Somewhere in Time
On nights like this, Zack was perfectly content to simply lay there, eyes half-lidded in contentment and arm draped protectively and lovingly over two equally peaceful bodies beside his hip.
Limbs were not entangled, but rather gracefully entwined; laced together like soft ribbons, or perhaps a flowering vine. Their limbs could very well stand as a metaphor for their hearts, their souls. Carefully, their love had come together like this, suddenly but comfortably and despite what others may say, the three of them were beyond happy to remain like this forever. There was no jealousy or clamoring for attention; somehow, it worked out so well, and for this, he was eternally grateful.
He felt the warmth of Aerith's back beside his bare chest, and the surprisingly soft touch of Cloud's spiky hair pressed beneath his left palm. His right hand traced little shapes on the younger man's hip and Aerith's right arm that lay across it. This was his promised land. If he could capture this moment and bottle it forever, he would, only to ensure with absolute certainty that he would be able to experience this forever.
A chill breeze floated through the open window, the air laced with the hint of colder seasons to come. As the wind cradled the three lovers, the two sleeping figures stirred; Aerith scooting back into Zack's embrace as Cloud nuzzled his face beneath her chin, seeking refuge from the sudden intrusion of cold. Zack only smiled warmly, reaching down to pull a thick cover over the three of them, turning their intricate web of limbs and breath into a metaphorical cocoon of pure love.
If this night would never end, he would gladly give up the chance of another sunrise, if it only meant that they could always be together like this, as the stars looked on in quiet wonder.
He was surely a lucky man to have this. Two lovers, a husband and a wife for him, who also loved one another. It wasn't a triangle; it was just love to them. For all the implications that word had, it surely fit all facets of their relationship together; two men and a woman whose hearts beat only for one another, and whose fates came to converge upon the same path together. Three sets of lips to roam across three bodies and six hands to explore one another with. One bed to share their passion together; one bed to share their warmth on cold nights as these.
As much as Zack willed himself to stay awake to drink in these moments, he found that the warmth of his lovers' bodies were lulling his mind into sleep, and he drifted into dreams that could never compare in sweetness to the reality that lay in his arms.
Fate would see to it that they could never have a normal life together, but for now, they had these nights, as the stars shed their light silently from above…
A/N: There isn't nearly enough love out there for Zack/Aerith/Cloud, so here's a little short that popped into my mind when working on the next chapter of BoP. I love Z/A/C, almost as much as I love regular old Z/A (as well as C/A and Z/C!) So this is a nice thought. Maybe I'll work on a series of one-shots someday, who knows?