Mix- Unlucky 13

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Zack lingered outside the door for a moment before entering, his footsteps soft and gentle on the sterile white tiles. He stared at the tiles now, knowing what he'd see inside. Sure enough, when he looked up, it was the tableau he'd been expecting. Cloud, silent and still, held his friend's hand between his whilst the redhead slept soundly.

He shuffled over to sit beside the blonde, then rested his hand on the smaller boy's tense shoulder. After a second, Cloud sniffed and buried his face in the other's shoulder.

"Zzk…"

"Sssh."

He rubbed his back comfortingly, as if he could rub away the tension and sadness that he could feel clinging to the blonde like a second skin.

But what Zack knew was eating the blonde right now was overwhelming guilt. In Cloud's mind, he knew, it didn't matter how many times Reno, voice fuzzy from sleep, told him repeatedly it wasn't his fault- Cloud knew the only reason Tyler had taken such actions against Reno was his link to Cloud. And so, it was as bad, in Cloud's mind, as if he had done it himself.

Zack bowed his head over the blonde's, his face nestled in the soft and sweet-smelling (He must use a flowery shampoo, he thought to himself with a smile) locks.

Tyler was probably the last thing Cloud needed, Zack mused. He knew the boy had crippling self-esteem despite being a promising cadet, thanks to the conditions in which he grew up. A passing thought occurred to him- Reno was probably Cloud's first friend. And now the weakness Cloud felt from being constantly put down and picked on… as well as Reno being punished in Cloud's place…

Zack cradled the blonde closer to him, shifting in the uncomfortable hospital chair to do so. He knew Cloud was strong in his own way, but all he wanted to do was protect the younger boy. 'I'll protect you,' he wanted to say. But Cloud didn't want to hear that. He sighed, yellow locks moving erratically in the wind produced.

"Hey, Cloud." The blonde didn't respond. "The second Reno's better, me you and him, buddy!" Cloud finally looked up. Zack had a moment of internal flustering once he realised exactly how close the blonde's face was to his.

"You me and him what?"

Zack tapped his fingers where his arms lay draped, trapping the blonde in his embrace. "You think that café I took you to was good? I'll show you guys fine Midgarian dining!"

Cloud brightened at the mention of non-regulation food, and smiled marginally. "You promise?"

Zack jabbed the blonde in the forehead with a flailing limb. "Wait, wait, waait…" He extracted both arms from their death hold on the younger blonde. "Ha!" He extended his pinky finger and offered it to the boy. "Pinky promise!"

"You're a doofus," Cloud told him, but met the finger with his own, regardless.

Zack's grin grew even larger.

OPM- HEAVEN IS A HALF-PIPE

Zack always, always kept his promises. Thus, there was a perfectly reasonable reason why he was dragging a protesting sixteen year old on each arm. There was no real reason why the man looked this pleased by the turn of events, but it might just be because this afternoon Cloud discovered his favourite pair of jeans had shrunk a half-size, and thus the aforementioned jeans are clinging quite tightly to the blonde's ass, giving a quite favourable view. Especially to Zack, who was discreetly swinging his head around to get a look as often as he could, having done so several times in the course of the (quite delicious, both teens accompanying him had conceded) dinner.

"I don't have space for ice-cream, Zack!" Cloud complained, leaning closer to the older man.

"Aww, this ice cream's the best, I swear! You haven't had ice-cream till you've had Vanya's!"

Reno stopped, nearly toppling the procession. "We're going to Vanya's? And you're complaining, Cloud? Just go along with the idiot for once. This stuff is to die for, I swear!"

Cloud grumbled. "I guess if Reno says it's good then it must actually be good. So where is this place Zack?"

After a few moments of walking, they reached a rather unremarkable looking door. The thick, rusted metal had a single 'V' painted on it in blue, but was otherwise blank. Cloud blinked up at his companions. "This is it?" Reno laughed, and pushed the door open.

"Oh …oh." Cloud didn't dare step inside the café, it was done up so gorgeously in shining silver and softly pulsating blue halogen lights that he was afraid he'd dirty it. Zack pushed him over to the ice-cream, where he saw the flavours were displayed in shallow pans instead of tubs, and were very obviously and very professionally handmade.

They all got big scoops of different flavours and spent a while eating the soft, sweet dessert, stealing bits of each others', and generally enjoying the atmosphere and each other's presence for a while. However, it didn't pass Reno's notice that Zack's attention kept returning to the blonde, watching him eat and telling him jokes. And it …worried him.

SHINY TOY GUNS- LE DISKO

Zack lay slumped over his desk; hair awry, papers strewn all over the desk and floor. After the whole Cloud thing, and the arduous mission he'd undertaken today, he was exhausted. He felt drained and wanted nothing more than to sleep. He guessed this is what Cloud must have felt like … Oh, Cloud. He couldn't stop thinking about the blonde boy. It wasn't just his looks either, although Cloud was damn hot, with that great body and gorgeous face… Ah, Cloud. Zack shifted on the desk, until his arm was free and his shoulder was supporting his body. Cloud can never find out, or he'll hate me, forever! Cloud. His hand slipped lower. Cloud. Oh. Oh.

Damnit, he thought later, this wasn't working! He needed some hard liquor.

SOMETHING WITH NUMBERS- CROWNER OF KINGS

Sephiroth glanced up as his Second-in-Command stormed in, and took his usual seat at Sephiroth's desk, ass firmly lodging all his work as effectively as any paperweight. Zack scowled at him. Sephiroth stared back.

"Anything in particular I can help you with, Zack?"

Zack stared a little longer, his brow furrowed, then he brightened. A breakthrough? Sephiroth couldn't help but mentally smile. He was already used to the other's multiple epiphanies, and inane resultant plans. We'll see what comes of this soon enough.

Zack straightened his back a little and tilted his head. "Let me kiss you," he said.

Pardon? "Pardon?" he echoed.

"Let me kiss you," the dark-haired man repeated, poker-faced.

Sephiroth blinked, then nodded slowly. "You can kiss me, if you want."

"Good." Zack's hand seized his chin, and he kissed the man roughly.

As Sephiroth tilted his head back (and it felt strange that Zack was higher than him, seated on the desk) he returned the pressure, wondering vaguely how one manages to get a mouth to taste like rich chocolate mud cake and honeyed walnuts all at once. Sephiroth had never been one for dessert, but he didn't mind the taste.

"…Cl…oud" Sephiroth pulled back after he heard his friend's murmur. Holding Zack at arm's width, he shot Zack a stern look.

"I can't do this for you if you're just using me as a replacement for him," the General told him. "It's not fair to him, or me, Zack."

Zack, after a moment, touched the older man on the shoulder lightly and walked out. In the hallway, he took the opportunity to butt his head against the wall. Smooth, Fair. Very smooth. Wait…. "I can't do this is if you're just using me as a replacement for him…"? So, Sephiroth was happy with me kissing him? I mean, he made that much obvious, but I didn't think he'd …you know …want it. Hmm.

Zack somehow managed to drag himself back to his room, and collapse on the bed. Mmm, comfy bed. So. He twisted himself around (twisting the blankets into even more of a mess than usual) On one side, Cloud. I am very attracted to him, but he doesn't like me at all, I think. And he's a bit… fragile right now. Where's my pillow? One hand ventured the depths of the space-under-the-bed in a brave quest. On the other hand, Sephiroth. Very, very sexy. It's easy for me to be attracted to him. He might like me.

…this would be so much easier if all three of us were normal people, instead of the messed-up freaks we are.

Cloud… Seph… Cloud… Seph… Images of the two paraded in his mind.

Seph… Seph and Cloud. Seph …with Cloud. …Actually, that'd be kinda… kinda… kinda hot. Very hot. Mmmm.

Zack slept well that night.

Eventually.

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4/11/2007, 10:18 23 secs GMT + 8hrs.

posted around 6/11/07. The extra time was spent studying (and not playing Trauma Center, I was studying. STUDYING!)

The only reason this fic is up here for you awesome people who for some reason still read this silly thing is because of Kazuhiko, whose name I can finally spell (aka the capital-L-Lovely Terri, which is easier to memorize) who takes this crap and makes it into something that DOESN'T make your head asplode into a horrible gooey mess.

….yeah. I'm having a bad…. Month. Sorry, all.

And to Renos-Gf: Thanks for the review, but a lot of the point of Cloud 'emo-ing' in the first place is to show how damaged he is, and how he generally gets happier and healthy through the fic. If he suddenly went sadder it would mean something detrimental to his happiness has occurred, and I think I've beaten him up enough and only want to give him hugs right now. So, sorry, Cloud's not gonna change, and I hope you realise why.

TO EVERYONE ELSE (who I have already replied to :D) I LOVE YOU ALL! THANKS FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME! REVIEW AGAIN TO PROVE YOUR LOVE FOR ME! (coughcoughwishmeluckonmyexams!coughcough)

Signing off (hopefully for a smaller amount of time this time around) Karina!