"Owner!"

The cheerful barking of the two puppies greeted you as soon as you opened the door to your house.

"I told you not to call me that, Zack—" you petted Zack's head, rubbing his perked-up doggy ears. "—and Cloud." You petted Cloud's head as well. Cloud was much shier and more reserved than Zack, yet the way his golden tail furiously wagged beneath your attention betrayed his innermost emotions. Both of them were in a good mood. They always were.

You couldn't help but smile at those two gigantic dogs of yours. So cute, you couldn't help but think affectionately. Such cute doggies... They deserve lots of head pats, belly rubs, and cuddles...

"But, but, but! You're our owner..." Zack whined in protest, scooping you up in his arms effortlessly; you didn't even gasp nor shy away since it was all too normal among the three of you.

"It sounds a bit bizarre, you know," you hummed thoughtfully, your eyebrows furrowing in contemplation. "Regardless, I have a name. You can just call me that. I'm just one of your friends who happens to know your secrets, pups." Cloud whimpered behind Zack as the older SOLDIER had somehow scooped you up first and gotten more cuddles. You heard him squeak under his breath, "Unfair, unfair!"

You chuckled softly at this cute reaction; you shifted in Zack's arms so that your hand could reach upwards for Cloud's drooping ears. The instant your hand rubbed them, the younger SOLDIER beamed, his cheeks red in contentment. "Owner..." Cloud whined.

Zack carried you to the couch in the living room. The fluffy cushions, soft pillows, and warm blankets! The best place to cuddle idly. Cloud immediately tagged along, his golden tail wagging as fast as Zack's raven tail, if not faster.

"So, how was your day, puppies?" you asked, peering up at them. You patiently waited for their answers, your eyes shifting between them intermittently—Zack, Cloud, Zack, Cloud, and back to Zack...

They woofed in unison, a happy bow wow, "We missed you! The missions were too long!" They happily smothered you.