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Sephiroth was tired, but he didn’t dare close his eyes. If he did, Zack would no doubt think of some horrendous way to wake him up, like using a blow horn by his ear, or setting his phone’s flashlight to strobe and shining it in his face.
And then Sephiroth would have to kill him, which would be a shame because going to jail for manslaughter would really throw a wrench in his life plans and, even worse, Angeal would be disappointed in him.
Down the hall in Zack’s bedroom, Genesis was swearing loudly and with far too much energy for the hour. He’d slunk off, claiming to use the bathroom, but when too much time had passed, Zack had investigated and—from the sound of betrayed squawking—had found Genesis passed out.
And tonight Zack had decided that no one slept.
It was certainly a nice thought, if you ignored practicality. Between all of their busy work schedules, not to mention the minutiae of everyday life, all of them getting together in the same place was a rarity. They’d managed tonight, and Zack refused to let them squander any of their time together by doing something so wasteful as resting.
And when Zack committed to something, there were no half-measures. He’d stocked his fridge with a variety of energy drinks, stuffed his cabinets full to bursting with sweets and candy, and watched them all with hawk-eyed intensity until they’d had enough of both to feel sick.
Sephiroth glanced across the couch, to where Cloud was a boneless heap beside him, and felt a rare moment of pity. Cloud, being Zack’s best friend, had it even worse than the rest of them. Zack wouldn’t be satisfied with the minimum effort from him. Sephiroth had lost count of the number of times Zack had shoved an energy shot, or a box of jelly beans, or some unholy candy-concoction he’d come up with at Cloud, eyes bright and full of excitement.
Cloud had stoically surrendered to Zack’s will as all learned to do in Zack's presence, grimacing more as the night wore on and the sugar rush left him drained. At least the crash meant Cloud stopped his worrying twitching and the near-fevered way he had to keep his body moving. Sephiroth was getting anxious just looking at him, he couldn’t imagine how that all felt.
Cloud and Sephiroth had taken up the couch. Angeal was seated not far from them in a large armchair, and a work-friend of Zack’s named Reno wasn’t even pretending to be up, and laid sprawled out on the carpet, eyes closed and snoring obliviously as the TV played some action movie Sephiroth didn’t care to follow. The constant barrage of blaring explosions and bullet-spray wasn’t enough to draw the room’s occupants from a half-dazed stare into the middle distance—although Sephiroth saw Angeal’s lips twitch into a small smile the longer Genesis yelled.
He was getting quite creative and rather inventive with his promises of revenge.
Angeal glanced Sephiroth’s way when Zack let out a yell and an ominous crash echoed throughout the apartment.
“I should probably break that up.”
“Your puppy will never mature if you don’t let him learn from his mistakes.”
Angeal chuckled, heaving himself out of the chair he’d slowly melded into all night. “I think this is one lesson he’s definitely learned.”
Angeal brushed by and left the room, and it was a good thing Sephiroth watched him go. When Angeal walked by the couch, it made Sephiroth notice Cloud, who was tipping to the side and was seconds away from a painful meeting with the floor.
Sephiroth darted out and snatched Cloud by his upper arm, tugging him back up with ease. They fell back to the couch in a heap and ended up sprawled across the length of it. Cloud blinked owlishly at Sephiroth from where he lay, their faces only inches apart and their legs tangled together. They were both too tired to separate.
“Thanks.” Cloud’s eyes were at half-mast, his voice a murmur. Cloud was always a quiet, somber person, but Sephiroth had never seen him like this, unguarded and soft, voice pitched to an intimate hush.
“You’re welcome.” Sephiroth’s reply was just as low, and he was suddenly aware of the inexplicable bubble they’d created for themselves. Genesis and Zack’s yelling, as well as Angeal’s fighting to make himself heard over them, faded into the background. Even Reno’s atrocious snoring was dulled.
Cloud sighed, a silent puff of breath that wafted a sharply sweet scent to Sephiroth’s nose.
“I’m so tired.”
“Sleep. I’m sure you could probably fit in a twenty-minute power nap before they come back out here.”
Cloud’s lips twitched. “Would you wake me up when you hear them coming?”
“I would.” Cloud had more than earned a respite from this evening’s madness.
Cloud smiled truly, now, sincere and fond in a way Sephiroth had seen before, but never aimed at him. It was a surprisingly arresting look on him.
“My own guard dog, huh? What if you fall asleep?”
“I won’t. The thought of what Zack might do to me while I’m unconscious is enough to keep me awake.”
Cloud chuckled, shifting slightly. Their heads bumped, not painfully, just enough to remind them of how close they were, and the rocking of his body made Sephiroth realize his arms were still holding Cloud, loosely wrapped around his waist.
Faintly embarrassed to have forgotten himself, Sephiroth murmured an apology and pulled away. However, Cloud’s hand came up and rested over his, putting it back its place on his lower back.
“‘S fine. Feels good.”
Sephiroth felt his heart jump at the words and glanced over Cloud cautiously, as if this might be some trick. Sephiroth was not a very tactile person, and Cloud even less so. But Cloud simply ignored his suspicious look, eyes tracing Sephiroth’s face as if it were the first time he’d taken the time to notice it.
Sephiroth ran a fortune-five-hundred company and lived a life where he was always stared at, assessed, judged. Yet he had never felt more nervous than he did now, late at night, enduring the thoughtful, idle scrutiny of a delivery boy watching him with kind blue eyes.
Cloud’s hand left Sephiroth’s and reach for a strand of hair, considering a lock of silver.
“Must be expensive,” Cloud yawned, eyes fluttering shut a moment, before reluctantly opening, “Dying this much hair.”
“It’s natural.”
“Really? Huh…”
“A birth defect.”
Cloud’s eyes met his. “You don’t look defective to me.” He reached out and carded his fingers through Sephiroth’s hair, from scalp to tip. “You look very handsome.”
Sephiroth could feel heat on his cheeks, but he couldn’t tear himself away. He couldn’t remember the last time hands other than his own touched his hair. He couldn’t remember a time someone simply played with it. He found himself holding his breath, hoping the ministrations wouldn’t stop.
Thankfully, Cloud’s hand returned, and he began a slow, soothing petting, running his fingers through hair. Sephiroth could feel himself melting into the cushions. It felt so good…
“You’re a good person, too.” Cloud’s words brought Sephiroth to the surface of the pool of calm contemplation. “I thought you were a jerk when Zack first introduced us, but you’re just a big softie.”
Sephiroth arched a brow. “Hardly.”
“It’s true. You give so much money to charity. And you gave Genesis the money to start his acting career. And there was that time you dropped by work and filled in when I was short.” Cloud yawned again, but it couldn’t destroy the affectionate smile on his face. “Wearing a three-piece suit and everything. Just rolled up your sleeves like it was nothing.”
Sephiroth shrugged off the praise, too comfortable to move, but feeling oddly trapped by Cloud’s words. “Money, a little oil. Nothing to give you such an inaccurate view of my character.”
“Modest, too.” Cloud’s glance was sly. “And you’re here tonight. Staying up even though you’re a big fancy CEO that has work tomorrow, and listening to my rambling.”
“I like your rambling.”
“Mm-hm.” Cloud shook his head minutely. “Well, I like you. You’re a good person.”
“And you’re sleep-deprived.”
Cloud laughed at that, a barely audible, quiet thing that Sephiroth wanted to hoard close until the end of his days.
“You’re impossible.” Instead of continuing his stroking, Cloud’s hand traced the curve of Sephiroth’s cheek, his palm holding him still while his fingers fanned out across his face.
“Sometimes I wonder if you’re real.” Cloud’s confession was hushed, his eyes far away.
“What do you mean?” Sephiroth’s reply was a low rumble, suddenly desiring Cloud’s answer more than anything in the world, quiet, so he didn’t scare off his answer.
“Your skin is so nice,” Cloud said, now caressing his features. “And your eyes…” Sephiroth felt Cloud’s thumb pass over the skin just beneath his eye, had to flutter them shut when Cloud brushed against his lashes. “Gorgeous.”
“Cloud…” Sephiroth’s voice felt tight. His body, weak. How could this man be destroying him with such gentle touches and words?
Cloud’s eyes dropped and his fingers traced the length of Sephiroth’s nose. “I like your nose, too.”
Sephiroth mustered a wry smile. “My nose, Cloud?”
Cloud glared at him, sensing the teasing tone. “It’s a good nose.” He tapped the tip for emphasis, then continued mapping Sephiroth’s face. “Your lips, though…”
Cloud’s thumb traced his bottom lip slowly, back and forth, the tip of his finger brushing against his upper lip. He grew silent, lost in thought as he contemplated, and the silence stretched, filled with Sephiroth’s mad, violent heartbeat. He felt ready to come apart in Cloud’s hands.
“What about them?”
Cloud sighed. “I’ve thought about ‘em a lot.”
Sephiroth’s heart twisted. “You have?”
Cloud nodded. “'Specially lately.” Cloud leaned closer, voice lowering with every second. “Always...wondered what,” Cloud’s lips hovered just a breath away, “it would feel like.”
Sephiroth’s mouth was dry. “Only one way to find out.”
“Yeah.”
Cloud closed the distance and their lips met in an easy, languid kiss. Sephiroth deepened the contact, pulling Cloud close. The feel of his supple, pliable lips against his made him shiver, and he felt Cloud’s hands grip the front of his shirt, probably wrinkling it horrendously.
Sephiroth had never cared less about his clothes in his life.
They broke apart a small eternity later, forehead resting against each other as they caught their breath. Cloud didn’t release his shirt, so Sephiroth didn’t feel inclined to loosen his grip, either.
“Just what I thought.” Cloud’s words were a whisper of breath.
“Oh?"
Cloud leaned back in and Sephiroth could feel his smile pressed against his lips.
“Perfect.”