The healing process – Part 3
Cloud yawned softly as he stretched out on the sofa, his weary body settling into the soft material, as the content feeling of warm food in his stomach silenced the hunger pains.
"You about ready to call it a night?" Zack asked, looking over at the cadet affectionately.
"Not yet. I ... I want us to ... can we talk about something first?"
"Sure Spiky, we can talk." The soldier replied casually.
"I mean it Zack, I want to talk, not have you guys pretend to listen and then ignore everything I've said." Cloud added firmly, his face hardening as he became serious.
"Ok?" The soldier replied, his voice showing his uncertainty as the cadet's sudden change in mood.
"Ok." Cloud repeated, as if reinforcing the word somehow.
"So what do you wish to discuss?" Sephiroth asked, already having a good idea what the topic would be about.
"Why did you guys do that to me if you weren't going to carry on with it?" Cloud asked bluntly, looking at all of them in turn.
"Do what exactly?" Reno asked carefully.
"You made me remember in ... in such an intimate way ... and then you ... you pulled away. If you weren't going to continue sharing that with me, why did you do it in the first place?"
"We explained that at the time Spiky, we thought it would help your memories return." Zack replied hesitantly.
"Time would have helped my memories to return as well." Cloud pointed out evenly. "You didn't need to ... kick start the process like that. Not if you were going to just leave me like you did."
"We did not plan on leaving you at all." Sephiroth informed the blonde gently. "We wanted to give you some time to adjust, but as you remembered more you seemed to start hiding things from us. We therefore felt it best not to rush anything intimate."
"So it was my fault."
"No, no it wasn't." Zack replied quickly, his heart tearing apart at the sadness in the cadet's voice.
"But ..."
"It's not your fault." Reno cut in sharply. "At least not completely."
"Reno!" Zack cried out angrily.
"Reno is correct, we are all to blame for what has happened here."
"No, no we're not." The soldier retorted almost desperately, his voice cracking under the emotional strain. "It's not Cloud's fault that he wanted to keep some things to himself or that I pulled away. It's also not your fault that you followed my lead and gave him space when he didn't want it. I misunderstood Spiky's nervousness and withdrawal as being something else and I'm the one who told you to give it more time before we started getting physical again. If anyone is to blame it's me and I'm sorry for that."
They all watched in stunned silence as the normally cheerful soldier all but fell apart, his tear stained cheeks disappearing behind a curtain of black spikes as he bowed his head and buried his face in the palms of his hands.
"Zack?" Cloud called hesitantly, after a minute of silence.
"Yea." The soldier replied nervously, pulling himself together enough to look up towards the cadet.
"Please come here." Cloud asked softly, while reaching a hand out toward the raven haired man.
"Ok" Zack agreed faintly, slowly rising from his seat and moving across the space between them.
"Sit." Cloud instructed gently, raising himself up to offer the soldier a place on the sofa beside him.
"Ok. But I don't see what ..."
Zack's words faded away as Cloud's body lowered itself to lie on the sofa once more, but this time with his head resting on the soldier's lap. It was almost instinctive that the soldier raised a hand and began to run his fingers through the mass of blonde hair, hesitating only briefly when their eyes connected and he realised what he had done. Cloud smiled up at Zack's cautious expression and let his pleasure at this simple act of comfort between them be shown in his eyes.
"I'm sorry." Zack repeated softly, as he continued to stroke the soft golden spikes.
"And I'm sorry for getting mad at you, Sephiroth's right, we should have been more honest with each other." Cloud replied gently, his delicate features softer now that the anger had drained away.
"I guess were as bad as each other." The soldier agreed with a faint chuckle.
"How about we start again?" Cloud suggested cautiously. "We could pretend that the past several weeks never happened and let things go back to ... normal?"
"I'm happy to start again, but I'm not going to let things go back to how they were before."
Cloud's body instantly tensed and Zack knew that he needed to explain himself quickly, before the cadet misunderstood the meaning behind his words and tried to leave again.
"I didn't mean like that." The soldier protested, his hand stopping its gentle motions on Clouds head and indirectly pinning him down. "I just mean I don't want us to keep things from each other."
"Man you really are bad with words."Reno noted, rolling his eyes at the soldier's ability to nearly ruin the moment.
"Tell me about it." Zack mumbled, before looking back down at the cadet.
"You want me to talk about ... about my past." Cloud said, his words a mixture of a question and a statement as if he could already guess the answer.
"You do not have to tell us everything, but there are clearly things which upset you." Sephiroth noted gently. "If you talked to us about these things then we would understand why you are sometimes withdrawn and we would not make the mistake of withdrawing ourselves."
"So if I agree to explain what's wrong when something's bothering me, you guys will relax and stop worrying about me all the time?"
"Pretty much." Reno agreed
"Ok, I can live with that." Cloud responded after a minutes thought. "But the same applies to you guys as well, right?"
"Indeed." Sephiroth noted evenly.
"Seems fair enough." Reno said, smiling brightly.
"Yep, that would be the way it would work." Zack reassured gently.
"Good." The cadet breathed, his body relaxing as some of the tension eased away.
Zack smiled down at the blonde resting on his lap and once more began to carefully run his fingers through Cloud's hair, his heart warming as the cadet surrendered himself to the touch by closing his eyes. A moment later and a small sigh of contentment drifted up from the cadet's body as he adjusted himself on the sofa and eased back further against the soldier's lap.
"Comfortable?" Zack asked, as he continued to run his fingers through the mass of blonde spikes.
"Yes."
"Good." The soldier replied smiling happily.
They sat like this for a while, the small group simply relaxing into the quiet and enjoying each other's company in silence. It wasn't long before Cloud's chest rose and fell gentle, the sound of his soft breaths indicating that he was asleep. Zack's hand continued the tender caresses for a little longer, allowing the motions to draw the cadet into a deeper sleep before they moved him. It was only now, as he looked down at Cloud's peaceful face that he realised how long it had been since they had done something as simple and enjoyable as this. So much time had passed without them being able to relax around each other, unable to take comfort in such personal touches. Zack's hand finally stopped and came to rest at the back of the cadet's skull, the palm gently cupping Cloud's head protectively. He knew it was late, and that they were all tired, but the idea of letting go was almost painful.
"We should get him to bed." Sephiroth noted, keeping his voice low.
"Yea, you're right. He just looks so peaceful. I don't want to risk waking him."
"You need some help?" Reno offered, making them all aware that Zack was not going to be able to lift Cloud in his current position.
"Yea, that would be good."
"Allow me." Sephiroth said, already bending down and positioning his arms under the blonde's body.
A moment later and he was standing up straight, his hold on the cadet being firm yet gentle as he carefully carried him towards the spare bedroom. Zack and Reno followed close behind and waited patiently as the general slowly lowered Cloud's sleeping form onto the bed. They worked together to strip him from his uniform, their efforts combining to move him as little as possible while they undid and removed the various items of clothing.
"He really needs a shower." Reno commented, as they began to redress him in more appropriate sleeping attire.
"That is true, but he is hardly in the position to do so now."
"What are you guys talking about?" Cloud murmured, his voice heavy with sleep as he continued to lie upon the bed with his eyes closed.
"You awake Spiky?"
"No."
"Funny."
"I try." Cloud sighed, his eyes now fluttering open to look up at them.
"Hey, don't you dare wake up." Zack warned playfully. "You need to sleep."
"I also need to shower." The cadet replied smiling softly at Reno.
"You're not that bad, it can wait till tomorrow." The Turk responded, chuckling slightly in amusement.
"And you guys say you have enhanced sense," Cloud said rolling his eyes. "Even I can tell I need a shower."
"Ok, but make it a quick one, you need to rest."
"It will be neither quick nor will it be alone." The cadet stated evenly, his eyes daring the soldier to argue.
"There is no need to ..." Sephiroth began gently.
"No." Cloud cut in firmly, now fully awake and pushing himself into a sitting position. "The last time I went to have a shower you guys ended up fighting. There is no way in hell I am going in there and leaving you all out here for that to happen again."
"We aren't going to fight Spiky, its ok now."
"I still want you there."
"You don't have to worry, we're not gonna ..."
"It's not just that." Cloud interrupted quickly, his voice faltering as his throat became dry.
"Then what else is it?" Sephiroth asked carefully.
"What if ... if I just want your company?" Cloud asked nervously, looking away from them, clearly afraid of being rejected again.
"Then that is an entirely different matter." Sephiroth said gently, attempting to reassure the cadet that things were different now.
"Sounds good to me." Reno agreed almost instantly.
"Zack?" Cloud asked hesitantly, after the soldier remained silent.
"Ok, but can we ... can we go slow ... for me?"
The words had been spoken with such caution and worry, that when Cloud looked at Zack he was not surprised to see the soldier's head bowed down and looking away from them. He raised a hand to touch the sun kissed skin, hidden behind drooping black spikes, and gently encouraged violet eyes to come up and meet his own.
"We can go slowly for all of us." The cadet reassured softly.
Reno left the room first, taking the initiative to go and fetch some towels before heading to the bathroom and adjusting the water temperature. He had barely got the shower running when Sephiroth entered the room, once more carrying Cloud safely in his arms, and Zack following close behind.
"It's ready." He informed them, moving out of the way as Sephiroth lowered the cadet to stand on his own feet.
There was a minute of hesitation amongst the group of men as they tried to decide what should happen next. Cloud made the first move, his smaller hands trembling as they rose to work on the buckles of Sephiroth's coat and belts. The silver haired general looked down at the cadet in his arms and smiled as he watched nimble fingers work hesitantly on his uniform. It was clear from the blonde's small frown and the way he bit down slightly on his bottom lips that he was having trouble with the clasps due to his nervous state.
"Allow me." Sephiroth offered gently, as he moved his hands over Cloud's and helped the cadet to undo the fastenings.
"Thank you." Cloud breathed, a faint blush creeping over his cheeks.
They spent the next few minutes undressing each other, slowly removing items of clothing and gently caressing the exposed skin as it became visible. Calloused hands worked gently over developing muscles as each man traced the contours of Cloud's body giving him the touches he had yearned for. In turn the cadet let himself drown in their scent, in the feel of their bodies against his own, and the desire which filled them all. When they finally made it to the shower Cloud closed his eyes and sighed in pleasure as the warm water travelled across the planes of his body, washing away the dirt sweat and tears from his day.
"You ok?" Zack asked softly, as Cloud settled his head against the general's chest.
The cadet remained silent and nodded that he was, his mind still drifting happily and unwilling to return to deal with something as unimportant as speech.
"How about I wash that hair of yours?"
Again Cloud merely nodded, the smile of his face growing a little brighter at the soldier's offer.
In the end they all washed each other's hair, hands moving carefully so that the contact was slow and gentle, immersing themselves in the sensuous touches being given and received. There was still a current of desire forming around them, their enjoyment of the activity becoming slowly obvious, but they chose to ignore it. Instead they took the time to reacquaint themselves with each other's bodies again, to re-establish the bonds between them which had been frayed.
It was only after they had rinsed their hair, and begun to work a scented shower gel over each other's wet skin that the atmosphere became more heated. The sensation of strong hands gliding over slick flesh was quickly making the touches between them more, the love and care growing and changing to become passion and lust. A small rush of pleasure flowed through Cloud's body making him shiver as the general's hands travelled along his spine once more. The strength contained within the fingers so evident as they pressed against his smaller torso, working across the expanse of his back. Sephiroth could not miss how the cadet reacted to his touch, the blonde still leaning against his taller frame within the confines of the shower. The sensation made his own body respond, his arousal making itself known with more silent demands. Zack allowed his eyes to slip shut as Cloud's hand moved over his shoulder, following the muscles down along the arm until it came to rest at his wrist. It was only when the cadet's fingers entwined with his own that the soldier opened his eyes again, the sight of their hands holding making his heart flutter. Reno had been standing behind Sephiroth while they washed the general's exceptionally long hair and now moved round to stand beside the cadet. He ran a hand along Cloud's back, his fingers following the same path that Sephiroth was making over the blonde's pale skin. Their combined touch had a notable effect on the cadet.
"Cloud?" Reno asked, as he noticed the blonde's breathe hitch.
"I'm ok." Cloud breathed, his voice trembling slightly.
"We can stop if it's too much."
"Please don't." The cadet begged softly, his eyes levelling with Reno's to reinforce the plea.
Reno smiled reassuringly as he brought a hand up to gently brush some strands of hair away from the cadet's eyes, and sighed happily as Cloud lent into the touch.
"I've missed this." The Turk admitted faintly, his words a breathless whisper.
"Me too." Cloud replied, his voice also soft in its response.
"It is late and you should rest." Sephiroth began, tilting his head so he could meet Cloud's eyes better. "But tonight is about you, so we will do as you wish."
"I want us to ... be intimate." The cadet replied hesitantly.
"As you wish, but I do not believe this is the best place." The general noted, looking around them questioningly.
Cloud slowly followed Sephiroth's gaze, letting his brain process the world around them. It was only now that he saw how cramped the shower really was, their bodies having surrounded his and making the proximity of the walls seem further away. The cadet soon realised what was causing the problem, it was the fact that the shower in Zack's apartment was not as large as the one in Sephiroth's. For one person it was not a problem and relatively spacious and for two it was comfortable. With three people it would be considered very cosy, but with four it was almost impossible. Even now he found himself wondering how they had managed to remain standing for so long without one of them getting pushed out.
"Maybe we should dry off and take this to the bedroom?" Zack suggested, his thoughts matching Cloud's exactly.
Reno was the closest to the towels so carefully extracted himself from the shower and grabbed the first one, quickly wrapping it around himself before handing one to Zack who had joined him. Cloud was next, his body being instantly cocooned in the fluffy material as the general moved them away from the water. Before he could say anything the cadet found himself being lifted again and carried from the room, Zack's arms holding him protectively as they moved through the apartment and into the bedroom.
"You know, I can walk." Cloud reminded them, as he was laid on the bed.
"Maybe I want you to save your strength?" Zack teased suggestively, moving himself to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Should we give you guys some space?" Reno asked, his heart sinking a little at the thought of having to leave.
"No. I want you to be here, all of you." Cloud replied quickly, his body rising to sit up and a hand extending out towards the Turk.
"Do you ... want to do this with Reno?" Zack asked, trying to keep the hurt from his voice.
"I want it to do it with all of you." Cloud answered, turning to face the soldier now that he had managed to pull Reno down to sit on the bed beside him. "All of us together."
"What did you have in mind?" Sephiroth asked as he finally joined the small group on the bed.
"I was thinking about that time in the forest." Cloud admitted, as a blush crept over his exposed skin giving it a delightful pink hue.
"You mean the time when there was the three of us?" Reno asked thoughtfully.
"Yea, you guys said it might be fun to try it with four of us so ..."
"That was a pretty tough position Spiky."
"I know, but this time we have the bed and if we do it right then it could work."
"You have a plan?" The general asked, slightly amused.
"I might have thought about it a couple of times." The cadet agreed, as the blush on his cheeks deepened.
"So what's the idea?" Reno asked, barely containing the grin which had developed on his face.
"I'm ... inside you, while Zack's inside me. That way we can balance the weight out better."
"What about Seph?"
"Sephiroth can be inside Zack, that way he can support our weight and I can still feel him if he reaches round."
"You really have been thinking about this." Reno noted, slightly impressed at the logic behind it.
"I had some time."
"I'm sorry I didn't ... that I didn't ..." Zack stammered, his words faltering unable to finish the apology.
"It's ok. I know I gave you reasons to be worried, but I want this Zack."
The soldier didn't answer with words, there were none which would really explain how he felt anyway. Instead he raised a hand up to trace his fingers lightly along the side of Cloud's face, until his palm came to rest against the cadet's flushed cheek. He lent forward then, his eyes closing a second after Cloud's fluttered shut, and placed their lips together in a soft tender kiss. The sensation was somehow stronger than it had ever been and the soldier felt himself responding to the delicate soft flesh against his lips, the feel of Cloud's mouth against his own causing heat to pool in his groin. He didn't ask to take the kiss further, still hesitant to rush this experience for them all, but was left breathless when lips parted for him. He took the silent invitation willingly, letting his tongue enter the cadet's mouth and play against the blonde's within the heat of their mouths. He smiled into the kiss as a small moan escaped Cloud's body and passed into his own, realising just how much he had missed that sound.
Cloud was glad he was still wrapped in the towel, the soft material covering his body as it reacted to Zack's kiss. There was no denying the heat which spread over his limbs, the need which flowed though his veins, or the swelling developing between his legs. The cadet let his pleasure of the kiss have a voice, allowing a soft moan to leave his body so that they would hear his joy. The sound was rewarded by a deeper press against his lips, the kiss became more passionate and demanding, as Zack finally let go of his fears and surrendered to their shared desire.
When they broke away from the kiss both soldier and cadet were panting breathlessly, their hearts racing wildly as they held each other close.
"You haven't kissed me like that in so long." Cloud whispered against Zack's chest, regretting it almost instantly when the soldier tensed.
"I made a mistake by pulling away. It won't happen again." Zack replied evenly, his hold on the cadet tightening to reassure them both.
"I believe Reno and I are also in need of such expressions of affection." Sephiroth noted, moving forward towards the pair.
"Huh?"
"I think Sephiroth and Reno want kisses too." Cloud explained, laughing softly at the confused soldier.
"Oh." Zack replied.
The cadet didn't have time to respond as the general captured his lips, sealing their mouths together and trapping the words inside. Cloud relaxed into the kiss, happily allowing the general to dominate the interaction between them. He once again made his feelings known by allowing sounds of pleasure to pass between them and just as before the kiss was deepened as it became more forceful and demanding. When the need for air dragged them apart Cloud sat gasping for breath while raising his fingers to touch his lips softly, the tender flesh now feeling a little bruised and swollen.
"You ok?" Reno asked, bringing his own fingers up to touch the cadet's darker and fuller lips.
"Yea, I'm ok."
Reno knew better than to argue the response and decided that he would just be gentle instead of not kissing Cloud at all. He allowed his lips to play against the cadet's, barely touching as the sensitive flesh brushed together, and was surprised to find the tease to be quite satisfying. Instead of a moan from the blonde he received a small whimper of need and couldn't help but smile as he allowed a brief moment of passionate lip locking to pass between them. When he moved away from Cloud's mouth it was not to breathe heavily as the others had done, but to begin a trail of feather light kisses along the blonde's jaw and down following the slope of his neck. The Turk carefully ran his hand up the side of Cloud's neck and laced his fingers through the damp hair, gently gripping the golden locks and pulling back to expose more of the pale throat. He was rewarded not only by the opportunity of more contact with the smooth flesh, but a heated moan of pleasure which vibrated against his lips as it moved up Cloud's body and spilled from his mouth.
Zack and Sephiroth watched the scene in stunned silence, the cadet's reaction to Reno's gentle yet forceful advances being a little unexpected. They both knew that Cloud took pleasure from their demanding kisses. That the cadet willingly gave himself over to their commanding touches and caresses, surrendering himself to their dominant positions over him. Even when he had been the one to initiate the acts of intimacy between them, or on the rare occasions when he had topped, Cloud had always allowed himself to be guided or had quickly relinquished his role soon after. But neither could remember a time when the blonde had openly voiced his pleasure to being handled in such a controlling way, the Turk's actions having given him no choice but to comply with the unspoken demand. They exchanged a look of understanding which clearly said this was something they would explore more another time.
Because they had both been so distracted neither noticed how Reno had begun to lower Cloud onto the bed, his hand gently pulling the cadet backwards while also supporting his head as it began to fall. A small cry of pleasure brought their minds snapping back to the moment, their heads turning to look at the blonde as he reacted to one of Reno's more forceful nips to his tender flesh. The feel of Cloud's body falling away and only half supported by his arms made Zack's heart skip a beat and his grip immediately tightened, pulling the cadet up against him once more. The blonde squeaked in surprise as his torso was suddenly pulled back up, the hand in his hair releasing its hold quickly to avoid hurting him.
"Zack?" Reno asked after a few seconds, noting that the wide eyed soldier was gasping slightly.
"Sorry, I thought that you were ... and I ..." The soldier stopped his explanation and smiled in embarrassment, a slight blush creeping over his face.
"You always catch me when I fall." Cloud agreed gently, quickly understanding what had happened.
"That ok with you?" Zack asked cautiously.
"I wouldn't have it any other way." The cadet replied, smiling as he lent in for another kiss.
This time Zack had control of Cloud's body as they lowered themselves onto the bed, one arm holding the blonde protectively while the other supported their combined weight. Although he tried to balance himself above Cloud the towels covering their bodies made it a little awkward, so instead he let himself settle on the mattress beside the blonde. A second later and Reno was lying on Cloud's other side, their bodies pressed firmly against the cadet's, effectively trapping him between them.
Cloud's breath hitched as he felt the unmistakable arousal of both men pressed up against him, the soldier and Turks erections hidden from sight but not touch. The cadet didn't give them time to question him again, not wanting more words to interrupt what had begun. Cloud quickly twisted his body so that it faced Zack's, capturing the raven haired man's lips in a kiss before he could speak. He felt the soldier's tongue tentatively push against the seam of his mouth and parted his lips willingly, a moan escaping his body as the warm muscle delved into his mouth once more.
Reno took the opportunity to being exploring the cadet's body again, his hands travelling lightly over exposed skin until they met the hindering material of the towel. Growling softly in frustration he moved his hand to Clouds knee and began to slide it up the cadet's leg, his fingers dancing gracefully along the soft skin as they rose higher along the blonde's thigh.
Cloud broke away from the kiss gasping as the Turks hand drifted over the heated flesh of his inner thigh, the confident fingers moving up under the towel and dangerously close to some very private parts of his anatomy. The cadet shifted his position slightly so that he could now face Reno and smiled at the red head before moving forward to share another kiss with him. Sephiroth took the opportunity to begin his own gentle touches of the newly exposed flesh, making the blonde shudder and sigh in pleasure as he lay pinned between the soldier and Turks bodies. Cloud's lips had barely left Reno's in a deep gasping breath, when the general captured them with his own and stole the kiss he had been patiently waiting for.
As the kisses became more heated, and bodies became more flushed with desire, the towels were lost to the floor as their protective covering was no longer needed or wanted. Hands moved confidently over smooth skin, each touch and caress being greeted with sounds of pleasure from the man receiving it. Soon the air was thick with lust and toned flesh had become damp with sweat, as bodies trembled with excitement. Their desire to touch and be touched being fulfilled, their need to rediscover each other being satisfied. At some point one of them had found the lubricant and now skilled fingers worked on highly aroused bodies, preparing them as carefully as possible.
Zack could feel Sephiroth's fingers as they moved against his opening, the digits pushing deep within the tight warmth of his body and causing the swollen flesh between his legs to throb with need. The soldier took another deep breath to steady himself before adding a third finger to the ones already working on the cadet lying in front of him. He bit down on his bottom lip as Cloud moaned in pleasure, the blonde's body shuddering at the sensation and pushing down against his hand. The sound was quickly followed by another as Reno reacted to something Cloud had done, as a result of the soldier's advances, and Zack felt the cadet respond to what every the Turk had done while crying out. He knew they were becoming connected now, their bodies joining like a living circuit, as each action created another reaction and so on.
"I believe that you are all prepared enough." Sephiroth said, also noting that the men in front of him were slowly losing control.
"How ... how we gonna do this?" Zack panted as he withdrew his fingers from Cloud's body, only to be met with a small whimper from the cadet.
"Cloud?" Sephiroth asked, deciding that as it was the blonde's idea he might have a better suggestion.
"Me in Reno ... Zack in me ... you in Zack." The cadet panted, leaning back slightly to look over his shoulder at the general.
"Sounds good to me." Reno breathed, his heart now racing wildly in his chest.
"Ok Spiky, you go first."
Cloud turned back to face the Turk, his head coming back round to look at a mass of fiery red hair. Taking a steadying breath the cadet moved his hand to rest on Reno's hip, gently tilting the Turk forward a little to make his entrance more accessible. They both moaned in pleasure as Cloud's other hand moved his erection, the hard length now pressing gently against the opening.
"You ready?" Cloud whispered against Reno's back.
"Yes." He breathed in reply.
The next second and Cloud pushed into the tight heat of Reno's body, his swollen flesh gently forcing its way along the rippling wall of muscle. The cadet slowly worked his way past the initial ring of muscle, using his hand on the Turks hip to not only steady them but to keep Reno from pushing back. The sensation of being surrounded by such a hot warm grip was leaving the blonde breathless and trembling in anticipation of what was to come. He could feel Reno's body responding to the intrusion, the gentle pull on his erection as it was drawn deeper into the Turks body. It was only when he was sheathed to the hilt that Cloud stopped, his hard length buried as far as he would go, and allowed their bodies to adjust to the feel of each other.
Zack waited for a minute before moving forward, wanting them to be comfortable before he moved Cloud's hips to make it easier for him to enter. He carefully positioned his hands to lift one of the cadet's legs slightly, the action making Cloud's stretched and prepared body more exposed. He slowly pressed his own arousal against the opening and felt the cadet react to the touch, the blonde pushing back against his firm flesh as it teased the entrance. He smiled as the movement caused both Reno and Cloud to moan in pleasure, his actions on the cadet once again affecting the Turk in front of them both.
"Zack." Cloud whispered, his voice a strained plea.
"Ok." The soldier reassured gently.
Zack felt the tight warmth surrounding him as he filled Cloud's lithe body with his hard length, slowly pushing up into the tight clenching muscles as they began to accept his intrusion. The sensation of being buried deep within the blonde's body once more was overwhelming and the soldier scolded himself for allowing these acts of love between them to have suffered. He quickly pushed the thoughts away as a wave of pleasure washed over him and caused him to thrust up into Cloud's body, in turn pushing the cadet forward and deeper into Reno.
"Zack" Cloud gasped, his grip on the Turks hip tightening as he tried to steady himself.
"Sorry" Zack panted, adjusting his hold on the blonde so that he could support them both better.
"Ready?" Sephiroth asked, already moving the soldier's body into a better position.
"I think so." Zack gasped, his control now paper thin.
Sephiroth held the soldier firmly in place as he entered, his highly aroused body forcing its way into Zack's and drawing a moan of pleasure from the raven haired mans lips. The sound was echoed by Cloud and soon after by Reno, the rocking motion of his entry passing along the chain they had become. The rippling effect of bodies responding began to move back and forwards though the circuit, with Cloud and Zack caught helplessly in the middle. Each time Sephiroth thrust gently into the soldier's body it would push him deeper into the cadet, who would in turn move within Reno's. The Turk would instinctively move back against Cloud, forcing more of the cadet's throbbing flesh into him, the motion forcing the blonde to do the same with Zack and then back to the general.
The slow ripples between them quickly began to grow, the gentle thrusts becoming more forceful as the need for release grew stronger. Moans of pleasure filled the air as they rode the waves of desire coursing through them, the sounds escaping parted lips as each man gasped for breath. They were no longer individuals sharing a moment of passion, but a single living breathing entity which pulsated with need.
There was no way to work out who's control broke first, the initial release ripping orgasm from them all at the same time. They cried out their pleasure with a single voice, their bodies convulsing together and moving as one, the intensity of the climax leaving them all breathless and shaking. They collapsed exhausted against the bed, their bodies twitching and throbbing uncontrollably against and within one another, their sweat soaked flesh glistening in the faint light as they continued to hold each other tightly
"Sweet Gaia." Reno gasped at last, his breath finally calm enough to allow him to speak.
"No kidding." Zack agreed, panting slightly as he began to recover.
"It was indeed quite pleasurable." Sephiroth added happily.
"It was perfect." Cloud sighed, his body still glowing from the combined sensations.
"Not that I want to ruin the moment, but I'm starting to get a cramp." Zack informed the group, his body no longer distracted by the activities and letting him know that the position was not a completely comfortable one.
Reluctantly Sephiroth withdrew and Zack moaned in part pleasure at the sensation, but also part pain as his hip shifted and protested the sudden movement. It was clear that Cloud was experiencing something similar when the soldier moved back separating their bodies, the small groan escaping his lips being silenced before it had a chance to be heard properly.
"You ok?" Zack asked, settling himself on the mattress and running a hand down the cadet's back reassuringly.
"Yea, I just ... it feels like I held a stretch for too long."
"I get that," the soldier acknowledge with a touch of sympathy. "How about next time we go on the outside and making them bounce like ping pong balls in that position for a bit." He suggested jokingly.
Cloud chuckled as he carefully pulled out of Reno, the sound turning into a joyful laugh as the Turk made a rude comment towards the soldier and Sephiroth pointed out that it was very unlikely he would be in the middle of anything.
Zack laughed as well and drew Cloud in closer against him, pulling the cadet back and pressing their bodies together as he wrapped a protective arm around the blonde. Reno settled himself so that he was now facing Cloud and gently began to run his fingers threw the damp spikes, the comforting action making the cadet's eyes flutter closed. Zack smiled as he began to gently rub Cloud's back, the soothing motions adding to the red heads and drawing the cadet into an even deeper feeling of peace. A moment later and Sephiroth's hand was also moving over his body, the touch being both soft and comforting as it moved over his cooling skin. Their combined acts of comfort had Cloud asleep in minutes, his tired body finally giving into the exhaustion and drifting away in a peaceful slumber.
"He looks so peaceful." Reno informed the others, knowing he was the only one who could now see the cadet's face clearly.
"Perhaps he will sleep better tonight." Sephiroth suggested softly.
"I can't believe I didn't let this happen sooner." Zack whispered, his grip on Cloud tightening slightly as if the cadet might disappear again.
"We all make mistakes." Reno replied tenderly, letting a hand rest over the soldiers to give a reassuring touch.
"But if I had just let things happen sooner he wouldn't have got so upset."
"Perhaps." Sephiroth agreed carefully. "But we would not have found out about his past or what things trouble his sleep."
"I can't believe he joined the army for a girl." Reno said, his voice soft but the tone clearly revealing his surprise at the fact.
"I can, many men have done it before."
"Do you think he ... that he ..." Zack began uncertainly.
"No, I do not believe he loves her." The general answered the question firmly. "He has admitted that he felt something for her once but not anymore and I believe him."
"Beside's the girl sounds like trouble if you ask me." Reno added scowling at the idea that Cloud had suffered so much because of her.
"And you would know all about that." Sephiroth teased gently.
"Hey." The Turk hissed in mock annoyance, remembering to keep his protest to a harsh whisper.
The general smiled in pleasure at the red heads reaction and was even more delighted by the soft chuckle he had gotten out of the soldier. It was fair to say that Cloud was not the only person who had been suffering sleepless nights and mood swings as a result of the past few weeks' emotional turmoil. He had actually begun to worry about Zack's health and ability to perform properly at work, the young soldier starting to allow his personal life to distract him from his duties and responsibilities.
"Perhaps we should leave this discussion for another time and get some sleep." Sephiroth suggested soothingly, his voice a warm caress through the other men's minds.
"Sounds good to me." Reno agreed happily, snuggling down amongst the sheets which they had finally managed to work up over themselves.
"Yea, sure." Zack murmured softly, as his body finally gave into the weariness it felt and his eye lids began to flutter shut.
Soon all four men were asleep and the only sounds to fill the room were those of gentle breaths, as chests rose and fell in synchronised rhythms, and hearts which beat as one in the night.