What Friends Are For

It started with an innocent conversation. Zack had, as he so often did, wandered by Cloud's barracks and invited himself in, only to find Cloud already engrossed in a task with some of his squadmates.

"What in the name of the Ancients are you three doing?" the SOLDIER asked curiously as he stood over them. They were sitting in a huddle in the far corner of the room, shielding their work from prying eyes. They had several sets of uniforms spread out between them, including one set of full dress blues, and they were carefully applying a thin layer of liquid from a little jar to every bit of metal on them.

Looking up at him, Cloud grinned. How strange it was for him to be the one participating in mischief while Zack looked on! "It's Gibson's birthday tomorrow," he explained, brushing a bit of the liquid onto the buttons of the dress uniform. "It's company tradition to prank people on their birthday. Warner got this stuff from the medics, it's a blue dye that only works on skin. They use it to make markings for surgery, apparently."

"It won't be as effective if it's already dry when it comes in contact with the skin," Warner added. "But he'll be touching a lot of it. His hands'll be blue for a week."

"Evil," Zack said admiringly, shaking his head. "Can I help?"

"Be our guest," Cloud laughed, shifting to make room for the older boy. Zack settled in and picked up a saber, setting to work on the metal of the hilt with every evidence of glee.

Later, as they were heading together to the mess for dinner, something occurred to Cloud. "Hey Zack, when's your birthday?" he asked, puzzled. He'd known Zack for over a year now, so the older boy's birthday must have come and gone at least once. And Zack wasn't exactly the type to be shy about asking for presents. It was possible it had been during one of the periods when they were posted in different places, of course, but shouldn't he still have mentioned it?

It was a simple enough question, Cloud thought, but Zack looked baffled. "It's... uh..." Frowning, the SOLDIER rubbed at his temple. "Around... Honestly? I can't remember," he finally admitted sheepishly. "Sometime in the summer. I think. I remember going on a picnic once for it... unless that wasn't for me. You know what? I have no clue."

"You don't remember?" Cloud repeated, stopping in his tracks and staring at the older boy incredulously. "How can you not remember your own birthday? I mean, it's not like you left home when you were really little, you were already thirteen, weren't you?"

"Oh, yeah," Zack agreed, nodding. "I used to know it. It's just... well, mako kind of fucks with your head, sometimes." He winced. "Don't go repeating that, okay? It's classified. We're not supposed to talk about it. It's not a big deal, really. You never forget anything that might screw you up or get you killed on a mission, just... details."

"But your birthday?" Shaking his head, Cloud frowned. "That seems like a major kind of detail to me!"

"Heh. You think that's bad, try asking what my last name is sometime," Zack told him ruefully. "I still knew it last year, I'm pretty sure. I think I sent a letter to my parents when I made 1st Class, so I must have. But Aerith asked me the other day, and damned if I could remember."

"Your last name? But... shouldn't all this stuff be in your file?" Cloud asked, the frown deepening. "I know they don't make the records for SOLDIERs public, but surely you have access to them?"

"Sure I do, but they strip out all the identifying information when you make SOLDIER," Zack told him. "To protect our families, they say, but personally I think it's just Shinra taking advantage of the memory problems to make sure we don't have anyone to be loyal to but them. It's probably in a highly classified file somewhere, but not one you or I will ever see."

Seeing that Cloud was still troubled by the idea, Zack ruffled his hair and slung an arm around his shoulder. "Don't worry about it, kid," he said firmly. "It's not a big deal. It's worth it, to be a SOLDIER. I don't even think about it any more, so you shouldn't either. Now c'mon, let's go eat, I'm starved."

Zack might not have thought about it, but Cloud couldn't seem to stop. He lay awake in his bunk that night, staring up at the ceiling and turning it all over in his head, trying to make sense of it.

He'd heard rumours that the mako used to create the SOLDIERs could mess up your mind; it was a boot camp horror story, a legend about the people who made SOLDIER only to go mad, raving about the dead and other people's memories. But he hadn't thought it was real. Not that Zack was raving... though he had seemed uncertain whether the memory of a picnic in the summer for his birthday was his or not.

To forget, not just your birthday, but your own name was unthinkable to Cloud. He tried to imagine it happening to him, and couldn't. Being a Strife was a part of who he was, every bit as important as being Cloud.

Finally, as the darkest hours of the night passed by and the first hints of false dawn lit the horizon, Cloud made a decision. He and Zack might not ever have access to that file, but he knew someone who probably did. And who just might be willing to help, if it was for Zack's sake.

Having made the decision let him fall asleep at last, but it wasn't as easy as all that. It took him a full two weeks to work up the courage to follow through on it, though he kept telling himself it was because he was waiting for Zack to get an assignment out of the city so the older boy wouldn't find out what Cloud was up to.

Walking through the luxuriously appointed hallways of Shinra's upper office levels, Cloud tried not to feel quite so much like he was horribly out of place. If he slunk around like he didn't belong there someone would probably throw him out, and he didn't think he'd ever find the nerve to make a second attempt. Though Sephiroth had taken Zack - and allowed Zack to bring Cloud - on several missions now, they'd never needed to come up to the general's office before. He tried to picture Sephiroth walking along the plush carpet, and it was like trying to imagine a wolf keeping company with a bunch of spoiled lap dogs. The general just didn't fit into this setting.

But this was where his office was, and his office was the place where Cloud was most likely to be able to find and speak to the man in private.

The doors were widely spaced, and most of them had large gold nameplates announcing to the world who was privileged enough to merit an office up here. It wasn't hard to find Sephiroth's door; it was the only one that had a discreet brass nameplate, hardly large enough to catch the eye.

Pausing in front of it, Cloud steeled himself. Reaching up, he rapped smartly on the door twice, then stood and waited.

"Come," the command came almost immediately. Cloud swallowed and winced. Sephiroth sounded irritated, probably by the interruption. Great. Catching him in a bad mood was not conducive to the success of Cloud's plan.

And keeping him waiting was only going to make his mood worse, so Cloud wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers and opened the door. He took three quick steps inside, letting it close behind him, and snapped to attention. "General Sephiroth, sir!" He saluted, and held it as Sephiroth turned in his chair to face him.

The general looked surprised, rather than angry, which was a good sign at least. "At ease," he said, nodding to acknowledge the salute, and Cloud went to parade rest. "Strife. I didn't call you up, did I? Zack's not even in the city."

"No sir, you didn't call for me," Cloud told him, grateful that his voice didn't waver or do something embarrassing like break. "I, um... wanted to ask you for a favour, sir."

Now Sephiroth did look upset, his brows drawing down in a forbidding expression. "I'm not in the habit of playing favourites, private..." he started, and Cloud paled as he realized what Sephiroth thought he was asking.

"N-no, sir, it's not like that at all!" he hastened to assure the man, his eyes wide. "I would never presume... it's not even really for me, sir, it's for Zack, and it doesn't have anything - well, not much - to do with the military."

Looking at him for a moment longer, perhaps judging his sincerity, Sephiroth said nothing. Finally the scowl faded into curiosity. "For Zack? What is it you need, then?"

Taking a deep breath, Cloud plunged in. He'd come this far, there was no point in chickening out now. Even if asking the general to give him information from a highly classified file probably did count as 'having something to do with the military', and might well get him court martialed.

"You see, sir, I asked him when his birthday is, and he doesn't remember," he said, trying not to rush through the words from nervousness. "He said it's been stripped from his file, and he doesn't have access to the information, but I thought you might be able to tell me." His eyes softened. "He's done so much for me, sir, and I wanted a chance to do something for him in return. Throwing him a birthday party is the least I can do."

Leaning back in his chair, Sephiroth considered that. "I don't know it off hand," he replied. "But I can find out. Sit, private," he gestured at the chair on the other side of his desk. "This will take me a few minutes. And this stays strictly between us, is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," Cloud almost sighed, overwhelmed with relief. Sephiroth wasn't angry with him for asking, and better yet he was willing to help. Sitting gingerly in the chair, Cloud very carefully did not even glance in the direction of the computer screen as Sephiroth started typing.

There was no sound in the office for long minutes except the clacking of the keys. Cloud tried not to fidget, locking his hands together tightly in his lap. He was still a little stunned that this had actually worked.

Lit by the pale blue glow of the monitor, Sephiroth looked even more washed out than usual. At last he nodded and turned away from the screen, glancing back at Cloud. "July twelfth," he informed Cloud, with a hint of a smile. "That gives you about a month to prepare."

It was all Cloud could do not to bounce with glee. "Thank you sir, thank you so much," he exclaimed. "That's perfect, just enough time to set up a party. And it really will be a total surprise party! Now I just have to hope one or both of us aren't shipped out that week."

"Oh, I think I can make certain of that much," Sephiroth assured him, the smile growing slightly. Probably in response to the way he was acting like an excited kid at Christmas, Cloud thought with a blush. But if it made Sephiroth smile, Cloud didn't regret it even if it was embarrassing.

"Um... I don't suppose you could tell me his last name, too?" Cloud wondered aloud, hesitant to ask any more favours but wanting to help Zack any way he could.

To his disappointment, but not surprise, Sephiroth immediately shook his head. "No, private, that I will not tell you. The possibility of a SOLDIER's family being held hostage may be mostly an excuse, but that doesn't make the threat any less real. I know you are his friend and he trusts you, but there are reasons the information is classified."

Pausing, he added after a moment's thought, "I may tell him directly, however. If that's everything?" Cloud nodded, grateful Sephiroth was willing to relent that much, for Zack's sake. "Dismissed, then."

Standing, Cloud saluted him quickly, and turned to march to the door. As he set his hand on it to open it, however, he hesitated. "Sir?" he finally ventured, looking back at Sephiroth. "Would you like to come?"

"I beg your pardon?" Sephiroth blinked at him, looking puzzled.

"To the party," Cloud elaborated. "I know Zack considers you a good friend, and he'd really love it if you were there. If you're busy or whatever, though, he'll understand."

An odd look flitted over the general's face, gone so quickly Cloud wasn't sure he hadn't imagined it. It had looked like surprise, and... loneliness.

"I'll consider it," he finally declared. "It will depend on my duties at the time. Let me know when you've scheduled it."

"I will, sir," Cloud said happily, and saluted him again. Then he all but fled the office, still in shock that he'd had even had the balls to come here. He had a lot of planning to do.

The day of the party dawned miserable and rainy - which actually suited Cloud's plans fairly well. When they had leave on nice days Zack usually wanted to stay up above the plate, or even go outside the city for a spin on his bike. On rainy days, however, unless he'd already made different plans with Cloud he almost invariably went down to visit his girlfriend in sector 5.

Cloud had been introduced to Aerith a few times, but it had still taken almost as much courage to approach her for help as it had to ask Sephiroth in the first place. She'd been delighted, her whole face lighting up with excitement when he'd told her what he was up to and asked for suggestions, and much to his relief she'd pretty much taken over organizing the whole thing. All Cloud had needed to do was give the date and location to Sephiroth, make sure Zack went, and get himself down there as well.

First thing after morning inspection Cloud splashed his way across the compound to the SOLDIERs' quarters, grateful the rain was at least warm at this time of year. As he'd expected he found Zack dressed in civvies, obviously planning to go out.

"Hey," he greeted his friend, a little out of breath from running. He leaned in the doorway to Zack's room. "You going under the plate today?"

"Yeah, I haven't seen Aerith in a while," Zack agreed. "Unless you had something you wanted to do?" Zack's willingness to drop his own plans to accommodate Cloud made the younger boy feel flushed and oddly happy, but he shook his head.

"No, I'm on duty today," he said, forcing regret into his voice. He hoped he sounded casual, not like he was reciting a prepared speech or something incriminating like that. "Guard duty, out in the rain. I'll be half crazy from the raindrops drumming on my helmet by the time you get back."

"Ugh, that sucks," Zack agreed sympathetically. "Well, maybe I'll see you tonight after you get off, then. Or whenever you've got time free; I've got a couple days of leave this time."

"We'll figure something out," Cloud agreed, hiding a private smile. Zack would be seeing him a lot sooner than tonight, but saying so would give the surprise away. "Have fun, and tell Aerith I said 'hi'. And don't forget, you promised next time she made tarts you'd bring one back for me!"

"I won't forget," Zack assured him, laughing. "I'll see you later, then." Pulling on a light jacket to shield him from the rain, the older boy stamped his feet to settle them in his boots and headed out. Cloud walked him as far as the door to the barracks, then stood watching as Zack headed for the motor pool to get his bike. Once he was sure Zack was far enough away, he started chuckling to himself and hurried back towards his own barracks. He needed to change and get down beneath the plate.

It didn't take him long to change into his civvies, and he all but flew towards the station for the train that would take him down below. Aerith was meeting Zack at the church and would delay him for a while before suggesting they go back to her place, but Cloud would still need to move fast if he wanted to get there before they did. And he didn't know how many others Aerith had invited, but Cloud didn't want to be the last to arrive.

The station was crowded; it was a weekday, and early enough that the people who lived below but worked above were still in the middle of their commutes. At least the train going down wouldn't be nearly as crowded as the one coming up, Cloud reflected. Few people who could afford to live above the plate did so by working below, so the only people going down at this time of day were those coming off the night shifts from the reactors.

Crowded and noisy as it was, he actually walked right past Sephiroth without recognizing him before doing what was probably a comical double-take and pulling up short. "S-sir!" he stammered, and started to salute, but Sephiroth caught his hand before it could get above shoulder height.

"None of that, if you please," the man said firmly. "I realize it's likely a futile effort, but I am attempting not to draw too much attention by being recognized. And as we are both off duty at the moment," he smiled slightly, "strictly speaking you don't need to salute me."

Gawking at him, Cloud thought he might have a better chance of going unrecognized than he thought he did. Cloud had never seen - or even heard of - the general out of uniform, and despite his distinctive hair and height, without the equally distinctive jacket and armour he looked like a completely different person. He'd pulled his hair up into a ponytail and was wearing dark glasses even though it was rainy. That would draw second looks, but not too many; most SOLDIERs did the same when out of uniform, to hide their tell-tale eyes.

The really shocking part was seeing him in something other than black and silver. His shirt looked almost black on first glance, but under the light it gleamed with highlights like a dark garnet and lent the illusion of a flush of pink to his pale skin. His black jeans were sharply creased, like they were new, but somehow Cloud couldn't picture the man in worn jeans anyway. He looked younger, more like what Cloud knew his true age to be, and far less care-worn that Cloud was used to.

In short, he looked like an ordinary twenty-something going to a party, and if Cloud hadn't worked with him in person several times he probably would never have recognized the man as their aloof, forbidding general.

"You look shocked," Sephiroth murmured, and to Cloud's further surprise he actually tugged at the cuff of his shirt as if he was nervous. "Do I look that awkward?"

"No, sir!" Cloud blurted out without thinking, shaking his head fervently. "Um. I mean. That is, you look fine, it's just that I hardly recognize you. I think you'll be okay not drawing attention."

Looking pleased, Sephiroth nodded. "Good. Don't call me 'sir', though, it rather spoils the disguise. I assume you know where we're going? The directions you sent me weren't entirely clear."

"Getting there is sort of like threading a maze," Cloud admitted, moving towards the train again. He couldn't imagine casually addressing the general by name, no matter how often Zack did it, so he privately resolved to avoid addressing him directly at all. He'd still have to bite his tongue on the automatic 'sir's, but he thought he could manage. And once they were at the party they'd be among people who all knew who Sephiroth was anyway, so he could stop worrying about it.

"Going anywhere under the plate is comparable to being in a labyrinth, in my experience," Sephiroth said dryly. "I have my issues with Midgar's design, but I will give Reeve this much; the upper city is much more logically organized and easier to navigate."

"Well, it was built all at once according to a design," Cloud pointed out reasonably. "Not bit by bit like the towns below were. Except for Midgar and Junon, I don't think I've ever seen a logically organized place where people live, no matter what the size."

"Very true," Sephiroth agreed. They managed to get one end of the mostly empty train to themselves. Despite the available seats Sephiroth chose to remain standing, so Cloud did the same. Standing across the aisle from each other, holding poles to keep them on their feet, they spent the trip down discussing the layout of the various towns they'd been to.

Cloud couldn't quite believe he was just having a conversation with General Sephiroth - he tended to stay quiet unless asked his opinion when Zack and the general were talking casually. The surprising part was how easy it actually was, once he got started. The man was much more animated than usual, though he still tended to hold himself like he was on a parade ground. Cloud smiled to himself. Maybe even the general wasn't immune to the way being out of uniform seemed to make every trooper relax a little. Zack would be ecstatic to see it.

Once he got over the shock, anyway. Cloud bit his lip to keep from snickering at the imagined picture of his friend's face on seeing Sephiroth in civvies.

They made it to sector 5 without any problems, and Cloud led the way through the maze of streets to Aerith's house. He'd been here a few times before, but it never failed to amaze him how the air lightened and the scent of green and growing things permeated everything as they approached. Aerith was the only person he knew of who could grow a whole garden under the plate, but it was always a treat to visit. As they came around a corner and the actual greenery came into view, he heard Sephiroth make a startled sound and suppressed a grin.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Cloud said softly, chuckling. "I've accused Zack of dating her just so he can come hang out in her garden. He didn't entirely deny it, either."

"Quite remarkable," Sephiroth agreed, pushing his sunglasses up and surveying the yard and cottage with wondering eyes. Like the clothing, the expression made him seem less like a stern general and more like an ordinary young man.

The door of the house opened and Aerith's mother emerged, wiping her hands on her apron. "Ah, you must be the two boys Aerith told me to expect," she said cheerfully. "She wanted you to wait out in the garden, it's already set up."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at her - probably at being referred to as a 'boy', Cloud thought, biting his lip on another laugh. "This way," he said, jerking his head towards the entrance to the garden and leading the way.

As they passed the shrubs on either side of the gate Cloud whistled appreciatively. Aerith had truly outdone herself. Just out of sight of the path there was a cheery red and white checked cloth spread out, wicker picnic baskets heaped with food, and a big iced cake with 'Happy Birthday Zack' on it. She'd also draped streamers on the bushes, and brought flowers from her garden to scatter the petals around.

What puzzled Cloud was that they seemed to be the only ones here, and there were only four places set on the cloth. "Couldn't anybody else come?" he wondered, frowning. "That's strange. Zack has so many friends, I figured we'd have to cram everyone in with a shoehorn."

Blinking, Sephiroth looked around. "I can't say I regret the lack of crowding," he proclaimed. "Though I admit it does seem odd." He looked vaguely uncomfortable. "Are you certain I was meant to be invited? This seems more like an intimate gathering of close friends."

"No, I definitely told Aerith I'd asked you. And her mom said she was expecting two people, and there's four places laid out. But I don't understand..."

"They're coming," Sephiroth said suddenly, his greater height allowing him to see over the bushes. He moved to get out of sight before Zack spotted him, and Cloud decided to worry about the lack of partiers later. At the moment, he had a friend to shock silly.

After a minute, he was able to hear their voices as they approached. "...just thought it would be nicer to be outside, that's all. And I made some food today that really should be served warm, so it's easier to do if we're closer to home."

"Hey, not like I mind," Zack laughed, and Cloud blushed to hear the warm, intimate tone in his voice. He didn't talk to Aerith like that when Cloud was around - he'd probably be embarrassed to know he'd been overheard. "Though I have to admit having your mom right on the other side of the bushes makes me kind of..."

At that moment he came through the gate and spotted the decorations, and stopped short. "Surprise!" Cloud and Aerith exclaimed at the same time, both grinning as Zack gaped, stunned. Sephiroth didn't shout, Cloud hadn't really expected him to, but he did join in as they all proclaimed, "Happy birthday, Zack!"

"Huh? What?" Zack seemed to be caught short of words, a rare occurrence. "It is? But how did you...?" He got a good look at Sephiroth, and lost his ability to speak again at the second surprise of seeing their general out of uniform.

"Don't look at me, lieutenant," Sephiroth said, giving the SOLDIER one of his rare true smiles. "It was Strife's doing, and his idea. I simply supplied the date when asked."

Turning an incredulous look on Cloud, who was of course turning red under the attention, Zack started laughing. "You little twit, I told you not to worry about it, didn't I? I can't believe you asked the general to find out!" Despite his words, however, he was flushed and his eyes sparkled with obvious pleasure, and his smile was bright enough to power a whole reactor.

"I wanted to do something for you," Cloud told him, hoping he wasn't as red as it felt like he was. "After everything you've done for me. And... and that's what friends are for, right?" He shook his head. "Anyway, Aerith did most of the work."

"Nonsense," Aerith said firmly. "Organizing the party was the easy part. Getting the right day was the difficult bit. Not to mention getting Sephiroth to come. And may I say it's a pleasure to finally meet you," she added, dimpling at the general. "When Zack isn't talking about Cloud, he's usually going on about you instead."

"Hey!" Zack protested, smacking her lightly on the shoulder. "You make it sound like I'm obsessed or something. I talk about other things."

"Like you," Cloud put in, happy to be able to tease Zack for a change. "When he's with us, he's always talking about you."

"Indeed," Sephiroth agreed, still with the smile on his face. "And the amount of time he spends discussing you seems to be exponentially related to the length of time since his last leave in the city." Zack sputtered, and Cloud coughed into his fist to stifle an outright laugh. It was true, too.

"Well, it's good to know I do occupy some part of his thoughts," Aerith laughed. "Now, everyone sit! The food will get cold, and mother and I worked hard to make everything perfect."

They sat, and she passed the food around, and Cloud literally could not remember ever having anything half as good. Small wonder Zack was always raving about the picnics she made for him, if they were all of this quality. Sephiroth was stiff at first, and Cloud as reluctant to speak as always when it wasn't just him and Zack alone, but Aerith seemed determined to draw them both out and she was impossible to resist.

By the time the food and most of the cake were nothing but a memory Cloud was laughing and even participating in Zack and Aerith's banter, and Sephiroth was actually chuckling softly, relaxed enough to lean on one hand and sit casually on the cloth. Cloud didn't think he would ever forget that sight, and from the occasional amazed glances Zack flicked towards the general, he didn't think his friend would either.

Later still, after the presents had been opened, (despite the elegance of the earring Aerith gave him and Zack's delight in the set of mystery novels Cloud supplied for boring nights on missions, it was Sephiroth's declaration that he'd arranged for an extra week of leave that had gotten the most enthusiastic response,) Zack discovered a frisbee at the bottom of one of the picnic baskets and crowed in delight. "Who's up for a game?"

"Play frisbee with a SOLDIER? No thanks, I like my hand in one piece," Cloud hastily declined. He'd long ago learned that it wasn't really wise to indulge in physical games with Zack, who could sometimes forget his own strength when he was excited.

"Aw, you're no fun," Zack pouted at him, and turned to his girlfriend. Aerith was shaking her head before he could even ask.

"I'm with Cloud on this one," she said, laughing and holding up her hands as if to ward him off. "Besides, I'm too full to run around! Go work off some of your energy first, then I'll think about playing."

"You both suck," Zack declared, and turned to Sephiroth. "All right, it's just you and me, general. On your feet!"

"Oh, I think not," Sephiroth started to demur, but Zack was having none of it.

"It's my birthday, and that means I get to be the one giving orders today," he said. "And I say you're playing frisbee with me. I bet you've never even touched one in your life, have you? It's about time you learned, then. Come on, I'll teach you, it's fun."

Obviously despite his better judgement, Sephiroth allowed Zack to haul him off to where there was enough room to play. Cloud sat with Aerith watching in disbelief as Zack taught the hero of Wutai how to play a children's game. More amazing still was the fact that once he'd given in, Sephiroth applied the same fierce determination to learning the game as he did to everything else. There was something extremely wrong, and yet oddly heart-warming, about watching the Silver General at play.

"Aerith?" Cloud asked shyly, and she turned to smile at him. "I was just wondering, um... where is everyone else? I was expecting all kinds of people. Did you have trouble getting in contact with his squadmates and friends? I could have done it."

"Oh no, I talked to them," she assured him. "I gave them the date, and I imagine they're planning to haul him out to a bar tonight to celebrate. But the thing you have to understand about Zack," she looked back at the two men, her smile softening, "is that although his heart is big enough to hold hundreds of people as friends, when he really cares about somebody he devotes everything he has to them. It's just not possible for him to do that for more than a few people at a time, he doesn't have enough hours in the day. That's who I wanted to have at this party."

"Me?" Cloud asked, as stunned as Zack had been at the sight of the decorations. "I mean... you I can understand, and he all but idolizes the general, but..." He'd known that Zack considered him a good friend, of course, and the older boy had certainly gone out of his way to help and watch over Cloud often enough. But to think that he had that much importance in Zack's life was astonishing.

"Yes, you," Aerith told him firmly. "You and I and Sephiroth. We're his family, or the closest thing he can get. He would happily die for any of us, you know. He has different reasons for feeling that way about each of us, but that doesn't mean any one reason is less legitimate than the others." She put an arm around his shoulders and hugged him to her side. "If there had been anyone else here, he'd have had to keep his defences up. People think he doesn't have any because he seems so open, but you've seen the difference, haven't you?"

"Yeah," Cloud admitted hesitantly. "I guess so." Zack was always friendly and cheerful, but there was something just a little more relaxed and genuine about him when he was alone with Cloud instead of in a crowd of people.

"There, you see?" She tilted her head and smiled. "That's why there isn't anyone else here. So he could be himself. And so the two of you could relax, as well!"

Fidgeting with his hands, Cloud watched as Sephiroth proceeded to trounce a laughing Zack, having caught the hang of the game. He had to smile, watching the two of them act like young men instead of SOLDIERs who had already seen far too much blood and death in their short lives.

"Thank you," he said softly, and hugged her back briefly. "You're a good friend to him."

"So are you," she replied, laughing. "So are we all." Looking at the massive smile on Zack's face, Cloud had to agree.

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