Disclaimer: Final Fantasy belongs to Squaresoft and various other interested parties, not me. I'm not making any money from this, and no infringement of copyright is intended. This is a work of fandom, intended as appreciation of the original work.

Chapter 22

Life in omega company was the most difficult thing Cloud had ever experienced. It made boot camp look like a walk in the park, by comparison. They worked hard and trained harder; almost everyone in the company was actively gunning to make SOLDIER at some point, and the ones who weren't were the ones who'd decided to stop trying the exams and dedicate themselves to omega company instead. Cloud was the new kid, and as a result he was assigned the dirtiest, nastiest jobs possible.

At the same time, he couldn't remember ever being this happy in his life. He was the least among an entire company of exceptional people, but he was one of them. There was a lot of pride associated with being in omega company, and having their badge on his uniform made Cloud feel like he could do just about anything.

Better yet, he'd finally had it driven home to him that it really wasn't the end of the world that he'd failed the exams. With a few exceptions everyone in the company had tried and failed the exams at least once. Most of them were fairly impressed when they heard how far Cloud had made it.

For the first time ever, Cloud really felt like he was part of a group. Even in 3rd Rifle he had mostly been attached to Zack and Zack was part of the group. In 8th Sword he hadn't been part of the group at all, thanks to his own surliness in the beginning of his time there. Here in omega, there was no Zack to overshadow him and he wasn't anywhere near as upset going in.

The only thing marring his happiness was Zack's continued absence. After a month the lack of contact from his friend had settled into a dull, persistent ache just beneath his breastbone. Only his squadmates' continued reassurances that this was normal behaviour for a new SOLDIER who'd hurt a friend accidentally kept him from sinking back into the same sort of despair he'd felt after the exams.

Cloud missed Zack terribly. He'd found friends among his new company, but none of them were the sort of close friend Zack had been from the very start. He wrote to Zack a couple of times, but didn't even get the sort of terse notes he'd previously received as a reply.

The older boy's unit hadn't returned to Midgar, though, so all Cloud could do was keep ploughing on and not lose his resolve.

At least being worked half to death every day helped him keep his mind off it. Dragging himself off the obstacle course where he and three of his squadmates had been training, Cloud leaned against the wall and did his best not to collapse while he waited for the scores to come up.

"Not bad, kid," Daniel said, clapping Cloud on the shoulder as the numbers flashed onto the screen. Cloud hadn't beaten his record, but he had beaten his average. He was improving, slowly but surely.

"Yeah, and that's a personal best for at least two of us," remarked Kaine, ruffling Cloud's hair while Daniel was holding him still. "We should make sure to always train with you in the group, kid. You're good luck or something."

"What, am I the company mascot now?" Cloud asked, batting the offensive hands away in irritation.

The three sergeants looked at each other for a moment. "Yep." "Uh-huh." "Pretty much, yeah."

"Oh, stuff it," Cloud muttered, blushing furiously as the others laughed. There were some serious downsides to being the youngest, smallest, lowest-ranking - and, according to at least half the company, cutest - in the unit. "The only reason you all perform better when I'm around is because it would be too galling to have to admit that a scrawny runt like me is better than you."

"We'll see who's better than who in a few months at the exams," Orin retorted.

"Yeah, and then you're all going to regret teasing me when I'm your new commanding officer," Cloud promptly shot back. The words were still largely bravado, but there was a part of him that was really starting to believe that he would make it this time.

He had to, for one thing. Zack was waiting for him. And Sephiroth had said he expected to see Cloud there.

They continued to tease and harass each other as they walked back towards the omega company barracks, and Cloud gave as good as he got. There were plenty of people in omega company who were full of their own importance and would have meant the harsh remarks seriously, but Cloud was lucky enough to have several people in his platoon like these three. Though it was a good thing Zack had gotten him used to the idea that friends could tease each other and not actually mean it, or he'd probably have assumed this was just more bullying like the kind he'd endured all his life in Nibelheim.

Thinking of Zack as always made the ever-present ache in Cloud's chest intensify momentarily. For a second he thought the glimpse he caught of his friend in the crowd was only wishful thinking, until Kaine said, "Wow, get a load of those poor bastards. Looks like somebody put them through the wringer. Hope none of ours got caught in the crossfire."

'Bastards' was the affectionate term for SOLDIERs used by almost everyone in omega company, sometimes right to the SOLDIERs' faces if they thought they could get away with it. Blinking, Cloud looked again and realized that it really was Zack he was seeing. Kaine hadn't been exaggerating; the older boy looked drawn and miserable, even though he was marching in formation with the rest of his unit and couldn't show much expression on his face.

"Zack!" Cloud exclaimed in delight, though he managed to keep his volume low enough not to reach the other boy. He didn't want Zack to get in trouble for being distracted while in formation.

He also didn't want to give the older boy a chance to realize he was there and find a way to avoid him. Cloud had been waiting too long for this confrontation to take any risks.

"Is that your friend?" Orin asked. "Finally back, huh? Guess we won't be seeing much of you for a bit."

Somehow Cloud managed to fight down his blush reflex, reminding himself that he and Zack were only supposed to be friends, not... what was the term Zack had used once? Friends with benefits. "Yeah, that's him," he confirmed, grinning. "And I'll still be seeing more of you jerks than I ever want to. We've still got to work together, and who knows how long he'll be here."

"Good luck knocking some sense into him," Daniel laughed. "If you're lucky you'll be assigned to him on his next mission, and he won't be able to get away from you."

"You know where to find us if you get bored hanging out with the bastards," Kaine added, waving him off. "Hurry up, before he bolts and you can't find him."

Taking his squadmate's words to heart, Cloud jogged off in the direction of the SOLDIERs' barracks. This wasn't exactly how he'd hoped to see Zack again; he was still dirty and sweaty from the training he'd been doing, but going to wash and change would potentially mean losing track of Zack. There were a lot of places an off-duty SOLDIER could hide if he was avoiding someone until his next out-of-city assignment. Right now, though, Zack would have to go back to his room at least long enough to drop off his gear once he'd been debriefed. He wouldn't be expecting an ambush from Cloud, not yet.

One of Cloud's frequent duties over the last few weeks had been playing messenger boy between omega company and the SOLDIERs, so the guards at the gate just waved at him as he trotted into the building. Heading up the stairs, he found Zack's door and planted himself nearby, leaning against the wall beside it. If Zack had somehow done the impossible and beaten Cloud to his room, there was no way he'd have had time to leave again yet. Either way, coming or going, he wasn't going to be able to get through the door without running into Cloud. And since this door wasn't visible from the stairs, Zack wouldn't have a chance to see him and back off quietly.

Sure enough, a few minutes later there was a clamour of voices from the stairwell as half a dozen weary SOLDIERs dragged themselves back to their rooms, and within moments his friend rounded the corner. Zack froze when he saw Cloud standing there, and under other circumstances Cloud would have laughed at the shocked dismay in his eyes.

"Cloud." Zack's voice was hoarse, and he couldn't quite meet the younger boy's eyes. "How did you... what have you been doing, camping out on my door every time you're not on duty? We just got back!"

"I got lucky and spotted your unit coming in," Cloud told him. "I wasn't sure if you were still planning on avoiding me, so I figured I'd better pre-empt you."

"I'm not avoiding you!" Zack protested, but even he didn't sound convinced.

"Oh yeah?" Cloud gave him a Look. "I know for a fact you were told I was awake a full day before you shipped out." Zack winced, and Cloud let his tone soften. "I'm not mad at you, stupid. It was an accident, and I'm fine now. No big deal."

"No big deal?" Zack's voice rose in volume and cracked at the end, and he stared at Cloud like he was seeing a ghost. "You... look, get in here, I'm not having this conversation in the hallway."

He moved past Cloud to open the door, and Cloud was both amused and saddened to note the way his friend was careful not to so much as brush against him. He remembered Kaine telling him at their first meeting that Zack would probably act like he was afraid looking at Cloud would break him; apparently that wasn't as much of an exaggeration as Cloud had thought.

Once they were both inside, Zack closed the door and leaned against it, eyeing Cloud warily. Cloud moved to lean against the desk, not wanting to sit and give the impression that he was even smaller than he was. He needed Zack not to be thinking of him as helpless and vulnerable. "Where's your roommate?" he asked, glancing at the other side of the room. "Are we likely to be interrupted?"

"His ribs were shattered; he's in the infirmary so they can piece them together again before fusing them with magic," Zack said, and Cloud winced at the thought. SOLDIERs weren't just stronger than normal people, they could take a lot more damage too. A blow that could shatter a SOLDIER's ribs would crush an ordinary trooper.

"That sucks, but at least we've got the room to ourselves." That was even better than Cloud had hoped for. He'd assumed he was going to have to work on just repairing their friendship, and worry about the rest of it later when they had some privacy. It also meant they didn't have to dance around the subject of how Cloud had really gotten hurt.

"Look, Cloud..." Zack sounded helpless, hopeless, and it was such an unusual reaction from him that Cloud's heart squeezed in sympathy. "I'm sorry. I can't even begin to apologize. I never should have let myself get carried away like that, but I can't be sure it won't happen again. I've adjusted to the enhancements enough to let me function, but I don't really know my own strength."

"Yeah, so, we'll have to be careful not to get worked up like that again," Cloud said regretfully. He'd really been looking forward to Zack fucking him into the wall, or next week or any other place. "The SOLDIER exams are in a few months; once I've passed and gotten the enhancements, you won't have to worry about breaking me any more. Until then..."

"Until then, I am staying the hell away from you," Zack interrupted him harshly. "I won't risk hurting you like that again, damn it."

"You're not even going to offer to be just friends?" Cloud asked, a little stung. He'd been counting on being able to get that much with relative ease, figuring it would only be closer contact that Zack would be afraid of. How could being friends hurt?

"Oh, we'll still be friends," Zack shook his head. "Nothing will ever change the fact that you're my best friend, Cloud. I'm just not coming near you. I don't trust my self-restraint around you that much. Sooner or later we'll be alone and you'll... you'll just look at me and my resolve will break. And the longer I manage to control myself, the more likely it is that I'll forget and hurt you when I do lose it. So no. I'll tell your CO not to assign you to me and... what are you doing?"

Cloud kept moving towards him, undaunted by the half-panicked babbling. Later, he thought he might look back on this and laugh at the odd role-reversal; usually he was the one running at the mouth while Zack was trying to calm him.

He stopped just in front of his friend, well within reach, and looked up into the familiar glowing grey-violet eyes. Zack had made a major tactical error in putting his back to the door; there were cupboards on either side to hold the SOLDIERs' uniforms, forming a 'hallway' that was just deep enough to trap Zack there if Cloud stood in front of him. He couldn't even open the door and retreat into the hallway, because the door opened inward.

"It was an accident, Zack," Cloud told him firmly. "It happens all the time apparently; the guys in omega are full of horror stories. All it means is that we have to be careful not to get that carried away, not that we can't see each other at all."

Reaching out, he moved to touch Zack's chest, wanting physical contact as a reassurance. In a lightning fast movement Cloud didn't even see coming, Zack caught him by the wrist and held his hand in the air between them. "The fact that it's a frequent occurrence means I'm less likely to relent on the issue, Cloud," the older boy told him. "That means it's not just a matter of time until I learn total control, I'll always have this problem!"

As upset as he was, Zack was proving his own point with the strength of the grip he was using on Cloud's wrist. The younger boy was going to have a bruise there for weeks, and he could feel the bones grating. He had to bite his lip to stop a cry of pain from escaping him, but he held his ground and refused to back down.

Something must have shown in his eyes, because Zack's grip loosened momentarily as a stricken look crossed his face. Then suddenly it firmed again, clamping down hard. There was a horrible cracking noise and nausea washed over Cloud. He'd experienced enough broken bones in his life to recognize the sensation now; Zack had snapped his wrist.

"Do you even understand how close you came to dying?" Zack snarled at him. "If you'd hit your head any harder, your skull could have been broken and the concussion would have killed you or left you brain damaged. If you'd hit your back just a little more forcefully you'd have broken the spine instead of just cracking the vertebrae. Damage to the spinal cord is something they can't fix with magic!"

Still Cloud continued to stare fearlessly up into his friend's eyes, struggling to keep his breathing as level as possible. "I won't let you drive us apart, Zack. Last time it took you almost dying to fix things between us, and I won't let it get that far this time. I need you too much. You're supposed to be watching my back, remember?"

"I am watching your back, you stupid little shit," Zack exclaimed, shaking him by the broken wrist hard enough that Cloud couldn't bite back his cry of pain. "I'm protecting you from your own apparently suicidal tendencies!" Cloud kept glaring up at him, and something close to despair came into Zack's eyes. "Don't you have any sense of self-preservation at all? Why the hell aren't you scared of me?"

He finally released Cloud, pushing on the younger boy's other shoulder so Cloud had to back up a few steps. Cradling the injured wrist to his chest, Cloud gasped for air and fought to steady himself. "I'm not scared of you. I will never be scared of you, Zack. I trust you."

With a cry that was as much agony as anger, Zack turned and put his fist straight through the solid wooden side of the cupboard. "I just deliberately crushed your wrist and you still trust me?" he snapped incredulously.

"You think I don't realize you're hurting me to try to drive me away?" Cloud retorted. "You think I can't see how much it's killing you to do it? I'm not fourteen anymore, Zack. I've been through a lot in the last year, and I'm not a naive little kid now. I will not let you do this to us!"

Closing the distance between them before Zack could free his hand and escape, Cloud grabbed the older boy by the shoulder and leaned up to kiss him hard. Zack fought him, refusing to open his mouth, pushing at the younger boy's shoulder with his free hand. Cloud just hung on more tightly, not letting himself be pushed. Zack would have to use his full strength to get Cloud off him, and he was counting on his friend not wanting to hurt him again.

"Cloud," Zack groaned when the younger boy finally pulled back, but it wasn't a sound of passion. It was the noise a dying animal made when it realized it couldn't fight any more.

"Trust me, if you don't trust yourself," Cloud told him firmly. "I was deliberately provoking you that day, remember? You had control of yourself until I told you to let go. Now I know better. It won't happen again."

"You're crazy, you know that?" Zack said, but he'd stopped pushing at Cloud.

"Isn't that my line?" Cloud asked, smiling despite the agonizing pain in his wrist as he remembered his accusations to Zack the night the older boy had befriended him. "I guess you're rubbing off on me."

"Or something," Zack agreed, relenting with a sigh. "Hold still." He murmured a quick spell, and Cloud was standing so close he could actually feel the rush of magic around Zack before it flowed into his body in the form of a healing spell. The pain in his wrist faded, and then vanished completely.

Flexing his fingers a few times to make sure everything was still connected properly, Cloud leaned against Zack's chest and looked up at him. The older boy had pulled his hand out of the wall and was looking at the shattered board ruefully. "Too bad there isn't a Cure spell for inanimate objects," Cloud chuckled. "At least you hit your own cupboard and not your roommate's."

"Yeah." Carefully, his movements cautious enough that Cloud knew Zack was still terrified of breaking him by accident, the older boy embraced him and buried his face in Cloud's shoulder. "All right, you win. I've been miserable all month, even though it shouldn't have been any different than every other time we were stationed in different places. How'd you get so good at arguing me into submission, anyway?"

"By remembering how you did it every time I was the one pitching a fit and being stupidly sulky," Cloud said wryly. He held Zack tightly in return, revelling in the feel of the older boy against him. Zack laughed despite himself, his breath gusting warm over Cloud's throat and making him shiver.

"You should go," Zack finally murmured, pulling away again. "It's got to be getting late, and I'm completely exhausted. I guess you're probably on duty tomorrow, but we can meet after you get off?"

"And leave you here to talk yourself right back into being determined to avoid me?" Cloud asked, scowling at him. "I don't think so. I'm not going anywhere. The whole damn company knows I've been waiting for you to get back for a month, and Kaine and Dan and Orin will tell them where I am. As long as I report for inspection on time tomorrow morning, I won't get in trouble."

"Cloud, I really am wiped out," Zack pleaded with him. "I'm not going to do anything but sleep."

If Cloud hadn't been standing so close he'd never have seen the fine tremors that wracked Zack's shoulders, the only visible sign of the strain Zack was holding himself under. Sighing, Cloud realized he hadn't really gotten through to his friend at all.

"No," he said, putting every bit of stubbornness he possessed into his voice so Zack would know he meant business. "Damn it Zack, I'm not going to let you pull away from me." He leaned up and kissed Zack again, and though the older boy didn't fight him this time he didn't participate either.

"Kiss me back," Cloud demanded, pulling back slightly. He glared into Zack's eyes from an inch away, utterly determined. "I won't go away until you've kissed me like you really mean it. Do it, and I'll leave you alone until tomorrow. Just one kiss, but you have to convince me you mean it." He didn't think Zack could kiss him, really kiss him, and not get lost enough in it that Cloud would be able to push him into more.

"Fine," Zack rasped, and pulled him close again. "Just one."

This time the kiss was fiery and passionate, threatening to burn Cloud up from the inside out. With a moan he surrendered to it completely while responding just as fiercely in return. The symmetry between this and the last time they'd kissed wasn't lost on him, and he lifted himself to his toes so he could rub against Zack the same way he had then.

Groaning, Zack started to tighten his hands on Cloud's waist, but then jerked his hands away. Cloud wouldn't let him go when he tried to stop the kiss, though, following him back and pressing harder against him.

"Stop," Zack murmured desperately against his mouth, and Cloud pulled back a little. "Stop, Cloud, we can't... we can't do this. Not yet. I need to... to..."

"To what? Nothing's going to change by waiting except you'll be even more certain you'll do something to hurt me," Cloud insisted. "It's just like getting thrown by a chocobo, Zack. You have to get up and get right back on, or you'll be scared of them forever. The only one here who's afraid of you is you."

"Like riding..." Zack trailed off and gave Cloud a very odd look, then shook his head. "Never mind. You're really weird sometimes, you know that? But we still shouldn't... Nnh!"

Whatever protest or excuse he'd been about to make was cut off as Cloud ran his hand over Zack's cock through his pants. The older boy wasn't all the way hard, but he wasn't soft either. He wanted this as much as Cloud did, he was just scared.

"We've got the room to ourselves for the night, and there's a perfectly good bed right there," Cloud pointed out, his voice going husky. "When will we get another chance like this? You might be on leave, but I'm standing duty for at least the next five days. By then you'll probably have been sent out again."

"But..." Zack's continued protesting would have been a lot more convincing if he hadn't been leaning back against the door with his eyes half closed, shuddering under Cloud's touch. "I don't want..."

"You're not going to hurt me," Cloud asserted. "Trust me, Zack."

Of course, now he had to make sure he kept that promise. If Zack so much as left a bruise Cloud knew the older boy would never agree to touch him again. Cloud knew as well as anyone the sort of frustration that accumulated after weeks in the field, close quarters as the tents were. And it had been months since he and Zack had a chance to do much of anything together, more months than Cloud liked to think about.

He needed to take the edge off, or Zack really might lose control and hurt him when they got down to it. Cloud didn't particularly want to end up in the hospital again, any more than Zack wanted to put him there.

Well, there was an easy answer for that. Tugging at Zack's uniform belt, Cloud got it and his pants open and pulled the older boy's cock free. From there it was just a short drop to his knees and he was able to wrap his mouth around the heat and hardness of it.

Zack was still soft enough that Cloud could get all of him into his mouth, though he was rapidly awakening under Cloud's touch. They'd done this a few times before but it had always been hurried and furtive. This time Cloud intended to enjoy himself, and make sure Zack did too. The appreciative moans the older boy was making told him he was starting out on the right foot, at least.

Cloud drew back and licked at Zack's cock, his hands pinning the other boy's hips to the door. It wouldn't stop him if he really wanted to thrust, but it was enough to remind Zack not to. When they'd done this before Zack made SOLDIER the older boy had always run his hands through Cloud's hair, but this time Cloud was just a bit grateful that he chose to hang onto the doorknob and the hole in the cupboard instead. He trusted Zack, but you could only ask so much of a person.

"Cloud, fuck, Cloud," Zack whispered harshly, clearly struggling to keep his voice down. "You're gonna make me embarrass myself. Been too long..." He gasped when Cloud grazed his teeth very gently over the tip, and shuddered.

"Do it," Cloud murmured against him, licking at him again. "That's what I want." He took as much of Zack's cock into his mouth as he could, feeling it harden further still under his lips. Zack's hips made little jerking motions like he was just barely restraining himself from snapping forward, and Cloud let that tell him what rhythm and speed he should use.

It worked better than he could have hoped. He heard something crack sharply above him, and then Zack was coming in his mouth in spurts of bitter fluid. Cloud swallowed it all, making a face as he did so but knowing from experience that it felt better that way. When Zack finally collapsed back against the door, most of the tension drained from his body, Cloud pulled away and looked up at him.

He found Zack ruefully contemplating the section of cupboard wall that had broken off in his hand. "Remind me again why you trust me not to get carried away and hurt you?"

"Because it's wood in your hand, not my hair," Cloud said promptly, pulling himself to his feet. He was achingly hard, pressed far too tight against the front of his uniform pants, but that was fine. It wasn't like he could hurt Zack at all, so he could be as worked up as he wanted to be. "At least it wasn't the doorknob."

"I'm still going to have a bitch of a time explaining it," Zack sighed, and tossed the wood aside. His hand was shaking a little as he ran it through Cloud's hair and pulled the blonde towards him for a kiss.

This kiss was less urgent, though no less heated. Cloud moaned into Zack's mouth and arched up against him, his body trembling with need. Zack ran his hands up and down Cloud's back, soothing him and further enflaming him at the same time.

"Are you sure?" Zack asked against his mouth, and Cloud pounded a fist into the older boy's shoulder.

"What did I tell you right at the start about talking too much?" he demanded, half amused and half exasperated.

Chuckling, Zack cupped his hands under Cloud's ass and lifted him right off his feet. Cloud wrapped his legs around the older boy's waist instinctively, groaning as that made his trapped cock rub up against Zack. Unlike the last time in the hotel, Zack's hands were gentle and not bruising at all as he carried Cloud the few steps over to the bed.

They tumbled down together, Zack's heavier body pressing Cloud into the mattress. His hands were tugging at the blonde's clothing, but from this position he really didn't have any leverage. Cursing softly, Zack pulled away so he could do the job properly, and Cloud helpfully squirmed to get the clothes off him. "You're wearing too much," he promptly accused Zack.

"Yeah, in a second," Zack replied distantly, his eyes fixed on Cloud's body as if he wanted to make sure he saw every inch of it. Cloud blushed at the intense scrutiny, but made no attempt to cover himself. This was the first time he'd been naked in front of Zack when they were in private, he realized. Communal showers just didn't count, since there was no time to look and appreciate. Zack was certainly looking and appreciating now, and it made Cloud burn hotter still.

"Zack," he said breathlessly, and the name was a plea. For what, Cloud wasn't sure, but whatever it was he was more than willing to beg for it. "Please, Zack."

Heat flared in Zack's eyes, intensifying the mako glow, and the older boy shuddered. "Shit, Cloud, don't do that," he said hoarsely, pulling farther back despite Cloud's dismayed protest. "No, stay still. I'm just getting my clothes off."

He stripped out of his uniform with no care for where it landed, and Cloud drank in every inch of revealed flesh hungrily. Zack was tan all over, he discovered, though the colour was closer to pale honey than bronze on the parts of his body that didn't often see sun. The muscles beneath his skin stood out in stark relief, and he looked like a statue to some god of sun and war. Cloud actually forgot to breathe for a moment, just staring like he'd never get to see it again.

"If you keep looking at me like that, you really are going to end up back in the hospital," Zack warned him, his voice strained. "How can you do this to me with just a look? I'm hard again already."

"That might have more to do with being sixteen and about to get some for the first time in months," Cloud replied wryly. "Unless there's something I don't know about?" At this point, after so many months apart, he honestly wouldn't even blame Zack if the older boy had sought temporary release elsewhere. Either with the whores that were always available to anyone in uniform, or another SOLDIER in his unit. Cloud never had, but then he just couldn't imagine being that close to anyone but Zack.

"No," Zack shook his head. "I was tempted a time or two, believe me. But it's just been me and my hand, when I could even manage that much." He dropped to his hands and knees again, leaning over Cloud and slowly lowering himself down. "I've wanted this so damn long," he moaned as their bodies made contact.

Arching up against him and rubbing his cock into Zack's hip, Cloud gave an incoherent cry of need. He clung to his restraint fiercely, knowing that if he lost control now then Zack would never trust him to keep it together in the future, and Cloud had promised to be the one who made sure things didn't get too out of hand.

"I wanted it too," Cloud gasped, trembling beneath him. "Gods, Zack, you have no idea how often I would dream about being with you, like this. Do it, please, please, I'm not going to last much longer."

Reaching out, Zack fumbled in the drawer of the stand by his bed and emerged with a small tube. "You're lucky I keep this around," Zack muttered, unscrewing the cap and letting the slippery gel spill onto his fingers. Cloud stole enough to coat his hand and wrapped it around Zack's renewed erection, stroking slowly to spread the oil over his length. Taking the edge off was all well and good, but if he didn't get Zack at least a little worked up again then Cloud was never going to last long enough.

"Fuck, Cloud," Zack hissed as his cock twitched in Cloud's hand and his hips jerked. "Damn it, when you are a SOLDIER I'm going to pay you back for every time you've ever teased me, with interest."

"I guess I'll have to... oh, gods," Cloud momentarily lost his train of thought as Zack slid two slick fingers inside him at once, stretching him almost to the point of pain. Panting, Cloud rode out the sensation as Zack worked his fingers in deeper, willing himself to relax around them. "I guess I'll just have to tease you as much as possible before then," he almost purred. "S-sounds like I'll enjoy the payback."

"You," Zack twisted his fingers inside Cloud and hit the spot that made Cloud cry out and arch his back, "are totally out of your mind. Gods, you're so tight."

"Be tighter... around your cock," Cloud choked out, doing his best to sound inviting and mostly just ending up desperate. He remembered how good it had felt that night after the SOLDIER exam, the sensation indelibly inked on his brain, but he just knew it would be even better now.

"Too tight," Zack replied, twisting his fingers again. "I'd hurt you like this even if I wasn't a SOLDIER."

"Hurry up, then," Cloud pleaded. His cock was already leaking clear fluid, and he wasn't going to last long at this rate. He tugged on Zack's cock to encourage him, but only got another maddening flick of fingers in return.

Despite Cloud's best efforts, Zack insisted on preparing him as thoroughly as possible. By the time he finally slid his cock slowly inside Cloud's body they were both panting and shaking, but Cloud took him in easily.

Coming to rest against Cloud's body, Zack paused for a long moment with his weight pressing Cloud into the bed. At last he began to move, giving them what they'd both wanted for so long, and Cloud clutched at his back hard enough to leave bruises even on a SOLDIER.

The rhythm and speed picked up quickly, neither of them able to deny themselves now. Cloud moaned with every thrust, arching his hips up to meet each one and driving Zack as deep inside him as possible. He tilted his head back to let Zack bite at his neck and shoulder, and the older boy growled and thrust into him hard.

Cloud gave a sharp cry as the rough motion caused a stab of pain, and Zack froze above him. "Fuck, this isn't going to work," Zack gasped and shifted his weight.

Frantically Cloud clung to him, refusing to let him pull out. "I can handle it Zack, really, don't go, you can't leave me like this..."

"I'm not leaving," Zack promised softly, gathering Cloud against him. Twisting, he rearranged them so that he was the one lying flat on his back on the bed and Cloud was sitting above him.

The new position somehow meant Cloud was able to take just a bit more of Zack's cock inside him, and he cried out at the sensation. Now he was the one controlling the pace and the angle, and he was reminded sharply of the way it had been up on the supports of the roller coaster.

He'd been enjoying having Zack thrusting over him, but he could see the wisdom of this position. It would have been easier to move if Zack had been supporting his waist, but seeing the way the older boy had fisted his hands tightly in the sheets Cloud wasn't surprised that Zack wasn't touching him.

Instead Cloud put his hands flat on Zack's muscled chest and used that to steady himself as he lifted and lowered himself. It meant he couldn't lean back as far as he wanted to, but it still felt unbelievably good. The only problem was that he wasn't getting any stimulation to his cock this way, and he didn't dare ask Zack to do it.

Well, if he couldn't come from this alone, he could always finish himself quickly once Zack had come again. Closing his eyes to mere slits, Cloud struggled to watch the expressions flitting over Zack's face as the older boy neared the edge. Breathing hard, Cloud sped his pace a bit more, the muscles in his thighs burning but not threatening to give out just yet.

Zack was breathing in ragged gasps and the cords in his neck stood out in stark relief as he threw his head back and tensed. Cloud heard something tear, probably the sheets, and then Zack was bucking beneath him and coming hard into Cloud's body.

Quickly Cloud moved one hand to his own cock, but to his shock Zack beat him there by half a second. Eyes now more violet than grey with mako glow watched him as Zack stroked him carefully, visibly fighting for control. Feeling Zack slowly relax beneath him, Cloud tossed his head and straightened his spine, trusting that Zack would steady him.

Sure enough Zack lifted his other hand to Cloud's waist, and the blonde was able to lean back far enough that Zack's still mostly-hard cock hit that amazing spot inside him. With a cry that was almost a shout Cloud was finally pushed over the edge, spilling over Zack's hand.

He lost track of reality for a few moments, not blacking out but simply lost in the haze of pleasure. When he came back to himself he found Zack had tugged him down to lie draped over the older boy's chest, rising and falling with the rhythm of Zack's still somewhat ragged breathing.

"See?" he managed to say drowsily. "No problem. Aren't you glad I'm more stubborn than you?"

Zack's chuckle rumbled under Cloud's cheek and made his chest shake oddly. "Yeah," he agreed, sounding completely exhausted. "Now are you going to let me sleep? I wasn't kidding about how tired I was, you know."

"Only if you promise I don't have to move yet," Cloud mumbled in reply. He was far too content to want to go anywhere. Zack laughed again.

"No, you can stay. I'll wake you up before reveille so you can get back in time for inspection," Zack promised.

A feather light touch brushed against Cloud's cheek, and he smiled in response. "Sleep well, Cloud," Zack whispered, wrapping one arm around the younger boy's back. "Thank you for being you." Cloud might have protested such an absurd statement, but he was already too far into sleep.

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