A/N: Yes, yes, I know. I should be working on my Zemyx fic. I promise, I am. I'm going to try to get a chapter out by the end of the week. Just not now because it's almost half past two in the morning. This idea simply would not leave me alone, however. _ I should probably apologise. It hasn't been beta'd or anything. I gave it a brief spell check but I'm sure some things got through. Why am I posting it then? Because I'm too tired to know better. _

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or the slightly modified song Zack sings.

Warnings: shounen ai, fluff.

Things were unusually quiet around the Shinra Building. Normally, Sephiroth would be taking this chance to catch up on as much paperwork as possible before Zack poked his head through the door and proceeded to make a nuisance of himself. This time things were different. It was not that Zack was simply on a mission or out in Midgar visiting that girl from the slums. He had, in fact, vanished entirely.

No one at all knew where he was. The Turks had reported that Aerith was alone. Kunsel had not seen his friend either. No paperwork was filed to say Zack had been deployed in the field somewhere. It was most perplexing. Zack, ever loud and talkative, usually announced where he was going and what he planned to do to someone at least, unless he was plotting with the Turks. The silver haired man had already discreetly checked up on all of them and discovered no clues to Zack's whereabouts at all.

Sephiroth was worried.

Not that he would ever admit it. It was irritating and bothersome. He could not focus on his paperwork, only getting half as much done as he should. Mentally he vowed to give Zack the most horrible punishment he would think of. Making tea and fetching snacks for Palmer for a month. Scarlett's personal assistant for six months.

He glanced sideways at the small clock on his desk. It was past eleven at night and he was still nowhere near finished. Snarling in frustration, Sephiroth threw his pen down and stalked out of the room. He would get no more done tonight so he might as well go back to his room and sleep.

The corridors were deserted at this time, which was probably a good thing. Anyone who got in his way was likely to get hurt getting out of it.

He was still in a rage when he reached his room, as much as he tried to contain it. It slipped out in little ways – shutting the door a little too harshly, discarding his clothes with sharp movements, stomping across the floor to his bed. Once in bed, he glared at the ceiling for a while, but there was no response so he rolled over and buried his face in his pillow. Maybe he could smother himself and not have to put up with any of this anymore.

Almost two hours later, after Sephiroth had fallen asleep, the lock turned and the door opened quietly. Zack grinned widely as he tiptoed across the living room to Sephiroth's bedroom.

It seemed he was not quiet enough. As soon as he opened the door, the general sat up straight, already reaching for his masamune until his sleepy eyes recognised the faint outline of Zack in the darkness.

"...Zack...?" There was a pause as Sephiroth awoke fully. "Zack! Where the hell have you been?" His voice was nothing more than an angry hiss.

Zack's smile faltered slightly. "Oh, here and there," he replied airily. "Hey, I got something I gotta say though." He stood at the end of Sephiroth's bed, waiting for a signal to start.

Sephiroth drew his legs up under him and leaned back against the headrest. "Go on then," he stated coldly. He reached out to the side and switched his bedside lamp on. His gaze flicked up and down Zack's body. Apart from a few patches of dirt and being wrinkled, nothing much seemed to have happened to him to cause his absence. However, something was different in his behaviour. The normally confident, out-going youth appeared to be trying to hide nerves behind a cocky grin. It did not work. Sephiroth could see it all in his eyes.

Zack took a deep breath, closed his eyes and...began to sing. Not quite loud enough to wake everyone else on the floor but not exactly quiet either.

"Ooh ee ooh ah ah, ting tang, wallawallabingbang! Ooh ee ooh ah ah, ting tang wallawallabingbang " He opened his eyes again, smile returning as he got into the flow of the song. "Ooh ee ooh ah ah, ting tang, walla walla bing bang! Ooh ee ooh ah ah, ting tang wallawallabingbang!

"I told the Cetra girl I was in love with you. I told the Cetra girl I was in love with you. And then the Cetra girl, she told me what to do!"

Sephiroth could only watch, completely speechless. He was sure he moved his mouth to speak but no sound came out. Meanwhile, Zack had started dancing. If that bouncing could really be called dancing. The silver haired man tried very hard not to stare as Zack wiggled his hips in time to some imaginary beat.

"She told me, Ooh ee ooh ah ah, ting tang, walla walla bing bang! Ooh ee ooh ah ah, ting tang, wallawallabingbang!

"You can keep your love from me just like you were a miser, and I'll admit it wasn't very smart! But I went out to find myself a girl that's so much wiser! And she told me the way to win your heart!

"Ooh ee ooh ah ah, ting tang wallawallabingbang! Ooh ee ooh ah ah, ting tang wallawallabingbang! Ooh ee ooh ah ah, ting tang wallawallabingbang! Ooh ee ooh ah ah, ting tang wallawallabingbang!"

Zack finished with a flourish, posing with a mad grin plastered on his face. It seemed genuine until Sephiroth's lips tightened in annoyance. Then it turned brittle, as though the slightest thing would destroy it completely.

"What," Sephiroth began in the tones of one speaking to a child. "Was that?"

"A song!" Zack replied brightly. He dug something out of his pocket. It looked like a CD insert, though very crumpled. "See, I was out talking to Aerith and things came up and she told me of this song that she couldn't get out of her head and when she sang it, I wanted it too but I couldn't find it in any of the shops in Midgar so I had to go all the way out to Kalm to find it and I wanted to share it with you but it was late when I got back and then I decided to come see if you were awake anyway and-"

"Zack."

Zack stopped talking. He realised Sephiroth was kneeling near the end of the bed now, keeping his head down so Zack could not see his face.

"...Sephiroth? I-Sorry, I should have waiting until morning, shouldn't I? I just-" Zack began. His eyes automatically sought out the masamune in case Sephiroth was about to attack him.

"I thought you'd...gone," Sephiroth interrupted quietly.

'Gone...? Oh, shit! Genesis! He thought I'd-' Zack stepped forward, placing one knee on the bed. "Shit! I'm sorry, Seph. I didn't think you'd think that! I swear, I'm not going anywhere!" He planned to give the silver haired man a hug to reassure him that he was not about to desert like Genesis and Angeal did. He was not expecting Sephiroth to grab the front of his shirt and throw him down on the bed beside him. He tried to sit up but Sephiroth put a hand on his chest and forced him back down. "Uh...Seph?"

"Idiot. You went all the way to Kalm for a CD? Did it not occur to you to borrow the song from your friend and copy it?"

Zack looked up at Sephiroth sheepishly. "Uh...no?"

"Idiot," Sephiroth repeated, somewhat fondly. He lay down next to Zack and threw and arm over him to keep him in place. His other hand reached out and turned off the lamp.

Zack lay there, listening to Sephiroth breathe softly.

"So...uh...Seph... Did you get the bit where I said I love you? Because I-" A hand covered his mouth.

"I got it, Zack. Shut up and go to sleep." Sephiroth shifted beside him. If Zack was not mistaken, the other man was actually snuggling. "And you can tell your Cetra girl in the morning that it worked."

In the darkness, Zack's eyes widened. He smiled against the hand still covering his mouth and let himself just fall asleep.

...I'm sorry. _ I'll edit it properly tomorrow afternoon. _ Feedback? Point out some stuff for me to correct? Please?