Um, let's see... have I managed to keep a story in there, or did I fall back into my good old ways of intense pwp? ... Well, yeah, it's getting more explicit, but still no pwp! As incredible as it may sound, I still had a lot of fun writing this chap. O_o And creating a new character. With a somewhat minor role, but still. ANYWAY. Hope you like reading this! And remember kids: Drink with Moderation. And Moderation is not the person whom you love to drink most with. XD Sorry, that was lame lol

Chapter 3 – Party Time

It had been nearly two weeks since Cloud's first kiss, and he and Zack had crept out of the training complex quite a few times to indulge in long kissing sessions. The blonde thought he was getting better, not only at kissing, but also at talking. It was a little easier and more natural now to actually talk to the older soldier and answer with more than a head move or just "yes" and "no". But he still hadn't told Zack that he loved him. Each time he had wanted to, felt ready for it, he hadn't been able to say it, doubts suddenly popping up in his mind… He was thoroughly confused.

Zack though had told him a few times, but since the blonde hadn't answered and had looked uncomfortable, he hadn't said it again. The first-class soldier was hurt in a way, but he knew he couldn't make the blonde love him, and he didn't want to force anything on him either. He did love Cloud, so much... He was even ready to accept it if Cloud didn't love him at all, was just using him to forget about his homesickness, consciously or not. Really, it didn't matter that much, as long as his young lover felt good. He himself felt good too, but... it could've been better. Yes, he knew that if Cloud told him he loved him, it would all feel much better.

xXxXxXxXxXx

- "Yo, Strife! We're all going to the club tonight, wanna tag along?"

Cloud had just been about to get back to his room after a shower (and of course he was fully clothed, he'd never walk out of the showers with just a towel on...) when another cadet, Nelo, called to him from the other end of the hallway. There were quite a few people around too...

- "Not really" the blonde said in his usual off voice.

- "Ah man, you're so dull! Don't you ever loosen up?"

- "I'm underage anyway."

- "Nobody knows that... and even if they did, they wouldn't care. Come on, it'll be fun! Even some of the Turks in training will be there!"

Most of the cadets were watching the show with interest, wanting to see if Nelo would have any success in dragging antisocial cadet Strife to a public place. Nobody could deny that Nelo was the Casanova of the place; he knew how to talk to girls and guys (amongst other things he could do to them…), and he really knew how to use his good looks. It seemed quite easy for him to make someone fall for him… His haircut looked a bit like Genesis', but in blue-black, and he had flashy green eyes. He was quite tall too.

- "... I don't know..." Cloud sighed, opening the door to his room.

- "I've heard there may even be some "higher instances" there..."

- "... I'll think about it."

He didn't miss the victorious smile on his comrade's face as he finally got into his room and closed the door. Did anyone know he was with Zack, or had Nelo simply assumed that by saying some higher-ranked people would be there that Cloud would want to go to impress, like a normal cadet would? Maybe I'm just getting paranoid, Cloud thought as he shook his head and tossed his wet towel in a corner of the room. He didn't really feel like getting drunk or anything (he'd never done that either, to be honest), he didn't even want to go out at all. Sure they were on holiday the following day and he'd have plenty of time to recover, but still... He didn't even like dancing. Or so he thought, he'd never tried that either. He let himself fall on his back on the bed and he sighed as he closed his eyes and ran a hand through his still damp hair.

He'd actually been thinking about the proposition for a good while when he heard a knock at his door, so he slowly got up and went to answer. Zack was standing in the doorway, and it was the first time the blonde saw him wearing something other than his soldier uniform... and he looked even better than usual, although his clothes were really simple: a white sleeveless shirt, a pair of jeans and a leather belt.

- "So, ready to go?" Zack asked with a large smile, leaning against the doorframe.

- "Um, well... I wasn't sure if I wanted to..." Cloud answered, trying not to stare.

- "Come on, we're leaving in two minutes!"

The blonde poked his head out in the hallway and saw quite a few cadets ready to go, some of them still in their uniform. Nelo was one of those. Cloud returned to Zack and said almost in a whisper:

- "I think Nelo knows-"

- "He doesn't" Zack answered. "So, wanna change clothes or do you wanna keep your uniform to impress the chicks? ... Well, it doesn't matter much what you wear, you'll get hit on anyway."

- "Shut up" Cloud said, though with a little smile at his mentor's smirk.

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, and then he heard Nelo call from the other end of the hallway.

- "Oi, Fair-san! Tell Strife you'll drag him with us if he says no! Tell him it's an order or something!"

Zack let out a little laugh and turned to Cloud again, who rolled his eyes but said:

- "I guess I don't really have a choice..."

- "Seems not!"

- "Alright, I'll be there in a minute" the blonde said as he closed the door.

Damn, why couldn't he say he didn't want to go? Why was Zack's smile enough to make him bend and do anything? Ah well, now that he'd accepted, he'd make the most out of it. He undressed and put on a pair of black pants and a plain, black t-shirt and then took a deep breath before leaving his dorm room.

- "Yo Strife! I'm taking you on my bike!" Nelo said as they headed out to the underground parking lot of the complex.

- "Best thing if you want him killed…" mocked another cadet, though he looked pretty much like he wouldn't mind being on the guy's bike.

- "I'll be giving the newbie a lift" Zack finally said, grinning and messing up the blonde's hair.

Cloud pushed his hand away and felt his cheeks redden. They almost seemed to be fighting over him… what the fuck? Anyway, he sat behind Zack on the man's bike and held on to the seat, resisting the temptation to wrap his arms around his waist… They were a few on bikes, but there was also a rich first-class with an expensive car giving a lift to another first-class and three cadets, and another first-class was driving a big bullet-proof soldier vehicle and also giving a few second-class soldiers a lift.

The club was just on the limits of the Midgar city center, so it was a little ride away, but it was quite enjoyable. Cloud really liked bike rides, but he didn't get to do it often, so he enjoyed this one all he could. Even though it was relatively early when they got to the club, there were still quite a few people there already… and they could see a Turk helicopter on the rooftop.

- "Ooh, I'm ready to bet Reno's there…" the rich first-class said as he got out of his car, seeing the chopper.

- "Bitch…" Nelo snorted. "Ha, but we got our pretty boy now!"

Cloud felt the majority of eyes on him and he didn't really understand what all that was about, but as they all walked to the bar, Zack explained.

- "See, there's always been competition between SOLDIER and the Turks, about everything. It's become a tradition when going to the club that both sides try to get the hottest chick. Nelo got a few nice shots at it, but so far, Reno's been winning pretty much each time."

- "That's the Turk with the goggles and red hair, ne?" Cloud asked.

- "Yup. A real punk-ass whore with an attitude, but hey, seems the girls like that kind of guy 'cause they love him. Not rare to see him leave the club with two chicks, or a guy and a chick…"

Cloud felt his blush creep back to his cheeks as the thoughts and mental images invaded his mind. He couldn't believe some people did that…

- "Now that you've finally decided to get out there with us, the guys think they'll win that "competition" tonight…" Zack said with a little smirk.

- "What?!" the blonde choked out.

- "Well, you are attractive. I'll be keeping count of how many chicks hit on you…"

The first-class soldier let out a laugh when he saw the cadet's mortified look, and then they all got inside the club. The music was loud, but not intolerably so. There were three main parts to the club: a large dance floor, where there was also a stage and huge speakers along with some strobes and spotlights. Then there was the bar, which was a large circular counter with a bartender and a barmaid in the middle, along with a huge pillar-like structure right in the center with shelves on which rested innumerable bottles of various liquids. There also was a small, more secluded area with couches, loveseats and low tables made of glass, and behind them a few frosted glass doors.

Most people already there seemed to be city residents, but the Turks and Turks-in-training were easy to spot in their clean suits. And it didn't take long before Cloud spotted Reno on a couch with a slender brunette on his knees and a beer bottle in his hand.

- "Woah, she's a killer" Cloud heard a first-class say, looking at the girl sitting on Reno's lap.

- "Whatever, let's start hunting!" a cadet let out, heading for the bar.

Zack winked at the blonde and then went to the bar counter too, screaming:

- "First round's on me!"

Which earned him loud cheers and claps from everyone. Zack asked for a glass of vodka and then gave Cloud a look before asking a beer for him.

- "Since you're not used to alcohol, we'd better start you off with something that's not too strong" he said as he handed the bottle to the blonde with a wink.

- "Hey Fair! Come on over here, we got some talking to do" the rich first-class told Zack, playfully punching his shoulder.

Zack rolled his eyes as he quickly told Cloud that it was to plan the cadets' next training session, before he was dragged by the collar to a couch near a low table, where all the first-class soldiers who had come were already sitting. The blonde sighed as he sat down at the bar and took his first gulp of beer ever. It didn't taste like anything he'd ever had before, and it left a weird sensation in his throat, but it wasn't all that bad.

He kept drinking slowly as he watched his comrades drink and drink, go dancing and flirting, laugh and have fun. Cloud had to admit, it was a nice atmosphere: light and playful. It even made him smile. He just couldn't do otherwise; it was a really nice change from the training complex. And he actually downed his beer quite fast, asking the bartender for another. After a few moments, some cadets came to sit with him, making jokes about some peeps on the dance floor, drinking and just trying to keep the youngster entertained. Also, since everyone knew it was Cloud's first time in a club, they were more than happy to explain how everything around here worked.

- "When flirting, it's better not to pay a beer to your girl. Get her some fancy-shmancy drink!"

- "Don't blurt out you're a soldier, let her ask for it. Like: "Hey, are you a soldier, per chance?" They'll say it while batting their eyelashes too, I think it's sexy."

- "Chicks prefer the couches to the bar-"

- "Nah, they like it on the dance floor."

- "I say it's better in the salons."

- "Salons?" Cloud asked, curious.

- "Yeah, the rooms with the frosted glass doors…" the tallest cadet said. "I love those things. The doors, I mean. They're electromagnetic; when the doors are closed, they're opaque, but when they're opened, they become crystal clear. Cool, huh?"

- "Ooh, look at that beauty…" another cadet said, nodding towards the dance floor.

Cloud turned to look and saw Nelo dancing with a blonde with long hair, who frankly didn't seem all that classy in Cloud's opinion… but he had to admit she was well-shaped.

- "Why does Nelo always get the best ones?" a cadet complained, finishing his beer.

- "The motherfucker dances like he was born to do that for a living, and, well, he works for it, dude" the tallest said, getting up. "And I think I'll do that too."

He finished his drink too and then headed for the dance floor, followed by the other cadets, who seemed to agree with him and surely weren't gonna go back without at least doing their best to get a girl. Or guy, in one or two cases. Cloud didn't follow though. He asked for yet another beer after a moment, and when the barmaid handed it to him, she winked and refused to take the bill he had placed on the counter. And that's when it really hit him that… maybe Zack had been telling the truth about hearing people talk about him in… perverted ways… Damn did it felt weird to him, being flirted with and everything. It was so new.

Little did he know it'd be like that all night… In the matter of an hour, no less than six girls had come to sit beside him to flirt, some with more subtlety than others… He had just bluntly turned down an insistent black-haired girl's invitation when he noticed Nelo walking to the bar with his daily catch and asking the bartender for something, sliding a bill across the counter. The bartender reached underneath the counter and then handed the cadet a key with a dog-tag-like keychain. Cloud watched as they headed for a private salon, and he had to admit the doors were cool. Frosted, transparent, frosted again… It was as if crystals of ice were forming on the door and then melting, then forming again.

His eyes shifted to the couches, where the first-class soldiers were still talking around a few drinks, all looking pretty laidback, Zack leaning back with his glass in his hand. And then Cloud noticed the redheaded Turk wasn't there anymore. He must've been in a salon too, with that busty brunette… The blonde took another gulp of beer and then he heard a husky voice in his ear.

- "Yo, pretty boy…"

He turned around and found himself face to face with Reno, who was faintly smirking and looking real confident as he sat down beside the blonde. He rested an elbow on the counter and then his cheek in his hand, looking at the young man almost dreamily. The cadet noticed he'd taken off his jacket, and that two or three buttons of his blouse were undone…

- "Why'd you turn that girl down? She was hot…"

For a moment, the blonde didn't answer, his mind playing tricks on him, almost telling him the Turk would start flirting with him. The poor innocent thing… He felt his cheeks redden and turned his eyes away from the man's aquamarine ones before taking a sip of beer and mumbling:

- "Not interested."

- "Uh huh… I suppose it was the same for the others? Not your style?"

Cloud was starting to be really uncomfortable… but he answered anyway.

- "No."

- "Hmm, maybe they just don't play in the same team as you do, then… just not the right gender, ne?" Reno almost moaned, getting closer and playing with a lock of Cloud's hair with a finger.

The cadet twitched at the contact and instinctively grabbed Reno's wrist, barely refraining from breaking it as he'd been taught. The redhead's look turned rapidly to "owl-eyes surprised", then suspicious, and the blonde let go of him, realizing what he'd done and not wanting to provoke a confrontation. Then Reno's lips formed a very pronounced smirk and he bent towards the blonde again.

- "So you're in SOLDIER, huh… Bah, I'm ready to get over that fact just cause of your good looks, yo."

Cloud didn't dare move anymore, or answer anything, because apparently that big-mouthed Turk had an answer to everything. Reno raised his hand again and this time was bolder, really burying his hand in the blonde's hair, bringing their faces closer and saying in a low voice:

- "You look bored, I could entertain you for sure… more than willingly."

- "Cadet Strife!"

Reno let go of the blonde who immediately turned around, recognizing Zack's voice. He was really glad someone was finally helping him out of this.

- "Ooh, Zack Fair" the redheaded Turk said, straightening up and looking really haughty and arrogant.

- "Bothering my cadets, Reno?" Zack asked with a smile, though it was very apparently strained and forced.

- "Not anymore, yo" the redhead said as he got up, shooting a deadly look at the first-class soldier.

But he didn't leave before bending towards Cloud and whispering in his ear:

- "Shame you're a soldier… Well, if ever you wanna know what it's like being a Turk, I swear we'd take real good care of you… I'd make sure of that, personally."

As he started walking away, he shot Cloud a lustful look, faintly licking his lips, and let his hand glide from the blonde's knee up to his hip before it lost contact with it.

- "Bitch" the younger soldier heard his superior snort as he watched the Turk call it a day and leave the bar with a few other Turks.

Cloud was still too stunned to move or say anything; he'd officially been traumatized. What freaked him the most wasn't the fact that he'd been hit on big time, even if it did surprise him… Man, he'd been hit on by a guy, a Turk, who'd flirted with him and… touched him… That had really been freaky, and he hadn't even been able to push him away. He suddenly came back to reality and looked at the half-empty bottle in his hand, then rapidly started gulping down the remaining beer.

- "Hey, ho!" Zack said, laughing and taking Cloud's beer away from him. "That won't help you!"

- "Gimme that-"

- "Don't gulp down your beer like that, it's really not a good thing to do."

The man was more serious now, and when he put down the bottle on the counter, Cloud didn't even try to take it back.

- "Hey, you alright?" Zack asked, resting an elbow on the counter.

- "Uh… I dunno…" the blonde answered, rubbing his forehead, and then his neck, feeling a little sweaty.

- "Ok, I'll get you out of here-"

- "No, that wouldn't be subtle."

- "Unless you're ready to let me make fun of you now."

Cloud looked at him questioningly and Zack winked at him, smirking.

- "Trust me. Ever saw somebody over-the-top drunk?"

- "… No…"

At the same moment, some dude stumbled past them drunkenly and looked about to barf as he headed for the bathrooms.

- "… yup" Cloud answered again.

- "Alright. So now act drunk."

- "What? I've just had three beers, I'm not-"

- "Act drunk."

The blonde sighed as he got up and he nearly lost his footing, not even pretending… Ok, so maybe he was a little drunk… It was, after all, his first time drinking. And he had downed them quite fast. Zack let out a little laugh as he took one of Cloud's arms to wrap it around his neck, and then he wrapped his free arm around the blonde's waist.

- "Oi, Fair-san! Leaving already?" one of the first-class soldiers called out from his couch.

- "We were finished, ne? And anyway, our newbie doesn't know how to drink and take it like a man… I'll be giving him a lift back" Zack said with a large winning smile. "It kinda is my responsibility…"

The blonde played his part well, letting himself be dragged and carried out of the club to Zack's motorcycle. He noticed that Reno's chopper was gone… When the first-class let go of him, he had to hold on to the bike not to lose his balance. His body didn't exactly obey him anymore…

- "Woah, you're a really good actor…" the older man teased him as he got on the bike and started it.

- "Shut up" was Cloud's only response.

Zack simply laughed and invited him to hop on and hold on tight, which the blonde did without complaining. After a little while of riding, he even allowed himself to rest his cheek against the soldier's back, relishing the warmth it provided him… He'd almost drifted off to sleep when they finally reached the complex, and Zack parked his bike in the underground parking lot. It looked like they were the first ones back.

- "Alright, little drunk cadet" the first-class said, grinning. "Let's get you back to your room."

- "I can walk-"

- "Shush and let me carry you, there are cameras here…" Zack continued through the gritted teeth of his grin.

- "Oh…"

So Cloud pretended once again to be really drunk and hate being carried around, but in fact he was pretty much enjoying it. They went up to the dorm rooms, walking down the corridors, and then around a corner they came face to face with Sephiroth.

- "General" Zack acknowledged with a small head nod before making his way down the hallway, carrying a now mortified Cloud.

- "What are you doing exactly, alone with cadet Strife at this time of night?" the General asked in his ever emotionless voice.

- "First-time drinking" Zack said, stopping to turn around and smiling widely. "I think he's gonna blow…"

- "And you are…?"

- "Helping him get to the bathroom. I'm sure he wouldn't even recognize his own mother in the state he's in, so even less go barf where he's supposed to. Ah, come on General, this is kinda my fault, and you know I take good care of my cadets…"

There was a moment of silence, during which Cloud obstinately stared down at the floor, letting his head droop, even faking a hiccup, and then Sephiroth said:

- "I do. Now go, don't give the caretakers any more work than they already have."

- "You got it!" Zack replied cheerfully.

He and the blonde then had to continue their way down the hall to the shower rooms, instead of going to Cloud's room, and once they were inside, Zack let go of the younger soldier, who had almost sobered down by now, and then he locked the door, completely blocking access to the whole showers section.

- "Uh, Zack?" the blonde asked in an uncertain voice.

And when the older soldier turned around, his serious face was enough to make the blonde freak. Even more so when the man grabbed the front of his shirt and slammed him into a tile wall, not an ounce of care or gentleness in his move, and the back of Cloud's head hit the wall, hard.

- "Ouch, what was that for?" the smaller man asked in a loud voice, shooting the older soldier a frustrated and insulted look.

- "Never, ever again" Zack said, his voice low and deep, his great blue eyes burning an intense stare into Cloud's cerulean ones.

- "What?"

- "You let him… touch you…" the first-class said with a twisted face.

- "What could I do? I didn't wanna cause a fight… He's a Turk!"

- "So what?"

Zack's voice was louder now. Cloud never would've thought his mentor could be like this…

- "That's not the Cloud I know! What was that supposed to mean, "he's a Turk", huh? Anyone with a rank can do what they want to you?"

- "No, I wouldn't let-"

- "You did let him!"

- "What should it matter to you anyway?" the blonde said, tired. "You weren't even with me for a minute in that club."

- "I… I have work, just like every first-class. Believe me, I would've liked nothing more than to be with you, but I have duties! And… anyway, you shouldn't allow just anyone to go around groping you and-"

- "Let go of me!" Cloud interrupted, freeing himself from Zack's grip. "Who do you think you are? You have no right to tell me what to do with my personal life-"

- "I just wanted-"

- "I'm not your property!" the blonde finally screamed, indifferent to who heard it.

Those were probably the most hurtful words he could've told Zack. The man instantly shut up and became stock still, his face turning to neutral. After a moment during which the two men simply stared at each other, Zack sighed, closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

- "I… I'm sorry" the blonde said in a soft voice, realizing what he'd said. "That didn't come out like I wanted it to…"

- "No, it's ok. You're right" the dark-haired soldier told him. "I won't… I'll keep out of your business."

- "I didn't mean it-"

- "It is true anyway."

- "I just… -sigh- It's hard to believe that… people could be… interested… in me. I had no idea how to react…"

Cloud's eyes had shifted down to stare at the floor. He wasn't comfortable admitting that, but he was even more uncomfortable with making Zack feel bad. He heard the man snort faintly and then say:

- "You're so innocent."

The blonde looked up reluctantly… and saw the man was smiling faintly.

- "I'm sorry…" he said, averting his eyes sideways.

Zack sighed again and then got closer to Cloud to hug him, and the blonde hurried to wrap his arms around the first-class soldier's neck, closing his eyes.

- "It's ok" the man told him in a soft voice. "I'm sorry too. I just found it really hard not to kill everyone too insistent, especially that red-headed whore…"

Cloud took a moment to analyze everything, and then he came to that conclusion…

- "You're jealous" he said in a small incredulous voice.

- "Well of course I am!" Zack replied, holding on a little tighter now. "I mean, you're..."

He'd been about to say "my boyfriend", but as he thought about it, the word wasn't quite appropriate to describe their relationship. And he was pretty sure Cloud thought the same, since he'd not said he loved him back or anything. Damn, he just couldn't find the right word. The blonde grabbed his shoulders and pushed back slowly to look at him.

- "I'm… what?"

- "Never mind."

- "No, finish your sentence" Cloud said with a stern voice.

Zack sighed and sustained his stare almost with difficulty.

- "I was about to say boyfriend."

For a short while, there was no reaction, and the older soldier had no idea what was going on behind these blue eyes. And then Cloud spoke again, his voice just a faint bit shaky.

- "Ok, so what? That's not what I am? You don't consider me as… as such? Is that why you didn't want to say it?"

- "Wha- no!" Zack said, shocked, since this was the last thing he expected to be told. "Of course not!"

He let out a little laugh at the absurdity of it all and caressed the back of Cloud's head.

- "Come on, that's ridiculous-"

- "Oh yeah, sure, I'm ridiculous to top it all off" the blonde cut him off, looking away and slightly aggravated.

- "Cloud, you can't be serious…" Zack continued, now with a nervous laugh cause he had no idea how to handle this.

- "Yes" the blonde answered promptly, now looking at the first-class almost defiantly.

- "Hey, maybe you're really drunk after all and you won't believe it, but I really didn't mean it that way…" the older soldier said in a gentle voice, smiling faintly and caressing the blonde's cheeks.

Seeing there was no reaction at all, Zack opted for the truthful lines, even if they'd sound cliché.

- "If I'm jealous it's because I love you…"

Still no reaction. Ok, so either the blonde was really good at hiding his emotions, or he really wasn't accepting anything the man told him. So the next option in the older man's mind was to kiss him, at least to get some kind of reaction. He slowly bent forwards, closing his eyes and leaving Cloud way more than enough time to react and push him away if he didn't feel like it… Then he softly kissed the blonde, his lips barely touching Cloud's, but there still wasn't even a twitch from him. He considered for a moment pressing his lips harder against the blonde's, but no, he wouldn't force anything on his young lover. He sighed inwardly and let his lips trail to the blonde's cheek, softly placing a kiss there. And then Cloud let out in a soft whisper:

- "I'm sorry…"

Zack didn't even have time to reply before the young man literally began devouring his mouth, pulling them close to each other by wrapping an arm around the man's neck and grabbing a fistful of his hair. The first-class, surprised at first at this sudden change of attitude, quickly recovered and gladly replied to the kiss, wrapping both his arms around Cloud's waist. The blonde was being pressed into the wall and his breathing was already difficult, but it's not like he noticed. Cloud was still a bit drunk, enough to lessen his inhibitions, and he didn't refrain from holding his mentor's body as close as he could to his own. He managed to keep his body under control, even if his brain was going wild as the older man got more and more insistent…

Zack, for his part, could feel everything escape his control; they were in a shower room, kissing for all they were worth, the cadet backed up against a wall… After a moment his body acted on its own and he pressed his thigh between Cloud's legs, firmly. The blonde gasped loudly and then turned away, opening his eyes wide as he blushed and placed a hand over his mouth, ashamed he'd had that reaction… After a moment during which they stood stock still, with Zack really unsure about what to do, the blonde just turned completely away and said in a shaky voice:

- "I'm… I don't… it's… -sigh- I need some sleep."

Then he unlocked the door and just left hastily, without looking at the first-class again, heading straight for his room. Zack was left alone, standing at the same spot for a while, and then he hurried out of the room to go back to his apartments. As soon as he'd locked the door, he rested his back against it, closing his eyes and hiding his face with his hands as he sighed. What had he done? That had really been a stupid move… but it had been uncontrollable. He swore at himself for being so weak, and he knew he'd have so much trouble forgiving himself if Cloud never wanted to have anything to do with him anymore.

In the meantime, the blonde was sitting on the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees and holding his head in his hands. What kind of reaction was that, a gasp… He couldn't believe he'd acted like such a girl. And not only now; all night. He never would've hesitated to kill or challenge even a Turk at normal times… yet he'd not done a thing to stop that Reno from touching him in a really suggestive, if not intimate manner. But he did stop Zack just now… Why? He was just over the top confused with himself. He'd need to work on this, and finally make up his mind about him and his mentor.

One thing that kept coming back to his mind was: Why'd you stop him? It had felt good, that… closeness, the contact, the pressure… He had felt the passion in Zack's every move. It had shaken up all his body with shivers, made it heat up instantly, his legs had almost failed him and he'd felt some part of his body react readily, making his insides boil and flutter… It hadn't done anything like that when Reno touched him; he'd been disgusted, really. But with Zack… he knew if he'd drunk just a little more, he wouldn't have been so shy, and he would have let him do anything and everything he wanted. So what was wrong with him?

He lied down and placed a hand over his forehead, holding on to the sheets with the other as he tried to ignore and chase away the sexy images forming in his mind… and his body's reaction to it. He could still feel Zack's lips against his, his hands playing with his hair… and he could definitely feel his pants getting tighter. He wasn't gonna give in, though, he'd already been weak enough. He sighed and mentally slapped himself for being such a loser and he stared at the ceiling until finally, his eyes closed from near exhaustion and drowsiness.

Zack, for his part, was now sitting where he'd stood moments ago, his back still against the door, still swearing at himself… with his jeans down and his dick in his hand. Why did he have to go so fast, be so bold? He probably just ruined any chance he had with Cloud… Baka. He tried not to make any noise as he masturbated, moving his hand up and down his shaft, thinking about the blonde and his mind creating wild images of him… and of them, together… He just couldn't help himself, the frustration he'd been accumulating now too much for him to bear. That was why he'd lost control just now.

His mind went crazy with thoughts as he felt his lower abdomen start burning and lurching, and slowly the rhythm of his hand sped up, as did his breathing. He repeated Cloud's name over and over in his head, like a mantra. He was obsessed with him… but it seemed the blonde didn't have the same feelings towards him. And if he'd had any, now they were probably dead. And buried. Zack felt the heat spread throughout his body and he closed his eyes, murmuring Cloud's name to himself. Then he clenched his teeth as he came, his muscles constricting, and he slowed his hand down to a stop, resting the back of his head against the wall as he slowly regained control of his breathing.

After the waves of his orgasm had receded, he took off his shirt and wiped himself off, then took off his boots and socks to push his pants and boxers down completely. He threw his dirty clothes in a corner and breathed for a while before getting up to go crash on his bed. He then pulled the sheets up to his chest, sighing. Well, there wasn't much he could do now anyway, he'd just have to wait and see. So he closed his eyes and waited to fall asleep, which took quite a while…

Well well… who smells trouble? I'm such a bitch lol XD Well at least you guys had a sex scene! Ok, so it was solo, but still… Wow, you guys must be tired of reading these thousands of words and this story's getting to no real explicit and juicy ZackxCloud stuff, but I'll make up for it and make the next chap interesting, whether Cloud decides to dramatically drop everything with Zack or… drop his clothes in front of Zack. *evil smirk* Hehehe…