Author's Notes: Beware ghouls and goblins, Chapter 4 is packed with language and 'mature' talk and content. Trek carefully. Lastly, because Nunchaku (Before Crisis) never had a real name in his Turks bio, I named him 'Kyle' (he's actually hot, heh).

CHAPTER 4: Milkshake

Biggs' news of tonight's happenings at the museum had been shoved aside when Cloud manned the cash register again. Thankfully, it didn't take too long for him to settle back into his work shift and rhythm. A steady flow of incoming customers kept his eyes away from the clock and thinking about his tonight's birthday celebrations. Mr. Mukki stopped by once in a while too. He batted his eyes at Cloud and blew him a birthday kiss. The boy merely rolled his eyes. The oddball manager thankfully returned to his office, no doubt to spy on him through the camera feed.

As time progressed, with Cloud's shift coming closer and closer to an end, the number of newcomers dwindled. By eight-forty, things had slowed down enough for him to catch his breath. He passed the time by completing mundane tasks. First, he assigned all Clean-Up Units to a designated area for maintenance. Then he started the process of restocking items at the counter. As Cloud pulled out a row of plastic cups from a metal cabinet, he looked out at the restaurant's seating area to check if any customers needed assistance.

Surprisingly, the people appeared satisfied. No fights broke out. No bickering. No annoying brats tossing food in the air for the hell of it. Many of them engaged in lively chat. Cloud lowered his gaze whenever he came across couples, though, both the young and the old ones.

Admittedly, he hated the weekends. This was the time of the week when lovers came out in full force. It wasn't so much as their needy demands or obnoxious attitudes that bothered Cloud, but rather, their silly smiles and laughter. Their world was painted with rainbows and butterflies. Heated gazes. Intertwined fingers. Soft whispers. Pressed hot lips. The couples here experienced a close-knit happiness Cloud could only dream of sharing with someone special. One person came to mind.

Tifa's crimson-brown eyes still burned deep into his memory along with a bittersweet longing and frustration. On days like this, Cloud wished Tifa Lockhart never existed.

Suppressing these thoughts, Cloud noticed two boys his age sitting opposite of each other in a booth. They leaned forward in their seats and shared a milkshake together. Talking in hushed tones, Cloud frowned when he saw their feet playfully tap against each other below the table. He tried to look away but continued to watch when one of them removed a sandal. He slid his bare foot up the other's leg. Cloud stood tensed as it settled over the boy's crotch.

Coming from a village like Nibelheim, the concept of guys hooking up with guys still caught Cloud off guard. It was unheard of. All the boys in Nibelheim hyped over the girls. Cloud had never encountered same-sex couples until coming to Midgar.

Granted, taking a piss in the restroom stalls with other boys did present him an awkward moment. But it was a moment shared by many teenaged boys at the mercy of hormones and natural curiosity. The hidden desire to check and compare the cock sizes and funny shapes of other boys often offset social expectations and personal beliefs. It couldn't be helped. The human mind was meant to wander and analyze. But Cloud refused to consider boys as an option. He felt… off about it.

Observing the two teenagers slurp up their milkshake, Cloud's hands now gripped the plastic cups. He didn't understand where his discomfort came from. He saw the smiles on their faces; saw the other boy rub his excited budge against the foot between his legs. The teens sucked on their milkshake with a heated look in their eyes, both hungrily draining the milky-white substance in the glass. Seeing them together like that, reveling in lust and their cream-filled dessert… Cloud was halfway tempted to kick them out of the restaurant out of mere spite. Out of all the couples in here, he hated those two young men most of all. And he couldn't understand why.

The cups in Cloud's hands suddenly slipped between his fingers and scattered to the floor. He growled. "Damn it…"

Behind the counter, Cloud went on his knees and gathered all the plastic cups. He felt stupid for feeling the way he did. His face burned with heat. He was livid. Over what, Cloud didn't know. The spilt cups? His life-sucking job? Those boys? Himself? Life in general? God, he was pathetic and a lost cause, Cloud thought as he collected the cups. A male's voice suddenly addressed him. It came from the other side of the counter.

"Sir? Excuse me, sir?" The voice whined and wasted no time waiting for a response. Instead, the male barked, "I'd like to make a complaint. This food tastes like shit and the blond-haired cutie with the nice ass still won't give me his number or put out. I want that guy fired."

Squatted on the ground, Cloud banged his head from under the marble counter and muttered an obscenity. He instantly recognized the voice. Of all the people to enter the restaurant, he didn't want to see him right now; not in his current awkward, shitty mood. Reluctantly, Cloud rose to his feet. He stifled a sigh.

A young man with short, curly blond hair stood at the other side of the cash register. He wore a short, fur-white coat and light-washed denim jeans that hung dangerously low to his hips. A ring decorated each finger while his neck donned a diamond-studded choker with a chain still attached to it; his personal version of a necktie. Oddly enough, the boy had no shoes on. It left the bottoms of his feet dirty and dark. Carrying a pair of silver nunchucks on his metal-studded belt, they dangled and chimed each time he moved.

"Couldn't think of another person to harass today, Kyle?" Cloud asked the new arrival.

"Who better to harass than the birthday guy himself?" the other teenager declared.

Tossing few cups into a nearby trashcan, Cloud found it hard to look at the other boy. It was clear Kyle didn't have any underwear on. Just above his completely hairless groin area was a small tattoo of an up arrow with the words 'this end up'. Pierced pink nipples appeared across his bare chest.

The indecently dressed boy presented a boxed cupcake to Cloud. He slid the vanilla frosted treat across the counter. "Did you think I forgot? You know I wouldn't forget my friend's birthday."

Cloud accepted the gift but tilted his head when he closely surveyed it. He tapped on the box with a finger. "Something tells me this birthday cupcake isn't as innocent as it looks."

Kyle's lips stretched into an easy smile. "Ah, how you know me so well, Cloud. That little baby is loaded with at least three bags of my finest stuff."

"That's what I figured…" Cloud snorted quietly to himself and set the drug-laced cupcake aside.

Kyle was certainly a weird, preppy boy. In the underworld, everyone called him Nunchaku on account of his habit of hitting anyone who pissed him off with nunchucks or using them for hard sex. He resided in the Slums too but was financially well off. Even when Kyle illegally worked the streets as a hustler and dealer on behalf of Don Corneo, a persistent rumor claimed he originated from Bone Village and was the single heir to a very rich family. He had settled in the Slums when he got bored of the pampered life though. Cloud didn't know if the rumor was true; he never asked. The boy's charismatic ways certainly made the claims sound legitimate enough.

The truth of Kyle's origins didn't matter much to the Nibelheim native, especially when the street rat was one of his earlier acquaintances. Cloud had struggled when he first arrived in Midgar. Homeless and tossed aside like the other immigrants, he managed to survive when Kyle took him under his wing. Kyle got him an affordable place. He set up his job interview with Mr. Mukki. Most importantly, he kept the Slums' local gangs and interested pimps away from the fresh meat. Cloud often wondered how a boy of similar age could hold so much sway like that.

Despite his young age and chaotic lifestyle, Kyle possessed street smarts and skills to keep him ahead of the game. He knew all the happenings in Midgar City and the Slums; knew all the major players from above and below the Plate. His likeable personality made him the center of attention.

Some part of Cloud resented the fellow blonde for that. Everyone loved Kyle. Nobody could resist him. Either the people wanted to be like him or fuck him. It was why Cloud rarely hung out with his friend. He hated the inevitable comparisons people did whenever they appeared together; two blond-haired boys of similar age. Cloud always fell short on Kyle's level of suave and charm.

Still, as much as Cloud was jealous of his friend, he remained grateful to him. And he honestly dreaded the day when his friend would someday show up naked and dead in some abandoned alleyway. Used up like a ragged doll. Kyle played life too much on the edge. The hard drugs he used, his overly promiscuous nature, and the dangerous people he was associated with made an early departure seemed inevitable, even when the preppy boy casually joked about it.

"Quiet night, eh? Not your usual packed house for a Saturday," Kyle commented as he leaned his backside against the counter and studied the people at the main seating area.

"Haven't you seen the news?" Cloud explained while he readjusted his fluffy Chocobo Chow hat. "Most of our regulars have stayed home. Everyone is scared."

"Well. Not everyone…" Kyle noted; distracted elsewhere.

Sitting at a booth directly across, a mother of two children glared at Kyle. She appeared visibly offended by his provocative clothes and complained to her husband about it. The husband refused to turn around and look at what peeved her. Instead, he continued eating his meal with his back to Kyle.

As the husband ate, the frisky teenager met the woman's gaze. Kyle placed two fingers to his pink lips and slightly spread them apart to create a V-shape. He flicked out a pierced tongue at the empty space in-between. In a suggestive manner, his tongue slowly rolled back and forth in circles. The mother blushed now. She reactively squeezed her inner thighs together and stared at her food while her oblivious husband demanded more fries.

"You're horrible," Cloud declared to Kyle.

"How would you know?" his friend innocently asked and cocked his head back to the Chocobo Chow employee. "You've never been acquainted with my tongue. A shame, that."

"Did I mention you're also gross?"

"It adds to the flavor."

Cloud rolled his eyes. Afterward, he thought about the shoot-out Biggs had mentioned earlier. If anyone knew anything about it, it had to be Kyle. "Do you know what happened at the museum tonight? Something about a shooting?"

Kyle turned his entire body around so that he now faced Cloud. He leaned forward on the counter; not bothered if his low-riding jeans revealed a bit of his ass to the people behind. "Hm, I might. But it's gonna cost you…"

A low growl emitted between Cloud's teeth. He should've known. Nothing came out of the street rat's mouth for free or cheap. Even Don Corneo had to pay for his information. Unfortunately for Cloud, he already knew what Kyle wanted. He shook his head. "Forget it: I'm not going on a date with you…"

"Pft. Figures." Kyle's brows drew low together. "Why do you always have to play hard?"

"Why do you always want to get inside my pants?" Cloud retorted.

"Because it's nice and warm in there. And…" Kyle stood straight. His hand reached out and playfully tapped the Chocobo plush head on Cloud's hat. He watched the ridiculous feature bounce up and down and almost laughed. "…Behind this grease-stained, horrendous looking uniform is a drop-dead gorgeous boy with an incredible body and the prettiest blue eyes I've ever seen."

"But I'm a guy," Cloud quickly reminded him.

"Yes. Last time I checked, you were."

"And I'm only into women," Cloud also felt the need to clarify.

"Have you ever been with a guy?" Kyle's hand casually pulled on his neck chain while he waited for an answer. When Cloud shook his head, he challenged, "Then how do you know you're only into women?"

Stumped for a moment, Cloud didn't have an immediate response.

He always knew Kyle liked guys. Even when he'd been with plenty of women, men were his preference. He had six boyfriends and a track record of casual flings. For some damn reason, however, Kyle wanted him. Cloud had learned to deal with the guy's advances to some capacity. He either downplayed his friend's flirtations or changed the subject.

A sexual relationship with another boy was beyond Cloud's scope. Women already got him off just fine. There was no need to explore anything else beyond that.

"I just know," Cloud affirmed at last.

"Oh?" Kyle replied; unconvinced. "You do?"

"This is getting to be ridiculous…"

"Ah, don't be that way, Cloud." Kyle's fingers stroked the long metal chain around his neck again. "It's an honest question. I'm just curious why you're dead-set against a date with another guy. It's not like you're obligated to suck each other off. It's a simple date."

Briefly, Cloud observed the two boys in the booth again. They played footsy with each other. The one on the receiving end slightly thrust his hips forward and snickered playfully to his partner. Cloud removed his hat for a second and ruffled his sticky hair. Somehow, the air had gotten hotter.

"Well?" Kyle persisted again.

"Not interested. I'm fine with having just one sausage in my life," Cloud answered back and forced his eyes away from the booth, "…and that would be mine."

"Gods, you're a stubborn son-of-a-bitch."

"A part of my charm." Cloud put on his hat again and checked the time. "We done? I got work to do."

Kyle thought a moment. He glanced up at the virtual menu that floated above the counter. "Hm. I can actually go for something."

Clearing his throat, Cloud put forward his best professional voice and acted as if their talk over sausages never happened. "Would you like to hear today's specials? We have a two-for-one combo deal that comes with a medium-size beverage and fries. The Charming Chocobo Deli is a new addition to our menu. I recommend you try the number two, though: the Sassy Salsa Cutie Chocobo Salad."

Pressing a button from his console, Cloud pulled up a large, cylindrical-shaped interface menu. The virtual food list wrapped around his body and spun slowly, featuring images of food. A holograph of a baby Chocobo appeared. It warked triumphantly after Cloud highlighted the selections he just discussed.

Contemplating over his options, Kyle wrapped his pinky around a curly strand of hair. His lithe body shifted to one side. "How about a medium-sized vanilla milkshake? Mm, that sounds nice."

Cloud paused at the request. His eyes strayed to the two boys at the booth with a similar dessert. The odd moment came and went. He pressed the virtual image of Kyle's request; the baby Chocobo warked again. A victory-sounding melody filled the air. Quietly, Cloud notified, "That'll be four-fifty."

Kyle dug into his fur coat's pocket and swiftly pulled out a wad of Gil. "Got change for a hundred, love?"

Cloud sighed while the menu evaporated into tiny pixels and disappeared. "You know we only take twenty Gil or less, smart-ass. In fact, you oughtta be happy we still offer paper Gil transactions at all."

"Yeah, yeah…" Kyle gave a twenty to Cloud. "I keep hoping you'll notice the Gil I make and change your mind. You could earn so much more than this shitty place. Just say the word. I'll set you up."

Cloud didn't doubt he'd make a shit-ton of Gil if he whored the way his friend did or sold the latest drugs in the streets. A lot of men their age already did, both in the Slums and on the Plate. But Cloud couldn't live with himself if he tried that lifestyle. He came to Midgar for a dream; not to sell his flesh and soul. Three years had passed since Kyle presented him several job opportunities. Cloud still didn't regret his decision to choose Mr. Mukki's interview over Don Corneo's.

Accepting the bill, Cloud gave Kyle back his change. He was one of the few people who actually used paper transactions in this digital savvy world. The guy didn't even have a barcode tattoo. It was understandable though. Kyle ran a shady business on the side. He didn't want traces of his income to show up anywhere. Most of the Slums operated the same way, especially in Wall Market.

Kyle plopped himself on the counter and set both elbows on the marble counter while he waited for his shake. The neck chain dangled between his fingers. "Can I ask you a very personal question?"

Cloud sensed doom in the horizon and quickly busied himself with Kyle's dessert. He grabbed a long metal container and activated a machine behind him. It spat out vanilla ice cream. When the vase reached halfway full, he transferred it to a blender machine. Cloud fetched milk from a fridge.

"Cloud…" Kyle started again when the silence between them prevailed for far too long, "…When was the last time you got laid?"

And just like that… boom. There it was. Kyle's question fell like a nuclear explosion. It wiped out all sense of normalcy in the room. Cloud nearly dropped the milk but caught it with both hands. A series of strange grunt-like sounds escaped his throat until he finally blurted out, "…What?"

Startled by his yell, a few dining customers from the seating area looked at Cloud direction. The Chocobo Chow employee blinked at them and drew quiet. When they returned to their meals, he blew out air from his lungs; relieved he was no longer the center attention.

"C'mon. Don't be shy." Kyle chortled while Cloud's whole face turned to a warmer color. His hazel eyes stayed on him. In a hushed tone, he repeated: "When was the last time you fucked?"

"Shut up," Cloud ordered and turned his back to Kyle. The blender came on with the push of a button. He poured a few ounces of milk into the ice cream mix and kept his hand on the metal vase to keep it from spilling.

"Sorry, you just sound so damn… tense. That's all. It's almost like you need to unwind with a good blow-job or somethin'." Kyle instinctively ran a tongue across his lips.

Cloud wanted to explode and disappear into a million pieces. He momentarily increased the speed of the blender. It roared louder.

"I guess it can't be helped…" Kyle went on. Bored, he cocked his head to the side and studied Cloud's back. His eyes fell to the buttocks and stayed there. "I heard about your rejection letter from Shinra last month, by the way. That had to suck. This was your third year trying to enlist with those guys. Right? No wonder you're so uptight these days."

"You hear everything, don't you?" Cloud mumbled after he finally lowered the blender's speed.

"Yea, I do," Kyle confessed with a hearty laugh. "I can't help it. I'm very interested in the life of Cloud Strife. That aside… I don't think that's it. Your pent-up tension, I mean. I think there's something else going on. It's why I asked you before: when was the last time you fucked?"

The machine howled again when Cloud deliberately increased the speed. This was the other reason why he couldn't stick around Kyle for too long.

Aside from the inevitable comparisons, it was impossible to have a decent conversation without it turning into a topic about sex. Cloud kept his back to Kyle while he smoothed out the shake. This entire conversation was stupid. His personal life wasn't up for discussion, especially at a place like Chocobo Chow. Besides, it didn't matter if he hadn't been laid for a long time. It wasn't anyone's business. And it wasn't his fault.

His busy work schedule, class, and preps… All of that occupied Cloud's life right now. There was little time for casual sex these days. Sure, there were the quick-fix options. But Cloud felt too embarrassed to visit the Honey Bee Inn or hire a whore from his block. His mother's voice, the same one who constantly warned him to keep away from those dirty city girls, mentally nagged at him. Cloud had learned to settle for self-administered pleasure. On his days off, he jerked off to a good online porno film. Then he'd wash himself in shame just like all the other boys who felt stupid after masturbation.

The act of lust – it often evoked the most bipolar emotions in people.

Admittedly, Cloud's member had gotten sensitive in the past few weeks. It shot up during the most inconvenient times. Early morning jogs. A trip to the corner store. A pretty smile. Bare wrists. Sex was long overdue, Cloud realized. Maybe tonight he'd find someone to fuck, someone to ease him off the edge a bit. He could get lucky. Hopefully. Perhaps. Maybe. God willing.

The machine beeped twice. Cloud pressed a button. The shake was done. He removed the metal container and poured the vanilla milkshake into a medium-sized Styrofoam cup. After slapping on a lid and inserting a straw, he handed it over to Kyle.

"There. Enjoy your milkshake and mosey along."

"Tryin' to get rid of me that bad, eh?" Kyle didn't move from his spot and kept his elbows on the counter. He smiled. The smile didn't reach his eyes though. "I make you that uncomfortable?"

Returning the milk back to its original place, Cloud said nothing.

His eyes drawn to the shake in his hands now, Kyle nodded his head. "Fair enough. I know I come off strong sometimes. I just get worried about you sometimes. It's easy to forget the joys of life when everything becomes routine. Believe me: I've been there. You won't find happiness if you're always staying within the dotted lines and doing what others expect of ya."

"My coworkers are taking me somewhere tonight for my birthday," Cloud evenly informed and changed the topic. It was all he could do at this point. "You're welcomed to join us."

Across the counter, the other young man suppressed a low chuckle. Kyle knew what Cloud had just done. However, he didn't appear offended and even expected it. The lively blonde took a long sip of his milkshake and shook his head. "I wish I could, Cloud. But I can't. There's someone I have to meet."

"For business?"

"For pleasure," Kyle corrected with a slight blush. He leaned forward again. "I've been tracking this guy. Forever. Originally, Don Corneo wanted me to find out where he lived."

"What for?"

"To put a bullet to his head." The teen snickered loudly, as if it were a joke. He soon explained, "Less people are visiting Don Corneo's whores because of this man and his companions. The Don is super pissed. He fucking hates competition. With this guy… everyone wants to meet him."

"He must be really something…" Cloud expressed in a flat voice, not really interested in the topic anymore. Nearly every crush Kyle had was over a pretty boy. There was a new one every week. It annoyed Cloud. He turned his back to Kyle and washed the metal canister in a nearby sink.

"I sincerely doubt he's handsome," Kyle admitted and stroked his straw with two fingers. "He rarely appears in public. His face must be the most horrendous-looking thing ever."

"Must be? What, you haven't seen his face?"

"Nope. No one has. He wears an extremely long, black-lace veil over himself all the time. He's cloaked entirely in black. One person described him as the bride of Death itself. For all we know, he is Death itself. Who dresses like that anyway?"

Disturbed by the description, Cloud stopped washing the cup in his hand and looked back at Kyle. He couldn't understand this fascination with a strange figure in black. Stalking a man dressed as Death's bride sounded like a terrible idea, especially in light of today's events.

"But that's what makes him so damn interesting," Kyle said, as if reading his mind. "He's a genuine freak of nature. Those who've seen the black-veiled man all declare he walks with the grace of an angel." Kyle temporarily pulled out the straw. He opened his mouth. Vanilla ice cream dripped over his wet tongue.

Cloud set the metal container back to its proper place and grabbed a towel. For a moment, he watched Kyle's mouth; watched him gather white drops. Cloud quickly cast his gaze down. He wiped the counter and murmured, "So I guess you're going on a date with this guy tonight…"

"Ha, I wish." Kyle swallowed. Afterward, he inserted the straw into his cup. "Sadly, he is the most elusive figure in this city. Don Corneo's people can't find him. Even my connections can't track him down."

"I find that hard to believe. Especially for you."

Still bent forward across the counter, Kyle idly caressed the base of his milkshake. His hands moved up and down in a lazy rhythm. "The black-veiled man is a very peculiar guy. He sees only the people he chooses to see."

"He still sounds like a weirdo…"

"I know, right? Even his close companions are just as weird as him. People say they have strange eyes. They can see into your soul with them. Or so the stories say."

Cloud observed Kyle's fingers. He stared at their continuous up-and-down hand motions; transfixed. Eventually, he chided in, "Maybe you should keep away from this guy. If he doesn't want to see people outside of his inner circle, then…"

"No way. Tonight, I'm gonna find this man."

"But…"

Kyle took a deep sip of his milkshake again and later pulled out. His tongue swiped along his lower fat lip before he declared, "I'm gonna meet this man. And I'm gonna fuck him good until he lets me see what he's hiding under that veil. I bet he's got an eye missing with maggots and shit coming out. Or maybe his flesh has rotten off from burnt wounds…"

Amused by his words and vivid imagination, Cloud scoffed. He noticed Kyle's mouth again; noticed the drop of vanilla ice cream there. He missed a spot.

"One of my boyfriends claims he'll be out in the city tonight in search of someone fresh." A well-defined smile shaped Kyle's plush lips. "That's what he does, you know. Every once in a while the black-veiled man appears. He tries to find someone who will peak his interest. Then he invites that person to be bound to him. Isn't that romantic?"

Feeling a bit tired, Cloud yawned. He continued wiping the counter and tried not to look at the drop of vanilla on Kyle's lips.

"If word on the street proves true," the enthused teen resumed, "then I want that special person to be me. Even if his face terrifies the shit out of me, it'd be the experience of a lifetime."

Kyle was hopeless at times. Once the fool made up his mind about something, talking any sense to him proved pointless. Cloud eventually shrugged his shoulders and conceded. "Whatever. You can't say I didn't warn you. Just… take it easy, okay?"

Noting the genuine concern in Cloud's voice, a pinkish color spread across Kyle's cheeks. "You're always looking after me. Aren't you? Makes me wonder why you aren't my boyfriend."

"Because I don't eat sausage," Cloud recalled for him. He wiped the area in front of Kyle. His voice sounded low and husky when he said, "You don't know this guy. Be careful tonight. I'll beat the crap out of him if he hurts you. Then I'll beat the crap out of you for being an idiot."

The smile on Kyle's face turned to a toothy grin. Quickly, he leaned forward across the counter and planted a wet kiss on Cloud's mouth. It lasted only a second. Kyle pulled back before the other boy could react to it. He looked down at his milkshake afterward. "Hm, this shit actually tastes good…"

The white dot on Kyle's lips was gone now.

On the other side of the counter, Cloud abruptly stood at full height. His hand reactively wanted to touch the moist spot Kyle left behind. He decided against it. Cloud didn't want to draw attention to the counter. His eyes scanned the restaurant. He hoped none of the customers saw what just happened. Thankfully, no one did. Except the two boys in the booth. They sat on the same side now. Both looked back at him with amused expressions on their faces. They turned away a second later and exchanged a heated kiss.

"Have you ever tried the vanilla milkshake before?" the other blonde curiously asked.

Cloud took a step away from the counter but closely observed Kyle. The laid-back teenager smiled at him. Then he pushed the straw deep into his mouth. Soft pink lips wrapped around the thin piece of plastic. Kyle's hands stayed at the base of the cup while he swallowed.

"They're really good," Kyle commended in between sips. Each time he drank, his throat's apple bobbed. It was a smooth, steady rhythm. "I've had plenty of them."

The restaurant's cheery music continued to play in the background while Cloud watched thick loads of vanilla stream down Kyle's throat. Pink lips squeezed the straw harder. They produced quiet slurping noises. Cloud gripped the towel in his hands tighter.

Moments later, Kyle's mouth pulled out with a loud smack-like sound. A bit of ice cream squirted out. It slowly dripped down the straw's side. Kyle exhaled. He'd been holding his breath the entire time. His tongue suddenly lashed out. The slithery muscle slid up and down the length of the straw. Eagerly, he lapped up the chunky white drops. His pierced tongue flicked at the top end of the straw. Kyle paused from his current actions. Hazel eyes tilted up at Cloud.

Cloud hadn't moved from his spot.

A satisfied Kyle wiped his mouth with a finger. Shortly after, he confessed, "Chocolate, Strawberry, and Vanilla are my favorite. I just love the flavor of a good milkshake. Don't you?"

Cloud wiped his sweaty palms on the towel. As he listened to Kyle ramble on about milkshakes, he knew this had nothing to do with milkshakes.

"I love the feel of ice cream sliding down my throat," Kyle said. Trimmed nails glided along the body of his milkshake's bulky container. "So smooth. So milky. I can drink it up all day; fill my belly with it."

Silently, Cloud watched Kyle's hands. They fondled and explored the plastic texture of his medium-size foam cup. A part of Cloud wanted to kill the street rat right now. He imagined popping his balls and tossing him off the Plate. Anything to shut him up. But there was something else that lingered beneath this initial animosity. Even as Cloud struggled to understand what it was, a warm sensation crawled down the pit of his stomach.

The air grew hotter. Observing Kyle's lips, Cloud found himself imagining it filled with clumps of rich, sugary milk. The corners of those pretty, plush lips leaked with white lines. He thought about Kyle choking on sticky vanilla cream. And he imagined him gasping for more.

Cloud took a deep breath, a bit surprised by his absurd thoughts. His attention swayed back to the two boys kissing in the booth. Their wet tongues clashed; arms wrapped around the other. In front of them was an empty glass of their milkshake. Finished. A curious thought crossed Cloud's mind. He wondered if the flavor on their lips tasted of salty saliva and sweet vanilla. An interesting combination.

"You should try a milkshake yourself if you haven't already, Cloud," Kyle suggested with a smile. "Who knows? You may like it as much as I do."

Cloud turned his back to him. He felt too awkward to meet his eyes or talk to him right now. As he stood facing a machine, though, Cloud licked his lips. The single drop of vanilla ice cream Kyle had given during their kiss reached his tongue. Cloud's brows pulled toward each other. That salty, sweet flavor… it wasn't too bad. He sucked on his lower lip a bit more. The tender muscle between his legs, meanwhile, stirred half-awake. It curled right along his left inner thigh.

Somewhere nearby, a Chocobo chirped nonstop. As if laughing at him. Cloud's eyes narrowed. He really needed to get laid tonight.