Don't Ever Leave Me
Okay, I know it's been awhile since I've updated and I'm really sorry. Just been super busy. Hope Y'all aren't mad ;-; I did finish it. Well I'll stop blabbing so y'all can read.
Chapter 9
Zack led Cloud to a separate building.
Cloud had never been to this building before. As they walked down the hallway he noticed that were rooms lining the walls. Almost like an apartment complex, and by the looks of it, it was only for higher ups and not the cadets. Because thats all he saw he the hall.
The entire walk way there and not a word was spoken. Not a 'how's your day?', no 'hello', not even a ' how's a ribs after I fractured them?'
Cloud silently glared at Zack's back and then noticed that they had stopped in front door that read 'Lieutenant Fair, Zack. Room number: Two hundred-twenty'.
Zack opened the door and then he stepped aside for Cloud to walk in.
Cloud walked past him hesitantly. Never keeping his back fully to the dark haired man.
Zack closed the door.
"Go straight. It's the living room." Zack said as he noticed Cloud just standing there.
Cloud began walking the hallway when he noticed two doors across from each other. One the bathroom and the other the closet he assumed.
He didn't really care he just wanted out of here. He was still mad at the lieutenant.
When he entered the living room he was surprised.
There was a T.V. against one wall and then a black couch against the opposite wall so that they faced each other. There was also a glass coffee table in front of the couch. There wasn't much on the white walls. They were practically bare except for a couple of picture frames. Cloud didn't look close enough to see who was in them or what they were for. To the left there was a small open kitchen with a bar-stool counter and three bar stools.
He looked back at the couch and noticed another door. Zack's bedroom he guessed.
Zack pointed to the couch.
"Sit down. I'll go get the bandages." he said and then went back in the same direction that they had come from.
Cloud looked at the soft looking couch and then shook his head.
Zack wouldn't be able to wrap the bandages with him slumped in a couch. Besides he was slumped in a couch it hurt to be slumped. It hurt just laying on his cot. So he opted for th bar stool and sat down.
He wondered what Zack had to talk to him about.
Cloud really really didn't want to do this. After the kiss and then the experience from yesterday after Zack had pinned him down, he was really... confused.
He didn't know what was happening to him. He didn't understand it. And he didn't know how to handle it.
He liked Zack. He was a good man. A great lieutenant. He had a great personality, and he was kind. But this wasn't right. Right?
Cloud sighed again and looked up at the ceiling.
What was he supposed to do?
Zack walked in and spotted the blond sitting on the bar stool looking up.
His neck was outstretched towards the ceiling, exposing the expanse of pale skin. His eyes were half closed and distant with thought. As he watched, said blond licked his lips slightly to wet them, still not noticing that Zack was there.
Zack swallowed a forming lump his throat and walked forward.
Shiva, Cloud was going to kill him.
'But it would be a great way to go.' Zack thought with a smirk.
"I told you to sit on the couch." Zack said as he set the first aid kit on the counter.
Cloud gasped and jumped as he looked down, wincing slightly at the jolt the motion caused. Zack was suddenly there.
"You do that a lot. Get lost in space I mean." Zack said lightly.
"I was thinking." Cloud replied.
"Oh. Well take off your shirt so I can bandage your side." Zack said and got the supplies ready.
Cloud paused, hesitant about removing a barrier.
"Cloud?" Zack asked.
Cloud sighed and then he removed his shirt, setting it on the counter next to first aid kit.
Zack held his breath as toned pale skin came into view. Then he saw all the bandages and bruises covering the skin and he growled.
Cloud looked at him confused.
"What?" he asked.
Zack shook his head and went behind Cloud to start unwrapping the old bandages.
When he got them off he sucked in a breath and reached out without thinking.
When his calloused fingers touched the bruised flesh, Cloud jumped slightly.
The skin was black and blue with a yellowish and greenish outline.
He regretted hitting the blond so hard. He hadn't meant to.
He traced the marks lightly, oh so lightly.
Cloud shuttered at the intimately soft touch and let out a soft sigh.
"I'm sorry." Zack said gently.
"Don't be. I'm glad you didn't go easy on me." Cloud said.
Zack shook his head.
"Still. I hadn't meant to hit you so hard."
cloud shrugged then winced and groaned at the pain.
"Don't do that then." Zack said.
"Habit."
Zack grabbed the ointment and began spreading it as gently as he could over the bruised flesh. He didn't want to hurt the blond. That was the last thing that he wanted to do. All he wanted to do was give the sweet spiky headed blond pleasure. Lots and lots of pleasure.
Cloud sat there silently, only tensing every so often from sensitive sore spots.
Zack grabbed the bandages and began to wrap up Cloud's ribs.
Zack finished and looked at Cloud's back.
Neither one of them moved.
Finally Zack sighed softly and rested his head against Cloud's back, right between his shoulder blades.
"I wasn't trying to ignore you." he said softly.
Cloud stiffened but didn't move away.
"Well you did."
Zack shook his head, his hair ticking the blonds back.
"I didn't want to. The higher-ups weren't just here to watch the cadets. They watched all the lieutenants also. To make sure that we're doing everything right and that we were where we needed to be." he took a breath. "If they had seen the way that we hung out together we'd both be in trouble. They'd see it as favoritism and then they'd switch you to a different squad. I didn't want that to happen, so I did what had to be done till they left." Zack explained, hoping the blond in front of him would understand.
He hadn't liked what he had done either. But he had to do what had to be done. Not talking with Cloud daily had been torture.
Cloud shook hi head when Zack was done talking. It all made sense. He had nothing to be angry about now. Well except...
"Alright I get that, but what about..." he paused not exactly sure how to bring it up.
Zack lifted his head to look at those blond spikes.
"What about what?" Zack asked.
Cloud lowered his head to look at his hands and hide his growing blush. Damn it. Cloud had never blushed so much in his life. And he cursed Zack for being able to do so, so many times.
Cloud took a deep breath and then he just said it.
"What about... what about that kiss?" Cloud asked in a quiet voice. He would be surprised if Zack if even heard him.
Zack looked at the back of Cloud's head for a moment and then he leaned forward slowly until his chest was pressed against Cloud's back and he lightly rested his arms on top of Cloud's shoulders and crossed them at the wrists.
Cloud drew in a breath, but again he didn't move.
"Zack?" he asked when there still wasn't an answer from the dark haired man.
"I did it because I like you." Zack said softly.
He hoped that Cloud didn't freak out.
Cloud stood up quickly and backed away from Zack. He then looked at Zack with wide eyes and a deep blush.
"What in Shiva's name are you talking about? You can't like me, I'm a guy!" Cloud said finally saying what was in his head.
So much for not freaking out.
Zack let his arms drop to his sides and he looked at Cloud seriously.
"Just because you are guy doesn't mean I can't like you. I don't let gender decide who I like and don't like. If I have an attraction to someone, male or female, I'm going to act on it. I like who I like and I wont let something as trivial as gender stop me from that." Zack said, measuring Cloud's reaction.
Cloud stayed silent, eyes wide, as he processed the words from Zack.
He didn't know what to say. All his life he had only liked girls, but when Zack had entered his life that had all changed. It wasn't all guys, it was just Zack. And it felt so right. so- natural. Like there should be no question about the answer to what he should do.
Cloud took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he thought.
Zack walked over to the blond and placed his right hand on the pale and lightly freckled cheek.
"Cloud?"
Cloud looked up at the touch and at his name.
Zack looked concerned.
"I won't force anything on you. I'll wait. Or if you tell me to leave you alone, I will, and I won't bring it up anymore. I don't want to hurt you, Cloud." Zack said.
Cloud looked deep into those sea-land eyes and then he had his answer.
He covered Zack's hand with his own and then leaned into the hard body in front of him.
Zack's eyes widened in surprise as he realized what Cloud was about to do. The blonds lips came closer and then they met Zack's hesitantly and gently.
As soon as their lips met, they both felt as if electricity was being shot straight into their nervous systems.
Zack slid his hands down so that they rested gently on Cloud's hips.
Zack inhaled sharply and Cloud made an 'Mmm.' sound.
At the sound that escaped his throat, cloud pulled away, well as far as he could. When had Zack's hands gotten to his hips?
Cloud covered his mouth with his hand as realization hit him at what he had just done.
Zack smiled slightly.
"Was that an agreement?" he asked slyly and teasingly.
Cloud blushed darkly and tried to hide hose face, but Zack stopped him.
"I would really like it to be." Zack said sweetly.
Cloud looked up at his lieutenant and saw the sincerity in the older man face.
Is it really okay for him to be doing this? To agree to this?
It as supposed to be wrong, but it felt so right.
"I've never done this before." Cloud said and relaxed his tense muscles.
Zack looked at him confused.
"Done what before?" he asked.
Cloud took a breath.
"Gone out with another man." Cloud said shyly.
Just saying it felt strange. Making it real in a way.
Zack's face changed so quickly Cloud thought that he had whip-lash.
A bright smile split Zack's face from ear to ear and his eyes glittered.
He went to hug Cloud and possibly kiss him, but the blond stopped Zack with a firm hand on his chest.
"Wait." Cloud said.
Zack paused and pulled away slightly to look at Cloud.
"What?"
"I want you to tell me something." Cloud said in all seriousness.
"Anything." Zack said.
"What do you like about me?" Cloud asked looking hopefully at Zack.
Zack smiled.
"I like your smile. I like it when you talk. I like your personality. I like your strength. I like it when you blush." Zack listed.
Cloud stared at him shocked. He hadn't expected this. All these wonderful, kindhearted, and sweet thing that anyone would want to hear.
"I really like your ass in those uniform pants." Zack said with a smirk.
Cloud blushed at the comment.
"Zack!" Cloud said loudly, embarrassed beyond belief.
Zack looked confused.
"What? You asked what I liked about you so I told you."
"Yes. But you didn't need to add that." the blush reached his ears.
"Add what?" Zack asked not-so-innocently.
Cloud gulped.
"About my... butt. Why did you add that?" he asked.
Zack looked at him and then shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.
"You asked what I liked. I wasn't going to lie. It's true, I like it. They fit your shape so perfectly."
"You still didn't have to say it." he said completely embarrassed.
"Just wanted to put it out there." Zack said non-nonchalantly.
Cloud shook his head.
All of a sudden Zack brought Cloud's body closer to his. Their chests pressed together and their faces inches apart.
"You want to know what else I like about you?" Zack asked huskily as he ran his hands down Cloud's arms.
Cloud shivered and his eyes drooped slightly.
"What?" he asked breathlessly.
Zack smirked.
"I like your kisses. There sweet. I like how every time I touch you," he ran his hands back up Cloud's arm, "it feels like I got hit by lightening. I also like how you fit against me. Like a puzzle piece fitting into place." for an example, Zack pulled their bodies closer together, until everything was flush together, with no room between the two men.
Cloud gasped at the movement and grabbed onto Zack's shoulders. His breath was beginning to quicken and the blush was spreading to the rest of his body.
"See? Like a puzzle piece. Perfect." Zack said as he slowly started to lean in.
Cloud watched as Zack's face got closer and he released a breath that he hadn't known he'd been holding.
Zack stopped just shy of touching Cloud's lips.
"May I kiss you now?" Zack asked with half- lidded eyes.
Cloud paused for only a moment before he nodded slightly.
"Yeah." he said and swallowed nervously. He just gave Zack permission to kiss him. He hoped this wasn't a bad idea.
"I won't get hit again will I?" Zack asked with a smile.
Cloud chuckled.
"No." He replied. "Not unless you deserve it."
Zack smiled and then he gently pressed their lips together.
At first Zack was the only one dong the kissing, but soon Cloud relaxed and pressed his lips against Zack's. It was innocent with no tongue, but the emotion was there.
They broke the kiss for air and Cloud leaned back, except he couldn't lean back.
Cloud opened his not sure when he had closed them and looked behind to see what had stopped him.
Hen he saw the wall he was confused. When had the wall gotten there? They hadn't been that close to it had they?
As soon as Cloud back at Zack his lips were captured again and he made the wall impossible to not notice. As he was pressed more firmly into the wall, Zack's hard body was able to press more firmly into Cloud's smaller frame.
Cloud wrapped his arms around Zack's neck just as the lieutenants tongue decided to make itself known by swiping at the blonds bottom lip.
Cloud gasped and that was all the room that Zack needed to thrust his tongue into the others now open mouth.
They both groaned at the contact of their tongue's meeting and they both moved closer to each other and pressed their mouths closer as well.
After a few minutes they broke apart for air and rested their foreheads together while looking into each others eyes.
Once he could talk Cloud pulled back slightly to look at Zack.
"So what does this mean?" he asked Zack softly.
Zack smiled and pecked Cloud's nose.
"I assume it means that we're dating."
Cloud's cheeks tinted slightly and the he smiled and nodded.
"I'm glad."
Zack looked happy, with a smile on his face.
"You are?" he asked.
"Yes. I don't want this to be a fling. I've never been with a guy before but," he looked Zack in the face, "But you're different. I like being around you. You're fun. You're nice. You're a great lieutenant. I like the way you make me feel. I think you're the first to make me feel like this. All giddy and light inside." Cloud said softly but honestly.
Zack stared at Cloud shocked and then he swooped down and kissed the blond.
The action surprised Cloud but soon he started to kiss Zack back, but just as he started to get into it, Zack broke the contact.
Cloud looked at him confused.
"What was that for?" he asked.
Zack smiled brightly and then hugged Cloud lightly, careful of his wounds.
"What you just said made me the happiest man in the world just now. I'm so happy that you want to give this- give us- a chance. And I promise that I will do whatever I can, and more, to make you happy. And I'll always be by your side. People will have to crow bar us apart. I'll never leave you.(1) I swear to that." Zack said and once again kissed Cloud.
(1)Foreshadowing
Alright I'm done with chapter nine. And must I say, yay! Their finally together. And Zack didn't get hit again ^.^ Once again I am very sorry for the wait on how long it took me to get this up. Chapter ten will be up sooner than this one was, promise. Okay, please review, I will beg if need be. It's not pretty so please don't make me. See y'all next chapter.
