"I'm going to quit!"
"No you won't."
"I might."
His threat rolled off Cid's shoulders like it was nothing. "No you won't."
Cloud was contemplating suicide or, at the very least, plugging his ears full of antifreeze so he'd go deaf and wouldn't have to listen to his fellow employees' ribbing about his sweaty ass plastered on the front of celebrity gossip sites macking with Genesis Rhapsodos.
He had his knees pulled up defensively, feet wedged onto the chair he was sitting on in the lounge at work, scarfing down a wrap he'd gotten a block or two away as fast as he could so he could go back to working on a bike and away from everyone else.
"Look at this comment," Matt, a young kid who dropped out of high school, said delightedly as he held up his phone, "'He's really cute, whoever he is! I've always had a fetish for filthy manly men.'"
"Nooo," Cloud groaned, letting his forehead thunk against his knees as he hid his face.
"And this one, from xoxoGenesisFan, 'I don't know about you guys, but look at that hair! Who has hair like that these days? He looks like a delinquent. Genesis could do so much better.'"
Screw the lunch; Cloud stood very quickly, tossed his food in the trash and retreated back to the antique chopper he'd been restoring, the laughter of his workplace buddies echoing and following him out into the bay.
They lightened up a little after that but periodic giggling still rang through the room occasionally as the morning went on, soon transitioning into afternoon.
Around one a voice he didn't immediately recognize said, "Cloud?" He stood up from his crouch by the frame of the bike, knees protesting the movement, to see Terra Branford sticking her head in from the lobby area.
She hurried over, heels clicking loudly in the large space.
"Hey," he greeted, a little confused. Terra was a regular enough customer—she was a singer on broadway or something.
"I just wanted to warn you," she said, glancing out the front windows of Highwind Auto and effectively making Cloud paranoid as hell, "you've got Yuffie Kisaragi hidden across the street. I saw her on my way in."
Cloud grimaced, his stomach dropping like he was on a roller coaster. "Yuffie Kisaragi?"
"Paparazzi," she said. "She's the best, and I only noticed because I figured after yesterday someone would be nearby and looked before I came inside. Be careful, okay?"
Sighing miserably, the mechanic nodded. "Will do. Thanks for the warning."
"Not a problem. Scanning for the pap becomes second nature, you know." She smiled, pretty blond curls falling across her face, then turned and returned to the front desk where Cid was waiting impatiently.
Paparazzi, huh? Him? Who would've thought.
An hour or so later he got a text from Genesis, an address and instructions on what to say to the security on the ground floor to get him up. It also said, '7pm. Come hungry! ;)'
While trying not to blush like a schoolgirl Cloud thanked him and asked how he was doing. They chatted back and forth for a few and then Cloud busied himself in the bike again. Time flew fast after that and as he left at four he texted Zack to see how he was holding up.
Zack hadn't gone yet, apparently, and had been sitting in the same packed waiting room for hours.
How were the sandwiches?
Delicious!
Haha, great. Good luck!
Thanks, bro.
He was in a good mood as he left. He made sure to at least fix his hair as he left and make an effort to not look like he was a walking ad for Pennzoil. He kept his head down nonetheless, walking weirdly and self-consciously as there was apparently some freak waiting for him. Where exactly he wasn't sure, and nothing looked out of place in the usual cityscape outside his place of employment, but hey, he'd take Terra's word for it.
At home he watched some calming television for a little while, showered, and took extra care to spray himself all over with body spray (even down his pants).
A pep-talk was in order so he called Tifa, who was freaking nocturnal due to the bar and who had probably only been awake a few hours. She successfully boosted his ego and, in better spirits, he tucked two condoms and a few packets of lube into his wallet just in case, whistling merrily as he strolled out of the apartment. Still nothing from Zack.
He took the train, not wanting to drive across the entire city in the horrible post-work/dinner traffic. Midgar's train was constantly being renovated and he had to wait an irritatingly long time at the stop closest to his apartment building due to single-tracking but soon he was on his way.
There was a presumably homeless man sitting close to his seat, nodding off against the window, precious possessions in a shopping cart he had managed to lug all the way underground. It struck Cloud as interesting and quite a bit sad how he was headed to a rich man's condo.
Nerves threatened to overtake him again but he forced it all down. He hadn't been this worked up over a date in years. Heck, he didn't do nervous dates. And yet.
Genesis' building was huge. It reeked of money from the valets outside the door to the automatic doors that didn't squeak to the grumpy man at a front desk downstairs that demanded Cloud show him proper identification.
Stammering a little, Cloud pulled out his phone and read from Genesis' text sent earlier that day, "Uhhhh, 'when the war of the beasts brings about the world's end, the goddess descends from the sky, wings of light and dark spread afar, she guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting'…?"
Looking unimpressed, the man let him proceed. "14th floor, right side," he said, and Cloud nodded meekly.
The secret code thing was weird, but maybe celebrities were too busy to always confirm or buzz up every visitor. It seemed like a security risk to him though, he mused as he rode the elevator up, but hey—maybe only a select few had Genesis' secret code, whatever the hell poem it was. He suddenly felt very privileged and quite a bit happy.
There were only two apartments on the entire floor, Cloud realized as he got off on the fourteenth floor. Two! It was actually the thirteenth, but the building must have been one of those superstitious ones that didn't dare put a 13 anywhere.
Heart in his throat, he knocked.
After a minute Genesis opened the door with a grin. He looked beautiful, he always did, especially so today in jeans, socks, and a v-necked sweater that showed off his collarbone and the toned muscles of his arms. The red of his hair, blue-green of his eyes, and subtle blush of pink on his cheeks from pleasure always cheered Cloud up immensely. The man kissed him right in the doorway, a hand finding Cloud's.
"You're late," he murmured against Cloud's mouth.
"What-?" Distressed, Cloud checked his phone—two minutes past seven. "Hey…"
"I'm teasing," Genesis said with a wink. "Come on in."
After taking off his shoes and tucking them by the doorway Cloud turned his head left and right as he took in the place. It probably wasn't exactly polite but Genesis had everything decorated nicely, not gaudy at all like he had feared, and you couldn't exactly blame him. Smooth, modern lines, splashes of red here and there, and paintings of wide, open spaces and expansive fields of grass and prairie were in every room.
It was all expensive though, and next to this man Cloud, in his plain black t-shirt and jeans with the hole in the one knee, felt under-dressed and outclassed like usually did.
Genesis took his hand and brought him into the kitchen though, smiling earnestly, and those fears melted away.
"That smells good."
"I'd hope so. Here." He handed him a knife and a bowl of strange purple-colored fruit to give him something to do. After cubing them Genesis added the lot to a crock pot of merrily bubbling stew.
"Banoran recipe," Genesis said cryptically.
Somehow it wasn't awkward. For all his alienness Cloud seemed to fit into Genesis' space quite easily. They moved around the kitchen neatly and Cloud hopped onto the counter, feeling like a little kid as he swung his feet and listened to Genesis tell him about his day.
He'd met with Sephiroth and Angeal for lunch (he gently smacked Cloud with a spoon for the stupid expression he got on his face when Sephiroth's name was mentioned) and then traveled to the set for MHS where he shot a brief scene.
Cloud slipped and asked what was up with the PTSD ex-marine who'd gone missing in the woods at the end of last week's aired episode and Genesis' neck swiveled so fast it looked like a blur.
"You watch it?" he said, sounding delighted.
Flushing angrily, Cloud shook his head. "No. Well, yeah, kinda."
When Genesis' smug look got smugger Cloud twisted his mouth and confessed, "Okay. Zack and I kinda watched all—well not all-"(though it was indeed all) "-but most of—the stuff you're in."
"For research!" he protested loudly to no one a second later, ears burning.
Genesis cupped his face and kissed him silly for so long he almost burnt the stew.
They migrated to the island eventually, dinner miraculously saved (and this island was significantly nicer than Cloud's; it had stainless steel drawers and nice, comfortable stools and everything). There was a dining room but this was more intimate and they could sit here with their legs hooked around each other's, Genesis' long feet tapping out some musical beat against Cloud's calves.
The stew was delicious, of course, with potatoes, vegetables, fruit, and warm chunks of meat Cloud probably didn't want to know. (He heard rich people ate chocobo sometimes. Chocobo!) Genesis had warm rolls with butter that Cloud ended mopping his gravy up with, flushing when caught in the act.
They ate until they were both stuffed, Cloud feeling a bit bad because he'd had an entire third helping as Genesis poured them both wine.
Genesis stood to put the bowls in the sink and Cloud, seizing the opportunity, gently nudged him back against the counter by the sink, pinning the older man to it by his hips. He smiled, blond bangs falling into his eyes and held his wine glass to Genesis's lips. It was clean and without scratch marks, flawless; Genesis' breath partially fogged it up and his lower lip pressed and spread underneath the pressure of the glass, a delicious pink to compliment the rose-colored wine.
"I'm checking to make sure you didn't poison it," he murmured in defense, eyes sparkling with mischief.
Genesis caught his gaze and held it unblinkingly as Cloud tipped the glass. The man's Adam's apple bobbed attractively as he swallowed, and, fuck—everything about that man was attractive. It shouldn't have been nearly as hot as it was.
Quickly Cloud removed the glass and replaced it with his own mouth, easing up on the pressure he was putting on the older man. Genesis seemingly didn't have a problem with his position though and tugged Cloud closer with both of his hands cupping Cloud's face. Naturally and without thought Cloud's hands drifted to Genesis' waist and soon the celebrity's one hand fell to Cloud's shoulder as the other tangled in his bright, messy hair.
For a time the only sound in the kitchen was the ticking of an antique clock Genesis had by the microwave, soft, gentle breathing and the sound of mouths coming together again and again, and it was peaceful. No rush, no threat of getting caught by people with cameras or the pressure of a work shift or doctor's appointment in an hour's time.
It was something Cloud could sure get used to.
Eventually the fingers in Cloud's hair twisted and tugged a bit, getting the blond's attention. Genesis met Cloud's gaze, a question in his eyes, and Cloud nodded in response.
Then they're kissing again, but this time with bruising force. Genesis licked his way into Cloud's mouth using his height to loom and make Cloud crane his head back, an arm pressed tight against the blond's lower back and pressing their bellies together.
A quiet laugh escaped Cloud and he abandoned Genesis' mouth, ignoring how tempting his lips looked all swollen and kiss-bitten, and he moved to Genesis' ear instead as the man slouched again and stopped trying to impress his height—or Cloud's relative lack of it—upon him.
There was a pulse fluttering at the sensitive spot behind his ear and Cloud sucked delicately at it, getting a groan and strong fingers digging into his shoulders for his trouble.
Encouraged and determined, Cloud's mouth trailed down Genesis' neck and he licked and nipped with great attention to the man in his arms. Genesis would sigh a certain way, higher-pitched here and breathier there and he paid extra attention to those spots without even realizing what his hands were doing as they skimmed the man's sides and felt out the warm muscle underneath his sweater.
He fucking worked that celebrity over, until Genesis was flushed and groaning Cloud's name on every half-hitched breath; until his fingers knotted in Cloud's hair and pulled because he wanted Cloud to abandon his effort and kiss him but he didn't; until he half-forgot his original goal and Cloud's kisses sloppily trailed off in a random direction (but still someplace warm, soft and Genesis, for sure). He desperately pressed the hardness in his jeans against Genesis' hip and Genesis said, chuckling, "Down, big boy."
"Uh." Cloud pulled back, a little hazy. Genesis' sweater was all twisted and what looked like some truly spectacular hickies were forming on the pale flesh of his neck. He moved forward again, entranced. Genesis laughed at him, soft and gentle, and Cloud pouted nonetheless.
"Big boy, huh?"
"Maybe not so big, on second thought," Genesis said with a straight face—actors! Cloud's lip jutted out in defiance.
He scooted forward until he was standing between Genesis' spread legs, then bent his knees and slid his hands under the man's thighs. He straightened up, and as he did so Genesis' feet left the ground.
"Yes," Genesis said dryly as his arms wrapped around Cloud's neck, "You're a strong, manly mechanic. I know." He didn't seem alarmed or worried that the smaller male was carrying him and Cloud, through a lot of laughter and bitching about how heavy Genesis was (and getting a painful tug on his hair for it), unsteadily carried the man into the other room.
They tumbled onto Genesis' couch, a wide, plush leather thing. Cloud sprawled out with a sigh, his muscles trembling a little from the trek over, but he considered it worth it for the tiny impressed look Genesis had shot him, like he hadn't thought he'd be able to do it.
The redhead straddled Cloud's lap and haphazardly knocked away the artistic throw pillows that now let Cloud stretch his socked feet out fully. This was the kind of couch for napping, for curling up with a blanket and watching television on, not for any kind of actual work like his and Zack's back home.
Genesis curled over his chest and kissed him then and Cloud tugged him down closer and clung on tight with his knees, thighs, arms—anything, anything would work, as long as more of Genesis' skin was on his and his weight sunk into Cloud's body, trapping him in a place that, frankly, he hadn't ever thought he'd be.
They lost themselves in the slide of tongues and warm, exploratory fingers for a while, and then Genesis rolled his hips down into Cloud's. The blond's breath left him in a broken gasp—he'd almost forgotten how turned on he was, focused so on his companion as he had been.
Genesis did it again and Cloud cupped that beautiful face in his hands, smoothing his thumbs across a regal cheekbone. Genesis' lashes—and they were red as well, how cute (striking too, against the brightness of his eyes)—were low as the man studied the places where their bodies met, like where his own bony elbow was jabbing into Cloud's side. The younger man didn't even mind.
Cloud's hips stuttered as Genesis put all his lower weight on Cloud (not that he couldn't take it) and fucked his hips down in a smooth motion.
"Hold on," Cloud gasped out, grabbing Genesis' waist and holding him in place.
The man stilled immediately and Cloud squirmed. "Keys. They're stabbing me in the ass, just a second."
The man's laughter was loud and echoed in the big apartment that actually seemed a little lonely. Cloud felt himself smiling too and pushed his torso up to kiss the redhead breathless as he managed to get a hand underneath himself, tossing his wallet and keys to the floor beside them.
While he was down there he flicked open the button on his jeans and had managed to push them down to just above his knees when Genesis had had enough and was on him again, hands questing and insistent. They ran up his chest and down the softer skin of his sides, then skittered across his ribcage.
"Gen," Cloud croaked a few minutes later, mouth slack and lips spitty. He looked down; he wasn't sure when Genesis had shoved his jeans down to his ankles, but he had.
They were both still in their underwear—and Cloud had had plans for this, the first real time.
Messily dry-humping on the couch like freaking kids hadn't exactly been what he thought would happen, but he could see a small, dark mark from precome staining the front of Genesis' boxer-briefs and he could clearly see the outline of his cock straining against the thin fabric and, hey, he figured he could get behind it.
Freaking anything would be hot as long as Genesis was involved, as far as he was concerned.
Genesis' low moans got stronger and Cloud encouraged it as he actively participated, managing to free one leg from his jeans and wrap it around Genesis' waist, settling them at an angle that lined everything up just right. The muscles in his stomach and thighs bunched up tellingly, overwhelmingly so, and he shot Genesis a panicked look.
The man's fingers twined with his and he gently pressed one of Cloud's hands down into the cushion of the couch by his head. "We have all night," he murmured through panting breaths, and his thumb stroked soothingly across Cloud's knuckles, tender in contrast to the harsh, controlled way he was working his hips and dick down into Cloud's, quick and fast over and over again. "Go ahead."
And Cloud did.
His head dug back into the seat and his free hand tightened its grip somewhere on Genesis' body, he wasn't even sure where anymore, as orgasm finally ripped through him. He bit his lip and silently shook through it, suddenly hating the fact that their legs were all tangled and he couldn't move because he wanted to, and he tried anyway. Genesis, on the other hand, let out a sound that for sure bounced off a wall or two and rode the wave of their motion hard until they were both trembling, sore and too sensitive to continue.
"Gross," was the first thing Cloud muttered.
Genesis laughed, delighted and flushed and beaming, and Cloud scowled but drew him into a kiss, long and sweet.
They eventually broke away, becoming uncomfortably aware of cooling semen, chafed legs from their jeans, as well as the pie that Genesis had just remembered due to some beeping coming from the kitchen.
Genesis slapped his ass as he pulled the blond to his feet. "Oven's preheated. Hit the showers, Strife. I'll deal with dessert."
"You know a sports reference?"
"Please. I've seen football movies."
Smiling Cloud acquiesced and wandered around until he found Genesis' shower, which was attached to his bedroom (and Cloud did not linger for long in there, because he'd be tempted to either do something very inappropriate on that bed or snoop, and both were Bad Things).
The water felt great on his skin despite stinging a little on his chafed ankles. There was also something to be said for using someone else's beauty products—and Cloud had never heard of these—that made you feel closer to them, somehow, and maybe a little turned on.
Snatching out of a dresser a pair of Genesis' sweatpants—to think he owned such a thing!—and a soft, plain white t-shirt Cloud got dressed as he gave into temptation and poked around a little bit, nothing serious though. He then padded back out of Genesis' bedroom, barefoot, clothes under one arm.
Warm, sated and now clean, Cloud sat at a stool in the kitchen, chuckling at the way Genesis carefully moved around as he checked on a pie in the oven, grimacing if he walked the wrong way.
"Shower's free," Cloud supplied.
Grabbing the dirty clothes from him Genesis jerked his head at the oven. "Take it out when the timer's up if I'm not out."
"Sure."
Genesis disappeared and Cloud waited patiently, head swimming. Sixteen minutes.
It felt a little unreal. He had technically just gotten off with Genesis on his couch and now he was waiting for a pie to finish cooking; who would have thought?
It turned out that Genesis returned with about fifty seconds left on the timer, clad in something very similar to what Cloud was wearing. He grabbed two silly oven mitts and pulled the pie out.
"It's purple," Cloud said bluntly.
"Dumbapples." Genesis grinned. "Dumbass."
Cloud stuck out his tongue and happily accepted a slice, wiggling excitedly when Genesis dropped a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
"You're a black hole," Genesis groused, but gave him a second scoop with a grudging smile.
They moved to the couch again, throw pillows returned, and Genesis put on the TV. They indulged in the afterglow they'd missed before, Genesis' knees thrown over Cloud's lap and one of Cloud's arms around the man's waist as he balanced his plate on Genesis' shins and ate one-handed.
The show was stupid, a lame teen drama. They poked fun at the acting (Genesis saying that he could do far better) as they ate and shared increasingly sticky kisses, Genesis's tongue darting out to lick purple goo off of Cloud's lips.
It wasn't nearly as disgusting as it sounded.
"I was thinking," Genesis said a short while later, when the ice cream had been long since melted and Cloud was polishing off the pie Genesis hadn't finished.
"Hm?"
"If you wanted," Genesis began, and it sounded a bit rehearsed, or like he'd been thinking about it in his head for a while, "I could help you out. You're still paying the hospital, aren't you? And Zack's had no luck." The man shrugged, unaware Cloud had frozen beside him.
"I don't like to see you struggle, and Gaia knows I have more money than you need, or I need really." He smiled at Cloud, soft and earnest. "Just a few thousand Gil, more if you'll let me. It can even be a loan if you want it and you can pay me back. Let me help, Cloud."
The plate slid from Cloud's hands, luckily landing face-up on the carpet.
"No," he said shakily, unconsciously scooting back. His face erupted into a hot blush of shame.
Genesis frowned.
"No, I don't—I don't need your charity, Genesis."
Cloud stood up, waves of panic, fear and embarrassment hitting him in alternating waves. He hadn't expected this, he had thought it hadn't mattered that he wasn't the richest guy around—
"Charity?" Genesis parroted, raising an eyebrow. With his hair damp and towel-tousled he looked like a million Gil, just like he had an hour ago as his fingers had twined so gently with his as they pressed his wrists down into the leather of the couch.
Cloud suddenly felt very sick. He crossed his arms across his chest, feeling very small in Genesis' large, expensive Midgar apartment.
"I don't need your pity," he said bitterly, shame still turning his neck, ears, chest and face a splotchy, unattractive red. "I thought—shit, Genesis! What was this, a let's help this poor mechanic and feel good about myself kind of thing?"
He was frazzled, pissed and humiliated.
Cloud Strife could get by on his own, thank you very much, and he didn't need some benevolent Gillionaire to look after him Great Expectations style.
He wasn't making sense, though, and he was scared. Fear could make you say a lot of things in the moment you didn't mean. He looked at Genesis, mouth open to say something else.
The man's eyes were hard, and that made Cloud pause. He hadn't looked like that since the very first time they met when he thought Cloud was shit on his shoe.
He'd been nothing but kind, open and giving since then.
"Is that really what you think is going on here?"
Cloud flinched. "N-No—"
"That I'd treat you like I'm some kind of Sugar Daddy? That I'm taking pity on you?"
"Gen, I—"
"Get out."
One long, slim finger extended towards the door. Cloud gaped. "Genesis, please, I didn't mean it—"
"Five seconds—I swear to the Goddess, Cloud."
Cloud somehow managed to scoop up his keys, wallet and shoes and was suddenly out in the hallway, the loud slam of Genesis' door bringing him back to his senses. More or less.
"Genesis?" Cloud whispered shakily into the wood of the door.
No response.
He was commando in borrowed clothes, barefoot, in an expensive as hell apartment building. He looked around, lost, before heading to the elevator. He put on his shoes, barely managing to balance on one leg and staggered out onto the sidewalk a long minute later.
The metro ride was a blur, but he was pretty sure he was that one zoned-out frightening man in the back that everyone edged away from. He somehow made it home and it took three attempts to open his apartment door, fingers shaking so bad he dropped his keys twice.
He turned on the lights and let out a yell.
Zack was sitting on their couch in the darkness, a bottle of something half-empty in his hands.
"What happened?" Cloud asked, misery temporarily forgotten, though he had a feeling he already knew.
"Cloudy," Zack called, eyes still squinted shut at the light. "It… didn't go well, man." He leaned his head back against the couch and stared at the ceiling.
"Nah…not good. I fucked up, Spike. Got nervous and shit. Just kinda stood there." He looked at Cloud, eyes mournful. "Didn't even get called back for round two."
He seemed to finally notice Cloud's strange attire and red eyes. "Why are you back early? I thought you were with Genesis?"
"I fucked up too," Cloud said hollowly. The knowledge that this was totally and utterly his fault sat hot in his stomach like molten lead.
He strode over to the couch and plopped down next to his friend, taking the bottle from Zack's unresisting fingers and taking a swig from the neck. Ugh, whiskey.
"Gen was trying to be nice and do me a favor and I got scared and insulted him. He kicked me out."
"Oh."
"Yeah. Sorry about your audition."
"It's cool," Zack said, but he sounded anything but cool. Cloud knew how much he had been looking forward to this, how hard he had practiced.
They shuffled closer into a tight hug, and neither male was quite sure who was comforting who, but it helped.
A little, anyway.
As you might have noticed, the fic's been upgraded from T to M. Sorry if that puts anyone off, but this is the only M-rated chapter. Thank you, everybody. Just a few chapters left! Next time: the boys mope, Tifa kicks some spiky-headed butt, and pinstriped suits are all the rage.
