and if you say run, I'll run with you

[exsurgo]

Help, they’re making us

[ A message like that from Cloud would send Zack running at the best of times. It’s not technically breaking any rules to use the company data to find out where he is, and it puts him at ease a little to see he’s in one of the training rooms – until Zack gets there and peeks through the glass of the door.
The orderly lines. The fact that everybody is in PT gear, not uniform. And the fact that Genesis – who Zack is pretty sure by now is at least a little bit of a sadist – is at the front of the room.

It’s time for the lessons.

Zack panics. What kind of friend is he? Why didn’t he warn Cloud? But – it’s early! They don’t usually do this until you’re pretty high up in the ranks! It’s only used for showing off at formal events and, on very rare occasions, infiltration! It’s too soon! It’s Genesis enacting some cruel ploy, Zack just knows it. He’s not even required to instruct, he’s just doing it for his own sick glee! So Zack throws open the door, points at Cloud, and musters his very best attempt at a stern voice as he says I need an assistant. Strife, you’re up.

That, as it turns out, was a mistake.

Genesis turns to face him, the motion smooth as silk, a wicked smile curving his lips and a look of malice glittering in his eyes. If you want one of my students, he says, you will first assist with a demonstration. Which is how Zack ends up letting Genesis lead him in a paso doble in front of the gathered infantrymen. It’s… fine. It’s fine! Zack likes dancing! He doesn’t even mind that he’s not leading, except that he’s being led by Genesis, and the dance requires a lot of intense eye contact, tight turns with their bodies close, and a terrifying incident in which Genesis picks him up by the hips and spins him. But the music is loud and fast, and it’s not so bad when he reminds himself that this is for Cloud, who doesn't deserve to be dropped in a situation like this unprepared.

The dance finishes. Zack bows to Genesis, just like his own lessons hammered home. Genesis offers a sweeping bow in return, something that effortlessly communicates messages such as I know what you’re up to and don’t mess with me, you little shit. Zack straightens, and tries not to pout. ]

Can I get on with my work now?

[ The nod Genesis gives him is almost imperceptible, so Zack beckons to Cloud and hurries the both of them back outside before that maniac can change his mind. ]

What an asshole.

Comments

[meteorics]

[ cloud is almost-definitely-pretty sure he's going to puke.

the idea of dancing is humiliating enough. but there's an odd number of people in the room, and cloud already knows he's going to be the last one picked, and that means? dancing with genesis. and maybe cloud knows genesis the least out of angeal's, uh, friends, but he knows enough! he's seen genesis trip zack on more than one occasion, and he's heard genesis talk shit about the other officers trying to stumble through their dance classes, and.

what if cloud steps on his foot? what if he pukes on him? genesis is obviously the type to never let him live something like that down, and it'd obviously get back to sephiroth, and if cloud has to live the rest of his life imagining genesis and sephiroth talking about how bad he is at dancing behind his back, he really is going to go up to the roof of shinra HQ and --

and then zack appears and rescues him, just in the nick of time. and okay, maybe the sight of zack and genesis dancing is enough to make cloud nauseous for a host of brand new reasons, but it's still worth it if it means escaping that room. by the time zack hauls him out of there, cloud is positively green around the gills, and the best show of gratitude he can manage is to wheeze out a little thanks before he bends double and braces his hands on his knees. ]

[exsurgo]

[ Okay, Zack knew Cloud wasn't gonna be keen on the lessons, but he didn't know it was that bad. He pauses, drops a hand to rub a broad, comforting circle on Cloud's back. ]

No problem, man. You're not even supposed to be up for dance lessons yet. That's officer stuff! I'm not gonna let him mess with my guy.

[ But the back-rubbing is probably getting a little close to babying him now, no matter how much Zack likes having his hand there, so Zack ends it with a firm pat and leans against the wall to wait for Cloud to recover. ]

Best case scenario, he just thought it'd be fun to scare you guys and you won't have to do it again until you're meant to.

[meteorics]

[ the back-rubbing is actually nice! so nice, actually, that cloud has to take extra care to smother the little flare of disappointment when zack finally pulls his hand away. but! focusing on being cool actually turns out to be a decent distraction from panic-nausea, so it only takes a few more seconds before he's able to gather his composure back up and straighten.

but... the idea of again? ]

... do they ever give out, uh... dance... exemptions?

[exsurgo]

Nah, bro.

[ He shakes his head, mock-regretful. ]

They say it's because it teaches us to be light on our feet and will be useful for formal events and infiltrations, but I think it's just to remind us they can pretty much make us do whatever they want. You're gonna have to do it eventually, even if we manage to get you fast-tracked into Soldier.

[ Even Angeal basically hand-picking Zack hadn't spared him. Which turned out to be a good thing, because no way was Genesis gonna let him get Cloud out of there with making him dance - figuratively, if not literally.

Which is all it takes for the seed of an idea to form - and in the fertile soil of Zack's imagination, sprout, grow and blossom like most of his terrible ideas. ]

Hey, I could teach you some stuff! Get you a head start so you don't feel like a dink when lessons roll around for real.

[meteorics]

[ it's obvious from the way that cloud's face falls that he's crushed by the news of impending dance lessons, even if the idea of actually passing the SOLDIER exams and getting to them seems... less and less likely with each failure.

but then zack hits him with that offer, and cloud's expression promptly takes on every quality of a chocobo caught in the headlights of an oncoming tractor-trailer. ]

Wha --? I -- [ is... the idea of dancing with zack actually worse than the idea of dancing with genesis? yes? maybe? because maybe genesis already has an opinion of cloud that's roughly equivalent to smushed gum on the sidewalk, but. for some weird reason? zack??? seems to think cloud is... cool? or at least tolerable enough to grab lunch with and invite over for a round of video games, and the last thing cloud wants to do is go and blow all that up by proving, once and for all, that he is Really Lame. ] ... er.

[exsurgo]

Yeah! Come on.

[ He knows from pulling up Cloud's location data that there's an empty training room nearby, and that's where he heads. It'll be safer than his room, which he's been trying to keep tidy since Cloud started coming by more often, but has settled on "clean but cluttered". This is an excellent idea! Cloud doesn't say, and Zack doesn't ask 'cause he can tell when Cloud doesn't want to talk about something, but he knows the other infantrymen can give Cloud a hard time. Zack knows enough about assholes to know when they can smell blood in the water, and if Cloud's got the basics down then he'll be more confident, won't seem like fresh meat.

Zack is a genius.

He slaps open the door control, keys his code in to lock it up and darken the windows once they're in. No sense getting busted when he just claimed to need Cloud for work, right? ]

Let's get those toes twinkle-ready.

[meteorics]

[ trying to rein zack in always makes cloud feel like he's one of those hapless dog walkers trying to take a mastiff out for a stroll. there's a whole lot of infectious energy and plenty of strength to back it up, and cloud ends up getting swept right along despite his weak attempts at stammering an excuse or two.

can he convince zack that he's just been struck down with some kind of mysterious injury? too serious for dancing, obviously, but not the kind they can just pop over to the medical ward for a cura to fix?

he's... still trying to puzzle out the details of that one when zack drags him into one of the nearby training rooms, and he quickly realizes he's trapped and still no closer to a viable escape. but he has to try! his entire reputation in zack's eyes depends on it...! ]

... I really don't think my toes are cut out for this.

[exsurgo]

Pssh.

[ It's dismissive, but warm. A little burst of air through his lips driven entirely by faith in his bestest friend. ]

You shoulda seen me when I started. Closest I ever got to dancing before my lessons was trying to skip out of the way of frogs back home, and I missed enough times that I know which bugs taste best. But now - [ and he jerks a thumb over his shoulder, back in the direction they came from. ] Pretty good, right?

[ It's too late, Cloud. He flashes a grin, knowing that for as annoying as dancing with Genesis was he did good, and then he's digging out his PHS to find some music to pump through the room's speakers. ]

[meteorics]

[ it's kind of impossible to imagine zack being bad at anything. cloud's seen him in action enough to know he's one of those people who seem to be good at anything they touch -- and even when he's not the best at something, he's got enough charisma to get away with it.

but cloud? no way.

... still, he doesn't miss that. ]

-- Wait, you've eaten bugs?

[exsurgo]

[ Zack puts his foot in his mouth often enough that he knows there's no point trying to get a cat bag in a bag, so he gives Cloud a bright (if sheepish) grin. ]

Yup. Not on purpose, mostly. There's these frogs back in Gongaga that can turn you into a frog. And I was a real outdoor kid, so I got hit more than a couple of times.

[ Outdoor kid is underselling it. When school was out he was practically a feral child, out in nature as often as he could be, barefoot and in as little clothing as he could get away with due to the hot, humid weather. The jungle areas surrounding it had been ripe to bursting with plants that had bright spiked flowers or fat, glistening traps for catching bugs, streams full of darting fish and thick, lazy eels, birds that could raise a riot of song - and yes, magical frogs that were far too cute to young Zack's eyes for him to learn the lesson. ]

It's practically a Gongaga rite of passage!

[meteorics]

[ ... okay, he can't help it. and even if cloud ducks his chin and lifts a hand to cover his mouth, he doesn't entirely manage to stifle the laugh that escapes him. ]

Remind me never to visit. Pretty sure your brain is still scrambled from getting turned into a frog.

[exsurgo]

[ And that makes it worth it. Not the froggy childhood - that was worth it all on its own - but telling Cloud about it, and getting to hear that laugh. Zack watches him for a moment, affection brimming over. Cloud keeps himself to himself pretty well, and the fact that they've been close for ages now is never enough to take the shine off moments like this - when he gets to see Cloud loose and laughing, unguarded. Like it's something special, just for him.

But that is not a train of thought to entertain when he's trying to teach Cloud to dance, which is going to involve getting all up in his space. He presses a hand to his heart in mock offense, ruined by the grin on his face. ]

I would never let you get frogged. And if you did, I'd keep you safe. Nothing but prime bugs until it wore off.

[meteorics]

Wha --?! You'd feed me bugs?!

[ he's trying to sound properly offended! ... but really, despite his best efforts, more of that laughter just ends up escaping. mostly because he can see it so clearly -- zack is 100% the kind of person to 1) accidentally let you get frogged and then 2) feed you bugs and think that'll make it up to you. ]

No way am I visiting now.

[exsurgo]

You'd be surprised how much you like 'em when you're a frog.

[ Emphasis on when you're a frog. Zack had been turned often enough to get curious. Suffice it to say that dragonflies are much better admired than eaten when you're still human. But he flashes Cloud a wink, and starts the music he's settled on going through the speakers. ]

Just like you're gonna be surprised how much you like dancing when you get the hang of it.

[meteorics]

[ uuuugh. that wink does something stupid to his stomach that cloud is trying very hard to ignore, especially when he's about to be... in, uh, very close quarters with zack.

it's fine! it's cool! this is totally normal friend stuff.

(and he's valiantly fighting the urge to wipe off his sweaty palms on his pants, because there's no way zack won't notice.) ]

I think it's the getting the hang of it part that's the problem... [ said with about as much enthusiasm as someone about to be led to the gallows for their own execution. ]

[exsurgo]

That's what you've got me for, man!

[ And okay, he's not so dumb he can't hear the doom in Cloud's voice. He reaches out, squeezes Cloud's shoulder. ]

I'm not gonna laugh at you, Cloud. And if you ever feel dumb, think about what I'd look like as a frog.

You ready?

[meteorics]

[ okay, doom and gloom aside, the frog thing still gets a little snort.

but...! look. zack is, without a doubt, the best (and only) friend cloud has ever had. for some reason, zack wants to hang out with him even though he's almost definitely got way cooler SOLDIER stuff he could be doing, and he's even nice enough to act like it's cloud doing him the favor.

so if zack asks him for something? cloud is sure as hell gonna do everything he can to deliver. and if that means he has to humiliate himself with a dance lesson that's almost guaranteed to be a disaster? he's doing it!

grim determination! someone should really tell him that the first step to dancing is not looking like you're about to be burned at the stake. ] Yeah. Let's do it.

[exsurgo]

[ Despite just having said he's not gonna laugh at Cloud, the face the younger boy makes brings a smile to Zack's lips. Once he'd got on to the more advanced stuff - the paso doble Genesis had voluntold him into showing the group, the tango - Genesis had told him you should be looking at each other like the dance is going to end in fighting or fucking, nothing inbetween and Cloud sure looks like he's ready to fight something! Fortunately, Zack plans to start him on much easier fare. He stretches a little, shakes out his limbs, and moves to the centre of the room. ]

The first thing they're gonna teach you is the waltz. It's pretty basic, just one move people add flashy stuff into as they go along. C'mere and stand next to me so you can copy what I do, and then we'll put it together.

[meteorics]

[ a waltz...!

those are kind of... romantic, right? at least, cloud is pretty sure that they were always the dances featured in the kinds of stories his mom used to tell him -- about princesses with valiant knights coming to their rescue, glittering castles in lands far away. maybe knowing how to waltz might make him seem kinda cool?

... or, at least, less lame, which has got to be an improvement.

so there's a little less apprehension as he follows zack obediently over to the center of the room, expression brightening with interest. ]

I just... copy you?

[exsurgo]

[ There it is. That little spark in Cloud's expression. Zack's seen it before, and he loves it. Cloud's gonna be great. He nods. ]

Yup. It's easy, man. It's called box step, I think 'cause it's like a little box on the floor you move around the corners of. We're gonna start with our feet together, weight on the right foot. And then you step forward with your left - [ and he starts demonstrating as he's speaking, trying not to let the fact that he's going slower than the music so he's easy to watch trip him up ] - move your right to the other corner, and bring your left foot to meet it. And then the same thing, just backwards.

[ Right foot back, left sliding into the other corner, and his right foot coming to meet it. It's smooth and simple, even a little elegant, totally ruined by the following: ]

And BAM! That's it. Now copy me, yeah?

[ Just repeating the process, looking at Cloud's face and not his feet - because he knows scrutiny never helped anyone's first try at anything, and not because Cloud's face is always pretty great to look at. ]

[meteorics]

[ that sounds... easy enough. and he watches the way zack's feet move like he's fully expecting to be tested exhaustively on it later -- brow furrowed and teeth catching at one corner of his lower lip. it looks easy enough...!

and he nods distractedly at zack's invitation to copy him, already laser-focused on the task at hand. step forward with the left foot... right foot to the other corner... then the left foot comes to meet it! and by the time they've done it another two or three times, his expression is starting to brighten with just a little bit of triumph. he can do it! and --

... that's when his brain catches up to the fact that they're off-tempo with the music playing, and trying to reconcile that gets tangled up with the idea of trying to mirror what zack is doing, and. somehow, he manages to trip over zack's next step, stumbling and only just managing to catch himself by reaching out and grabbing a fistful of the front of zack's uniform. ]

Dammit. [ fervent but quiet, like he's afraid someone might overhear and chew him out for it. and then he's letting go of zack like the contact was enough to burn him, drawing in himself like a turtle retreating into his shell. like messing up is gonna be enough to make zack laugh at him, or even enough to make zack call the whole thing off and ditch the idea of lessons entirely. ] ... sorry.

[exsurgo]

[ As soon as Cloud trips Zack's arm comes down to hook around his hips - unnecessary support, as it turn out, because Cloud doesn't actually fall, but he's still pretty slow to remove it once Cloud lets go of where he'd grabbed on. The contact reminds him that the next step of this is gonna be dancing with Cloud to show him how you do it all partnered up, and the thought might bring the tiniest hint of a flush to his cheeks as he smile down at the younger boy. ]

Man, don't worry about it. First time I tried this I ate shit so bad I didn't just fall, I knocked over the guy next to me. Try convincing your partner you should be the one to lead when you started out nearly sitting in his lap.

[ He tilts his head, watches Cloud for a beat. ]

Is it the music? Tell you a secret: it's screwing me up, too. I'm thinking about this way harder than I normally do. You wanna speed up to meet it, or find something that's slower?

[meteorics]

[ there it is again! the deep-seeded belief that zack has never screwed up clashing with reality, and... somehow? the mental image is still enough to make cloud have to bite down on the corner of his lip to stifle a snort of laughter.

just like magic, ta-da! the spell of doom and gloom is broken. ]

Uh... maybe slower? Just at first.

[exsurgo]

Makes sense!

[ It does! Slow is good to learn, and then you speed it up. Not Zack's personal forte, but for Cloud? Anything. Especially when he laughs.

Waltzes are generally not his go-to music, but as Soldier he probably has access to the actual training playlists, so a little poking and... bingo. The first one on this list is gonna be the one they use first, right? He cues it up, and that's perfect. He grins at Cloud, gives him a very sloppy bow that would have had Genesis bawling him out if he'd done that back during the rescue mission, and lets the one-two-three of the music guide him as he starts again. ]

Oh man, that's better. Doesn't feel like my feet and my brain are having an argument any more. Dude, I'm a shitty teacher.

[meteorics]

[ oh!

the bow is enough to distract him from staring so intensely at zack's feet, and... geez. okay! cloud knows it's just zack kidding around, but it's still enough to make his heart do this stupid fluttering thing in his chest? and make the heat go flooding into his cheeks, so. ugh.

still! not even that is enough to distract him from his sworn and sacred duty to be zack's no.1 diehard fan and defend him from all naysayers! ] No way! You're a great teacher!

See? [ back to focusing on his feet. one step... two steps... three steps... four! and then he beams up at zack like he's just solved the mystery of life itself. ] I'm kinda getting it!