his arm and placed his hand on top of it. They walked over and the large circular tables were set up with grand table cloths and large extravagant center pieces. Sephiroth pulled out a chair for Cloud, but he stood his ground and announced needing to go to the ladies room.

Feeling the General's eyes watch him as he walked away, he sped up.

Zack saw Cloud walking away from the table. When he looked at Sephiroth, his eyes were attentively watching Cloud's lightly swaying backside. The blush in Sephiroth's cheeks gave it away that he was more than interested. Zack couldn't help but smile.

As Cloud got out to the outer room, he stepped around the corner. Feeling lucky, he stayed where no one could see him, especially Sephiroth. When someone was coming around the corner, a panic attack straightened his spine. Then he saw that it was Zack who wore a very large smile.

Ignoring the gloating smile, Cloud asked, "Where is Rufus?"

"I saw him coming this way, so I beat him out here to tell you," Zack stepped aside as Rufus turned the corner. Quickly without letting the man out of his sights, Zack jumped in front of the white-suited blond, "Sir, may I get a picture of you and my date?"

Whispering in the ear of the woman beside him, he nodded, "Fine." Cloud exhaled when he heard the click as the picture was taken.

When Rufus dismissed himself, Zack whispered in Cloud's ear, "That man thinks he is fooling people by being seen with women, but we all know the truth."

"I don't care Zack."

"Just one more thing, I wanted to tell you and Sephiroth make a lovely couple," Cloud didn't think his friend's smile could get any bigger. With Zack receiving another glare, he finished up, "I got the picture so we can get out of here." A startling voice behind them stopped their conversation.

"Is everything alright?" Sephiroth approached them with a concerned look, "They are going to serve dinner soon. Are you attending?"

Zack looked at Cloud and tried not to laugh. Mulling it over, Zack thought quickly and pulled Cloud close to his side. The Soldier's hand slid down Cloud's side to his waist. A grin and a wink, he addressed Sephiroth, "I think we are ready to go…" Placing his lips gingerly on Cloud's temple, he finished, with the wig hiding his amused smile, "Aren't you baby?"

Having a very difficult time keeping his laughter from bursting out, Zack held on to the twitching, and nervously smiling blond as he swallowed hard and nodded with an added, "Uh-huh."

Sephiroth shallowly bowed to Cloud and said, "Thank you for the lovely evening."

As Sephiroth walked away, Cloud looked at Zack through a large fake smile and said through gritted teeth, "I hate you."

Zack burst into laughter as Cloud found his way out of the building and he followed not too far behind him. Meeting Cloud back at his apartment, tapping his foot, the irate blond was waiting not-so-patiently to be let in. Zack couldn't help but smile, looking at Cloud, he said, "Can I help you out of your dress?"

Cloud then said, "You're an asshole!" Zack finally got the door unlocked and followed Cloud into the apartment.

Making a B-line for the bedroom, Cloud moved quickly across the messy living room, Zack said, "Well that went pretty well, don't you think?" it came out before he could stop himself and broke out in to another fit of laughter as Cloud threw his purse at him and slammed the door to the bedroom.

Zack grabbed a drink from his little fridge and took a swig, "I hope you will still be friends with me tomorrow," He yelled to Cloud and he heard the blond mumble something that sounded like it could be a stream of curse words. Zack just smiled to himself and took another drink.

A/N: Thanks to all of you who favorite, subscribed and/or reviewed, I appreciate your time. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

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