"Zack's supposed to be here soon. …He said he's coming by after his meeting."

Angeal's reply to that was a simple, "I know."

If Angeal wasn't worried about it Cloud wasn't—at least, not really. Angeal always had everything under control. The thought of Zack walking in made him nervous, but the thought now niggled in the back of his mind instead of blaring at him from the forefront. There were more important things to consider, after all. A whole lot of more important things.

Angeal rolled his hips again, one long, slow, sensuous movement. The hand resting against Cloud's breastbone slid up to cup his flushed cheek. It barely even touched him, the gesture so light; Cloud turned his face into it more firmly. His eyes cut sideways to meet Angeal's as the man asked him—almost goddamn purred it—"Are you with me?"

"I'm here," Cloud whispered.

"You're distracted. What are you thinking about?"

Angeal had so much strength in his legs. He lifted himself up slowly until Cloud almost slipped out of him, then sank back down on Cloud's cock just as torturously. Cloud's heels pressed into the cushion of the couch and he tried to thrust up with the leverage it offered. He didn't get far. Angeal's firm ass met the tops of his thighs and then Cloud couldn't budge the man further if he tried. He was heavy as hell, a tall, broad man who packed the muscle on hard; they both knew that Angeal could easily squish Cloud or even hurt him if he rode him too carelessly like this, but he was careful.

Angeal was always attentive with him, and so tuned in to Cloud's every response. His worry at the thought of Zack showing up must have shown. The blond tried to think (a hard task with his boyfriend's hand sliding up into his hair), and his expression twisted as he debated what to say.

Cloud stared up at Angeal for a few red-faced seconds. "I'm thinkin' about how much I want to come all over your asshole."

Angeal threw his head back in a loud, full-body laugh. He even clenched around Cloud from within and the younger man hissed even as he joined in, embarrassed at his own line. Gaia, the jut of Angeal's Adam's apple looked so good like that. It was too bad he couldn't quite get up there and bite at it. When Angeal's amusement subsided he looked back down, his hair messy and in his face now. "You're cute," he accused.

Cloud, frankly, was tired of being told he was cute during sex. He spanked one of Angeal's cheeks with the meat of his hand, satisfied by the loud slap and the jiggle of flesh beneath his hand. "Come on," he implored, "Keep going. I'm fine."

"Bossy," Angeal murmured, but complied.

He rose up slightly on his knees again, all carefully-controlled power and precise movements, and then dropped down once more. Cloud exhaled shakily and ran trembling fingers over Angeal's knees and the skin just above them. The muscles in his strong legs were taut, balanced as he was on his shins, and flexed as he fucked himself on Cloud's dick.

And damn, if it didn't threaten to do him in—Angeal in particular was always so goddamn gentle with him, even now. One of his hands was occupied with tugging at the heavy cock bobbing between his legs but the other one slid up Cloud's heaving chest, dragging teasingly over his nipples before petting at his collarbone, painted pink with his blush. He even pushed Cloud's bangs out of his eyes so he could see better.

Angeal growled, as every inch of Cloud's length pushed into him again, "You feel good, Cloud."

The SOLDIER was a little sweaty, and his voice was sex-rough and dripping with affection, but it wasn't super easy to tell he meant his words by looking at him. Somehow Cloud ended up with boyfriends who were remarkably good at looking unruffled, even while getting their asses pounded. Everyone except Genesis was that way, really—Zack once said that you could kick Genesis in the nuts and he'd still make a big show out of it. Genesis was fucking vocal, and if he liked it you sure as hell knew. Cloud's self-confidence (not that it was as big a problem these days, or anything) had grown exponentially after his first few times with Gen.

The first time Cloud and Zack fucked Cloud noticed that; Zack obviously enjoyed himself, but particularly when Cloud had been the penetrative partner Zack seemed a lot more chill than other times. He'd chalked it up to his inexperience, which he didn't doubt played a part, but… even now, and generally, they seemed like relatively quiet guys.

Cloud was too (Genesis whined sometimes about Cloud not being a moaner) but he couldn't yet mask the fact that he turned into a panting pile of infantry goo when any of his boyfriends were in a three-feet radius. During his spree of hookups before joining his current relationship he obtained a lot of valuable experience, and learned how to please other people (as well as himself) better. In that way it wasn't as scary as he'd expected for his new relationship to take on a sexual dynamic as well, but it was still different most of the time from the sex he had before, with little emotional attachment.

"Well, we love you," Sephiroth told him once, lying with his head on Cloud's belly like an overgrown, territorial cat, "So it should be better."

Cloud writhed underneath Angeal as he picked up the pace. His fingers scrabbled for a good grip on his thighs. The hair there felt so good against his palms; he coasted his hands up as far as he could and curled his fingers, digging in. Angeal grunted his approval as his fist flew over his cock, wringing out a thick, sticky drop of pre-come that pooled in Cloud's belly button.

"S-Shit," Cloud gasped, back arching and his feet pressing against the couch again as he unsuccessfully tried to fuck deeper into his boyfriend. "Ngh. Angeal…"

Cloud raised both arms and Angeal met him halfway. Their hands met in the space between them, fingers hooking around each other's. Cloud smiled up at the SOLDIER, hazy and dazed. Two of their hands were sticky—one of Cloud's, from prepping Angeal earlier, and one of Angeal's, from working his lubed erection as he rode Cloud. It was a little neglected now, angry and red, but for the moment Angeal seemed more interested in him.

"I'm gonna come, Ang."

Angeal licked his lips before replying, and the sight made Cloud's hips tremble beneath his. He was so goddamn hot; the sun had just set, leaving the broad expanse of Angeal's back lit with a gentle green glow while the harsher light coming from the nearby kitchen illuminated just parts of him, making every sharp angle and slope in his physique stand out in relief.

"Easy," he groaned. One of his thumbs stroked the back of Cloud's hand soothingly even as he tilted his head back in bliss, eyes closing as he rocked his hips a bit differently from before. Angeal's top teeth gently bit down on his lower lip as he fluidly bounced up and down, a bit more stylishly now, with a bit more flair—like he knew exactly what the sight of him, on top of the physical sensations, was doing to Cloud.

"Oh, fuck," Cloud whimpered. "Fuck, Angeal, I love you so much."

"Mm." Angeal gave a throaty groan of approval at that. He let go of Cloud's hands and started fisting his cock again; Cloud pulled himself up into a sit-up, his core shaking with effort, and extended his neck to reach for a kiss. Angeal obliged him, and that bigger tongue pressed against his with an easy familiarity, but the kiss was uncharacteristically sloppy. Cloud was learning that it was the little things that showed just how much of an effect he actually had on his boyfriends.

He dropped back down, nestling his head into the tiny couch pillow, and watched Angeal get to work with narrowed eyes. The SOLDIER's cheeks were a blotchy red, and the shiny head of that big cock looked so fucking good. His biceps bulged as he worked the shaft of it, and from where he had himself braced on Cloud's leg with the other arm to stay balanced.

Everything about Angeal was just so effortlessly masculine, even while he was riding a dick like it was gonna be his last one. It was kind of impressive, really. Cloud stroked his thighs, making encouraging little grunts punctuated by his quiet, gentle praise—(a-ah, you're so good, Ang…)—and soon closed his eyes, digging his head back into the pillow.

"Hey there."

Cloud's eyes opened and he focused on Angeal, confused. But his boyfriend was not speaking to him, but behind and over him, towards the door. Cloud watched as Angeal let go of his erection to brace both hands behind him, and brought his knees around and his feet up, planting them on the couch cushions. He was totally on display…for Cloud, yeah, but also…

"Oh my god," Cloud gasped, doing another sit-up and twisting around as best as he could.

Zack gave him a goofy two-finger salute from the doorway. He still had his sword strapped to his back. Cloud hadn't heard the door open.

Angeal shifted a bit so he could gently push Cloud back down onto the couch, and then returned to his previous position. Cloud scowled at him, but his glare held no real heat. "You did this on purpose."

"Guilty." Angeal spared him a moment for a quick wink but then went back to watching Zack; Cloud couldn't see, but could hear him removing his heavier armor.

With four boyfriends Cloud quickly got over any reservations he had about being observed during sex. That said, Zack's arrival still flustered him. Listening to what he was doing—because he wasn't dancing out of the apartment and apologizing—preoccupied him enough that he had his wits about him, at least, and wasn't a breathless and nearly overwhelmed mess of a man underneath Angeal like he'd been before.

Zack eventually appeared over the back of the couch, leaning casually on the ridge of it on his forearms. He and Angeal met for a long, slow kiss, and Cloud sighed longingly at the sight.

"Hey Spike," Zack said when they broke away. He looked amused, though his eyes were hot; his gaze raked down Cloud's heaving chest to where he was connected to Angeal.

"I shoulda known," the First sighed. "You were real adamant on me gettin' out of my meeting on time. Didn't think you'd set this up so soon…"

Angeal snickered into his face, their foreheads pressed together intimately. They kissed again, and this time Cloud felt just indignation. Enough to let them know it, even.

"I don't care if you guys have a kink for… walking in on each other, or something," he said, gasping halfway through when Angeal clenched around him as if chastising, "But don't forget that you've gotta walk in on someone else too." He frowned— "I've been trying not to blow it for like ten minutes, come on."

"Aww, poor Spike," Zack cooed, reaching out; he smoothed Cloud's messy bangs out of his eyes like Angeal had earlier. "You're not goin' easy on him, huh, Ang."

"Of course I'm not."

"He's good, isn't he?"

"Mm." Angeal groaned enthusiastically, letting Zack take over jacking him off for the moment. The position must have been a little awkward for Zack, reaching over the back of the couch as he was, but he didn't seem to mind the extra effort to make it work. Cloud glowed from the compliment but let out a string of quiet curses as Angeal moved more quickly. If Cloud had thought Angeal was putting on a show before he certainly was now, grinning right into Zack's stupid face.

"Guys," Cloud whined, letting go of Angeal's thighs to cover his face with his arms. "I—fuck!"

"You wanna come, sweetheart?"

Cloud shuddered; Zack rarely called him that—and sure enough, when he peeked through watering eyes at his boyfriend Zack's gaze on him smoldered, like he could devour him through a look alone.

They had a stupid thing going ever since that first morning together. Zack gently teased him about occasionally coming too soon ("You just can't help it," he said smugly, "We're just that sexy."

"More like I can't wait to have it over and done with," Cloud responded, but he hadn't been able to maintain his straight face). Sometimes sex between them became a tiny competition, and none of the others really understood but let them have at it. The blond's face was screwed up in stubborn determination; Gaia-damn it, he'd pull into the last reserves of his self-control and somehow find a way to last even with Angeal Hewley moving like some sort of incubus on top of him, if he had to.

"Let him have it, Ang," Zack said after communicating with Cloud for a few silent heartbeats, "C'mon, be nice."

"I suppose I can do that," Angeal sighed, seeming relieved himself. Zack moved his hand and let Angeal take over again. The other SOLDIER just watched, a gentle smile on his face, as Angeal readjusted himself into a position a little less porn-worthy and knuckled down.

Cloud's back was stuck in a gentle arch. His heels pushed fruitlessly against the cushions again, trying to thrust up. Angeal was good at most things, however, and seamlessly adjusted to Cloud's irregular, desperate rhythm. The blond panted for breath, mouth open—he hastily wiped the back of his wrist against the corner of it for drool and went back to reverently petting Angeal's handsome thighs.

"Ugh, Angeal," Cloud sighed, his voice tight.

Angeal curled his spine in response, his hand really flying on his cock now. Cloud watched with narrowed eyes as the SOLDIER's eyebrows drew together and his expression turned harsh, perhaps even frightening. "Mmgh," he grunted, and his jerking off slowed as thick, sticky fluid shot from his cock.

It streaked across Cloud's abs and the blond encouraged, "Yeah, that's it," as another few gentle spurts followed, dribbling over Angeal's fingers and painting Cloud's lower stomach. Cloud wanted desperately to do the same, and groaned shakily as his own release hit soon after. Angeal gyrated slowly on top of him, milking it from him—but Cloud pushed up on his thighs. Angeal moved with him, letting Cloud's spurting cock slip out, and Cloud grabbed at one of the man's cheeks to keep everything exposed.

True to his word, Cloud hosed down Angeal's asshole with semen. He wrung what was left of his load out with a shaky fist. Rubbing the softening head of his cock through his mess and against Angeal's fucked-loose asshole until the whole situation glistened was… stupidly satisfying. When he was spent he flopped backward and covered his face with his arms again.

Angeal's gentle hands pet his hips and the cushions dipped as he shifted. He murmured to Zack, and Cloud distantly heard the sounds of kissing. Cloud just breathed, blissed out.

There was some more movement and soft conversation, and then Angeal's comforting touch disappeared. Soon after hands slid under Cloud's thighs and gently pushed them up; Cloud helped out, drawing his knees to his chest. A kiss descended on his knee, and warm hands cupped his bottom.

"May I?" Zack asked.

Cloud hummed his consent and Zack dipped his head to smooch his inner thigh. Cloud listened idly to the sounds of Zack popping the cap to the lube. That first slick finger stretching him open didn't feel like much, but Zack was always so nice about it. Cloud was drained after his orgasm and felt like he could take a nap right there if he wanted, but this was far more fun. He moved his arms away from his face so he could see what was going on.

Zack sat back on his heels, and Angeal was behind him. The elder SOLDIER had his arms looped around Zack's body in a loose hug, and met Cloud's eyes as he gave Zack's neck a kiss. His uniform top was messily discarded on the floor. Cloud watched as Angeal unzipped Zack's uniform pants without looking and eased his dick out—hard from watching the other two earlier.

Zack slid in another finger, his pretty mouth turned down in a frown of concentration. Cloud made a tired, but insistent sound, drawing his attention.

"You don't have to be that gentle," he encouraged, lying bonelessly but looking up at his best friend with eyes lit in challenge, "Come on. Really fuck me with 'em."

Angeal might not have obliged without some serious talking first but Zack went for it, still careful, of course, but willing to push his fingers into Cloud with a bit more abandon. He hit that sweet spot roughly enough to make Cloud's hips stutter and make him groan. Another finger and a hasty, "Ah, ah, cool it, Angeal, I'm actually tryin' to fuck Cloud before I come, y'know," later, Zack's hands slid under Cloud's hips and angled him up. He shuffled around on his knees, awkward in the small space (dammit, why didn't they just move to the bedroom once Zack showed up?).

When situated he asked as the blunt head of his cock bumped against Cloud's entrance, "You good?"

Cloud's eyes curved into happy crescent moons with the earnestness of his smile. "Good."

He pushed in. The familiar stretch and gentle burn was welcome at this point, and Cloud rocked his hips into it, seating Zack inside him firmly. His boyfriend pulled back, and then thrust forward. He spent little time being dainty about it; Cloud gave another throaty encouragement to just fuck me, already and then Cloud tightened his grip on the backs of his knees as he held on for the ride.

That electric, undeniable connection they felt the first time they did this never faded. Now it was even stronger, and sturdy with love and other ridiculous mushy feelings. When Cloud lost his virginity he felt so safe and taken care of, and despite some lingering nervousness it was a calm and enjoyable experience. This was even better, every time.

Having Angeal around was wonderful as well. He watched appreciatively over Zack's shoulder, occasionally purring things that made Cloud blush, but also choke back a moan. They all indulged his, ahem, fondness for praise, and although Cloud never said anything about it out loud it was clear how that sort of thing electrified the teen who used to feel so low about himself.

"You look so beautiful like that," he said, smirking when Cloud looked away, eyes widening.

The man kissed his way up Zack's neck until he turned his head with his hand, meeting him in a long, sensuous tangle of tongues. He drew Zack's bottom lip away when he retreated, and let it snap back against his teeth.

Cloud babbled, "You two are so hot."

"Damn right we are." Zack's grip on his hips tightened and he pulled Cloud up. He flipped him over and gave him time to balance on his hands and knees before entering him again. The blond arched his back and popped his ass out, looking over his shoulder approvingly at Zack. His abs were tight with effort and his tanned chest sported a blotchy blush, a sign he was close.

A particularly forceful thrust sent Cloud tipping forward; his face pressed into Angeal's chest. The man stabilized him. He was still soft and seemed done for the time being, but was still very much interested in watching his younger lovers have at it. He pressed small, reverent kisses to Cloud's temple and the sensitive spots by his ear.

Each push of Zack's thick cock inside him knocked the air right out of Cloud's lungs; each spine-tingling withdraw gave him time to take in a whistley inhale. Angeal took pity on him and propped Cloud up with his arm, unwavering—Cloud's weight meant extremely little to his enhanced strength.

"I'll hold you up. Why don't you touch yourself?"

It wasn't really a question. Grateful, Cloud kissed the first bit of Angeal's skin he could reach and used his new freedom of movement to grab at his cock, bobbing between his legs. Surprisingly, he was hard again; he hadn't really noticed. That was good.

"Dammit," Zack cursed, hips pistoning quickly now.

"Gentle," Angeal reminded, his tone warning.

"I'm fine," Cloud groaned. "C'mon Zack, come for us, I wanna feel it—"

"Shit, Spike. I'll give it to you—"

"Mm—"

"Ugh, m' close—"

Zack pressed the entire length of his upper body against Cloud's back as he came, forehead pressed against Cloud's shoulder. His arms wrapped around him in a tight hug, hips pressed snug against his ass. They held the position for a long few moments, breathing hard, and then Zack slipped out of Cloud. Cloud, still twitching from the aftershocks of his second orgasm, would have faceplanted into Angeal's lap if the man didn't manually ease him down. It sapped all the energy he had left.

Angeal's careful hand wormed into his hair to massage his scalp, and Zack gave him a gentle, friendly spank. "You all right there, Spike?"

"Uh-huh," Cloud panted.

"He and I need to shower." Angeal stood and pulled Cloud to his feet; he protested at first but eventually complied, leaning against the taller man's chest and watching sleepily as Zack tucked himself back into his pants and re-did his belt. "You mind cleaning the couch?"

"Ew," Zack whined, pointing at the tiny trails of semen on the leather, "Why didn't we just do this in bed? You can't put a couch in the washing machine."

"Just get a damn wet wipe."

"But I don't want to."

Cloud laughed, and Zack winked at him; he was just being a little shit. Angeal rubbed his shoulder as he frowned down at Zack, then tugged his smaller boyfriend towards the bathroom.

A short while later everyone was clean and dressed in soft clothes. Cloud sat scooped up against Angeal's chest on the couch, tired and absolutely ready for some hardcore cuddles.

Then Genesis fucking ruined it.

Not five minutes after Cloud finally nuzzled into Angeal's shoulder, happy to finally bask in his own exhaustion, the redhead entered the apartment. He was lecturing about something, and Sephiroth followed him in with considerably less ceremony.

Genesis' face fell as he spotted the three of them. "What," he said, hands on his hips, "We missed the fun?"

"We were totally thinking of you," Zack flirted, twisted around. "Right, boys?"

Cloud grunted noncommittally and Angeal tightened his grip on Cloud playfully. "I don't know, I was pretty preoccupied."

"I can tell. It doesn't smell like food in here."

"Oh, damn," Angeal said, stiffening in his seat. "I forgot to start dinner."

Cloud climbed off his lap to let him hurry to the kitchen and sat back down, a deep frown on his face. Zack claimed he was starving and followed him in there. Genesis blew him a kiss but walked past the living room to Angeal's storage room-slash-study, looking for something. Sephiroth wandered into the kitchen too to be where the action was.

Cloud was alone on the couch. He stood after a moment and retreated to Angeal's bedroom, then poked his head out.

"Sephiroth!" he called.

As expected, Sephiroth soon appeared, having abandoned whatever he was doing in the kitchen. Cloud was already lying on the bed, grinning crookedly at him while propped up on a few pillows. He opened his arms wide. "Come lay down with me."

SOLDIER's General observed him curiously even as his hands went to unstrap his pauldrons. Cloud elaborated, "You two came in at kind of a bad time. No one to share this afterglow with."

"I see." Sephiroth calmly slid his long coat off his shoulders and folded it, placing it on Angeal's dresser. Next came the crisscrossed straps of his belt, and then the complicated leather that protected his guts. Sephiroth rarely wore a shirt to work; Cloud asked him about it once and he said he felt rather constricted with them, and it was worse when he had his armor and coat on as well. Genesis wore a freaking turtleneck underneath all his outerwear; Sephiroth did not understand how he did it. The man placed the rest of his armor on top of his coat and bent to unstrap his boots. "You want to be held, then."

Cloud confirmed, "Definitely."

When Sephiroth was in just his pants he crawled up the bed from the bottom. His hair made everything he did look either gorgeous or ridiculous—Cloud supposed this was a bit of both, as it looked awfully nice spread on the cushions but got in the way as Sephiroth put a knee down, and he sort of stepped on it himself. When Sephiroth reached and bent over his reclining body to greet him with a kiss Cloud was chuckling even as he cupped his boyfriend's face in his hands.

Sephiroth rolled onto his back and pulled Cloud with him, nestling the teen against his side, half onto his chest. Cloud threw an arm around him and snuggled into his side, finally content.

"You had a good day?"

"It was decent. Angeal and I took an early lunch and went to Sector 8 together, but the rest of the day was meetings."

"Did he like your gift the other day?"

Sephiroth's chest vibrated with laughter he held inside. "He did." Earlier that week was the anniversary of when he and Angeal started dating. Cloud only had one date to remember—the one where the four officially asked him how he would feel about being a part of their lives—but for the others, particularly Angeal, Genesis and Sephiroth, it was a much more complicated and organic process that had led to where they were today. After all, the three of them were in a relationship on their own for several years before they met Zack. Angeal and Genesis dated the longest out of all of them.

Nobody seemed like the type to get all ruffled if someone forgot an important date (there were a lot of dates to remember, honestly) but Sephiroth wanted to do something kind for Angeal anyway. They saw each other the least out of everybody; while Genesis had some marvelous combat skills and was adored in his own right, Angeal and Sephiroth were the two best leaders in the SOLDIER Program, and if one of them was stationed at HQ it was highly likely the other was out in the field commanding something important.

"I'm happy to hear that."

Sephiroth hummed and pet a few inches of Cloud's back above his waistline—they'd bounced ideas off each other for Angeal's gift for a few days, and he was grateful.

They spoke softly to each other for a few minutes longer before Cloud gave in to his tiredness. His eyes slipped shut and he pressed his face into Sephiroth's warm skin. "Can you wake me up when dinner's ready?"

The sounds of faint talking from the kitchen and even Sephiroth's rhythmic breathing slowly faded out. Cloud dozed, warm, content, and worn-out, if he was being honest. He still wasn't quite asleep when he heard Zack's voice: "Hey, Seph."

Cloud nuzzled a little closer as the bed dipped, signifying Zack's arrival. That was cool, he could roll with that—Zack was a freaking good cuddler, and he was bound to be tired too.

The kissing sounds that ensued, too, Cloud ignored—but then they didn't stop after a minute as expected. Sephiroth shifted against Cloud's forehead, and there was some more movement. The infantryman put it off as long as he could, desperately trying to fall asleep, but eventually frowned and cracked open an eye, irritated.

"What the fuck."

"Hey, you," Zack greeted kindly. He was on his knees down the bed and had Sephiroth's hard cock out of his pants and in hand.

Cloud tilted his head back to peer miserably at Sephiroth. "I'm right here," he whined.

"No one's sayin' you have to leave. You're pretty cute when you're tired. You can totally stay."

Sephiroth just grunted, preoccupied with Zack's fist sliding tight up his length. Cloud sighed.

He left them to it, dragging his body out of bed. He kicked the door shut with his foot (a bit more harshly than it needed, really) and wandered into the kitchen with his arms crossed over his chest. Angeal and Genesis sat at the table together, talking. Something that smelled great cooked in the oven.

Cloud constantly hoped that one day he would have the kind of connection to everyone that these two had. They'd known each other the longest, and it showed. Nothing was ever forced with them, their intimate friendship meant they always knew what the other was thinking, and the general easiness of their interactions was something to aspire to. They had their ankles crossed under the table but otherwise seemed relaxed and content to just talk for a while, no excessive physical affection needed.

The blond pulled up a chair and smiled awkwardly as they stopped their conversation. Genesis looked so happy to see him. He extended a hand and placed it on the table between them, fingers loose and curled. Cloud absolutely took it.

"Did Zack chase you away?"

"Yeah," Cloud yawned, "I was almost asleep, too."

"Rude," Genesis sniffed, but he only seemed amused.

"We tired you out?" Angeal shot him a wolfish look. "Sorry about having to leave you so quickly. I'll make it up to you later."

"No, it's okay. Don't worry I didn't get enough time with you. Our shower was, um, really nice."

"You didn't use any of my stuff, did you?"

Cloud laughed and ducked Genesis' hand coming for his face. The face-fireball thing had to be a joke—he'd never actually do that to someone, right? The truth was that Cloud, in his more pathetic days, joined the Silver Elite on his third day in Midgar and never quite got over some of that hero-worship; he'd used Sephiroth's products, and rationalized it by saying that he had the biggest containers, great pump-top bottles, and wouldn't notice a bit missing.

"He used mine," Angeal lied, "Because he obviously likes me more."

"Take that back," Genesis gasped, covering his heart with his hand. "Nonsense. I'm the one who bought him flowers last week."

"I'm the one who taught him how to take care of those flowers after you threw away the directions and the food packet with the receipt."

"I seem to remember him saying something about how nobody rims him as often as he'd like except for me…"

"Stop!" Cloud waved his hands around, flustered, but laughing, "Stop, I like you both the same."

They were just joking—ranking any of them in that way was a definite no in this relationship, and that rule applied to everybody. They were all trying harder to follow their set rules these days.

"You want me to do that to you more often?" Angeal asked, like he was inquiring about the weather.

"…Er. I mean, if you like it. I'm not into it unless you are. But it is something I like a lot." Cloud's shoulders rose self-consciously, "Giving too, if that matters."

Angeal looked thoughtful, and Genesis saved him. "Angeal's trying to teach me how to make this meal on my own. Come on, we'll learn together." He pulled Cloud over to the stove, and they peeked in the oven. Angeal broke out a few more bowls and instructed them on how to make the dough for their dinner rolls, with the right amount of water and the proper kneading technique. Cloud's was a little lumpy but Genesis', to his own amazement, turned out fine.

Angeal seemed nothing but proud and kissed Genesis' cheek as the redhead thrust his dough proudly into Cloud's face. "This is the one we have to use for dinner."

"We most certainly can." Angeal nodded. "Get a baking sheet out. Cloud, want to cut up the fruit?"

"I can do that."

When the table was set and everything placed where it should be, the three of them sat. They realized belatedly that two-fifths of their table was empty.

"Are they done fucking?" Genesis asked, sipping at his wine. "I'm starving; I won't wait for them. Someone go check."

Genesis looked at Cloud, and Cloud looked at Angeal. Genesis then turned to stare at Angeal as well.

"…Alright, I'm going." The eldest SOLDIER sighed loudly, acting put-upon, and the other two chuckled as he left the room.

Genesis winked at him. Cloud settled back into his chair and waited patiently for the rest of his little family to arrive.

"You've got everything?"

"Yeah."

"Even the flares? In case of trouble? They're in a new location in requisitions, if I remember correctly."

"I've got 'em."

Cloud brushed off the unnecessary fussing and turned to the side as his CO—and teaching partner, for this particular mission—jogged over to his side.

"Sirs," Klarke greeted, popping a smart salute. "Everything is ready to go."

"Who's the pilot?"

"The Turk Rude, I believe."

Genesis nodded and waved briefly at the cockpit of the helicopter. It was windy today, and his and Sephiroth's coats were flapping loudly. Very dramatic—Cloud could see it now.

"Do you want me to take your pack with me now, Cloud?" Damon asked.

Cloud shook his head, "I've got it."

With a last salute and the relay of some coordinates to Sephiroth, whose memory was spot-on and who would remember them, Klarke clapped Cloud on the shoulder and went to the chopper, climbing inside. "Fifty seconds until power," he called, before shutting the door.

Fifty seconds. Cloud adjusted his heavy backpack and eyed the four SOLDIERs grouped together on the helipad. It was the halfway point of another semester again, and Klarke's next Survival class was due for their first serious field exercise, the one that always went miserably.

It understandably took some months for them to get to the level of comfort around each other they had now. Damon asked him if he wanted to go along this time as a reassuring presence to his peers, a past student who excelled, like they talked about on a date once.

Now here he was, carrying a tent, several days' of rations, various supplies, and grading notebooks on his back.

"You excited?" Zack asked him, rocking back on his heels.

He was not going, like they talked about on that date once, to sleep in Damon's tent and fuck him in the middle of the woods. Damon knew it, Cloud knew it, and Cloud's boyfriends knew it—in fact, they hadn't even commented on it, or asked him to verify that's what was happening.

Because they trusted him, after all.

Because that's what those in relationships were supposed to do.

"So excited." Cloud grinned. He was pressed for time though, and couldn't stand around to talk about how much it meant to him that he was getting this opportunity. So, he pushed up on his tiptoes to kiss Genesis, who was closest. "Goodbye," he said against his mouth. He then kissed Sephiroth, "Goodbye," and Zack, "Bye," and Angeal, "Goodbye."

"Kick some ass, Strife," Zack told him, smiling widely. "We know you can do it."

Cloud nodded and covered his ears with his hands as the blades started up. He spoke loudly, his own voice now muffled, "I'll be back with you guys soon."

There was no should be or probably would be—this was an I will. He absolutely would return to HQ and the four men in front of him, undrinkable water, roaming monsters, poisonous berries and irritable fellow infantrymen be damned. It was non-negotiable.

"Go on, you're going to miss it!"

Cloud stared at them for a moment more, searing their faces into his brain. He then turned, and ran for the chopper.