One Confession: One Promise
By: Phoenix Dayze
(Cloud/Zack)
R

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy isn't mine.

Cloud awoke to a gentle hand gliding along his skin. A tiny ripple of fear coursed through him, but then he heard a familiar voice in his ear.

"Shh, Cloud. It's just me."

Cloud rolled over, Zack's hand easily following his movement, sending gentle tingles along his nerves. "Zack?" The fingers continued to slowly move over his chest and a slightly different twinge of fear returned, along with the first sparkings of new sensations. "What are you doing here?"

"I have a confession to make." Zack whispered, his hand still caressing pale flesh. "I fell in love with you."

Love. That's what had changed in Zack. He'd fallen in love. Cloud felt he should have known. Confusion edged along his still slightly sleep-fogged brain. But with him? He was nothing special. He couldn't even make SOLDIER. "Why?" It was the only word he could manage.

"Because," Zack explained, his finger circling one dusky nipple, "you're… Cloud."

Verbally, it wasn't a very satisfactory answer. But looking in Zack's eyes, Cloud could see all the things that Zack couldn't say swimming in the vast sea of emotions. And that was all the answer he really needed anyway. He licked his suddenly dry lips. "Why did you wait so long to say something?"

Zack bit his lip, his hand stilling momentarily. "I… I was afraid."

Cloud's brows drew together in a mild frown. Afraid? Zack? How could Zack be afraid of something so trivial as love? And of him no less. "What were you afraid of?" He asked quietly.

The answer was soft, a hushed whisper in the night. "I was afraid you wouldn't love me back."

As soft as Zack's answer was, Cloud's reply was softer. His hand trailed up to rest behind Zack's neck, and lacing his fingers through the dark hair, he pulled him down until their lips met in a torturously gentle embrace.

Zack's breath left him in a rush as Cloud's mouth anointed his with the first cleansing kiss. His hand moved to stroke against the side of Cloud's face. He let his tongue dip out briefly to lick against Cloud's lips.

Cloud whimpered, his mouth falling open of its own accord, his hands tightening in Zack's hair. He pulled the man closer, hungry.

Zack responded with moan, his tongue delving achingly into the new world that had been offered. Wet heat surrounded him and arousal flared through his body as Cloud's tongue seized him at the entrance. It pulled him in, stroking, twisting around him, and Zack was lost in force of sensations the demanding youth invoked in him. Slowly, without breaking the painfully intimate seal of their mouths, Zack shifted until he was straddling the other man. His hand skimmed lightly over the flat expanse of belly below him, tracing the trembling muscles. His tongue still working in Cloud's mouth, he began stroking over the man's chest, rubbing the nipples into hard nubs, eliciting several shaky gasps from between their lips. He caressed his way lower and lower until…

"Zack." Cloud broke away from his kiss breathlessly. He bit his lip as Zack pulled back, waiting. "Zack… I…" He took a deep breath. "I've never…"

A loving smile graced Zack's face as a light chuckle ran through him. "I know." He said, giving the young man's forehead a tender kiss. "But I can take care of that for you… if you'll let me?"

Cloud stared into Zack's eyes for endless moments, then gave a silent nod.

"Don't worry." Zack whispered. "You're safe with me." Slowly, he tilted Cloud's head to the side, and bringing his mouth down to the pale curve, he sucked lightly at the unmarked flesh.

Cloud shivered with need as Zack slowly licked and sucked his way down his chest, the expert hands and mouth knowing instinctively how to drive him over the edge. He let out a small gasp as cool air assailed his skin, suddenly bereft of Zack's welcome heat as he moved to discard all final remnants of clothing from their bodies.

Zack's heart clenched, almost as if in pain, as Cloud's body was laid bare to his eyes. The young man was so incredibly beautiful. Pale, flawless skin. Untouched… until now. And if possible, his spirit was even more beautiful… He felt the fierce desire to protect this beautiful treasure come over him once again. He would never, never, let anyone hurt him.

Moving back to the head of the bed, he tried to kiss the worry away from Cloud's eyes. "We can stop if you're not sure." He assured him quietly. "I'll always be here."

"No." Cloud interjected, trailing a hand over his shoulder. "I don't want to waste another moment that I could share with you." He let his fingertips brush over Zack's face. "Just promise me you'll never leave me."

Zack's eyes burned with the weight of his vow. "I promise."

The End.