"Something Beautiful to Die For"
Zack could see Cloud walking between the trees, his pale gold hair framed by the browns, yellows, and reds of the leaves. The sun streamed through them, their veins stark against their leathery skin, the brightness behind them reminding him of the colors he saw when he closed his eyes against the morning sun.
A leaf drifted down and Zack closed his hand around it as if it were precious, pulling it close to his chest and staring down at it. It looked soft, its edges a deep orange fading into pale yellow. The yellow of Cloud's hair. He lifted his eyes and saw that Cloud was walking to the river. This prompted him to move again, the leaf held reverently in his hand.
He watched Cloud depart from the dense gathering of trees, the shadow falling away from him. His hair looked like it was burning in the sun, his pale skin glowing. He knelt at the bank of the river and set his helmet down; then he removed his gloves, boots and socks, rolling the legs of his uniform pants up. It was so quiet that Zack could hear every little noise that Cloud made, the autumn breeze rustling the leaves on the trees gently. When the blond was done, he sat near the edge of the water and let his feet drift in slowly, toes wiggling. His shoulders melted into repose and Zack felt his own stiff toes trapped in the chafing leather of his boots acutely in response.
He stood there for what seemed like a long time watching Cloud. He seemed so peaceful, so deeply wrapped up in his quiet moment that he didn't want to disturb him. But when he looked at the leaf still in his hand he felt something tug at him and he knew he wanted to give in, to look in those eyes and draw a smile from those lips, so he walked forward gently, his boots sinking in the soft earth.
"Junon is beautiful in the autumn, isn't it?" Zack asked as he stepped beside Cloud's seated form. Immediately his relaxed body language shifted entirely; he dragged his feet out of the water, a noise dying in his throat.
"Sir! I, uhm, I wasn't neglecting my duties, sir! I'll go back to my post and—"
Zack smiled fondly down at Cloud as he tilted his frightened face up, cheeks red with embarrassment.
"Nah," Zack shrugged dismissively as he crouched down and held out the leaf toward the cadet. "We're wrapping things up here. You're fine." He traced a gloved finger over the crinkling points of the leaf and looked into Cloud's eyes.
"Isn't it beautiful? Strange that they turn colors because they're dying. Autumn and Winter are so pretty outside of Midgar. But they always make me kinda sad."
"You? Sad? But you always look so happy." Cloud's eyes, trained on Zack's palm, skittered away and stared at the angry redness of his swollen feet drifting through calm waters.
"Well, not really sad. Happy in a way. 'Cause, you know . . . like when things die, you're reminded of why life is so beautiful. Things are always so green where I come from—never got to know what this feeling was like 'til I left."
Cloud looked startled and his lips twitched into a shy smile.
"Hey, if I order you to do that more, would ya?" Zack asked, finger pointing at Cloud's face. His eyes widened and the blush on his cheeks deepened. "It's just that every time I see you, you're always so serious."
"I can't help it, sir," Cloud muttered.
"Hmm." Zack tapped a finger to his chin and plunked himself down beside Cloud, letting the leaf fall away. "Let me guess—got something to prove, yeah? You seem like that type of guy."
"I guess," Cloud said distantly, his arms folding just over his thighs, his facial expression growing cold.
"You sure are moody," Zack pouted. "But I'm used to guys like you."
"Sorry, it's just that before we came here, I heard that I failed the SOLDIER test. Again. I'm no good."
Zack chewed at his bottom lip for a moment and then he scooted closer to the cadet. He was about to say something reassuring when Cloud spoke again.
"I wish I was more like you." His eyes were averted.
"For all you know," Zack said, bumping his shoulder against Cloud's, "we're more alike than you think." The blond turned his face and looked into his superior's eyes. They were kind and honest—and he was everything he himself wanted to be.
"How could we be alike?" Cloud asked softly. "When you're so much stronger than me."
"I have my weaknesses," Zack smirked.
"Name one," Cloud frowned.
"You."
I wrote this at someone's request on a drabble post and I like it a lot so I decided to put it up here, too. Hope you like it!