Well here it is as promised, the second part of a very long chapter. I'm sorry to say it's still quite a long one considering and I did edit a bit more before posting it, but I just didn't feel comfortable breaking it up again.
Hopefully you'll still enjoy it and as always please review and let me know what you think.
Poker night
Zack was grateful that he had drifted off for a little while, the short nap he'd taken while laying by Cloud's side actually being quite refreshing even if it had been unintentional. He was also glad that he had managed to wake up just before the others arrived, the fact that he was already up and able to let them in meaning that the cadet wasn't disturb from his much needed rest. In truth he'd just been creeping out of their bedroom when the sound of someone knocking at the front door had drawn his attention, the soldier's body instantly tensing as he looked towards the sleeping blonde and waited for Cloud to react to the noise. But thankfully the cadet had remained sound asleep, his angelic features only scrunching up cutely for a moment as he shifted slightly upon the bed and then began to snore softly once more.
As a result Zack had barely managed to keep himself from ignoring their invited guest and rejoining the blonde in bed again, his joyful smile turning into an amused grin as he shook the idea from his head knowing that if he did then he'd never hear the end of it. It was therefore with great reluctance that he closed the bedroom door and made his way through the apartment to where the sound of more knocking could be heard, the light but clearly insistent rhythmic tapping instantly letting him know that it was most likely Reno who now stood outside waiting to be let in.
"Hey man, what took you so long?" The fiery haired Turk huffed by way of greeting, as soon as the door was opened.
"Hello Reno. Long time no see." Zack chuckled, as he ran a hand through his sleep tousled hair and stood to one side so that both he and the young female Turk by his side could enter. "Hey Cissnei, you look good." The soldier added happily, before sharing a worried knowing look with the red head as the brunette walked past him carrying her famous lava based dip carefully in her hands.
"Hello Zack, it's good to see you too." The young women replied sweetly, her words becoming scolding as she continued down the small hall to the kitchen. "And I saw that look you two just gave each other."
"Sorry Ciss, but you know we think that stuff's lethal. Right?" Reno joked, while trying not to choke on his own snorted amusement as the brunette glared at him.
"And like your famous cocktails couldn't strip paint." The young Turk retorted, the slightly evil curl to her lips and humorous glint in her eye causing the soldier to chuckle lightly at their bickering.
Instantly both Turks turned to face him, their taunting comment towards each other suddenly halting as they both united under his amusement of the situation. The look he was being give was enough to let Zack know that he was about to suffer in some way, that his own disastrous attempts at cooking in the past were about to be commented on as well, and was therefore more than grateful when the sound of another person knocking at the door gave him the perfect opportunity of escape.
"Err, better get that." He managed, his retreating form breathing a sigh of relief as it disappeared before either one of them could stop him.
A second later and he was opening the door and being greeted by a cheerfully smiling face, Kunsel's presence bringing with it a perfect distraction from the raven haired soldier's possible demise.
"Do I even want to know why you're carrying that?" Zack asked, his confused expression being accompanied by a mischievous glint in his eye as he began to suspect the answer.
"Reno said that Cissnei was bringing her dip." The other soldier replied with a grin, as if the casual statement explained exactly why he was currently holding a small fire extinguisher in his hand. "Figured I'm come prepared this time." He added with a barely contained chuckle of pleasure.
"She's going to kill you, you know that right." Zack sighed, as he stepped to one side and let the other man in. "She may even beat you to death with that thing as well, given half the chance."
"Beat who to death with what?" Reno asked, as the pair made their way towards the kitchen, where the two Turks were waiting and had yet to see what the new arrival was carrying.
A second later and the red head burst out laughing and nearly fell of the stool he'd been perched on, while the brunette beside him settled a deathly glare on Kunsel which promised pain.
"Can we try not killing each other just yet? Please." Zack begged softly, his heart clenching at the sudden noise which had been made and now worrying that the sleeping cadet might waking up to find their house guests at each other's throats.
"Fine." Cissnei huffed, as she blew out a long breath and tried to reign in her need to strangle the other soldier. "For Cloud's sake I'll behave." She agreed, knowing full well what the raven haired soldier's main concern was in all of this. "But I swear you'll suffer later." She warned while holding Kunsel's highly entertained expression, the threatening tone she used sounding very convincing indeed.
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Cloud woke to the sound of voices in the other room and instantly knew that the others were already here, their arrival being something he was expecting yet still felt extremely unprepared for. There had been no time to talk to Zack, no opportunity to tell the soldier what he was afraid of and what was now creating a nauseous feeling to rise up within him. Unsure of what to do but knowing that he had to face them at some point the cadet drew in a shaky breath and tried to calm himself, his second breath hitching and his body jerking back against the bed as he heard a sudden bark of laughter from the other side of the closed door.
Scolding himself the blonde closed his eyes again and tried to focus on getting his heart rate back under control, the large muscle now pounding out a fast and frantic rhythm within his chest. Every muscles, ligament and tendon in his body was draw tight and ready for action, the fight or flight response to these situations already raising its ugly head and making it even harder to control his short shallow panting breaths.
"Damn it." Cloud swore softly, as the hushed voices continued to be heard in the other room and remind him why he was now panicking. "Just get a grip on yourself Strife." He commanded himself angrily, the idea of over reacting and spoiling the evening weighing heavily on his mind. "They are good people." The cadet whispered, the words coming out almost like a prayer as they were given a voice. "They are good people." He repeated softly, Angeal's words of comfort about the guests who were waiting to meet him properly becoming a reverently spoken mantra in the quiet room.
It took about a minute more for his mind to take control over his body, for the adrenaline which had begun to course through his veins to start filtering out and the tension within him to ease. A few heart beats later and sky blue eyes slowly opened again to stare up at the ceiling of the darkened room, a strange sense of calm working its way through the cadet as he gradually let out the deep breath he'd been holding. It was only now that he became aware of the lingering warmth on the mattress beside him, his hand slowly moving over the crumpled sheets as his finger tips gentle traced the rise and dips amongst the bedding which the soldier's well built frame had left behind.
Pale pink lips curved up into a soft joyous smile as the blonde remembered hearing words of comfort in his dreams, the promise of understanding and acceptance suddenly being more than just an unspoken hope. It was clear to see that Zack had been laying beside him until quite recently, the evidence to prove this also making Cloud realise that what he'd though was only his imagination had in fact been very real. And suddenly the cadet felt his chest fill with a wondrous sensation, the warmth and light which suddenly grew within his heart quickly spilling out and making its way throughout his entire body as it began to wash his fears away.
For a moment Cloud didn't move as he took it all in, as he welcomed the feeling of love that he felt for the soldier and acknowledge it with every fibre of his being. Zack knew him like no other, had listened to all the things the cadet's heart had poured out, and as a result understood what the blonde feared even though it had not been said. Realising this Cloud took another slow breath, the soldier's scent still present all around him and helping to ease the remaining tension within his limbs. He then rose into a sitting position and moved so that his legs hung over the edge of the bed, his feet planting themselves firmly on the carpeted floor as he stood and prepared himself for what was to come.
With several hesitant steps Cloud made his way toward the bedroom door, a faint chuckle escaping his lips as he noticed how his hands now shook slightly as the fingers reached up to grasp the handle in front of him. And the cadet couldn't deny that he wasn't nervous, that even with the knowledge of Zack's understanding and Angeal's words of advice he was still unsure about all of it. It was therefore with a silent prayer that he would not let the soldier down that Cloud drew in one last steadying breath and opened the door, a shaft of light pouring in through the crack he now made between the door and the doorframe and pushing away the last remaining shadows of doubt as it bathed him in its welcoming brightness.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Zack looked up the moment he heard the sound of movement, the slight brush against the carpet and the faintest creak of hinges as the bedroom door was slowly opened. His head came round just as Cloud stepped into the room, as the last rays of sunlight peeked in through the living room window and bathed the recently woken cadet in its radiance illuminating his beauty to the entire world. The soldier felt his mouth go dry as he took in the vision presented to him, the blonde's sleep tousled appearance making his heart flutter uncontrollably and the need to pull Cloud towards him and hold the blonde close ignite along every nerve ending within his body.
"Hey." Zack managed fairly normally, his voice thankfully not betraying his stumbling mind as he noticed how the cadet's warm flushed cheeks became the colour of rose petals in their presence.
"Hey." Cloud replied lightly, the small curve of his lips increasing a little more as the shy smile he wore grew brighter.
"You feeling a little better now?" The soldier asked, as he stood and made his way over to where the blonde was still standing in the doorway.
"Yes, I am. Thank you." Cloud answered gently, his sky blue eyes briefly looking down towards the floor as Zack approached. "I'm sorry I slept so long, I didn't mean too." He added softly, the apology being spoken against the soldier's chest now that he was standing right in front of the cadet.
"No apology needed." Zack noted tenderly, a strong hand rising up to brush against the blonde's brow and push a few stray hairs away from his sapphire eyes. "You were tired and needed to rest, it's understandable after all."
"We all remember what those days were like in the beginning." Kunsel added from where he stood, his voice drawing Cloud's attention towards him and away from the feather-light touch which was making his heart sing. "They push you guys pretty hard considering you're not full of mako, so don't worry about it."
"Does it make a difference?" The cadet found himself asking, the question being one he'd often wondered but never had the courage to actually say out loud.
"Hell yea." Reno cut in, before the actual soldiers in the room could reply. "You should see how fast these two can run nowadays when they're trying to get out of work. Makes me wish I had the stuff in my veins so I could do the same."
"Only so you could escape Tseng's wrath when you don't get your paper work done." The young women beside Kunsel threw in, her smug look letting Cloud know it was something of an on-going joke between the pair.
"You got it babe. I'd be half way to Kalm before he could catch me." The red head retorted proudly, as the two soldiers snickered at his response.
"Exactly, he'd still catch you." Cissnei pointed out triumphantly. "And then you'd know about it."
"Give it up girl, I've got Tseng wrapped round my little finger and you're just jealous."
"Reeeellllyyy." The female Turk purred, his eyes taking on what could only be described as a wicked gleam. "Maybe I should let him know that the next time I see him?"
"Oh he knows little lady. But you'll just embarrass yourself by pointing it out to him, so I wouldn't worry about it if I were you." Reno countered, his rather convincing comeback sounding almost believable but unfortunately betrayed by the slight flicker of panic in his sea-green eyes.
"Uuummm right." Cissnei hummed, the evil glint in her glowing orbs silently accepting the challenge which had been set.
"Knock it off you two." Zack cut in before the red head could reply, the fiery haired Turk's turquoise spheres suddenly giving a look which promised pain and humiliation if she did say anything. "Tseng would kick both your butts if he heard either of you even suggesting such a thing was possible."
"Just because you've already got Angeal wrapped around your little finger, doesn't mean the rest of us can't dream about having the same kind of power." Kunsel added quickly, his words making both Reno and Cissnei snort in amusement as the raven haired soldier's violet eyes widened in surprise.
"Traitor." Zack threw back playfully, his dramatic look of mock betrayal causing the light chuckles in the room to become warm sounds of joyful laughter. "I will never reveal my secret powers to you now."
"It's your eyes." Cloud spoke up before he could stop himself, the unexpected comment drawing all of their attention towards him and his cheeks to become inflamed with a self-conscious heat. "I mean it's ... it's ... uuumm." He mumbled, as the weight of their combined gaze caused his insides to suddenly flip-flop in uncertainty.
"It's ok Spiky, no need to be embarrassed in front of friends." The raven haired soldier replied softly, a radiant smile forming on his handsome face. "And your eyes have a power over me too, just in case you were wondering." Zack whispered against the cadet's ear, his words being quiet enough so that only the blonde would hear them.
Cloud shivered slightly as the confession swam through his head and the warm breath it had been spoken with ghosted over his neck, his heart notably skipping a beat as a tingling sensation quickly swept over his body and left a faint trail of goose bumps across his arms in its wake.
"Zack." The cadet whispered back nervously, his mouth going dry as bright amethyst spheres connected with his own glowing sapphire orbs.
"Yea." The soldier replied just as softly, as his hands moved along the blonde's bare arms and lightly trailed over the slightly raised skin.
"I ... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ... to embarrass you." Cloud murmured faintly against his chest, his head dipping forward and into the comforting safety of the soldier's body.
"Not embarrassed and certainly not upset to hear you say something like that Spiky." Zack soothed, as he drew the cadet's smaller frame in closer against his own larger one. "So don't be sorry, ok."
"Ok." The blonde managed breathlessly, the soldier's scent filling his senses once again and for a moment taking him away from everything and everyone around them.
It was only when a dry deliberate cough was heard from across the room that both jumped slightly and pulled apart, the world they had both drifted into slipping away and leaving them back where they had begun. Instantly Cloud's cheeks warmed again as he realised that they were being watched, the three pairs of eyes which focused on them making a flicker of anxiety spike within his chest and a rush of unease work through his veins.
Zack felt the tension as it suddenly sprang to life within the cadet's supple body, the small gasping breath against his chest being the only sound to hold his attention as the blonde became as still as a statue within his arms. He cursed silently as every muscle and tendon in the small frame became tight beneath his touch, Cloud's response to the situation now one of fear and uncertainty as he realised that their newly developing relationship had been discovered.
Drawing in a slow calming breath the soldier pulled away slightly and encouraged the cadet's eyes to look at him, the sky blue orbs showing the very things he knew were being felt and confirming that Cloud was now panicking about what had happened.
"It's ok, they already know." He informed the blonde gently, his voice remaining low so as not to startle the trembling cadet with the added revelation. "And they're not going to tell anyone else about it, so don't worry."
For a moment Cloud's eyes held his without blinking, the sapphire gems showing pupils which were still a little too big within the glorious blue depths as they searched his own to find the truth of his words.
"It's ok, I promise." The soldier repeated softly, the cadet finally breaking free of his frightened state to blink and draw a much needed stuttering breath. "Really, it is." Zack added to cement in the words, his insides stirring unhappily as he realised that the blonde's heart was now beating a bit too fast and his breathes were still a little too short and sharp for his liking.
"I ... I didn't mean to ... to ..." Cloud stammered, his dry mouth making it impossible to say the apology his mind was still stumbling over.
"To what?" The soldier asked, his warm smile straining a little as he drew the cadet's body against his own once more and fought not to grimace as he felt the fragile form stand uneasily beside him, as if Cloud would pull away again at any second. "To let me know that you think my eyes are amazing or let those closest to me see a softer side of you?" He continued calmly, his mind sending out a silent prayer of thanks that at least his voice was not betraying his own unease at how things were going.
"I ... I want you to know ... about ... your eyes, but ..."
Here the blonde's barely spoken words faltered again and Zack didn't miss how Cloud's body shifted slightly within the embrace so that he could look at the other occupants of the room out of the corner of his own breath taking blue orbs.
"But I didn't mean to ... I mean ... We could get in trouble, couldn't we?"
"Once you get to know us better, you'll see that we don't exactly follow every rule in the book." Kunsel spoke up before anyone else could say something, his words thankfully drawing the blonde's attention away from the raven haired soldier who was still struggling with his own answer. "That's not to say that we don't follow the rules, just that sometimes they get bent a little."
"As long as no one gets hurt of course." Cissnei added, her tone being a mixture of cheerfulness and certainty in this fact.
"Damn right." Reno threw in, his words being followed by a small manic laugh as he took a quick mental trip down memory lane. "Hey do you guys remember that time we glued the weight stack in place in the officers gym?" He asked while grinning mischievously, the random comment drawing a small groan from the female Turk and both soldier's alike.
"How can I not?" Kunsel sighed, the mildly regretful tone he used not quiet matching the sparkle of amusement in his eyes. "You know they're still trying to work out who did that."
"Come on." The red head scoffed, as he turned and made his way towards the kitchen area. "We all know that they know it was us, but just aren't about to say anything without poof."
"Only because they're worried about how Angeal and Tseng would react." Cissnei pointed out playfully, the conversation having come back around in almost a full circle. "Although I think Genesis would have supported you both on that one as well." She mused, thinking back to that day again and remembering how the auburn haired 1st had been heard laughing for hours afterwards. "He certainly seemed to enjoy watching Heidegger nearly put his back out trying to prove something."
"You know I heard that even Sephiroth cracked a smile that day." Kunsel added thoughtfully, his words causing Zack to chuckle happily again and relax a little more as the casual atmosphere started to settle around them again.
"Wouldn't surprise me yo." Reno called across from where he stood pouring himself another drink. "Old Mr Serious gets just as pissed off by that self-proclaimed god, asshole of a man as we do. Guy just can't show it is all."
"More like he has more sense than to act on it." The female Turk sighed happily, as she reached over and stole the red head's drink before he could stop her. "Any why did we do that to him again, I still forget the reason."
"That's cause you're too busy stealing my drinks and blowing shit up girl." Reno growled, as he huffed in faked annoyance at her over-the-top innocent expression and began to pour himself another drink.
"It's because he stated that soldier's and Turk's should try to 'better ourselves' in some way." Kunsel recalled with a hint of irritation in his voice, as he lowered the fingers he'd used to make air quotation marks for the last part. "So that we could be more like him, as if we'd even want to." He muttered bitterly, the memory of the past event and the comparison made making his blood begin to warm and the mako stir in his veins.
"You know he only said that to impress President Shinra right, trying to make himself seem better than he really is." The red head pointed out, as he reluctantly sacrificed his new drink to the frustrated soldier and set to work on another. "Zack you want one of these seeing as I'm on a roll with them at the moment?" He called across to the raven haired soldier, his face coming up to look at the man in question but instead catching the cadet's wide blue eyes.
"You ok there Cloud, we're not freaking you out too much are we?" He asked lightly, the smile on his face slipping a little as the blonde simply stared back in silence with an uncertain expression on his face.
"You ... you guys did that?" Cloud stammered nervously, his head now a whirlwind of thoughts and feelings as he absorbed what was being said while still being held in the comfort of Zack's arms.
"Yea, we did. But you can't tell anyone or we'd get our butts kicked from here to Wutai for it, ok?"
"Ok." The blonde replied softly, the trust they had suddenly placed upon him with this knowledge feeling somehow like another link in the steadily growing chain of friendship they were trying to form between them. "But you guys should know that you're legends. I mean what you did, it still gets talked about amongst the cadets." Cloud explained, his confidence steadily growing as the people around him all chuckled happily at the information.
"That's kind a cool, knowing I'm a hero and worshiped from afar." Reno laughed, his hands now holding two drinks as he began to approach Zack to pass one over to the waiting soldier. "It's like I'm a god or something."
"More like the devil in disguise and a big headed one at that." Cissnei insulted him with amusement, her brown hair waving slightly as she shook her head in an exasperated response to his words.
"Just you wait little lady." The red heard retorted playfully, his sea-green eyes flashing with a joyful challenge as he placed the drink in the soldier's hand and turned his full attention on her. "After tonight's game you will be praying to me as well."
"Oh, really?" The brunette enquired lightly, her own hazel brown orbs twinkling in silent acceptance of the dare. "And why would that be oh mighty one?"
"Because you will be broke and I will be rolling in it." Was the overly confident reply given, the words receiving bursts of laughter from both soldiers as well as a roll of the eyes from Cissnei.
"In your dreams Turk boy." Kunsel managed, as he causally sank down onto one of the sofas. "And if I recall correctly, the last time we played it was I who was rolling in it as you say."
Reno's reply was too low in pitch and grumbled in tone to be heard properly but each person around him could easily guess what might have been said, the look he gave the soldier still being friendly but also warning that it was not likely to happen again anytime soon if he could help it.
"Is it always like this?" Cloud whispered against Zack's ear, the ease at which their relationship had been accepted and the closeness between them all being just as strong as Angeal had said it would be.
"Pretty much." Zack replied, his words being spoken with equal quietness as the other three drifted off into their own conversation about who was more likely to win in tonights game and why.
"I know that Reno knows about us, that he's seen me kiss you, sort of, and that Angeal knows we have feelings for each other." The cadet began, his gradual lead up to the real question he wanted to ask causing him to blush deeply again. "But are Kunsel and Cissnei really ok with this? I mean, are they really ok with you and me being together?"
"Trust me when I say that if they had a problem with us being together, you would be the first one to know about it Cloud. They're the best group of friends a guy could have, but also the most over protective bunch of pain in the arses as well." The raven haired solider reassured, as he took one of the blonde's small trembling hands and placed it over his own steadily beating heart. "This heart you can feel beating is doing so because of what you did all those weeks ago." Zack breathed, his serious tone still filled with joy but also a sense of urgency that Cloud listen and really accept what was being said. "I'm alive today because you saved me and that makes one hell of an impression on someone's friends." He explained, the soft look of love and wonder in his violet eyes making something within the cadet feel calmer. "I breathe because of you, my heart beats because of you and in truth it now beats only for you. They know and understand what you mean to me, what it means for me to feel that way about someone again."
"I just don't want to cause you any trouble or make things awkward between all of you. You've been friends longer than I've known you and it would be wrong for me to ruin that, to damage something which means so much to each of you." Cloud tried to explain, his gentle even voice letting Zack know that there was no hidden messages behind the words, that the concern he spoke of was in fact the one which he was feeling inside.
"You know I'm really starting to like this honesty thing we've got going." The soldier murmured against his ear, the hushed tone he used helping to keep their conversation a private one between only them. "And I'm glad that you feel confident enough to say these things to me, but seriously stop worrying about it." He continued, the light hearted way he spoke the words helping ease whatever remaining tension had still been present in the cadet's body. "You're right about Reno and Angeal knowing how I feel, but Kunsel worked it out that day he was round here and Cissnei had a pretty good idea before she even saw what just happened."
"Was she the one that ... watched over me that time ... when you went drinking?" The blonde asked, his suspicions being confirmed when a slightly embarrassed and guilty expression appeared on the soldier's face as he silently nodded. "But how? I mean I didn't say or do anything to give it away. So how did they work it out?" Cloud enquired nervously, his naive question making the innocent and confused expression on his angelic features even more adorable.
"You didn't do a thing Spiky, so don't worry about. They're just really smart people and probably know me a little too well, that's all." Zack replied affectionately, the twinkle in his eyes letting the blonde know there was something else he wasn't saying.
"Spit it out Zack. What aren't you telling me?" Cloud demanded to know, his insistent tone being more pleading than commanding as a flutter of dread was felt within him when the soldier's uncomfortable look grew a little more sheepish.
"They sort of know we've been sharing a bed." Zack mumbled awkwardly, his lavender eyes holding the cobalt ones which had once again opened wide in shook as he tried to communicate the apology he just couldn't seem to find a voice for. "I've told them we're just sleep together and nothing else, but that in itself means a lot." He added softly, the look on his handsome features showing that while he was also feeling a little self-conscious about the others knowing he had no regrets over it.
"Oh Gaia." Cloud breathed, his own heart now pounding out a steady accelerated rhythm as he glanced over at the other three people in the room. "How am I supposed to face them now?" He groaned, the beseeching look he gave the soldier communicating that if he suffered as a result of this then Zack had better save him from it.
"Sleeping and nothing else." The soldier reinforced quickly, as the cadet's hushed but clearly desperate tone drew attention towards them once more.
"You guys ok over there?" Kunsel asked, the look he gave being a polite but still questioning one.
"Yea, we're good." Zack replied calmly, a little too calmly in Cloud's opinion as his own mind still reeled with the knowledge it had been given.
"So are we gonna play or what?" Reno cut in, his over eagerness causing Cissnei to push him off the arm of the chair where he was balanced and distracting them all from the cadet's nervousness.
"You have no patience Reno." The brunette scolded, her finger wagging at the red haired Turk as he huffed and dusted himself off.
"Uuummm." Cloud interrupted before anyone else could comment, the brief sound he'd made surprising all of them including Zack and drawing four pairs of eyes towards him instantly. "I don't actually know how to play." He mumbled self-consciously, the embarrassment of admitting to such a thing paling in comparison to the joyful light which seemed to fill each of the glowing orbs that were still focused solely on him.
"Not a problem, we can teach you." Zack said, the offer being made just as happily as Angeal had said it would be.
"Really? I mean I'd like that, but only if it's not going to spoil your game." The cadet added, as he felt an unfamiliar warmth flow through his body as three more faces smiled at him with genuine kindness. "I mean ... I don't want to be any trouble."
"It's no trouble at all." Cissnei replied on all of their behalves, a soft chuckle following her words briefly before she spoke again. "Besides, it's been a while since we played a friendly game and this gives us a good excuse to have a little fun."
"We always play a friendly game." Reno tried to argue, his chastising look falling flat when both Zack and Kunsel laughed and shook their heads in disagreement.
"No." The raven haired soldier corrected him, the humour he'd felt in what the red head had said still evident in his voice. "We start off playing friendly, but then all become evil gambling monsters once we get going."
"Can't argue with that." The fiery haired Turk conceded with a shrug, his cocky grin matching the wicked gleam in his eyes.
"Don't worry Cloud. We'll behave ourselves tonight." Kunsel comforted the blonde, as he noticed the slightly uncertain look the cadet was now giving them all again.
"Thank you." Was the softly spoken reply, as sky blue eyes met his briefly before looking away again towards Zack as if seeking a little more reassurance.
"Ok, table's set up and we've got drinks already so it's just you Cloud." Reno spoke up, his words being a vague question as he looked at the cadet expectantly for some kind of answer. "We got you some sodas if you want one." He offered, seeing the slight confusion in the blonde's bright blue eyes.
"Yes ... yes Please. That would be nice." Cloud mumbled, as the gears in his brain finally started turning and he began to understand what was being asked.
"Ok everyone." The red head cheered, as he happily handed a can of drink to the cadet once Zack had led the blonde over towards them. "Let the games begin." He announced with a fairly manic grin, the expression being mirrored by the other three older teens and suddenly making Cloud wonder just what he had gotten himself into.
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A few hours later and Cloud was no longer feeling unsure about the people around him, their kind and friendly natures allowing him to finally learn how to start relaxing in the presence of others. That wasn't to say that he wasn't still a little on edge at times, the sudden outbursts of laughter catching him by surprise and the tension which arose when teasing comments became too snippy making him feel uncomfortable. But as promised Zack was always there to soothe away the tremble within him when it started to become too much, the soldier's strong hand instantly finding a place on his back to rub gentle circles over the tense muscles and helping him to calm again. It also helped that Zack would scold the others about their behaviour in front of the cadet, politely reminding them that that had promised to behave themselves tonight while in his presence.
Cloud had of course blushed at this and felt a bit of guilty for causing such a fuss, he didn't want the extra attention that it caused but was silently grateful that the effort was being made for him. It also made him realise just how right Angeal had been about these people, how they accepted him so warmly into their group and how much they clearly meant to each other. Even if they did manage to drive each other around the bend at times.
The evening itself had gone well over all and although the blonde could safely say he had tried to learn how to play poker, the game was still a mystery to him. Instead of there being a specific winning hand there were several, with the most basic being a pair of cards of the same value which in turn could then be beaten by a pair with a higher value. He could also recall that three of a kind was better than a pair, but these in turn could be beaten by something called a straight or another set of cards which was referred to as a royal flush. Needless to say they had played several practice games to get him used to the different hands available, as well as the betting system in place.
That issue in itself had caused Cloud further embarrassment when he realised that money would be needed, the first horror he felt from it being the unspoken reminder that as only a cadet he didn't have any and then to top it off Zack had openly given him the gil he would need in front of the others. It was safe to say that the humiliation of being placed in that position had nearly driven Cloud to walk out of the apartment, the shame he felt in using the soldier's hard earned wages quickly burning a hole through his pride. He didn't want Zack's friends thinking he was only involved with the soldier for his gil, the idea of them seeing him as nothing more than a money grabbing boyfriend hurting in a way that he couldn't explain with words.
Thankfully Kunsel had seen the hurt and worry in the blonde's eyes and understood it when Zack had not, his quick suggestion that Cloud consider it a temporary loan while they played helping the raven haired soldier to start seeing what he'd missed while arguing with the cadet over his offer. Then Reno's suggestion that Zack was only investing in Cloud's participation so he had twice as much chance as winning thankfully broke the back of the argument completely. After all, it was hard to not to get distracted when Cissnei and Kunsel agreed with the red head and the soldier was left spluttering out a few choice words at them all about damaging his pride and honour as a soldier.
Once the situation had calmed again and Zack had apologised for giving the wrong impression the game began in earnest, the cadet also easing up a little as he found himself being drawn into their world with a little more confidence than he had done before. Cloud couldn't be sure if it was because the others had supported his opinion when he protested the soldier's money, or if because they truly didn't want Zack to be out of pocket because of him. But in the end they had at least supported him in it, their reasoning getting through to the soldier when the cadet's could not and perhaps seeing that he wasn't with their friend because of the more financial benefits it could bring.
These benefits however were very quickly going in Reno's favour as he won several rounds of the game, his cards either being very good or his bluffing skills being impressively superior to the others. It was at this point in the game that Cloud had swapped his tactics slightly, so that instead of focusing on his own cards and trying to work them out he started to watch the other players as Angeal had suggested. He quickly worked out Zack's tell as the soldier was so easy to read when he had a good hand, the way his lips would quirk up at the edges and his violet eyes would glow with a hint of green for the barest of seconds with his rush of excitement. Kunsel was the next person he'd worked out, the clue being a little harder to see but still very obvious once he knew what to look for. Reno and Cissnei on the other hand had been a pain to try and work out, the skilled Turks very apt at hiding what they were thinking and feeling due to their extensive training.
But Cloud was determined to at least benefit from this time in some way, the hope of actually winning the game almost impossible now and leaving him wanting to gain something else out of it instead. Cissnei's tell had been the one to reveal itself to him first, the slightest of twitches within her whole frame so that it would almost be missed as a general movement except for the flicker in her eye which accompanied it. Then the red head's secret had been revealed to him and Cloud suddenly felt more confident in what he was doing, a strange sense of determination coursing through his body now that he knew their weaknesses. And suddenly the night turned in the cadet's favour, the other people around the table no longer able to bluff their way past him as he began to win game after game in front of them.
By the time the clock struck midnight Cloud was sitting happily at the table with a rather large pile of gil in front of him, the confused yet clearly impressed expression on everyone's faces making it hard to keep the smile off of his face. Instead he bit his bottom lip and kept the twitch he felt within it at bay, the upward curve he felt pulling at the soft pieces of flesh being something he'd nerve felt so strongly before but was still unsure about letting be seen.
"You know you can smile if you want to." Zack sighed, the cards he held being thrown down as he folded on another hand. "It's not like we can't see it in your eyes."
"I'm sorry." Cloud replied softly, his sky blue spheres instantly looking down at the table as a slight blush crept over his cheeks.
"What for?" Reno asked casually, his own cards dropping onto the table as he folded as well. "I mean you're a beginner and you're kicking our arses, you should be happy."
"It's ... it's just beginners luck." The cadet mumbled bashfully, his face yet to come back up and look at any of the properly again.
"If that was the case you would have been wining from the start." Cissnei pointed out as she considered her hand, the idea of folding also running through her mind. "You seemed to get better about half way through, yet your knowledge of the cards never seemed to improve."
It was at this point that they all suddenly stopped and looked at each other, the same question running through their minds as they all slowly turned to look at the blonde in front of them.
"Cloud." Kunsel began, the first of them to actually find his voice at the shock of their discovery. "Did you ... try something different?" He asked, unsure how to broach the subject without letting the joyful tone of his voice give his excitement away.
"Maybe." The cadet whispered, his head dipping down even lower to his chest in case they would disapprove of his actions.
"No need to hide away Spiky." Zack soothed, as he saw how unsure the blonde was becoming. "We're just curious, that's all."
"I ..." Cloud began nervously, his face coming up a little so that sapphire eyes could glance up at them beneath lowered blonde eyelashes. "Angeal told me to ... try something ... if I got stuck."
"And what would that have been?" Reno almost purred, his arm now resting bent on the table so that an open palm could support his head as he casually lent forward.
"He said to look for something called 'tells', something to tell me if you were bluffing or not." Cloud whispered hesitantly, his insides screaming that any second now this calm around him would crumble away and the real anger and hate behind the friendly facade would be seen.
"Well I'll be damned." Kunsel breathed, a second before he laughed happily at the revelation. "You mean to tell me you worked out all of our tells in that short a time?"
"Yes." The blonde confirmed uncertainly, the waver in his voice when he spoke again causing those around him to straighten up in their chairs. "I'm sorry if that was the wrong thing to do. Please don't be angry at Angeal for suggesting it, he was only trying to help."
"Spiky, we're not angry at you or Angeal about this." Zack began, his hand instinctively moving up to gentle rub the cadet's back in a soothing way. "It's part of the game so don't worry about apologising, you've done nothing wrong." He added, the brief look which Cloud had given him showing an uncertain and almost fearful look within now watery pools of blue.
"Zack's right, you did nothing wrong." Cissnei tried to reassure, her own hand now reaching out to take one of the cadet's where it was curled into a tight fist and silently crushing his cards. "If anything we're impressed. It takes a lot of skill to read people that well, especially a Turk." She explained, her soft gentle tone drawing the blonde's head up to look at her and revealing the gloss of unshed tears in his eyes. "Oh Cloud." She breathed sadly, the things she knew about the cadet from Reno's explanations making her heart ache as she now saw the evidence of so much more hidden within the blue depths. "I know you're having trouble believing this, but we're honestly ok with you winning that way."
Cloud however had no words to give her to show that he either accepted what was being said or wanted to argue it more, the lump in his throat not only blocking any sound from coming out but also making it almost impossible to swallow back the tears he could feel about to break free.
"I think that's enough for tonight." Zack suggested lightly, his words causing a slight flash of panic in the blonde's eyes and pale pink lips to open and close in frantic but silently protest. "Don't argue Spiky, it's late and I think we should all be heading to bed now."
"You don't have to stop, just because of me." Cloud finally managed to say, his free hand quickly wiping at the damp heat around his eyes and trying to rid it from his face. "I'll just get out of your way and ..."
"No." The raven haired soldier interrupted firmly, the look in his soft violet orbs being both loving but also serious as he spoke again. "It's late and we've played enough." He repeated, the words being spoken in such a way that each person within the room knew not to argue with them.
"Zack's right." Reno chipped in, as he tried to ease the slight discomfort in the room. "Beside's it's not like I have much money left to lose to you anyway." He added with a sigh, the few gil he still had in front of him being casually picked up and tucked into his trouser pockets.
"I shouldn't really have this." Cloud informed them uncertainly, his gaze flicking to the small fortune in front of him and drawing the others eyes to look at it as well. "I mean, Zack lent me the money to play in the first place and it's really yours anyway." He tried to explain, the lingering doubts within him still making this happy acceptance of his winning seem unreal.
"Then give soldier boy back what he lent you." The red head pointed out, his comment helping ease the blonde's worries about them still seeing him as a burden to Zack. "And as for the rest ... well you won it fair and square in my book, so just keep it, ok."
"I ... I couldn't." The cadet stammered in surprise, the joyful smiles he saw on each of the soldier and Turk's faces only leaving him more confused.
"Then how about you save it for the next time we meet up and either buy the drinks, or let us win it back off of you." Kunsel suggested, his options providing them all the perfect opportunity to benefit in some way without Cloud feeling any more embarrassed then he already was.
"Alright." The cadet agreed after a moment of hesitation, a soft smile gracing his lips as he looked towards the other soldier with a grateful expression on his angelic features.
Not long after that the others left and headed towards their own homes, having stayed long enough to help tidy up and put everything away before disappearing into the night. Cloud had managed to relax again before they left and was able to wish them all a goodnight as they left, his weary body happily welcoming the soft mattress and warm sheets of their bed when he finally collapsed into it a little before one in the morning.
"I'm really proud of you tonight Spiky." Zack said softly, as he pulled the cadet's body in closer to his own.
"Even though we argued a bit and I nearly went to pieces in front of your friends?" Cloud questioned, the slight tremble in his voice letting the soldier know that while the tone was joking the cadet's concerns were very real.
"All couples fight and for us that was nothing." Zack pointed out, his lips placing several reassuring feather-light kisses along the blonde's neck and shoulder. "Besides, they're our friends now. Remember?" He added, while giving the blonde a more affectionate hug.
"Yes. I remember." Cloud replied softly, his arms instinctively holding onto the muscular ones wrapped around his body and holding them tighter in return.
"Good, now get some sleep." The soldier yawned, as his own weariness began to take over. "I want to take you out somewhere tomorrow and you need your rest."
"Where?" The cadet asked, the sudden hint of excitement in his voice making Zack smile happily even as sleep moved forward to carry him away.
"It's a surprise, now go to sleep." He ordered affectionately, the faint huff of mild frustration he heard escape the blonde's body making a small chuckle break free from his own.
"Zack." Cloud began almost a minute later, his quiet voice hesitant as it reached out to the soldier's fading consciousness.
"Uuuuummmm." Was the only reply Zack could give at this point as he tried to focus on the blonde's words.
"Why was there a fire extinguished in the kitchen? It wasn't there before, was it?" The cadet asked, the rich warm laughter which responded to his questions making him wonder what was so funny.
"Go to sleep Spiky." The soldier mumbled with an amused tone. "And don't touch that dip next to it in the morning, stuff's lethal." He managed to warn, just before he drifted away completely.
Cloud remained quiet for a moment more to see if any other explanation would be given, but when none came and the feel of Zack's gentle breaths on his back let him know the soldier was asleep he gave up waiting for one. Clearly this was something he had missed earlier and would need to ask about another time, his mind wondering what was so dangerous about the bowl of red liquid which had been left untouched all night. In fact, now he came to think about it, no one had even dared to go near it while they periodically ate and drank throughout the game.
Deciding it was a mystery best left for the morning the cadet settled himself into the warm and protective embrace around him, the slow even breaths and gentle beating of Zack's heart soon drawing him into his own deep and peaceful sleep.