Kumbaya

“Kumbaya”
Part one
(An “Alliance” universe ficlet)
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(Warning: Possible spoilers for all FF7 game/movie titles)
*Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all related characters belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.*
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Zack pulled the truck to a stop and nodded. “Yup, this is the spot,” he declared with satisfaction.

He’d scouted out the camping spot last week, picking a clearing in the forest near the base of the mountains. It wasn’t very far from home and the terrain was level enough to provide an enjoyable experience for a newbie like Reno. Ordinarily, he and Cloud would have chosen somewhere a bit rougher and further in but since this was Reno’s first time they agreed to keep it fairly simple. Instead of driving deeper and hiking the rest of the way for a spot, they decided to pick one that required little travel from the vehicle to the campsite.

Reno peered through the windshield at the landscape. It didn’t look like anything special to him, except up ahead he could see that the trees thinned a bit and the ground was a little flatter. “Whatever you say, pal,” the Turk sighed.

“Come on,” Cloud encouraged. “Let’s get the gear out and get started.”

Reno muttered something but he complied and helped when the two fighters got out of the Truck and pulled the tarp down over the flatbed to get the supplies out. Cloud hopped onto it and started handing things down to the other two, leaving the heavier gear for himself and Zack to carry since they had enhanced strength. Reno noticed after a few moments that he was being handed small stuff and Zack was bequeathed with the heavier things.

“What am I, a girl?” the redhead snapped, narrowing his eyes at his blonde lover. “Gimme something that takes a little muscle, Goldilocks.”

Cloud and Zack shared a look and the blonde shrugged. He picked up the cooler that he’d mostly stocked with water supplies and he frowned for a minute, wondering if it might be too much for Reno to handle safely. Water tended to get heavy in bulk and he’d stocked several two-liter bottles for cooking, drinking and if necessary, sponge baths. He trusted Zack to find a spot with a natural water supply nearby but he didn’t know if Reno would use it, given his paranoia over nature.

“Well come on, Strife,” Reno urged, his tourmaline eyes impatient. “Hand it down!”

Cloud sighed and hefted the cooler over the side of the truck bed. Reno lifted his arms to grab hold of the handles and Cloud carefully let go when he was sure he had a good hold. To his credit, the Turk didn’t stagger and he only grunted a little. Evidently the Mako he’d fallen into over a year ago had boosted his strength at least a little because Cloud remembered a time when he’d tried to carry a toolbox weighing only a little more and nearly thrown his back out.

“Do you want more?” Cloud asked warily. He could detect the strain on the Turk’s face as Reno lowered the cooler to the ground and shouldered his duffle bag. He might be a little stronger than the average guy of his build, but he still had greater limitations than Zack and Cloud.

Reno considered the question and looked down at the cooler, reminding himself that he couldn’t match his two lovers in strength anymore than they could match him in dexterity. Putting himself in the hospital with a back injury would get him out of this camping mess but he hated being immobilized even more than he hated the outdoors.

“Nah, I’d better not push it,” Reno admitted with a little smirk up at Cloud.

“Now I know you’re growing up,” the blonde fighter said with a little grin.

“Yeah, yeah.” Reno waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t think you’re fooling me, Blue-eyes. I know you and Zack picked an easy spot to reach for my sake. What I wanna know is how the hell you two would have managed to carry all this shit by yourselves if ya came here alone and traveled deeper?”

Zack’s eyebrows shot up with surprise. “There’s not much fooling you,” he said to the redhead, impressed.

“We wouldn’t have had this much shit,” Cloud informed as he gathered the rest of the gear and climbed down with it. “For starters, the cooler would have been a lot smaller and we could have carried it between us and had the rest in the backpacks.”

“There’s a rainwater filter in that cooler too,” Zack explained as he checked his backpack and picked up the rolled-up tent supplies. “Normally one bottle each is all we’d carry on us and we’d either catch and filter what we need to replace it or find a natural water source to filter.”

“We’ve also brought an oil lamp that uses citronella for bug repelling and some spray, just in case,” Cloud added. “I’m so damned tainted the bugs won’t touch me anymore and they don’t seem to like Zack much either, but you might still taste good to them.”

Reno’s mouth twitched. He tried to control his amusement and ignore the fond feelings for the two fighters that threatened to engulf him. They really were going through a hell of a lot of trouble to give him a little luxury they’d never consider for themselves. He wasn’t too keen on the thought of drinking rainwater but if they had a filter and they said it worked, he guessed he could give it a try.

“Here, why don’t you let me carry the other end,” suggested Zack as Reno bent his knees and started lifting the cooler.

“I’ve got it,” the redhead insisted stubbornly, holding back a groan of exertion. “I’ve only gotta carry it a few feet. Gotta pull my weight too.”

“Not if it breaks your back,” the sable-haired fighter said, all traces of humor gone from his voice. “Come on, you don’t have to prove anything here.”

“Nope, I said I’ve got it,” Reno insisted. “And the longer ya stand here arguing with me over it, the heavier this thing gets and the more I’m gonna be likely to hurt myself. Let’s get moving, Wolfy.”

Zack sighed and adjusted his burden. As frustrating as Reno’s stubborn nature could be, he had to admire his spirit and determination. They started off, with Zack in the lead. He held aside obstacles like low-hanging small branches for Reno since he couldn’t use his hands and he kept a lookout for spider webs or other unpleasant things the redhead could run into that might send him hauling ass back to the truck.

Reno trudged along behind him with Cloud at his side and the Turk shook his head and smirked again. ~It’s like having doors held open for me, or something. I’ll bet if there’s a mud puddle up ahead, Zack’ll take his shirt off and cover it so I don’t have to walk in it. I guess it’s my fault him and Cloud are treating me with kid gloves, here.~

Again, he tried to be annoyed but Zack’s chivalry was more endearing than anything else. No wonder the ladies swooned over him left and right. Reno’s muscles were starting to tire and he silently hoped they’d reach the spot his companions wanted to use soon. He clamped down on the complaints that wanted to burst from his lips and he carried on, breaking into a sweat. Thankfully, it was a bit cooler up here in the foothills than it was at the lower altitudes, so with any luck he wouldn’t get overheated before they stopped to set up camp.

Zack stopped after a few more paces and looked around. “This looks good.” He turned around to regard Cloud. “What do you think?”

Cloud swept the area with his eyes and nodded with satisfaction. “This works for me.”

The patch of ground in the center was almost bare of grass. He guessed there must be rock underneath the dirt and it would make for a good campfire spot. The canopy above wasn’t too thick so it would be easier to catch rainwater—if it rained. The trees were spaced far enough apart to make room for the site and the undergrowth wasn’t too thick.

Reno sighed with relief before he could stop himself and he set the cooler down, quickly following up with his duffle bag. He plopped himself down on top of the cooler and rested his hands on his knees, trying not to make his panting too obvious. Zack and Cloud looked at him and then at each other with the kind of expression parents make when a kid does something they were warned not to do and ends up suffering the consequences.

“Quit looking so damned smug,” Reno said to them with a scowl. “I’m just catching my breath. Uh…is there any ice in this cooler?” His face was hot and he knew it was flushed with exertion. He was damned tempted to yank his shirt off so he could cool down faster.

Cloud shook his head and Zack grimaced. “Sorry Red,” the dark-haired man apologized, “Ice would have just melted and made a mess in there…not to mention it would have made it heavier. There’s plenty of water to drink, though. Oh, and there’s a couple of other little surprises in there for later, too.”

Reno perked up for a moment before he remembered the straw hat he’d left sitting on the dash of the truck. He gave Zack a suspicious look. “What kind of surprises?”

Zack exchanged an amused look with Cloud and winked at the Turk. “Open it up and find out.”

“It better not be a spittoon and chewing tobacco,” grumbled Reno as he got off of the cooler and squatted in front of it.

He popped the catches on the lid and opened the container, peering inside as if he was afraid a banjo-wielding hillbilly would jump out at him. He found six two-liter bottles of water lying on their sides, a bucket filled with what he assumed to be filtering supplies and a cardboard box. He tossed a confused frown over his shoulder at his lovers and lifted the box out. It had some weight and the weight shifted a little as he moved it. He pulled the tabs and opened it and his mouth split into a wide grin. Cushioned on felt lining were two 750 mil bottles of liquor—one was whiskey and the other was tequila. He recognized the brands and he appreciated that his companions had splurged to buy quality.

“Ya know, this trip might not be so bad after all.”

“Just so you use some moderation,” warned Cloud. “That’s all we brought so make it last over the weekend and don’t get sloppy drunk. The last thing I want is you stumbling into a hole or down a game trail.”

Reno chuckled. “I’m not the one you’ve gotta worry about, Blondie. Zack over there’s the one that can’t hold his liquor.”

Zack opened his mouth to protest but there was no denying Reno was right about that. He shrugged. “That’s fair,” he muttered. He really did have the tolerance of a twelve year old. He was slowly building it back up again but since he and Cloud were more social drinkers than regular ones, it was going to be a while before he could handle more than four shots of the hard stuff without falling on his ass.

It was tempting to go for the whiskey first but Reno’s common sense won out again and he lifted one of the bottles of water out instead. He closed the lid and sat down on the cooler again while he unscrewed the cap and lifted the bottle to his lips for a drink.

Cloud watched him and he knew that despite his efforts to hide it, Reno had worn himself out a bit lugging the cooler. “Hey,” he announced, “why don’t you rest for a minute while I go and get some deadwood for the camp fire? You and Zack can pitch the tents after you’ve cooled off.”

“Good idea,” Zack agreed, also noticing how thirstily Reno was drinking.

Reno shrugged and forced himself to pull the bottle away from his mouth. “If you say so, Blondie.”

“I’ll be back in a little while,” Cloud promised, and he walked away into the thicker forest growth.

Reno watched him go as he drank again, admiring the way his loose cargo pants fit him. “Thirsty?” he inquired of Zack, remembering his manners.

The dark-haired fighter shook his head and declined when he offered the water bottle to him. Reno shrugged and drank some more. When he’d sated his thirst, he capped the bottle again and looked Zack up and down. Zack was wearing similar pants to Cloud’s and he wondered if it was some kind of ingrained SOLDIER trend or personal taste. The only difference was that Zack’s cargo pants were a forest green in color, while Cloud’s were the customary deep blue. Zack wore a white muscle shirt with slits in the back for his wings, while Cloud was wearing a light blue one.

“So what’s with the pants?” Reno asked, watching as the other man started unraveling the tent supplies. “Is it just leftover fashion or do ya just like ‘em?”

Zack looked over his shoulder at him and smiled. He reached into one of the many pockets of said cargo pants and produced a small, retractable knife. “They’re practical,” he answered. He took a metal stake out of the tent bundle and set it aside while he squatted down and began loosening the dirt with his knife. “You can fit all kinds of shit in these things without it being obvious.”

Reno admired the view of the fighter’s ass. “Hmmm, never thought about that,” he murmured. He recalled a memory of Cloud producing a knife out of his discarded cargo pants while he, Rufus and Reno were inside of a limousine. He narrowed his eyes and forced the memory into sharper focus. Suddenly he understood what Zack meant as the vision came to him full-force and he laughed.

“What’s so funny, Red?” Zack twisted on his feet and looked at him with friendly curiosity.

“I just remembered something about cargo pants and angry blondes,” answered the Turk with a grin. “You sure you don’t want a sip or two?” He offered the water bottle to Zack again and the dark-haired man declined, as before.

“I’m okay, but thanks.” Zack turned around again and began to wiggle the tent stake into the ground. “You watching what I’m doing?”

Reno smirked. Zack’s butt was simply mesmerizing. He had to have the finest ass on Gaia. “Yeah, I’m watching you, Wolfy.” He was still sweating and he wiped his brow with his arm and sighed.

Zack heard the sound of discomfort and he studied the Turk. He got an idea and he stood up and crossed the short distance to him. “Here, hand me that bottle of water,” he ordered.

Reno gave it over to him, thinking he was going to take a drink.

“Bow your head, foxy.”

The redhead gave him a puzzled look but he shrugged and did so. Reno gasped as he felt Zack brush his ponytail aside and drip some water onto the back of his neck. “What are you—”

“Shhh,” interrupted Zack. “I’m taking care of you.”

Reno heard a swooshing sound and the next thing he felt was a cool breeze buffeting him all over. “Mmm,” he sighed in grateful pleasure. It felt wonderful and he glanced up to see that Zack had manifested his wings and was slowly fanning the air around him with them.

“Such a boyscout,” Reno murmured. “Don’t stop.”

Zack chuckled and kept it up. He watched the flush slowly fade from Reno’s fair face and he knelt before him, still carefully fanning the air around the two of them. “Feel better?”

Reno nodded and lifted his head to look the other man in the eye. Damn, Zack was pretty. He wasn’t pretty in the innocent way of Cloud and he wasn’t pretty in the rugged way of Rude. He was somewhere in between…a combination of boyish good looks and masculine handsomeness.

“So what was that you were saying about angry blondes in cargo pants?” Zack asked him with a flash of a smile.

Reno stared at the dark-haired fighter’s mouth, admiring the straight rows of white teeth and the way his lips framed them. “Uh…oh yeah,” he answered, coming to his senses and shaking his head to clear it. “When the boss tried to kidnap Cloud to seduce him, it backfired on him.” He gave Zack a quick re-account of the chauffeur incident.

Zack listened to the story and by the time Reno reached the end and described the way Cloud turned the tables on them, he was laughing with admiration. “I never knew my chocobo could be that creative,” he said between chortles. He gave Reno a sly look. “But you know, he never could have done that to you and Rufus without your help.”

“Yeah,” agreed the redhead with a smirk. “Still, if it wasn’t for those pretty blue eyes of his I might not have been stupid enough to help him on the sly. Blondie’s got a way about him that makes me do stupid things.”

“He sure does,” Zack conceded. “Cloud doesn’t even know how much he influences people with that cute face and those blue eyes. That clueless nature only makes him harder to resist for me.”

Reno smirked. It was good to know he wasn’t the only one. “Thanks, man. I think I’ve cooled off now.”

Zack leaned in and pressed a kiss on Reno’s lips. He’d meant it to be brief but the redhead’s tongue did that tracing thing that made his libido shoot through the roof. The sable-haired fighter deepened the kiss and rested his hands on Reno’s shoulder. In turn, Reno’s fingers slid into Zack’s tumbled hair and he moaned softly into his mouth. Somehow the two of them ended up on the ground next to the cooler, with Zack’s hips settled between the Turk’s thighs. Reno felt the breeze against his chest and stomach as Zack tugged his t-shirt up. His nipples tightened and he pressed upwards against the other man’s hand as it stroked his stomach, wanting more.

“I can’t leave you two alone for a minute,” said a dry voice nearby.

Reno and Zack stopped kissing and looked up in unison to see Cloud standing over them, his arms laden with a pile of dead wood. “You’re supposed to be pitching the tent,” he lectured, though his mouth was curved into a grin.

“Hey, my tent’s pitched just fine, Blondie,” Reno informed him. He wriggled his body to the side and thrust his hips upwards. “See?”

Cloud’s eyes went to the prominent tent in the crotch of Reno’s jeans. “Yeah, I see that,” he said flatly. “We can pitch those kind of tents all you like later on. It’s going to be getting dark soon and unless you want to sleep out in the open, we need shelter set up.”

“I’m on it,” Zack assured him as he got to his feet, his wings flapping a little to balance him. “Sorry about that…I’m the one that started it.”

“If not you, then Reno would have started it,” Cloud smirked with confidence. “I’m going to get the fire set up.” He walked to the center of the encampment and set the wood down to begin stacking it for the blaze.

Zack helped Reno to his feet and the two of them grinned at each other before resuming the task of pitching the tent. Reno caught on quick, his mind picking up on the mechanics of what he was doing with ease.

“Good,” Zack complimented as they finished. He wiped his hands on his pants and smiled at the Turk. “See? We’ll make a woodsman out of you yet.”

“Don’t count on it,” Reno snorted. “When it comes to putting things together I learn fast but send me to shoot anything and you’ll be disappointed.”

“I thought you were a pretty good shot with a gun,” Zack said with a puzzled tilt to his head. “You’re a lot better at it than I am, anyhow.”

“Oh, I can shoot,” agreed the Turk. “I can shoot people or objects real easy. It’s animals I can’t shoot—unless one’s coming at me to kill me.”

“So you’ve got a soft spot for animals, huh?” Zack’s smile came back full force. “That’s cute, Reno.”

“No, it’s pathetic,” argued the Turk.

“I think if you were put to the test you’d surprise yourself,” Cloud commented as he finished forming the wood into a teepee shaped stack. “If Zack and I were hurt and you had to hunt to keep us all fed, you’d pull through.”

“You’ve got a lot of faith in me, blue eyes.” Reno gazed at the blonde with touched amusement. “Blue eyes” was his newest nickname for Cloud and it was fast becoming a favorite. The eyes that inspired it gazed back at him with open sincerity.

“So, do you know what poison ivy and poison oak look like?” asked Cloud, breaking the little spell.

“Think so, why?”

Zack and Cloud looked at each other and the blonde reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a palm-sized book. “You need to be able to recognize it,” he explained as he went to Reno’s side and flipped through the pages. “I don’t want you accidentally touching it and getting a rash. We brought toilet paper but we couldn’t bring the toilet with us, you know.”

“What, do ya think I’m going to sit my ass down in the stuff when I take a dump?” Reno’s nose wrinkled at the thought of having to squat in the bushes, but he’d been prepared for that unpleasant little detail about camping.

“You could easily brush against it by accident if you don’t know it’s there,” answered Cloud. He found the page he was looking for and he showed the book to Reno, pointing out the photos of the two plants in question.

Reno looked and nodded. “Got it. I’ll watch out for the stuff, yo.”

~************************************~

As the sun sank down, Cloud got the fire going and Zack fashioned a spit and roasted a chicken he’d brought with them. He and Cloud didn’t see a need to hunt for their food right away so they’d brought a few things that would last for the first couple of days, including some granola bars, a wedge of cheese, powdered soup packets, a couple of cans of beans and a few apples. The chicken was still a little frozen in the center so it took a little longer to cook through all the way.

“So what kind of game are we looking at out here?” asked Reno as he took turns rotating the spit.

“The usual,” answered Cloud. “Deer, squirrel, rabbit. I don’t think there’s any wild hogs in this area but I wouldn’t want to hunt those anyhow unless I had to.”

“Mean little bastards,” agreed Zack. “There’s also a lake not too far from here where we could fish and refill our water supplies. We shouldn’t have to do too much hunting while we’re here but we’ve got a range of choices.”

“Rabbits?” Reno said. “Not like the kind on the northern continent, I hope?” He remembered Cloud taking one down and roasting it. The damned thing was bigger than a large dog and according to Cloud, aggressive.

“No, just the normal kind,” assured Cloud with a little grin. “You don’t have to worry about giant, meat-eating rabbits here.”

“Well, that’s something at least,” Reno sighed. He reached for the two-pronged fork sitting on the plate on top of the picnic blanket and poked at the chicken, twisting a little to have a look inside. “I think it’s ready, guys.”

“Great,” Zack said with enthusiasm. “I’m starving!”

“You’re always hungry,” Cloud observed with an affectionate look at the other fighter.

Zack shrugged and lifted the spit off of the fire. “What can I say, I like food. It’s the next best thing to sex.”

“Nah,” disagreed Reno as he got the bottle of whiskey out of the cooler. “This is the next best thing to sex. Too bad we don’t have any soda to mix it with but I ain’t complaining.”

“Just remember to go easy on it,” warned Cloud.

“Yes mother,” Reno answered with annoyance.

~*******************************~

After dinner, they took turns having drinks from the whiskey bottle and relaxed around the fire. Reno was thankful that they’d brought the picnic blankets so he wouldn’t have to lay in the dirt and he admitted to himself that he was kind of enjoying the experience. He looked up at the darkened sky and blinked. The moon had risen and it was HUGE. The Turk sat up and pointed at the expansive glowing ball.

“Holy shit, is it supposed to be that big?” He cringed a little, thinking it might crash into the planet.

Cloud and Zack looked up as well and they both chuckled. “That’s normal,” Cloud said. “It just looks bigger out here in the open. It’s not really any closer than it was before.” He admired the sight of the full moon and Zack likewise stared at it.

Reno looked at the two of them and he was again reminded of their resemblance to wolves. He half expected them to start howling at the oversized moon. The thought brought a question to his mind that he’d always wondered about on occasion but never dwelled on.

“Hey, do you guys ever wonder why wolves and coyotes howl at the moon?”

“Nanaki told me they aren’t really howling at the moon…they’re howling to find other wolves,” Cloud answered. “Coyotes are related to them so I guess they do it for the same reason.”

“Hmm, that’s interesting,” Zack said, putting an arm around Cloud. He motioned Reno closer and grinned invitingly to him. Unable to resist, the redhead scooted closer to Zack’s other side and the black-haired fighter put his other arm around him. “I was hoping for something a little more complicated or romantic.”

“They’re wolves,” Cloud shrugged. “I don’t think they’re too worried about romance.”

Silently, Reno disagreed with Cloud if only because he and Zack’s mannerisms were so wolfish. The two of them were plenty romantic, even if they didn’t realize it. He took another drink and offered the bottle to his companions. Zack declined because he was already buzzing a little and Cloud took one more drink. When he passed it back to Reno the Turk decided to cap it for the night.

“So, what is there to do around here before bedtime?” Reno asked. “I’d usually watch the news or a movie but we can’t do that here. Got any games, Zack?”

“I didn’t think to bring anything like that,” Zack frowned. “Oops. Well, we could roast some s’mores or tell ghost stories.”

Reno didn’t know what a “s’more” was and he sure as hell wasn’t interested in telling ghost stories. Cloud rested in Zack’s embrace quietly, waiting to hear what they came up with. Reno stared at the blonde’s lips, remembering the things his mouth could do to a cock. Suddenly, he was inspired. He still hadn’t gotten the chance to go down on Zack and he was dying to learn some of Cloud’s skills. What better game could there be than that?”

“I know something we could do,” Reno said in a seductive purr. He turned his head and started kissing Zack’s neck, brushing aside the dark hair in his way. The bigger man shivered in response and rubbed his back.

“I think I can guess what it is,” Zack answered huskily.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Reno chuckled. He reached across to Cloud’s thigh and ran his hand over it. “I think it’s time you teach me some of those oral skills you’ve got, Blondie.”

Cloud’s eyes widened briefly, the only expression of alarm he allowed himself. “Uh, you’re already amazing,” he said tactfully.

“What’s the matter?” Reno said. He licked the rim of Zack’s ear and watched with amusement as his eyes unfocused in response. “Afraid I’ll be too much for ya?”

“Yes,” both Cloud and Zack answered at the same time.

“Oh, come on,” Reno urged. He slipped a hand under Zack’s shirt and started exploring his stomach and chest muscles. “I promise I won’t use it without permission. Just give me some pointers, man.”

“I won’t be able to concentrate to tell you what to do if you’re sucking me off,” argued Cloud nervously.

“Then you can play the teacher while I practice on Wolfy here,” insisted the Turk. He laughed at the worried look on Zack’s face. “I’m not gonna hurt your pretty cock, Fair.”

Zack swallowed. It wasn’t pain that worried him; it was whether he’d be able to keep control of himself with someone using tantric oral methods on him. Reno’s hand slid down and covered his groin, which was already hardening. “Maybe you could try practicing on a banana or cucumber first,” he gasped.

“Nuh-uh,” said Reno stubbornly. He began to rub Zack’s bulging crotch, admiring the size of the stiffening flesh. “If I’m gonna perfect my blowjobs, I can’t think of a better way to practice than on a big fella like you.”

Cloud watched Reno play and his body reacted shamefully. As was typical when he got turned on, his modesty was beginning to evaporate and the more he watched Reno’s fondling and Zack’s expression of pleasure, the better the idea sounded. “Okay, let’s do it. Might want to move it into the tent, though.”

“Why?” Reno asked in honest puzzlement. “Who’s gonna see us out here besides the critters, baby? They ain’t going to mind.”

“Good point,” conceded Cloud. His lust was rising at an alarming rate, just from watching the way Zack bit his lip and squirmed.

“Uh, ‘scuse me guys,” Zack panted, trying to dislodge Reno’s fondling hand, “but don’t I get a say in this?”

“No,” they both answered in chorus.

“You’re our guinea pig, buddy,” finished Reno with a flirtatious wink at the black-haired man. “And you’ve got nowhere to run.”

Maybe it was because it wasn’t him getting jumped this time, but Cloud was feeling very bold and he decided to just run with his urges. Zack’s lips parted—possibly to blurt another protest—and Cloud took advantage of the moment and kissed him aggressively. He pushed his tongue into the other fighter’s mouth, muffling his surprised groan. It only took a moment for Zack to respond hotly to the kiss and Cloud was treated again to Zack’s ability to take a submissive role without hesitation or resistance. The sable-haired man caressed Cloud’s invading tongue with his own, allowing him to dominate his mouth as if it came naturally to him.

Reno studied his two lovers as they kissed and his practiced eye picked up on what was happening. “Damn Zack…you’re a pretty versatile guy. You two are gonna make me cream myself before we even get started, if you don’t watch it.”

Now that he thought of it, maybe there was something sensible about moving it into the tent. Reno predicted that the three of them were going to be rolling around all over the place before the night was finished and if they did it out here they were going to get dirt and grass in unpleasant places. With great reluctance, he stopped massaging Zack’s crotch and ran his fingers through Cloud’s soft, spiky hair.

Cloud broke his kiss and looked at him questioningly. “Something wrong?”

“I just realized you might be right about going inside,” Reno shrugged. “I don’t know about you but I plan on getting busy and we don’t need grass and dirt in weird places, yo.”

Cloud chuckled. “Yeah, that’s a good point.” He looked at Zack, who had a faint flush on his sculpted cheekbones and a wary look in his eyes. “Don’t even think of trying to run.”

“Is that an order from the General?” Zack breathed, getting into the spirit of the game despite his reservations about teaching Reno some tantric.

“That’s right,” confirmed the blonde. He gave Zack another deep kiss while Reno got up and made his way to the tent. Zack was breathing heavily when Cloud released his mouth and the two of them followed their Turk companion.

The interior of the tent was roomier than the outside led one to believe. Reno spread out the sleeping bags and took his shoes and socks off, placing them in the basket by the entrance. He lit the small lantern hanging from the ceiling of the tent, so that they’d have some light. Zack and Cloud came in and took their shoes and socks off, too. Before the black-haired fighter could even get his bearings, Reno was pushing him down on his back and Cloud had maneuvered behind him to help. Zack hastily pulled his wings in so that they wouldn’t take up more of the limited space and he ended up with his back resting against Cloud’s chest and his thighs spread, with Reno stretching out between them. It made him a little nervous to be ambushed this way and he jumped when the Turk unzipped his fly.

“Relax, Wolfy,” Reno ordered in a sultry, amused tone. “We’re not getting ready to neuter ya, we’re just gonna make you feel good.”

“It’s easy to say ‘relax’ when you’re not the one being ambushed,” muttered Zack.

“I get ambushed by a wolf and a fox on a daily basis,” countered Cloud with a grin.

“You tell him, Blondie,” Reno applauded as he tugged Zack’s pants open and pulled his undies down to free his erection. “Mmm, now ain’t that a sight,” he finished with a grin, admiring the stiffened length of the treat he was about to enjoy.

“Just take it easy, okay?” Zack warned nervously as the redhead licked his lips. He hadn’t told either of them how strongly blowjobs affected his lust. This was going to be the first time he’d had one from either of them.

Reno paused with his lips only inches from the tip of Zack’s cock and he looked up at the black-haired man searchingly. “What’s up, Fair? I mean, besides the obvious.” He smirked at the waiting erection and gave it a gentle pull with his hand, making Zack’s groan softly. “You’re almost acting like a virgin all the sudden.”

The blush on Zack’s cheeks further stressed the impression. It wasn’t unusual for him to flush a little bit in the heat of passion but he wasn’t as quick to do it as Cloud or Reno. Cloud noticed it too and he nuzzled the larger man’s cheek, feeling the heat of his blush against his lips.

“What’s the matter?” he asked softly, having no intention of going further if Zack really wasn’t into it. He was a little amazed by the realization that he’d never given Zack head before and the dark-haired fighter’s apparent nervousness confused him. “You don’t want it?”

“Oh, I want it all right,” confirmed Zack with a breathy chuckle. “I just don’t know if I can handle it. You two better be aware you might free the beast, sexy thing.”

Cloud and Reno looked at each other and both had expressions of intrigue on their faces. “Do tell,” Reno smirked. He thought of the way Zack had taken him in the cabin that time on Mount Gaea and his sex throbbed in his pants. God, that had been an encounter he’d never forget. If sucking Zack off turned him into a snarling fuck machine, Reno certainly wouldn’t mind.

“I think we can risk it,” Cloud murmured, kissing Zack on the ear. The other man shuddered against him and tilted his head for more. Cloud obliged, biting down softly on the lobe just over the stud he’d branded him with. Zack’s low, breathy groan made Cloud squirm with desire and he reached around front to tug his muscle shirt up and expose his chest and stomach. He then said something that sent him reeling into embarrassment.

“You’re so damned fine it should be illegal.”

Zack turned his head to look at him with surprised amethyst eyes and Reno blurted an impressed laugh. Cloud knew his face had flooded with color and he came close to grabbing the buck knife out of his cargo pants and cutting a hole in the back of the tent to escape through.

“Uh…that just kind of slipped out,” he muttered, his golden lashes lowering to conceal his eyes.

“That was great,” Zack chuckled, forgetting his own anxiety in the face of Cloud’s adorable bashfulness. He reached up and cupped the blonde’s chin, forcing him to look at him. “I love it when you talk dirty, cutie-pie. It’s like having a rare treat tossed my way once in a while.”

“Er…yeah…glad you liked it,” Cloud muttered. Zack kissed him and this time it wasn’t so passive. Cloud returned the kiss, his shyness blown away again as his arousal returned with nagging force. He could tell that Reno had begun when Zack tensed a little and moaned into his mouth. Forcing himself to focus, the blonde pulled his mouth away from his lover’s and looked down. He was momentarily stunned by the sight of Zack’s sizeable cock slowly vanishing into Reno’s mouth.

~You say you need tutoring but I’ve never known anyone that could swallow so much without adjusting first. Damn Reno…you really love getting down to business.~

The Turk’s sea-green eyes flashed up at Cloud as he took Zack’s length all the way down his throat. There was a question in them and the blonde remembered the purpose of this encounter.

“Oh, uh…let it slide out so you can use your teeth a little,” advised Cloud, his face heating as he said it. He never thought he’d end up giving someone blowjob advice in the middle of the wilderness.

Reno pulled back and let the warm, rigid shaft slide out to the tip with excruciating slowness. Zack’s breath caught and he smiled around the hardness in his mouth, enjoying the sound.

“Now graze the tip with your incisors…lightly.” Cloud emphasized the last word. Control was important and if the giver wasn’t careful, it was easy to cause pain instead of pleasure.

Reno did as he was told, gently grazing his teeth over the sensitive urethra opening. The resulting moan that burst from Zack’s lips indicated that he was doing it right.

“Don’t forget to squeeze the base,” Cloud warned between kisses as his mouth explored Zack’s jaw. “You want it to last and make him come without blowing his load.” He was fast losing his inhibitions as the sight of Reno’s mouth around Zack’s cock and the sounds the latter was making turned him on more.

Reno gripped the base and continued to gently brush his teeth over the tip, keeping the suction strong as he did it. Zack trembled under the assault, his thigh muscles twitching helplessly. His soft grunts and moans increased in volume until Cloud muffled them with his mouth. Guessing the blonde was satisfied with his progress, Reno kept doing it until Zack’s pelvis was undulating and he’d broken into a sweat.

Cloud paused in his plundering of the dark-haired man’s mouth to give more advice. “That’s good, Reno. You might want to ease up a little and just suck and lick for a while. It’s too much to take if you don’t give him a breather.”

Remembering how Cloud had made him howl like a wild thing the last time he did this to him, Reno felt charitable enough to do as advised. He stopped teasing the slit in the tip of Zack’s cock and sucked the length deep down his throat, swallowing to massage it while his tongue stroked the underside.

“F-fuck,” Zack groaned, humping the Turk’s mouth instinctively. He knew Reno would pick up on this fast and the redhead was already a firebrand in the bedroom. He panted heavily against Cloud’s lips and closed his eyes, groaning at the sensation of Reno’s hot, wet mouth sucking him. He was getting close and he worried that he might not be able to hold back his spunk.

“You don’t want to stop him from coming,” Cloud warned softly. He brushed Zack’s bangs out of his eyes and marveled at the expression on his face. “That’s the tricky part.”

“Mmm,” Reno hummed. He brushed his teeth over Zack’s cock again and loosened his hold on the base a little bit. He was already familiar with staving off ejaculation but he didn’t know if he could make Zack come without expelling his seed. The thick organ began to twitch and Zack whined his name, making Reno’s stomach do a flip and causing him to moan around his cock.

~That’s my baby…you like that, don’t you? Shit, this is hot.~

“Oh shit,” Zack panted, “oh god…wait…Reno wait…” He was coming hard as soon as the plea left his mouth and his eyes rolled with the pleasure. Whether it was because he was already trained for tantric orgasm or because Reno succeeded, he couldn’t guess. He bucked inside of the redhead’s sucking mouth without spending himself and he trembled and held Cloud tightly.

Reno licked and slurped on the pulsing organ like it was the most delicious treat he’d ever had. He swallowed the length of it again and squeezed Zack’s thighs, reveling in the way his hips lifted with the orgasm. When the spasms slowed and stopped, the Turk let Zack’s cock slide out of his mouth to the tip again and he gently sucked the head and swirled his tongue around the cap.

“Bravo,” gasped Zack. A sheen of sweat covered him and Cloud’s hands stroked his heaving chest and stomach. “Good going, red. So, you pulled it off.” He tried to dislodge the Turk’s mouth from his dick but Reno would have none of it. He swallowed nervously when the redhead growled softly and kept going.

“Better let him have his fill,” Cloud murmured huskily, smiling at the worried look on Zack’s flushed face.

Zack rested his head on Cloud’s shoulder and panted. It wasn’t going to take much to make him come again and he was afraid he’d lose it if it went on for much longer. It felt too damned good and the desire to throw both of his lovers to the floor and fuck them into the ground was quickly growing out of control.

“You two are sooo gonna get it,” Zack groaned. His sentence was emphasized with a sharp gasp as Reno started using his teeth again. “Dammit Foxy, quit that!”

“Mmm-mm,” Reno hummed, shaking his head back and forth. He slipped a hand into the opening of Zack’s pants and the fighter bucked as he started tickling his balls.

“You little bastard,” Zack growled. Cloud lowered his mouth to his chest and sucked on his right nipple. “You too, Cloudy. Damn…do you two want to get your asses hammered?”

“That’s a trick question, right?” Cloud murmured against the nub he was teasing. “I mean, you’re talking Reno here.”

Reno chuckled and the sensation it created made Zack moan.

“You can hammer Reno when he’s done with you,” Cloud invited, and the redhead nodded. “After you get it out of your system, you can have me.”

The only thing more amazing than Reno’s ability to still be a bigmouth even when said mouth was full was Cloud’s dirty talk. Zack growled and slid his fingers into his blonde lover’s hair, urging his head up so that he could kiss him. He thrust his tongue past the soft, parted lips and ravished his mouth, sliding one hand down to cup him between the legs. Cloud moaned into the kiss and pushed himself eagerly into Zack’s fondling hand.

Reno paused in his blowjob to issue an order. “Blondie, why don’t you get me ready while I’m finishing up with Wolfy here?”

Cloud and Zack both thought that was an excellent idea and they stopped kissing. Cloud piled the pillows behind Zack’s back before moving away and crawling up behind Reno. He searched through the pockets of his cargo pants eagerly until he found the tube of lubricant he was carrying. The lube was one thing that both he and Zack made sure they had plenty of before the trip, both knowing that sex was an inevitable bonus of the trip.

He leaned over Reno’s stretched-out form and kissed him on the back of the neck, just to the right of the base of his ponytail. Reno purred, his head slowly bobbing as he continued sucking Zack off. Cloud reached beneath the Turk’s hips and fumbled with the button of his jeans, popping it open with a little bit of effort. Reno lifted his ass to give him better access and Cloud dragged the redhead’s fly down. He pulled his jeans down to the ankles and Reno obligingly got to his knees, giving the blonde full access to his exposed bottom and groin.

Cloud ran his hands over the smooth skin of Reno’s ass, admiring the conflict of the softness and the firm muscles beneath. He stopped to pop the top off the lubricant and he warmed it between his hands for a few moments before squeezing a portion out. Zack watched with heavy-lidded, glittering eyes as Cloud smeared some of the gel over the puckered hole before gently inserting a finger. Reno’s pleased moan caused the black-haired fighter to clench his teeth and grab handfuls of the sleeping bags.

“Hurry, chocobo,” Zack urged through clenched teeth as he thrust into Reno’s mouth.

Cloud knew that his sable-haired lover must be in a bad way if he was rushing preparations. Ordinarily, Zack was pretty methodical when he prepared a lover, aware as he was of his own size. He hated the thought of causing pain and that was very obvious in the tender care he always gave to his lovers. Thankfully, Reno was adept at adjusting his body to accommodate for intercourse and he demonstrated that now as he relaxed around Cloud’s probing finger. He was snug but Cloud knew it wouldn’t take long to get him ready.

Reno tensed a bit when Cloud’s fingers brushed against the gland inside of him. He moaned around Zack’s cock and pushed back invitingly, loving the feel of the penetration and the little shocks of pleasure when the blonde pressed that spot. He left off teasing Zack with his teeth and changed tactics to sooth him, stroking the length with his tongue again and sucking back and forth over it. He kept his lips tightly sealed around the girth even when Cloud’s ministrations made his vision blur. Too much more fingering and he was sure to blow his load.

When Cloud added the second finger to the mix, it was all Reno could do not to release Zack’s cock and beg the blonde to fuck him. The visual was fantastic, so Reno eased off and panted, “Cloud, fuck me while I finish this, baby. Please.”

Cloud met Zack’s hot eyes and the black-haired fighter nodded, his facial expression strained but amused.

~Well, that’s one way to make sure he’s ready for Zack.~

The temptation was too good to resist and Cloud started undoing his pants with one hand while still fingering the redhead with the other. He swore softly as he struggled to get the buttons and fly undone but he freed his erection before long. He made himself wait until the clenching around his fingers eased enough and then he removed the digits and coated his stiff flesh with more lubricant.

“Ready for me?” Cloud inquired breathily.

Reno nodded, too busy with his blowjob to speak aloud. Cloud positioned himself and sank in, his eyes going blank and his lids drooping as he sheathed himself slowly in the Turk’s body. Reno moaned and pressed back, increasing the penetration. The blonde shuddered when he was encased to the hilt and he took a moment to catch his breath before drawing back and thrusting.

~Fuck, that feels great,~ Reno thought as Cloud’s stiff flesh pumped forwards and back inside of him. He stopped tickling Zack’s balls and cupped them instead, aware that the other man could only take so much before losing control. He felt Zack tug his ponytail and he felt his balls tightening in his palm. Reno sucked firmly on the black-haired fighter’s cock and took him down his throat again as the organ started jerking in his mouth.

“You two are gonna kill me,” Zack blurted sincerely as he had another dry orgasm. He gasped and bowed his head, licking his lips as Reno’s throat worked around his cock.

Cloud began humping the redhead with greater enthusiasm but he kept his motions in check, so as not to throw the rhythm off. Reno happily resumed sucking Zack off when the dark-haired man’s orgasm eased up and he moaned around the rigid flesh as Cloud pumped steadily against him. The blonde reached down to stroke Reno’s stiff sex and the Turk released Zack’s cock momentarily to shake his head.

“Not that, baby,” he panted. “It’s too much. Hold onto it if you wanna but don’t play with it right now.”

Cloud stopped and contented himself with fondling Reno’s nipples as he took him. Reno groaned and lowered his mouth over Zack’s erection again. The firm shoves of Cloud’s dick were hitting him just right inside and he clutched Zack’s thighs desperately. Cloud seemed to sense that he was getting too close and one of the blonde’s hands dipped down and firmly grasped the base of his cock. Reno whimpered thankfully. He’d done it just in time and the redhead’s near-orgasm made him groan.

“Reno,” Cloud panted, closing his eyes as the Turk’s ass squeezed him. He wasn’t going to last. In fact, he started to come almost as soon as he gasped Reno’s name. He dropped his forehead to Reno’s sweating back and filled him with his release, pulsing until he was spent. He murmured a praise to his lover after catching his breath and he carefully pulled out. He stretched out beside the two of them and watched as Reno finally let Zack’s erection out of his mouth and stayed in position for him.

“Ready for ya Wolfy,” panted the Turk. He smiled wickedly at the bigger man, daring him to do what he’d promised earlier.

Zack didn’t waste any time. Instead of moving around behind Reno, he caught hold of him and dragged him up from his position. Reno yelped softly in surprise but he didn’t fight the other man as Zack turned him around and positioned him with his ass in the air. There was no need for further lubricant at this point, so Zack mounted him and growled in his ear as he pressed against his slick entrance and thrust home.

“Fucking hell, baby,” Reno cried as the other man’s cock mercilessly slid all the way in. He was even more thankful that Cloud had taken him first and given his body a chance to adjust. Zack paused, panting heavily into his ear once he was all the way in. Reno turned his head and licked his cheek invitingly. “It’s all good, Zack,” he encouraged. “I’m okay.”

Zack didn’t respond verbally. Instead, he cupped Reno’s hips and started fucking him sharply. His husky grunts of pleasure tickled the redhead’s ear and his enthusiastic thrusts made his body shake with pleasure. Reno started howling without even realizing he was doing it and a hand clamped over his mouth. He opened his eyes to see Cloud’s lusty face inches from his and he tempered his vocal cords. The blonde cautiously pulled his hand away and kissed Reno, muffling his exclamations with his mouth.

Cloud alternated between kissing Reno and kissing Zack, while at the same time he ran his hands over the black-haired fighter’s flexing ass. He tugged Zack’s pants further down to ease the awkwardness and he started hardening again as he watched him fuck Reno.

“Shhh,” Cloud warned the Turk as Zack’s pumping dragged further shouts of pleasure and lust from Reno’s mouth. He kissed him again, loving the sounds he made even as he tried to soften them.

“I’m comin’,” Reno whimpered against Cloud’s lips. “Aw shit…I’m comin’ hard! Oh fuck, put your hand over my mouth, Blondie!”

Cloud quickly did as he asked and Reno screamed with pleasure behind the muffling hand. Zack groaned heavily and shoved hard and deep into him, letting his body milk him to the final, explosive release.

“That was almost too good,” Zack sighed as he finished unloading inside of Reno’s trembling body. He pulled Reno’s ponytail aside and nuzzled his ear. “Did I hurt you, Red?”

Cloud removed his hands from Reno’s mouth and the Turk smiled with bliss at both of them. “Hurt me? When are ya gonna learn, Zack? I love a good, hard fuck. It was great.”

~*********************************~

While the encounter didn’t exactly work out as planned, all three men were satisfied and sleepy with the afterglow. They cleaned up and Zack promised both of them something special in the morning as they laid down together and snuggled.

“What do you mean, ‘something special’?” Cloud asked, lifting his head off Zack’s shoulder to gaze at him quizzically.

“I found something nice when I was scouting this place out,” informed the other man with a grin and a wink. “You’ll see tomorrow. It’s a surprise.”

Cloud sighed and laid his head back down, absently reaching across Zack’s chest to stroke Reno’s hair. “You and your surprises.”

~*******************************~

-To be continued