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tampered2006-06-18 04:29 am
yourarmor.livejournal.com) wrote in tampered2006-06-18 04:29 am
Log; Complete [PART TWO]
When; You know, I'm not too sure. :< I should ask.
Rating; PG-ish.
Characters; Zack [![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
yourarmor] & Cloud [conflictive]
Summary; Cloud teasingly requests Zack to take him on a date when Zack said he wanted to see Cloud in a dress. Zack, excited, agrees in an instant and has the whole day planned out rather, um, thoroughly.
OOC note; This was a 43 page long log. I had to split it into three parts because of the character limit via LJ updateness. So, yes, you'll be seeing three entries look sort of the same, but they're all different parts of the log~
Log;
Zack, however, was currently hovering around a crêpe stand. And he looked quite impatient since he was close to the front, but even closer to the back of the line. He whined, made idle chit-chat to some other man who looked frustrated after a while of him yammering about nothing in particular, and tapped his foot with a groan.
He wasn't really naturally impatient, because he could stand there all day if he were alone and talk with random people in line to keep himself busy, but he was still excited, and an excited Zack equaled an even more so giddy six-foot tall man with a strong mission in mind; the avid air about him did not go unnoticed.
The crowd soon thinned out and Zack ordered two crêpes cheerfully (strawberry and banana-chocolate), nearly flailing in at attempt to dodge people while making his way back to where he had last left Cloud. There was a discontinuance towards his running, pausing in mid-step while sharp eyes tried to track down a familiar patch of blond hair.
“Ah!” Pleased that he finally found him, Zack made his way towards Cloud, lightly tapping his shoulder to grab his attention, only to greet him with the strawberry crêpe shoved in front of his face. “I haven't had these things in forever! I had to get some, but I wasn't sure what you wanted. Do you want this one instead?” He lightly shook the banana-chocolate one in the other hand.
So it had been food. It simply never failed with the likes of Zack. Cloud promptly relieved Zack of the strawberry crepe, knowing that Zack was partial to chocolate. "Thanks."
He walked over to one of the many benches lining the sidewalk and took a seat beneath the shade of the tree beside it.
It was a surprisingly good crepe. Bizarrely so. Cloud understood why Zack had deemed it necessary to purchase them.
As much as he professed his aversion to being called Zack's "housewife," Cloud made a mental note to find out how to make crepes. Among other things of the edible variety. As the two were hopelessly impaired when it came to the kitchen, they depended mostly on Aerith's comparably excellent cooking for sustenance, and though Aerith's generosity came easily, Cloud hoped to change this in the near future. He'd try not to get Zack involved, of course, considering any attempts on the other man's part to even operate a stove had resulted in multiple near-death incidents, in which the entire building risked being engulfed in flames. Zack was the type who took pride in being able to use a microwave, though Cloud suspected that someday, he'd end up causing one to spontaneously combust if he wasn't careful.
"Oh, and here's your wallet," Cloud said suddenly, pulling it out of his pocket and offering it back. He'd nearly forgotten.
Zack followed Cloud towards the bench, flopping down beside him as an arm stretched out behind Cloud's back, hand holding onto the edge of the top of the bench while legs sprawled out in front of him. He eyed the crêpe hungrily, taking large bites then paused to savor the taste – yeah, they were pretty damn good.
The other's voice snapped him out of his stupor, reaching over to take the wallet though frowned down at Cloud, swallowing before he spoke, “Wait, you didn't get anything?”
He always forgot about the whole modesty thing, and Cloud was indeed modest and humble when he was shown kindness. Zack should've known better than to just hand Cloud the wallet and tell him to go on a shopping spree. He'd probably come back with absolutely nothing, such as now, and claim that he didn't find anything. Well, at least
he knew he had a mission to go out shopping for Cloud, which wouldn't be a pretty sight as he had some stupid things in mind to get him.
It was alright, though, and the smile he gave instantly made this clear.
"I was going to get something for Aerith, but I couldn't find anything she'd like," Cloud explained, watching Zack make short work of the remains of his crêpe with detached amusement. He knew Zack wouldn't get upset about it or anything, but he felt that explanation was necessary anyway.
"I couldn't think of anything you'd like, either."
“Oh?” Zack chewed on the last piece of the crêpe, watching people pass by as he crumbled up the thin piece of paper that wrapped around the previously whole food, tossing it towards a trash can nearby.
He turned his attention on Cloud, shifting a little in place so he could see him better. “That's sweet of you, but you need some new clothes. I know, you're dying to wear the dress for the rest of the time,” he teased, fingers absently playing with tiny hairs on the back of Cloud's neck, noticing that this was going to be a bad habit from now on, “but y'know, I'd like anything you got me.”
A pause, thinking on that for a second, before cracking a grin, “Heck, if it were a matching dress to yours I'd attempt to wear it! But I assure you, I wouldn't be very attractive in it.” He was obviously joking, but Zack felt like he should point it out that he appreciated the thought no matter what.
Cloud playfully batted Zack's fingers away from his neck. "More like you're dying to see me in it."
The idea of Zack in a dress, though, was really something else. At least with Cloud, it was possible - he'd done it before and had pulled it off with relative success, as demonstrated by his escapades in Wall Market. Cloud hated to admit it, but Zack was far more masculine than him in terms of build, and would look nothing short of ridiculous in a dress. "And no, you wouldn't," Cloud agreed whole-heartedly, voice rich with mirth.
Pouting childishly, Zack removed his hand, but merely to put his wallet away. “Yeah, I am, actually,” honesty was key, thank you very much, “but I'll save the gawking at you in a dress for later.”
He rolled his eyes at Cloud's reply about he himself in a dress. “Hey, I'm actually proud that I don't look good in women's clothing! You do only because you have such a pretty face.” Zack proceeded to take both hands, pinching the blond's cheeks, pulling on them lightly with a chuckle. “That and your waist is all tiny, plus I betcha I can still pick you up and toss you over my shoulder,” violet eyes gleamed, almost daring Cloud to say otherwise.
Cloud pulled away as soon as he could, a look of pure indignation on his face. "I'm not pretty." "Pretty" was a term reserved for girls. Then again, so was "cute," which Zack used quite liberally. "I'm just more... versatile".
"And I'm not a kid anymore, Zack." Cloud's eyes returned the challenge, for he was confident that while Zack still exceeded him in sheer strength, it was impossible for him to live up to his claims.
“Versatile my ass,” Zack half-heartedly glared with a grin on his face.
“I know you're not a kid, but that won't stop me from picking you up.”
Sure enough, Zack stood up but a moment later, not waiting for Cloud to react before he nabbed him at the waist, hoisting him up and over his shoulder while smirking in victory. If he could hold a Buster sword that was probably the same weight as Cloud was, he could definitely be able to do this without a struggle.
Cloud barely managed not to let out a shout of dismay as the world was abruptly flipped upside down.
"Put me down," he hissed vehemently, not wishing to draw any more attention to the pair, though it was taking all of his self-control not to wipe that infuriating smirk off the other man's face by whatever means necessary. Cloud had a couple things in mind. "Or so help me, Zack, I'll--"
“You'll what?” Zack shot back with a gleam in his eyes, a grin slowly pulling it's way on his face in place of the smirk. He then tilted his head to the side, wondering about something, before proceeding to bend over slightly to nab the bag with the dress in it with his free hand before venturing off towards the next place on his list: the Carousel.
“Besides, I know, deep down inside, you actually like it!” A pause followed suit, thinking on that momentarily, “Well, at least you used to.” Zack didn't sound convinced at the least, but where was the fun in letting Cloud down anyway? Besides, wasn't like there were that many people staring at them.
It was just another day to those people; another cracked-up scene that seemed like it would never end.
Cloud didn't have to see Zack's face to know that he was grinning like the maniac that he was. This incensed him all the more. "I'm serious," he said, helpless to keep the traces of a whine out of his voice. He could already see a mother on the street whispering side-long to her daughter as they quickened their pace while passing the two.
He'd be damned if he let Zack think he could get away with this without a struggle. He might have been helpless to resist Zack back then, but now he was a grown adult, and he wasn't going down with this without a fight. "You wish." He gritted his teeth, straining to loosen Zack's grip by pushing against the solid muscle of his back, mostly in vain.
Cloud was only grateful that Aerith wasn't there to see him like this. This sort of thing only happened because it was Zack.
Laughing loudly, Zack simply held onto him tighter, but not tight enough to make it hurt, just enough to hold the squirming blond down until they reached their destination. “Ooo, I'm so scared,” he turned his head to give a delighted look over towards the people who were staring as they couldn't decide if they should be horrified or amused, “I completely forgot that the great Cloud Strife was a hero now.”
When they finally reached the Carousel, Zack finally put Cloud down gently, a hand reaching between the already close proximity of the two, smoothing back blond hair as a genuine smile was on his face. “Naw, I'm kidding, you were always a hero,” and he sincerely meant it, too.
Cloud pouted, arms crossed. "You better believe it." He was relieved to have been released, but he wasn't about to make it apparent.
He'd been too caught up with struggling to take note of where Zack had been taking them, so he was hit with a small wave of nostalgia once he realized where they were. The Carousel was where he'd first met up with Zack once arriving in the city, and he'd never forget it.
Zack just simply smiled all the more before violet eyes roamed over the Carousel, taking in its mysterious aura, “Y'know, I really like this thing.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, still keeping his eyes on the large spinning
object, “At first, though, I was kind of worried when I watched it. It just seems never-ending, you know?” The thought of there never being an end to things didn't exactly scare Zack, because it took a lot to do that – and since he was obviously not scared of death, considering his situation and all, it wasn't about that, either. He wasn't
entirely sure himself, but there was something about the Carousel that made him happy but weary at the same time.
“But this was the first place I arrived at, too. I'm sure this Carousel has seen a lot and heard a lot about itself in the passing years. Heck, this was one of the only places I enjoyed going to at first. S'why I wanted to meet you here, I guess,” Zack nodded in approval towards that, feeling somewhat nostalgic too. Then again, ever since Cloud
arrived he felt overly nostalgic to the point where he wanted to talk about the 'good 'ol days', but refrained from doing such.
"I like it too. I don't remember ever being happier than I was when I saw you here," Cloud admitted shyly, remembering the mixture of disbelief and elation - painful happiness - he'd experienced on their reunion.
He couldn't believe it'd only been a few weeks since he'd found Zack again; the time he'd spent with him thus far was enough for him almost forget how much he'd missed him throughout their separation, but now, he was revisiting those feelings.
"Except for back then, maybe." The expression on his face was wistful as he gazed out on the Carousel.
Zack's smile only widened with the admittance Cloud threw at him almost unexpectedly, deciding that taking the other's hand and dragging him up on the Carousel was the only was to respond to that without throwing out a 'Of course, I'm just that awesome'; a typical response that didn't seem like it needed to be said.
When Cloud was finally pulled up, Zack didn't let go of his hand but instead held it a little tighter, eyes casting themselves away and into the crowd of people, but he didn't look like he was concentrating on anything in particular, except for his thoughts. “Na, Cloud? What I said before, about not leaving? I meant it.”
He actually considered his words carefully, not one to usually do this as he spoke his mind as quick as ever most of the time, but he felt like wording things with caution. “I won't leave, and I promise I'll protect you,” he waited for a moment to let the words sink in. “I know, you don't need to be protected anymore; you don't need someone to take
care of you. I know you can take care of yourself. But I'll still do my best to make sure nothing happens to you, alright?”
His face wasn't exactly showing any sort of sadness, but a sort of longing feeling circled his features; the sudden realization and verbal admittance that he was remorseful for a lot of things.
Cloud smiled sadly. "That means a lot to me." Words repeated, but without any less conviction. He was painfully aware that without his friends - without Zack - he was nothing at all, and that no matter how much he tried to put up a front of independence, he was still fragile. And he believed every word of what Zack said with all the strength he had, because there was nothing else to count on.
Between now and the past, he hadn't changed much, despite what he wanted to think. He'd been broken before, and it could happen again just as easily. Now, though, he knew that as long as Zack was around, he wasn't going to let it happen.
"You know, this place scared me at first." He squeezed Zack's hand, entwined in his own, the act nearly unconscious. "But not anymore."
“I'm sure this place freaked the hell out of a lot of people at first.” Zack cracked a grin for a moment, finally able to turn to look at Cloud. “Even me, but that was before I realized that there were a lot of good people here – like me.” Never forgetting to add himself into the mix, he simply winked, then tried to lighten the mood again by hopping off the Carousel, letting go of Cloud's hand before giving him a mischievous look.
“Last person to our next stop is a rotten egg!” He didn't even give Cloud a chance to ask where they were going – he was quite aware the blond had no idea, which meant he won by default, but the idea of being completely childish seemed to be a necessary thing to do. It was always the best solution for Zack, of course.
Zack then took a running start, knowing Cloud would follow along no matter what.
"What- Zack!" Cloud leapt off the Carousel after Zack, simultaneously bemoaning Zack's apparent inability to focus on a single topic of discussion for more than five minutes and grateful that Zack simply couldn't stay down for long. His cheerfulness was infectious.
It was impossible to guess what was going through Cloud's head as he grabbed at Zack's shirt as he gradually caught up with the other man, causing him to lose footing and sending him sprawling on the ground.
Before Zack could react, Cloud took the liberty of settling himself comfortable atop his prone body, straddling Zack's hips with his knees, looking pointedly smug.
"I win."
Zack really wasn't expecting that. So when he indeed went sprawling face-down on the ground, it was one of the most amusing sights to be seen. He let out a sound that was in the middle of a squawk and a yell, flailed, then fell; the blond apparently also found it humorous to sit atop him, which Zack would allow because he wasn't that heavy
to begin with.
Still didn't stop him from saying, after a moment of silence: “Geez, you're heavy! And no, you don't win 'cause we're not there yet.” Zack lifted his face from the ground, resting his cheek on the palm of his hand while free fingers tapped on the ground, as if impatient towards Cloud's initiation to make him be in the position he was in currently. “And if you're not a good boy, I'll take drastic measures!”
"I don't think you're really in any position to be making threats," Cloud said sweetly, patting Zack on the head while pointedly ignoring the stares he was eliciting. This was far too amusing, anyway.
"If you're a good boy, I'll get off. Maybe."
Placing both arms on the ground to support his weight when cocking his head to the side as best as he could to get a good look at Cloud, Zack rose one, raven colored eyebrow in response. “Is that so?” He sighed, closing his eyes shut to shake his head once.
And then? The battle began.
Zack swiftly moved, trying to be careful so that he wouldn't hurt Cloud in the process – which was probably an impossible thing on his part if he was paying close attention to who he was trying to out strengthen at the time – by flipping underneath him, hands nabbing Cloud's forearms before quickly pushing him on the ground face-up. He
mimicked the other's previous smug look when he pinned both of Cloud's wrists above blond hair with a hand, simply hovering above him with an amused look on his face.
“Wanna say that again, or do I have to take even more drastic measures?”
"Oh, yeah?" Cloud stared up defiantly at his captor, unwilling to admit defeat despite his situation. He couldn't help thinking that this scene was far too reminiscent of the old days. It probably explained how suddenly childish and light-headed he was feeling.
With the air of someone who was going to go down with glory, he stuck out his tongue for emphasis. "I'm not scared of you."
Zack simply relaxed, rather comfortable despite how out in the open they were with this, but it wasn't like Zack to take into consideration of their surrounding if he decided to play these little games with Cloud. At least it gave several people some sort of amusement.
“S'that right? Alright, then, you asked for it.” Zack balanced on his knees while his free hand reached down to begin tickling Cloud; not just any tickling, though, because he knew his weak spots, which angles to use to hear him make different kinds of amusing noises, and so on and so forth. He didn't let his grip loosen throughout his speedy
tickling routine, finding it more entertaining to watch Cloud squirm helplessly.
"This - hahah! - isn't FAIR - HAHAHA - Zack, stop--"
In between struggling desperately to avoid Zack's fingers, suppressing the urge to scream, attempting to tell Zack off while giggling helplessly and still trying to breathe, with tears threatening to spurt from his eyes, and clinging to the remnants of his dignity on top of it all, Cloud cursed himself for an idiot; he should have seen it coming.
He didn't last long. He never did. "All right! All right, I give, just stop," he managed to gasp, pride forgotten in the face of impending insanity.
People were staring. Cloud was giggling. Zack was grinning.
Because of the situation they were in currently, Zack really didn't want to stop, but he did reluctantly, now raising both hands up in the air as he screamed “Victory!” to no one in particular.
“See? That wasn't too hard, now was it?” Both hands roughly ruffled Cloud's already mess of blond hair, standing up soon after so he could brush himself off. He didn't say or do anything more except turn back towards Cloud, hand extended out to him, not letting his smile falter once.
Cloud took a moment to catch his breath before pointedly throwing Zack a look of pure resentment. "What're you looking so happy about?" He took the proffered hand nonetheless, as his knees were feeling distinctly weak, hoisting himself upward into a standing position.
He sighed, pouting to exaggerate his discontent. "You always win."
Reaching fingers out to tug on Cloud's pouted bottom lip, the man's grin only widened considerably. “Of course I do, it's in my blood to be the winner.”
Zack let the offending lip go, pulling Cloud along now as he figured running off again would result in the same thing happening twice, which he couldn't reject the idea of that happening, but they'd never get to their next stop if so.
This didn't stop him, however, from yammering on and on. “I've got lots of strength, libraries of knowledge, street smarts, good looks,” he paused to look over at Cloud, a rather tender expression appearing on his face, “and I've got you.” He turned back to look forward then, appearing to be distinctly proud of himself. “So of course I'm a winner! You've gotta have all those things to be one, y'got that?”
Cloud's eyes turned skyward in exasperation. Zack was still his incorrigible self - his ego simply knew no bounds.
"Right."
"Says the guy who can't cook a simple meal without risking burning his house down." It was Cloud's turn to look self-satisfied.
“And that's why I have you here, Chocobo-head.” Zack replied rather cheerfully, not taking offense in Cloud's words since they were so true and all. He knew he couldn't cook, and it was an amusing thought to think about, but back at ShinRa Zack used to beg Sephiroth to make something, or to at least give him food from his apartment, in which
he'd usually receive a dry 'no' before the door slammed shut. That is, until Zack pounded on the door for an hour before the silver haired General decided to open it and drag Zack in by his hair.
And then there were times when Zack would roam over to Cloud's place and kick the door open, taking a seat anywhere before demanding food, in which he knew the blond didn't have but it was a signal that they were going out to eat. Such memories were pleasing, especially when it seemed like Zack had to rely on other people for his well-being.
It wasn't that Zack was a complete idiot when it came to the kitchen though, he just didn't have much skill in the culinary arts department – there was no way he was going to be called a woman for being able to cook, though he teasingly tried to 'tee-hee' a few times while making microwavable food. It never really worked out, but hey, that's one thing he used to be pleased with when he stayed with Aerith way back before he even went to work for ShinRa. She could at least 'tee-hee' and look good in an apron – so could Cloud, for that matter.
Zack didn't say much more on their trip, especially because the scenery started to change after a while. People suddenly were exchanged for grass, and grass suddenly bloomed into flowers of brightly lit colors, which only meant one thing: they were in Xanadu.
It always seemed like such a long trip when he was with Aerith or by himself, but with Cloud, somehow time seemed to pass quicker than it should, thus why he wanted to drag the day out as much as he could, especially since they were more than half-way done with their little date. The best, of course, was going to be saved for last.
But the idea of going to Xanadu with Cloud sort of struck Zack's fancy after a while, not entirely sure as to why, but it was just a peaceful, cheerful place with no one around.
Cloud's breath caught in his throat; it'd been a long time since he'd seen anything as wondrous. The field of flowers extended almost endlessly into the distance, lit delicately by the mellow glow of the sun and disturbed only by the occasional gentle breeze. The overbearing gray upon gray of Misery Square had matched Midgar's too well, and he
was grateful for the change in setting. Here, it felt as though he and Zack were the only people in the universe.
The first thing that Cloud noticed was how strikingly nostalgic this place was of the church. Unlike the city, characterized by its ceaseless activity, Xanadu emanated with tranquility - it seemed as much a sanctuary as the church had always been. Almost like home, and possibly the closest he'd ever get to it. Zack was here, too, and that completed the experience.
"It's beautiful," he said quietly, voice filled with awe.
“Isn't it?” Eyes shifted then to look over at Cloud, slightly amused by the look on his face, and he was certainly ready to say 'But not as beautiful as you are', but even if it was going to be said jokingly, Zack would've laughed at himself for days since it was such a cheesy line. No way in hell he'd spoil the look of amazement on Cloud's face, not right now, because the perfect harmony of silence between the two was enough for him to stay quiet, save the two words that were said directly after Cloud's own.
Two hands reached out to take both of Cloud's, letting the bag that he was previously carrying drop to the ground as he lead the blond farther out into the garden, a smile plastered on his face while his own violet eyes danced with delight.
When they reached what seemed like it was somewhere far enough out that the flowers looked like it was endless around them, Zack stopped while keeping hold of the other's hands, head turning to the right to look around in fondness of the place. “You know, Aerith comes here a lot. I'm sure you don't need an explanation as to why.” He chuckled, closing his eyes for a moment as a strong breeze decided to pass by, adoring that feeling of wind through his hair as he tried to savor the feeling before speaking again. “At first, I never understood why she was so attracted to flowers, but now that I've spent so much time in this place I think I know why.”
"Yeah," Cloud agreed, smiling in fondness at the memory. Zack's voice seemed somewhat muted to him - whether or not it was the sheer magnitude of the serenity of the garden or how he felt like they were cut off from reality, he couldn't decide.
It was sad, almost, how beautiful this place was. It was ridiculous, though, because Cloud was anything but sad. He leaned his head against Zack's shoulder, hand still clasping his, a sigh of true contentment escaping from his lips.
This was like a perfect world, he quickly decided. He couldn't think of any other place he'd rather be.
Standing there forever was almost tempting, but Zack opted to take a seat on the ground after allowing a long bit of peaceful silence pass by. He slowly tugged Cloud down with him, but gently enough so that he wouldn't fall flat on his face, giving the blond enough time to settle down next to him.
Zack then flopped down on his back, hands behind his head as eyes closed, completely tempted and certainly content enough to take a nap, like so many times before. But he instead cracked his eyes half-open, reaching up to play with a lock of Cloud's hair.
He didn't know why, but his hair really was getting a lot of attention lately. Maybe because it had been so long since he was able to even teasingly ruffle it, or pull it and make ridiculous hairstyles, though now his touch was more gentle, and Zack was quite aware of this. It was a sort of longing he had, he decided, since the gesture was out of
mild affection, as always, and he found it a nice way to show appreciation.
“You've sure grown up, kiddo.” Zack said after a long while, smiling fondly towards the other. “Y'make me proud.” He didn't really know exactly what happened in the passing time since he had left Cloud till right then and there, but he knew it had been quite an adventure; tough, difficult, exhausting, and not exactly great for one's mental health,
especially when Cloud was always such a fragile person to begin with. Though from what little, tiny stories Zack heard via Aerith, it had been a tough battle that Cloud pushed through no matter what.
Because of that, Zack really was proud of him. More than words could express, if that was possible at all.
These words, as simple as they were, but painfully honest, like everything else about Zack, made Cloud's heart swell with both pride and happiness like nothing else was capable of doing so.
As desperately as Cloud wanted - no, needed to convey his gratitude for everything - the past, the date, their friendship, this; the list was unending - he was at a loss as to how he could do so. Nothing seemed adequate.
It came to him, though. He leaned over Zack's face, supporting himself with his arms, and laid a small, chaste kiss on Zack's lips, all awkwardness forgotten, a radiant smile playing on his features. "Thank you, Zack."
Zack wasn't totally sure if he should be surprised or not, but his face did show mild shock and amusement, if anything else.
The hand already on Cloud's hair shifted to cup his face, a thumb softly smoothing over his temple, a gesture to show his own thanks without words alone. He, though, cocked his head to the side, shaking it once before murmuring, “You don't need to thank me, Cloud. Just...” There was a pause as his eyes rolled up in thought before they resumed their previous position, “...smiling is enough for me.”
He felt happy, this much was true. And as tempting as it was to return the kiss, he was almost positive it was to show thanks and only that. And Zack? He could live with that, just as long as Cloud was pleased and felt fulfilled in the initiation of such an intimate gesture.
Besides, he had the rest of the day, of course, if anything.
"If you say so." Cloud blushed faintly as he suddenly realized the boldness of his actions, but was immeasurably grateful that Zack hadn't displayed blatant shock or repulsion in reaction.
He could tell that something was amiss, though. Cloud wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but he could vaguely detect Zack inwardly conflicting over something - he wasn't sure what, but it was undeniable there - even if it was barely discernible, as Zack was putting a conscious effort into concealing it.
"Something wrong?" Concern was evident in his voice.
Being lost in his own thoughts was something Zack was used to doing, but he blinked a few times, as if warding off whatever he had somehow slipped into. “Hm? Oh, naw, don't worry about it.” He half-heartedly waved a hand, trying to dismiss the topic altogether.
Even though Zack constantly put it upon himself to shout about how wonderful he was and to draw attention to himself in any way shape or form, Zack really didn't care for others to know what was going on in his mind. Sometimes, it was because he was apprehensive at what would happen if most of his thoughts got the better of him. He was a painfully patient man, and mysterious, especially with the way he attempted to avoid others knowing when he was uncomfortable, sad or even thoughtful – it was in his nature to be happy constantly, so the thought of being melancholy or openly worried to the point where it worried others just wouldn't fly with Zack, especially when he was around Cloud.
Cloud could tell Zack was trying to change the subject. As much as Zack tried to wave this off as trivial, Cloud knew it was simply within Zack's nature to forever disregard his own feelings in favor of focusing on others - there was only one thing that Zack could possibly be dishonest about, and it was when something bothered him. But whether or not Zack was comfortable with being open about things that bothered him, Cloud felt it was necessary to get to the bottom of it. Because for once, it wouldn't hurt for Zack to be the focus of attention, and not in a superficial respect. He was selfless the rest of the time, anyway.
And for the first time, Cloud made the sudden realization that as much as he thought he knew Zack, and in spite of him being the person he was closest to, he knew very little about Zack's feelings. About anything, even himself. He would make sure to find out, and soon.
He took Zack's hand in his own, pressing it against his cheek. "I think you're lying."
Nothing could have completely prepared him for that; the words Cloud spoke were true, but he hated that word. Lying. It always baffled him from time to time as to why people would lie, because getting things out in the open and not letting it dig into your consciousness deeper and deeper was a good thing, wasn't it? Especially if it was for the worst. Guilt was something Zack wasn't very fond of, so he's always told the truth, no matter what.
He never really thought of avoidance as being anything near the term 'lying', but now that he thought about it, we was lying to himself, at least, constantly. Or at least trying to brush away several things at once, because if he didn't? Well, he might regret it. Especially on such a touchy subject that was roaming through his head at the moment, because Cloud never pressed on after asking if something was wrong. That was probably Zack's fault, because he, once again, avoided things with a smile.
Though Zack was a touchy-feely person in the first place, he never brought it upon himself to push personal boundaries unless he was out to piss someone off for his own amusement. But if they were serious about it? He'd drop the contact altogether. And if it was something more intimate, well, he was extremely cautious and careful about that one. As much as he flirted and fooled around with people, he never brought romantic feelings into any sort of situation, especially when it could pass the border of friendship or just a one-night stand, depending on the situation. He's seen countless people get hurt because of it, and he'd be damned if that ever happened to someone he cared about.
“It's nothing you need to worry about,” he said with compassion is his eyes, his smile containing kindness and knowingness towards Cloud's worried look. “When the time comes for me to talk about it, you'll certainly be the first person who'll know, 'kay?” Zack really could kick himself for letting this all slip out, but ever careful he was, no matter what.
"Promise?"
Cloud still had his doubts, but he realized that whatever it was, it was a sensitive issue for Zack, and that it was territory that he probably had no right to intrude upon. Besides, he knew that Zack was stubborn, and that if he didn't intend to yield, he wasn't going to. It was as simple as that.
He would be patient. It'd be difficult, considering Cloud couldn't stand the idea of Zack being troubled over something or even worse, getting hurt. It was a little surreal, but he realized that Zack, too, was human.
Zack allowed the smile on his face to stay, shifting his hand in Cloud's hold to twine their fingers together, tugging their hands down to lightly kiss the back of the blond's hand. “Promise.”
As much as Zack didn't want to leave Xanadu – he made a mental note to come back with Cloud and do something ridiculously silly to entertain the both of them – he had one more place he wanted to take Cloud. He was thankful that this could be more than just a date, but also the chance to take him out and about to explore the city; to show him that not everything was so dark, grim and scary in such a foreign place.
“But...” He sat up rather suddenly, shoving away thoughts that would come about later for something more cheerful, like the excitement of their last stop. “There's one more place I'd like to show you. Granted it ain't as cool as this, but it's very close to it, and I'm sure you haven't seen it in a very, very long time.” He played with his words, teasing Cloud by once again not telling him where they were going.
Cloud was reluctant to leave the garden, but the place Zack described held promise, and thus far, he hadn't let him down. He was also curious as to what Zack had in mind. If he hadn't seen it in a long time, this meant he'd been there before, but he was drawing a blank as to where this place might be. Considering he'd never been to this city - or this world - prior to now.
"Well, what are we waiting for, then?"
Rating; PG-ish.
Characters; Zack [
yourarmor] & Cloud [conflictive]Summary; Cloud teasingly requests Zack to take him on a date when Zack said he wanted to see Cloud in a dress. Zack, excited, agrees in an instant and has the whole day planned out rather, um, thoroughly.
OOC note; This was a 43 page long log. I had to split it into three parts because of the character limit via LJ updateness. So, yes, you'll be seeing three entries look sort of the same, but they're all different parts of the log~
Log;
Zack, however, was currently hovering around a crêpe stand. And he looked quite impatient since he was close to the front, but even closer to the back of the line. He whined, made idle chit-chat to some other man who looked frustrated after a while of him yammering about nothing in particular, and tapped his foot with a groan.
He wasn't really naturally impatient, because he could stand there all day if he were alone and talk with random people in line to keep himself busy, but he was still excited, and an excited Zack equaled an even more so giddy six-foot tall man with a strong mission in mind; the avid air about him did not go unnoticed.
The crowd soon thinned out and Zack ordered two crêpes cheerfully (strawberry and banana-chocolate), nearly flailing in at attempt to dodge people while making his way back to where he had last left Cloud. There was a discontinuance towards his running, pausing in mid-step while sharp eyes tried to track down a familiar patch of blond hair.
“Ah!” Pleased that he finally found him, Zack made his way towards Cloud, lightly tapping his shoulder to grab his attention, only to greet him with the strawberry crêpe shoved in front of his face. “I haven't had these things in forever! I had to get some, but I wasn't sure what you wanted. Do you want this one instead?” He lightly shook the banana-chocolate one in the other hand.
So it had been food. It simply never failed with the likes of Zack. Cloud promptly relieved Zack of the strawberry crepe, knowing that Zack was partial to chocolate. "Thanks."
He walked over to one of the many benches lining the sidewalk and took a seat beneath the shade of the tree beside it.
It was a surprisingly good crepe. Bizarrely so. Cloud understood why Zack had deemed it necessary to purchase them.
As much as he professed his aversion to being called Zack's "housewife," Cloud made a mental note to find out how to make crepes. Among other things of the edible variety. As the two were hopelessly impaired when it came to the kitchen, they depended mostly on Aerith's comparably excellent cooking for sustenance, and though Aerith's generosity came easily, Cloud hoped to change this in the near future. He'd try not to get Zack involved, of course, considering any attempts on the other man's part to even operate a stove had resulted in multiple near-death incidents, in which the entire building risked being engulfed in flames. Zack was the type who took pride in being able to use a microwave, though Cloud suspected that someday, he'd end up causing one to spontaneously combust if he wasn't careful.
"Oh, and here's your wallet," Cloud said suddenly, pulling it out of his pocket and offering it back. He'd nearly forgotten.
Zack followed Cloud towards the bench, flopping down beside him as an arm stretched out behind Cloud's back, hand holding onto the edge of the top of the bench while legs sprawled out in front of him. He eyed the crêpe hungrily, taking large bites then paused to savor the taste – yeah, they were pretty damn good.
The other's voice snapped him out of his stupor, reaching over to take the wallet though frowned down at Cloud, swallowing before he spoke, “Wait, you didn't get anything?”
He always forgot about the whole modesty thing, and Cloud was indeed modest and humble when he was shown kindness. Zack should've known better than to just hand Cloud the wallet and tell him to go on a shopping spree. He'd probably come back with absolutely nothing, such as now, and claim that he didn't find anything. Well, at least
he knew he had a mission to go out shopping for Cloud, which wouldn't be a pretty sight as he had some stupid things in mind to get him.
It was alright, though, and the smile he gave instantly made this clear.
"I was going to get something for Aerith, but I couldn't find anything she'd like," Cloud explained, watching Zack make short work of the remains of his crêpe with detached amusement. He knew Zack wouldn't get upset about it or anything, but he felt that explanation was necessary anyway.
"I couldn't think of anything you'd like, either."
“Oh?” Zack chewed on the last piece of the crêpe, watching people pass by as he crumbled up the thin piece of paper that wrapped around the previously whole food, tossing it towards a trash can nearby.
He turned his attention on Cloud, shifting a little in place so he could see him better. “That's sweet of you, but you need some new clothes. I know, you're dying to wear the dress for the rest of the time,” he teased, fingers absently playing with tiny hairs on the back of Cloud's neck, noticing that this was going to be a bad habit from now on, “but y'know, I'd like anything you got me.”
A pause, thinking on that for a second, before cracking a grin, “Heck, if it were a matching dress to yours I'd attempt to wear it! But I assure you, I wouldn't be very attractive in it.” He was obviously joking, but Zack felt like he should point it out that he appreciated the thought no matter what.
Cloud playfully batted Zack's fingers away from his neck. "More like you're dying to see me in it."
The idea of Zack in a dress, though, was really something else. At least with Cloud, it was possible - he'd done it before and had pulled it off with relative success, as demonstrated by his escapades in Wall Market. Cloud hated to admit it, but Zack was far more masculine than him in terms of build, and would look nothing short of ridiculous in a dress. "And no, you wouldn't," Cloud agreed whole-heartedly, voice rich with mirth.
Pouting childishly, Zack removed his hand, but merely to put his wallet away. “Yeah, I am, actually,” honesty was key, thank you very much, “but I'll save the gawking at you in a dress for later.”
He rolled his eyes at Cloud's reply about he himself in a dress. “Hey, I'm actually proud that I don't look good in women's clothing! You do only because you have such a pretty face.” Zack proceeded to take both hands, pinching the blond's cheeks, pulling on them lightly with a chuckle. “That and your waist is all tiny, plus I betcha I can still pick you up and toss you over my shoulder,” violet eyes gleamed, almost daring Cloud to say otherwise.
Cloud pulled away as soon as he could, a look of pure indignation on his face. "I'm not pretty." "Pretty" was a term reserved for girls. Then again, so was "cute," which Zack used quite liberally. "I'm just more... versatile".
"And I'm not a kid anymore, Zack." Cloud's eyes returned the challenge, for he was confident that while Zack still exceeded him in sheer strength, it was impossible for him to live up to his claims.
“Versatile my ass,” Zack half-heartedly glared with a grin on his face.
“I know you're not a kid, but that won't stop me from picking you up.”
Sure enough, Zack stood up but a moment later, not waiting for Cloud to react before he nabbed him at the waist, hoisting him up and over his shoulder while smirking in victory. If he could hold a Buster sword that was probably the same weight as Cloud was, he could definitely be able to do this without a struggle.
Cloud barely managed not to let out a shout of dismay as the world was abruptly flipped upside down.
"Put me down," he hissed vehemently, not wishing to draw any more attention to the pair, though it was taking all of his self-control not to wipe that infuriating smirk off the other man's face by whatever means necessary. Cloud had a couple things in mind. "Or so help me, Zack, I'll--"
“You'll what?” Zack shot back with a gleam in his eyes, a grin slowly pulling it's way on his face in place of the smirk. He then tilted his head to the side, wondering about something, before proceeding to bend over slightly to nab the bag with the dress in it with his free hand before venturing off towards the next place on his list: the Carousel.
“Besides, I know, deep down inside, you actually like it!” A pause followed suit, thinking on that momentarily, “Well, at least you used to.” Zack didn't sound convinced at the least, but where was the fun in letting Cloud down anyway? Besides, wasn't like there were that many people staring at them.
It was just another day to those people; another cracked-up scene that seemed like it would never end.
Cloud didn't have to see Zack's face to know that he was grinning like the maniac that he was. This incensed him all the more. "I'm serious," he said, helpless to keep the traces of a whine out of his voice. He could already see a mother on the street whispering side-long to her daughter as they quickened their pace while passing the two.
He'd be damned if he let Zack think he could get away with this without a struggle. He might have been helpless to resist Zack back then, but now he was a grown adult, and he wasn't going down with this without a fight. "You wish." He gritted his teeth, straining to loosen Zack's grip by pushing against the solid muscle of his back, mostly in vain.
Cloud was only grateful that Aerith wasn't there to see him like this. This sort of thing only happened because it was Zack.
Laughing loudly, Zack simply held onto him tighter, but not tight enough to make it hurt, just enough to hold the squirming blond down until they reached their destination. “Ooo, I'm so scared,” he turned his head to give a delighted look over towards the people who were staring as they couldn't decide if they should be horrified or amused, “I completely forgot that the great Cloud Strife was a hero now.”
When they finally reached the Carousel, Zack finally put Cloud down gently, a hand reaching between the already close proximity of the two, smoothing back blond hair as a genuine smile was on his face. “Naw, I'm kidding, you were always a hero,” and he sincerely meant it, too.
Cloud pouted, arms crossed. "You better believe it." He was relieved to have been released, but he wasn't about to make it apparent.
He'd been too caught up with struggling to take note of where Zack had been taking them, so he was hit with a small wave of nostalgia once he realized where they were. The Carousel was where he'd first met up with Zack once arriving in the city, and he'd never forget it.
Zack just simply smiled all the more before violet eyes roamed over the Carousel, taking in its mysterious aura, “Y'know, I really like this thing.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, still keeping his eyes on the large spinning
object, “At first, though, I was kind of worried when I watched it. It just seems never-ending, you know?” The thought of there never being an end to things didn't exactly scare Zack, because it took a lot to do that – and since he was obviously not scared of death, considering his situation and all, it wasn't about that, either. He wasn't
entirely sure himself, but there was something about the Carousel that made him happy but weary at the same time.
“But this was the first place I arrived at, too. I'm sure this Carousel has seen a lot and heard a lot about itself in the passing years. Heck, this was one of the only places I enjoyed going to at first. S'why I wanted to meet you here, I guess,” Zack nodded in approval towards that, feeling somewhat nostalgic too. Then again, ever since Cloud
arrived he felt overly nostalgic to the point where he wanted to talk about the 'good 'ol days', but refrained from doing such.
"I like it too. I don't remember ever being happier than I was when I saw you here," Cloud admitted shyly, remembering the mixture of disbelief and elation - painful happiness - he'd experienced on their reunion.
He couldn't believe it'd only been a few weeks since he'd found Zack again; the time he'd spent with him thus far was enough for him almost forget how much he'd missed him throughout their separation, but now, he was revisiting those feelings.
"Except for back then, maybe." The expression on his face was wistful as he gazed out on the Carousel.
Zack's smile only widened with the admittance Cloud threw at him almost unexpectedly, deciding that taking the other's hand and dragging him up on the Carousel was the only was to respond to that without throwing out a 'Of course, I'm just that awesome'; a typical response that didn't seem like it needed to be said.
When Cloud was finally pulled up, Zack didn't let go of his hand but instead held it a little tighter, eyes casting themselves away and into the crowd of people, but he didn't look like he was concentrating on anything in particular, except for his thoughts. “Na, Cloud? What I said before, about not leaving? I meant it.”
He actually considered his words carefully, not one to usually do this as he spoke his mind as quick as ever most of the time, but he felt like wording things with caution. “I won't leave, and I promise I'll protect you,” he waited for a moment to let the words sink in. “I know, you don't need to be protected anymore; you don't need someone to take
care of you. I know you can take care of yourself. But I'll still do my best to make sure nothing happens to you, alright?”
His face wasn't exactly showing any sort of sadness, but a sort of longing feeling circled his features; the sudden realization and verbal admittance that he was remorseful for a lot of things.
Cloud smiled sadly. "That means a lot to me." Words repeated, but without any less conviction. He was painfully aware that without his friends - without Zack - he was nothing at all, and that no matter how much he tried to put up a front of independence, he was still fragile. And he believed every word of what Zack said with all the strength he had, because there was nothing else to count on.
Between now and the past, he hadn't changed much, despite what he wanted to think. He'd been broken before, and it could happen again just as easily. Now, though, he knew that as long as Zack was around, he wasn't going to let it happen.
"You know, this place scared me at first." He squeezed Zack's hand, entwined in his own, the act nearly unconscious. "But not anymore."
“I'm sure this place freaked the hell out of a lot of people at first.” Zack cracked a grin for a moment, finally able to turn to look at Cloud. “Even me, but that was before I realized that there were a lot of good people here – like me.” Never forgetting to add himself into the mix, he simply winked, then tried to lighten the mood again by hopping off the Carousel, letting go of Cloud's hand before giving him a mischievous look.
“Last person to our next stop is a rotten egg!” He didn't even give Cloud a chance to ask where they were going – he was quite aware the blond had no idea, which meant he won by default, but the idea of being completely childish seemed to be a necessary thing to do. It was always the best solution for Zack, of course.
Zack then took a running start, knowing Cloud would follow along no matter what.
"What- Zack!" Cloud leapt off the Carousel after Zack, simultaneously bemoaning Zack's apparent inability to focus on a single topic of discussion for more than five minutes and grateful that Zack simply couldn't stay down for long. His cheerfulness was infectious.
It was impossible to guess what was going through Cloud's head as he grabbed at Zack's shirt as he gradually caught up with the other man, causing him to lose footing and sending him sprawling on the ground.
Before Zack could react, Cloud took the liberty of settling himself comfortable atop his prone body, straddling Zack's hips with his knees, looking pointedly smug.
"I win."
Zack really wasn't expecting that. So when he indeed went sprawling face-down on the ground, it was one of the most amusing sights to be seen. He let out a sound that was in the middle of a squawk and a yell, flailed, then fell; the blond apparently also found it humorous to sit atop him, which Zack would allow because he wasn't that heavy
to begin with.
Still didn't stop him from saying, after a moment of silence: “Geez, you're heavy! And no, you don't win 'cause we're not there yet.” Zack lifted his face from the ground, resting his cheek on the palm of his hand while free fingers tapped on the ground, as if impatient towards Cloud's initiation to make him be in the position he was in currently. “And if you're not a good boy, I'll take drastic measures!”
"I don't think you're really in any position to be making threats," Cloud said sweetly, patting Zack on the head while pointedly ignoring the stares he was eliciting. This was far too amusing, anyway.
"If you're a good boy, I'll get off. Maybe."
Placing both arms on the ground to support his weight when cocking his head to the side as best as he could to get a good look at Cloud, Zack rose one, raven colored eyebrow in response. “Is that so?” He sighed, closing his eyes shut to shake his head once.
And then? The battle began.
Zack swiftly moved, trying to be careful so that he wouldn't hurt Cloud in the process – which was probably an impossible thing on his part if he was paying close attention to who he was trying to out strengthen at the time – by flipping underneath him, hands nabbing Cloud's forearms before quickly pushing him on the ground face-up. He
mimicked the other's previous smug look when he pinned both of Cloud's wrists above blond hair with a hand, simply hovering above him with an amused look on his face.
“Wanna say that again, or do I have to take even more drastic measures?”
"Oh, yeah?" Cloud stared up defiantly at his captor, unwilling to admit defeat despite his situation. He couldn't help thinking that this scene was far too reminiscent of the old days. It probably explained how suddenly childish and light-headed he was feeling.
With the air of someone who was going to go down with glory, he stuck out his tongue for emphasis. "I'm not scared of you."
Zack simply relaxed, rather comfortable despite how out in the open they were with this, but it wasn't like Zack to take into consideration of their surrounding if he decided to play these little games with Cloud. At least it gave several people some sort of amusement.
“S'that right? Alright, then, you asked for it.” Zack balanced on his knees while his free hand reached down to begin tickling Cloud; not just any tickling, though, because he knew his weak spots, which angles to use to hear him make different kinds of amusing noises, and so on and so forth. He didn't let his grip loosen throughout his speedy
tickling routine, finding it more entertaining to watch Cloud squirm helplessly.
"This - hahah! - isn't FAIR - HAHAHA - Zack, stop--"
In between struggling desperately to avoid Zack's fingers, suppressing the urge to scream, attempting to tell Zack off while giggling helplessly and still trying to breathe, with tears threatening to spurt from his eyes, and clinging to the remnants of his dignity on top of it all, Cloud cursed himself for an idiot; he should have seen it coming.
He didn't last long. He never did. "All right! All right, I give, just stop," he managed to gasp, pride forgotten in the face of impending insanity.
People were staring. Cloud was giggling. Zack was grinning.
Because of the situation they were in currently, Zack really didn't want to stop, but he did reluctantly, now raising both hands up in the air as he screamed “Victory!” to no one in particular.
“See? That wasn't too hard, now was it?” Both hands roughly ruffled Cloud's already mess of blond hair, standing up soon after so he could brush himself off. He didn't say or do anything more except turn back towards Cloud, hand extended out to him, not letting his smile falter once.
Cloud took a moment to catch his breath before pointedly throwing Zack a look of pure resentment. "What're you looking so happy about?" He took the proffered hand nonetheless, as his knees were feeling distinctly weak, hoisting himself upward into a standing position.
He sighed, pouting to exaggerate his discontent. "You always win."
Reaching fingers out to tug on Cloud's pouted bottom lip, the man's grin only widened considerably. “Of course I do, it's in my blood to be the winner.”
Zack let the offending lip go, pulling Cloud along now as he figured running off again would result in the same thing happening twice, which he couldn't reject the idea of that happening, but they'd never get to their next stop if so.
This didn't stop him, however, from yammering on and on. “I've got lots of strength, libraries of knowledge, street smarts, good looks,” he paused to look over at Cloud, a rather tender expression appearing on his face, “and I've got you.” He turned back to look forward then, appearing to be distinctly proud of himself. “So of course I'm a winner! You've gotta have all those things to be one, y'got that?”
Cloud's eyes turned skyward in exasperation. Zack was still his incorrigible self - his ego simply knew no bounds.
"Right."
"Says the guy who can't cook a simple meal without risking burning his house down." It was Cloud's turn to look self-satisfied.
“And that's why I have you here, Chocobo-head.” Zack replied rather cheerfully, not taking offense in Cloud's words since they were so true and all. He knew he couldn't cook, and it was an amusing thought to think about, but back at ShinRa Zack used to beg Sephiroth to make something, or to at least give him food from his apartment, in which
he'd usually receive a dry 'no' before the door slammed shut. That is, until Zack pounded on the door for an hour before the silver haired General decided to open it and drag Zack in by his hair.
And then there were times when Zack would roam over to Cloud's place and kick the door open, taking a seat anywhere before demanding food, in which he knew the blond didn't have but it was a signal that they were going out to eat. Such memories were pleasing, especially when it seemed like Zack had to rely on other people for his well-being.
It wasn't that Zack was a complete idiot when it came to the kitchen though, he just didn't have much skill in the culinary arts department – there was no way he was going to be called a woman for being able to cook, though he teasingly tried to 'tee-hee' a few times while making microwavable food. It never really worked out, but hey, that's one thing he used to be pleased with when he stayed with Aerith way back before he even went to work for ShinRa. She could at least 'tee-hee' and look good in an apron – so could Cloud, for that matter.
Zack didn't say much more on their trip, especially because the scenery started to change after a while. People suddenly were exchanged for grass, and grass suddenly bloomed into flowers of brightly lit colors, which only meant one thing: they were in Xanadu.
It always seemed like such a long trip when he was with Aerith or by himself, but with Cloud, somehow time seemed to pass quicker than it should, thus why he wanted to drag the day out as much as he could, especially since they were more than half-way done with their little date. The best, of course, was going to be saved for last.
But the idea of going to Xanadu with Cloud sort of struck Zack's fancy after a while, not entirely sure as to why, but it was just a peaceful, cheerful place with no one around.
Cloud's breath caught in his throat; it'd been a long time since he'd seen anything as wondrous. The field of flowers extended almost endlessly into the distance, lit delicately by the mellow glow of the sun and disturbed only by the occasional gentle breeze. The overbearing gray upon gray of Misery Square had matched Midgar's too well, and he
was grateful for the change in setting. Here, it felt as though he and Zack were the only people in the universe.
The first thing that Cloud noticed was how strikingly nostalgic this place was of the church. Unlike the city, characterized by its ceaseless activity, Xanadu emanated with tranquility - it seemed as much a sanctuary as the church had always been. Almost like home, and possibly the closest he'd ever get to it. Zack was here, too, and that completed the experience.
"It's beautiful," he said quietly, voice filled with awe.
“Isn't it?” Eyes shifted then to look over at Cloud, slightly amused by the look on his face, and he was certainly ready to say 'But not as beautiful as you are', but even if it was going to be said jokingly, Zack would've laughed at himself for days since it was such a cheesy line. No way in hell he'd spoil the look of amazement on Cloud's face, not right now, because the perfect harmony of silence between the two was enough for him to stay quiet, save the two words that were said directly after Cloud's own.
Two hands reached out to take both of Cloud's, letting the bag that he was previously carrying drop to the ground as he lead the blond farther out into the garden, a smile plastered on his face while his own violet eyes danced with delight.
When they reached what seemed like it was somewhere far enough out that the flowers looked like it was endless around them, Zack stopped while keeping hold of the other's hands, head turning to the right to look around in fondness of the place. “You know, Aerith comes here a lot. I'm sure you don't need an explanation as to why.” He chuckled, closing his eyes for a moment as a strong breeze decided to pass by, adoring that feeling of wind through his hair as he tried to savor the feeling before speaking again. “At first, I never understood why she was so attracted to flowers, but now that I've spent so much time in this place I think I know why.”
"Yeah," Cloud agreed, smiling in fondness at the memory. Zack's voice seemed somewhat muted to him - whether or not it was the sheer magnitude of the serenity of the garden or how he felt like they were cut off from reality, he couldn't decide.
It was sad, almost, how beautiful this place was. It was ridiculous, though, because Cloud was anything but sad. He leaned his head against Zack's shoulder, hand still clasping his, a sigh of true contentment escaping from his lips.
This was like a perfect world, he quickly decided. He couldn't think of any other place he'd rather be.
Standing there forever was almost tempting, but Zack opted to take a seat on the ground after allowing a long bit of peaceful silence pass by. He slowly tugged Cloud down with him, but gently enough so that he wouldn't fall flat on his face, giving the blond enough time to settle down next to him.
Zack then flopped down on his back, hands behind his head as eyes closed, completely tempted and certainly content enough to take a nap, like so many times before. But he instead cracked his eyes half-open, reaching up to play with a lock of Cloud's hair.
He didn't know why, but his hair really was getting a lot of attention lately. Maybe because it had been so long since he was able to even teasingly ruffle it, or pull it and make ridiculous hairstyles, though now his touch was more gentle, and Zack was quite aware of this. It was a sort of longing he had, he decided, since the gesture was out of
mild affection, as always, and he found it a nice way to show appreciation.
“You've sure grown up, kiddo.” Zack said after a long while, smiling fondly towards the other. “Y'make me proud.” He didn't really know exactly what happened in the passing time since he had left Cloud till right then and there, but he knew it had been quite an adventure; tough, difficult, exhausting, and not exactly great for one's mental health,
especially when Cloud was always such a fragile person to begin with. Though from what little, tiny stories Zack heard via Aerith, it had been a tough battle that Cloud pushed through no matter what.
Because of that, Zack really was proud of him. More than words could express, if that was possible at all.
These words, as simple as they were, but painfully honest, like everything else about Zack, made Cloud's heart swell with both pride and happiness like nothing else was capable of doing so.
As desperately as Cloud wanted - no, needed to convey his gratitude for everything - the past, the date, their friendship, this; the list was unending - he was at a loss as to how he could do so. Nothing seemed adequate.
It came to him, though. He leaned over Zack's face, supporting himself with his arms, and laid a small, chaste kiss on Zack's lips, all awkwardness forgotten, a radiant smile playing on his features. "Thank you, Zack."
Zack wasn't totally sure if he should be surprised or not, but his face did show mild shock and amusement, if anything else.
The hand already on Cloud's hair shifted to cup his face, a thumb softly smoothing over his temple, a gesture to show his own thanks without words alone. He, though, cocked his head to the side, shaking it once before murmuring, “You don't need to thank me, Cloud. Just...” There was a pause as his eyes rolled up in thought before they resumed their previous position, “...smiling is enough for me.”
He felt happy, this much was true. And as tempting as it was to return the kiss, he was almost positive it was to show thanks and only that. And Zack? He could live with that, just as long as Cloud was pleased and felt fulfilled in the initiation of such an intimate gesture.
Besides, he had the rest of the day, of course, if anything.
"If you say so." Cloud blushed faintly as he suddenly realized the boldness of his actions, but was immeasurably grateful that Zack hadn't displayed blatant shock or repulsion in reaction.
He could tell that something was amiss, though. Cloud wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but he could vaguely detect Zack inwardly conflicting over something - he wasn't sure what, but it was undeniable there - even if it was barely discernible, as Zack was putting a conscious effort into concealing it.
"Something wrong?" Concern was evident in his voice.
Being lost in his own thoughts was something Zack was used to doing, but he blinked a few times, as if warding off whatever he had somehow slipped into. “Hm? Oh, naw, don't worry about it.” He half-heartedly waved a hand, trying to dismiss the topic altogether.
Even though Zack constantly put it upon himself to shout about how wonderful he was and to draw attention to himself in any way shape or form, Zack really didn't care for others to know what was going on in his mind. Sometimes, it was because he was apprehensive at what would happen if most of his thoughts got the better of him. He was a painfully patient man, and mysterious, especially with the way he attempted to avoid others knowing when he was uncomfortable, sad or even thoughtful – it was in his nature to be happy constantly, so the thought of being melancholy or openly worried to the point where it worried others just wouldn't fly with Zack, especially when he was around Cloud.
Cloud could tell Zack was trying to change the subject. As much as Zack tried to wave this off as trivial, Cloud knew it was simply within Zack's nature to forever disregard his own feelings in favor of focusing on others - there was only one thing that Zack could possibly be dishonest about, and it was when something bothered him. But whether or not Zack was comfortable with being open about things that bothered him, Cloud felt it was necessary to get to the bottom of it. Because for once, it wouldn't hurt for Zack to be the focus of attention, and not in a superficial respect. He was selfless the rest of the time, anyway.
And for the first time, Cloud made the sudden realization that as much as he thought he knew Zack, and in spite of him being the person he was closest to, he knew very little about Zack's feelings. About anything, even himself. He would make sure to find out, and soon.
He took Zack's hand in his own, pressing it against his cheek. "I think you're lying."
Nothing could have completely prepared him for that; the words Cloud spoke were true, but he hated that word. Lying. It always baffled him from time to time as to why people would lie, because getting things out in the open and not letting it dig into your consciousness deeper and deeper was a good thing, wasn't it? Especially if it was for the worst. Guilt was something Zack wasn't very fond of, so he's always told the truth, no matter what.
He never really thought of avoidance as being anything near the term 'lying', but now that he thought about it, we was lying to himself, at least, constantly. Or at least trying to brush away several things at once, because if he didn't? Well, he might regret it. Especially on such a touchy subject that was roaming through his head at the moment, because Cloud never pressed on after asking if something was wrong. That was probably Zack's fault, because he, once again, avoided things with a smile.
Though Zack was a touchy-feely person in the first place, he never brought it upon himself to push personal boundaries unless he was out to piss someone off for his own amusement. But if they were serious about it? He'd drop the contact altogether. And if it was something more intimate, well, he was extremely cautious and careful about that one. As much as he flirted and fooled around with people, he never brought romantic feelings into any sort of situation, especially when it could pass the border of friendship or just a one-night stand, depending on the situation. He's seen countless people get hurt because of it, and he'd be damned if that ever happened to someone he cared about.
“It's nothing you need to worry about,” he said with compassion is his eyes, his smile containing kindness and knowingness towards Cloud's worried look. “When the time comes for me to talk about it, you'll certainly be the first person who'll know, 'kay?” Zack really could kick himself for letting this all slip out, but ever careful he was, no matter what.
"Promise?"
Cloud still had his doubts, but he realized that whatever it was, it was a sensitive issue for Zack, and that it was territory that he probably had no right to intrude upon. Besides, he knew that Zack was stubborn, and that if he didn't intend to yield, he wasn't going to. It was as simple as that.
He would be patient. It'd be difficult, considering Cloud couldn't stand the idea of Zack being troubled over something or even worse, getting hurt. It was a little surreal, but he realized that Zack, too, was human.
Zack allowed the smile on his face to stay, shifting his hand in Cloud's hold to twine their fingers together, tugging their hands down to lightly kiss the back of the blond's hand. “Promise.”
As much as Zack didn't want to leave Xanadu – he made a mental note to come back with Cloud and do something ridiculously silly to entertain the both of them – he had one more place he wanted to take Cloud. He was thankful that this could be more than just a date, but also the chance to take him out and about to explore the city; to show him that not everything was so dark, grim and scary in such a foreign place.
“But...” He sat up rather suddenly, shoving away thoughts that would come about later for something more cheerful, like the excitement of their last stop. “There's one more place I'd like to show you. Granted it ain't as cool as this, but it's very close to it, and I'm sure you haven't seen it in a very, very long time.” He played with his words, teasing Cloud by once again not telling him where they were going.
Cloud was reluctant to leave the garden, but the place Zack described held promise, and thus far, he hadn't let him down. He was also curious as to what Zack had in mind. If he hadn't seen it in a long time, this meant he'd been there before, but he was drawing a blank as to where this place might be. Considering he'd never been to this city - or this world - prior to now.
"Well, what are we waiting for, then?"