Author's Note: Prepare yourself ghouls and boils for some sexual-related moments, a few innuendos, and taboo discussion. Anything goes whenever Kyle enters the picture.
CHAPTER 13: Taste
Balance. It was all about balance. That's what Cloud told himself as he raised a broadsword an inch closer to his cheek and held it at a perfect horizontal line with two hands on the handle. Both legs were spread apart and slightly bent at the knees. He stood shirtless on the rooftop of his apartment building while some Wutai-pop song played from a nearby stereo. Translated, it merely repeated: Gimme-gimme-love. Gimme-that-sweet- honeydew love. The song's fast beat kept Cloud's heart pumping.
On the rooftop, the teenager saw a clear view of the Slums, everything from Wall Market to the residential make-shift homes. Surrounding him, hand-washed bed sheets hung from crossed clotheslines. The sheets flapped under a cool breeze and offered him privacy for his daily morning practice. That familiar stench of copper and burnt paper reached his nostrils: a typical smell in this neighborhood. The chilly air bit into his skin but he didn't mind it. The Slums' weather was nothing when compared to the early winters in Nibelheim. Cloud's face grew damped by his rigorous activities anyway.
While the rooftop wasn't the ideal location to practice his sword fighting, Cloud appreciated the lack of people and open space. He'd rather be outside surrounded by a sea of trash and a giant metal plate over his head than stuck in his tiny apartment with loud neighbors and poor air circulation.
Blade in hand, Cloud struck the makeshift dummy in front of him. He performed a downward thrust and spun around with the heel of his foot. A side swipe connected a second later. Cloud paced himself and kept on the move. Real opponents didn't stand still. Rather, they staggered, lunged, and jerked left or right. Sword fighting was a chaotic waltz coordinated by split-second decisions. If his enemy moved forward with his left foot, he needed to step back with his right. If his opponent attacked with a high stance, he defended with a low guard.
This waltz never ended until someone conceded in defeat. Or fell dead. Such was the fate of a sword fighter. Any man who took up the blade had readily embraced Death as his eternal dance partner.
As Cloud attacked the dummy, he thought about the words his mother once shared with him during their hunts. Only a few people possessed the caliber and devotion to become a true swordsman. Once the steel became a part of the warrior he would live and die by it. No ordinary death would satisfy him. In this, his life became a cursed one. As much as a swordsman sought to defeat all potential threats, he secretly sought a force greater than himself to finally end it all. This gave the warrior peace and closure; an alternative to slowly watching his flame go out. Cloud found it both tragic and… beautiful. It seemed appropriate a swordsman would want the steel kiss of another fighter.
But what of the victor's own fate? Cloud often wondered about this question. Surely, the same forces that drove the first swordsman toward self-destruction might also consume the man who bested him. No ordinary death would satisfy him either.
His mother had agreed when he pressed this question on her a long time ago. She'd explained the Warrior had to die so that the Man might live and avoid a similar fate. Man and Warrior could not co-exist together for long. To attempt such a path led to either madness or discontent. One had to die. In forsaking the sword, the fighter lived out the rest of his days among mortal men. He'd take on a wife, raise some children, and quietly wither away as an old man in his warm bed. Only the dreams of his Warrior life would accompany him into the Lifestream.
To Cloud, this came as a boring and deceitful existence. To soar among the birds as an immortal warrior, only to descend into a world of mediocrity? It didn't sit right with him. His mother was familiar with this descent into normalcy herself. In her youth, Mrs. Strife was an excellent swordsman. She held a blade and took down sport twice her size with all the quickness and efficiency of a skilled warrior. She remained the best hunter in Nibelheim. And while Mrs. Strife never spoke of her grand adventures or the people she fought alongside with during her youth, including the man she loved, her wind-licked hair and piercing blue eyes told Cloud enough.
She had once soared as an immortal Warrior.
But Mrs. Strife had forsaken the blade. To raise a boy in the rural country side on her own, she had let the Warrior die and took on the role of Mother. Cloud knew his mother loved him. And he knew Mrs. Strife harbored no regrets, let alone, any ill will toward the child that prompted her to make such a difficult decision. Still. As a boy Cloud remembered the dim light in his mother's eyes. During cold bitter nights he had often found Mrs. Strife by the window. She always peered outside with one hand to the glass, as if looking for something or someone out there.
Her former self?
That Mrs. Strife became the black sheep of Nibelheim due to her unruly past annoyed Cloud to no end. His mother had given up the sword to live an average life. She'd taken great measures to assure everyone she was not a danger to anyone and only wanted to raise her boy in peace. The townspeople did not give her this peace. Their faces constantly reflected fear and concern. Even when Mrs. Strife regularly drove back the wolves during winter time, the people still looked at her with disdain.
It made Cloud sick to his stomach. A part of him resented his mother. He hated her, hated her for wanting to fit in. Cloud vowed he would not let the same thing happen to him. He would rather die by the sword than live out the rest of his days pretending to be someone he was not.
His blue eyes intense, Cloud hit the dummy one more time. It wobbled violently.
"So I came up with a brilliant theory, Cloud," a male's voice abruptly spoke. It came from behind a hung bed sheet where the music originated. "I've concluded this whole fascination with swords in Shinra Inc. has a lot to do with a deeply embedded fascination toward cocks."
In the middle of a lunge, Cloud nearly tripped on his feet and missed his target. He growled but eventually reclaimed his footing.
"Why else would a Tsviet like Weiss, a man capable of killing anyone with just one katana, bother man-handling two blades at the same time?" the voice continued, "It's because he's desperate to bone two guys at the same time. Sounds legit, right?"
Annoyed, Cloud whirled around. He shoved a large bed sheet aside and glared down at a bare-chested boy wearing sunglasses.
Resting on his back along the rooftop's three-foot-high bricked ledge, Kyle currently typed in his PHS. A folded metal panel lay on his chest. Apparently, he tried to catch a few sun rays for a tan. This, despite the obvious lack of sun down here. Finished texting, Kyle looked up at Cloud.
"I heard a rumor Weiss is in love with a guy. The tabloids say he's been skirt-chasing a long-haired chick, but my sources say it's a guy. Definitely a guy."
"Damn it, Kyle…" Cloud wiped sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. He lowered the music from the stereo nearby. "I told you to shut up while I'm training. I can't concentrate with you yapping your mouth like that."
"Oh, puh-lease. It's not like you had a problem with my mouth the last time I was here." The other blond-haired teen removed his sunglasses. Even as he lay along the roof's ledge with a five-storied fall only an inch away, he didn't appear worried. "You shouldn't frown so much, Cloud. You'll get wrinkles faster that way."
Cloud bit back a response and returned to his training.
Not far away, Ms. Tinker sat on her hind with one ear bent. She cocked her head to one side as she watched her master repeatedly attack the dummy. Her tail wagged. She barked every time Cloud hit the red-marked bull's-eye.
"You're really good with a sword," Kyle complimented and aimed his PHS straight ahead. He took a snapshot of Cloud as he drove the tip of his blade into the dummy with an impressive jumping strike. "I don't understand why you're still training if you're already this good."
"I need to be better," Cloud muttered back.
Kyle produced a low throaty sound. "Sheesh, Cloud, are you always this hard on yourself?"
"It's the simple truth. The swords issued in Shinra are sizably bigger, requiring more strength."
"And you don't think you're strong enough to handle them?"
"I've been built for speed and endurance. Not strength." Cloud said nothing else. He heaved and swung his blade again. Already, he felt his arm muscles strain.
The perfect warrior embodied a fine balance of speed and strength. From the start, Cloud knew he lacked the latter. Even when he had regularly lifted weights and ate double his intake, his slender arms refused to bulk up with muscle. A sharp metabolism, his mother had explained to him once. Mrs. Strife suffered from a similar set-back. Perhaps that's what made her the ideal instructor. Through his mother, Cloud learned to focus on agility, endurance, and speed. He couldn't lift worth shit but he could dodge and wear out his opponent quickly. He'd won many fights that way. The trick for the speed fighter rested in fewer hits, brief movement, and more precision.
But now Cloud required more than this. He could not compete for a spot in the Tsviets with only these abilities to offer. Mrs. Strife had done all that she could to do to offset his weaknesses. However…
"You're worried this isn't enough, aren't you?" the other blond-haired boy asked. It was as if he read Cloud's mind. From the ledge, Kyle sat up and tucked his PHS away. He waited for a response.
Lowering his sword, Cloud blew out a puff of cool air. He couldn't decide on a proper answer and so he settled for a silent shoulder shrug instead.
"Why do you think it isn't enough?" Kyle observed Cloud from a sideways view. "I've seen you train on this roof top every day. This is clearly your strongest asset. Hell, only a few IMs can handle a sword."
"The boys in the city play a different game." Cloud raised his rusty practice sword at eye-level and stared at it. When he noticed the confused look on Kyle's face, he explained in one simple word: "…Materia."
Kyle opened his mouth for a second. Then he nodded his head in understanding.
Materia…
In his attempts at enlisting in Shinra's army, Cloud had witnessed a revolution in sword fighting, something he did not anticipate as someone from a backwater village taught in the old ways. In its extensive research, Shinra had successfully tapped into the secret energies of the planet. It was through this the city boys infused their weapons with materia; a solidified orb made of mako energy. Each materia came with its own unique properties. While some harnessed the elemental powers of Gaia, others amplified the abilities to its user. These materia-weapon fusions made the old teachings nearly obsolete. It changed the game. Not only did Cloud feel overwhelmed by this revolution, but he also felt inferior by it. He could not keep up with the city boys.
"I can teach you the basics of materia," offered Kyle with a nod. "I'm real good with balls."
"So I've noticed…"
"Fuck you. I'm serious. I've infused my nunchucks many times. It's not too difficult. I recommend you stick with a lower-leveled orb since you haven't developed the stamina to handle anything higher yet."
"Stamina?"
"In order to synchronize with the Planet, materia drains some of the user's life force," Kyle explained. "It's through this you can freely draw out its powers. You'll wear yourself out the longer you're linked to the Planet though. And if you're not careful you'll end up lobotomized."
"Sounds like fun…"
"Smart-ass. You may think it's a joke, but you need a well-trained durable mind to handle this source of energy. The materia can grow more powerful with continued use, supposedly up to five levels. But I've yet to see anyone raise their materia beyond class-two status, let alone, master it."
Already, Cloud felt challenged by this newfound information. He hadn't read about the potential consequences of materia overuse. The 'Materia-For-Dummies' handbook apparently skipped that chapter. A natural fear developed within Cloud, especially when he pictured himself as a lobotomized victim. Knowing his rotten luck it would happen.
"Relax, it's not too bad," the other boy reassured when he noticed the uneasy look on Cloud's face. "We'll stop by the Materia Store in Wall Market some time. They got cheap ones there; nothing too powerful but good enough for practice."
Above them, a horn blew out loud. Up the long spiraled tracks a train ascended. It caused the building to shake. Ms. Tinker raised her head at the train and howled along with the blaring horn. Other dogs in the distance joined in.
Cloud muttered a curse word. He rubbed a temple with two fingers. Great. An incoming headache. Between Ms. Tinker's howling and talks of lobotomized victims, he couldn't focus anymore. He grew more and more on edge. Kyle must've noticed this because he soon beckoned to him.
"Take a breather, Cloud: you look ready to explode." Still seated on the bricked ledge, Kyle grabbed a bottle of water and towel near his feet. He offered both. "C'mon. I'll give you a back massage."
At first, Cloud hesitated. He wanted to get as much sword practice as he could before work. However, his arms felt as heavy as wet clay and the head throbbed. The sight of the water bottle also made him thirsty. Cloud stuck his sword inside the dummy's stomach and joined his companion for a quick break.
The fatigued boy patted the sweat off with the towel and planted himself on the ground between Kyle's legs. With his back facing Kyle, Cloud took a giant gulp from the water bottle and stared ahead. The other boy sitting above on the bricked ledge bent down to massage his shoulders.
"Damn, you're tensed." Kyle rubbed at the rough muscles with the palms of his hands. "I can probably bend a beam of metal on your shoulders; that's how rigid you are."
"Whatever…" Cloud observed the mountains of trash. His voice sounded distant.
"Something tells me there's a lot on your mind right now, aside from the try-outs."
"What makes you think that?"
"You tend to stare very intensely into space. Kinda like what you're doing right now." Kyle chuckled when Cloud caught himself. "Are you nervous about your date this weekend? Is that it? Just buy the chick flowers. You can't go wrong. You'll watch those panties fall south in no time."
"…It's not that."
Kyle pursed his lips for a moment. Then his eyes softened when a realization hit him. "You're thinking about that promotion again, huh?"
At this, Cloud screwed the water bottle closed. He'd done it a little too tightly. When the silence between them stretched for too long, he softly confessed, "I finally got a way out of this hell hole. But it means abandoning my dream and settling for a mediocre life…"
"Hm, settling for a mediocre life ain't too bad. Granted, it's boring. But you won't have to sell drugs or your body to stay fed. Not many people are that fortunate."
"I know, I know…" Cloud started to tear off the sticky label from the water bottle. "It's just stupid when you think about it though. All we do is eat, sleep, and fuck. We take up a career or hobby to pass the time and make our mark in the world. But in the end it doesn't matter. We're pounds of meat and bone, possessed by a soul, running on borrowed time until we become stardust…"
"There you go again, getting philosophical when you're moody." Kyle shook his head. "C'mon, what did you expect? Of course we seek those things: we're animals. With a fucking PHS and vanilla lattes."
"I guess I expected more than…" Cloud stared at the piles of garbage. "…this."
"Hey, it could be worse. We could've been born as dogs. Imagine the horror of never being able to jerk yourself or, worse, sniffing everyone's ass all day."
"You already do that though."
Kyle smacked the back of Cloud's head. "You're a jerk sometimes, I swear."
The train above finally passed and Ms. Tinker stopped howling. She wandered about the roof, sniffing for food. As the hung bed sheets swayed against a breeze, Cloud felt at peace. He leaned back and nestled deeper between Kyle's legs. His shoulder brushed against a budge but he spoke nothing of it.
Cloud softly sighed when two thumbs rubbed along his lower back neck. He murmured, "You know, I either accept the position for a secured future and die miserable… or I take my chances with a dream and possibly stay down here forever. And die miserable. Interesting choices."
"Pft. I wouldn't say forever. Even if you fail the try-outs or don't take the job, it won't mean anything. You're a survivor. You're too stubborn to quit. It's against your nature to not be pig-headed."
Cloud blinked, feeling both offended and flattered by that comment.
"You need to let things happen naturally." Kyle grabbed a handful of Cloud's hair. Gently, he tilted the head back so that Cloud looked up at him. "Stop excessively worrying about the future. Nothing is set. If you screw up, fuck it, no big deal. Mistakes happen. You move on. That's how you live."
The small smile on Kyle's face resonated with the other boy. Cloud nodded back, feeling slightly better. In times like this he tolerated the street rat. Sure, he was out there. And at moments he became overwhelming. Cloud wanted to grind his pretty face against concrete. Yet, Kyle was the only one who got him; who read his mind whenever he couldn't vocalize his thoughts. He had been good to him.
As Cloud continued to stare up at Kyle, a random thought crossed his mind. His brows furrowed. "Kyle… you're not upset about my date this Sunday. Are you?"
The question caught Kyle by surprise and there was a pause. His fingers gradually untangled themselves from Cloud's hair and he sat a bit upright. "Huh? W-why do you ask that?"
Cloud abandoned the water bottle and turned around. He tried not to react too awkwardly to the new position and rose on his knees so that he wasn't at eye-level with Kyle's crotch anymore. "I dunno. I thought you might feel off about it, especially when you and I have been…" His voice drifted to silence.
There was another pause, this time longer. "I understand…"
Cloud waited for him to elaborate on that answer.
"Not gonna lie, I wish you didn't go out with other people," Kyle admitted and looked away. "But I can't hold it against you. It'd be greedy of me to expect anything exclusive from you, Cloud. You already know about my other boyfriends. And you're aware of my thing for the black-veiled man."
"Black-veiled man…"
"Hey, don't get any ideas. That dude is mine," Kyle said with a hearty laugh. "I called dibs on the black-veiled man. Remember? You and I will have words if I catch you with him. Serious."
Cloud sat quiet. His eyes found a distant spot in the horizon. Letting out air from his mouth, he wondered why he'd held his breath at the mention of the black-veiled man just now.
"We're both exploring the hidden part of ourselves," Kyle resumed. His voice sounded more low and even this time. "Besides, I've always wanted you to loosen up without feeling tied down. You never considered a guy before. I'm glad you're opening up with me." His eyes found Cloud's. "Are you… enjoying it now? Being with a guy, I mean."
His face warmer than before, Cloud rested his head on Kyle's lap and looked up at him. Then he noticed the budge he felt earlier. It ran along Kyle's pant leg, not far from where he rested his face. Cloud stared at it and simply said, "It has its moments."
A broader smile developed across Kyle's lips. He stroked Cloud's cheek with his thumb. "I told you it wasn't that bad. Have you tried that thing yet?"
"Thing?" Cloud thought a moment. Then he made a face. "Oh… That. No. It's too gross."
Kyle raised a brow. "If you think it's gross, then how do you think men get it on?"
"I know. It's still gross though. I'm not sticking my finger down there."
"Fine, I'll do it for you," the other man readily offered.
"I'll punch you if you try." Cloud glared up at Kyle.
"Defiant as always, Cloud, but that doesn't change the fact you're tight down there. We need to loosen you up. There's no way I'll have sex with you if you're that tight."
"Excuse me? And what makes you think we're gonna fuck?" Cloud gave off a throaty snort. His eyes drifted down again and stayed on Kyle's bulky shape.
"I suppose it's the fact we've had some hot and steamy moments together. And it would be nice if I was the one to bust your ass's cherry."
"Not interested. The whole idea of getting shoved sounds disgusting." Cloud's hand reached up to idly trace the curled erection with a finger. Up and down he lazily followed along its path. He later commented, "The thing is, the body wants to naturally crap when you shove something up its rear. It's unavoidable. A Shinra medical doctor once checked my prostate and I nearly lost it."
Kyle hissed when Cloud teased the tip of him. "That's why you don't eat big meals prior to sex, silly. Don't be that guy."
"What guy?" The country boy raised his head from Kyle's lap, curious now.
"That guy." Kyle spread his legs wider and pulled Cloud closer to him. Soon, he elaborated, "One of my past clients was that guy. He screwed and hollered my name like a damn mantra while he shot into me. Kyle-oh-Kyle! Yes-baby-yes! Fuck-ah-fuck! Suddenly, I smelled some serious funk in the air. Lol and behold, I saw gravy running down his thighs. I punched the guy to get him the fuck off me. He flinched back but accidentally slipped-and-slide across the mattress from his mess. Got it all over himself. Ugh."
"Good Gaia…"
"I never saw him again. I trashed the whole bed and swapped rooms. That place reeked for at least three weeks." Kyle shook his head. "Don't be that guy."
It was another reason why the thought of anal sex didn't appeal to Cloud. He didn't want to be that guy. There were similar stories he'd heard from his coworkers and feared it would happen to him. Of course, there was another reason why Cloud remained reluctant to explore this male-on-male interaction.
"…I heard it really hurts. Like bad. You can bleed."
Kyle agreed with a nod. "If you're tight, you will. That's why we need to stretch you a bit. You got lube?"
"Nope. I never needed it." Cloud's fingers strayed upward. Catching the helm of Kyle's pants, he undid the button there. He was in the mood to see it now.
"Not even for jacking off?"
"Just spit," Cloud revealed with a shrug. He pulled down the zipper shortly after. No surprise – Kyle didn't wear underwear today.
"Ugh. You're a prehistoric beast, Cloud." Kyle shook his head in disappointment. "Spit dries too fast and soap makes the skin itch after a while. Buy some lube. It'll be better. I'd suggest buying a toy too, but you may need to use your fingers first."
"No prob. I'll just add that to my list when I go grocery shopping next time." Cloud pretended to jot this information down with an imaginary pen. He soon rolled his eyes. "Look, I'm not interested in this kind of stuff. Hell, I wouldn't know where to begin if I did."
"Are you kidding me? You've been here for three years. Wall Market is loaded with that shit."
"It's not like I go into Wall Market with the intention of buying an ass plug, Kyle…" Cloud finally pulled out the elongated shape. It clumsily flopped out.
For a moment, Cloud observed the one-eyed fat mass between Kyle's legs with mild fascination. He did not touch it though. Rather, his eyes merely took in every detail. The word, meaty, came to mind. Kyle's chubby head appeared smooth, moist, and very plump. It reminded Cloud of fresh uncooked Chocobo breast. He wondered if it would slice off as easily under a kitchen knife.
Above, the other teen stayed quiet and carefully pulled out his sacs. Cloud was able to observe all parts of him now.
Their interactions often went like this. They hadn't gone all the way despite Kyle's best efforts. While they'd fondled each other and Kyle had given him the pleasure of his mouth many times, that was as far as they went. Cloud wanted to get used this; he had rejected guys all of his life. In the times he was with Kyle, he spent most of it studying his body, finding the similarities and variations between them. Kyle's girth. His length. His cut. The color of his southbound hair. It became an intense experience for Cloud, especially when he reminded himself again and again… this was a boy. This was a boy who exposed his most vulnerable parts to him. Cloud couldn't find anything more vulgar and alluring than that.
Admittedly, the juicy tender tip of Kyle appealed to him. The slit drooled with a nice blushed shade. There emerged a primal hunger to shove that meaty cock straight into his mouth. To taste it. To feel it squirm against his tongue. Cloud hadn't tried that before. The act alone would shame and liberate him. It practically beckoned back to his terrible, childhood days when he obsessively sucked on his thumb.
It took all of his mother's power to stop him. She slapped his wrist. Taped his thumbs. Sent him to bed without supper. Anything to make him stop sucking on his thumb. Cloud grew out of that habit by the age of eight. He hadn't sucked on his thumb since. Still, remnants of that odd behavior did creep up on him now and then. He regularly chewed on his nails and sucked his lower lip during anxious moments. Nibbling the tip of a pen helped pass the time whenever he got bored. And while Cloud enjoyed having his cock sucked on, he found equal satisfaction from simply watching the act performed on him.
That another boy offered him an opportunity to explore an oral fixation from his past was not lost on Cloud. It both intrigued and mortified him. With an inaudible sigh, he rested his face on Kyle's lap again. He licked his lips and carefully observed the glistening tip in front of him. Already, his pants felt tighter.
"So even when you were screwing girls you never bothered to visit a sex shop?" the boy above asked.
"No."
"That's kinda… boring." Kyle shuddered. Cloud's mouth was only a hair away from his prick. Each time Cloud breathed it tickled his warm sensitive skin.
"I never needed to visit one," the other boy confessed, "I already have a hard time buying condoms. What makes you think I'll just casually stroll into a sex shop?"
"Wuss. If you're that concerned with entering one, then check out Noppo's place instead."
"What, you mean the Item Shop in Wall Market? But the zombies only sell antique stuff and back-issued magazines." Cloud's eyes stayed on the engorged head. His fingers rose to touch it. Faintly grazing it with a thumb, he rubbed over its sleek surface in small circles.
Kyle breathed out. "You haven't been looking hard enough then. Ever go beyond Noppo's back door? The zombies stash their rarer items there. Not just sex stuff either. Really cool weapons too."
"Huh. And here I thought that door led to the toilet…"
"If you got good wank material to offer, Semusi will let you go back there."
Cloud thought of the times he had visited the Item Shop. He previously purchased his practice sword there. Noppo, this very tall and lanky ghoulish fellow, rarely spoke. Every day he wore the same ragged suit that had once belonged to a deceased groom.
At the Item Shop, Noppo sold various junk he excavated from the Slums' garbage piles. This strange man ran the place with his creepy sidekick, Semusi. The polar opposite of him, Semusi was short, squatty, and talked a lot. He also had a weird cackle that often sent chills down the spine of any man, woman, and child in hearing range. Because the awkward pair was often mistaken for zombies many wondered why they didn't work at the Gold Saucer's Ghost Square. The two fit right in.
The blond-haired boy wasn't sure what to make of Kyle's proposal. Already, Cloud frowned at the idea of purchasing sex-related items, especially from a six-foot tall skeleton that wore a dead man's suit. The Item Shop had all the gloom and doom of a dungeon. And yet, the rare stuff Kyle just mentioned did peak his interest. Cloud wondered if the zombies' collection included stronger swords.
"Cloud…" Kyle's voice reached him again. The sound that came from his lips was low, drawn out, and desperate. Kyle's gaze first fell on Cloud's hand. Then it shifted to his mouth; the same mouth only an inch away from a stiff and very pointed member.
Glancing up, Cloud found a richer rose color across Kyle's cheeks. The eyes burned with want. Cloud could smell the musk of his firm arousal; a dull malty scent. Studying Kyle's cock, he was disappointed by the lack of a notable vein. The image of a budging vein across perfect pale skin had never left Cloud. He had pleasured himself many times to that picture in his head. Still, Kyle's erection was impressive in its own right. It had fully stretched out due to the thumb that continuously teased its miniscule slit.
This had been an intentional action on Cloud's part. His curious nature got the best of him. He'd wanted to know if the same sensitive spots that drove his body hot also affected Kyle. Compare and contrast. The other boy obviously shared similar trigger points since he reacted so strongly to his touches. Cloud felt proud of himself at this moment. Whereas he had always second-guessed himself with a woman, often intimidated by her alien landscape, at least with a boy he knew what the fuck he was doing. He had knowledge. He had control. He had power.
Looking at his thumb now, Cloud noticed a slimy coat of Kyle's juices over its flat side. That terrible age-old habit from his past returned. It prompted the teen to bring the digit up to his lips. Parting them, Cloud did the unthinkable: he sucked on it. A salty bittersweet flavor instantly registered in his mouth.
Above, Kyle rested his hand on Cloud's hair. He breathed through his mouth. Exhilarated. His fingers tugged at the jagged blond locks several times. It was a silent plea but Cloud knew what he wanted. It was written on the other boy's face. Half of Cloud despised the adrenaline rush he gained from this heated exchange. He felt both disgusted and excited by the crudeness of it all. The blood coursed faster through his veins however as he sucked out the essence of Kyle from his thumb. Cloud edged his face closer toward the moist part of Kyle. He eventually removed his thumb. With his head still on the boy's lap, the lips opened wider. He prepared to take it in and fully accept his adoration for cocks.
It was around this time Cloud's PHS beeped loudly in his back pocket. His alarm. It signaled the time he had to catch his train. Nearby, Ms. Tinker grew alert. Her ears rose pointedly and she barked at the high-pitched noise that sounded off.
Kneeled between Kyle's legs, Cloud contemplated for a second. The alarm was a thirty minute warning. There was enough time to suck Kyle off, have his shower, and catch the train. Cloud lightly licked the penis' head once with his tongue. He was still in the mood. He wanted to give Kyle his first ever blow job. The ongoing alarm proved annoying though. Cloud briefly turned away from Kyle to silence it.
Ms. Tinker barked nonstop, meanwhile. She sought to investigate the annoying sound and now stood a few feet away from the boys. Wagging her tail, the anxious dog grew silent a moment later. She raised her nose upward and detected a peculiar scent in the air. Ms. Tinker concluded it was grub because she excitedly joined Cloud at his spot between Kyle's legs. The dog eagerly licked at the bizarre-shaped sausage that dangled there. Instantly, the street rat yelled and leapt up. His reaction was so immediate that he nearly fell off the rooftop's ledge.
"Gah! Shit!" Kyle struggled to regain his balance, his arms flailing everywhere.
Cloud's eyes grew wide in horror. He quickly got to his feet to grab Kyle's hand and pull him back to safety. Even as he did, the dog happily bounced up at Kyle. Cloud glared at her. "No, Ms. Tinker, no. Down, girl, down. No. Stop. Stop licking that! That's not for you!"
Even as Kyle managed to get to solid ground, he struggled to tuck himself back in. Ms. Tinker pawed at his legs. She attempted to taste the yummy treat that bounced up and down. Kyle tried to raise his pants while Ms. Tinker chased after him across the roof and barked. Cloud's face grew pale. He covered his eyes with both hands, feeling embarrassed and sexually deprived.
Perhaps some other time, when his stupid dog wasn't around, they could continue this. Until then, Cloud took this as a sign. He headed inside the building and decided to get ready for work.
Tonight, Cloud had been rotated to kitchen duty. His yellow Chocobo apron was a ragged mess, coated with grease and sweat. The air grew hotter from the constant fires. Cloud listened to several tracks from his PHS while he flipped a series of patties with a spatula. He smacked on his peppermint gum and wiped his face on the apron. Despite the use of hi-tech gizmos and automated machines, Chocobo Chow still prided itself in the use of human hands to cook its food. Whatever the hell that meant. Everything else was still operated by machines so this gesture proved pointless. Cloud learned not to question company policies anymore though, including the mysterious pink slime they used. He splashed a few grains of salt and pepper on the patties, flipped them, and stepped back as they sizzled loudly.
A vintage-style television hung above the teen's head. Chocobo Chow's new commercial showed on its screen. Cloud lowered the volume of his PHS to listen to it. The advertisement consisted of flashy animations and sound-effects. The overly energetic, no-holds-barred narrator who discussed all the great deals was the same guy who announced the crazy monster trucks in the Turbo-XXX car show.
"GRAAAAWR! Head to Chocobo Chooooow! Twenty-four Streeeeet! Take the kiddies and save Gil! The food kicks ass! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWR!"
The commercial revealed a clip of yesterday's fight. Cloud stood completely still. Somehow, the digital effects team managed to beef up his Chocobo suit to include six-packed abs, a heart tattoo on his wing, and a red head bandanna. The terrifying image obliterated the random boy Cloud had fought yesterday. Busty bikini-clad women stood sidelined and cheered. Electric guitars wailed loudly in the background until a giant explosion of fire ended the commercial with Chocobo Chow's address on display.
Cloud slowly looked away. Turning up the volume of his music, he pretended he never saw that.
While the meat cooked and another commercial played on TV, Cloud took a sip of water from his container. He actually didn't mind kitchen duty. Without the nuisance of nagging customers, he could do his thing and work on his fine culinary skills. It was something he had desperately avoided back at home. Of course, working the kitchen also gave him a chance to be alone with his thoughts.
Cloud's mental wanderings currently strayed to Kyle. Things had gotten intense between them. He wasn't sure how it happened. The floodgates were opened and now he was interested in the same sex. Why was that? Kyle had flirted with him for three years. Nothing came from it. Cloud had never sought a male companion before. Over the past week or so, however, he felt different. And admittedly horny.
As the lowly employee thought about the bizarre relationship he shared with his friend-with-benefits, he wondered about the arrangement of two males in general. Traditionally, the one with the poker stuck it inside the one with the hole. That was that. But for two guys? Both had pokers. And both had holes. Did they decide on who did what over a game of rock-paper-and-scissors? Or was it an embedded predefined role? Cloud never saw himself as a 'bottom'. Then again, he never stuck anything up his ass to know if he was or not. It was why purchasing butt plugs and similar sex toys baffled him so much.
"Hey, Cloud!" Someone beckoned to the troubled teen from behind. It was Wedge.
Cloud hadn't heard him. His ears currently tuned to loud electroacoustic music, he was too busy debating over who stuck their dick inside who – both? He didn't realize someone had entered the kitchen until he felt a hand on his shoulder. Cloud reactively held up his spatula like a weapon. He spun around and fiercely attacked whoever was behind him with it. A few quick whacks and he stopped.
"Sorry, man," Cloud apologized when he realized who it was. He lowered his 'weapon' and removed the ear buds. "You scared me."
"I scared you?" Cowering away from Cloud, Wedge shielded his pale face with a hand. He lowered it. His widened eyes stayed on the spatula Cloud gripped. "Sheesh, any time anyone catches you off guard you get on turbo-mode, you know that? Last time you popped someone while dressed as a Chocobo. Now you're hitting people with a spatula. Shit, man, I'd hate to see what you do with a mop."
Cloud snorted. He removed the patties before they burned. "What's up? You need something?"
Wedge didn't answer his question right away. Rather, he took a spot by the counter, away from the frying area. In his hand was a boxed Chocobo Chow Children's Happy Meal. He placed it on the wooden space and turned to Cloud.
"You busy?" Wedge finally said.
Cloud slowly chewed his gum with half-slit eyes and a ready spatula still in his hand. What an idiot. Of course he was busy. He'd been slaving in the kitchen his whole shift and smelled of burger and sweat. He still hadn't taken a break due to the influx of customers attracted by yesterday's fight. These were the types of details Cloud wanted to tell the rolly-polly. Instead, he repeated: "Do you need something?"
"Not really. I just wanted to talk for a sec…"
"Over what?"
"Stuff." There was a long pause. Wedge leaned against the counter and scratched a chubby cheek. Finally, he revealed, "Ele' has been acting strange lately. I saw her talking to a guy in a dark suit at the parking lot the other day. I think it was a Turk…"
Cloud developed a funny suspicion over who that was. To Wedge, he only said, "Oh?"
"Yea. He had red hair."
Reno. He fucking knew it. Even now, Cloud could still recall that smug look on the Turk's face when they had met at the Diner last Sunday. What an obnoxious guy. While none of it was any of Cloud's business, he did approach Ele' shortly after. He had passed Reno's message onto her. She didn't look too thrilled.
"You think it was a Turk, Cloud? Is Ele' in trouble? Is she…" Wedge's eyes suddenly grew wide. "…going to sleep with the fishes?"
Cloud tried not to laugh at Wedge's choice of words. Briefly, he placed the cooked meat on the tray of a foot-tall robot. It beeped once after the tray was full and wheeled away to the prep station. As the teen laid out a new set of patties on the grill, he looked back at Wedge. "There's nothing to worry about. If the Turks were gonna whack her they wouldn't do it at Chocobo Chow. They got more taste than that."
Cloud said nothing else. However, he already knew from Kyle what was going on.
The Turks wanted to recruit Ele'. It made sense. She had the credentials. And her family was affiliated with Shinra. Not only did her father serve in the company, but her sister as well. She was a Turk who went by the codename Gun. Go figure, Cloud thought with a smirk – he couldn't possibly imagine what type of weapon she used. That aside, he understood why Ele' wanted none of this.
She'd mentioned to him before that she craved to forge her own path. Her transfer to Chocobo Chow from the Slums' bar, which catered to the Turks, was her way of putting distance. The defiant girl had no intentions of fulfilling her father's expectations or following in her big sister's steps. She wanted to defy fate. Cloud could relate to that.
"I saw another Turk not long ago," Wedge mentioned but frowned a second later. "Well. Maybe it was just a businessman. I dunno. He had weird eyes…"
"Don't worry about this so much," Cloud suggested. "Ele' is a big girl. She can handle herself."
"Yeah, you're right." Wedge nodded. Then he stared at Cloud. "By the way, I heard a funny rumor. I heard you got offered a promotion not long ago."
Cloud looked at Wedge. Then he confirmed it with a nod. "Assistant manager position."
"Holy shit. For real?" Wedge approached Cloud and slapped his arm with a laugh. "Congrats, man!"
"Thanks…"
"Why didn't you say something? This is huge. We should totally get together to celebrate this."
Cloud's gaze fell to the sizzling patties. "I haven't accepted though…"
Wedge opened his mouth, ready to ask 'why', but pursed his lips when he connected the dots. "The Tsviets… you want to still join them. Don't you?" Softly, he asked, "What are you gonna do?"
Cloud shrugged his shoulders. He sprinkled salt over the patties. "Mr. Mukki told me to think on it."
"If anyone deserves this promotion, it's you. Of everyone here, you're the only one working your ass off, trying to make something happen. You could benefit from a job like this, you know? I get that you still want to join the Tsviets and all… But. Well. You should think on it."
"Yeah…" Cloud licked his dried lips. "Maybe working for a Chocobo my entire life is all I'm good for…"
Noticing the sour look on his face, Wedge placed a hand on Cloud's shoulders. He smiled. "You know what? Why don't you take a break? I don't think you've had one. I'll cover for you."
"You will?"
"Yep. Go on, man. You look like you need one."
Cloud nodded a 'thanks'. Taking off his apron, he passed it onto Wedge. The fatigued boy stretched his arms and headed for the break room. Wedge stopped him before he reached the door though.
"Oh, hold up! Wait! I almost forgot…" The big boy grabbed the Chocobo Chow Children's Happy Meal from the counter and offered it to him. "Here you go."
Cloud cocked a brow and snickered at it. "A kid's meal? Er, no thanks. I brought my own food."
"Jerk. It's not for you. It's for the kid."
"Kid?"
"Yea, the kid. The schoolboy."
"Schoolboy?"
"Er, I think it's a boy. Dunno, to be honest. Looks too pretty to be a boy. Might be a girl? But anyway! I was gonna give him this after talking to you. But since you're going on break, you can do it yourself." Wedge beamed and added, "I made sure to give him a super cool toy!"
Baffled, Cloud made a half-hearted hand gesture toward the Happy Meal. "Why would I give a schoolboy I don't know this? Go ahead and give it to him yourself, Wedge. I'll be at the break room."
Wedge grabbed Cloud by the arm before he walked away again. He blinked repeatedly. "Wait, you don't know him? He told me he knew you. You were gonna meet up together, he said."
"Meet up together?" Cloud removed Wedge's hand. "I don't know any schoolboys. What's he look like?"
"It's kinda hard to forget his face." Wedge snorted out loud. When he noticed the puzzled look on Cloud, he described, "Strange green eyes. Silver hair. You totally can't miss that."
A schoolboy with strange green eyes and silver hair? Cloud fell silent. A faint memory touched the surface of his consciousness. He stared at Wedge. "Where is he?"
"He's outside in the playground. The kid's been out there a long time and won't come in despite the chilly weather. Ele' thought he was a runaway, so I talked to him just a few minutes ago. He wouldn't tell me his name. But the schoolboy said he came to see you for a meeting of sorts. Heh. Weird kid."
His curiosity at its peak, Cloud headed out of the kitchen without another word. Wedge followed.
They entered the main dining area of the restaurant. The space was flooded with hungry customers and screaming children. Since the viral video, Chocobo Chow had become a chaotic affair throughout the work days. Mr. Mukki recently hired a lot of part-timers to handle the big numbers.
Cloud squeezed through two people and gazed at the direction of the playpen. Not many people were outside. It was dark and the temperatures were frigid cold. Nevertheless, Cloud spotted a child sitting by himself on a swing. A well-fitted schoolboy uniform covered his lithe body. Ruby plush lips swallowed a green lollipop. His wavy silvery hair shined under the glimmer of the moonlight. A perfect celestial being, Cloud thought. Too holy, too pure, and too pretty. He had no right to exist in this realm.
"You know him, right?" Wedge asked from behind.
Lips were parted but no sound came from Cloud. His mind was a mass of cluttered thoughts. It felt like bits of a shattered fantasy, one that remained clouded by his reality. Or perhaps it was a moment of déjà vu. Cloud couldn't tell. For some reason, he thought about his birthday celebration last weekend.
The club. The people. The hot air. The color of blue had splashed everywhere that night. And yet, Cloud mentally pictured a black-shrouded figure in that sea of ultramarine. The veiled creature had stood in the middle of a crowd, completely still. Searching. Staring. Waiting. For someone.
Do I strike you as strange?
Cloud's heart raced faster. Somewhere in the background Wedge must've asked him a question – was he all right – but Cloud didn't answer back. His focus stayed on the boy outside the restaurant. Bright green eyes slowly looked up. Possessing the face of an angel, the child observed Cloud with a long and unrelenting stare. He didn't look away. Those large green eyes… they somehow violated the teenager. Seared into him. Cloud swore they'd met before.
"What's that smell?" Wedge suddenly asked. He sniffed the air. "It smells like something is burning…"
Cloud smelled it too. It brought him out of his trance. Only a moment passed before he noticed the streak of smoke coming from the direction they had come from. He frowned. "That's the patties, idiot. You're supposed to be checking on them. Go back in the kitchen before we burn the place down."
A few Clean-Up units nearby buzzed a fire-hazard alarm. Wedge scurried off. Cloud sighed and shook his head. Then he returned his attentions to the schoolboy outside. With the Chocobo Chow Children's Happy Meal in hand, he headed toward the double set of doors that led out to the playground.