Silmeria - Happy reading.

Disclaimer - I claim no rights to Final Fantasy VII

Chapter Six : Sky-Blue Eyes

Cloud's hand throbbed with warmth underneath Zack's tight grip as they traveled down one of the empty roads towards the brewery and Cloud wondered when and if the man was going to release his hand or if he realized that he was still holding it. He didn't want to be rude and pull his hand away, but they were starting to get looks as they reached the slightly more crowded streets. Zack, however, seemed to be in his own world as he pointed to various buildings and rattled off their descriptions and how long they had been there. The man was an animated tour guide and Cloud would have loved it, if it hadn't been for the hand holding.

"Zack?" Cloud tightened his grip, causing the Sentinel to stare down at him with rapt attention. "Um, not that I'm not enjoying it, but don't you think you should let go of my hand now?" Cloud gripped the hand holding his in emphasis. "People are starting to stare."

And stare they did, with rapt attention and gleaming eyes. Watching as their Alpha Sentinel grinned and continued forward with this unknown Guide with blond hair and blue eyes that was just as amused as they were.

"Let them stare." Zack responded coolly. "I mean, we're not hurting anyone, right? And I'm not embarrassing you or making you uncomfortable, am I?"

"No, of course not." Cloud cheeks became inflamed at Zack's pointed question. "I just don't want to embarrass you. I don't want people asking questions."

"And if they did?" Zack drawled smoothly, earning a deep blush and averted eyes. "What would you say?"

"I would say that we were friends." Cloud responded firmly, his delicate sensibilities emerging at the thought of Zack implying they were courting. It wasn't right to be dishonest about such a thing and Cloud was far from the person to mess with people's heads. His answer, it seemed, was enough for Zack to release his hand with a small grimace and a weak smile. Almost immediately, his hand cooled, startling Cloud at the sudden lack of warmth. He said nothing of it, forcing his own lips into a weak smile. Truthfully, he hadn't meant to upset Zack, but it really was best for someone in Zack's position not to give his people a sense of false hope. He was sure that having an Alpha Guide would make the people happy and it was for that very reason why he didn't want to upset the people of Midgar with false rumors.

"I apologize." Cloud murmured, drawing Zack's attention. "I-I didn't mean to upset you, but I just don't want you to get into trouble, you know?" Cloud looked around, his eyes taking in the well-made buildings of Minerva Town. It was obvious that the wealthy resided in this part and that was even further made known by the designer made clothing the people wore and the expensive cars that sat park in driveways. "You're the Alpha Sentinel of Midgar, Zack, and the people depend on you more than anything. I'm sure that they want you to have a good Guide-"

"What makes you think that you aren't a good Guide?" Zack interrupted firmly. "Who told you that you weren't a good Guide? A good person?"

Cloud shook his head, his frustrating building. This man could be insufferable when he wanted. "I didn't say that, Zack. I just meant that you deserve a good Guide who knows how to move a crowd with words and knows when to use actions. You need a Guide who is good for you and not-" Cloud's lips thinned and his face grew hot. "And not some country bumpkin."

"Nibelheim is a blessing if it brought you and Tifa to Midgar." Zack stated in response to his embittered words. "You're not a country bumpkin, Cloud. You're a lovely and kind-hearted man that has made me smile more than anyone has in a long time." Zack pulled his lips into a small smile as an example. "You have to understand that it's...difficult to replace a homicidal grandfather who was supposed to be an example to you, you know?"

Cloud nodded, his own mind going back to the death of his mother. She was the epitome of a Guide and Cloud had always wanted to emulate her when he was old enough. In his eyes, she seemed perfect for his father and vice versa and he hoped that he would find a Sentinel who was as courageous and kind as his father, but there was little hope of that in Nibelheim, but in Midgar? That hope was growing steadily and when he stared at Zack, he saw the Sentinel that he wanted, but the whole idea of that was plain silly.

Zack Fair was an Alpha and he deserved a Guide who was just empathetic and just as powerful. Zack didn't need a low-level Guide from Nibelheim who was a prescribed Child of Minerva.

He didn't need an abomination.

"I want to understand where you're coming from, but in these types of situations I don't know what to say or how to comfort you, Zack." Cloud stepped closer, placing a hand on Zack's broad, tense shoulder. "But, I can say that you're a good man, Zack. I know it and Tifa knows it. I-I know that Alpha Xavier wasn't a pleasant man, but you're not him Zack and you're not in that man's shadow. You've turned Midgar around for the better and the people love you for it."

I love you for it. I love the fact that you're so kind and charming. You really are a good man, Zack.

Zack reached out, and placed his hand on Cloud's head, giving the hair a gentle ruffling, smiling when his was gently pushed away with a grumble and heated cheeks. This was one was entirely too adorable.

"Thanks, but I wish you wouldn't be so hard on yourself, you know?" Zack clamped a hand on Cloud's shoulder, giving it a gentle shake before guiding them down the road towards their destination. "You're a good person and a good Guide."

"I-Thanks, Zack." Cloud ignored the heat surfacing on his cheeks at the feel of Zack's hand on his shoulder. He thanked Minerva quietly that Zack only thought he was flushed because of the compliment.

"No problem, and by the way, we never talked about it."

Cloud blinked, staring up at the Alpha in curiosity. "Talked about what?"

"You know." Zack wiggled his fingers in emphasis. "Our little gifts."

Oh.

That talk.

"...We both wield magic freely." Cloud murmured, his eyes lowered to the cobblestone streets. "It's rare and it's said that we've been blessed by Minerva. Or, at least, that's what my mother told me when I was a child. What did your parents say?"

"I was blessed." Zack repeated, with a mild grin. "It's weird having been told that all your life, you know?" Zack pointed to his head. "Makes the ego a little big."

"You? With a big ego? Never." Cloud grinned, watching as Zack huffed in amusement and nudged his shoulder. "I understand where the arrogance came from, but...when I first found out that I could cast? It was weird. Frightening."

"I agree," Zack wiggled his fingers again, as if feeling the numbing coldness of the ice spell he cast days prior. "I lit my mother's curio cabinet on fire when I was about ten years old." Zack chuckled, the sound old and bitter, forcing Cloud to realize that Zack had been through more than a man his age should have. "At first, she thought I was hoarding materia, but when she saw none, she was at a loss as to what to do with me and my magic." Zack stated down at his hands before clenching and letting them fall back to his sides. "It wasn't until I met Lady Ifalna that everything changed."

"The Lady Ifalna Faremis?" Cloud questioned softly. "You met her?"

"She was my teacher and mentor when concerning magic. Although she didn't wield magic like we do, she knew enough about her ancestors and their way of life to guide me properly. She wasn't an easy teacher, but she was firm and kind in her direction and that's all I needed."

"If you knew Ifalna, then you know Aerith, her daughter as well, right?"

"That's right. She's a sweet girl." Zack grinned at the thought, an image appearing before his mind's eye. "You should meet her one day."

"We've met before, actually." Cloud cheeks warmed as he remembered the meeting between him and Aerith. Zack was right, she was a wonderful and kind-hearted woman and he would have liked to meet her again one day. She was one of the few Guides who still followed the Old Ways and he would have liked to talk to her more about it.

"You met?" Zack raised a curious eyebrow. "When?"

Cloud struggled to hold back a smile at the question. "Just before you arrived at the Minerva Memorial. You must have missed her. I'm embarrassed to admit that I failed to recognize the fact that she was Lady Ifalna's daughter. I wanted to be a part of the Medical Guide Corp once upon a time."

"Did you?" Zack brightened at the information. He didn't know a lot about Cloud, and he would take any information he could get at this point. "What changed your mind?"

Cloud's eyes dimmed at the question, and Zack immediately regretted asking. It wasn't really his business, but a deep part of him still wanted to get to know his new friend. He wanted to get to know the person behind the proper mask that Cloud displayed.

"I had intended to go, but the passing of my mother and father changed my objectives." Cloud's eyes flickered to the ground, his shoulders tightening at the admission. "I wanted them to see me become a top level healer. I wanted a lot of things while they were still alive, but now? It...feels stilted, like nothing matters."

"It does matter." Zack protested, stepping closer and wrapping an arm around Cloud's shoulders, forcing the smaller man to look up into Zack's smiling, but sympathetic eyes. "Your dreams still matter, and I'm sure your parents would want you to be happy, right?"

"Baby, be happy, that's all I want."

"Yeah." Cloud blinked back the sudden sting of tears before tentatively placing his head on Zack's broad shoulder. "That's right."

"Well?" Zack prompted, giving no hint of being bothered by the fact that Cloud was practically leaning on him for support. "It's not too late to join, you know? I can talk to Aerith and Sephiroth about letting you in. It's a little late for sign ups, but I'm sure he won't mind."

"Sephiroth?" Cloud repeated, his brow furrowing. The name sounded familiar, but nothing really came up. "I thought it was mostly ran by Aerith."

"Nah, Aerith would collapse from exhaustion from the thought of handling the entire aspect of the Medical Guide Corp. So, Sephiroth does the recruiting and all the busywork while Aerith deals with the classes and paperwork. It helps that he's on my Council, so, things that the Medical Guide Corp needs gets passed through pretty quickly. They make a good bonded pair and business partners."

Cloud nodded, impressed that this Sephiroth was a jack of all trades, the motion stilled at Zack's last words and Aerith's earlier ones. He blinked at the short memory and turned to Zack in slow realization.

"My Sentinel asks for a small prayer. His boss isn't the most tactful."

Oh.

Well.

Cloud grinned, his eyes sparkling when Zack narrowed his own eyes at the sudden change in attitude. "What's with the smile? You hiding something?"

"Nothing."

"No, you're smiling that widely for some reason. Come on, speak up."

Cloud shook his head, slipping from under Zack's arms and down toward the road that led to the brewery-they were extremely late at this point- "No, it's really nothing, Zack. Come on, Tifa's going to kill me if I don't make the payment."

"Fine, but don't think I won't find out what that beautiful smile is all about, you hear?"

Cloud chuckled, his cheeks flushing at the compliment. The man was a charmer no matter the circumstances. "Sure, whatever you say, Zack."

Thankfully, the brewery was still open, but Cloud stopped at the sound crashing follow by a loud squeak and a tense silence. The commotion made him stop just inches from the steps and forcing Zack to exhale loudly and without reserve. He opened his mouth, but was cut off by a roar that figuratively shook the building.

"Shera! That cost eight thousand gil! The hell's the matter with you!"

"I-I'm sorry, Captain! It won't happen again!"

"You damned right it won't happen again! And what are you doing up anyway! You've just recovered from that damned summer flu! Sit down and drink your goddamned tea, woman!"

"Y-yes, Captain!"

"Um," Cloud looked to Zack in fright and a mild confusion. "Is it safe to go in there?"

Zack grinned, the motion weak and failing to reach his usually expressive eyes. "To be honest, this is one of the most safest place in all of Midgar. Welcome to the Highwind Brewery, owned by Cid and Shera Highwind, two members of the legendary AVALANCHE. Come on, let's go in before Cid burst a blood vessel. I remember Aerith telling him to relax because of his blood pressure..."

Cloud stood still on the stairs, watching Zack continue to mumble about Cid as he entered the building and was met with a roar of a greeting, followed by a softer greeting filled with respect.

It was moments like these, that made Midgar a lot more interesting.