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“I honestly think you guys are being ridiculous,” Zack sighed, stretching out his arms above his head.
He had just finished indulging Cloud’s request for a sparring session in their dojo. It was a common way for them of them to relieve stress and anxiety, but this time it was spurred on by a week-long disagreement between Cloud and Sephiroth, Zack’s other boyfriend.
“I’m not going to do whatever he tells me to do like a dog, Zack,” Cloud huffed, grabbing a towel to wipe off his sweat. “He doesn’t get to bully me.”
“He not trying to bully you, Spike.” Zack wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him flush against his front. Cloud groaned at their sticky skin coming into contact with each other but he didn’t pull away. “He’s just trying to let you know that he wants you to join the group. You were fine with it before, weren’t you?”
“That was before he called me ‘untrustworthy’ when I quit my job! How does that have anything to do with my ability to stay in a committed relationship?”
“You’ve already explained that to him and he apologized, remember?”
The walked out into the massive hallway, lined with intricate vases and gorgeous artwork that Genesis and Angeal had collected from their many trips abroad. One thing that always fascinated Cloud about this house (mansion, really), ever since Zack invited him over to visit, was how he could match each element to its owner.
Angeal, a respected chef, loved nature and food, so the gardens and the kitchen were well-maintained. Genesis, an accomplished professor, loved the arts, so the house was filled with exotic pieces and books. Zack, a decorated athlete, loved his sport equipment and insisted on having multiple grounds to keep himself active. Then there was Sephiroth, who Cloud was pretty sure was some kind of doctor, who had an interesting inclination for engineering and models. He played a big role in designing the mansion when the original trio had decided to finally build their dream home. This was also the reason why he and Cloud had gotten along well in the beginning.
Cloud was a structural technician, so building plans and designs were a constant part of his life. He and Zack met each other on campus when Zack was given permission to use the campus grounds to practice for an upcoming event where he was set to represent their town. While Cloud had been nervous to meet Zack’s boyfriends, Zack assured him that his chosen occupation would instantly make Sephiroth his biggest fan.
And it was true. The two of them had plenty to talk about during Cloud’s visits, which certainly impressed the witty Genesis and the kind Angeal, who had instantly been smitten with Cloud since meeting him for the first time. Unfortunately, none of them had known that Cloud hated his job.
The only reason he chose that path after high school was to pursue his love for drawing while having a stable career. But he had no idea of the decline of the construction industry and how stressful his professional life would be. The toxic work environment he landed himself in had been hell on earth and there were days where he wanted do nothing more than cry on his bedroom floor for days.
In order to keep himself somewhat sane, he would doodle random sketches for his online comic and he was happy when his work started building up a modest audience. Zack was the only one who knew about his hobby (Cloud had begged him not to tell anyone else because he wasn’t comfortable with the others knowing about it just yet) and he was very supportive when Cloud suggested that he would like to explore becoming a commissioned artist.
It was not a good day when Cloud decided to quit his miserable job. He had reached his limit of taking the verbal and emotional abuse thrown at him by his boss, and he stormed out of the building with every intention to never turn back. He had sobbed on the phone uncontrollably when Zack called in for their usual evening phone call and he thought he was finally free of the burden of his previous occupation.
“So, you simply throw everything away when things are difficult?” Sephiroth’s flat tone and a hint of a condescending air to it.
Angeal had invited Cloud over the next day, after he had given Zack the green light to tell the others, for a special snack that he had prepared to comfort him. The talked about it for hours until an oddly cold Sephiroth walked into the greenhouse, coming home from work.
“How are we to trust you to remain committed in a relationship with us if you act so childishly?”
“Seph-“ Angeal tried to intervene but Sephiroth continued.
“Life is not always easy, Cloud.”
“Then keep your fucking relationship!” Cloud screamed. “I’m sick and tired of having to deal with condescending, inconsiderate bullies who want to control everything I do with no thought om how it affects me!” He walked up to Sephiroth, back straight and head held high even though a new set of hot tears streamed down his cheeks. “If you can’t let me make my own decisions about my own happiness, then I don’t want to be with you either, Seph.”
Zack and Angeal had been left with the task of trying to bring the two back to understanding one another. Genesis, who was away for a mandatory school trip, let it be known that he found the entire fight unnecessary and he would ‘rip their heads off’ if he came back without the right to officially call Cloud his boyfriend. Even though they had all been romantically involved with the cute and stubborn blonde for some time, they had agreed that they would only invite him to be their fifth if it was unanimous from everyone, including Cloud.
Sephiroth had apologized a few days ago, but he ruined things when he added that Cloud would experience the ‘wonderful side of makeup sex if he accepts becoming their boyfriend right now.’
While saying something like that didn’t seem too inappropriate for the direction that they were already going, Cloud was more than a little sensitive to people telling him what to do and when to do it, and he couldn’t help but feel insulted.
“I’m not going to go over it again, Zack.” The once brightly lit hallway they were walking through was suddenly engulfed in darkness as thick, dark clouds gathered in the sky. The both stared out the floor-to-ceiling windows to see a menacing bolt of lightning flash above them, quickly followed by thunder rumbling like a dragon in a cave.
“Crap, I took the bus here,” Cloud groaned. “I didn’t know it was gonna rain.”
He sped up his pace to the opulent living room where he had thrown his bag earlier.
“Wait,” Zack jogged after him and grabbed his arm gently. “You can’t go out there. It looks like a storm’s coming. Just stay here.” He shrugged his shoulders and around gestured vaguely.
He gave a dimpled smile when Cloud’s eyes widened at the suggestion. A light blush covered Cloud’s cheeks and nose, making him look so adorable that Zack wanted to pinch his cheeks and kiss him at the same time.
“W-what? We’ve…I thought…” Cloud stuttered as he tried to come up with a single coherent thought. “I don’t want to disturb you guys…”
“Disturb us?” Zack laughed, throwing his head back and putting his hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter when Cloud tried to glare at him but it only appeared as a pout. “Sorry, I’m not laughing at you.” His giggling suggested otherwise. “You’re not a disturbance to us, Spike. In fact, pretty much everyone believes you don’t come over nearly enough.”
“I’m here almost every day, Zack,” Cloud rolled his eyes, willing his blush to go down.
“Well, we want you every night,” a smooth, rich voice came from behind Cloud and he felt a pair of muscular, warm arms wrap around him. His nose was filled with the smell of lavender and spices, and his body instantly relaxed against Angeal’s.
Angeal’s chest rumbled when he chuckled and he bent down to kiss Cloud’s cheek tenderly. Cloud loved the feeling of his stubble scraping against his smooth skin, and he turned his head to face Angeal’s warm gaze.
“Hi, Ange,” he sighed, unaware of how that simple greeting made both Zack and Angeal’s hearts jump with an unexplainable joy.
“Hi, Cloud. You weren’t planning on running out into that mess outside, were you?”
He inclined his head to the arched window on the far end of the living room and Cloud could barely make out a single object through the violent, thick sheets of rain.
“Wha-! You distracted me!” he slapped Angeal’s arms and the man laughed amusedly.
“I heard Zack telling you to stay for the night. I’m not going to pass up an opportunity like that.” He kissed the pouting man’s cheek again before releasing his hold, but not without ruffling Cloud’s hair first. A habit he learned from Zack.
Cloud huffed and tried to tame his locks, already resigned to his fate to spend the rest of the evening in his friends’ home for the first time. Zack and Angeal greeted each other with a sweet kiss and Cloud’s heart warmed at seeing the comfortable love clearly in their eyes. When they had become friends, Zack would gush all day about Angeal, who had been Zack’s first in every way.
Their relationship hadn’t been easy; Angeal believed that it was inappropriate for him to date one of his students, even though they were both adults at the time. The messed around for a bit but Angeal insisted that Zack date someone who was within his circle of acquaintances, but Zack’s sincerity won in the end.
The respect that they all for one another was something that Cloud admired beyond anything. Regardless of how much younger Zack was to them, Cloud had never seen or heard of them trying to influence him to do something he wasn’t comfortable with doing. Even Genesis, the prickly firecracker, had some measure of decency when it came to controlling his bossy ways.
This is what Cloud wanted.
When they broke apart, Cloud quickly schooled his features back into a smile.
“I’m going to start preparing for dinner,” Angeal declared. “Do you two want to help?”
His smile widened when they nodded their heads enthusiastically. Angeal normally preferred to cook alone in peace, but he was hoping to improve Cloud’s mood because he caught the longingly sad way that Cloud had looked at them earlier. He wanted this fight between Cloud and Sephiroth to be sorted out as much as everyone else. He didn’t mind giving up his space for a while if it meant that he could make things as comfortable and relaxing for them.
They had a more than pleasant evening.
The storm rained down around them relentlessly as they laughed over funny anecdotes. Angeal spoiled them with a delicious dinner and the freshly baked chocolate tart was heavenly. They sat under warm, fluffy blankets in the entertainment room and Cloud found himself dozing off more than once.
“I think it’s past your bed time, Spike,” Zack laughed softly, poking Cloud’s cheek.
“Fuck you,” the curse was neutralized by his yawn and he rubbed his eyes.
“It is pretty late,” Angeal looked up at the clock on the wall. He had looked up at it several times while they had been sitting there, but Cloud decided not to ask about it. “Let me show you the new guest room.”
They all groaned when they stood up, and luckily the walk upstairs to the guest bedroom was short. It was a fairly large room opposite Zack’s. Angeal preferred to use the bedroom downstairs and Genesis had the pool house converted into his own private guest house. Sephiroth’s rooms were an entire section on the far end of the house, where he had his own entrance in order not to wake everyone up when he left or came home during late hours.
Cloud didn’t bother switching on the lights when he stripped down into his shorts and slipped under the blankets. His bones relaxed into the soft mattress and rhythmic pitter-patter of the rain on the glass lulled him into a dreamless sleep.
He felt the bed dip and the smell of citrus and roses filled his senses, and a soft kiss was placed on his forehead. Cloud felt a tickling sensation brush against his cheek and neck, which pulled him out of his sleep completely. He squinted up to see an exhausted-looking Sephiroth tentatively smiling down at him.
“Good to see you, Cloud,” he purred.
Sephiroth’s green-blue eyes seemed brighter in the darkness somehow. He had his hands down on either side of Cloud’s head and his silver hair curtained him from the moonlight streaming in through the window.
Cloud swallowed hard.
He had almost forgotten Sephiroth’s ethereal beauty and seeing him after so many days made a heat stir up in his body.
“What are you doing here?” he hated how breathless he sounded and he willed himself to remember why he was angry at the man in the first place.
“Angeal texted me that you were spending the night here. I was going to cover an all-night shift but I wanted to see you.” He wanted to poke the space between Cloud’s eyebrows when they twisted in confusion (and some lingering sleep) but he knew that was not a good idea right now.
His boyfriends had spoken to him at length about how he had hurt Cloud with his harsh words and how his later remarks were more disrespectful than flattering. Now he would try to be more cautious of his actions and train himself to be more empathetic to his would-be boyfriend.
“If that’s still on the table,” he thought.
Cloud pushed himself up to a sitting position, making Sephiroth sit back though he was still sitting very close to Cloud. The blanket slipped down and Cloud’s bare chest was exposed. Sephiroth couldn’t help but stare down at the smooth skin, the expanse of neck and collarbones, and his enticingly pink nipples.
Cloud felt his face heat up even more but he resisted the urge to cover himself up.
“You left the hospital to come and see me?” he asked, grabbing Sephiroth’s attention away from his body.
“Yes,” Sephiroth gave a short nod. “I want to speak to you about…us.” He gestured between them. “I haven’t seen you in days and I…I apologize.”
He kept staring into Cloud’s eyes despite how awkward this must be for him.
“I get it,” Cloud whispered, a lump forming in his throat. “You don’t want to be with a quitter and that’s exactly what I am…”
“No, you’re not.” This time Sephiroth couldn’t resist shifting closer and holding Cloud’s hands between his. “I was projecting my own insecurities onto you and that was wrong of me. I never wanted to hurt you like that, I misspoke.”
Cloud knew a bit about the tumultuous environment that Sephiroth had been raised in, and he had heard that his previous dating experiences before Angeal and Genesis. Their failed experiences with bringing new people into their relationship had also been taxing on the stoic man, who developed deep trust issues.
“I had to leave, Seph,” Cloud blinked up at the ceiling to keep his tears from falling. He was not going to cry over that stupid job again; not now that he was finally able to live his life the way he wanted to. “But I’m sorry too. I overreacted and I wasn’t open with you earlier on. I feel like I sprung it on you out of the blue.”
“You weren’t ready. You don’t have to tell me anything until you are ready to do so.”
Cloud sniffed, rubbing his thumb over the back of Sephiroth’s hands.
“Until I’m ready, huh?” he murmured. “Does that also apply to…this?”
Sephiroth let out a deep breath before he responded.
“I will not pretend as though I do not desire you, Cloud.” He squeezed Cloud’s hands firmly and rubbed slow circles on the inner parts of Cloud’s wrists. “I may have been too forward that day, but I am that crass and honest with my lovers.”
There was an unspoken question at the end of his sentence and a shock ran down Cloud’s spine. The giddiness that he felt in this stomach almost made him throw up.
“Zack warned me that you are more aggressive than Genesis,” he gave a small, lopsided smile.
“That is debatable,” Sephiroth smirked. “It is your choice, Cloud. The time I have come to know has been wonderful and I would love to build a relationship with you. I am aware that our fight was…unpleasant, but my feelings for you have not subsided in the least.”
And neither had Cloud’s.
He grabbed Sephiroth’s wrists and pulled him in sharply for a kiss. Sephiroth didn’t have a second to process what was happening when their lips met and Cloud circled his arms around his shoulders. The kiss was warm and desperate; Cloud grabbing the back of Sephiroth’s hair to pull him in closer and settling himself of the man’s lap.
Sephiroth encircled his arms around the smaller man’s waist and pressed their chests flush against each other. He felt himself relax at Cloud’s soft scent and a very pleasant tingle travelled down to the front of his pants when Cloud shifted his bottom over his groin.
The group had long since agreed to allow things to happen naturally, while Cloud had asked for all sexual contact be put on hold until he was ready. His actions now solidified his stance and it was time for Sephiroth to properly demonstrate the wonders of make-up sex to his new, young lover…
“Are you certain?” a surprised Genesis crackled from the other side of the line.
“Um…” chuckled Angeal, closing his bedroom door softly and making his way to his bed. “I’m pretty sure, Gen. Seph practically flew back home the second I mentioned Cloud was here.”
“He’s supposed to be interviewing to become the new head of the hospital, wasn’t he?” Angeal heard a crinkling sound which was later followed by the crunch of whatever Genesis was eating.
“They’ll give it to him anyway,” he yawned, tugging himself under the covers while the rain continued to pour down onto his private garden outside his window. “I’m just happy Cloud’s finally ours. The two of them are so stubborn.”
“I cannot believe I’m not there! What are they doing right now?”
“I advise you to buy Zack that game he’s been blabbering about for weeks now. You lost the bet.”
“They’re having sex?!” The harsh whisper implied that he was in a place where it was inappropriate to say such things in public. “Why aren’t you recording it?”
“You’ll have your chance, you pervert,” Angeal smirked. “Or not. Too bad you’re not here to find out.”
“I will swim across this ocean, you smug bastard!”
“I miss you too, my love,” Angeal smiled at the huff Genesis let out. “I’m so glad Cloud is with us now. Come back soon, okay.”
“I will. I love you, and tell Sephiroth not to break him in too much. Goodness knows that man lacks self control.”
Angeal could feel his lover’s exasperated eye-roll and he snorted.
“I’ll try my best.”