Too much Crisis Core makes Lola a distracted chinchilla. Rest assured, other projects are being worked on. Slowly.
Dedicated to Tsu, because I've missed her.
Ordinarily, Cloud would have knocked. Well, ordinarily, he couldn't imagine any set of circumstances that would have brought him to the bedroom door of a 1st Class. But General Sephiroth had given him his orders, and you did NOT refuse the General. So, with a deep breath, Cloud nudged open the door gently.
Zack lay on his side, back to the door. He was curled into the foetal position, and could almost have been asleep, but for the trembling across his shoulders.
"Zack?" The blonde called tentatively, but there was no response. Sighing, he moved further into the room, pushing the door closed behind him. He perched on the bed, next to the huddled ball of his friend. Cautiously, unsure if the gesture would be appreciated, he laid a hand against the other man's shoulder, squeezing gently. The action brought forth a choked half-sob, and Zack curled into an even tighter ball, his face burying into the bedsheets.
Cloud turned, brought his legs up to rest on the bed and shifted so that he was facing the black-haired man's back. Then, he slipped his arms around Zack's chest, fingers curling around his elbows. Feeling the trembling increase, he squeezed gently. Zack's breaths came in shallow little catches, not quite enough to be sobs, but laced with pain. Cloud didn't murmur reassurances or words of comfort, knowing they would sound empty and hollow. Instead, he buried his face against the base of the other man's neck and squeezed as tightly as he dared.
After a long moment, he felt the body in his arms uncurl slightly, the chest inflate as Zack took a deep breath.
"You shouldn't-be here." His voice was faint, breaking halfway through his words. "You shouldn't...see me. Like this."
Cloud pulled back, leaned over his friend to give him a look.
"We're friends, right Zack?"
Hesitantly, he nodded.
"Then I can see you in whatever state I damn well please." Encouraged by the little twitch at the corner of Zack's mouth, he added "even naked."
He was greeted by a burst of startled laughter, and he gave the other man a little smile.
"Now c'mon, get up. The General said you have twenty minutes before you're addressing the troops, and that was..." He checked. "Ten minutes ago."
"Crap."
They both rose, Zack moving to sit on the edge of the bed and Cloud standing in front of him.
"How do I look?"
The blonde took a moment to regard his friend's tear-streaked face.
"Frankly, you look a state."
Zack sighed, shoulders drooping in defeat.
"Come on, it won't take you that long to make yourself look presentable. Go splash cold water on your face."
The black-haired man nodded, lifting himself to his feet and shuffling heavily into the bathroom. There was the sound of running water, and then he re-emerged. The redness around his eyes and cheeks had all but disappeared, but his face still showed signs of weariness. Cloud reached out and ruffled his hair, considering it revenge for the hundred times the man had done the same to him. Chuckling, Zack shoved him lightly.
"Oi! You're not supposed to do that to a senior-ranking officer."
Still smiling, the two of them left the room and made their way down the hall.
"Aww, shut up. I'm the one person in this place that you can never pull rank on."
"You and Sephiroth."
Cloud nudged him. "Oh, so it's "Sephiroth" now, is it? When did it stop being "The General?""
"Shhh!" Zack hushed him, grinning, then pushed him out in front. "Go on, join the line. And put your helmet on!"
This last insruction was greeted with a mocking laugh, as Cloud trudged towards the other infantrymen. Chuckling, Zack took a few seconds to compose himself, smoothing out his hair, then he stepped out towards the lines of people waiting for him. He was nervous, but confident that his friends would keep him strong. Friends past and future.
Sorry, no smut. Lola demands that PWP be reserved for purely smut pairings. If I can do it, there just may be a surprise in the works.