They were happy, so happy. Cloud couldn't remember being this happy in his whole life, even though he didn't make it into SOLDIER. When he was with Zack, that didn't matter anymore. He found himself spending more and more time off in Zack's room, so much so that they unofficially lived together. They both had different missions, of course, and Cloud wasn't happy that they hadn't gone on a mission together since their first one, but he couldn't complain.
He was reading a book on Zack's couch one day while Zack stroked his hair when Zack asked, "Cloud, what would you do if I told you I wanted to make love to you?" His voice was soft, unlike the playful tone he usually used.
Cloud had to admit, the question took him by surprise. His face grew red without him knowing, and he looked up into the SOLDIER's mako-filled eyes. "You do?" he asked quietly. He couldn't believe it. Really? Cloud had never done that sort of stuff with anyone before, much less a guy.
Zack nodded, a small smile on his face. The expression on Cloud's face must have been encouraging, or he would've brushed the question off as a joke. "Yeah, but only if you want to."
Cloud put down his book, taking good care to mark the page he was reading. He then turned so he was facing Zack and slung his arms around the man's neck. "I do want to, Zack. With you." His gaze was full of trust, and for good reason. Zack had never done anything to hurt him, and he knew this was no different.
The smile on Zack's face grew more secure as he leaned in to plant a kiss on Cloud's lips. "I love you, Cloud."
"I love you, too, Zack." The moment he said those words, he knew there would be no one else in this world he could ever love as much as he did Zack. The man was irreplaceable.
--
"Ah! Zack, it hurts…" Cloud moaned, his eyes squeezed shut.
Zack planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "I'm sorry, babe. Just relax, I swear it gets better." His face was red as he strained to keep from moving too much before Cloud could adjust himself.
Cloud, breathing hard, tried to relax. He grasped Zack's hand tightly and opened one eye to look up at the man on top of him. Even at this moment, the SOLDIER's feelings for Cloud and concern for his well-being took top priority over his own pleasure. That fact alone helped the blonde relax a little. He took a short breath and kissed Zack softly. "Okay… I think I'm better…"
Zack nodded and kissed him with more passion this time. "Get ready, love. This is going to feel good, I promise. I want you to…" He couldn't help but let a small moan slip out from between his perfect lips. "I want you to feel good."
And with that, words disappeared, and all they knew was the other as the world fell away.
--
"Wow, these stars…" Cloud sighed, leaning back on his hands. He and Zack were outside the city lines, far enough away that the night sky was visible. The blonde had never seen stars like this before, even in Niebelheim. Maybe they were prettier because he was watching them with the one he loved.
Zack held him close and nuzzled his hair, causing Cloud to blush a little. "Yeah, they're great, aren't they?" His voice was soft, and Cloud could hear the smile in it.
He nodded his reply, not wanting to talk too much and ruin the moment. It had been almost a week since they'd seen each other, and he just wanted to be in the SOLIDER's presence.
"Cloud, I'm going to have to go on another mission pretty soon," the man holding him said softly. "I don't know how long I'm going to be gone…"
Cloud's heart stopped for a few seconds. So soon? But he'd just gotten back… He looked up at Zack with heartbroken blue eyes. Every time Zack left on a mission, he worried so much…
Zack frowned at the look on his face. "Cloud, babe, I'll come back as soon as I can, honey. I'm sorry."
Cloud looked down again. "I know."
"Spikey, hey…" Zack tilted his chin up to look into his eyes. "I promise you I'll come back. I won't leave you alone. I'd never do that."
Cloud nodded, his heart filling up again. "Okay, Zack. I believe you." He smiled a little. "I promise that to you too."
Zack leaned in and gave him a sweet kiss, and everything was alright.
--
When had it started to rain?
He'd been sitting there for years. Or was it only a few seconds? He didn't know.
He didn't know anything: How he got there, where the other was, where he was, who he was.
But he wasn't there. And he had to find him.
Struggling to make his lead limbs move. Scraping his skin against sharp rocks and not noticing.
There he was. Laying in crimson and soaked with rain. He slowly dragged himself to a sitting position. "Zack…" he breathed, barely able to get his eyes to focus on him.
The black-haired man was having trouble breathing. He didn't understand why. "For the… both of us…" he managed to say.
He had to repeat the words to himself, just to know what they meant. "Both… of us…?"
"That's right… You're gonna…" What was the red on his face?
It was so hard to understand what was going on. "You're gonna…"
Suddenly he was falling forward. Why was he-What was going on-there was something warm on his face. "Live." He didn't move. What was going on? "You'll be… My living legacy…" A pressure receded from the back of his head and he found himself sitting up again. The warm was still on his face, and he fought to comprehend what it was. It was crimson, like the puddle surrounding them. Why was it raining?
He heard something dragging along the ground, and he watched it, unmoving. "My honor… my dreams…" The sword stopped in front of him. What? What was this? He was starting to feel sad. "They're yours now." He was speaking slowly, knowing that he couldn't understand well.
He reached out slowly and took the hilt of the sword. Why was it so heavy? Oh. It was a big sword. He pushed it against him to make sure he took it. Slowly, slowly, he started to understand what was going on. "I'm… your living… legacy…"
He closed his eyes, a smile on his face. And lay still.
Zack? Zack?? He wanted to shake him awake. To open his eyes. He wanted him to be okay. Be okay.
We're friends, right?
I won't leave you alone. I'd never do that.
He looked up at the rainy sky, his heart breaking into 1000 pieces. A painful scream tore out of his throat. He emptied his lungs, unable to sob like he truly wanted to. Like he deserved him to. Why wasn't his body working right? He couldn't even mourn him the way he should.
Zack! Why… Why not me? I should've… Couldn't… Why??
The next thing he knew, the sun was shining. His legs finally worked and he stumbled upward. Not knowing what to say, not wanting to admit to the awful truth of it, he whispered, "Goodnight, Zack." He couldn't bring himself to say goodbye.
