Okay, this is a challenge fic on the KHYML, so there's slash (yaoi) in it. Be forewarned. That, and it's a really weird pairing. The challenge was to use this pairing and let them interact with "cold comfort." This... is what happened...

Title: Familiarity Breeds Consent

Challenge: Cid/Cloud (Kalloway's challenge)

Rating: M for gay kissing, but that's it, really:P

Warnings: Depressed Cloud, Stargazing Cid, and general lame melancholy…buh.

Disclaimer: I don't own the setting OR the characters. Puh-leeze.

Summary: Cloud goes to Traverse town to forget…Yea, okay, it's a lame summary...

Cloud walked up along the streets of Traverse Town, searching for a familiar face. There were many, he was aware of that. He could have talked to any of his old companions. Aeris was there somewhere – she was always willing to listen, but it was too painful to talk to her. Yuffie was out of the question. She wouldn't have the heart to understand his dilemma.

Leon was always good, but he wasn't close like the others. He wanted something familiar.

He felt cold.

And then he found him, standing at the lonely edge of a dark side street. A cigarette hung smoking from between the other man's taut, frowning lips as he stared up into the sky. A large, white moon looked down with a shivering, silvery glow.

Cloud knew what Cid was thinking about, or more like who. Yes, this was familiar. He felt that way all the time… searching, waiting, wondering where that person went to.

After a minute of staring, Cid took a long puff of his cigarette and tapped off the ashen tip onto the cobblestone path.

"I know you're there," he said calmly. "Don't think I'm stupid in my old age, Cloud. I can catch your scent a mile away."

Cloud cocked a half-grin and walked up to his old companion. Cid looked older than he had been, but he was no less impressive.

"You're good," Cloud commented. "…But you look lonely, Cid. Missing someone, old man?"

It was a cold joke, and it stung. Cloud knew better than anyone what it felt like.

Cid narrowed his eyes, but shook his head. "I'm not looking for an argument. But… yea, I guess you're right. It's pretty lonely in this place. On nights like this, I start missin' the old days."

There was a long moment of silence between them. They were both uncomfortable with sentimentality, openness. But it was pleasant to see an old friend again, despite the circumstances.

They found it hard to talk, and after a while the silence became uncomfortable. Cid shifted and tossed his old cigarette to the ground, not bothering to light a new one. It was late, after all.

"Well," he said with a cough, "It's about time I turned in for the night. You got a place to stay?"

Cid was offering. That was new. The older man was shifting his feet, but his eyes were steady as they looked Cloud in the eyes.

Cloud could see something different in those eyes. It may have been curiosity, or that sentimentality thing again, but it looked distinctly like something else; something that Cloud was much more comfortable with, even if it was Cid.

He didn't want to let this opportunity pass him by, and slowly shook his head.

"No, I have nowhere to go now. You know that."

Cid chuckled. "God, Cloud; you've always been a stupid kid. Here, come on. I'll let you stay in my place."

Cloud found himself following those eyes like a moth to dying embers. He almost thought this situation funny, except it was what he wanted.

It was what he came for, after all.

He found himself in a small, basement-like apartment. It was cluttered with gadgets and old containers, ash trays filled to the brim with cold, old cigarette buts. Papers were scattered across the couch and tables, plans for new ships, new armour, new technology.

It didn't interest Cloud at all. He stared at Cid's hands as he shut the door and locked it securely. They were strong, calloused, shaking.

Was he nervous? Cloud didn't think too much about it. He tried to forget a lot of things that way. He focused on the older man's bronzed skin – Cid'd been working too hard, again. Totally unlike him, that pale demi-god…

No, don't think about that. Cloud focused instead on Cid's scent, a mixture of musk, cedar and nicotine… Definitely unlike him, the one he was searching for, longing for…

He was thinking about it too much again. There was only one sure way to stop that.

As soon as Cid turned around, Cloud had him pinned against the wall in a searing kiss. It almost felt desperate and pining, and Cid returned the favor with half a heart.

"What the fuck was that about?" Cid muttered, not really complaining. Cloud continued to nip along his jawline, touching his lips to the older man's neck. Cid slung an arm around Cloud's back. He didn't exactly want the blonde to stop.

His fingers curled around the base of Cloud's leathery, black wing. Cid's mind went reeling back to the dark, moonlit sky, and another man whose dark wings turned him on…

"I need you, Cid," Cloud whispered. He sounded small, a little desperate, hollow. "I saw that look in your eyes earlier… You need this, too…"

Cloud shivered as he pressed himself up against Cid, reaching a hand to the back of Cid's neck to kiss him again, harder.

Cloud wanted that feeling of loneliness to go away. He couldn't have the one he really wanted. Not forever. It was so hard to find his silver-haired demon for longer than a moment before he was gone again.

And the emptiness left him feeling hollow, cold. The warmth of this familiar body almost numbed his pain. Cid at least understood what it meant to be far from the one you wanted most.

The comfort between them only bittersweet, Cid turned off the lights.

In the dark, they could pretend whatever they wanted, even if their lonely fantasies were light-years away.

Reviews? Like it? Hate it? Think it's really friggin' weird? (Okay, so I think it's really weird... but whatever, someone might like it.:P) Tell me what you think. Your opinions matter, folks. :)