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Zack came back into consciousness slowly, feeling warm and comfortable and honestly well rested for the first time in… well, forever it seemed like, though he knew that there had to have been a time when he used to get some good sleep in nightly. At least, Zack didn’t remember being a life-long insomniac.
It was just that with everything with Angeal and Soldier and Shinra and even Sephiroth and Genesis, Zack had recently been too stressed out to fall asleep until early hours of the morning when exhaustion finally dragged him under. Hell, sometimes not even then. Lately he’d been going through way too many nights without being able to sleep at all, and when he did his sleep was troubled and often interrupted by nightmares.
So what had changed? Why had he managed to sleep well now?
As if on cue, something moved a little against him, a form that he was currently wrapped around like an octopus and was holding onto for dear life.
Zack’s eyes flashed open even as he jerked back, flailing a little as he tried a little frantically to untangle himself from his apparent bed- couch, actually, he soon noticed as he went over the side and to the floor- partner as fast as possible.
Looking down to see just who was with him, his eyes caught on golden spikes at first, before trailing slowly over perfect, pale skin, and then finally meeting silted eyes that were almost a shade of mako-blue.
“Zack?” Cloud asked drowsily, reaching one hand up to rub his eyes, and Zack abruptly remembered how he’d wound up in this scenario. He’d invited his new friend over to play some games and maybe get to destress a little before he actually crumbled under the weight of everything that was happening.
It had been a good call. Cloud was really good about not pushing Zack to talk about more than he felt comfortable with, and really funny and intelligent when you got the guy talking. What Zack had originally planned on only being a few hours of gaming had turned into a lot longer, until finally they’d both apparently given in to the lateness of the hour and just fallen asleep on the couch, apparently.
“Uh, hey Cloud! I guess that we stayed up a bit later than planned, huh? Sorry, shit, is your Sargent expecting you or anything? I can write you an excuse if you need one.” Zack offered, it being the least he could do when he was the reason that Cloud was running late.
Cloud shook his head, “No, my squad has free time today. That was why I accepted your offer in the first place, remember? Are you… okay? It can’t be comfortable on the floor.”
“I’m great! Actually, better than I’ve been in a while.” Zack chirped, realizing it was true as he said it. “I’ve gotta tell you, Cloud, I think you have special cuddling powers or something, because I haven’t slept that well in a long time. Wow, that sounded a lot better in my head. Uh, you know what? Ignore that, that was probably weird. Sorry if it made you uncomfortable.” Zack rambled, cursing himself as he did. What was wrong with him? Yeah, Cloud was just sitting there and looking really cute, which was one of Zack’s strongest weaknesses, but he was usually a lot smoother than this!
Apparently, Cloud picked up one of the worst things he could have from that ramble, ignoring the rest to ask Zack concernedly, “You haven’t been sleeping well?”
Zack guessed that at least he wasn’t calling Zack a creep.
Zack rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, “Well, yeah, some things have been going on, but it’s all right! You know me, I’m fine. I’m always fine.”
But he could tell that Cloud wasn’t accepting that. It didn’t look like Cloud was the type willing to act like he was convinced by Zack’s poorly done bravado. Instead of walking away and ignoring the fact that Zack was probably- okay, pretty clearly- falling apart Cloud got this little furrow on his brow, pursed his lips, and looked up at Zack with an expression that was somehow both uncertain and firm. “You know, if… if you’re not willing to talk right now, and it makes you feel better… I can sleep with you again. Platonically, I mean. Platonically sleep with you. If it… if it makes you feel better.”
Zack both wished Cloud hadn’t said that and as if he needed to latch onto the offer now, before Cloud thought better of it and took it away. He felt kind of pathetic at how grateful the offer had made him, and definitely pathetic at how scared it made him, but mostly he just felt relieved. This. This was something he could do, a way he could actually get some sleep.
And maybe he was being a horrible person for being willing to take advantage of Cloud like this, but he was desperate enough for at least one thing to start going just a little bit better that he was going to grab onto the offer with both hands and hold it tight.
Resolving, with a firmness to the decision that even Angeal would have approved of, that he would at least ensure that he would keep this situation platonic and would never take advantage of Cloud in any other way, Zack smiled genuinely at his friend.
“Yeah, Cloud. I think that would help a lot.”
***
(It becomes less then platonic within the first month, but considering that Cloud is the one to initiate that particular change, Zack figures he isn’t technically breaking that inward vow. When he shares this thought with Cloud, his boyfriend snorts with laughter against his chest and cheerfully says he’ll gladly take the blame.)