Kalli's Journal

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She Is Beautiful!

Cloud watched as Zack, his roommate, hung up the phone.

"Well?"

Zack looked over at Cloud with the same defeated look of the last dozen phone calls. He'd spent the entire day trying to find a date for a corporate and military joint social function the next night.

"She's busy too," Zack said, grimacing. "There must be a million things going on tomorrow night because everyone already has plans."

"So go without a date," Cloud suggested from where he sat on the sofa. Zack was halfway across the room but still quite close enough to throw his address book at Cloud.

"I can't just show up to an event like this without a date," Zack explained as he rested his head on his hands. "I'd never hear the end of it."

"You could always rent someone."

"Cloud!"

At least Zack was laughing, right until his eyes traveled to look Cloud, who was half-sprawled across the sofa cushions almost like a cat.

"How about you?"

"What?" Cloud just about fell off the sofa as he tried to sit up quickly.

"All you'd need is a wig and a dress. You're small enough to..." Zack was cut off by an angry glare.

"You are not putting me in a dress!"

"Not even to spend the evening near Sephiroth?" Zack knew Cloud's weakness for the General.

Cloud growled, half in anger and half in defeat. He rarely even got to glimpse the man he both idolized and secretly lusted after. An entire evening would quite possibly be one of the highlights of his life.

"Wouldn't people notice?" he asked after a minute.

Zack grinned. "You won't be the cutest date I've ever had, but I think with a little help, you'll pass as quite the hottie."

"And should anything go wrong, do I get to kill you?" Cloud slipped down to the floor, suddenly wondering what he was getting himself into.

"Nothing will go wrong. You just have to learn to be my date."

"That's wrong already," Cloud said, looking up at Zack, who'd crossed the room unnoticed.

Zack laughed as he sat down beside Cloud. "You won't have to talk unless someone asks you a question and you'll only have to dance one dance with me."

"Dance? Are you sure there isn't anyone you haven't called?"

"If I didn't know better, I'd want to sleep with you," Zack whispered as he and Cloud walked into the grand dining hall.

"Zack!" Cloud exclaimed, tempted to smack his date with the black clutch purse he was carrying.

But Zack only smiled as he led Cloud towards their assigned table. Cloud had spent about an hour before they'd left the apartment just learning how to sit down and stand up in the rather binding long purple dress Zack had picked out. At first it had been a complete horror, but by the fifth time the combination of the low heels he was wearing and the half-steps he had to take caused him to tumble onto the living room floor, both he and Zack were laughing together. At least his long blonde wig had stayed on the entire time.

With a flattering bit of makeup added to his disguise, Cloud didn't even recognize himself in the mirror. Surely he could make it through the night without being found out.

Each round table was set for eight - four SOLDIERs and their dates. Already two men were sitting at their table, seats empty beside them. Cloud looked away as Zack greeted them, trying to inconspicuously pull up his nylons as he sat. They had to be the most ridiculous thing ever created, besides, of course, heels.

"Cute date, what's her name?" Cloud looked back to see one of the men pointing at him. He and Zack hadn't come up with a fake name. He hoped Zack would be quick on his feet with this one.

"Her name is... Claudia," Zack replied as he put an arm around Cloud's shoulders and pulled Cloud a little closer. "And Claudia, this is Yuki and Jameson."

Cloud nodded, feeling extremely awkward to be practically leaning against Zack. Still, he was here to play the role of girlfriend.

"Nice to meet you," he said softly after another moment. And then, with a glance up at Zack, he leaned fully, trying to relax and perhaps avoid any further questions.

"You think they're going to feed us first or do all the boring stuff first?" Yuki, or was it Jameson, asked. "Because I'm starving."

"Boring stuff." A voice replied from behind. The last of the table's occupants and his date had arrived. "They'll wait 'til we've near collapsed from hunger before thinking about feeding us."

"Ryan!" Jameson, Cloud was sure it was Jameson, was on his feet, arms around his comrade. "When did you get back?"

"The same time the General did - just in time for this farce," Ryan said, rolling his eyes.

"At least we get a free meal and plenty of wine." Yuki was grinning widely. "Right?"

"Right," Zack replied, almost nervous about how well Cloud was playing along.

Not long after, a myriad of long boring speeches began. Cloud had long since rearranged the entire contents of his small purse as the throes of boredom properly set in. He was still leaning against Zack, but in a slightly different position as they'd turned their chairs to get a better view of the front of the dining hall where all the highest-ranking officers and ShinRa executives were sitting. There was still an empty seat up there that some of the speakers seemed to be nervously glancing at.

"I'm going to go freshen up, Zack," Cloud said quietly, leaning back so he could catch Zack's eyes. Maybe just the short walk to the bathroom and back would keep him from falling asleep.

Zack nodded, but before he removed his arm from around Cloud, he leaned in for a quick kiss. Eyes wide, Cloud pulled away, not even bothering to tug at his nylons as he lunged at the exit, purse in hand.

"Not exactly tactful, are we?" Ryan asked, winking.

"Shut up," Zack replied, hoping he hadn't traumatized Cloud for life.

Once in the lobby, Cloud spotted the bathrooms quickly. He quickly skittered to the ladies room, only catching himself once with the short strides the dress allowed him. Thankfully no one saw him almost land in the large potted palm beside the restroom door.

Cloud couldn't remember ever being in a women's bathroom before, even with his mother when he was younger. But this was nicer than any men's bathroom he'd been in. And it was empty. So now that he'd escaped, he wondered what he was supposed to be doing. He was scared to try and touch up the makeup Zack had so carefully applied. And his wig looked fine. Still, women tended to spend amazingly long times in the bathroom doing something.

He unconsciously tugged at his nylons and suddenly paused. There was no way he could be getting used to the horrid things. Then again, maybe that's what women spent all their time doing.

Setting his purse on a convenient ledge, he hiked up his dress with one hand and started working his nylons back into position with the other.

Just as he had gotten them somewhere near where they should have been, the door swung open and a couple women walked in, giggling to each other. Cloud froze when he saw them, hoping his dress was covering enough of him so as not to blow his cover.

"You too?" the first girl asked as she hiked her dress up. "Mine are practically around my knees!"

Cloud nodded, trying to smooth his dress as he let it fall back in to position.

"That's because you keep buying one size too small," the second girl retorted to her friend. She looked over Cloud once before shaking her head. "I don't know what your problem is though, you have such nice slim hips."

"They just slide," Cloud said, wondering if there was a secret to the darned things he could garner from one of the two.

"Ever try wearing your panties on the outside of 'em?" The second girl asked.

"No, don't do that," the first said before Cloud could answer. "I tried that once and ended up with my panties around my ankles. I almost died."

"That's because you keep buying everything a size too small."

Cloud just grinned as he moved to check his appearance one last time. He was suddenly hoping he'd never again need to know the secrets of women's clothing.

As soon as he was out in the lobby again, he looked over at the palm he'd almost ended up in and forgot to watch his step. His ankle turned in the low heels and he fell to the side, not knowing how to keep his balance in those shoes.

But instead of meeting a very similar looking potted palm, Cloud found himself against a warm body. Before he could look up at his rescuer, he'd been scooped up into strong arms. Of course, that basically forced him to meet the eyes of the man who held him. Sephiroth.

"Are you okay?"

Cloud opened his mouth, not remembering how to say anything until after he'd been gently set down on one of the fancy benches on the other side of the lobby.

"Miss, are you okay?" Sephiroth took off the offending shoe and carefully felt over Cloud's ankle. "I don't think you've damaged anything."

"Just my pride," Cloud mumbled. Of all the ways to finally get Sephiroth's attention, this had to be the most horrible. Still, Sephiroth was touching him, had touched him. And had hopefully not noticed the body in his arms had been rather unfeminine. The last thing he needed was to be outed by Sephiroth!

"I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself." Sephiroth smiled, sitting down beside the panicked blond.

"I know who you are," Cloud said softly. "And I'm okay, just... shocked."

"Then perhaps you'll permit me a dance later, Miss..." Sephiroth trailed off as he offered Cloud his heel back.

"Um... Claudia," Cloud replied, wondering how he'd get out of this mess. Perhaps he could just vanish after dinner. Surely dinner would be soon. After the speeches... Wait a second... "Shouldn't you be in there speaking?"

Sephiroth's eyes sparkled as he smiled. "I should be, but I have a low tolerance for boredom. Let me walk you back to your table."

"You don't have to..." Cloud began, but Sephiroth was standing up already, offering a hand. Sighing, he slipped his shoe back on and cautiously took Sephiroth's hand, hoping the other man wouldn't realize how badly he was suddenly shaking.

"It's my pleasure, Claudia," Sephiroth replied, leading Cloud back into the dining hall. Needless to say, all eyes turned from the current speaker to the stunning General and the pretty blonde he accompanied across the room. Without a word, Cloud pointed out his table and the pair made their way there amidst loud whispers and small gasps.

Zack's eyes were wider than most of the room's as he caught site of his roommate being led back to the table by none other than the General. Hopefully Cloud hadn't done anything too stupid to warrant Sephiroth's attention.

At the table, Sephiroth just smiled at Zack before gently kissing the hand of Cloud's he was still holding on to.

"Don't forget that dance, Claudia."

Cloud just nodded and sank into his seat, much too tempted to hide under the table than watch Sephiroth make his way to the front of the room.

"What did you do?" Zack hissed a moment later.

"Nothing. I just fell into him," Cloud said, focusing solely on the tablecloth. "And now he wants to dance."

Zack snickered. He'd planned on introducing the two sometime later in the night, but this was perfect. "Then dance."

Cloud adjusted himself so he could lean up and whisper several death threats in Zack's ear.

After dinner, Cloud decided the safest thing to do was hide. He managed to get away from Zack by claiming to need to go freshen up again when Jameson's date mentioned the same thing. But instead of entering the restroom to deal with what was most likely a gaggle of women with nylon suggestions, he carefully scaled a set of carpet-covered stairs to the upper level.

With a sigh of relief, Cloud pushed his way out onto a balcony and collapsed onto a bench half hidden by flowers. No one would find him here. A moment later he kicked his horrible heels off and put his feet up on the edge of a flowerpot. The sun was setting slowly over the horizon and everything was cast with an almost spectral glow.

"There you are."

Cloud bit his lip. He hadn't been out there more than fifteen minutes before being found by the one person he really didn't want to see. He'd thought it over during dinner, and while getting Sephiroth's attention was amazing, he didn't really want it while dressed up as Zack's date. He'd rather have the General's acclaim on the battlefield, not on the dance floor.

"Not much on crowds?" Sephiroth was leaning against the railing, looking out over the scenery. "I hate these functions. But I believe I already told you I had a low tolerance for boredom."

"I'm not exactly exciting," Cloud said quickly. Maybe that would get Sephiroth to leave him alone so 'Claudia' could quickly vanish with the night.

Sephiroth laughed as he turned to look at Cloud. The setting sun framed him as a silhouette, stray rays filtering through his hair, causing it to sparkle golden. And still, his green eyes glowed inhumanly - the color of Mako.

"I highly doubt that." Sephiroth moved again to sit beside Cloud, unbuttoning his suit-jacket as he sat. Catching Cloud's questioning look, he smiled before replying. "Too confining."

Cloud just nodded, slowly scootching himself to the far edge of the bench.

The two sat in silence as the sun continued setting and stars started to appear in the twilight.

"Shouldn't you be inside?" Cloud asked finally. He'd found himself staring at Sephiroth's profile in the fading daylight, renegotiating with himself over just what he should do next. Still, getting out of the situation seemed like the safest thing to do.

Green eyes looked curiously at him. "Do you want rid of me that badly?"

"I, um, uh, no, that is..." Cloud inwardly kicked himself.

"I'll go. I was just waiting for my dance."

"But you can dance with anyone," Cloud shot back, looking away.

"I'd rather dance with a girl like you." The way Sephiroth said it made it clear that he knew the truth.

Blue eyes looked back, half afraid. "You..."

Sephiroth nodded before standing, then offered a hand to Cloud. "If that's what you were afraid of..."

"It's not that," Cloud said quickly. "Well, I mean, I just did this so..." He sighed. It all seemed ridiculous.

"Come dance then."

Slowly, Cloud slipped his heels back on, tottering on them a bit as he stood and rather embarrassingly clutching tighter onto Sephiroth's hand as he would have liked to.

Even worse was when Sephiroth swung Cloud back up into his arms to go down the staircase.

"I saw you labor to go up them, and I'd assume down is no easier," Sephiroth explained.

"You were watching me?"

"Just in case you fell again." Ignoring the hot gazes of the small groups gathered in the lobby, Sephiroth led Cloud into the hall which had been cleared of the middle tables to form a dance floor.

"I can't dance," Cloud whispered.

"Follow my lead," Sephiroth replied, pulling Cloud out amongst the dancers.

At that moment, the song ended and the band started playing a slow number. Sephiroth pulled Cloud's body to his, arms tight around him.

"Now you don't have to worry. All you have to do is sway a little and stay close," Sephiroth whispered.

Close? Cloud was already about to hyperventilate from having his body fully touching Sephiroth's. And to stay that way, moving against him... It was almost too much. He found himself with his head leaning on Sephiroth's shoulder and his mind hoping those stupid nylons were helping hide what this prolonged contact was doing to his body.

The last thing Cloud felt before the song ended was Sephiroth pulling away a bit before gently cupping Cloud's chin and raising his face for a quick kiss.

Cloud pulled sharply backwards in shock, forgetting he was bound by the dress, nylons and heels. Sephiroth tried to catch him, but it was too late, Cloud fell hard onto the ballroom floor, twisting his ankle as he landed.

Sephiroth dropped to a crouching position beside Cloud, blocking him from the quickly gathering crowd.

"Not much for heels, are you?"

Cloud just grimaced as he tried to stand, only to find his ankle wouldn't support him. Sephiroth simply picked Cloud up for the third time and pushed through the crowd and out to the lobby. But instead of simply setting him on one of the lobby benches, Sephiroth kept going until he reached an outer elevator.

"I need to set you down a moment," Sephiroth said. "I'd suggest kicking your heels free first."

Cloud winced but did so anyway before being set onto his feet to cling. Finally, after a minute of digging through the suit's myriad of pockets, Sephiroth produced a keycard for the elevator and helped Cloud inside.

" Where are you taking me?" Cloud asked as the elevator ascended. He was momentarily caught up in the view and had almost forgotten whom he was absconded with.

"To take care of your ankle," Sephiroth answered. "Would you rather I had pulled off your nylons in the middle of the dance floor?"

Cloud shook his head quickly, fake blonde hair flying further out of place. He repeated what Sephiroth had said back to himself and it sounded even more inviting each time. Already one hand was clutching the railing for support and the other was trying to hide his partial arousal behind the clutch purse.

"Just sit down, this thing will take forever to get to our floor." Sephiroth was again watching Cloud carefully, willing to offer assistance as he sank to the floor of the elevator and reached to rub his injured ankle.

"Is it broken?" he asked after a moment.

Sephiroth shook his head before kneeling down to get a better look. "I don't believe so. But it should be wrapped immediately to keep the swelling down."

With a nod, Cloud finally lifted his eyes to meet Sephiroth's. "I didn't mean to react like that, it's just..."

"I shouldn't have kissed you."

"No! I just wasn't expecting you to... I didn't want to end up meeting you like this." Cloud looked away again. He'd finally gotten the words out.

"So I was right about your identity."

Cloud's mouth fell open. "You know who I..."

"Zack's roommate - Cloud Strife?"

"Yeah." Suddenly Cloud had another thought. "Are we going to get in trouble for this?"

Sephiroth started laughing at that. "That would involve an official report stating I found out your true identity by kissing you. I'm not sure how that would sound."

"Oh. But why did you..." Cloud didn't get to finish the question before Sephiroth was kissing him again, pushing him back against the wall of the glass elevator so he couldn't pull away. Slowly Sephiroth sucked on Cloud's lower lip before using his tongue to push Cloud's mouth open and taste inside. Cloud moaned as Sephiroth's tongue touched his and he brought his hands up to bury in that beautiful silver hair that was hanging over them both.

Just as they were pulling apart for air, the elevator stopped with a slight jerk. Sephiroth caught himself just inches from Cloud's lips and quickly kissed him before moving to get them both out of the elevator. Before he swept Cloud into his arms, he handed Cloud the keycard. "So I don't have to keep setting you down," he explained.

Cloud was still in a state of shock. He held the keycard in the arm that hadn't somehow found its way around Sephiroth's neck. Still, the knowledge that not only did Sephiroth know who he was but that he was accepted, wanted anyway...

"Here we are." They'd stopped outside a room and Cloud carefully reached over to slide the card through the reader. Thankfully the door released without having to touch the handle and Sephiroth pushed them inside.

The room was the standard guest suite - parlor area, kitchenette, bathroom, and bedroom. Cloud tried to take it all in as Sephiroth carried him into the bedroom and set him down on the bed.

"Relax a minute. I'll see if there's any ice in the freezer. I hate these guest rooms, they're always under stocked." Sephiroth's voice trailed off as he left the room and went around a corner.

Left by himself, Cloud sighed and decided he may as well try to rid himself of his nylons. He tried a couple positions but each seemed to accidentally involve putting weight on his ankle. Finally he managed to hike up his dress enough he could lay on his back with his legs in the air and had almost gotten one leg free when Sephiroth came back into the room.

He almost dropped the ice pack he'd managed to find and wrap in a towel from the bathroom. Cloud had his dress around his middle with his legs spread in the air, seemingly oblivious to anything besides removing his nylons.

"That's rather inviting," he said with a smirk.

"Huh? Ack!" Cloud tried to cover himself but failed miserably.

"Hold this," Sephiroth said, handing over the ice pack. "Let me take care of your nylons."

Cloud just nodded as Sephiroth kneeled on the bed and reached up under Cloud's dress to grasp the top of the nylons. A gasp escaped Cloud's lips as Sephiroth's hands touched the skin of his thigh.

"Your ankle?"

Cloud shook his head quickly, hoping not to embarrass himself further when all Sephiroth was really trying to do was help.

Finally Sephiroth pulled the nylons carefully from Cloud's injured ankle and set them on the bed next to Cloud. He ran his fingers softly over Cloud's skin before pressing a little harder.

Cloud howled, trying to pull away.

"I don't think you've broken anything," Sephiroth said after Cloud had stopped struggling. "You would have been halfway across the bed if it was." He still held Cloud's foot in one hand. "But you should keep ice on it."

Cloud nodded as he handed the ice pack back to Sephiroth, who gently placed Cloud's leg back on the bed with the ice pack resting lightly beside Cloud's ankle. A moment later, Sephiroth had retrieved the nylons and used them to secure the ice pack.

"That should hold it, as long as you stay in bed."

"In bed?" The nervousness was back as he could see Sephiroth looking him over. Surely...

"I'll stay with you." Sephiroth stood up and took off his jacket, setting it on a nearby chair. Then he started unbuttoning his dress-shirt, watching as Cloud's eyes grew wide. "You don't mind, do you?"

"I..." Cloud couldn't quite remember how to form words as Sephiroth let his shirt fall away. He watched as Sephiroth bent to remove his shoes as well before he climbed on to the bed to sit beside Cloud.

"Do you want rid of that dress? It can't be very comfortable."

Cloud quickly grabbed on to the material with both hands. "I'm okay with it."

Sephiroth moved to look at Cloud's ankle again. "It doesn't seem to be swelling much," he observed. He touched the skin around the ice pack. "Not too cold?"

"It's fine."

With a smile, Sephiroth lay back down beside Cloud, looking into those blue eyes a moment before asking the obvious question: "Why are you in a dress, anyway?"

Well, it's not like he could get out of the situation, so the truth was the only option. "I just wanted to see you. And Zack didn't have a date." He paused. "It was Zack's idea."

"I should promote him." Sephiroth caught Cloud's lips with his again, pushing them apart to twine his tongue with Cloud's. He reached a hand down to run along Cloud's side to his hip, earning a moan between their mouths.

"Sephiroth..." Cloud started, only to have his mouth claimed again for another series of breath-stealing kisses.

Green eyes stared into his, half-lidded, as he lay gasping for breath beneath Sephiroth's body. Beneath? He'd missed that, but he didn't mind at the moment. Not when their bodies touched as Sephiroth lowered himself to kiss Cloud's neck and shoulders, pushing aside the thin dress straps to nip at the flesh beneath.

This was heaven, well, it would have been heaven if he hadn't been wearing a dress and women's underwear... Not to mention the ice pack on his ankle. Maybe this was limbo, but it was a very nice limbo where the object of his late-night fantasies was pushing his dress up to his hips and reaching beneath the shiny fabric to tug at the lacy panties Zack had insisted upon him wearing.

"I thought so."

Cloud blushed as Sephiroth sat up enough to look at the offending article of clothing. Sephiroth licked his lips though, not hearing Cloud's partial explanation as he slid down to kiss the top of Cloud's gleaming arousal that had freed itself from the lace.

Slowly Sephiroth hooked his fingers under the waistband of the panties and pulled them downward, not moving his mouth from Cloud's arousal as he moved the bit of satin and lace down Cloud's legs, freeing one leg and leaving the injured one as it was. The mass of ice pack, towel and nylons looked no odder with the addition of black panties, after all.

Moaning in all out pleasure, Cloud managed to steal a glance at the man between his legs before squeezing his eyes shut tight in near-rapture. The last thing he wanted was for this to end, but just the realization that it was Sephiroth down there, sucking on his erection with abandon, was all that it took to send Cloud into the throes of orgasm.

He was shaking still, as Sephiroth held him, minutes later, clinging at that silver hair while his head was buried against Sephiroth's chest.

"Want more," Sephiroth asked, "Claudia?"

Cloud could only nod as Sephiroth untangled himself and reached to pull at the zipper on the back of the dress. Removing it was no task, except that it required the spent blonde to try to move. Still, as Sephiroth covered each bit of exposed flesh with kisses, moving wasn't such a bad thing.

Finally the dress was discarded, laid along with Sephiroth's clothing on the nearby chair before the silver-haired man removed the rest of his own clothing. Cloud gasped audibly when Sephiroth freed his own arousal, slight bit of wetness on the end shining in the dim light of the room.

"You want me to..." Cloud paused, looking almost nervous as Sephiroth walked over to poke through the nightstand drawer until he pulled a small tube from it.

"Here's something ShinRa can do right," Sephiroth said with a slight grin.

"That's..."

Sephiroth nodded as he lay back down beside Cloud, pulling Cloud close before starting the entire ritual of kissing him all over again.

"Seph..."

"I want you."

Cloud could feel Sephiroth's arousal against his thighs as Sephiroth worked his way downward again, kissing over pink nipples slowly, wringing moans from Cloud's throat with every touch, every kiss.

"Can you roll over? It might be easiest with your ankle." Sephiroth looked up into blue eyes expectantly until Cloud nodded. He let Cloud move on his own and waited 'til he seemed settle down before moving again.

Sure he was clear of Cloud's injured ankle, Sephiroth started again at Cloud's neck, nipping lightly underneath his ears before moving up to lick around the silver stud that pierced the flesh there.

Cloud was absolutely writhing in ecstasy by the time Sephiroth had made his way down to spread Cloud's buttocks and dip his tongue between them. Over and over Sephiroth tongued Cloud's opening, listening as the cries from the body beneath him became a steady and incoherent stream.

Finally, Sephiroth slipped a slick finger where his tongue had been, pushing in gently as Cloud cried out louder. He felt around for a moment before finding the spot that caused Cloud to all-out howl and claw at the blankets beneath him.

By the time Sephiroth felt Cloud to be thoroughly prepared, Cloud had stopped moaning and was just shaking, unable to even make noise until he felt Sephiroth guiding himself inside.

"Relax," Sephiroth quickly replied as he heard Cloud hiss in pain. "It'll feel good again in a minute."

"Seph..."

Once all the way inside, Sephiroth paused, laying over Cloud and just kissing his back, whispering words of reassurance until he felt Cloud push back against him.

"More, please."

With that, Sephiroth pulled himself partially out and thrust, wringing a moan of pleasure from the body beneath his. Again and again he thrust, trying not to move too quickly, too hard but it was difficult as he careened near release. Before he lost himself in his own orgasm, however, he pulled back at Cloud's hips, raising them into the air so he could reach beneath to stroke Cloud's own arousal.

It wasn't much longer before they both exploded, Cloud spilling himself over Sephiroth's hand and Sephiroth deep inside Cloud's hot body, each crying out the other's name in bliss.

Afterward, Sephiroth collapsed on top of Cloud, pinning him for a moment before kissing Cloud's ear.

"Does your ankle still hurt?" he asked softly.

"What ankle?" Cloud replied, closing his mascara-smudged eyelids wearily.

Zack ran up to Sephiroth the second he saw Sephiroth. It had gotten quite late and still he hadn't found Cloud anywhere.

"General, sir, I have a question for you."

"Yes, Zack?" Sephiroth replied, knowing what was coming.

"Have you, um, seen my date? The cute blonde. Named Cloud, er, Claudia." Zack winced, hoping Sephiroth hadn't noticed his little slip-up. "Someone said that she had fallen."

"Claudia," Sephiroth began, "is asleep upstairs with ice on her ankle. I'd rather not wake her."

"But really, she should..."

"Enough Zack. But if you could be kind enough to bring by a set of proper clothing for Cloud tomorrow afternoon, I'm sure he'd appreciate it." Sephiroth winked as he spoke, waiting for Zack's reaction.

"Sir, I..."

"Perhaps you'll let me borrow her for the next social function?"

Zack just nodded dumbly as Sephiroth wandered off to talk to a couple of departing ShinRa executives as though nothing had happened at all.

Zack sighed as he walked out of the lobby and into the night.

"I didn't even get a dance."