I wrote this story for a contest on DeviantArt, the ZackxCloud Club Tropical Contest. I won third place and got this awesome wallpaper as a prize! I was the only one who submitted fanfiction. Anyway, I really hope you all like this story. It's very close to my heart.

Dedicated to: All of my friends for their love and support. You know who you are!

"Oh, Spiiiiii-iiiiiiiike, I'm ho-ome!" Zack called out loudly as he stepped into his small apartment, kicking the door shut behind him. He looked around, waiting for an answer, his mako-enhanced eyes adjusting quickly to the darkness around him.

"Why are all the lights off?" he thought aloud, flicking on the nearest light switch. "Hey Cloud, where are you?"

This time his response was an exhausted groan.

"You okay, Spike?" Zack asked, setting his buster sword against the wall. He made his way to the living room to discover Cloud sprawled out on the couch, still in uniform. One hand covered his eyes as he lay there limply, his pretty face marred with fatigue.

"Huh. What did you test on today?"

Cloud groaned again. "Hand-to-hand combat. Now shut up, I'm tired. And you're loud," he complained, rolling on his side to block out the light.

Zack grinned. "Aww, c'mon, that's what makes me fun!" And with the speed granted only to a SOLDIER 1st Class, Zack leapt over the couch and straddled the blonde boy in one smooth movement, bringing his face inches away from the young cadet's. Cloud's pale skin flushed immediately and he looked away. Zack smirked and leaned in closer, his lips brushing the shell of Cloud's un-pierced ear, and he felt the blonde shudder beneath him.

Honestly. The kid was so easy to tease.

"Zack, um… I'm tired. And I can barely move. So, er… not tonight?" Cloud asked timidly.

Zack frowned. That maneuver usually worked. Oh well. Time for 'Plan B' then. The next weapon in his seducing arsenal always worked. He took Cloud's face in his gloved hands and turned the blonde so they were facing each other. "Pleeeeeease?" he whined, unleashing the full force of his patented, no-fail, trademark Puppy Dog Pout. The Pout was his lethal secret weapon. It was 100% effective.

Cloud took one look at those massive blue eyes hovering above his and gulped, shutting his own eyes. He took a steadying breath and mumbled firmly, "No, Zack."

"What?! The Pout failed?!" Zack yelped, bolting upright. Cloud opened his eyes, surprised, and nodded slowly. The defeated SOLDIER slumped and whimpered like a kicked puppy.

"And that always works!" he muttered to himself. Cloud shook his head and sighed. He sat up properly and placed a small, sympathetic peck to his lover's cheek. "If it makes you feel better, it was very hard to resist."

Zack nodded enthusiastically. "Well, of course it was, Spike! I'm irresistible!" And with that he pressed his lips to Cloud's, pushing the boy back down on the couch and pinning his wrists above his head, all in one fluid motion. Cloud stiffened for a moment in surprise, but then he practically melted beneath the older man, his mouth opening automatically to grant Zack's tongue entrance. Zack couldn't begin to express how much he'd needed this. He'd been counting down every damn second of the day until he could come home to see the blonde teenager beneath him. Zack's lips left Cloud's and made their way to the blonde's earlobe. He bit down gently, smirking as he heard Cloud's breath hitch.

"Hey, Cloud."

A distracted "Hmm?" greeted his ears. Zack settled himself so that his head was lying on the young cadet's chest.

"I got some good news today."

Zack felt a tug on a spike of his ebony hair. "What is it?"

The SOLDIER smiled and looked up at his lover. "I'm getting a week off. To Costa del Sol. And since I'm training you… you can come with me," Zack said. He lazily traced the skin of Cloud's forearm with his fingers. "Whaddaya say?"

Cloud looked thoughtful. "Vacation? To Costa del Sol?"

Zack smiled and nodded enthusiastically. Cloud looked rather dubious and hesitant. The older man sighed. "C'mon, Spike. Just picture it," he said, giving Cloud a chaste kiss. "No Shin-Ra, no mission, no training…" He softly kissed Cloud's cheek. "Clear blue skies… cool ocean spray…" Another butterfly kiss to the boy's neck. "Warm tropical sun… white sand…"

"I hate sand," Cloud grumbled. Zack rolled his eyes. He grabbed Cloud's chin and forced the blonde to meet his eyes.

"You're missing the point here, Spike. It's a vacation. A real vacation. We can relax for once-"

"But you're always relaxed," Cloud pointed out. Zack frowned at the teen.

"I keep forgetting you're such a smartass."

"Of course I am. I have to keep up with you."

Zack sighed. "Fine, fine. You can relax, and I'll take in the sights." Zack grinned wickedly and slid up Cloud's shirt, exposing the recruit's pale abdomen. "And the sounds," he whispered, running his fingers up and down the smooth skin, eliciting a gasp from his lover. "And the tastes," he added, leaning forward and licking the boy's navel.

"Dammit, Zack…" Cloud growled. Well, tried to. It sounded more like a satisfied mewl. Zack laughed and pulled Cloud's hands towards his, lacing their fingers together.

"Gods, you are SO easy to tease."

Cloud attempted to glare with all the iciness he could muster, but it only came out as a criminally cute pout. The older man had to restrain himself from ravaging the boy then and there.

"So when is this dream vacation of yours?" Cloud asked.

"Ours," Zack corrected stubbornly. Cloud sighed and smiled at the older man fondly, giving his hands a light squeeze. "Ours, then."

"Well, we still have this one mission to do before we leave for Costa del Sol. It shouldn't take more than a few days to finish, and as soon as we get back to Midgar, we leave for a tropical paradise! I can't wait! Surf, sun, sand, Sex on the Beach…" Zack licked his lips.

Cloud's eyes widened in alarm.

"Oh, you'd like it. The taste can be a little off sometimes, but it's well worth it," Zack said enthusiastically.

Cloud gulped. "Uh, Zack…"

"Yup?"

"You know I love you, right?"

The SOLDIER cocked his head to the side, taken aback. "Of course I do, Spike. Why?"

Cloud's face flushed crimson. "I am not having sex with you on the beach. I refuse. I hate sand."

Zack was silent for a grand total of three seconds, and then his bark-like laughter filled the tiny apartment. "Oh, I love you, Cloud," he said, placing a kiss on the recruit's forehead. "Sex on the Beach is a cocktail. As in, vodka and fruit. I wasn't planning on making love to you in the middle of a deserted beach at sunset or anything like that. Promise." He held his hand over his heart solemnly. "Although, that does sound kind of sexy, in a trashy romance novel kind of way."

"Zack…."

"I'm kidding!"

Cloud shook his head and sighed. "You're giving me a headache."

The older man pressed a small kiss to Cloud's temple. "Sorry. I'm just excited."

"Oh, really? I couldn't tell," the cadet muttered sarcastically.

"Shut up. We leave for that mission tomorrow night, and as soon as we're done and we've reported back to Shin-Ra, then we get to leave for paradise!"

"Where's the mission at?"

Zack grinned. "You're gonna love it."

"Why?"

Zack beat the side of the couch to create an impromptu drum roll. "We're going to Nibelheim!"

Cloud drummed his fingers on the wooden bar of the Seventh Heaven, adding his own beat to the din of the crowded bar. It was the dead of winter in Edge, slightly dirty snow blanketing the city. A lot of people in the neighborhood had gathered to the Seventh Heaven to enjoy the central heating- many of them were still waiting for theirs to be installed, so the bar was busier than Cloud and Tifa had ever seen it. Tifa was nothing but a blur as she danced through the mass of people, refilling drinks.

"I can't believe how busy it is!" she exclaimed as she walked behind the bar, pulling out a new glass. "I didn't think we could fit this many people in here."

"Neither did I," he replied quietly. "Tifa?"

"Mm-hm?"

Cloud gulped. "Er… there was this drink I wanted to try… if you weren't too busy…"

Tifa nodded. "Sure. What can I get you?"

The blonde flushed. Tifa raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay?"

He nodded hurriedly. "Yeah. Um… do you know… how to make…" He bit his lip.

"Make what, Cloud?"

"Er.... Sex on the Beach."

Unlike Zack, Tifa was quiet for a grand total of seven seconds, and then she giggled, her hand covering her mouth. "Yeah," she replied, mirth filling her red-brown eyes, "I know how to make that."

Cloud ducked his head down, blonde spikes covering his eyes. "I was curious," he mumbled, his face still crimson. Tifa giggled again. "Well, I'll have it for you in a second."

She disappeared behind the bar and pulled out the necessary ingredients for the cocktail, her highly amused smile never wavering. A minute or so later she placed a glass filled with the sweet orange concoction in front of him. "Enjoy!" she said cheerfully, walking away to attend to another customer.

Cloud raised a wary eyebrow at the drink. This was what Zack had been so excited about? It didn't look that impressive. But he'd struck up the nerve to order the damn thing, and he'd drink all of it, even if it took him the whole night.

The blonde sighed and grasped the glass in his gloved hand. The scent of orange juice rushed over him as he hesitantly put it to his lips.

Dammit, grow a backbone, he ordered himself, and with that thought he took a gigantic gulp of Sex on the Beach. The vodka burned on its way down his throat, making him hack and cough like a sick man. He never really drank much and it was an incredible shock to his system. He set the glass down so he wouldn't drop it and coughed one last time, his eyes beginning to water ever so slightly. As the burning sensation faded a little, he grabbed the glass and took another swig. There was fire yet again, but the burn wasn't as fierce this time, and before he realized it he'd chugged the entire glass in a matter of seconds. He stifled the cough building in his throat and grimaced.

Y'know, after he got past the vodka, it… wasn't bad. It was rather sweet, and he found he liked the citrus-y aftertaste. Huh. Zack had been right.

Cloud jumped as he felt a warm weight settle on his shoulders. Someone's lips brushed his ear playfully and he heard the familiar snicker that had haunted his dreams for years.

"I told you you'd like 'Sex on the Beach', didn't I, Spike?" Zack whispered teasingly.

Cloud clutched the glass in his hands desperately. This was not happening, this was not happening, this was NOT happening…!

Zack chuckled again, pressing his lips to the young man's temple. "Love you, Cloud."

The blonde gulped, his barely healing heart threatening to tear itself to shreds. He felt a warm hand ruffle his hair- he used to do that so much- and suddenly Zack's presence was gone, the heat from his skin disappearing as soon as it had come. Cloud whipped around on the bar stool fast enough to crick his neck, only to be met with empty space. There was nothing there. Nothing. No one.

Cloud took in a ragged breath, trying as best he could not to hyperventilate. "Love you too, Zack," he whispered.

"Did you like your drink, Cloud?"

The ex-SOLDIER turned around and gave Tifa a curt nod. He handed her his glass. "Can I have another one please?"