Two hours of awkward silence, hesitant conversation, and cliché, cheesy pickup lines occurred before they were finally comfortable enough to begin. How easy it had seemed that night in the bar when they decided – they were already great friends, why not try for something more? - but reality preferred to be ironic.
Now, however, Sephiroth was sprawled beneath him, both men shirtless and running calloused hands over chiseled muscle. Each probing the others boundaries of personal space, as well as their own. There was no need to rush if they weren't ready.
Cloud was just undoing Sephiroth's belt when the trilling PHS ring started. They let out a collective sigh, their carefully crafted mood shattered. Cloud reached for his phone – Zack would be the one to inadvertently spoil the night – but Sephiroth seized his own, flicking it open with a scowl. Green eyes flickered over the text, then narrowed.
"Angeal!"
The word was filled with so much exasperation that it might as well have had its own Broadway show.
Cloud inclined his head; Sephiroth turned the screen to face him.
[ How's the sausage? ;) ]
That was all it said. Cloud groaned. The mood was spoiled for this?
"Next time he has a date", Cloud murmured bitterly, "we should crash it."
"We could show up in Red Leather t-shirts." Sephiroth responded with a wry smile.
"Or tell embarrassing stories about him."
"Put Zack on a leash and introduce him as Angeal's puppy."
"Steal his phone and text his date pictures of his underwear."
Sephiroth's face went blank for moment, then stretched into the most endearing, mischievous grin Cloud had ever seen the man give. Motioning for Cloud to follow him, he disappeared into the spare bedroom.
Cloud had never seen the spare room before, but it was clearly used only for storage. Boxes were strewn about, half opened and coated in a layer of dust. Sephiroth, he'd discovered some time ago, had a tendency to hoard things. His teachers at the military academy had disposed of most of his childhood things as soon as they deemed him to old for them, regardless of Sephiroth's feeling on the matter.
His silver haired lover was searching through the closet for something. Apparently having found it, he turned to Cloud, opening the box. Inside lay a pair of the frilliest, lace covered lingerie he had ever laid eyes on. A note was pinned to it; Cloud recognized Angeal's precise handwriting and read it aloud.
[ Find someone to fill them. ]
"It was a gag gift some years ago." Sephrioth chuckled, "Angeal was quite the prankster in his youth."
"That makes you sound like an old man. Careful, I think I see some gray hairs." Cloud teased gently, planting a kiss on the long locks. Sephiroth let out a short bark of laughter and turned to put the closet back into some semblance of order. He was a few minutes into his task when...
"Hey Sephiroth."
He turned.
His eyes widened.
His mouth hung open in a moment of pure, unadulterated shock.
Then he collapsed to the floor, howling in laughter.
Cloud struck a pose he'd seen on his roommates pin-up calender – as awkward as he felt in the tiny underwear – and Sephiroth laughed until tears streamed down his face. His phone made a reappearance. Cloud struck another pose. It took a few minutes; Sephiroth's hands were shaking so badly he couldn't hold the camera still enough.
Sephiroth's thumb halted over one of the buttons, "Do you mind?"
"Do it." Cloud commanded, equally as certain as he was uncertain about it. Sephiroth sent the text.
##########
Genesis wasn't the least bit surprised when Angeal's PHS rang. If it wasn't for the odd choking noise his old friend made, he probably wouldn't have looked up from his book at all. And he may not have even checked what had caused that ungodly noise if Angeal's face hadn't been as red as a Blood Taste's ass. In the end, he was glad he did.
"Well," he added wryly, reading the note still attached to the pictured garment, "You did tell him to find someone to fill them."