Cloud held his phone in place between his ear and his shoulder. "So how did your day go?", he dried off a frying pan with a dish towel. When all he got was a small grunt in response, he frowned. "Bad day then."
"Correct," Sephiroth said. "I fired the secretary. Twice did he forget to add sugar into my coffee."
"That's a bit harsh. Don't you think he should get another chance? It's only coffee."
"I did give him a second chance. He forgot the sugar again."
Cloud swallowed his chuckle, "Guess it's back to the drawing board for you. Was that the only thing that ruined your day? Or is bitter coffee the tip of the iceberg?"
"That same secretary was furious at being fired on his first day, so he dumped both his and my coffee all over my desk."
"Geez..."
"Mm. There's more but I'd rather not bore you with the details. Would you like to go out for dinner?"
"No, I made us dinner. It'll be hot and ready when you get home so hurry up. I'll melt all your stress away when you get home."
"I have no doubts that you will. See you in a bit."
Cloud finished up the dishes, set the dinner table, queued up Netflix and selected whatever horrible horror movie they hadn't watched yet, and waited.
Sephiroth came home looking worse for wear. "Oh god, you look awful." Cloud commented as he walked over and greeted Sephiroth with a peck on the lips. And it was true. That over styled hair looked limp, Sephiroth's lips were chapped, and Cloud swore there were slight bags under his eyes. As Cloud wraps his arms around Sephiroth he felt his fiance slump against him.
"Dinner smells delicious," mumbled Sephiroth into the crook of Cloud's neck. Cloud's fingers trail up and down Sephiroth's back and the older man grunts as some of the tension immediately releases. All he wanted now was to have a nice evening with his fiance and let the weight of terrible secretaries and bitter coffee disappear from his mind.
They went to the kitchen table, where dinner laid out cooled and ready to be eaten. Sephiroth pulled out Cloud's chair for him. "Even after a long day you're still a gentleman." Cloud remarked with a smirk.
"The least I can do when you've slaved over a stove."
"Right, I didn't throw a TV dinner in then sat on my ass all day watching Orange is the New Black again."
"That doesn't sound like you at all."
They ate dinner and upon request Cloud opened up a bottle of wine. Cloud told all about how Zack and Aerith were trying to get pregnant. Sephiroth made a snide – but playful - comment on imagining Zack as a father of a newborn and Cloud chuckled in agreement. Zack acted like a puppy still, but maybe all that excess energy could finally be put to good use.
When the wine was gone and both were feeling the effects of a buzz coming on they made their way to the couch. "I think this movie's gonna be terrible. I looked up a trailer and..." Cloud could only shake his head.
"It's not the first bad movie we've managed to trudge through." Sephiroth sat in his usual spot on the end and Cloud saddled up next to his side and rested his head on Sephiroth's shoulder. The movie starts with terrible gore special effects, clueless actors due to lack of direction, and music that does more to disturb the tone rather than enhance it. Cloud glances up at Sephiroth who's already hiding a chuckle behind his hand.
"The trailer was bad, but damn, it's worse than I thought. Maybe it'll get better, though. It's only been a few minutes..."
"Cloud. While your optimism is charming, how many times will you give these terrible movies a chance and be met with disappointment?"
"As many as it takes until we find that hidden gem."
"You're going to make me suffer through this, aren't you?"
"Yes."
By the time the movie ended Sephiroth had predicted every plot twist, or lack there of, and had the killer pinned from within the first scene.
"You took the mystery out of it!" Cloud accused.
"Don't tell me it was much of a mystery. You're smarter than that."
Cloud rolls his eyes and scoffs, "You can't silently enjoy a bad film."
"We didn't even watch the majority of it. Someone," Sephiroth gave emphasis there, "couldn't keep his attention pinned on the TV. Instead he kept insisting we make out."
"What? No. I didn't do that at all. You're exaggerating."
"Mhm," Sephiroth gave Cloud an incredulous smile.
Cloud squinted at him at that stupid smile. Though he kept telling himself not to give into Sephiroth's taunting, Cloud's better judgment was silenced by his need to have the upper hand.
"Even if that's true you did nothing to stop me."
"It's hard to resist you, especially when I've had a hard day."
"Oh no, don't play that card." Cloud stood up; if he could appear taller then maybe that would strengthen his argument. "You don't get my pity this time."
Sephiroth raised his eyebrows and fought back a smirk, "I don't?"
"No. You ruined the movie for me."
"Cloud Strife," Sephiroth spoke in a more commanding tone that still boreded on playful, "you are a blatant liar. You don't care that much about a movie."
"It's the principle of the matter. Stop spoiling movies for me just because you figured out what's going to happen. It comes off as cocky and pretentious."
There was a moment of silence as Sephiroth stared at Cloud with an expression the blond knew too well. A spark of pride filled Cloud as he realized he had just won this argument. And finally...
"Alright. You win." Sephiroth stood from his seat and with an over the top exasperated sigh, he placed his hands to Cloud's face and leaned in for a kiss. "In my defeat I humbly request you join me in the shower."
"I guess I could throw you a bone for taking it so well."
After their shower Cloud fell on their bed with only a towel around his waist. Sephiroth's nightly hair routine after a shower took a while, not that Cloud had any problem with it. It'd be hypocritical, considering how much time and effort he put into his own spiky mess of a mane. So, with a moment to relax by himself Cloud hovered between that almost asleep but still somewhat awake feeling. There, he thought about anything that popped into his head.
How he didn't want to work tomorrow, how he should probably put on boxers, how he was getting the comforter damp with his towel but it was Sephiroth's side of the bed so he'd decided he didn't care. Then he thought about how much he loved the smell of tea tree oil and how Sephiroth's side of the bed always smelled like it, or how Sephiroth always smelled sort of minty. It was nice, he thought.
He only opened his eyes when he felt the weight of another human next to him, and sure enough Sephiroth was next to him with his perfectly shiny, combed through, slightly damp hair. "What are you smiling about?" Sephiroth asked.
"Tea tree oil," Cloud answered.
Sephiroth cupped Cloud's chin in his hand and leaned in for a kiss. "Are you tired?"
"A little. But I do need to get some sleep. You should, too."
"You're right." Sephiroth gave a little hum and stared at Cloud, as if taking him in for the first time. "It is astounding how often I find myself unable to look away from you."
Cloud turned red and he stands up quickly to get dressed for bed, "Shut up." Sephiroth gave a little laugh which Cloud met with tossing his towel at him. But before long they were settled in, Cloud curled up in the curve of Sephiroth's tall body, and were falling asleep.
