Redemption

Authors Notes:Once again, I'd just like to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews and support. I'm glad you are enjoying this, and love toh ear what you think about it. Please comment and review on chapters you read, as it keeps me writing. :)

Chapter 9 - Dinner and Interrogation

The conference room was as drab as Cloud remembered it. And as he sat down in one of the uncomfortable chairs to wait for his briefing, after quickly showering before running there, he found himself wishing he had spent a little more time with Zack before he had left. If he had known that they would be late in getting here, then he was sure he could have spared a few extra minutes.

However, just when his regretful thoughts were about to reach their peak, the door opened, and a well dressed man and woman entered. There were only few curt words of greeting before they launched into the presentation of his mission, and Cloud found himself completely underwhelmed with the task at hand.

Three Wutaian prisoners were currently being temporarily held in Corel Prison. Shinra now felt that the security of that prison had been compromised, and because of such, these prisoners were to be escorted to Costa Del Sol, where they would be shipped across to the prison in Junon for further interrogation. They were considered prisoners deserving of top level security, and so they were to be escorted by a handful of 3rd Class SOLDIER --and Cloud.

Cloud knew that he should have felt excited, as it was a special privilege to be assigned on a mission that was reserved for SOLDIER. Yet knowing that he would be unable to do any research into Shinra, unable to train, unable to move forward with his main goal, he couldn't help his annoyance. Then again, perhaps getting away from Zack and the heat that the man brought would be a good thing. A chance to cool his head, gather his thoughts, and regain his self control.

And yet, even as he was considering spending less time wrapped around Zack, guilt washed over him when he remembered the state he had left the other man in. And as he accepted the mission and signed several papers, he was already planning to go back to Zack's room to speak with him. Maybe to apologize, perhaps to explain that he was still unsure of where Zack wanted to take things. He had to say something to the man before he left, so as he exited the briefing room, he found himself taking the elevator to SOLDIER's quarters.

Still unsure of what exactly he would say to the older SOLDIER, he was running possible conversations over in his head as he exited the elevator. Oblivious to his surroundings, he failed to notice when he nearly ran into the object of his attentions.

"Cloud!" Zack exclaimed, quickly pulling him away from the elevator door where he was holding up another SOLDIER wishing to exit. "What are you doing here?" Though by the excitement in his tone, it was obvious Zack knew he was the reason Cloud had come.

"Oh, I just wanted to...talk to you." Cloud said, suddenly realizing how pointless his actions were. Any SOLDIER could leave on a mission, knowing that any comrade would understand. And yet, here he was, regardless of such reasoning. "I leave on my mission tomorrow morning. I just wanted to say goodbye." He muttered quickly, trying to avoid any further embarrassment.

"Oh, I was just on my way to dinner with Angeal." Zack said with a pleasant smile. Cloud nodded his understanding, before turning away.

"Don't let me keep you. I just wanted to let you know that the mission will keep me away for a few days." He said quietly. "I'll see you when I get back?"

"Hey, wait." Zack said, grabbing Cloud's arm suddenly, grabbing his full attention. "Why don't you come have dinner with us?"

Supper involving Angeal did not seem like a very good idea, but when Cloud started to decline, Zack was already pulling into the elevator. "It'll be great!" Zack said happily, as if Cloud had just agreed. "The food is so much better than the slop they serve in the cafeteria. One good meal before your mission and you'll be set for any hell they throw at you!" Zack beamed with complete self-assurance.

Zack sounded so thrilled with the idea of having Cloud over for supper, that the blond couldn't really find it in himself to rip his arm away and run for it. Still, he was wary. Angeal was not on the best of terms, but at least if Zack was there the man would resist any temptation to dig into Cloud again. Or so he hoped.

He realized belatedly that he was still in the uniform he had worn to the mission briefing, and while he had showered quickly after training, he wondered if there was any sort of expectation as to what someone wore to dinner. Zack was wearing a simple black t-shirt and a pair of jeans, but the t-shirt just showed off how defined his torso was, and the jeans clung to him in all the right places. Cloud felt downright frumpy in comparison.

"Should I change?" He asked quietly, leaning closer to Zack when he spoke so that the others in the elevator would not overhear. They were already on their way up to the First's flats, which answered that question in itself, but he figured he should ask anyways.

"But your cadet uniform looks so good on you." Zack protested, loud enough to draw attention of those sharing the elevator, causing heat to fill Cloud's cheeks.

But it didn't matter, because the elevator stopped and they quickly got off. Zack grabbed Cloud's hand and led him down the hall, leaving no room for second thoughts. The difference between the cadet quarters and the SOLDIER quarters was stark enough, but First Class seemed to net you your own high class apartment at the top of the housing complex. A few people lingered in the hallways, looking far too clean and well dressed for Cloud's comfort, but they hardly seemed to notice Zack and his cadet friend.

It occurred to Cloud that this would be a good place to snag an access card, but he pushed that thought from his mind. First Class did not have access to Shinra's secrets. In fact, Shinra strove it's hardest to keep people like Sephiroth in the dark. No First Class would have access to information that could potentially harm the loyalty of some of Shinra's greatest tools and weapons.

When Zack didn't stop at any of the doors along the hallway, and instead lead them out into a stairwell, Cloud was wondering at how inconvenient it could be to gain access to living quarters. Zack seemed to catch this, which made him laugh. "Only Angeal has a card with clearance to his quarters. It's a flat - basically he has an entire floor to himself. Genesis and Sephiroth both get the same treatment. Part of being a general I guess. Elevators take you right up, stairs only take you to the front door."

"Must be nice at the top." Cloud muttered, which drew another laugh from Zack. Fortunately Angeal's apartment was only up one flight of stairs, and after punching a code into a keypad at the top, they entered a small landing with a finely crafted wooden door at the end of it.

Angeal opened the door on the second knock, smiling when he saw Zack he stepped aside to let him in. When he saw Cloud standing behind him, the blond wished he had refused to come when the smile left Angeal's features. The searching look Angeal gave him was terrifying of itself. The man was far too suspicious, seeing far too much as he looked at Cloud. And yet, he didn't slam the door in Cloud's face or ask him to leave, as Cloud assumed he would. Instead, he simply cast a look at Zack, saw the whining, pleading eyes that Zack gave him, and stood aside to let Cloud in. He was obviously not going to deny this request from his Puppy.

Dinner seemed to already be prepared, the smells from the kitchen incredible. Cloud found his stomach turning with the urge to fill it. The table had been set for two, but Angeal quickly rectified it by bringing out extra cutlery and a plate. He set a place for Cloud across the table from Zack.

They sat down to eat, and as the food was passed around, Cloud could feel Angeal's piercing gaze on him, scanning him for whatever Angeal thought he might find. Cloud thought perhaps that Zack had already told Angeal what had transpired that morning, but no lewd comments were made by either party, which made soothed Cloud's concern.

The food however, was the final nail in doubt's coffin. He was glad he came, if only for the food. Tifa's cooking was a lifetime away. Even in his past life he had missed out on it due to the war. But he remembered it tasting something like this, delicious and well made, albeit not as elaborately arranged as Angeal's meal was. The man's method of preparing and arranging food a form of art. A far cry from living off of hypers, which had been his reality for much too long. And Shinra's cafeteria food was not much better.

"This is really good." Cloud spoke quietly between bites. "I haven't eaten food like this in...a very long time."

"Angeal's amazing, isn't he?" Zack grinned, quite enjoying the pleased look on his mentor's face.

"The cafeteria has nothing on this." Cloud agreed, before settling into silence as he ate.

"Living off the cafeteria food is like missing out on half your life. You really need to start eating takeout, at least. But you'd gain so much weight if you ate food like this every day."

Angeal broke his silence. "Cafeteria food gives those in training enough energy to function, but not much else. People usually spend their salaries on real food."

Cloud remained silent as conversation between Angeal and Zack picked up as their stomach's started to fill. It struck Cloud that he had butt in on alone time that they probably enjoyed, but it wasn't long before Zack made an effort to drag him into the conversation.

"How did your mission briefing go? Get to do anything fun? Undercover work? Are you going to Wutai?"

"Nothing like that." Cloud said. He was that Shinra wouldn't put someone who wasn't SOLDIER on a mission that was so important or vital. "Just an armed escort. It'll be like a vacation from all the training I've been doing."

"Speaking of your training," Angeal mentioned lightly in the lull that followed, "Zack's VR room records have been skyrocketing lately. I'm assuming this is related to your training regime?"

Cloud tried not to get defensive, there was no malice or accusation in the man's tone. Obviously he just wanted to confirm that it wasn't just Zack's training that was piling up on the other man's records. "Uh, could be." Cloud said, not looking at Angeal, instead focusing on his napkin which he was folding and refolding nervously in his hands.

Angeal seemed to accept this as admittance enough, because he only smiled. "Well, don't push yourself too hard. A SOLDIER spends his whole life training, don't burn yourself out trying to do it all at once." Cloud had already spent one lifetime training, he was only trying to regain what he had lost. He was sure his body could take it, his mind certainly could, but he wasn't going to say anything to Angeal about that.

Their conversation steered to Zack's performance in his recently completed missions. Angeal took the time to compare Zack's runs with the ones that had obviously been Cloud. Pointing out what they could both improve, what they excelled at, what their weaknesses were and how to properly hide them. It struck Cloud that Angeal was no slouch in his determination to mentor Zack. He studied every mission Zack ran, knew his way of fighting intimately. Knew where he had improved and where his failings were. He was equally skilled in relaying it all back to Zack, encouraging him and teaching him at the same time.

"You were far above the expected average, in even your very first VR runs." Angeal said, turning his attention to Cloud for a moment, and suddenly the blond realized that Angeal had probably studied every run he had done in the VR room as well, something he wasn't sure he was happy about. "You must have had some kind of training before entering Shinra?"

Cloud immediately recognized the question for the trap it was. Cloud of the past had entered Shinra reporting no formal training, and that was not a story he could change. This made things a little more complicated, but...

"No, I had no formal training."

"But you had a mentor, who taught you what you know?"

Angeal had obviously been speaking to Zack, the conversation he and the young SOLDIER had was now fair game. Something told Cloud he was being set up. Alarm bells were ringing in his head, telling him to stop talking to the man and leave. But Angeal had him cornered with his polite inquiries, and Cloud knew he couldn't just get up and go without causing even more suspicion.

"Yes. " He answered simply, sure that Angeal had already heard everything he had told Zack. "A warrior in Nibelheim trained me."

"Your mother recently confirmed that there was no such man in Nibelheim, and that you received no such training." Cloud felt like he had been kicked in the face, his appetite disappeared and was replaced with nausea. It had been a mistake coming here, a mistake assuming that Angeal would not confront him with Zack present. Zack himself was pressed against the back of his chair, looking cautiously between Cloud and Angeal, almost holding his breath in trepidation. Cloud's hands were bunched into fists, the napkin he had been holding crushed tightly inside of one.

"Just what are you implying?" He snarled finally, hoping he did not sound as defensive as he felt.

"That you are lying about who you are. Why do your eyes glow with mako, when you've never been treated with it? I already confirmed with your mother that you never came into contact with any mako spill. Why are you so skilled with a sword that's twice your size, when you've had no training? Where do you come from? Who do you work for?"

"Angeal..." Zack whispered, perhaps as a warning, but both Cloud and Angeal ignored it. Cloud was angry, fuming even. Being called a liar and drilling him with questions was a good way to get under his skin in a hurry. But at the same time, that anger was tempered with the cold panic settling into his stomach. This man could ruin him. A few words to the higher ups in Shinra, and Cloud would find himself either kicked out or arrested before he could blink. He had come far enough now that he did not want to be forced to leave before he finished --Shinra was pivotal in finding and locating Jenova. Angeal believed that Cloud was a threat, suspected him of something terrible, and the blond was cornered under the older man's accusations.

"I'm not hiding anything important. I'm not a threat--"

"Bullshit!" Before he could finish, Angeal jumped to his feet, obviously angry. "Why should we trust a word you say, when you don't trust us enough to explain what's going on? Why should we believe you're not a threat, when you've yet to prove it?"

"I haven't done anything to hurt anybody." Cloud whispered, an almost desperate argument that if he was indeed a threat, wouldn't have hurt someone?

"Yet!" Angeal countered, "How long will that last?"

The man radiated absolute distrust, and Cloud was sure that no matter what he said, Angeal would not believe him. He was backed into a corner, and it was doing terrible things to his nervous system. When Angeal opened his mouth to throw more accusations, Cloud finally snapped.

Slamming his hands on the table he pushed himself to his feet, glaring daggers at the older SOLDIER. "If I was so dangerous, then why am I still here? Why haven't you reported me to Shinra? Because you've got no god damn proof! You know so much about my childhood, so when do you think I started planning all the sinister things you are accusing me of? What the hell do you think a fifteen year old cadet is capable of?"

Zack was cursing quietly under his breath, his gaze darting back and forth between the two very angry men who seemed more than capable of murder at that moment.

"I don't know what you are capable of." Angeal, said dangerously. Somehow his voice was just as terrifying in that low, threatening tone than when he was shouting. "But your stats are all out of whack, your combat skills uncanny--you could hurt so many people so easily with those abilities. This on top of being profiled as overly stressed and possibly unstable, with no records as to what has caused any of it. If you are on some kind of home grown steroids than at least say something. Your compulsive lying and cover-ups have to stop."

He couldn't explain those things, there was no way he could tell the truth, and he was all out of excuses. He had no way to defend himself, and all the rage and anger he had felt, was draining away from him, replaced with a cold form of despair. His head was spinning with thoughts and he could hear the planet whispering to him, obviously concerned that he would break, but their voices were too garbled to make out, not providing him with any help at all. "I'm not lying when I say I'm no threat, and I'm not unstable or dangerous." Cloud whispered, realizing at this point he was shaking, and wanted to be anywhere but there. He found his gaze darting towards the door, unhappily noting how Angeal's intimidating form was standing between him and it.

Angeal seemed to have noticed that Cloud was shutting down with panic. Seeing how far he had pushed the small blond, how close to hysteria Cloud was, he backed off, relaxed, and sat down. "Please, sit and finish your meal." He said quietly, leaving Cloud the only one standing, shakily as he was. "We'll continue this some other time." It was both a promise and a threat, but Cloud already knew that he could never get into this situation again. There would be no other time, and as he stood, collecting his control, he was already planning on how to completely remove contact with Angeal from his life. The first step would be to get his own training card, independent of Zack's suspicious mentor and his interference.

Cloud had enough survival instincts to mark Angeal as a threat, a danger that had to be avoided. Cloud sat down, glad he did when his knees turned to rubber, removing running from the room as an option, despite how much he wanted to. Persecuted by those around him while he suffered the torment of complete isolation, of being the planets weapon, of being utterly alone, Cloud was sure he had ample reason to simply break down.

He refused to look up from his plate, even though the sight of food, previously so appealing, made him nauseous. Zack let out a loud relieved sigh, as if he thought perhaps things had diffused and ended well.

Cloud almost felt betrayed, disappointed that Zack had not stood up to defend him. Yet it was a strong reminder of the way things were. The Zack of his life had died protecting him, would have saved him from anything no matter how minor, or how serious. However this world's Zack belonged to Angeal, and that's where his loyalties would lay. Zack was interested in him, but it was for friendly, carnal pursuits. When Zack had satisfied these interests, he would return to Angeal, leaving Cloud's loyalties unreturned.

And perhaps that was why the Planet was so desperate to keep him on track whenever he became distracted. Knowing that in this world he would only find that he did not belong, and that his old life and his old friends were completely unobtainable. The only peace he could find would be after his task was complete, when he returned to the planet that he so obediently served.

Dully, he noticed that Zack and Angeal were now chatting amiably once more. "A month from now and we'll all be on holidays, huh?" Zack said cheerfully, trying hard to lighten the mood and shift their thoughts. "I could really use a break with all these tests and training."

This was news to Cloud, who hadn't known they had holidays coming up. Instead of saying anything, he instead planned on how he could use that time. How much he could accomplish while unhindered by Shinra's many requirements and activities.

"We're definitely going to Costa Del Sol, right? And the Golden Saucer!" And while Zack animatedly discussed these plans, Cloud did not feel sporting enough to add anything to the conversation. This wasn't his Zack, he reminded himself, because it was so easy to get confused. The same spirit, perhaps, but the Zack he longed for had died on a cliff facing Midgar, and all memory of him had died with the lifestream. Cloud smiled sadly, remembering Zack's final words to him. "You are the proof that I existed." If only Zack knew how true those words would become.

"You'll come with us too, right?" Zack said, finally nudging Cloud to get the blond's attention, dragging him from his thoughts. "Costa Del Sol is the perfect place for a vacation. You could definitely use it."

Cloud shrugged, unwilling to agree to any plans that involved Angeal. "I hadn't thought about it."

Angeal got up, gathering the dishes from the table. He seemed to make a great effort to ignore the way Cloud tensed when he took his plate, returning to the kitchen with the dirty dishes in tow. When Cloud looked up, he saw Zack watching him, an apologetic expression on his face.

"Angeal won't bother you any more, if you'd like to stay and play cards with us." Zack offered, transparently hopeful that Cloud would accept.

Despite that, Cloud shook his head in polite refusal. "I've ruined your evening enough, I won't intrude any longer." Perhaps sounding a little hollow, tired out as he spoke. Cloud was surprised when Zack jumped up to intercept him when he made a move to leave.

"No," Zack said softly, "Please stay." He ignored Cloud's tenseness as he reached to touch his cheek comfortingly. "I know Angeal went way too far, and I should have stopped him. But, I..." Zack trailed off, but Cloud already knew why. Zack belonged to Angeal. "Please, I don't want you to leave feeling so upset. I know you'll have fun if you stay."

Zack was leading him to the living room without even waiting for an answer, without letting Cloud pull away or act on his decision to leave early. There was something kind in Zack's insistence, so Cloud did not protest. Any ill will towards Zack was misplaced. He had done nothing wrong, simply acted the way his nature dictated. The fact that he was not Cloud's Zack was no fault of his, and Cloud projecting onto him had only been the blond's own weakness, nothing to do with Zack.

He had to learn to control himself better, to not get caught in longing for what he could not have. Perhaps ending contact with Zack would be the smartest, most efficient way to live his life. However, as he watched Zack's face light up when Angeal entered the room carrying several bottles of beer, Cloud knew that it was too late. He was too weak to distance himself from that light.

He still craved companionship, still fought against the loneliness that was constantly trying to overwhelm him. How long would he continue to struggle, before even that small part of him didn't care? Would he lose all his humanity? Become entirely The Planet's weapon with no real thoughts or emotions of his own? Even Cloud realized what a depressing future that was to look forward to.

Angeal approached Cloud where he stood again, this time holding out a drink to him in offering. Cloud managed not to flinch, his calm control returning, but was tense and terse as he declined. "No thanks, I don't drink." He moved to turn away, go to Zack, who was preparing a deck of cards at the coffee table, but was stopped when Angeal pressed the bottle to Cloud's chest.

"You need it."

Quietly, Cloud took the bottle, even though he had no intentions of drinking it. Keeping the peace, not starting a scene over something so stupid. Zack wanted them both to play nice.

And yet Angeal didn't seem to have gotten that memo. "There is no need to get so sulky because someone does not trust your word as absolute truth." The man muttered quietly before taking a seat on the couch. He was still heard, however. Zack's head snapped up to glare at Angeal. Cloud was seeing red at the unfairness in that statement. Opening his mouth with a snarl, his sullenness replaced by an anger that was coming far too easily that night. Everything he planned on saying was interrupted by Zack.

"Angeal, stop baiting him." Zack said, sounding exasperated. "You're not being fair. I asked him to stay, but if you're so against being civil, then we'll leave."

It was a threat. A threat that Zack too would leave with Cloud, forcing Angeal alone for the night. Angeal seemed to take it seriously, because he let out a sigh.

"I'd rather he was pissed at me, than spending the entire night ignoring us while he broods." He tried to keep his tone light but couldn't help but sound fatigued. His words diffused Zack completely who simply shook his head.

Cloud was angry with himself for being so easily manipulated. There had been a time when he had been able to hide any weakness from an enemy, and now, so overwhelmed by those weaknesses he was as easy to read and play as a child. Zack grabbed two cushions from off the couch and tossed them across the coffee table. Cloud regained his composure, calming himself.

Zack flopped down onto one of the pillows, and Cloud quietly joined him on the other, both of them kneeling across from the couch where Angeal was seated. The cards were on the middle of the table, and Angeal picked them up, shuffling them with obvious skill.

Cloud was terrible at cards. He also hated beer, so Zack's assurance that he would enjoy himself had been rather unfounded. But the dark haired SOLDIER seemed thrilled at the idea of spending the night with his lover and his friend, and appeasing the fantasy that they could all get along wouldn't hurt for one night. Especially since Cloud was determined to squash it the next time Zack asked him to so much as look at Angeal.

"So," Angeal said, looking up from the now well shuffled deck, "Strip poker?" He was grinning wide, and Zack laughed. Zack was probably all for the idea, but the scathing glare that Cloud sent across the table contained enough disapproval for all three of them. "Next time, then." Angeal chuckled, "Gin it is."

Cloud had found that cards was a preferred pastime for many in SOLDIER, played during lengthy missions, or even boring classes. He had improved a little, playing against classmates who he had quickly found out did not show the mercy that Zack did while playing cards. But even then his improvements were minimal.

As the first hand played out it was obvious that Angeal also did not believe in mercy. The reason Zack had become so good was obvious. One was either good, or spent the entire night losing. Fortunately they were not playing with stakes, otherwise Cloud would have been cleaned out. However Angeal and Zack seemed to keep a point system between just the two of them, hinting that what those points were exchanged for were far dirtier than a game of strip poker.

A few hands in, Angeal got up to bring out more beer. Cloud's had disappeared when Zack saw it was clearly not going to be drank, and soon the new bottles were empty as well. Zack's strategies were deteriorating quickly, attesting to where most of the alcohol was going.

After a rather vicious trumping from Angeal, Cloud sighed and put down his cards. He was quite through with the game, and Zack laughed sounding just a little tipsy. Cloud nearly jumped out of his skin when Zack suddenly reached out and grabbed him, pulled his head close and kissed him. The taste of alcohol was strong on Zack's mouth, and while Cloud knew that liquor burned off fast in the system of anyone treated with mako, the brunet seemed legitimately tipsy even if the effect wouldn't last long.

Despite Cloud's tenseness, Zack merely held Cloud closer and deepened the kiss, massaging Cloud's lips with his own until the blond yielded and allowed access. Angeal was right there, yet Zack didn't seem to care in the least that he was making out with someone else. Sure that hostilities were about to go through the roof, Cloud put effort into pulling his head away from Zack, casting a panicked look in Angeal's direction.

To his surprise the other man seemed perfectly calm, leaning back relaxed against the couch, watching them with an interest that utterly astonished Cloud. He quickly returned his gaze to Zack, not willing to think of the implications of Angeal's heated gaze. Zack was grinning, already a little more sane as he reached for Cloud's shoulders again, pulling the blond from his knees to almost topple into Zack.

"You stiffed me this morning, you totally owe me." Zack whispered, a little too amused by the literalness of his words before he pulled Cloud into another kiss. When Angeal didn't move, just seemed content to watch the show from his place on the couch, Cloud managed to relax into Zack's hold.

The taste of alcohol wasn't as bad when it was mixed with Zack's usual flavour, Cloud decided. When Zack's tongue darted across flush lips, the blond tilted his head to suck it into his mouth, drawing a moan from Zack that made Cloud's cheek's flush. Zack's hands had moved from Cloud's shoulders to his waist, sliding under his shirt to run against the warm skin of Cloud's back, making the blond arch into Zack's hold as hands ran over ticklish, sensitive skin.

Their kiss broke and Zack moved his lips to Cloud's neck. He found the mark he had already left that morning and reclaimed it with several long strokes of his tongue. Doing his best to ignore Angeal's presence Cloud mimicked the actions, burying his nose in Zack's neck and inhaling his scent before kissing the other boy's ear gently.

Suddenly, Zack was fumbling with his hold on Cloud while he got to his feet, pulling Cloud hard against him and grinding their hips together. Cloud gasped against the sudden friction, all too aroused by the feeling, before Zack took a few steps back. Cloud barely noticed that they were standing in front of Angeal, before Zack carefully dropped down into Angeal's lap. The larger man's hands were instantly wrapped around Zack's chest and waist, mouth going to Zack's neck, squeezing the right places to make the smaller SOLDIER moan.

Zack still kept his grip on Cloud's arm, using Cloud's surprise to throw the blond off balance and causing him to tumble down awkwardly into Zack's lap. The brunet's lips were on him again before he could protest the change of position. Zack arranged Cloud's body so that his thighs were spread across Zack's lap, his knees butted into Angeal's, who had his legs spread wide in his relaxed sprawl, accommodating Zack between them.

Despite the fact that Zack's hands were still on him, pulling up his shirt, rubbing his skin in a way that was most pleasurable, Cloud was tense and nervous with a third, much less friendly man in the mix. When Zack broke their kiss, he gave Cloud a reassuring smile before sliding his mouth down Cloud's neck. Pressed against Zack's chest, Cloud could feel as Angeal's hands worked their way across Zack's front. One rubbed against a nipple, the other slid down Zack's stomach to his groin and rubbed him through the fabric of his jeans. Zack was responding eagerly as he bucked his hips into the contact. He moaned against Cloud's neck, his hands getting a little shakier as they slid down Cloud's sides.

It was erotic, Cloud was sure, to see the way Zack responded to Angeal. When the older SOLDIER ran a tongue obscenely over the rim of Zack's ear and pressed just the right way on Zack's still clothed groin, Zack bucked hard with a loud moan, almost thrashing against the hold that the older man had on him. Angeal's chuckle was audible, and boy in his grasp spat a few insults in response. It was amusing, and Cloud's expression must have betrayed his mirth, because Zack wrapped his arms around Cloud's shoulders and pulled him down for another kiss. "Not funny." Zack muttered sulkily against the blond's lips before taking them again.

Angeal's hands had withdrawn to Zack's sides, allowing the brunet to calm his arousal, so Cloud allowed Zack to press their bodies closer together. While they kissed, Zack's hands moved down to Cloud's hips and encouraged Cloud to grind against him, the blond awkwardly angling himself so that he could. The friction was arousing, intense, and Zack's hands remained on Cloud's hips to continue to guide his motions.

When a second, much larger pair of hands settled on Cloud's back, however, the blond jerked in surprise. Cloud pulled away to protest, but Zack lifted a finger to the blond's lips, giving him a look that was both comforting and pleading, before claiming the them again, trying hard to distract him with the kiss.

It was hard to be distracted. Angeal's mouth was still on Zack's neck and shoulder, but his hands were massaging across Cloud's back. They were gentle, they weren't aggressive or predatory and for that, Cloud was thankful. But it was still awkward, eerie, and he definitely did not enjoy or trust the idea of Angeal touching him. He liked Zack, he was comfortable with Zack, but Angeal was a completely different story.

It was just touching, he told himself, trying then to focus on Zack's mouth, his tongue, the hands encouraging him to continue rubbing their hips together. His focus allowed his body to relax, which Zack noticed right away and gave him a squeeze to encourage him to continue. Releasing Cloud's lips, Zack found the side of his neck previously ignored, claiming it with tongue, lips and teeth.

Cloud's eyes were closed as he enjoyed the ministrations, and was therefore surprised when he felt dry lips that were definitely not Zack's press against his already kiss-swollen ones. Eyes snapping open, he found Angeal's hands on his back soothing him much like one would sooth a skittish animal, while lips and a careful tongue worked over Cloud's mouth. Zack's ministrations were continuing on the side of his neck, and Cloud quickly became overwhelmed.

He was not used to intimacy, not with one person and definitely not with two. Angeal had accused and threatened him with the same mouth that were now pulling and sucking gently at Cloud's lower lip, and the blond wasn't sure if he was supposed to have forgotten that Angeal was the biggest threat to him and his safety. When a warm tongue dipped into his mouth, stroked across his tongue in a way that was far too relaxed, far too familiar for Cloud's taste, the blond abruptly pulled back.

It took some effort to scramble out of Zack's hold, pulling away strongly when hands tried to hold him close with their soothing nature. There was nothing soothing about it, nothing arousing about it anymore. He was fine with Zack, he adored Zack, he enjoyed the way Zack touched him and made him feel. But there was nothing in him that felt that way for Angeal, nothing in him that could relax or even simply tolerate the contact. Angeal was a threat, even when he was flushed and aroused, still holding Zack and looking questioningly at Cloud, as if it was odd or unusual that the blond was responding in such a defensive way.

Was it? Were they used to adding a third person, expecting that that person would be so aroused by the idea that they would throw any doubts or insecurities out the window? Cloud found that he didn't care if it was strange or unexpected, there was no way he was ready for this, no way that he could trust Angeal to be anything but dangerous.

"It's late." Cloud said, and when Zack breathed out something that sounded a lot like a curse, and Angeal simply sighed, Cloud ran a hand through his hair, frustrated and nervous at the same time. "I have a mission tomorrow. I shouldn't do this." And he didn't wait to see their disappointed or annoyed expressions, didn't wait to hear Zack's apologies or Angeal's amusement. He was running away and he was alright with that, because he had burdens more important than this to bear, and this was just more proof that he was becoming less and less functional.

As the apartment door closed, Zack made no effort to stand up, simply slouching back against Angeal, sighing unhappily. Angeal just laughed as he too sank back into the couch, the laugh hollow and anything but amused.

"I was hoping that would work better." Zack sighed. "You could open him up and help him relax better than I ever could."

"Let me know beforehand next time you expect me to seduce someone." Angeal muttered, running a hand soothingly through Zack's hair. "So I don't spend the entire evening destroying all groundwork for trust and attraction with interrogations."

"Yeah, I..." Zack sighed. The alcohol had worn off completely now, "I wasn't really thinking."

Before Zack's line of thought could become too self condemning, Angeal quickly wrapped his arms around Zack, pulling him close and nuzzling his neck affectionately. "My fault. He just doesn't like me much." He whispered, and when Zack smiled his agreement weakly, he twisted Zack in his hold so that he could kiss him to distraction.


A/N: Please review and let me know what you think. :]