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Walking Out on Destiny	By : HarliqueenNight Category: Final Fantasy VII > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 2575 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all things associated are owned by Square Enix and Testuya Nomura respectively. I own nothing save for the characters and places created for the sake of this fan fiction and recieve no profit in the creation of this fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 23
- 24
- 25
A/N: okay, I posted the Omake Under the Lantern Lights, featuring Tseng and Vincent. Go read review and enjoy. In the meantime I give you the next chapter of Walking Out on Destiny! ^ ^

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Walking Out on Destiny

Episode Nine: Just Desserts

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Hojo sat up at the pounding on his door. He rubbed his eyes and glanced at the clock reading twelve at night. He groaned and jumped as his door was beat upon harder.

"Hojo! Open up!"

"Sephiroth?" Hojo got out of bed and wrapped a robe around his torso quickly. He went into the living room and lifted a sleeping Vincent off the couch, cursing the entire way. He laid him in the coffin and shut it tight, dialing the sequence to place him in stasis and secured it. He sighed and shouted at the door. "Stop beating on my door before you wake someone!"

"Open the damn door, old man!"

"It's Cloud, doctor. There's something wrong with him."

Hojo unlocked the door quickly and opened it up. Sephiroth rushed in with Cloud in his arms and Hojo could see the blank glowing eyes of the blond. "Lay him on the couch, Sephiroth."

Sephiroth did as he was told as Zack and Angeal filed into the room. Hojo shut his door and locked it tight before going over to Cloud and examining him. The boy's irises were glowing brightly and his reflexes were very slow. Even when he shined a light in his eyes, the contracting of his pupils was very slow.

"It's not Mako poisoning, right?" Zack asked worriedly.

"No, its Mako Shock. Someone gave him a treatment without proper preparation. From the look of it, its prolonged exposure."

"Lucrecia," Angeal growled. "How is she able to legally do this."

"You know that waiver you SOLDIERs unknowingly sign before bootcamp?"

"What waiver?" they all said in unison.

"Case and point," Hojo went to his personal med cabinet and took out a small vial and a clean syringe. "I'm goin to purge his system then one of you will need to take him home and watch over him for the next few days. He's going to be sick as a dog for 24-72 hours, depending on the Mako toxicity."

"Wouldn't it be best he stay here?"

"I'm afraid he can't. Go into the lab in a few hours and I will not be present for the entirety of the day. I'll write a medical excuse for one of you to be with him. Which one of you is he residing with?"

Zack waved. "That would be me."

"Ah, your rank makes it much easier to write an excuse. We'll say you came down with a case of Grassland fleas from one of the returning SOLDIERs under your command. Understood?"

Zack visibly shuddered at the thought of catching the fleas. "ugh! Are you sure they'll buy that?"

"You doubt me again and I'll give you the symptoms."

Zack twitched and stepped back with his hands raised. "Chill with the needles dock."

"Hojo…" Sephiroth called, brushing the hair out of Cloud's face and watching it fall back again with no reaction from the teen. "Will there be any side effects of the shock?"

"Other than the usual hormonal mood swings and chills, he should be fine. Try not to make him mad. He might actually attack you."

"Oh that's for damn sure, Sephiroth found him after he beat some mugger to death with a pipe."

"You didn't leave the murder weapon did you?"

"I got rid of it. No one will find it." Sephiroth muttered.

"Yes, yes, we were all accessories to murder," Angeal crossed his arms. "Are you sure it's a good idea not to report this?"

"Don't be naïve, Commander Hewley," Hojo stood and fluffed Cloud's hair. "You should know the kind of things ShinRa can get away with. Now, Zackary come to me in the morning at the lab and come scratching and sick looking. We'll do an official examination and from there you'll be dismissed for the next week.

"What about boot camp. Cloud's supposed to start next week and if he's not better by then or if they suspect he's been exposed, he'll get into trouble."

"Lucrecia has left a paper trail meaning that Cloud will not be bothered about these injections. However, it would be wise to pick up contacts. Something that will dull the glow. I'll work on that."

Sephiroth tuned out the conversation happening around him as he watched over Cloud. As he sat there he saw the detox beginning to work, the glow in his eyes dulling slightly. The blonde shivered and blinked a few times before looking up at him wearily. Sephiroth held still, seeing the flurry of emotions pass over Cloud's eyes before he fell forward into Sephiroth's arms unconscious and hot to the touch.

"Hojo!"

Hojo looked back at him and checked the boys temperature. "Ah, that's just the detox. He'll be fine; just let him burn it off."

Zack felt Cloud's forehead and immediately pulled back. "Are you sure his brain isn't going to boil in his head?"

"I kept these two idiots alive; do you really doubt me?"

"Good point. Well," Zack carefully took Cloud from Sephiroth's arms and positioned him on his back. "Better head out…Seph, you wanna come?"

Sephiroth looked at Angeal. "No…no, I got some things to take care of."

"Wonderful, we all know where we're going. So in the words of my favorite after dark spot; you don't have to go home but you can't stay here. Get out!"

They grumbled the whole way out about Hojo's insensitivity and the professor simply slammed the door on them and locked it. He sighed in relief and went in the other room to the coffin only to find it open. Out of habit he checked the ceiling first. He roamed the extent of his small house and searched for Vincent until he found him at one of the windows watching Sephiroth and co. make their way down the street. Hojo stood there for a minute watching the struggle for recognition in Vincent's eyes as he watched the boys.

"Valentine?" he called softly.

Vincent slid his hand from the window and looked slowly in Hojo's direction. For the first time since this whole experiment began, Hojo saw complete and total lucidity in those dark red eyes. They looked completely devastated and confused before he returned to look out the window at Sephiroth.

"I…don't know who he is…" he said and for some reason, it was the most painful thing Hojo had ever heard him say.

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"What did I first teach you, Tseng?"

"Trust no one, not even the informant."

"And what have you done?"

Tseng looked up at Vincent as he stood staring out at Midgar through the glass. He was sitting on the floor unable to move and he couldn't figure out why. Vincent turned and looked down at him, his eyes boring into Tseng.

"Answer," he said softly.

"I got caught because I let my guard down. My own stupidity placed me here."

"You are back where you were when you were twelve…so what will you do."

"…I will do what I have to."

"Are you certain of it?"

"I refuse to be used when I'm stronger and faster than I was then. I am not helpless."

"Then prove it!"

Tseng opened his eyes slowly, a splitting headache making everything around him blurry. He tried to sit up but found his hands bound above his head. His body felt like Jello and the cold of the floor against his legs and bottom was more uncomfortable than he should have. He knew they had to be the after effects of the tranquilizer. He looked up at the restraints that kept his hands uncomfortably above his head and tested their strength. As he expected, they offered no leeway. It was smart of them to keep his hands up like this; it kept him from dislocating his thumbs. He relaxed and took in his surroundings. He was somewhere subterranean judging by the dank smell of the place, a basement of some sort. He heard footsteps above meaning that he wasn't that far below a building of some sort.

"Well well, good morning beautiful."

Tseng didn't respond, he only looked at Claude who stood with his hands in his pockets. He eyed Tseng with lust filled eyes.

"It's a shame really," he said taking in Tseng's vulnerable position. "Ya beautiful, sophisticated, untouched. I'm being paid a lot of money for you to be delivered unscathed so I suppose I can deal with that. You Turks be some treacherous bastard's slavin' each other out."

Tseng's brow quirked. "You were hired by a Turk?"

"That would be telling."

Tseng closed his eyes storing the information in his head. Claude went up to him and touched his face as gently as when he drugged him.

"If this wasn't the case, I really would have kept you Tseng. You're more of a prize than some slave market reject deserves."

Tseng jerked his head away and swiftly kicked Claude in the groin. The man doubled over and groaned. When he regained his composure, he backhanded Tseng hard enough to knock his head back against the wall. He winced at the sharp pain and his eyes lost focus.

"I should do ya right now for all its worth. But money is more important than a piece of ass, no matter how sweet. You'll be back where you belong soon."

Claude walked away with a slight limp. He didn't realize just how much he'd told Tseng. Firstly, a Turk had traded him in but not Reno and the situation was pushing him back into the human trafficking circles meaning it was someone who intimately knew his origins. He shook his head, the deduction he'd come to and the fact that he could do nothing as of yet making his blood boil.

"It had not been enough to leash me to Heidegger," he whispered to no one. "But to put me back into my nightmare."

Tseng knew he had no one to blame but himself. Lessoned learned: no such word as trust.

Tseng did his best to sit himself straight up so that his head was closer to his shackled hands. He patted around his hair until he found one of the small pins that kept his hair back. He closed his eyes and began to pick at the out of date shackles. It was funny how the movies made it look so easy. It took him a while to get the right wiggle and turn before the shackles snapped open. He pulled his sore arms down as slowly as he could and sat there for a moment, trying to wrestle control over his racing mind. No, he would never be a victim. He was not a victim before and he would not be one now. He checked himself over and confirmed that he had been stripped of anything remotely akin to a weapon. He stood up on unsteady feet and made his way down the hall that he'd seen Claude take. This little underground area was very dungeon like considering it had several places to shackle people. This must have been where they kept the "merchandise" until the buyers paid in full. He picked up an old piece of metal from the ground and tested it for its sturdiness. It was as good a weapon as any. He kept in a straight line, staying close the wall. He just hoped Reno had gotten the distress call.

Reno screamed in frustration as he tossed the coffee table. He should've known. He should've fucking known the minute he saw Claude hovering around Tseng like a fucking vulture! He should've made Tseng come with them, but he was trying to see if maybe Tseng would unwound. It was obvious Tseng was attracted to the man and he thought he was doing him a favor. He thought he was making it easier by leaving Tseng alone to explore that attraction. He'd never been so wrong about a guy and he pegged himself a hell of a judge of people. His misjudgment had gotten Tseng snatched and who knew what was going through his boss's head. Reno's hacking skills had afforded him all he needed to know about Tseng. He knew he had been pushed into the human trafficking circles but had blessedly escaped untouched thanks to his own violent nature. But having been caught like this using his shortcomings with sex was probably doing something awful to Tseng's sanity. He could've helped this. He should've done something.

For once he had actually been working. He had been interrogating Rude's men alongside him, picking out the liars when Tseng hit his panic button. His phone immediately alerted him and he used the GPS tracker to search but it was useless. It just kept saying that Tseng was still in the room by the door. That didn't make any sense. He tugged at his ponytail in frustration and left out, marching out of the room. He marched into the foyer where Rude had the rooted-out traitors standing at gunpoint interrogating them about their betrayal to him. Reno stomped down the stairs and went up to the first one he could reach, punching them square in the jaw and knocking him off his feet. Rude was on his feet and the gunners weren't sure if they were supposed to stop Reno's assault. Reno sat and on the man he'd decked and pulled out the Barretta he kept tucked in his shoulder holster. He put the business end to the man's head.

"What the hell are you doin, red?"

"Shut the fuck up!" Reno shouted, his eyes feral. He cocked the gun so that a round when in the chamber. "Now listen, all of you! How many of you work close with Claude." No one made a sound. Reno fired a round towards the floor, blowing his captives finger right off. "HOW MANY!"

Hearing their comrade's scream changed their tune significantly. They all confessed to working with Claude. Reno put the barrel back to the man's head. "Good, good, we gettin' somewhere yo! Now, Claude has just made off with a high-ranking Turk operative that I'm having just a bit of trouble finding. According to the GPS he's still here but he ain't no where 'round. Kinda funny huh?"

"We didn't have anything to do with that!" his captive cried.

Reno shot another finger off. "Rhetorical question motherfucker."

"Don, you really gone let this Turk threaten and torture us like this? You gonna hang us out to dry for a piece of-?"

The man was silenced by a bullet through the skull. Rude lowered his gun. "You motherfuckers a dead to me regardless. Then you let Claude make off with a Turk good enough to bring my whole fucking operation to the ground? Answer the man's questions or I let him lose on all of you and tell your families you disappeared."

Reno glanced up at Rude and smirked. "Alright then, you guys need to answer loudly and clearly. I have an inner ear problem and I get frustrated when I can't hear well. When I get frustrated," Reno pressed the barrel harder to the man's head. "Ya get it, yo?"

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"Run that by me again?" Elloria said, balancing on the handrails while she aided by the therapist Hojo had chosen for her. "You want a what?"

Rufus sighed at the amusement in his mother's voice and toyed with a foam stress ball. "I want a gun, mom. I want to learn to shoot and hunt and all that stuff you use to do."

"Never seen a boy aspiring to be like his mother," she laughed. "And why would I get you a gun when you can barely stand on your own two feet during hunting trips with your fathers snooty friends."

"Hojo said I should learn to use one. I asked his advice on a few things and he suggested I learn to defend myself among other things…like a pet."

"Excuse you?"

"He, um, said to get a pet."

Lady ShinRa shook her head. "Between you and Hojo I don't know who makes my life harder. So a pet. What were you thinking of?"

"Um, actually, I don't know. A dog or something I guess. Like a Doberman, you know," Rufus said tossing the ball up and down.

"A Doberman? Those posh weaklings?" She laughed. "It does better as a foot warmer than defense."

"Hey, Lazard said Doberman are fierce dogs."

"Oh they are, if your enemies are mere muggers and thieves. But Rufus, you are a ShinRa! Your enemies wear suits and have power. You need to have something far more intimidating that that at your side; something loyal yet violent by nature."

"What did you have?"

"Me? Oh I had an albino Queen Coeurl named I named Nightshade. Most beautiful thing I had ever loved until your father decided he was jealous of an animal and poisoned her."

"Did he admit to it?"

"Of course he did, bragged about it even. However, I killed off all his breeding dogs and the pups so we were even."

Rufus gulped at how ruthless his parents were on each other. "So, I get a Queen Coeurl?"

"Son, no offense, but your personality does not fit with a regular Coeurl, much less a Queen. It takes a certain type of evil to break a Coeurl and I won't have you developing that way."

Rufus didn't argue. Taming monsters seemed to be his mother's expertise and she was amazing at it if the Turks were anything to go by. "Okay, then what do you suggestion."

Elloria paused in her careful steps and tilted her head in thought. She looked her son up and down. "A contrasting beast I believe. Yes, I know what to do with you. We'll get you a Guard Hound."

"A what now?"

"A Guard Hound dear. Close cousin to the Coeurl but not as hard to tame. I don't know how often I ended up in the infirmary while breaking Nightshade, but I won't have you paralyzed or close to death every time your pet acts up. Guard Hound venom doesn't have such a fatal bite to it like a Death Blast from a Coeurl so I have confidence you will bite back."

Rufus shrugged. "Okay, so what do I do until I get it?"

"When I'm done with this mess, we'll go around back and I will teach you how to shoot properly. Lord knows your father doesn't do it right."

Rufus smiled but he noticed how fatigued his mother was. "It can wait, mother. Lazard wanted me to go somewhere with him anyway."

Elloria looked him up and down before nodding and plopping down in her wheelchair with an exhausted huff. "If you insist, Rufus. Come give your mother a hug, then."

Rufus smiled and went to her, wrapping his arms around her tight and breathing in her perfume. "You smell like gardenias."

"And you smell like a baby," she teased nuzzling his hair. "Now go on, do what boys do while your mother cleans up. I have a date tonight."

Rufus frowned. "With father?"

"Are you insane? Of course not. I'm going for a drink with Kanaye. He's been having a hard time with something; he won't say but I can tell. When you get older you'll have a friend like him whom you'll get up in the middle of the night or day for as well."

Rufus nodded. "Just…make sure father doesn't find out. You know how he is."

"If I cared about your father's moaning I wouldn't have friends at all. Now shoo you. Go see what your brother wants."

Rufus separated from her, his hand lingering in hers before leaving. Elloria watched him go with a proud loving smile. He was doing thing on his own now, asking how to be better and how to get there. Whatever her husband had done in his presence, it had spurred him more towards her path rather than his and that was the goal. She looked at the therapist with a pleasant smile.

"I think I'm done for the day. You can head out."

Rufus went to his brother's room and knocked on the door. "Lazard?"

"Come on in," he said.

Lazard was on his bed finishing up his research for class when Rufus walked in. He had his shoulder length hair pulled behind his ears and his glasses were sliding down his nose. Rufus walked up and climbed onto the bed and peering at his work like the nosey kid he still was.

"The longer you stare at it, the less you'll understand it," Lazard warned.

"You've got red on you," Rufus pointed out.

Lazard looked down at himself to find one of his correcting pens bleeding into his pants. He capped off the pen and got up. "Crap. I'll take us out in a second, let me change pants. How was mother's therapy?"

Rufus laid back on Lazard's bed with a shrug. "As good as always. She's determined to get back on her feet and its working. She can bend her legs and everything."

"Then its as I suspected. Father had been poisoning her with Lucrecia's treatments."

"Yeah, I figured. So what do we do about it."

"We do nothing. We can't involve ourselves in their rivalry. Mother 's only concern is you and if you jeopardize that she'll hurt herself protecting you so for now just do what they both say."

Rufus sat and drew his knees to his chest. "I can't be like you. I can't put on a cold pleasant face around him anymore. Not after that day."

"The day you refuse to tell me anything about. Rufus, there is one thing I learned about our father. If you show him your under belly he will gut you. So you need to stay off your back and steel yourself."

"How did you do it?"

Lazard shrug. "Ironically, I found things I wanted to protect. Goals, if you will. Those goals in my mind are important. What do you want out of life Rufus? For yourself, I mean."

Rufus sat up with an almost arrogant smile. "That's easy. I want the world."

"But you'll have it."

"No I want the world on my own dime. I don't want it just because daddy bought it for me. If I have the world in my hand I want it because I did it myself not because I inherited it."

"Spoken like a true ShinRa," Lazard said heading into the bathroom to change.

"What about you?"

"What about me?" Lazard called back.

"What do you want for yourself?"

There was a long silence and Rufus assumed Lazard was thinking. His answer came. "I want to be the vice president."

Rufus's brow arched. "You want to be in charge but not in charge?"

"Exactly," he came out of the bathroom in a fresh pair of slacks. "There's something to be said about such a position honestly. You have the power to change what needs to be changed but not enough power to have to worry about dissenters. Besides, being vice president means I'm in the highest position my abilities allow for."

"You sell yourself short, Lazard?"

"So you do you," Lazard said with a smile, adjusting his glasses. "Where I have to work very hard at my studies, you show quite a genius that our bastard father simply does not appreciate. I believe he can only see dollar signs and misses the bigger picture. Thank god for mother!"

"Thank god for that."

"Well come on, up and at him. I want to be out to lunch before the devil we speak of returns."

"You…seriously have to stop talking like that. You sound like a total nerd."

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Zack rolled Cloud off him when he woke up for duty that afternoon. Since the blonde had slipped from being straight unconscious to straight sleep, he'd been spreading all over the bed damn near pushing Zack out of it. The only position he found that he could keep Cloud still without Sephiroth's presence was letting the blond lay on top of him and holding him there. He sat up and rubbed his eyes and yawned loud and wide. He glanced at the blond finding him still resting peacefully. He'd gone through hot and cold in a matter of hours since Zack had gotten him home and now he was exhausted. He didn't even want to go into work for appearance sake. However he managed to roll out of bed, shower, and get into uniform. Cloud never moved. With a concerned sigh, he left Cloud in the safety of the room and took the walk to ShinRa HQ.

"Good morning, mutt," was the greeting he got when he entered the elevator.

"Hey Gen…Genesis! Where the hell were you last night?"

"Out," the redhead said simply. "Why?"

"We kept trying to contact you. You didn't even check your shit. Cloud got into some deep shit last night." He proceeded to explain to his superior what had happened and saw the shocked and guilty look on his face.

"Well, was he alright?"

"He's sleepin back at my place. I'm goin up to the labs to get an excuse from Hojo so I can stay home with him."

Genesis sighed and covered his eyes with his hand. "The Goddess is frowning on me this week. I'm so sorry!"

"You should be, you didn't even answer Angeal! Speakin' of which, what the heck went on between you and Sephiroth."

"I don't think that's any of your business, Zackary."

"When it involves my friend it certainly is. He looked damn near devastated every time your name came up!"

"I..Sephiroth and I fought and I'm not so sure we'll fix it this time."

Zack nodded as if he saw it coming all along. "Look, if you guys are not gonna get back together, that's fine, but you all deserve to sit down and talk about it and maybe come out with no hard feelings. You don't get just how much you mean to Sephiroth."

"I don't mean anything to him! He doesn't even love me anymore."

"Dammit, don't you get it! It's not that he doesn't love you, its just that he's losing the capacity to show it. Hell we all get those shots, and we all know how fuckin off our rockers it makes us, not to mention horny as hell, but Sephiroth is practically made of it. It's probably doing something fucked up to his head. Turning off his emotions and morals. Genesis, I'm almost certain there will be a time when he stone walls our asses because of that stuff."

Genesis refused to be the guilty one. Not this time. "Look, Zack, I appreciate the concern but-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, be the victim! Bye!" Zack said, stepping out unto his floor. He didn't even look back at the hurt face as the door closed. Zack was a kind, kind SOLDIER, but he was not the type to give into self-pity, especially toward people who couldn't own up to the fact that they'd made a mistake. He admittedly had no patience for it if they didn't want to be helped. That's why he found himself getting along with Sephiroth so well. He could call Sephiroth on his bullshit and Sephiroth would own up to his bullshit. Genesis, however, was a case he didn't really want to deal with. He passed Kunsel coming from the labs stumbling down the halls.

"Hey, man!" Zack spouted cheerfully, going to his aid

"Oh hey Zack," He said cringing. "Today ain't your day. Whatcha upto?"

"I'm having some issues that's all, you though,"

"Its cool, I gotta a battle buddy on his way here."

"You need help getting to the loby?"

"Nah, I got it. We've been doin' this for how long Zack?"

"Good point!"

Zack made sure Kunsel was grounded on his own two feet before letting him out of his sight. He walked by a pretty redhead girl as she made her away out of the lab in long, authoritative strides. Zack gave her the eye and winked her. She smirked and tossed her hair for his benefit but kept walking. He walked backwards a bit watching the way her behind moved in her skintight jeans. It was nice to admire a thing of beauty. He reached Hojo's personal lab and used his clearance to get through the door. He found the good doctor asleep on his cot, his glasses skewed and a pile of work and research piled around him. Zack smiled remembering Cloud telling him that it had been his job to keep the doctor function. He went over and nudge the man awake.

"Come on, Doc, time to get up."

Hojo inhaled as people often do when they first wake and looked up at Zack's glowing eyes. "Zackary, you're the most pathetic thing I've ever laid eyes on and yet I'm sorely reminded of Cloud when I look at you."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Up and at 'em. How long you been here?"

"Since 5 a.m."

"Jeez, did you even sleep after we left?"

"Sleep is for the weak-willed my boy," Hojo sat up and removed his glasses. He took a few deep breaths and waited for his mind to catch up with his body before standing. "alright, so you're here for…."

"Absentee excuse"

"Right, right, how is Cloud?"

"He's only sleeping for now. He had some turbulence last night and I'm not sure if it'll repeat but is nothing can't handle."

"Mm," Hojo strode over to his cabinet file. "Cloud is a peculiar case the more I look into it. He's…special."

Zack noted the fond tone in Hojo's voice. He smiled and reciprocated that feeling. "Yeah, Cloud is special."

Hojo pulled out an absentee documentation. "Zackary, are you growing fond of Cloud?"

Zack shrugged and replied like the honest person he was. "Yeah, a bit. He's cute as hell and sweet and I sure as hell am getting protective of him."

"There's a but in there."

"Well hell, he's like a wounded animal and all I can think about is how small he is."

"He is abnormally small and vulnerable, but you're there for him and I believe that a good thing. Your chilvarous nature makes me believe he's safest with you rather than my son, Angeal, or even Genesis."

"Why is that?"

"Cloud has certain intensity about him that I picked up on when we first got to know each other. He's submissive by mind and nature and easily influenced. If someone were say, not looking out for his best interest, then they could lead Cloud right into the line of fire. However, the most interesting thing about Cloud is that he is genetically attuned to Mako. Because of this, as Mako enhanced beings, he could provide quiet the temptation to the Devil's Triumvirate."

"You mean, he'd like send them into some kinda frenzy?"

"Nothing animalistic or crude as that. It is simply that if sexual contact ever came into play in any of Cloud's interactions with them…well…they could not say no and Cloud would not have the will."

"What kinda weirdo bull as that?"

"I haven't quite been able to aptly study it, but once he is in SOLDIER training I will be monitoring his every genetic shift until I can create a full dossier on him. In the meantime, Zack, I chose you because you are safe for Cloud. You're close to being just like them…but you have restraint. Its impressive to have seen some of the things you have resisted in your time with ShinRa." Hojo put his signature on the paper. "Keep that chivalrous side…but if you find yourself confronted with the temptation, I ask as Cloud's benefactor that that you control yourself and do not hurt him."

Zack nodded. "You don't even need to ask that sort of thing. I'm careful with Sephiroth and Angeal, I can be careful with Cloud too."

Hojo eyed Zack with a measuring gaze. "Zackary, I find it amazing that a boy who acts as foolishly as you can be so insightful, so intuitive. You could've been part of my division if you asked it."

"I'm gonna go with no! I'm right where I need to be; draggin cadets through the mud."

Hojo chuckled and waved Zack. "Well don't let me keep you."

Zack nodded curtly and grinned. "See ya next never doc!"

"See you in a week."

Zack left and took the lift to the SOLDIER floor. If he got his time window right, he could talk to Lazard rather than Heidegger. He checked his phone for the time and made a mad dash for the Director's Office. He passed the secretary with a confident smile and gave her the opportunity to watch his ass as he ran. He knew she was looking, she always did. After the dash, he stopped rather than slowed down so that he could be out of breath and flushed. He had to make this sickness crap look believable. Knocked on the Director's door and was surprised by Heidegger exiting the office with a huff, complaining about privileged whipping boys. Lazard stood with his head down, pinching the bridge of his nose. Once Heidegger was out of site, Zack went inside.

"More gay-bashing, sir?" he asked with a polite smile.

"Honestly, I have no idea what my father was thinking when he put him in charge. He wants to start screening Wutains and Costa de Solians when they apply for ShinRa. He says minorities are the main issue with Intel leaks."

"Bullshit, sir. Privileged little whipping boys like you are more likely to leak information!"

Lazard's head lifted. "Did he really call me a whipping boy?"

"Yep! You know we SOLDIERs got some good hearing."

"Yes, well, if he keeps it up this whipping boy is going to whip his ass!" Lazard spat.

"Cursing too, you must be tired, Sir."

"Oh you have no idea. But good news, Rufus is taken an interest in training and…are you alright?"

"Actually that's what I came to talk to you about. I got permission from Hojo to be out for the week."

Lazard stepped back suspiciously. "What did you come back with?"

"Grassland Fleas!" said Zack grinning wide.

Lazard shuddered and moved behind the desk. "Stay over there just put the paper on the floor and get out."

"I'm hurt!"

"I keep telling you to cut your hair. If you did you wouldn't pick up deadly little passengers like Grassland Fleas! Get out!"

Zack laughed and did as he was told. "Thanks Director, you have a good day sir!"

When he left, Lazard shuddered. He hated fleas of any kind, much less a Grassland flea.

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Tseng peered around the corner, his eyes narrowed. There were three of them and one of him. Add about six more and it would've been fair. During his journey to get to this point, he'd heard torturous cries that he intimately knew. This was a checkpoint, a human trafficking checkpoint. He couldn't describe the level of pissivity he was feeling right now. He was on a mission he didn't want to be on, he got kidnapped using his own sexual desires, and he'd been taken to an underground sex slave checkpoint. He just wished he had his garrote wire. These three guards were about to have a bad day.

He walked up on the first one, giving him a clean swing across the head with the pipe and caught him, dragging his trembling shocked form away from his post. The others hadn't heard a thing since the hit had gone directly to the back of his skull causing instant paralysis. He drew him into the darkness and robbed him of his guns and knives. He eyed the mace and Taser feeling creative suddenly and slipped it into his pocket. He found a silencer on the man's utility belt and smirked. He screwed it onto the pistol and snuck up on the second guard. He quickly put his hand over the guard's mouth and pressed the gun into the small of the man's back, close to the spine. He pulled the trigger twice and carefully lowered the surprised man down as his legs went numb. He laid him against the wall and stole the gun clips off him, leaving the man to bleed to death. The final guard didn't even turn around from his post. He was leaning against the wall smoking. Tseng stalked up slowly, knife drawn and took a page from Reno's book, stabbing him in the base of his skull. The man dropped instantly and Tseng decided he wouldn't do that move again unless he just really wanted to be evil. Pulling the knife out was a bitch and the move was more suited for needled like objects.

Tseng had enough clips to fight off a small army and the knives would come in handy. He went around picking off the guards until he came to a large warehouse like room where he saw dozens and dozens of children ranging from toddler to teen being cleaned, tagged and shoved into holding cells based on hair color and nationality. He saw Claude stalking around checking with a few people with clipboards, business as usual. Tseng's eyes roved over the eyes of those who were scared, those who were pissed, and those who had given up. He turned away from the last and sat down behind the door, steeling himself. He was alone, he couldn't just barge in, that much he knew for sure. He had to this quietly. Okay, what did he see when he looked in; a second level catwalk, twenty or so guards and about sixteen or seventeen personnel. Those weren't fighters, they were doctors. Checking the stock and testing them for diseases. Right, he knew the game. He needed to get on the catwalk. With a deep breath, he stood up and slipped inside.

No one saw him since they were all preoccupied. He managed to get to one of the stair cases going up to the catwalk. He silently killed the guard who was coming down and made his way up. His eyes met one of the captive children who watched him go. The girl's eyes widened but she put her hands over her mouth. She looked at the other personal and then back at Tseng. He expected her to tell on them but she pointed up at a small alcove just above Tseng's head that he didn't see, a guard there taking aim at him. Tseng stunned him with the Taser and tugged him down, snapping his neck. Tseng nodded to her, silently thanking her for not saying anything. He moved on but the girl saw that one of the ground level guards was about to turn and spot him. She began to scream and cry uncontrollably; throwing a severe tantrum that shocked both the guard and Tseng. Tseng looked down at her as the guard went over and smack her so hard her head knocked against the bars. He realized she'd just saved his life. She smiled hopefully at him. She wanted to be rescued and Tseng made a mental note to remember her face. Blond haired, blue eyed with a cherubim face. Got it.

Tseng systematically took down all the guards on one side and swiftly made his way to the other side. He rolled a grenade across the catwalk and slipped into one of the alcoves, covering his ears. When it exploded the catwalk went down taking out the guards that had been there and a few of the ground level ones with it. His cover was blown but at least he had less to deal with. In the commotion he dropped down and shot down personnel and guard alike. Claude cursed and made a mad dash for the exit. Tseng was not concerned with him. He needed a phone. Some of the children who weren't too terrified, bit the bullet and helped. They jumped on their captors when they tried to corner Tseng. The blond girl who had helped him earlier and reared her petite self and jumped onto the back of a guard who tried to shoot Tseng, clawing at his eyes like an unruly cat. He screamed and cursed, trying to get her off but she held fast. Tseng came to her rescue and shot gunned the man in the stomach knocking them both back. The girl landed on her back with uncomfortable "oompf." Tseng pulled her to her feet. He didn't bother with introductions.

"Find me a phone," he ordered.

She nodded and run to the first dead doctor she could find and pilfered a cellphone off of him. She tossed it to Tseng and gave him a sweet smile.

"Thank you," he took it and dialed zero first before inputting a set of numbers and codes. He pressed it to his ear with his shoulder and began reloading his guns. "Pick up, pick up, pick up."

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Reno was in a Humvee headed to the facility they used for gunrunning between Costa De Sol and North Corel. Rude was driving, silent as usual and they had a section of Rude's own personal militia in Humvees behind them. Rude had single handedly executed all of his associates after each admitted to their underhanded crimes. They had been in the human trafficking ring with Claude for about a few years and Rude hadn't even given them the chance to explain themselves. Reno pegged him to be the type of man to flinch at the idea of kidnapping children for trade. Dealing in human flesh was an unsavory business, even for Turks like himself. If Tseng was in a place like that right now, well, they were probably in a world of hurt with the Wutaian.

Reno jumped when he felt his phone vibrate. He checked it finding the emergency Turk code flashing on the screen. He immediately answered. "Tseng?"

"You're an idiot."

"Oh thank gaia, you're alive yo!"

"Why are you not here yet?" Tseng asked calmly, swatting the girl every time she tried to take gun from him. He held her at bay by her head, using her short stature to keep her away from the weapons.

"Funny thing, that bitch Claude must've found your lojack and tossed it in the basement when he brought you out. It took hell to find out where he took ya!"

"Congrats, I save myself. Just get here and get on the phone to HQ," Tseng sighed and looked around at all the hopeful faces looking at him. "God, Reno, there's so many."

Reno was quiet for a minute before he replied. "I'll get a backup team in and have them on their way with doctors and transport. For now, you sit low with them."

"Can't, have a rat to catch. Trace the phone." Before Reno could reply he passed it off to the little blonde. "Play with that."

He instructed all of the children to remain in that spot and if any of the guards are personnel were still alive, to beat them with whatever they could find. Some of them jeered and they picked up random objects around the room just in case. Tseng left them in the safety of the room to find out where Claude had gone. He stalked the halls until he found a helicopter pad with a chopper just gearing up. He spotted Claude walking towards it with a suitcase. Tseng cursed and made a dash for it. He needed Claude alive otherwise he'd never know who sold him out. Claude spotted him first and shot at him. Tseng dodge rolled and threw a knife, catching Claude in the thigh. The man screamed and ordered for the men on board to open fire. They were terrible shots, Tseng deduced as he easily ran between the streamline of bullets. He was fast, trained and Mako enhanced. They couldn't hit him. He leapt and with two pistols drawn took out the men on the helicopter. He landed in front of Claude and uppercut him in the jaw. He followed up with a roundhouse kick to his ribs while he was stung, satisfied with the cracking. He then jumped onto the man and made sure his weight dug into broken ribs.

"Well now, I think we should talk."

Claude whimpered painfully.

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Cloud opened his eyes halfway at the sound of his phone going off. He sat up groggily patting around for it when a wave of nausea hit him. He didn't even make it out the bed and puked into a well-placed vat on the floor. In the back of his mind he thanked whoever thought ahead. He was, for lack of a better word, fucked up! It was like having a hangover and the flu and a stomach virus and they were all doing the damn conga in his body. Is this really what he signed on for when he decided to join SOLDIER. Crap baskets. He managed to get his head together and roam out of bed to the bathroom. He'd never pissed so much in his life and it didn't help that it was glowing. He actually stared at it for a minute before flushing. What the hell had happened?

"Za.." he could barely use his voice as he roamed through the house, using the wall for support. If Zack didn't come running from the sound of him stumbling about then he wasn't there. He decided to get back in bed. He lay there finding that keeping still was the best way to feel better though he kept trying to figure out what those little spite lights he kept seeing. When he'd narrow his eyes trying to focus on them they would get smaller as well. Weird.

"You're shinin, buddy?"

"Fuck buckets!"

Zack laughed as he went over to the bed with a case of water. "I just wanted to see how long it would take you to realize I was around."

"Didn't help that you hid when I was looking for you!"

"That accent!"

"Oh go to hell!"

"So cute! Here down this, trust me do it all at once and I promise the nausea will go away."

Cloud pulled himself up into a sitting position…and promptly puked again though it was mostly stomach acid. Zack waited patiently and helped him down a couple bottles of water. Cloud didn't realize he could drink that much of anything at once and Zack had to stop him when he tried to go for a seventh bottle.

"That's enough for now. Your bladder will explode when all that comes down. How ya feelin buddy?"

"Like two kinds of shit!"

"Which ones?"

"Fuck you Zack," Cloud murmured laying down. "What the hell happened to me? I left the lab to come straight home so we could eat. I remember this guy attacking me in the alleyway. He struggled with me trying to take my phone when I was about to call you and there was this pain in my side. He stabbed me!" Cloud lifted his shirt feeling around his torso. "Its gone…I know he stabbed me, I saw the blood!"

"We know."

"We?"

"Me, Seph, and Angeal found you zoned out next to a dead body. Apparently you beat the living shit out of that guy with a pipe, though now we know why."

"I…I don't remember doing that!"

"Yeah, sometimes when we SOLDIERs get wounded our adrenaline spikes along with our Mako levels because the Mako is rushing as fast as it can to tend the wound. Makes us berserk which is why if you're going to stab a SOLDIER make sure you do it right the first time. Last thing you want is one of us on your ass."

Cloud smiled then frowned. "But I'm not a SOLDIER…"

"No, but you're definitely full of Mako. Though whether that's an unfair advantage is your decision not others."

Cloud sighed and closed his eyes, turning on his side. Zack put the case of water on the floor and got closer, rubbing a cool hand on Cloud's neck. The blond moaned appreciatively and tilted his head so that more of his neck was exposed. Zack leaned over and saw Cloud's eyes were closed again and the heavy glow was back. He sighed, Cloud's Mako levels were going to be fluxing until the shit flushed out of his system. Zack got up and decided to clean away the waste and took his time to keep Cloud loaded with water. Eventually the teen began to feel better and was able to do more than just sit up in bed. He ended up sitting tiredly on the couch and watched TV curled into Zack's side for warmth. He couldn't get rid of the damnable chills and was wrapped in blankets from head to toe. All the squirming and maneuvering from both parties ended with Zack stretched out on the couch and Cloud laying ontop of him half asleep and finally warm.

Zack was having some inner demon trouble. Cloud's small, lithe body was pressed against his as much as possible without fusing with him and Zack was enjoying it more than he should have. He'd admitted to himself and to his mother that Cloud was "cute as fuck" and he had been steadily developing what Angeal would call puppy love for him. However the main reason he didn't pursue anything was because while he was developing feelings for the blonde…he didn't have an interest in keeping him just yet. He wasn't the type to just woo someone sweet like Cloud just because he was liking them for a season. He didn't do that to anyone. Cloud was a virgin to boot. He deserved better than half a crush. However, as they lay there, Zack couldn't help his body's reaction to him. He was mostly just lonely these days and he refused to take advantage of Cloud for that. He settled for hugging the boy close to him and sighing deeply, hoping to quell the urges.

Cloud squirmed a bit. "You don't have to be a saint you know."

Zack's eyes snapped open and he looked down at Cloud who looked up at him with his chin resting on Zack's chest. "What?"

"You're just as obvious as I am. No shame in admitting it. I'm lonely too you know…"

Zack stared into the glowing, crystalline worlds of blue. He fell into them and pressed a chaste kiss to Cloud's nose. "I ain't ashamed to admit it…but you're better than that."

Cloud blinked and a warm smile spread across his lips. He laid his head back down on Zack's chest falling into sleep. "I'm better than that, but it doesn't mean you aren't."

Zack smiled. "Shut up, I'm sleepy."

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Angeal ran a hand through his hair. "So…you both admitted it to each other."

"You knew." Sephiroth said softly from his spot on his old bed.

"Of course I knew!" Angeal spat. "I didn't say anything because if it kept you both happy then that was fine. But that wasn't the case was it. It was tearing you both apart."

"You're the only one who hasn't gone astray then?"

"I have…only once though and you both know him well."

Sephiroth smiled. "Zack."

"Zack," Angeal confirmed. "He's my pride and joy and I had a moment of weakness. He didn't mind and neither did I but I knew you two would so I kept it to myself. I hate to say it, Sephiroth, but you were the one who stayed faithful the longest. Which is kind of way I hate Genesis or victimizing you for it. I've always been alright with you both having other lovers. By profession and unfortunately by genetics, we can't expect to only want each other. That was what I was trying to teach Genesis when he took interest in you all those years ago. But Genesis…"

"He didn't seem to have a problem going to someone else."

Angeal smiled sadly. "Gen has so much self-hate that sometimes he lets it out in odd ways. He hates himself for cheating so when you do it, he chastises you harshly. He hates himself for not being able to love you like he wishes, for that he pushes you away and cruelly punishes you for not being able to do so as well. You are the personification of all that he's beginning to fail at, but there is a difference. The difference is, and this is why Genesis will never be able to forgive you, the difference is that you are handling it. You are dealing with it in the best way you know how and you are trying. Gen can't seem to crawl out of his debilitating hate for all that he is in order to find ways to healthily deal with it."

Sephiroth closed his eyes for a moment, finding them moist. Angeal got closer and brushed Sephiroth's hair behind his ear.

"You two have the beauty of unearthly beings and could have all the love afforded to you that you want, but I'm afraid you can't love each other anymore because neither of you can get over what you are."

"So…is it over?"

"This chapter is," Angeal said softly. "But I see something better coming on to the horizon. You both would be able to see it too…if you'd just step outside yourselves once in a while."

Sephiroth scoffed. "The fuck does that mean?"

"It means that we're the Devil's Triumvirate, we can't stay away from each other. We'll find our way back to each other. It may take months or years, and we may even bring new people into our world with us, but that's the point isn't it? We're trying to find what satisfies us."

"When did you become the adult, Angeal?"

"I've always been the adult, you idiots just don't listen!"

They both laughed and Angeal stood to leave but was stopped by Sephiroth gripping his arm.

"Stay a while, Angeal?"

Angeal looked at the slightly pleading look in Sephiroth eyes and for a moment he saw the teenager he'd lusted after all over again. He hated when Sephiroth gave him that face; it made him want to do whatever the man wanted. He sat back down and did what he and Genesis always did before they kissed him, pushing his fang bangs back from his face. He stared at the immaculate features of his lover and best friend before leaning in to kiss him fully on the mouth. There was desperation to be closer but relief underlay it. Angeal was familiar, Angeal was safe always had been. As Sephiroth lay back on his bed and allowed Angeal to take the worry away from him, he couldn't help but think about a pair of completely different set of blues that made the sky weep in envy. Why couldn't he get that boy out of his head?

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"Welcome back, sir!"

"Good to have you back, sir."

"Good morning sir."

"Welcome back sir."

Tseng almost smiled at the voices of the baby Turks as he made his way through the Turk floor. It had taken two days to straighten out that mess in Costa De Sol. Children were returned to their homes and countries and were afforded physical and mental healthcare by Lady ShinRa. Others were put into ShinRa funded orphanages. They were to be put in the candidacy pool for SOLDIER, Turk, Fleet, and general employment. She placed Reeve in change of them. A job he was happy to take and picked up a copy of the report from Tseng in person. The gentle man still couldn't look Tseng in the eye but him coming to see him personally was taken kindly by Tseng. He bore no ill-will toward the civil engineer. Right now, he had a bone to pick with his commander. Veld's secretary smiled at him.

"He's available. Go right on in"

"He better be," Tseng murmured. He entered the office and shut the door quietly, sliding the lock in place. Veld was in the process of hanging up on someone and didn't hear the click. Tseng approached the desk professionally and stood before the man. Veld leaned back in his chair.

"Report."

Tseng did so, relaying everything that had happened from start to finish in his own words. "The Don, Rude he's been come to call is being kept on house arrest at Costa De Sol. I left Reno there to guard him. He had dissention in his ranks therefore it is my recommendation that all charges be dropped against him and his operation. It's in shambles and I believe that is punishment enough."

"Impossible, Heidegger gave strict orders that his gunrunning be shut down and you know what happens when orders are not obeyed."

Tseng resisted the urge to touch the collar at his neck. "Very well, then I shall find another route that will not deprive the man that aided us a way out."

"You're feeling very bold today."

"I'm a bit at wits end, sir. I found out that a Turk tipped off the lead man of the trafficking ring…someone who knew my past."

"Turk is full of hackers of mythic status, it can't be helped that personal information is sometimes leaked."

"Exactly, that is why I am putting forth my advocacy to be in control of all Intelligence that filters through our department."

"That job is held by Melitta."

"And she's as well as Lady ShinRa have given me letters of recommendation. Melitta wishes to be assigned to the weapons development department as a Turk officer and advisor to Scarlet."

Veld nearly broke his pen in his grip. Melitta was bowing out and paving the way for upstarts like Tseng. She was taking the coward's way out and leaving him to handle this one his own. "Very well, any more demands you'd like to make while you're here, boy?"

Tseng's eye visibly twitched. Before either could blink they were in each other's faces, Tseng with Vincent's knife to Veld's throat and Veld with his firearm to Tseng's head.

"I'll blow your fucking brains out, Tseng. You know I will."

"Maybe, but I can slice straight through your vocal cord and you'll bleed out before anyone sees what's going on. Now answer me, why did you do this to me? Why? I've looked up to you, followed you blindly after Vincent died yet this is twice you have betrayed me. Tell me why, Veld. I deserve to know why."

Veld smirked. "You don't belong here Tseng. You're just like Vincent and you see what happened to him."

"You loved him Veld…"

"Yes I did, but you see, I didn't let that crowd my judgment. I let what happened happen because I knew my place and Vincent did not. I knew change was coming, Vincent did not acknowledge it. He didn't know what was happening, I did."

Tseng felt a well of emotion roaring with him but were all drowned out by one cold realization. "The traitor wasn't Nobel….the traitor was you."

"And you would do well to remember that. I don't like threats to my position Tseng."

Tseng backed away from Veld, visibly shaken. He needed to leave, get out, before he did something stupid. However, he made one thing clear.

"Veld...this is not over. Enjoy this position, this power you traded everything for. Bask in it. When you least expect it, I will rip the still beating heart from your chest and you will be mourned by no one, traitor."

With that Tseng left as calmly as he came. Veld watched him leave not feeling the least bit threatened. He looked down at the picture of Vincent he still kept on his desk before putting his hand over his eyes and laughing.

"Neither of you ever learned."

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A/N: this took forever! So sorry! This was a long one though! Anyway, Enjoy, PLEASE review and also check out Under the Lantern Lights! Go for it! Next chapter is up in the air because I got another time skip coming up. So yeah, we're gonna get a bit more of Rufus, Vincent, and Hojo. Got some stuff to cover. Hope it doesn't take very long but as I've stated, my health is not at its best. don't feel bad for me, just be patient! ^ ^ Ta-Ta
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Walking Out on Destiny