Just a one-shot.

I wrote this at 3am when everything in the world seemed hilarious and/or cute to me- I'm sure eventually I'll look this over again and think "huh?", but for now...

Reviews appreciated ^.^ I'm trying to decide if it's worth doing more unrelated one-shots!

Unique Interests.

A warm hand caressed his face, its owner smirking at the rosy color that came to life under his touch. "Does that mean you'll consider?"

The younger boy shifted on his feet, awed by the red head's bold request. "Um…no, thanks."

Immediately the hand was withdrawn, a mirrored awe appearing on the SOLDIER's face. "Cloud!" It was a dramatic exclamation, paired with narrowing eyes. "Do you realize how many people would kill for this opportunity?"

Cloud nodded his head, though he wasn't about to be swayed so easily. "Then I'm sure you can find someone else!" he said in a hurry, smiling weakly. "Um…Can I go to class now, Commander Rhapsodos?"

"Fine. Don't think I'm giving up so easily though!"

"Sir, it's really-"

"Shh! You'll see it my way soon," Genesis promised, winking at the cadet before turning on his heel and striding away.

Cloud stared after the man a moment, stunned by what had just happened. He wanted to believe it had been a massive misunderstanding, but the request had been very clear.

Commander Rhapsodos, a man who he had never spoken with prior to that day, had just asked him to have sex.

o.o.o.o.o

Class came to an abrupt halt, all the cadets scattering from the circle they had formed around their instructor's materia demonstration. An irritable looking SOLDIER had entered the room, a bouquet of red roses in his hand.

"Cadet Strife?" he asked, urgency in his tone.

Cloud closed his eyes as he hid among his classmates, desperately pretending to be anywhere else. The sound of shuffling feet filled his ears though, and as he opened his eyes he realized his classmates had spread out around him, all pointing at him wordlessly. Traitors.

"Cadet Strife?" the man repeated, standing directly in front of Cloud this time. Something told him not to bother denying it, so he nodded his head helplessly instead. "These are for you. I have orders to wait until you read the note and respond."

Twenty cadets and a very confused instructor watched curiously as the cadet accepted the bouquet, and the pressure didn't ease up as he unfolded the note.

Cloud,

Genesis has informed me of your decision not to join us this evening.

I must ask you to reconsider. We are aware of your unique interests, and you will not be disappointed.

Sincerely,

General Sephiroth

He crumpled the note and shoved it into his pocket instantly, trying not to look as embarrassed as he felt. Unique interests? What did that mean, and why did General Sephiroth think he had them? Genesis certainly hadn't mentioned anything about the general when they had spoken that morning...In fact, he had barely mentioned anything other than his apparent interest in bedding the boy. Something strange was happening.

The messenger was staring at him somewhat impatiently, but he couldn't even bring himself to speak yet- he was too frazzled.

"Who sent you?" Cloud asked finally, staring at the man suspiciously.

"General Sephiroth. Is there a response-"

"Did Commander Fair put you up to this?" Normally he'd never dare accuse a SOLDIER of anything, but there was only one person he knew who would go to such lengths for a joke. Booming laughter in the halls seemed to confirm his assumption, but the messenger was shaking his head insistently. "I can hear him!"

"No! I work directly for the general!" The SOLDIER was not impressed by Cloud's doubts, and quickly produced his identification badge. He was really the general's personal secretary, and his expression became smug as Cloud's eyes grew wide. "Now do you have a response?"

Knowing it was legitimately from the general only outraged the cadet further. "You can tell the general that I'm not interested!" he exclaimed, dropping the bouquet on the ground before storming out of the classroom.

There were too many eyes on him- too many questions about to be asked. Under no circumstances would he stay to answer his classmates…they'd never believe him anyway, even if they read the note for themselves. It was just too ludicrous...He was the bottom of the class- the runt who was barely scraping by. Sephiroth shouldn't even know his name, much less have any desire to sleep with him.

He continued to follow the direction of the laughter with a renewed determination. Obviously this was Zack's fault, and he'd make his friend answer one way or another. What had he told the general and Commander Rhapsodos? They wouldn't have just decided to pursue him out of the blue.

"Zack!" The laughter in the halls had ceased, but he still heard the distinct sound of boots scurrying away in the direction he was headed. "I know you're there!"

He sprinted, desperately trying to catch the source of his dilemma, but it was hopeless. Running was one of the few things he was good at, but even he couldn't catch a 2nd Class SOLDIER. Instead he found himself barreling into a familiar figure as he turned a corner, the force of the impact sending him to the ground.

"Ow!" he cried out, wincing as he hit the floor.

He wasn't sure if his front or backside hurt worse from the collision, but it seemed forgotten as he stared at the larger man kneeling by his side. Angeal Hewley. His heart fluttered involuntarily in the presence of the magnificent man, as it always did…This was the only one of SOLDIER's elite who was supposed to know the cadet, and that was only because his 'friendship' with Zack.

The man was as hard as a stone wall, but his face was soft as he eyed the cadet with concern. "Are you alright, Cloud?"

The pain had already faded into shock as he met kind brown eyes, and he knew at least physically he was fine. "Yes, sir. I'm sorry, I-"

The man was already shrugging, rising to his feet before offering the cadet a hand. "I've experienced much worse," the man assured him, smiling warmly as Cloud stared up at him. "Years of chasing a puppy around."

"That's who I was chasing," Cloud admitted, letting out a deep sigh. "I think he got away this time."

Angeal arched an eyebrow. "That explains why he ran by without a word. Why are you chasing Zack?"

"It's a long story." Or at least one he had no interest in telling Angeal, despite the curious stare he was receiving. "If you see him, can you tell him I will find him?"

"Gladly. I'm sure the thought will terrify him."

Cloud's face had lit up as he realized…Angeal made a joke. He'd only met the commander on a few occasions, and the man had almost always maintained an impossibly serious expression each time. "I'm scarier than I look," Cloud insisted, smiling broadly as Angeal chuckled.

"I can see that," Angeal agreed, ruffling his blond locks like it was the most natural thing to do. Cloud froze from the touch, instantly aware of the effect it was having on his heart- the deep flutter he had felt had taken off into a race, and he wasn't sure it'd stop until he was far away from this man. Part of him didn't want it to stop anyway; it was a strange sensation, but pleasant somehow. The SOLDIER seemed a bit perturbed as he eyed his own hand, shaking his head before meeting Cloud's eyes again. "I do have business to attend to, but…maybe it was a lucky coincidence running into you here. I hear we share some unique interests-"

"Not you too," Cloud muttered, the thrill he was feeling grinding to a halt. He buried his face in his hands, mortified that Zack would include Angeal in whatever scheme he had concocted. Surely Zack knew…He hadn't actually discussed his silly crush with his friend, but it must have been obvious. Whenever Angeal was around he couldn't keep his eyes off the man, admiring his every feature. Of course he'd thought about doing several inappropriate things with Angeal as a result, dreamed even…But not like this, under some false pretense. Now it was all ruined. He'd never be able to look at Angeal the same way again, or even be in the same room with the man. "I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna have sex with you!"

"Um, Cloud-"

"I can't even believe this! I'm a virgin!" Cloud declared, fuming with anger and humiliation. "What did he tell you I was into? I swear, I'll-"

"He told me you were into plants, Cloud. Gardening."

The cadet froze mid-rant, his jaw still open as he stared blankly into Angeal's eyes. "I'm gonna kill him."

Angeal opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was soft laughter. It was too much. Cloud couldn't stand there and listen to the one person he actually had any interest in laughing at the idea of having sex with him- the circumstances didn't matter. He walked past Angeal in a hurry, ignoring the voice calling after him with a disgruntled sigh. Zack was going to pay…

o.o.o.o.o

He crossed his arms, tapping his foot restlessly and letting his gaze wander anywhere other than behind the desk. If it fell within a two foot radius, he was sure he'd get locked onto terrifying green eyes, and that just couldn't happen. Declining General Sephiroth via messenger was one thing, but in person? He might say yes out of sheer panic, and that idea wasn't one he was comfortable with at all.

The door opened behind him, causing him to jump in his seat. His heart was already racing too anxiously…Something told him to spin around and see who had entered though, and he almost immediately regretted it as amused electric blue eyes fell on him. Genesis moved briskly to the general's side, Cloud's eyes following his every step.

This…wasn't…happening.

"Relax, Cloud," Genesis cooed, the mischievous smile on his face not helping.

"I summoned you here to clear up a certain misunderstanding," Sephiroth said, his voice so calm that it set the boy at ease somehow. He finally snapped his gaze away from Genesis, daring to eye the general. Maybe he wasn't so scary, but…he still shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unsure where this conversation was headed. "It seems Genesis and I were fed some…false information about you."

"What Seph's trying to say is, we wanted to tie you up and do naughty things to that sweet little body," Genesis explained, ignoring the irritated glance he received from the general. Cloud's face was bright red as he processed the admission, and he found himself shaking his head helplessly. "I know! I can see it now, you're not quite ready for that kinda thing, and that's okay."

"We will not press the issue again," the general added, his grim expression somehow apologetic.

"If you ever do decide you're into it though-"

"Genesis!" The general cut him off with a warning glare. "He's traumatized enough already."

"It's not my fault the puppy lied to us!"

"I knew it!" Cloud exclaimed, jumping from the chair. He was surprised by his own outburst, but he couldn't help it- he'd spent half the night trying to hunt Zack down, only to fail miserably. This was the confirmation he needed, and now all of his plots for revenge were justified. "I'm gonna-"

"Don't worry, he's already being punished," Genesis assured the cadet. Cloud was about to press him for an explanation, but the SOLDIER was already laughing and ready to continue. "Let's just say, he's experiencing some of the things he lead us to believe you wanted. I'll be going back to him after we're done here."

Cloud's jaw dropped. "Are you serious?" He wanted to yell at Zack, or maybe embarrass him a bit. Certainly not hand him over to two intimidating SOLDIERs with kinky habits. "That's not-"

"Don't worry! It's all consensual." The reassurance had been spoken with sincerity, but it seemed impossible to believe. What was Zack into? Their conversations had never delved into these topics, and suddenly the cadet was very glad about that. It was easier to think of his friend as the fun loving SOLDIER he'd grown to admire despite his frustrating desire to embarrass the boy. "Honestly, that's how it started. We were playing around and he said he had a cute friend who liked that kinda thing, too. I think he-"

"The boy does not require the full details, Genesis. He's uncomfortable enough as it is."

"Fine," he agreed, sulking. Cloud relaxed almost instantly at this- if the SOLDIER went any further with his explanation, he was sure he'd be imagining things that he would rather never think about again. "Do you accept our apology?"

"Uh…I guess," the boy agreed, though he felt a mild hesitation still. "Zack's really okay?"

"He likes it. Well, right now he might not, but by the time I get back there-"

"Genesis!" Sephiroth cut him off quickly.

"I'm gonna go if that's okay," the boy said, hurrying toward the door. No one stopped him, so he assumed the two SOLDIERs were in agreement- it'd be better to forget any of this ever happened. He couldn't help pausing as his hand fell on the knob though, one lingering thought growing too prominent. He turned back, looking from Genesis to Sephiroth curiously. "Is Commander Hewley involved in all this, too?"

"No," Sephiroth responded, sending Genesis another warning stare as the eccentric SOLDIER opened his mouth to elaborate again. "Angeal is not interested in sharing or being shared."

Cloud was almost overwhelmed by the sense of relief he felt, smiling before he even realized it. "Oh, okay. Um…Goodbye, then."

And with that, he turned the knob, retreating with haste before the awkward encounter became any longer.

o.o.o.o.o

"C'mon, Spiky! You hafta believe me!"

Cloud swatted Zack's hands away, glaring at his bouncy friend despite the pouty face he was receiving. "You told the general I liked to be tied up in bed!" he exclaimed, trying to keep his words hushed. They were standing in the doorway to his dorm, and despite Zack's pleas, the cadet had refused to let him inside. "Why would you do that?"

"It was a joke! How was I supposed to know the creeps had been eyeing you for weeks? I didn't think they'd take it so far!" Zack insisted, trying to pull the younger boy into a hug once more.

"No, Zack! I know they punished you already, but I'm still mad! That was the most humiliating experience of my life! He sent me flowers in class!"

"I might've told him you'd need some wooing first," Zack confessed, shrugging as the boy crossed his arms. "You should be thanking me! Now half the kids think you're a hot commodity around here. I'm sure they won't give you a hard time if they think Seph's into you."

"I can deal with them on my own!" He attempted to shut the door to his dorm room, only to have Zack's hand stop it from closing, again.

"You need to break outta your shell a bit! If that means me putting you in awkward situations, fine. I'll do that any day if it means helping you."

"You did it for your own amusement."

"Maybe," he agreed, laughing as the cadet punched his arm. "See! It's working! You're already more assertive than ever."

"What if I'd said yes?"

"You wouldn't."

"How can you be so sure? This is Genesis and Sephiroth we're talking about. I'm sure plenty of people would've-"

"Because I know you. And I know you'd much rather be invited into bed by a certain hulking SOLDIER-"

"That's enough, Pup."

Cloud and Zack both froze, mirroring each other's shocked expressions. The cadet looked up and the SOLDIER turned, both facing Angeal in awe. How could such a large man approach so quietly? Zack seemed to shrink back under his mentor's stern stare, smiling awkwardly- that smile could win him over with a lot of people, but it didn't seem to be helping now.

"I know what you're thinking, but-"

"You have no idea," Angeal interjected, shaking his head with a sigh. "We'll discuss this later though. For now, I'd like to speak with Cloud. Alone."

Zack nodded, only sulking a bit as he slowly left the doorway. The cadet hadn't quite forgiven his friend, but in that moment he desperately wished he could run away with him. Having Angeal staring down at him was too overwhelming, especially after their last conversation. Still, he couldn't ignore his racing heart- he opened the door a bit wider, gesturing for the SOLDIER to enter without a second thought. Angeal only hesitated a moment before stepping inside, and seemed to relax as the door closed behind him.

For a moment they just stood in silence, Cloud shifting awkwardly under Angeal's stoic gaze. When it became too much he sat on his bed, his eyes only leaving Angeal's for a moment as he scanned the man's body. How could he not? This was something from a dream...Angeal Hewley, in his room, looking as handsome as always...

Usually those moments lead to a scorching kiss in his mind, but for now it seemed doomed to end in another awkward conversation. He was definitely at his limit after the last few days, and could only hope this one would be relatively painless. It couldn't be worse than the way their last discussion had ended.

"I did some investigating, after our last chat," Angeal began, pacing slowly in the small space. "I was understandably confused by your outburst- why you would have thought I'd be asking you-" He couldn't even finish his sentence, instead shaking his head. "When I realized what he'd done, I went directly to Seph and Gen and told them to back off. They know Zack can be a bit overzealous when he gets an idea in his head." He came to a halt at these words, looking to Cloud tentatively. "I trust they spoke with you?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'm sorry that they-"

"It's not your fault that they're crazy."

"Maybe not, but Zack is my responsibility," Angeal countered, running a hand through his long hair thoughtfully. "He's quite fond of you, and I don't believe he meant any actual harm by it."

"So you know about his…relationship with the general and Genesis?"

"It's not really a relationship. Gen and Seph have been together for years, and occasionally they…" He paused, noting the boy's discomfort. It was still too weird to think about Zack in this way. After a moment though, Cloud nodded, ready for Angeal to finish. "Sometimes they invite Zack to join. I don't approve, but he's an adult now. They take good care of him, and I don't care to know any details beyond that."

"Oh."

"I'm not a part of their…situation," he clarified, moving closer to the bed.

Cloud watched him intently, his eyes willing the man to continue his approach. "I know. I asked them." It seemed they were both surprised by this admission, and Cloud nearly jumped as Angeal finally sat down. He tried to act casually, like it was no big deal, but he was sure his eager expression made his feelings too obvious. Angeal was on his bed...This moment was becoming more and more like a fantasy by the minute. The SOLDIER just smiled indulgently at him, raising both brows as the boy scooted a bit closer. There was no objection though, and that seemed to boost the cadet's confidence instantly. "So…why are you really here? Zack was doing a decent job at apologizing. I was probably going to forgive him after a few more attempts- maybe get a few training sessions outta him before caving in."

"I didn't want you to be embarrassed around me after our last conversation," Angeal admitted, resting a hand on the cadet's knee. Their eyes met again, both filled with unanswered questions. "I don't mind the things you said."

"Because you know it was a misunderstanding?"

The SOLDIER seemed lost for a moment, the fire in his eyes growing tense. "Well, yes, but..."

Maybe it was the way Angeal squeezed his knee while speaking...or maybe it was the desire he detected behind those warm eyes...Cloud wasn't entirely sure, but he suppress a sudden surge of boldness. "Are you trying to tell me you don't mind that I'm a virgin?"

Angeal seemed torn until Cloud's hand landed on his, the spark prompting his answer. "Yes. Among other things." He let out a long sigh, staring down at the smaller hand lying over his own. "I just wanted to come here and clear the air- to make sure you didn't feel strange around me. That's all...You're young. Impressionable. It's not right for me to think anything else about you. I'd be no better than the others if I expected anything more." Each word was its own heartbreak, the ominous tone making him cringe. He wanted to look down and hide the devastation, but a hand on his chin stopped him. "How am I supposed to walk away when you're looking at me like that?"

"Don't," Cloud whispered, hoping more than anything that Angeal would listen.

The SOLDIER pulled the cadet into his lap, brushing a hand across his cheek gently as he leaned in close. There was only a slight hesitation- one final inner struggle that Cloud smothered by sealing the distance himself. Every scorching kiss he had dreamed didn't compare to the passion he felt as Angeal consumed him, all restraint long forgotten. The boy clung to him, desperately trying to match the ferocity- but it was impossible. This man had an unparalleled intensity, and all he could do was surrender to it, willingly. He felt the kiss tearing through every inch of his body, completely possessing him in a way he'd never known.

When Angeal finally pulled back a bit, he was ready to protest immediately until his quick pout was lost under the pressure of another quick kiss.

"This is a bad idea," Angeal said softly, though he didn't ease up on his grip around Cloud's waist in the slightest.

"I don't think so," the cadet argued, feeling too giddy to elaborate at first. Angeal just chuckled, the sound so pleasant it was like its own embrace- he loved hearing this man laugh. "We'll have to see if we really do share any unique interests before we can decide."

"I'd like that."

"Just to be clear...does this involve bondage?"

Angeal arched an eyebrow, laughing again as the cadet nuzzled into his broad shoulder. "Only if you want."

He could hear the SOLDIER's heartbeat matching the quick pace of his own, and was comforted by the sound...Soon he was laying a few kisses on Angeal's neck before trailing up to his jaw- the moment he was close enough, the SOLDIER captured his lips, the kiss so brief that it left the cadet longing for more. Something told him he'd always feel that longing though, even if he leaned in for another heated kiss.

Cloud couldn't help teasing a bit more instead, still in disbelief this was really happening. "I'll just tell you now, Sephiroth got me flowers and I still turned him down. You're gonna have to try a lot harder than that."

"I was thinking more like...a date. It's not a rush. We'll see where it goes from there."