Trioverse ficlets

In Zack's not so humble opinion the next best thing to going to bed with both his lovers was waking up to watch them still sleeping and unaware of his close observation. Cloud was still in the middle, deep in the heavy sleep of the physically exhausted, with one hand curled under his chin and a lock of brilliant red hair tangled in the other. The younger man was always adorably uninhibited in his sleep and sought out his lovers' touch much more often than he did while awake. He also had one foot hooked behind Zack's calf to keep the other SOLDIER close.

Reno was just as affectionately clingy in sleep as Cloud. He had one arm thrown over Cloud's waist with the hand touching Zack's hip. It made warm, contented feelings swell in Zack's chest when Cloud shifted with a murmur and Reno unconsciously responded by nuzzling into the soft, blond spikes and tightening his hold on Zack as well. Zack stroked a fingertip over Reno's tattooed left cheek and smiled as his fiery lover turned into the caress. It spoke a lot of the love and trust between them all that Cloud and Reno were able to relax so completely.

Some mornings Zack enjoyed just laying there with his head propped on his fist and watching them. It was becoming increasingly more rare for the three of them to have a day off together where they could sleep in and spend the day basking in the others' company.

Zack frowned as he idly stroked his hand through Reno's hair. He had nothing concrete to pin his feelings of uneasiness on, but something was stirring within Shinra. The Turks were becoming more grim faced and secretive than ever. The staff of the science department appeared to have doubled in size in just a few short months. White coats could be seen flapping around the huge complex at all hours of the day, watching, taking notes and sometimes pulling random people aside for a few hours of what they called questioning. It wasn't very reassuring to know that Hojo had amassed a huge workforce under his supervision.

As a SOLDIER 1st Class, Zack had been sent out more of late leading a unit with the mission of tracking and eliminating an unusual amount of monsters. The origin of the monsters was never fully explained to the SOLDIERS. That and the fact that they were popping up more frequently all around and even in the city proper was enough to make a sane man have questions. Zack had noticed and had heard whispers amongst the troops about how eerily similar the monsters were to humans. Oh, they didn't look very human. It was more to do with their intelligence and almost crafty way of evading their pursuers. The SOLDIERS were having to use tactics employed in the past against the forces of Wutai rather than just hunting a pack of animals.

The monsters' level of intelligence wasn't all that made them difficult to eliminate. They also had their own natural defenses. Zack stopped stroking Reno's hair to rub gingerly over slowly healing claw marks that marred the right side of his ribs. A monster had managed to snag him on his last mission. It hadn't been much more than a deep scratch, but Zack figured the claws had been poison tipped from the startling bolt of agony he had felt. At least it hadn't incapacitated him, and he had relieved the monster of its head before it could get in another hit.

When his enhanced abilities hadn't healed the claw marks within a day or two, Zack had gone to medical. The doctor on duty at the time had been more intrigued than concerned that there were monsters about that could interfere with a SOLDIER's much enhanced physiology. The doctor had muttered to himself continuously while making copious notes, prodding and taking several blood samples from Zack before giving a potion that Zack had never had before. The whole encounter had been subtly off, and Zack had given serious thought to refusing the potion except that the wound was compromising his ability to wield his sword. He had swallowed the vile tasting liquid with a shudder and had been told to report back if he wasn't completely healed in a few days.

Zack had a high level of mako in his body. It worried him to think what could happen if Cloud or Reno or any of the regular citizens of Midgar were attacked by the same type of monster. It would most likely be fatal.

He was pulled from his rambling thoughts when Reno grumbled sleepily. Zack had unintentionally pulled the Turk's hair and one eye opened to give him a baleful glare. Reno's annoyance didn't last, though, when he remembered where he was, who he was with and that it was a day off duty. His glare turned to an easy smile when Zack smoothed a hand over his hair in mute apology. Cloud slept on, making a soft, contented noise that he would have been utterly humiliated to know sounded very much like a sleepy chocobo chick as he pressed his face against Reno's bare chest in an attempt to block out light and sound.

Zack chuckled and molded himself against Cloud's back, squeezing the blond between them and making him squirm. Cloud mumbled something and pushed back against Zack unintentionally, or maybe not, rubbing the sweet curve of his ass against Zack's morning erection. Zack briefly considered just letting him sleep some more until Cloud wiggled in a move that was deliberately provocative.

"Good morning, baby," Zack murmured in Cloud's ear as he ran his hand down Cloud's chest and moved it lower to brush against hardening flesh.

"M'rnin," Cloud mumbled and tilted his head back to encourage Zack's lips to explore his neck. A pleased hum escaped his lips then he froze and his eyes opened impossibly wide. "Morning? Oh, shit! I gotta...I can't believe...I'm gonna...Zack, I'm going to be late! Let me go! He'll run me 'til I drop for being late." The last was a despairing wail.

Zack held tight to his struggling lover and smothered a laugh against the soft skin of his throat. Poor Cloud, trying so hard to exceed expectations that he was too exhausted to remember what day it was.

"Shhh, it's all okay," Zack spoke into Cloud's ear and tried to soothe him with both touch and voice. "It's your day off, baby. We're all off duty today, remember?"

Cloud stopped struggling to disentangle himself from the bedding, but stayed tense until he twisted his head back to see Zack's happy grin then looked forward again to see Reno watching him with an affectionate smile curving his lips. Cloud flopped bonelessly back into the pillows with a weary sigh of relief.

"It's not funny," Cloud said with a sulky pout.

Zack rubbed his chest and neck. "Yes, it is. You're damned cute when you're flustered."

"I suppose you think me being in a panic would be freakin' adorable," Cloud grumbled, not quite ready to give up his grouchy mood but not discouraging Zack's touches either.

Zack snickered again and curled his tongue around the shell of Cloud's ear before nipping his way down Cloud's neck. As always, it was an effective way of derailing the blond's thought and smoothing away any remaining crankiness. The soft moan Cloud couldn't quite hold back easily reached his ears. Reno scooted closer as well and pulled Cloud's right leg up and around his waist. He traced his fingertips over his younger lover's jaw and slipped them into Cloud's open mouth. They were immediately sucked on, Cloud's eyes fluttering closed, a needy hum of want vibrating his throat.

"We've missed you, Spiky," Zack murmured, only pausing between nips to search for the discarded lube.

Cloud's answer was to suck harder on Reno's fingers and rock his hips between the hard cock along side his own and the one leaving a damp trail just above the cleft of his cheeks. When Zack finally located the lube Reno pulled his fingers from Cloud's mouth and took his lips in a demanding, aggressive kiss as Zack coated the redhead's fingers with a layer of slick. Reno reached over Cloud's thigh and rubbed his slippery fingers around the puckered ring before sliding one in shallowly.

Cloud broke the kiss with a gasp, pushing back into Reno's touch to take the intrusion deeper and turning his head to offer his mouth to Zack. A light flush colored the blond's face and neck and his parted lips. Zack fairly growled in approval and plundered Cloud's mouth, dominating his younger lover completely. It was rare for generous, loving Zack to demand total submission so when he did it always affected his lovers strongly. Reno's eyes were hot and his pupils dilated with lust as he continued to stretch and tease Cloud with his fingers while watching Zack make the blond tremble and moan with just his kiss.

Cloud's responsiveness was always a delight to his lovers. It never took much to have him panting and ready. Any remaining shyness was obliterated by need and pleasure. He rocked between his lovers' teasing touches until the need for more became too much. He pushed back to rub his ass against Zack in clear demand as reached down to take both his own and Reno's cock in the grip of one hand. He grinned with a fierce, possessive joy when he caused both men to groan with pleasure.

More than ready to give in, Zack eased his way into Cloud's body, and Reno linked his hand with Cloud's to help stroke them together. It was slow and leisurely sex, a chance after several busy weeks to reconnect and enjoy each other. Skin was touched and tasted as their bodies dampened with sweat that made them slide together even easier. Lips parted and opened to release breathy moans. Strands of hair stuck to skin.

Cloud came first with a wordless cry, unconsciously tightening his grip and dragging Reno along with him. Before their trembling and shuddered eased Zack came as well, buried deep in Cloud's body and his lips pressed against Reno's. They lay together in a heap of languid, boneless satisfaction until someone's stomach growled. Zack smothered a laugh against Cloud's hair then got up for a bone cracking stretch. He felt great. Even the claw marks over his ribs couldn't dim his happy mood. A day off, great sex to start off the morning, the company of his two favorite people; they all gave Zack a much needed break.

With a promise not to burn anything and to make sure the coffee was strong and hot Zack left his lovers drowsing in their bed to go make breakfast. When he reached over his head to get the largest frying pan from the cabinet the wounds pulled again, this time tearing a little and making him frown. Zack decided he would talk to Sephiroth first before returning to the doctor, but that could wait until tomorrow. He wasn't going to allow a day off with his lovers be marred by suspicions. He belted his robe more tightly and didn't notice the tinge of black that quickly became indistinguishable from the rest of the small amount of drying blood.