Cloud woke up the next morning with even sorer muscles than before. This time it was a deep ache that seemed to come from the inside of every muscle. He sat up and saw that Zack was already up and dressed, reading a magazine on his bed. As if he could hear the screams of protest coming from Cloud's muscles, Zack looked at him and asked, "How are you feeling this fine morning?"
Cloud stood up and winced as he stretched his cramped muscles. "Don't ask..."
"Do you need another massage?" Zack asked him with a too-willing smile.
Though Cloud was sorely (literally) temped to let him, half because his muscles needed the relaxing, and half because he wanted to know what Zack's hands felt like on his bare skin, he shook his head. "Uh...no...thanks..." He said, grabbing some clothes and putting them on to lessen the temptation. He glanced at his watch to see what time it was and almost jumped in shock. ...5:57... "Ah! We'd better get down to breakfast or we won't get any!" Cloud said and hurried out of the room. Because of his haste he didn't notice Zack's sigh or his disappointed look.
Despite how quickly they moved, they were too late for breakfast. Cloud stood disappointed as his stomach complained. He jumped as Zack put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Too bad. Guess we could have stayed in the room and given you that massage after all."
Cloud wasn't sure what to reply. Part of him even wanted to suggest they go back to the room and try again, but he pushed that away. He saw someone waving at a table and smiled to see Seymour. He got up and went over to Cloud and Zack. "Too late for breakfast?" he asked them.
Cloud nodded and his stomach made a grumbling noise and Zack shrugged. Seymour got a sly look in his eye, "Wonder if it works here, too..." he said quietly.
"What works?" Cloud asked, interested.
"Come with me." Seymour said, and headed over to the person who used to be giving out food.
Cloud followed him, and so did Zack, interested. The man looked at them, "It's past six, we aren't serving anymore."
"But the food's right there." Zack said pointedly.
"I repeat, we aren't serving anymore."
Seymour looked him straight in the face, "I request that you feed my friends here."
The man smirked at him, "I don't think you're in position to make requests of me. Who do you think you are?"
It was Seymour's turn to smirk, "I'm Seymour Shinra." he said with emphasis on 'Shinra'. "My cousin's Rufus. We go waaay back. So are you gonna feed my friends, or do I have to get my cousin down here to make you?"
The man glared at him slightly and Seymour raised an eyebrow. Eventually the man thought to better feed them than risk Rufus' anger. He grudgingly handed Cloud and Zack some food, mumbling something about Shinra's.
They all walked away and sat down, Seymour finally unable to keep a straight face, and he burst out laughing. Zack looked at him thoughtfully, "If I had known that would've worked, I could've done it."
"What, you're Rufus' cousin, too?" Cloud asked him.
"No, I just have...connections..." Zack said with a wink, and Cloud decided not to pry further.
Zack looked again at Seymour. "You do rather look like Rufus...maybe not the same facial features, but you have the same hair color, shoulders, legs, and waist as him." He said almost offhandedly.
Cloud decided he really didn't want to know, and to change the subject, asked Zack, "Why did you think it weird that you had a roommate? What happened before that?"
Zack's face darkened before returning to it's usual laid back openness. "I was accused of raping my roommate."
"...Did you?" Cloud asked, afraid of the answer, suddenly wondering if he really wanted to share a room with him after all.
"Of course not! I'm not the kind of person who takes something without asking... I did sleep with him, though, and he got very jealous when he found out I was sleeping with other people. So he claimed that I raped him-and with my somewhat...interesting...personality, no one thought to doubt him." Zack said somewhat ruefully.
"Wouldn't they have kicked you out, then?" Cloud asked, believing that no one would have doubted that... Zack's personality was definitely interesting.
"Normally, yes...but sleeping with a Shinra has it's advantages." Zack answered, smirking.
Seymour's eyes widened, "What? Who, the President?"
"Ugh, no. I wouldn't sleep with him if you paid me. Your cousin Rufus, of course." Zack said with a grin.
"You were sleeping with Rufus Shinra?" Cloud asked, shocked.
Zack smiled again, leaning an elbow on the table, having finished his breakfast. "Not were, am."
"Huh?"
"I am sleeping with Rufus Shinra."
Seymour and Cloud just stared at him. Seymour finally breaking the silence with, "Wow...you must be good."
Zack looked at him thoughtfully. "You wanna see just how good? I'm sure I can fit another Shinra into my schedule." He said with a smirk.
Seymour's face turned a bright red, "No, no! I...uh...er..." he stuttered, embarrassed.
Zack laughed, "Relax, I was just kidding. Though if you ever want to...know that my pants are always open."
Cloud decided to bail his embarrassed friend out, "Well...look at the time. We'd better get to training or we'll be yelled at again, right Seymour?" He stood up.
"Yeah, right." Seymour stood up, and they both started to leave.
"Uh, bye, Zack." Cloud called.
Zack laughed and waved at them, "Bye Cloud, bye Seymour! We should really get together some night." He blew a kiss their direction and winked. Both of them felt their faces heat a bit and they hurried to training.
Training that day was even worse then before. They were forced to go through many exercises with weights strapped to their wrists and ankles. Long before they were done, Cloud was out of energy. They were currently running many laps around the gym area, and Cloud had to stop for a breath. He watched the area around him. He could see the elevator area as well as the stairs. He thought he saw some movement on the stairs. Yes, there it was, someone was coming up. Someone with long silver hair. Cloud held his breath, even though he was out of air to begin with. Could it be...?
It was. It was his childhood hero...the whole reason he was here. Sephiroth. 'Please look at me, please look at me.' Cloud pleaded silently. Sephiroth started up the next staircase. His hair swished behind him as he walked, caressing his black leather clad back. His eyes were the most piercing green Cloud had ever seen. Cloud couldn't help but stare at the muscles under the leather cross straps on his chest. He watched Sephiroth walk away without even a glance at Cloud... He sighed, letting out the breath that he had been holding, and went back to trying to breathe properly. 'How can a person like that exist...? It's like he's too perfect to be real.' Cloud thought.
"Spiky! Get back to running!" The instructor yelled, and Cloud hurried to obey.
At dinner, Cloud hardly touched his food. He doubted his body would have enough energy to digest it, much less pick up a fork.
"Training that bad, huh?" Zack asked, sitting next to him.
"Worse." Cloud replied, shoving his plate away, unable to eat another bite.
"Don't worry, it'll get easier once you get used to doing it every day." Zack reassured him, putting a hand on Cloud's shoulder.
Cloud winced. "I think I'll just go to bed." He said and stood up, rather slowly since he felt very weak. He started walking away.
"I'll come with you, then." Zack said, standing up and following him, "You look like you could collapse any minute."
Cloud shook his head, "I'm fine, really...I...just...need to get used to walking again." he said weakly.
Zack nevertheless followed him. It was a good thing too, because as soon as they got on the elevator, Cloud's legs gave up and he fell-right into Zack's arms. Zack raised an eyebrow at him, "You're fine? Really? I'd think if you were fine, you'd be standing by yourself."
"Sorry." Cloud apologized and struggled to get his legs to support himself.
"No need, I'll just carry you to the room." Zack told him, sweeping him up into his arms, bride style.
"Really, it's alright..." Cloud protested weakly, though there wasn't much he could do about it, other than feel extremely embarrassed.
"It's no problem." Zack replied, carrying him down the hallway.
Cloud gave up and let himself be carried, his head resting itself gratefully on Zack's shoulder, causing his nose to be filled with a slight spicy scent that could only come from Zack. They reached the room and Cloud was set down gently on his bed. "Thanks..." Cloud said in an apologetic tone.
Zack sat down beside him, "Like I said, no problem." Cloud sat up himself, groaning at the use of his pained muscles. Zack put his hands on Cloud's shoulders and started massaging them slightly.
Cloud was too weak to protest, and he relaxed, thinking he might as well enjoy it. He gasped as Zack touched an exceptionally sore spot. Zack rubbed that spot harder, making Cloud groan in both pain and pleasure. Soon it had loosened up and he moved on to another spot. They sat like that for a few minutes, Cloud's eyes closed as Zack slowly massaged all over his shoulders.
Zack eventually removed his hands from Cloud, and he found himself leaning back into Zack's chest. He wasn't sure why he did it, just that his subconscious was having fun with him. Zack smiled, running a hand through Cloud's messy hair, causing him to shiver. "Cloud...?" he said quietly.
Cloud looked up, to find Zack's face inches from his own. "Wha-" he started to say, but was cut off by Zack's lips pressing slightly against his. It took a moment for him to register what was going on. Zack was kissing him. His mind was telling him to stop, pull away, but that other part of his brain shoved it away.
Just as Cloud was beginning to relax and enjoy it, Zack pulled away and stood up. "Sorry, Cloud...I just..." He turned away, walking back to his bed.
Without knowing what he was doing, Cloud put out a hand, catching Zack's wrist, "Zack...wait." He stood up.
Zack turned to look at him apologetically, "I'm sorry about that...I-" But this time Zack was cut off as Cloud closed the distance between their faces and kissed him. He could tell that Zack was surprised, but he quickly got over it and put an arm around Cloud's waist, pulling him closer. It was Cloud's turn to be surprised, and his brain asked him what he was doing, kissing a guy.
His brain was pushed away yet again as he felt teeth nipping at his bottom lip, asking for entrance. Cloud gave himself over to instinct and parted his lips, letting Zack's tongue slide in. He hesitated a moment before shyly brushing his own tongue against Zack's. A low noise came from Zack's throat, and Cloud felt another arm wrapping around his waist, bringing them even closer together.
Cloud felt his pulse quickening as their tongues twined together, Zack's hungrily and almost desperately. Without warning, Zack pulled away from Cloud's mouth and instead brought his lips trailing down Cloud's jaw and onto his neck, giving him a chance to breathe, though the breaths that were coming were heavy and quick. Cloud tilted his head back instinctively and brought his hands up to grasp Zack's shoulders.
Zack's own hands abandoned Cloud's waist to move to his chest. They moved under his shirt, caressing him lightly. Cloud fought to keep a moan from escaping his lips, but failed as Zack found one of his nipples and teased it with his fingers. Zack moved his lips back to Cloud's mouth and this time Cloud let his tongue in without having to ask.
Zack's hands continued caressing and teasing his chest, Cloud making soft moans as he leaned into him, the rational part of his brain switched off. He felt his shirt being removed and didn't think to protest, enjoying the sensations sweeping through him. Zack again moved his kisses to Cloud's neck, nipping and kissing softly at it. Cloud found himself moaning frequently, and his hands entangled themselves in Zack's hair. He was enjoying the shivers and thrills that rushed through him at Zack's every touch.
He felt hands straying lower and playing with the waistband of his pants. It was the undoing of his belt that snapped his brain back into focus, and Cloud suddenly thought, 'What the hell am I doing?' He put a hand on Zack's and pulled it away. He then backed away from him, trying to clear the haze of his mind. "Sorry...I...I'm not ready for...for something like that." He stammered, looking at the ground, his face reddening.
Zack sighed disappointedly and ran his hand through his own hair. He looked longingly at him before nodding. "Oh, alright, Cloud. Guess that means I'll have to find someone else for tonight." He said and turned toward the door. Then, glancing over his shoulder as he opened the door, he smirked and said teasingly, "You know...you're awfully hot without your shirt on... I will get you one day."
Cloud's face blushed even more as he watched Zack leave, and he sat on his bed. He suddenly realized that he had a problem as he looked down at his pants. Alright, maybe Zack had aroused him more than he wanted to admit. He grabbed a towel and headed to the nearest bathroom to take a cold shower. He had thought that with two people a room, sixty rooms per hallway, and seven hallways, there'd be over eight hundred boys, but he learned that at least 1/3 of the rooms were bathrooms, and a lot were used for storage, making that only room enough for a lot under 300 boys.
After finishing his shower, he went back to the room and laid down in his bed, noticing that Zack wasn't back yet. He sighed and wondered who he went to go see. Laguna, Rufus Shinra, or someone else? Cloud felt a slight pang of jealousy and shoved it away. 'I was the one who told him no... I don't like guys, much less want to sleep with one... What about Tifa?' Cloud soon fell into a troubled sleep with visions of Tifa, Zack, and Sephiroth's deep green eyes.
Whee, that was fun. Will Zack ever get Cloud? Please review! By the way, the reason I used Laguna and Seymour for names is my randomness. I happened to be listening to the Man with the Machine Gun which is Laguna's battle music in Final Fantasy VIII while writing the part with Laguna, and I was listening to Fight with Seymour from FFX when writing the part with Seymour. I've just finished this chapter at... 3:03 at night. Sigh.