Normally when something went terribly wrong, things were still easy somehow—straightforward, even. There were places he could go…people he could talk these things out with. He could go to Angeal if he needed advice...Sephiroth if he just wanted someone to listen. Zack if he really just needed a good distraction. Depending on the situation, he could really go to any of them for anything.

Genesis, too…under normal circumstances. Not anymore though—not while he was the root of the problem.

Hell, he couldn't go to any of them while Genesis was the root of the problem. They were all his friends, but ones he wasn't sure he even deserved after what he'd done. Not that it stopped his friends from trying to get ahold of him—he'd put his phone on silent after it rang too many times, not bothering to see who it was. Obviously one of the four.

A loud rattle on his door startled him into an upright position, and he let out a shaky sigh. Apparently they weren't taking the hint…he was ignoring their calls on purpose. There was no way he was ready to face any of them so soon.

"Spike…I can hear your TV—I know you're home."

Zack. Of course they'd sent Zack—it was a smart decision. His closest friend in the group…the goofball would probably give him that look, like some innocent puppy, just to get inside. And then out of nowhere, he'd remind Cloud that he was so much more than that—fully grown and capable, intelligent and ready to bite when necessary. Cloud had yet to be on the receiving end of that, but…

What was he supposed to say about this?

Sorry, I didn't mean to jump on your boyfriend—it won't happen again.

Something told him that wouldn't be good enough, even if he meant it. He silently cursed Genesis for being too damn attractive for his own good as his friend knocked on his door again—louder this time. A wordless reminder that there was no hiding from this.

He trudged over to the door, cracking it open and meeting his friend's gaze immediately. "I'm sorry."

His friend gently pushed the door open more, a bemused smile on his face as he let himself inside. "Sorry for what?"

His heart flopped for a minute, considering the possibility that Zack didn't know yet—his friends' relationship was solid, and entirely based around communication…but this all happened within the last two hours. He'd assumed Genesis would've mentioned it already, but maybe not—maybe he wasn't the only one still trying to figure out how things had gotten so colossally messed up between them. He should've checked his caller ID before silencing his phone…

There it was—the look. Cloud frowned at his friend, but couldn't bring himself to look away from it. "Did you talk to Gen?"

"Yeah, he just called me and asked me to swing by to check on you," Zack explained, raising a curious brow. "Why am I checking on you and why are you sorry?"

Shit. He silently cursed Genesis again, this time for making him be the one to explain this…but that only left him feeling worse. This was his own fault—he was the one who made the first move. Of course it was his responsibility to explain his actions.

Another quiet sigh, and he forced himself to spit it out, "We went out to lunch, and then he said he didn't have to go back to the office today—he kept talking about that movie that just came out. The remake he's been obsessing over. He said none of you would watch with him…I had time, so I thought, no big deal."

"Okay," Zack said, clearly not seeing the issue yet—Cloud could just hear the question in his friend's voice, urging him to get to the point already.

"We went back to his place, and I…I mean, I've watched tons of movies with him before," Cloud said, shaking his head helplessly. "I didn't think it'd be any different."

Zack knew that already, of course—he was the one who had introduced the blond to his boyfriends all those years ago. Encouraged him to befriend them all. And then he did. It took a little time, but these days he considered them all his friends…not just his best friend's boyfriends.

It was never supposed to be more than that—he'd never even considered it. Even with Genesis. Sure the man was good looking and fun to spend time with, but the same could be said for all of them. Just because they were attractive and he got along with them all...it didn't mean anything. He had other attractive friends too—people he got along with who weren't necessarily good matches for him as anything else.

Everything would've been so much easier if things had just stayed that way—if he could just pretend nothing had changed.

"Cloud, you're kinda freakin' me out a little," his friend told him, his tilted head and confused look slowly morphing into something a tad bit more persistent. "What happened? Did he go on one of his quoting sprees or something? I know it's annoying sometimes, but it's nothing to be weird about—just tell him to be quiet and he usually gets huffy enough to stop anyway." Cloud dropped his gaze, shaking his head slowly. "That's what happened, then? You did tell him to stop, then he got offended? I mean, he'll get over it. You don't need to worry so much about things like that—you know how he is."

"It's not that…he was quoting the damn movie in that stupid voice he does," he began, heart jumping at the thought, "and that stupid smirk on his face. I don't know what happened, but when I looked at him, I just…" He took another deep breath, sure his face was red as he forced himself to look back up. "I kissed him."

His friend's entire face lit up in surprise. "What?"

"It was my fault, I practically jumped on him," he explained in a hurry, "and then he told me it couldn't happen like that—and I know that, that's not what I—"

"Cloud," Zack said, his hand clamping down on the blond's shoulder. "It's okay. You don't need to explain—trust me, I get it."

"You…do?"

"Yeah. Gen's kinda impossible to stay away from when he does that—when he gets into that mood…I've been with the guy for years now, and it still gets me going."

"But...no," Cloud insisted, shaking his head again. "It's not okay. He's your boyfriend, and I—"

"Cloud," he cut in again, an amused smirk forming on his face. "It's you. We all know you, we all like you. It doesn't hafta be a big thing. You know how our relationship works by now—I mean, yeah, he probably shoulda asked before making moves on you, but we'll talk it over. No harm done."

That only deepened Cloud's frown. He did know how their relationship worked, and that knowledge made his actions even worse.

They were very committed to one another, and very exclusive. For a long time, it used to be they were a little bit more open…dates on the side from time to time, the occasional hookup—that was how Zack had joined. It was apparently unintended, transitioning from being with just Angeal to being with the whole group…but they were all happy about it.

So happy that they were willing to do it again—and that was when things became too complicated. When one of Genesis' hookups ended up joining their relationship officially as well, as a fifth member.

Everything Cloud knew about how their relationship worked had been learned from just seeing them together through the years, but back then…he'd only known Zack for maybe half a year, and had only been dragged along to meet the others once or twice. The inner details of it were a mystery to him at that point, and they didn't make it a point to discuss what had happened these days.

But he remembered enough about it to know there was a reason their relationship wasn't open anymore—and he'd seen enough since to know how happy they were with their current situation.

"Why aren't you yelling at me?"

Zack blinked. "Why would I do that?"

"Gen wasn't making moves on me, it was my fault. He was just there, and I…You're my best friend—all of you are my friends, and I disrespected your entire relationship. You should be pissed at me right now."

"Nah—if he was giving you the look I'm thinking of, he was basically asking for it," Zack told him, chuckling softly. "Why do you look upset still? No one's gonna be mad about it—seriously, it's not an issue. Maybe if it was some random dude, but Spike…it's you."

"Why do you keep saying it like that? It should be worse because it's me, not better."

"It was just a kiss, Spike. No biggie."

The ache in his chest told him otherwise, but he couldn't bring himself to mention that.

xxxxx

Maybe it was okay. Zack's reassurances left him feeling uneasy, but when Angeal and Sephiroth echoed them…how could he argue with that?

Actually, he tried to argue with it anyway—but they refused to yell at him or even give the slightest indication they were upset with him. They all just shrugged off the whole thing like Zack had, like the entire situation was somehow exempt from the rules of their relationship because he had been their friend for so long.

No one seemed to want to address the bigger issue either—the one following Cloud around, haunting his every step.

It was just a kiss, Spike.

That was true—a relatively short, unreciprocated kiss that had somehow ingrained itself in Cloud's mind. Too many feelings had been brought to the forefront along with that vivid memory…too many questions. Why did the thought of seeing Genesis again send his heart racing? Had Genesis really been 'putting the moves on' him? Why would Genesis be putting moves on him?

And why had he done it in the first place? Regardless of what Genesis may or may not have been doing, it was so unlike him to act so impulsively about things like this. It was like something had snapped inside him when their eyes met, and…

"Cloud."

His eyes shot up with the word, unnerved by the way it was spoken in that same silky smooth voice he'd just been imagining. "Gen. What're you doing here?" he asked, looking around in confusion—he knew where Genesis went to get coffee, and this was not the place. That was part of the reason he'd gone out of his way to come here instead.

"Would you prefer me to call this a coincidence and claim I'm here to enjoy a muffin?"

He lifted his drink to his mouth and took a small sip, needing the time to think it over. "What's the other option?"

"The truth. I was hoping to find you—to speak with you."

He nodded his head slowly, not entirely surprised. This wasn't the first time Genesis had tried to get ahold of him in the week since their kiss, but he'd been blatantly avoiding this encounter. All he'd managed to do was send an apology message—as much as he wanted to say it to Genesis' face, he was worried about how the rest of their conversation might go.

"I don't know what to say," Cloud admitted, shrugging pathetically.

"Then perhaps you wouldn't mind listening for a few minutes?"

"Okay," he agreed, an awkward smile on his face as Genesis took a seat across from him.

His eyes went wide when the redhead reached across the table, covering one of his hands and giving it a gentle squeeze.

It was completely ridiculous. He'd developed feelings for plenty of people over the years—had plenty of relationships, even. There was no reason for him to revert into an awkward teenager just because Genesis was the one touching his hand.

But that was how he felt—like all of a sudden he was the same wide eyed trooper he'd been the day he originally met Genesis instead of the First Class SOLDIER he was today. He didn't know what to say, how to act…how to stay calm.

The knowing look in the redhead's eyes, too…he wasn't mad at least, that much Cloud could tell—but he was obviously here to put an end to whatever thoughts had blossomed in Cloud's mind.

"When Zack first insisted we meet you all those years ago, I told him I had better things to do. He's always made friends easily—I had no desire to meet every single one of them, particularly not some random trooper. You were special though—or so he insisted, often enough that I agreed just to get him to stop asking. To be honest, even after that day, I still didn't understand what he saw in you," Genesis confessed, holding Cloud's gaze evenly as the blond stared back blankly.

"You were young—so quiet and frail," the redhead continued, a faint smile on his face. "When Zack mentioned you were hoping to join SOLDIER, I laughed—you seemed like a kind person, but I was certain you'd wash out of the Army and leave the city before your next birthday. There are certain characteristics we look for in our potential recruits, and as far as I could tell, you didn't possess a single one."

Cloud just nodded his head at that, oddly unoffended to hear it. In a way, it was all true—he really hadn't been cut out for SOLDIER back then. If Zack hadn't come along, Genesis' predictions probably would've all come true. Things had really turned around for him though.

"Needless to say, I was wrong about you," Genesis concluded. "Not just about your future in SOLDIER—I see very clearly now what he meant. How special you are."

"Gen…we've been friends for a long time now," Cloud reminded him slowly. "I know you didn't like me when we first met—I remember the looks you used to give me. Angeal used to pull me aside and tell me not to let it bother me."

"There were a few things I liked about you back then—I remember how you used to blush every time I looked you in the eyes," Genesis began, his smirk eliciting an eye roll from the blond despite the growing blush on his face now.

"And I remember when I stopped doing that."

"Yet here we are."

"Things are different now," he said, shaking his head. "I'm not…that person you met, and I haven't been for a long time."

"No, you haven't been. You've truly come into your own, and I find it difficult not to notice just how much it suits you—confidence and life experience."

"I get it, Gen. You don't need to try so hard to break it to me gently," Cloud asserted, pulling his hand back the way he should've right away. "You think I've grown a lot, but that doesn't mean anything else. I understand—I shouldn't have just kissed you like that, and I'm sorry."

"It means something else. To me, at least."

Cloud just blinked at that—clearly he spent too much time with Zack because he found himself tilting his head just slightly in confusion. "What?"

"You may have been the one to kiss me, and I may have been the one to put a stop to it—but when we were talking, I found myself hoping it would happen."

"You…wanted me to kiss you?" he asked, raising a skeptical brow—sure, something had compelled him to lean in, but Genesis had been pretty quick to pull back.

"I've wanted significantly more than that for quite some time—and I don't mean from a strictly physical standpoint," Genesis responded, far too seriously for Cloud to question it again.

"But…" That, of course, wouldn't stop him from finding different questions to ask. It took a minute to choose which one. "Why're you telling me this?"

"It seems clear to me—I wanted you to kiss me, and you did. Am I correct in assuming that means you feel something for me as well?"

"You're…" He stopped himself, not willing to say it. "All of you mean a lotto me. I can't…I won't screw this up."

"You didn't answer the question."

"Because it doesn't matter. It's more important to me that you and the others—"

"That has nothing to do with what's happening between you and I," Genesis cut in, reaching out for his hand again. "It's wonderful that their opinions matter to you, but surely you know I wouldn't be here having this conversation right now if they weren't okay with it."

"You…told them you had feelings for me?"

"Yes," he answered, like it was so simple. "We had an extensive conversation about it after I explained our kiss. My relationship with the others is perfectly fine—they understand. I'm hoping you understand as well. I love them—more than even I can express—but that doesn't change how I feel about you."

"Are you saying…they're okay with you and me…?"

"Yes. It's not so strange, is it? You've known us long enough—it's not the first time one of us has dated or been with someone else. It doesn't mean I feel any less for them, it just means I feel something for you as well."

"You guys stopped doing that though—after what happened the last time."

"That's behind us now," Genesis assured him. "It has been for a long time."

"But you still don't do this anymore."

"This is you, not some man in a bar who caught my eye. They understand this all too well," the redhead explained carefully. "Are you questioning this because you're truly concerned, or is it because it's too much for you? I understand if you would prefer to be in a more exclusive relationship than I can offer. All you have to do is tell me, and I'll stop pursuing this—we can carry on with our friendship like it never happened, if you prefer."

His heart sank at the very idea of that. "I don't want to pretend it never happened."

"Would you like to go out to dinner this evening?"

"On…a date?"

"Yes," the redhead confirmed, a smile finding a way to his face as Cloud started to nod.

"They really don't mind?" Cloud asked again. Genesis just shot him a look, and he knew what the answer was—this wasn't something the redhead would lie about, or even stretch the truth about. "Yeah, then—I'd like that."

xxxxx

It should've been more awkward than it was. But breakfast with Angeal…it was basically a Tuesday morning tradition on weeks when they were both in town—he couldn't bring himself to feel strange about showing up for it as always.

"So, how was your date?" Angeal asked, his smile too warm—too genuine.

He couldn't help smiling back…it would have felt stranger not to. "It was great. I think it was my best first date ever, actually."

"Did you like the flowers?" Cloud's jaw hung open just slightly, a question filled response on the tip of his tongue...the awkwardness was definitely starting to catch up to him though. Angeal seemed to sense it, quickly adding, "I was with Genesis when he picked them out. I may have helped him with his decision."

"They were beautiful," Cloud told him. "I've never had someone buy me flowers before—I wouldn't have even thought I'd want anyone to until he showed up with them. It was really…sweet."

"I'm sure it won't be the last time," Angeal assured him, winking as Cloud's face heated up.

It was just too much. "Angeal…?"

"Is something wrong?" the elder SOLDIER asked, studying Cloud's torn expression carefully.

"No, it's not that. I just…why isn't this weird?"

"What do you mean?"

"We're talking about the time I went on a date with one of your boyfriends."

"We've been friends for a long time now, Cloud. You and I have always had an easy time discussing things—including dates," Angeal reminded him, the words ringing true. "This doesn't need to be different."

"Isn't it though?"

"We're okay with this—with you and Genesis." He paused, watching Cloud carefully as he mulled over the reassurance. "I am curious about one thing, if you don't mind me asking."

"You can ask me anything."

"Usually you're very forthright about telling me when you're interested in someone—I never even suspected this might happen with Genesis though," Angeal began, his brows furrowed. There was nothing but pure interest to be seen when Cloud met his gaze though. "When did these feelings begin to develop?"

"I don't know," he replied, a hand on the back of his neck. "To be honest, I'd never even thought about him as anything more than a friend. You're all…I mean, I had awkward crushes on all of you back when I was still a trooper. You were literally ShinRa's poster boys—I had one of Sephiroth hanging in my room." Angeal chuckled at that confession, but he didn't look at all put off by it. Probably because he knew—it must've been painfully obvious back then."After all that though—after I really knew you guys, it was just nothing. He was off limits, you know?"

"Off limits?"

"You're my friends, and you're together already," he explained with a shrug. "I remember what happened back then—when you decided to keep things exclusive in your relationship. Maybe I hadn't known you all that long yet, but I respected that. I still respect that."

"We know you do."

"This thing with Gen…it just snuck up out of nowhere. We were doing something we'd done hundreds of times, but the way he looked at me…"

He shook the memory from his mind, the elder SOLDIER watching him with complete understanding—he'd probably been subjected to that same look too many times to count. The thought alone was heartwarming...a big, strong man like Angeal, rendered completely helpless by a simple stare. He couldn't help but wonder if that still worked on Angeal, even after so many years with Genesis.

"Ever since, it's like I can't stop thinking about it—about him," Cloud continued. "I told him though—I don't want to screw this up with everyone. You all mean a lot to me, and—"

"We know, Cloud," Angeal said, his usual kind smile returning to his face. It was such a simple thing, a smile—but the warmth it provided was immeasurable. "You mean a lot to us as well—to me. Things may be changing, but that won't."

xxxxx

Cloud frowned as he closed the drawer to the filing cabinet in Sephiroth's office, eyes shifting over to the general suspiciously. Something was going on, clearly. It wasn't the first time Sephiroth had requested Cloud's help with some menial task—they were friends, but sometimes between their workloads it was difficult to find enough time to see one another.

Sephiroth had taken to Genesis' suggestion of requisitioning Cloud's 'assistance' from time to time, if they hadn't been able to get together otherwise—but unlike Genesis, Sephiroth actually made sure there was at least some task for Cloud to perform…even if it was something small. It seemed he wasn't quite as willing to completely abuse his authority.

This filing cabinet though…it was already perfectly organized.

"Is something wrong?" Cloud asked hesitantly, watching the way Sephiroth's eyes flickered away as soon as he looked over at the general.

To his surprise, the general stopped working entirely, pausing only for a moment before fixing the blond with his full attention. "Yes."

"…Does it have anything to do with this filing cabinet?"

That brought the slightest smile to Sephiroth's face, but it was gone almost as soon as it arose. "No. Have a seat, Cloud."

He nodded his head dumbly, moving to the chair in front of the general's desk without hesitation. There was a fifty/fifty chance it was work related still—usually he could get a good read on Sephiroth's expressions, but this time…it was hard to say. The general almost looked guarded, which left Cloud feeling entirely unsettled.

"Angeal mentioned your decorative preferences from your trooper days."

"I…I'm sorry," he said, blinking in surprise—were they really discussing his poster of all things? "That was a long time ago. I didn't really know the difference between what ShinRa put out there for people to see and—"

"I am not angry, Cloud."

"…It's weird though, isn't it?" Weirder still to think other people were out there with Sephiroth posters on their wall, to this very day—not him anymore, but he was just one of many. "You're a person—not some puppet for them to use as a company advertisement."

"Would it also be weird to say I have a photograph of you on my wall as well?"

"Since when?" he asked, not biting back his confusion—he'd been to Sephiroth's apartment too many times to count. Surely he would've noticed.

"It is a group photograph, taken the night you and Zack brought me to Kalm's annual carnival. It's hanging in my bedroom," he explained carefully—which also explained why Cloud had never seen it. "You had gotten cotton candy in my hair. It's visible in the photograph."

Cloud stiffened in the chair, ready to apologize for that accident again—even though it was nearly two years ago now, and had clearly been Zack's fault…but then he saw the way Sephiroth was smiling. No apologies were necessary.

Actually, aside from that horrific moment, it had been a pretty fun night—Sephiroth's first carnival ever, and Cloud's first "double date". The thought alone brought a small smile to his face. Zack had set him up with Kunsel—a short lived, but amusing 'relationship' that had transformed into a very solid friendship.

"We should go again next time they have one of those—I'll try my best not to get anything in your hair," Cloud mused, pleased when Sephiroth actually chuckled. "And, no…it's not weird to have a picture like that on your wall. That's a lot different than some poster though. That's…personal. That's actually us, not some company photoshoot."

"It is us, but sometimes I find myself admiring that particular photograph the same way you may have admired my poster."

"Uh…" His eyes were bulging, face flushed with embarrassment—Sephiroth obviously had no idea exactly how Cloud had occasionally admired that poster. "I doubt it."

"Perhaps not the exact same way," the general conceded, eyes curious as he watched Cloud shift in his chair.

"I know what you mean though," Cloud said quickly, regaining some of his composure. "It's different—you're not admiring me, you're just looking back on good memories."

"We share many of those."

"Yeah," he agreed, embarrassment fading as the smile returned to his face. "Definitely more than just that one night."

Sephiroth nodded in agreement, and Cloud found himself lost in the silence that followed. Normally he could sit with Sephiroth and be more than content—whether they were talking or not, it was a soothing thing. Pauses between them used to make him somewhat anxious, but he'd learned in time that words weren't always necessary to enjoy spending time someone—with this man in particular.

This wasn't one of those pleasant silences though.

He met the general's eyes, wishing he knew what was going on—something was obviously still bothering him, but they had gotten off track somehow. Sephiroth didn't get off track often. Last he checked, things were good between him and the general, but…

"Seph, does this all have something to do with me and Gen?" Cloud guessed, slumping in his seat when Sephiroth confirmed it.

He should've known it was too good to be true—things were going too well. He and Genesis were a few weeks into whatever it was that was happening between them…dating, or the start of a relationship—they hadn't really taken the time to label it, but somehow that hadn't seemed necessary. All that mattered was how great it was…how much fun they were having together, slowly exploring sides of each other that they had yet to see. So much of their time together was the same as always, but so much was different too—in all the right ways.

The others though…their reassurances had almost become too insistent. They were almost too supportive of the whole thing. Too curious about how the dates were going. Zack had called him paranoid for mentioning it, but…wasn't it only a matter of time before someone grew uncomfortable with the whole situation? They could be secure in their relationship and still not really like Genesis having his own, separate boyfriend on the side—even if he was that boyfriend.

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen," Cloud told him, shaking his head helplessly. "I wasn't trying to—"

"I know—we all know that," Sephiroth reassured him calmly, the same way he had many times already. "Angeal also mentioned you considered Genesis off limits until recently. Is he the only one you considered as such?"

"Um…I guess not," he answered slowly. "You're all my friends…you're all together. I make it a point not to waste time considering people who I know aren't available."

"You could say I have considered you the same for many years now—off limits. Zack occasionally joked about how I had a crush on you…I never found it amusing. You were his closest friend—it was not appropriate to consider you further, particularly back when these thoughts first arose."

He wasn't sure exactly when his heart had started racing, but he couldn't seem to slow it back down. "Seph…?"

"You are open minded about being with Genesis even when he is with the rest of us." Sephiroth paused there, but all Cloud could do was nod in acknowledgement. "Is that all you want? To be with Genesis alone?"

"I don't understand," he muttered, rubbing his face as he tried to grasp what Sephiroth was saying.

He knew what he thought he was being asked—what he thought Sephiroth was implying. And he couldn't deny that it had definitely crossed his mind already—after everything with Genesis, it was impossible not to think about what else he may have been pushing aside all this time.

But being with Genesis…that alone was more than he had ever hoped for. How could he really justify sitting around thinking about more? It wasn't like being with one of them gave him permission to consider the rest by default. They might even be offended if they knew some of the things he'd been thinking—they were his friends…they were putting so much trust in him already in this situation, even after the decisions they'd made about their relationship in the past.

That didn't stop any of the feelings from swelling in his chest as he met Sephiroth's stare head on, even when he was trying so hard to keep them at bay. "You…even if you weren't off limits—even if none of you were, it wouldn't matter. When you broke up with—"

"That is behind us now."

"But you said never again," Cloud reminded him, staring pointedly. "All of you did. No more dating on the side, no more considering other people—it almost tore you apart."

"We were focused on restoring our relationship—reestablishing the bonds that were strained through that incident. That was nearly five years ago now. Our relationship has never been stronger than it is today. You are correct in assuming we still carry the lessons we learned with us, but you are something of a special exception. Had Genesis attempted to date anyone else, we may have been wary—we could never be wary of you."

"What're you saying?"

"Now that Genesis has broken down and admitted his feelings for you, the rest of us have been forced to confront what I believe we have known all along."

"…What's that?"

"I cannot speak for the others—only for myself. They are aware I intended to speak with you about this, but wish to have their own conversations with you," Sephiroth explained. "I have been avoiding how I feel about you for far too long now—I would like to change that."

"Shit…" he cursed, so quietly he barely heard himself—maybe he hadn't even said it aloud.

"I am hoping you might feel this connection as well, but I would prefer you simply be honest regardless."

"Feel the same…about you?" Cloud asked, his jaw still hanging open just slightly as Sephiroth nodded. "I mean, things have always been great with us—out of everyone, you're just…things have always been easy with you. But what you're asking…"

"You need time to think about it first."

"Yeah…not about how I feel about you though—that part feels pretty obvious, actually," he admitted quietly. He couldn't even bring himself to be embarrassed by the admission—he was too stunned by how good it felt to just say it. The relief on Sephiroth's face, too—that made it even more worthwhile. "I just don't know what that means—that's what I need time to think about. I had no idea…it's a lot. I wasn't expecting all this."

"We've waited this long, haven't we? There is no rush here, Cloud."

"I just don't get what you want with me—to date me too? Like Gen? Or…?" He shook his head, unable to sort through it all on the spot.

"Perhaps you should speak with Zack and Angeal before thinking on this more. I believe you will understand our intentions then."

It sounded pretty obvious what that meant, but he was still mostly in a state of disbelief—the thought of talking with the others only left him with more to think about. These feelings…first Genesis, now Sephiroth—was it really okay? The look Sephiroth was giving him seemed pretty conclusive, but…yeah, he definitely needed to go talk to the others. The sooner he found some clarity about all this, the better.

"Okay," he said after a minute, hopping to his feet and ready to do just that.

Angeal had gone out of town on a mission the previous day, but Zack was probably around…Cloud knew his routine—it'd be easy enough to track him down. Something about the look on Sephiroth's face caused him to stop in his tracks though, his eyes meeting the green ones that had never left him. It occurred to him…he'd basically just gotten here. As much as he wanted to go find some answers, he wasn't nearly ready to leave just yet.

"Do you wanna maybe…get lunch or something first?" Cloud suggested slowly. "It's kind of early, but I'm hungry if you are."

"I would like that very much."

xxxxx

He didn't even get two words out—Zack was already buckled over laughing, apparently too amused by the expression on the blond's face.

"You're not very helpful," Cloud said, scowling when his friend finally looked back up.

This was not how he was expecting this conversation to begin—maybe he should've known though.

After a surprisingly normal and awkward-free lunch with Sephiroth, he'd taken his time before tracking his best friend down…He'd allowed himself to consider the possibilities he'd tried so hard to ignore, still somewhat overwhelmed by the whole thing. By the time he'd worked up the nerve to go find out for sure, he was feeling pretty good about the whole thing—and this is what he got the moment he knocked on his friend's door. Laughter.

He'd walked inside during the course of it, waiting it out with his hands on his hips.

"C'mon!" Zack exclaimed, eyes still lit up with amusement as he looked at Cloud again, "You look like you did the day we met—like you're lost or something. It was kinda cute back then, but now it's just funny. What happened to the big, bad First Class Cloud, ready to take on the Planet?"

"Give me a break—I'm having a relapse this week and I'm pretty sure it's at least partly your fault," he said, shrugging when Zack's laughter started back up—he couldn't help laughing a bit too.

"I'm guessing you talked to Seph then, huh?"

"Yeah…If you'd have told me five years ago Sephiroth would end up telling me he had a crush on me, or that it'd be anything more than that now? I would've whacked you and told you to stop messing around."

"I did tell you Seph had a crush on you—and you definitely whacked me!"

Cloud gave his shoulder another playful whack, just because. "I thought you were kidding!"

"That's what you get for not taking me seriously, Spike—you can't blame me for that!"

"Okay, fine—I'm taking you seriously right now, so…is there anything you wanted to say to me?"

Zack straightened up a bit, amusement fading as he arched an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"You don't think this is messed up? I kinda thought you'd be telling me how weird this all is—telling me to back off, or something. It was random enough when it was just Gen—now Seph too?" he pressed, trying to look prepared for it—like it wouldn't completely crush him at this point if that's what happened.

It was hard though. After talking to Sephiroth…he couldn't help hoping that maybe some of his stray thoughts and assumptions weren't so crazy—that maybe some of the things he'd been beating himself up about for thinking weren't so bad. Part of him had been so eager to talk to Zack—to find out one way or the other. But if Zack actually did tell him to back off…

The delay in Zack's response was too much—he looked down, unable to keep his serious expression in place.

"Uh, Spike…" His friend tilted his chin back up, the goofy grin plastered on Zack's face doing wonders to set him at ease. "There's nothing random about any of this. Thelast thing I want is for you to back off now that this is all happening."

"I swear to Gaia, if you try telling me you've had a crush on me all this time too, I'm gonna—"

Zack laughed again, but only as he pulled the blond in for what he assumed would be a crushing hug—suffocating and strong as ever. He had already braced himself, still tensed up and ready for it when Zack's familiar arms were securely around him. There was nothing bone crushing about it though—his friend's hold was oddly gentle, and when he looked up curiously…

He just nodded, seeing the question in Zack's eyes as his friend leaned down slowly. Their lips met, and it was the most peculiar thing—mostly because it didn't feel strange at all. Kissing Zack…he'd never imagined it, but he was sure this wouldn't have been what he had in mind—he was sure he would've expected something playful or insistent.

This was soft, almost tentative…and far too brief.

"Your breath stinks," he muttered, trying to hold a straight face as Zack pulled back.

There was no comeback to that though—just another quick peck, like Zack was still testing it out how it felt one more time. From the look on his face, he didn't think it was very weird either. It felt…natural, really.

"I didn't have a crush on you. We always have an awesome time together, but it was never anything else as far as I could see. I might've noticed how good the last few years treated you, all the muscle you've put on…but that was it, you know? Just a friendly observation. You were just my best bud," Zack told him, his eyes far too serious as he stared down. "But…I dunno. We were all cool about it just being you and Gen, but then all of a sudden Angeal's saying he wants more too. No one was surprised when Seph said the same—he's always had a soft spot for you. But you and me?"

Zack chuckled again, and Cloud couldn't help doing the same—it did sound kind of outrageous, especially when he said it like that. "I never really thought about it either until…well, recently," the blond admitted slowly. "It's different—I'm friends with all of you guys, but you…I don't know. We get along in a different way."

"Yeah, exactly! We goof around, and just…we have fun, and it's not like we're ever trying to impress each other. I kinda need that time with you—when things are stressful or whatever, I hunt you down. Not that I can't unwind with the others, but I like having a best bud too."

"I know—I do the same thing with you."

"Then you get it—it sounded weird at first, you and me as anything else. I'm cool with most things, but...I really didn't know how this would work—if it'd just be you and them, and me and them, with us just being buds in between. We've never done it like that, but this whole relationship is kinda just us loving each other and doing what we can to make it work."

"…Is that how you want it to be?"

"No," he muttered, leaning in again—this time with more certainty. It brought out the same in Cloud, easing some of the worries Zack's words had stirred…but then he pulled back again, far too soon. "I could definitely get used to this."

Cloud stared up, still guarded as he met Zack's eyes. "Because it's convenient that way?"

"No—because it occurred to me that I don't hafta lose my best bud for this to happen. I like how things are with you and me, probably more than I ever realized. It's not that I wasn't sure I could see myself having more with you, but I guess I was kinda worried if we crossed that line, maybe we'd lose some of what we already have, you know? But that was stupid. We don't have to lose anything."

"It's not stupid," Cloud told him, easily able to empathize with those concerns. "But yeah—nothing has to change. We can have all that still, and more. That's kinda what I noticed already, with Gen at least. It's not as big a change as I thought."

"Then yeah—this makes sense. You and me. Me and them—you and them. I never woulda thought it'd happen, but now that is has—I don't wanna turn back from what's right in front of my face."

"I don't either."

"You've got that look in your eyes, like you're thinking a lot more than you're saying. We're still best buds, right? You can tell me anything."

"I guess I just don't know where I stand still—I'm dating Gen, having really open talks with Seph…kissing you, apparently. We're talking about it like it's a done deal, but…"

"Isn't it? I mean, it's cool if you just wanna date Gen, but it seems like maybe you like all of us—and I know we all like you. Ang'll be back in a couple days. Think about it if you're not sure, and you can talk to him when he's back—then we can all get on the same page."

"I'm already sure, I just…Are you sure?"

"Spike, I know I don't take everything seriously, but this? It's not really something I'd mess around with—I definitely want this. Kinda feels like this was all inevitable, to be honest—the more I think about it, the more I wonder how it didn't happen sooner. I'd kiss you more to prove it, but we should probably hold off until things are set in stone."

"Yeah," he said, agreeing with all of it—it was definitely starting to feel like it was inevitable, no matter how overwhelming and it all still felt. Waiting to talk to Angeal definitely made sense too—it was like Sephiroth had said, there was no rush. "I don't know if I ever thanked you…back then, you did a lot for me. I know I wouldn't be a SOLDIER without you, and the others—you basically had to drag me to meet them, and you're all…everything to me now. I'm kind of a shitty friend, huh?"

"Nah…It's not like we always need words, Spike—you've told me thanks plenty of times in your own way," Zack assured him, that dorky smile emerging on his face and drawing the same one out of Cloud.

He didn't even try to fight it as he stared up, meeting Zack's eyes and seeing firsthand proof that those words were true—neither of them needed to say a word to understand what the other was thinking in that moment.

xxxxx

"I'm beginning to think you're trying to butter me up for something."

Cloud blinked innocently, sure he had no idea what Angeal could possibly mean. "Why would I be doing that?"

"I've known you for a long time, Cloud—you've never snuck into my apartment to bake me a cake before," the elder SOLDIER said, quirking a brow. "In fact, I don't think anyone's made me a cake before—normally I do the baking around here."

"I thought you could use a break from it—you did just get back, and it was kind of a long mission," the blond explained quickly, watching anxiously as Angeal took a small bite. It had been a long time since he'd done any baking, but he was pretty sure he'd nailed his mom's old recipe. The next bite Angeal took was much bigger, which seemed like a success.

"Maybe I'm trying to butter you a little," Cloud confessed, poking at his own piece.

"Are you planning to tell me why?"

He shrugged. "I was hoping you'd finish your cake first."

"What kind of cake is this exactly?" Angeal asked, his tone somewhat suspicious.

"Oh, it's my mom's recipe—carrot cake. I know you like carrots."

Angeal chuckled softly at that. "I meant what kind of cake, not what flavor—it's obviously not a birthday cake. Is it a welcome back cake? A thank you cake, maybe?"

Cloud considered that for a moment. "It's more like…'I'm sorry I made moves on all your boyfriends while you were gone' cake."

He raised both brows at that. "All of them?"

"In my defense, Seph started it—and I'm pretty sure you had something to do with that. I told you about my old poster in confidence."

"You'll get used to that—we don't keep secrets in this relationship. Although if there's something you'd prefer to tell one of us yourself, you can always ask the rest of us to wait. As long as the communication is there, that's the important thing."

"You're telling me that like I'm a part of your relationship already."

"Aren't you?" Angeal countered, setting his fork down and holding Cloud's gaze. His blunt words had an undeniable impact on the blond's heart rate, and intensity of his stare was doing nothing to slow it back down. "I don't mean to be presumptuous—I know how they feel about you already, and if you're telling me you made moves on them, I assume that means you have feelings for them. But that doesn't mean you feel the same for me automatically."

"I baked you a cake—I must like you a little."

Angeal's stern features relented just slightly, a smile tugging at one side of his mouth. "You did call it an apology cake."

"It's not that kind of apology cake—I had plenty of time to think while you were gone, and I know what I want. I want to be with you—all of you," he said, pleased by the look Angeal sent him. "I guess I shouldn't be presumptuous either—they said you felt the same, but—"

"Of course I do," Angeal told him instantly, the relief clear in his voice. "We should call the others and let them know we've sorted this out—that it's official. There's plenty of cake to share."

"Oh…Um, maybe we could wait before doing that?" he asked, shifting in his seat as he thought about it.

He was so comfortable with each of them—so sure this was what he wanted. The idea of having them all here at the same time though…even as just their friend, spending time with the whole group was the best…and it didn't happen all that often. But having this be the reason why—it was probably irrational, but he didn't want to be the focus of their time together, like it was some kind of awkward celebration or something.

He just wanted their time together to be like it always had been—but more.

"It won't be any different than our usual get togethers, Cloud," Angeal reassured him, always too in tune with Cloud's reactions. "We know better than to overwhelm you while this is all so new—it'll be like any other relationship, where we adjust to it together. We'll take everything day by day, at our own pace."

"I went on a couple more dates with Gen while you were gone," Cloud said, smiling at the thought, "and then Seph and I did lunch a few times. Zack's kind of…the same dork he's always been. But it felt different, knowing how things were changing. Good different—but different, you know?" Angeal gave an encouraging nod, letting Cloud take his time. "Things weren't really defined—I think everyone wanted me to wait and talk to you first."

"…And now that you have, something else is bothering you," he observed, a deep frown settling onto his face.

"I just…now that you're saying things like 'it's official'…"

"You're not certain this is what you want?"

"I'm sure," Cloud replied without hesitation. "I just…when you were going through your issues—after your last breakup, I thought you guys were done with this. Everyone keeps saying that's behind you now, but I thought you guys kinda decided five was too many back then. That it was just too hectic. And now I'm officially that fifth person."

"Is that what you thought?" Angeal asked, not hiding his confusion. "It wasn't a matter of how many of us there were—he just wasn't a good match for us. Not everyone's cut out for a relationship like this. We're not jealous people—he had a hard time with that. He thought Zack and I were spending too much time together—he was stirring up old rivalries between Gen and Seph to keep them apart. It became a bad situation all around...There's a right way to have a relationship like this, and there's a wrong way—things were going all wrong at that point."

"What if it goes wrong this time?"

"I can tell you now our relationship is far from perfect, and I can't guarantee it will be indefinite. But I can guarantee things won't happen like that again. We learned a lot from that experience," Angeal said, softly as he gave Cloud another small smile. "Obviously we cared about him or we wouldn't have invited him into our relationship in the first place, but it wasn't working. We tried to address the problem, but nothing changed. Enough was enough. That kind of behavior is toxic in a relationship—even a relationship between just two people. You know that."

Angeal paused as if to let it sink in, and Cloud found himself nodding in agreement. "Yeah it is," he said, remembering that all too well—he'd had one or two jealous boyfriends over the years. Boyfriends who didn't understand his close friendships with these four.

"Communication and trust are what make this relationship work. We talked it out back then, decided it was best for him to leave, and then spent a lot of time getting back to where we are now. For a long time we made it a point not to look outside our own relationship, and it was better that way—we were happy, so we kept it like that. But this," he said, reaching out for Cloud's hand. "If anything could make us happier, it would be this. We can all see that."

"You don't talk to him anymore. I don't think I could handle that…if something happened, and I ended up losing all of you."

"That was his choice, no ours. We wouldn't allow that to happen with you—even if it wasn't working out, we'd find a way back to where we started before letting it go that far."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know you—the type of man you are. And you know us. Our relationship isn't always easy, but we do what we can to make it work—I think you'll find it's worth the effort."

He nodded at that, sure Angeal had a good point—they'd been friends for so long now. He'd seen the effort each of these men had put into their relationship…watched them go through loops even when they were tired or frustrated. None of them would let anything happen that was irreparable. And really, worrying about breaking up when they'd just gotten together?

This wasn't how he wanted his entry into their relationship to happen.

"You know…you're right—there's plenty of cake to share. We should call the others. I'm sure they want to see you now that you're back."

"I think I'll have another piece first, if that's okay—otherwise it'll all be gone."

Cloud smiled at that, glad to have a little extra time with just Angeal. "Yeah. I'd better have another too."

xxxxx

It had only been a couple weeks, but it wasn't strange at all—kissing Angeal goodbye before going on a date with Genesis. Maybe the look on Genesis' face was a bit much…it still sent a shiver down his spine most the time. But he wasn't complaining. How could he? Somehow he'd gone from having four amazing friends to four amazing boyfriends, largely due to the effect that look had on him.

He looked down at their joined hands as they walked out of Angeal's apartment together, silently decided he liked how that felt even more. It was the littlest things that made all the difference—the smallest changes that seemed to separate what their friendships were from what their relationship had become.

Every day he discovered another subtle difference, and so far he'd enjoyed every single one.

"You knew all this would happen, didn't you?" Cloud asked, smiling a bit when he looked up and found Genesis eyeing him already.

The redhead arched an eyebrow. "Did I?"

"Yeah. You could've just said something, but instead you pulled out your sexiest voice to seduce me…you must've known it was only a matter of time before everything happened with the others too," Cloud accused, narrowing his eyes playfully as he let Genesis tug him closer.

"Truthfully, I had been planning to discuss the possibility with the others weeks before that day," the redhead admitted with a sly smile. "I suspected as much—that they all cared for you more than they had admitted to themselves. I understood why they were hesitant to address it…I was too, for a while, of course. But it was getting to the point where someone needed to say something. I was happy to be that someone."

"Why didn't you talk to them first?"

"You were still a question mark—I had no idea whether or not you felt the same for me or any of us, and I didn't want the entire group to approach you only to be rejected. You always played along with my flirting, but that didn't mean much."

"Everyone plays along with your flirting."

"Exactly. I only meant to test the waters that afternoon—to see if I could get you to look at me the right way, or maybe blush a little. I had no idea you'd find me so irresistible, though perhaps I should have," he said, winking as Cloud rolled his eyes. "The others still needed a little more time to admit to their feelings, but I had no intention of keeping you waiting after what happened. I am pleased with how it all turned out."

"You're not irresistible," he grumbled, glaring up as he saw the smug look on Genesis' face.

That only amused the redhead, bringing him to a complete halt. He trailed his hand over Cloud's cheek, drawing him in closer with ease. "Keep telling yourself that, dear—we both know you have yet to resist me."

Cloud pulled back as their lips grazed one another's, maintaining his halfhearted scowl. "I was trying to get around to saying thank you, but you're making impossible to get it out—why do you always have to smirk like that?"

"Cloud…"

Two quick pecks later, Genesis proved victorious—Cloud leaned in for something longer, partly because he was unable to resist it, and partly because he had every intention of kissing the damn smirk off this man's face before hearing whatever it was he had to say. When he did pull back, he couldn't help but smiling—the smirk was definitely gone, replaced by a fond stare.

"You're quite welcome."