Zack learns the hard way

 

Bathing Cloud was a lot less awkward then Zack thought it would be. After finding a warm spring and confirming the absence of leeches, it was easy to just throw off his clothes and dive in. Well, not really dive, it more of a shallow jump. Coming back up, he dragged Cloud ever to the edge and stripped him of the first class uniform. The really gross, sticky and kinda stiff uniform. Huh, maybe he should do a bit of laundry while they still had the chance.

Cloud didn't react to the water, though Zack wasn't really expecting it. They didn't have soap and Zack had to wipe him down with his undershirt, but it was nice just to feel a bit cleaner. It was a little awkward to have to wipe down Clouds 'cloudy bits' but thankfully Cloud didn't react to that either. Right, because that would have been a whole new level of uncomfortable. Yeah.

It was after cleaning up that Zack realized they had a problem. No towels and even touching their clothing left streaks of grime on kinda clean skin. Well, okay. They could be naked for a little while, just until their clothing was dry, uh after it was cleaned too and did he mention the clothes really reaked? Yeah, soap would be really nice right now.

Ah well, Cloud need a tan anyway, that kid was just too pale.

It took longer then he thought for the stuff to dry though and he had to go hunting for food in a pair of slightly damp briefs. It was way more uncomfortable then he thought it would be and he was pretty sure he looked ridiculous. He wasn't too big on leaving Cloud alone and naked in the clearing either. The guy was just too pretty (even for a guy, not that he thought Cloud was, like attractive. No. Not at all. Well he was but that didn't mean Zack thought it) he half expected to turn around and see the kid being molested by forest animals. Huh, well that was disturbing image. Maybe he should just stop thinking. Yeah, that would be better for both of them.

Right, food. Paranoid ramblings aside, he still kept Cloud in view. Just in case.