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» Log One | Zack and Cloud «

Two whole weeks.

It had been two whole, entire weeks since the miraculous discovery that his best friend was not only the most adorable thing in the whole, entire world, but that he could also bake.

Cloud could bake. And somehow, it had taken Zack this long to find out about it.

Store bought never quite tasted the same as home made, and those little, overly brown disk with slimy looking imitation chocolate chunks that ShinRa peddled in the dessert line definitely didn't compare.

Which was why he was now doing something he normally put off until the last possible moment - or worse, failed to do at all and ended up getting take out or eating in the cafeteria - grocery shopping. Specifically for ingredients to make this pie he had been promised.

It was made a bit more bearable by the fact that he was doing so with Cloud, and that all he really had to do was push along the basket and try to not toss extra, unneeded items inside - although a few definitely made their way in. It was nice, getting to spend time with Cloud doing something other than going on a mission, where both of them could relax and simply enjoy each other's company.

And the baked goods one of them was going to make. Couldn't forget about the baked goods.

"So," They had been standing in the same isle for the past ten minutes, and Zack was starting to wonder exactly how involved this whole pie making ordeal was going to be. "Just how many ingredients do you need for this thing?"

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Smiling? Oh, he had been, but that comment teased a laugh out of Cloud, shaking his head before he ducked down a little, peering at Zack, smile still in place.

"I guess so," he said, and didn't say that it wasn't as if Zack wasn't good at that in general, anyway.

That seemed way too corny as well, and even trying to formulate the words made them dry up.

He wanted to... he wasn't sure what he wanted, shifting on his feet on the other side of the room, the kitchen on an open plan for the main room more than it's own room aside from it.

"You..." Then he shook his head, swallowing the rest of the words in a breathless flush and turned back to the counter, measuring out the dry ingredients as quickly as he dared.

All too aware of where Zack was in the room, his presence a lambent beacon, as if Cloud actually had SOLDIER enhancements as well.

There's a moment, incredibly brief, where he's tempted to simply leave it at that. He'd gotten what he'd wanted, hadn't? He'd gotten a step closer, brought them a little nearer to their end goal. Maybe he should leave things where they lie, given them both time to think, to decide.

But within his heart he knew the decision had already been made. Giving it more time was just another cop out. Zack wasn't patient by nature, wasn't the type to sit back and let nature take it's course. When he wanted something, he went after it with all the intensity of a mid summer storm.

He'd accomplished almost everything he'd ever set his mind to, had gotten almost everything he'd ever wanted.

And right now, he knew that he wanted Cloud.

"I'm in love with your smile." It was likely another corny thing to say, but it was the truth, none the less. "It's like there's this whole other Cloud that no one but me gets to know."

There was a noise - something like a snort and a choked gasp - and Cloud very precisely put down the bag of flour, and stared into the bowl. He could feel himself blushing, and didn't want to know how far that blush extended.

That was still so utterly corny, but he couldn't laugh this time.

"Zack..." Cloud hesitated for a moment, his stomach having turned into butterflies, before he took a breath and took the butter out of the small fridge to let it soften, then wandered over to the couch, standing behind it.

Another moment of hesitation before he leaned over it, draping his arms around Zack from behind and buried his face in Zack's hair.

"... need to stop that," he said with a huff, "otherwise there won't be any pie."

It felt as if his heart had stopped within his chest, as if it simply lie there, still and painful, ready to shatter and break at a moment's notice.

Sure, there had been a sound, one that was remarkably like other's Cloud's had made in the past out of embarrassment, followed the very uncanny thud of a full bag of flour hitting the counter top. The sound of his name being spoken, and he fought against the temptation to turn, to apologize, to find some way to make things go back to how they had been at the start of this fateful day.

And then nothing. Nothing but the sound of his refrigerator being open and soft footsteps and he couldn't stop himself from holding his breath. Until those arms came around him and Cloud's face became buried in his hair and those words sent his heart into over drive, pounding harshly against his ribs.

"Good thing I'm not in it for the pie then." His own hand lifted, circling Cloud's wrist, intent on holding him firmly in place for as long as the younger man would allow, settling back and nuzzling his cheek softly against blond spikes.

Another snort escaped, stirring the black spikes and then tickled his nose, which left him having to hold his breath for a moment, even if he also turned his head sideways. He was not sneezing into Zack's hair! How embarrassing would that be?

"Wasn't that the point, though? Pie," Cloud commented when he was sure he wouldn't embarrass himself and turned his head back. Zack's hair might look kind of dangerous, but it was as soft as he'd wondered.

... because he had wondered if it was, though this wasn't something Cloud was going to admit. He was also trying to ignore his racing heart, but Zack was literally holding him in place so that, at least was good.

"Not really." Maybe at first it had been, all of those days ago when they'd been paired together on that mission, when he'd made the last minute decision to go in the helicopter with Cloud and the other troopers instead of riding back into Midgar with the Turks who had been sent along. Then, it had been nothing more than a diversion tactic, an attempt at distracting Cloud from just how miserable he was.

And if he just so happened to get a home made pie out of it, then he really didn't see the down side.

It was a rare opportunity that didn't often arise, despite how he may try. Taking too many days off would be frowned upon, and Kunsel could only fudge things so many times before someone got suspicious.

He'd had a lot of time to think between that moment and this one. Fourteen days, fourteen sun rises and fourteen sun sets. It was amazing just how much could change in such a short time.

It'd been on the first time that he realized just how much he'd liked feeling Cloud resting against him, how peaceful it had made him feel. Like everything was amazingly right and perfect within his world. It had been on the fifth that he'd realized he'd liked holding Cloud, that he'd remembered how perfectly the younger had fit into his arms.

It'd been on the eleventh that he realized he'd been thinking about the blond almost non stop for who knew how many days, and it wasn't until the fourteenth that he realized that those thoughts weren't exactly all innocent friendship anymore.

It had begun with the pie, but in the end, it was more of a means to an end.

"I mean, yeah, maybe it was at first. But then... I don't know. I couldn't stop thinking about you. So, I guess you could say the point is I wanted to see you. To spend time with you. The pie was just an excuse."

"Um..." Cloud tightened his arms where he had them draped around Zack's shoulders, digging his nose in a little, face heating. He'd never really thought that he would end up hearing a confession like he had - or these words, for that matter - from Zack.

Sure, no, he hadn't instantly developed a crush on the SOLDIER, but he'd admired him nearly from the start, and having to watch Zack trudge into the helicopter that came to get them from Modeoheim, subdued and nearly crushed, and carrying the Buster sword...

If he'd been someone else, if Zack hadn't been a SOLDIER First Class and Cloud hadn't been an army grunt he'd just met, he'd have tried to offer some sort of support, back then, but he'd sat quietly instead, staring at the floor and trying not to throw up the whole ride back. He'd glanced up at Zack a few times, when he'd been able to spare the attention, and every time, the expression had been such a stark difference compared to earlier...

But after that... well, it hadn't taken long when they started to meet, for the admiration to stay but sort of duplicate into something else entirely. Something Cloud had stared at and then desperately tried to bury.

"An excuse you get something tasty out of," he said a bit jokingly, then breathed in a little shakily, eyes still closed, face buried in Zack's hair. It was a pretty good safe space. "I... I'm glad. That you did it."

He wanted to melt through the floor, even as inarticulate as that was compared to what Zack had been saying.

In twenty years, when you look back at this moment, please remember that you brought what is about to take place entire onto yourself, Cloud. Also that you should likely learn to chose your words a bit more carefully. Just a suggestion. Because the cheese level just got turned up to eleven.

"Yeah, I bet you are pretty tasty." There's a hint of something contained within his voice, a leading teasing edge that it always seems to carry when he says something particularly flirty. But there's something different, something deeper and darker, something that says he really wouldn't mind finding out for himself

He'd had a plan. Not a very well thought out for formulated plan, but there had been one, when this day had begun. They would go to the grocery store, and he would attempt to be a little more flirty than normal, would try to take things to the next level, just to see how Cloud would react. With embarrassment, no doubt, but he could always tell underneath all of that flushing when something he said actually hit home.

And that was as far as his plan had gotten in reality before it had turned side ways and everything had snowballed and no matter how good he was at thinking on his feet, nothing would ever have prepared him for this. For just how red Cloud would turn, for that gentle, sincere brush of their finger tips. For Cloud's arms to be wrapped around him and his face to be buried in his hair.

Yet here they were and he wouldn't take any of it back, not even for a single second.

He refuses to take responsibility for this.

"Wh--- I... Zack!" Cloud reared up from his pretty comfortable hiding spot, practically squeaking (there was no way to deny it), and felt like his whole body was blushing.

For a crucial, flustered moment, his brain was utterly empty aside from the echo of what Zack had said bouncing around in his head and the tone he'd said it with. Both of which brought some vague and very interesting thoughts which Cloud hadn't admitted to thinking yet, since just holding Zack's hand and having him say he actually liked him more than a friend was more than he'd thought would ever happen.

"That's not--- I meant the pie!" Cloud finally managed in a blushing huff, squirming one hand free so he could grab a few strands and tug on them.

Looking back at this moment, Zack would never quite be able to figure out what reaction he had been expecting.

But it definitely was not the one he received. Not by a long shot.

Those fingers tangling into his hair and tugging caused a sharp jolt of pain to flow downwards, and he had to bite his lip to keep himself from crying out.

Because there was no way in the entire world he was letting Cloud know he'd actually liked that little mock disciplinary action.

Managing to choke it back, he let out a soft laugh in it's place, proud at himself for his quick recover. "Hey! I'm only being honest."

Could anyone actually blame him for wanting to kiss Cloud? "I told you, I'm not in this for the pie." Well, not entirely.

If Cloud knew he'd actually managed to hurt Zack (even if he liked it) he he'd have regretted the tug, since he hadn't intended to cause pain. But since Zack managed to keep his reaction contained, Cloud was none the wiser and just reluctantly smiled at Zack's laugh.

"Yeah but... that sounds so---" he scrunched his nose, a brief little flush on his face at the thought, his brain helpfully supplying a memory of the incident again. To be honest, kissing wasn't necessarily what Cloud had thought of, even if the thought hadn't been very solid at all.

And Cloud would rather pretend he hadn't had any half-formed images at all from that comment of Zack's.

"... and I'm not... in it for the pie either," he said softly, deciding to just leave that earlier thing alone as he leaned down and smiled, upside down, into Zack's face, another blush on his face.

Who would have thought his precious, innocent little baby chocobo could ever have such impure thoughts.

Of course, it could be said that he had left a lot up to the imagination with those words, that there could very easily be a double meaning.

It could also be said that Zack would be perfectly alright with either of those two meanings actually taking place, although he tried, very, very hard to keep his thoughts away from the second.

Because all of his images were perfectly formed, brilliant and vibrate and had been playing over and over within his mind for far too long.

But then Cloud's smiling, leaning forward so their faces are only inches apart, and he can feel the heat as it radiates outwards from his skin. Thankfully bare fingers lift, tracing along the bright pink dusted across a define cheek out, each touch light and gentle. Dipping forward as they fall away, he allows his forehead to rest against Cloud's.

"Cloud." Voice a mere whisper, as if the words were meant entirely and only for them. "Can I kiss you?"

"Um." That was not what he'd have expected to happen - yet, anyway - even if he'd sort of rather hoped (and been far too shy to bring it up himself), because it wasn't as if he hadn't thought about it.

Not just now, after Zack's confession, but many, many times before, and then promptly added that to the things to be buried under a lot of 'do not think about' layers. Not that that ever worked.

Swallowing, Cloud opened his eyes again, looking down into Zack's and smiled again.

"... yeah. Sure," he breathed out softly, then let out a brief little laugh, "let me just... come around."

Because while standing like this was pretty nice, Cloud wasn't convinced it was the best way to kiss - at least not for the first time. The thought made his heartbeat loud in his ears.

Waiting for the exact right moment to do something had never exactly been Zack's style. Neither had sitting back and simply waiting for something to take place. No, he was the kind of person who made things happened, who made decisions and plans and put them into action, never considering what was the proper time and way to go about them.

Except for this one time, in this one instance, where he'd spent the better part of a year looking for a sign, waiting for the moment to feel exactly right. And it had gotten him no where, had left him with nothing except an ache in his chest every time he looked at Cloud.

Maybe it was because he'd spent so much time waiting that caused him to do what he did next. Perhaps it was that inherit impatience that he'd worked so hard to compensate for. Whichever it was, it had him up and moving, weight lifting from the sofa only to twist around a moment later, knees coming to rest upon the soft surface, lower stomach pressing against the back as he came face to face with Cloud. Given their current positions, he was only the slightest bit taller, instead of towering above the other as he normally did, putting them on a more even playing field.

"You were saying?"

"... nothing, apparently," Cloud said softly after a moment of surprised staring after Zack had turned himself around and got up on his knees. That was, admittedly, much easier and shorter than him walking around the length of the couch to come around.

Not that it changed much, because either way, the seconds that had trickled by since Zack's whispered question had turned his stomach into a knot and his heart thumping in his chest. It was nothing big, Cloud knew that.

It would probably not be Planet-shattering or anything, but it was Zack, and he'd imaged something like this happening, but never quite finishing those thoughts because they'd always seemed far too improbable.

Clutching the back of the couch, Cloud worried his lip between his teeth, then smiled a soft, hesitant smile up at Zack.

"Um... hi."

... that was so inane he felt instantly mortified and ducked his head, silently cursing himself.

Everything around them seemed to pause, as if the entire world had stopped spinning on it's axis and time it's self had stood still, leaving them suspended within that moment. Everything else disappeared, light, color, sound, until Cloud was the only thing he could see, could hear and feel.

Bare fingers reached outwards, finding Cloud's chin and cupping it gently, using that insistent touch to bring his gaze upwards, allowing their eyes to meet as those fingers slipped backwards, sliding along a cheek bone and downwards, until they were resting upon his neck.

"Hi." Another whispered word, another soft, radiant smile, one that was entirely and purely for Cloud. No one else had ever seemed to quite be able to bring him the level of happiness and peace the other had managed. And then he was dipping forward, eyes falling shut with the movement. Lips finding their matched set and brushing against them, feather light and barely there. But it was enough to make his heart hammer rapidly against his ribs, enough to make his breath catch within his throat. And enough to make him no, without a shadow of doubt, that he wanted to repeat that motion each and every time Cloud would allow it.

Briefly, inanely, as Zack tilted his head up and all air seemed to just... freeze, for a moment, Cloud thought it was a good thing he hadn't gotten to a more sensitive point in making the pie - not that it was particularly complicated to make or very sensitive, but, still.

Cloud blushed, more at the smile than the whispered greeting he was given back, and couldn't help smiling himself. Somehow, Zack was very good at that; he just needed to be around and it was just... easier to smile.

He kept his eyes open a moment longer than Zack did, utterly fascinated - and since Zack wasn't looking, he felt less embarrassed about staring - but then their lips met and Cloud sucked a quick little breath in and closed his eyes as well, head tilting without any thought of it.

It was barely anything, a bare brush of soft-and chapped lips, but he didn't care. It still felt like all the air had been driven right out of him and Cloud found he liked the feeling. It was like being a little lightheaded, but not for a bad reason.

It was barely anything, nothing more than a soft brush of lips, begun and already over with in a single heartbeat.

It was barely anything and yet it caused a spark of electric light to dance along his spine, caused each nerve ending to tingle, caused air to become painfully trapped within his throat.

Because it was everything, all that he'd ever allowed himself to imagine and so much more.

Cloud hadn't pulled away, hadn't made a sound, hadn't done anything to show his disapproval or that he had disliked it in anyway. In fact, that slight tilt of his head was like encouragement, drawing Zack back in.

Taking in a slow breath, he dipped forward, allowing their lips to connect more fully, press soft and light, but there was a whisper of something contained within it, something deep and fulfilling. Free hand finding the curve of Cloud's hip, resting upon it before sliding back, wrapping around and pulling, intent on bringing them closer.

If he'd had the time, there would probably have been some embarrassing noise of protest when the first, brief brush of barely-a-kiss was over, but Zack came back before he'd even had the chance to open his eyes again.

Following the pull, he thumped into the back of the couch - impossible to get any closer, like this. Cloud let go of the couch with one hand, cracking his eyes open to peer at Zack and then, feeling a little flustered, closed them again, and leaned in a little more firmly as he hesitantly twined his hand into a handful of black strands that resisted gravity and common sense almost as much as his did.

He didn't want this one to be over quite as quickly as the first one had been.

A soft noise rose within his throat at the realization of just how impossible it was for them to get any closer in their current position. Maybe he should have allowed Cloud to come around instead. But, he also couldn't deny that how they were did have it's advantages. It was new and strange and nice to be level Cloud, to look straight ahead and stare into those beautiful eyes that had become so imprinted onto his memory.

That sound transformed from one of frustration to something lighter, something with a pleasurable edge as Cloud's fingers tangled into his hair, effectively holding him in place. The movement would have brought a smile to his features, if his lips weren't already so pleasantly occupied.

Cloud's bravery was rewarded in kind, fingers slipping away from skin and into thick blond strands, grip gentle, aware as always of his strength. Head angled, he deepened their connection, that noise finally meeting air as his lips parted slightly. Each movement, each step was slow and measured, as if he knew this moment was fleeting and wanted it to last as long as possible.

There was a low bubble of warmth in his gut, and when Zack tilted his head, changing the angle a little and making it just a little easier for their lips to slide against each other, Cloud let out a soft little noise.

It was something between surprise and pleasure, and no, it wasn't like he hadn't kissed anyone before at all, but this was Zack, and that made all the difference. Zack's hand in his hair (like he had his in Zack's), kissing him, warm this up close.

Unthinkingly, his tongue darted out to wet already moist lips, but that meant he didn't just brush them against his own, but Zack's as well, and Cloud froze, mortified, and turned his head away, a blush spreading from his ears to his cheeks.

Maybe just as well anyway, because he had been running out of air.

All too suddenly it was over, heart skipping a beat within his chest as the kiss ended, as bright eyes widened in surprise, thinking for a moment that maybe it had been him, maybe he'd done something wrong. Maybe he'd tried to take things a little bit too far a little bit too soon.

But then realization came and the memory of that soft tongue brushing against his lips an instant before they parted, causing a tiny trickle of warmth to bubble upwards, causing his finger tips to tingle against blond strands.

Cloud's cheeks were pink, spreading across pale skin until they reached the tips of his ears. An adorable sight, made only more so by just how close they currently were.

"Hey." Gently, those bare fingers slipped from Cloud's hair, sliding along his jaw until they reached his chin, cupping it softly, using the grip to turn his attention back, to allow their eyes to meet once more. "You're even sweeter than I thought."

He shook his head a little at the soft 'hey', feeling far too embarrassed to look up at Zack - but when Zack cupped his chin and pushed, gently, he let the pressure urge his head up to meet that blue stare again.

He was maybe a little distracted by those bright blue eyes, but it was also impossible to miss what Zack said next. Blinking, Cloud snorted, feeling himself flush brighter again.

"I--- Zack. I'm not sweet," he said, huffing (and probably pouting as well) but unable to actually feel offended or annoyed by it. Zack, unfortunately, was absolutely, utterly sincere, which just made it worse. Or better.

Hate to break it to you Cloud, but you honestly should have seen this coming. Look at the way he flirts with people, look at the way he flirted with you. Did you really think for even a moment that special brand of cheesiness wasn't going to carry over once he actually got what he wanted? If so, then you are sadly and terribly mistaken.

A soft bubble of laughter rises at Cloud's reaction, and it does absolutely nothing to help his case, or to make him appear any less adorable or sweet. That bright pink covering his cheeks accompanied by that huff and pout only served to make Zack's argument that much stronger.

"I beg to differ." There's a glint in those bright blue eyes, a certain mischief playing within them before he's dipping forward, lips once more finding Cloud's, pressing against them fully, stemming off any attempt at a reply.

Oh no, it wasn't that he hadn't seen it coming, he just hadn't thought about it yet, at all. For all that he'd been crushing on Zack almost since he met him, he hadn't really connected Zack's particular behaviour when he flirted with people to something that would ever be directed towards him.

It just hadn't caught up to him that now it certainly would.

Cloud snorted at the rebuttal, about to give some sort of response back because this was his honour they were talking about (okay, not really, but still), and he wasn't about to take it lying down.

But then Zack leaned in as he opened his mouth, and then pressed their lips together. Briefly, there was the thought of drawing back, but... no. Instead Cloud leaned back in again, his other hand moving from the back of the couch to curl about Zack's arm.

A little hum escaped Cloud, distracted and happy, from the warmth pooling in his gut and the nearly electric, if still soft, slide of their lips against each other.

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