Redemption

Authors Notes: I'd like to thank everyone who's followed the story this far, thank you for all the kind comments and reviews and encouragement. That's what keeps me working on this story, even if it's a while between when I come back. :3

Chapter 8 - Unrequited

In the end, things like sex, dating, and relationships had no real effect on how things worked out. Cloud had once maintained a perfectly normal relationship with a woman, raised two children as his own, and managed to do so without experiencing anything related to sexual contact. And yet, his significant other had died no less quickly because of his love, his children had been picked off by his enemies regardless of what he did to prevent it, and any sexual prowess or ability hardly helped him extend his life on the battlefield, like physical training and skill did.

And yet with Zack setting up a simple meal of pizza, soda, and coleslaw, Cloud couldn't help that his thoughts wandered to Zack's advances, and his general relationship with the man. He supposed he had a proper reason to want to be near Zack -- the man was having dreams about him, dreams that might have to do with Cloud's past and therefore it was Cloud's business to find out. But that wasn't all Cloud wanted to ask Zack about. He still wasn't sure what to make of Zack's kiss, or the proclamation that he wanted something more than friendship from Cloud, even though he was sporting a more than suitable partner for such activities already.

And that was when he started to regret his thirty years of abstinence and his perfectly platonic relationship with the only person he'd ever loved. Perhaps he would know how to address the situation if he had lived his life differently. Perhaps if he hadn't spent four years of his youth in a lab, being poked and prodded and experimented upon. Perhaps if his youth before that hadn't been filled with bulling and neglect and useless feelings of self pity and doubt. His life after the first calamity had been spent rebuilding, either suffering a disaster or recovering from it. He had taken care of his family, but there had been no time to care about personal relationships. He was completely unequipped to handle the situation.

But he wasn't going to run away, because this was Zack. Perhaps it wasn't the Zack that had gave his last breath trying to save Cloud's life, but it was still the same soul, the same life that had stayed with Cloud to the death, that had given up everything so Cloud could continue living. No matter what, Cloud was going to stand by the man who had done that for him, to repay the debt that he had at one time been unable.

Even if that particular man, and hero in Cloud's life, was currently shoving pizza in his face.

They ate in silence for a while, Zack was apparently starving, devouring half the pizza by himself before Cloud finished his second slice. When Zack's mouth wasn't constantly full to the point of bursting, Cloud decided to bring up a subject he would rather have put off. If he didn't do it now, he probably wouldn't be able to later.

"Angeal told me, that you had dreams." Cloud said uncomfortably, spinning the glass of soda between his hands in an almost nervous fidget. When Zack looked up, not saying anything but tilting his head to the side, Cloud clarified. "About me."

Zack finished chewing, using the time to consider, before he nodded. "Yeah. We're a bit older, and it's...complicated. A lot of things happen in them." The serious expression on Zack's face told Cloud enough for him to assume what exactly happened in them. Confronting his friends, being captured along with Cloud, experimented on, escaping, becoming a fugitive from Shinra. Death. Zack shrugged. "It's alright if you don't want to talk about it, though."

Cloud knew that it wasn't alright, by the tenseness in Zack's pose he knew that the other man didn't enjoy not knowing, hated having things hidden from him. But not knowing why Zack was having these dreams to begin with, Cloud didn't know what he could possibly tell him to assure him it was alright. Not without telling him everything, which Cloud was sure he would never be able to do.

"I'm not a threat, Zack." Cloud whispered, still staring into the murky depths of the soda in his glass. "No matter what Angeal says, I would never hurt you. None of it is important--"

While Zack seemed eased and became more relaxed at Cloud's plea, he interrupted Cloud's final statement. "Maybe you should let someone else decide if it's important or not." He said, his voice soft so as not to offend Cloud, but it still made the small blond stiffen uncomfortably. Knowing he would make no progress that way, and as he did not want to ruin their meal, Zack promptly changed the subject. "Do you have any upcoming missions scheduled yet?"

Cloud didn't respond, still focused on what Zack had said. He knew that Zack was not trying to push him into a corner, not trying to confront him the way Angeal had done. But he still felt guilt settle deep into his stomach for keeping Zack in the dark. Maybe it wasn't important to him, but maybe it was important to Zack. But just the thought of sharing what had happened, the terror of not being believed, of being laughed at or mocked, the agony of reliving what he had gone through, of burdening the only friend he had with a past that did not involve him in this life at all -- it was all enough to keep Cloud's mouth firmly shut.

Seeing that Cloud wasn't to be distracted by idle chatter, Zack reached over the table, putting his hand on top of Cloud's, and giving it a reassuring squeeze to draw the blond's attention out of his thoughts. "Whenever you're ready to talk, I'll be ready to listen. You don't have to push yourself."

Cloud was sure that he would never be ready to talk, but not wanting to draw this conversation out more, he simply smiled weakly at Zack. "Alright, I promise."

Their chatter lightened after that. Zack shared with Cloud some of the idle gossip around Shinra that Cloud never heard about himself. Some part of him hoped that someday Zack might hear something about Jenova, but until then he was content to just listen to the other man talk. It wasn't until there was a lull in the conversation, before Cloud gathered his nerve to ask.

"Why did you kiss me, before?"

Zack was surprised to be asked such a question. He probably assumed that someone would already know the answer to it, which made Cloud shift uncomfortably under the dark haired man's gaze. After a few silent moments, Zack broke into a smile, looking Cloud up and down. "You just looked kissable, I guess."

How on earth he could look kissable was beyond Cloud. He had received kisses for doing something nice for someone, when sharing a joyous moment with someone close to him, but what could drive someone to kiss him out of the blue with no provocation? Zack seemed to have noticed his confused expression, and this time his smile was more than just amused and earnest, it seemed a lot more...sly.

"You're looking pretty kissable again right now." He said, his voice thicker and more sultry than Cloud was used to, and he knew that his cheeks were probably reddening. Cloud's mind sputtered to a halt, his body tensed and he found himself grasping at what to do. However Zack seemed to take this inaction as a rejection, because he promptly added. "It's alright if you're not into guys, I'm just not the greatest at controlling myself in...heated situations."

Wondering if this counted as a heated situation, or even what a heated situation would entail, Cloud barely noticed the 'in to guys' part of Zack's comment. Did it matter who he was in to? He knew that he had loved Tifa dearly, however nothing else had ever come up, how would he be able to classify himself as straight or gay? He hadn't had sex with Tifa, but it hadn't been because of lack of attraction for her, it had been his own dysfunctions and failings, his fear to add something unknown and unfamiliar to a relationship he was so afraid of losing or destroying. Gender hardly seemed to matter.

"I'm not..." Cloud started, wondering how to reassure Zack that he wasn't turning him down, but just didn't know what accepting his proposal entailed. It struck him that he should play it cool, like he knew what he was doing so as not to scare Zack off with his inexperience, but if he was so determined not to hide things he could manage to Zack, wouldn't this be one of them? "I'm just not familiar with...what you are wanting."

This seemed to wipe all rejection out of Zack's posture, for he immediately perked up, grinning absolutely devilishly at Cloud. "If you want to find out, I'm more than willing to show you." He said with an absolute purr in his voice, something that Cloud found oddly appealing.

He was obviously propositioning him, obviously eager to replicate he and Angeal's activities with Cloud. Though that thought led to another quite quickly. Zack was active with Angeal, Angeal was not on the best of terms with Cloud. Surely the man finding out that Cloud was doing something like that with Zack would just increase hostilities further. "What about Angeal?"

This didn't so much dissuade Zack as confuse him. "What about him?"

Cloud felt blood fill his cheeks as he considered his wording. "I know about you...and Angeal." Cloud blurted out, and he wasn't sure it was possible to be any more embarrassed, staring at the table as he was unwilling to meet Zack's gaze. "I went to visit you yesterday morning and...you and Angeal were..." Cloud fumbled to an abrupt halt, sure that it would be enough to explain what had happened. Taking a tentative glance up at Zack, he saw the other man's cheeks flushing this time.

"Oh, I see..." Zack blushed harder, and Cloud found himself somewhat relieved that he wasn't the only one embarrassed and fumbling at the moment. "Well yeah...we...well you already know. I guess I should have told you or something." Zack stumbled, and Cloud finally managed to find his voice again.

"No, it's fine, I mean. I don't care what or who you do." He bit back the embarrassment long enough to finish his sentence. "I just thought, he might be mad if he found out."

"Oh, he wouldn't mind." Zack said quickly, apparently glad to be out of the awkward and embarrassing admission. "We share everything, with partners, well, we don't really slut around a lot. But I mean, if there's someone we like, we just let the other know. Angeal already knows I like you."

Perhaps Angeal was nice enough to Zack about it, but Cloud was now even more suspicious that Angeal's hostilities were partly fuelled by some sort of jealous hate. Shrugging he decided not to dwell on the subject, far too out of his area of expertise to comment on someone's relationship. If it worked for them, then they were already leagues ahead of Cloud's depth of knowledge.

"Still, I'm not really...I don't know much about..." Why was finishing that sentence so awkward? Why was admitting that he was a virgin and completely uneducated in the field so hard?

Grinning, Zack stood up and moved to Cloud's chair, reached for his arm and raised him to a standing position. Cloud knew he was blushing like a fool when Zack pulled him close, pressed him against the wall near their table, and ducked his head close, lips a hair's breadth from Cloud's. "I told you I could teach you." Zack whispered then. His body pressed against Cloud's was driving away most of the blond's ability to think, the other man was so warm and so real. Not just a ghost from his past, but a living, breathing person who was right there and holding him close. It was both arousing and comforting, and Cloud decided that speech at this point was beyond him.

Instead he closed the small space between their lips, pressing them to Zack's clumsily, but it was all the larger boy needed. Zack's lips were softer than Cloud's, who's were slightly chapped. But they felt good pressed against them. Zack's hands had moved from Cloud's sides to his head, cupping each cheek and guiding him gently. Tilting his head to the side, he deepened the kiss, running his tongue across Cloud's lips before pushing deeper, seeking access. Cloud opened his mouth, sure he shouldn't be so surprised as Zack's tongue met his, rubbed against it and challenged it to action. Cloud responded, kissing back and mimicking Zack's movements, something that Zack responded to with a moan, pressing his body harder against Cloud's, rocking his hips excitedly and Cloud felt his cheeks flush a little deeper when he felt something solid rocking against him as well.

He had kissed Tifa before, solid kisses that she appreciated, responded to. But Cloud had never felt such heat in response, had never been quite as overwhelmed, and he knew that his control then had been greater, his determination not to tempt himself with something that could ruin them, firm. But Zack was leading this, someone that he trusted guiding him and showing him what he wanted, and somehow that made it easier for Cloud, easier to just relax and let the other boy hold him, kiss him, and probably do whatever he wanted to him.

When a loud ringing joined their heavy breathing and wet moans, Zack broke away to mutter some profanity that made Cloud smile. Zack seemed unwilling to pull completely away, only enough to fish into his pocket to pull out his phone. There was still a warm, solid hardness pressing into Cloud's hip, and resting his forehead on Cloud's neck as he found the number on the ringing phone. Apparently whoever it was seemed important, because Zack whined. Pressing a departing kiss to cloud's neck he pulled away to answer it. There was only a short order from the man on the other end, before Zack said, "Alright, I'm on my way." Before hanging up.

Cloud was still panting to regain his breath before Zack descended on him again, giving him a long, hard kiss before he pulled away. "I really got to go." He whispered against Cloud's lips, watching as the blond shivered against the contact. "We'll have to stop here for now, a good first lesson." He whispered with a smile, which Cloud returned with a blush. "We'll resume later." Zack said, before straightening his clothes, running a hand through his hair and obviously trying to regain his composure.

As Zack exited the room, Cloud was left hating Angeal, sure that it was he who had called Zack away, and interrupted their fun.

With a groan, Cloud considered looking over the documents, but quickly cast that thought aside, knowing he would not be able to concentrate in his debauched state. So instead he walked to his lumpy bed, pushing his materia and First Sword off the mattress, before climbing in and praying that sleep would find him quickly.

That night, Cloud didn't sleep well. The planet seemed to have sensed that, for a few shining moments, he had let his mind go completely off track, completely focused on Zack. Or perhaps it was simply stressing the urgency, now that he had gained some knowledge in his goal, now that he could find out where Jenova was, how often they were moving her, what damage had already been done with her cells.

'Jenova needs to be destroyed. She cannot contaminate the lifestream further. No records can be left. Never again be reawakened by twisted humans.'

Cloud found that he couldn't respond loud enough for them to hear him. Perhaps because he was asleep, because he was unfocused and weary and could not project his thoughts strongly enough for his own mind to fathom them.

'Final Weapon was followed. Much more of the lifestream than intended was taken back in time. The Darkness as well, some of it travelled back. This world will end much sooner, should it not be stopped.'

Should the contamination continue much longer, should records not be removed, The Planet would be far more susceptible to attempts to destroy it with its own contamination. Thoughts of Hojo, Deep Ground, and the unknown cult that had sparked the final calamities of the Planets life -- Jenova had to be removed, and her infection stopped before these people once again led the Planet to its destruction. The Planet was running out of weapons, Omega had already been destroyed, and Final Weapon had been exactly as its name suggested - the last of The Planet's arsenal.

Cloud was the last weapon that The Planet had created, and they were determined that he remember this, haunting his dreams to remind him of why it was so important.

But how much damage had already been done? How much would have to be reversed? How many lives had he and his friend's touched in the past, how many wrongs had they righted? He was alone now, nobody behind him, no gang of motley heroes to save the world. How would he alone be able to accomplish so much?

'Only the big things, are your concern, my love.' A voice that was different than the usual whisper The Planet took said, it's melodic breath soothing to him. 'You are to protect the lifestream from contamination, in the end -- humanity must make its own decisions, care for itself.'

So did it matter that Shinra was ran by a horrid man? Did it matter that they would destroy, murder, and slaughter thousands of innocent people, monopolize energy and wealth to put themselves even higher above the civilian population? No. In the end, all that mattered was that Shinra stopped polluting the lifestream, stopped stealing from it to fuel their everyday lives. But that contamination and leeching was slight in comparison, Cloud was sure that there was someone else out there who would fight for that cause, many people who would want Shinra to stop stealing from the lifestream, and stand against them.

Still overwhelmed by the prospect, Cloud finally sunk into a deeper sleep, away from the pestering words of The Planet that tormented him so. But even in his deepest dreams, he could not find rest from the hounding of his past. Instead he dreamed of what he had missed out on, what he hoped he could have forgotten.

She had gotten too close, her body pressed against him too tempting, to terrifying, too comforting. Indulging would mean trying to move forward, something that would inevitably lead to pain. Too many things could go wrong, and he had invested far too much of himself in this love to lose it. If he did, it would break him, and he would never be able to recover from that again.

Pulling out of the kiss that had started out as platonic, comforting, he raised his hands against her shoulders, pressing her into the wall they were leaned against as he took a step away.

"I'm not ready." He admitted quietly, looking at the floor as he could not meet her gaze and admit his own weakness at the same time. "I'm not ready for this yet."

Tifa's eyes were kind when he met them, sad and tired, but kind. He knew how much he challenged her, knew how far he pushed her every day he stayed with her. But he couldn't imagine life without her, told her that whenever she felt tired out or worn down, and that seemed enough to keep her going.

Defeated in her attempts, when she reached to cup his face it was platonic, soothing and comforting in the touch's kindness. "You'll never be ready." She whispered, and though she sounded hurt, the words were not accusing. Silently avoiding her gaze, Cloud cast about for what to say. He could not simply walk away, could not simply leave. He needed her there by his side, even if not in his bed, needed her to trust him that she was in his heart and mind, even if he could not prove it physically.

"You know I care for you." He said quietly, and this seemed to soften her, voicing of his affections the greatest gratitude he could offer her. "You know it's not that I don't love you."

"I know." She whispered, "I understand." And Cloud knew that she was not lying. She had been with him for so long, she knew well of all his failings. Cloud had expected her to leave, expected her to become exasperated with his flaws. No woman should love a man who was too broken, too defeated to truly love her back. No woman should stay by that man's side, loyal and true to him to her dying breath. Not when there were so many who could love her so much better than he could, who could give her so much more.

And yet here she was, despite that. Why, Cloud could not understand, but he grew to love her more for it each day she smiled at his progress, each day she encouraged him to keep moving forward, to keep fighting everything he struggled against. How he could live without it, he did not know. How he could function without her love, her encouragement, a mystery, one that he never wanted to solve.

"You know me," she finally laughed, "Sometimes I just can't control myself." She whispered, pressing a soothing hand against his hair, running it through it in a way that hardly made the unruly spikes more presentable. And that was it, she was not broken as he was, she was a wonderful woman with needs and wants, and sometimes it bothered her how much she wanted Cloud. Sometimes she tried to show him, sometimes she had to check, just to see if he had changed.

"You are everything to me." He whispered back, allowing her to hug him, stroking her silky raven hair as he held her close.

"I know." She mumbled into his neck, before finally pulling away from the embrace and turning away from him. Cloud found his neck was wet, and he caught a bare glimpse of tears on her face before she turned away, a sight that made him weak with pain. "I feel the same."

And then she had left, leaving Cloud with his self loathing thoughts.

She had offered him everything, she had been exactly what he had needed for all those years. And now that he wished and longed for that comfort, that love, now that he ached for that companionship, it was far too late to finally accept it.

Several days later the weather had changed from pleasantly warm summer days, to morbidly hot and sweltering. The air conditioners all through the Shinra building had been running at maximum for two days, supplying those inside with cool relief. But when one was training as hard as Cloud and Zack were, there just weren't enough air conditioners in the entire Shinra building to keep a body cool.

When the weekend came, Zack had asked Cloud to join him for a training session, saying that a week of classes was making him soft, and he needed a good hard training session to break him in again before Angeal got to him. Cloud had been happy to oblige. Three hours of hard training later, and Cloud could tell that Zack was regretting his choice in training partner. The blond was hot and tired, but was used enough to fighting in such conditions that continuing to push didn't bother him. But after the end of a particularly gruelling training mission, Zack protested loudly at the idea of starting another.

"I'm so fucking hot, I'm going to melt." Zack whined, casting a gaze across to the air conditioner and the several bottles of water that were sitting next to it. "I'm going to overheat and die if you push me any harder." He said accusingly, expecting the threat of his life to change Cloud's mind.

There wasn't going to be another opportunity to train with Zack's higher level missions until the next time they were together, and with a mission coming up, Cloud knew that he wasn't going to get such an opportunity again any time soon. "We can take a break." He said, figuring that after Zack cooled off, he would be more willing to continue training.

The dark haired SOLDIER gave him a long suffering sigh, before he nodded his agreement. "Fine, but you owe me, you're a bigger slave driver than Angeal." He whined.

They moved in front of the air conditioner, Zack nearly hugging it in his attempt to cool down. Finding a bottle of water, even Cloud could admit that drinking the icy liquid did wonders for his stamina, soothing his parched throat and settling his stomach. After a few blissful minutes of sitting in front of the air conditioner, Zack seemed to have regained some energy. He found a bottle of water and drained most of it in a single guzzle, before pouring the rest over his head. "It is so hot, it should be a crime." He mumbled, before taking a long look over at Cloud, who caught his gaze much like a spider catching a fly in its web. "Speaking of which." Zack grinned, before casually walking to Cloud, who felt even more like that trapped fly.

"Speaking of crimes, or heat?" Cloud asked warily, holding his water bottle in front of him, as if it would protect him from the oh so predatory Zack. Now with his hair dripping wet, and still shining with sweat from the work out, and sultry eyes that spoke of all sorts of indecent things, Cloud found himself doubting that just a water bottle would scorn off any advances. And when those eyes met his, he found himself wondering why he would want to, in the first place.

"We should go back to training," He said quietly, just as Zack moved into him, pushing him back against the wall and pressing their bodies together. "We should--" He was promptly cut off when Zack's lips met his, massaging and pressing, gentle and exploring. The kiss was enough to shatter any reason Cloud had for wanting to go back and train, this felt far more pleasurable. When Zack pulled away, kissing his way from Cloud's mouth, down his jaw to his neck, he grinned against hot skin.

"I think training can wait." Zack whispered, locking his mouth over Cloud's pulse, laving it with his tongue and drawing blood to the surface of Cloud's skin. Somewhere along the lines, Cloud lost grip on his water bottle, and it thumped to the ground as Zack pressed their bodies tighter. His hands were on Cloud's hips, offering leverage as he pulled them together, grinding into Cloud in a way that made the blond flush with embarrassment. Unsure of where to put his hands, he tentatively put them on Zack's shoulders, finding that it was comfortable, and allowed their chests to be flat together.

"What if...someone sees." Cloud whispered against Zack's neck, the other man's mouth preoccupied with nipping and kissing his shoulder, his hands starting to make a determined effort at pushing up the shirt of Cloud's uniform, accessing the skin beneath. "Someone...could walk in." He breathed, just before Zack claimed his mouth again, shoving his shirt upwards across his collar bones.

"They'll get an eyeful, then." Zack responded breathily, his voice husky and full with something even Cloud could identify as arousal. Things were moving fast, and Cloud realized belatedly that Zack was keeping this speed so Cloud didn't over think things, not giving him a chance to catch his control or become overly concerned with what was happening. Instead all he could do was respond to Zack's ministrations, panting heavily under his mouth, bucking his hips in rhythm with the other, sure by now that he was just as hard as Zack as they ground themselves together.

It was way too hot for this, and even with his shirt up, his body heat was overwhelming. Zack seemed to feel this on his skin, and was quickly trying to shed Cloud of his uniform. Lifting his arms up, he helped Zack pull his top off of him, exposing his chest to the coolness of the air conditioning, and the heat of Zack's body. Zack was lowering his head to run his mouth down Cloud's shoulder, his collar bone, then across his chest. Finally he stopped with a single pink nipple, rubbing his tongue across it to cause Cloud to involuntarily shiver, unsure of why his nipple was so sensitive to the touch.

Zack grazed it with teeth, nipping lightly before kissing it almost apologetically for the twinge of not quite pain it sent through Cloud's body. Cloud's breathing was laboured, and as Zack moved lower across his body, he let his fingers tangle in the other man's messy hair. As the other man sank to his knees, mouth moving down across Cloud's trembling stomach, the blond gasped and tried hard not to pull on the hair in his grasp. Zack's fingers had moved to the fly of his pants, unzipping and starting to pull them down his hips.

"Zack..." Cloud panted, as the dark haired man's tongue swirled into his belly button for a moment. As it travelled lower, his squirming got more insistent, and when Zack's hands pulled his pants and boxers down to his knees, burying his nose into tufts of pale pubic hair, Cloud found himself trembling. It wasn't until that dastardly tongue of his friend found its way to the tip of his length that he lost control.

"Zack!" He moaned, hands gripping tight onto the other man's shoulders, using them and the wall at his back to keep himself standing, as he was sure by now his knees were too weak to support his weight. "What are you...!" He couldn't speak after Zack's mouth worked its way down his length, engulfing it in a hot, wet heat that drove thought altogether out of Cloud's mind. This was why people didn't remain celibate for years, he gathered. The pure, primal pleasure that drove all worries and concerns from one's mind, if only for a moment.

Cloud looked down in time to meet Zack's eyes, the shining blue seeming to stare straight through him, and the absolute carnal desire made him groan in pleasure. This man lusted for him, was absolutely and totally aroused by his presence, wanted to do things foreign and definitely dirty to Cloud.

When Zack, never breaking eye contact, completely engulfed his length, swallowing it to the back of his throat, Cloud moaned, trying to buck forward into that warmth, but finding his hips pinned against the wall by Zack's hands to prevent it. Up and down, that delicious mouth moved, stroking Cloud into sheer bliss. He threw his head back, knowing it hit the wall but not feeling any pain, his hips rocking against the other man's hands, his eyes closed tight as he tried to find some measure of control.

The more he tried to find control, the further away it seemed, and somewhere in that desperate chase, Cloud felt the pleasure build to its peak, and he knew he couldn't hold on any more. "Zack!" He cried as his body stiffened, jerking where he stood, tensed to the maximum but completely unaware.

It was several long moments before he found his mind again, pulling himself together as he panted hard, flushing with absolute embarrassment as he watched Zack wipe what could only be Cloud's cum from the corner of his mouth. Standing up, Zack promptly pressed their bodies together, wrapping an arm around Cloud's neck, and pulling him close for a kiss before he could completely regain himself.

Zack's mouth tasted with a bitterness that Cloud recognized as his own semen, something that brought color deeply to his face as he let Zack plunder his mouth. It wasn't until Zack pulled back that Cloud was allowed a chance to breathe, and focusing his eyes squarely on Zack, he tried to speak as well.

"That was..."

"Mind blowing was what I was going for." Zack whispered, finding Cloud's ear with his teeth and nipping it playfully. "Though, warn a guy next time."

Cloud coloured, realizing what Zack meant, realizing that he had been so caught up in trying to maintain control that he hadn't seen his orgasm coming at all. "Sorry." He muttered, hands going to Zack's biceps. "I've never...It was good." He admitted, nuzzling his nose into the crook of Zack's shoulder as a form of thanks. The other boy's hands had worked themselves down Cloud's back to his ass, kneading and massaging it.

"You're really cute like this." Zack grinned, rubbing his hips provocatively against Cloud's hip, showing that while Cloud had finished, Zack was still desperately aroused. "Flustered and off your game." He said as a response to Cloud's quizzical look. "Makes me feel like I'm actually older than you."

Cloud opened his mouth to say something. What, he wasn't sure. Perhaps to offer some relief to Zack, though he wasn't sure how. Perhaps to chastise him for discreetly making fun of his reaction to sex. But he didn't have to make up his mind, because just when he tried to speak, there was a ringing from the pocket of his pants that was hanging around his knees.

Zack practically snarled, still rutting against Cloud's hip, obviously needing the attention. Cloud considered ignoring it, before he remembered. "I'm supposed to be getting a call for a mission briefing." He mumbled, and as reality came crashing down he felt somewhat disappointed that they hadn't trained further, before he had ran out of time. Not that their alternative activities hadn't been immensely entertaining.

Zack's ill temper faded, and Cloud knew he understood that duty was important --he had already once interrupted their playtime for official business. "I guess you'd better get it then." Zack said, the huskiness in his voice still apparent as he pulled himself away from Cloud. The other boy was dishevelled and needy, and Cloud felt guilt start to settle in his stomach as he fished the phone out of his pocket, flipping it open and answering it.

Zack helped him pull up his pants, finding his shirt for him as Cloud conversed with the dispatcher. Of course he was needed right away, not giving him any time to finish up with Zack. Frustrated, Cloud hung up quickly and stuffed the phone into his pocket, looking at Zack who was attempting to straighten his clothes and hair.

"I'm really sorry--" Cloud began, but Zack only grinned, hugging Cloud close quickly.

"Don't worry, you can pay me back later." He whispered into Cloud's ear before giving it a kiss, then letting go and let the blond escape. "Hope they don't send you off on anything too risky." He said, drawing attention away from his arousal and Cloud's departure, which made it a little easier for Cloud to nod his agreement.

"See you around." He said, giving Zack a slight wave. "Thanks for the training, and...everything else." He said in a hurry, a blush staining his cheeks as he quickly spun around to hide it, exiting the training center quickly.

This left Zack, still in a terrible state. Doing a few squats in an attempt to burn off excess energy, Zack threw his head back and groaned. "Broken knee caps, dead kittens, ingrown toenails." Zack repeated as a mantra to himself, and when it had limited effect, he knew it was time for a cold shower.


A/N: Please, please leave a comment or review if you've read this. I thrive on comments.