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]

[ 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!

[exsurgo]

You're nailing it!

[ He really is. Zack's stories of misfortune when he learned really aren't just to make Cloud feel better - he's so used to just springing into what he wanted to do that his mind would run ahead and he's skip a step, or always try to lead with his right foot. Cloud's a lot more considering and methodical that Zack is, so it makes sense that he wouldn't make the same mistakes, but it still gives Zack a little glow of pride in him. He beams. ]

I think you might be ready.

[meteorics]

[ that... sounds ominous. ]

Uh... ready?

[exsurgo]

Mmhm. You don't waltz alone, my dude.

[ He turns to face Cloud, still grinning. Picks up one of Cloud's hands in his, moves the other one to his hip before he puts his hand on Cloud's shoulder. And - okay, wow, uh. He drops his eyes for a second, clears his throat. ]

Just do the same thing we've been practicing. I'll be doing it too, just backwards so we don't bump into each other.

[meteorics]

Oh! Oh, right, yeah.

[ okay! there's nothing to be nervous about! it's not like the steps are any harder to do just because they're, uh, totally holding hands now! and okay, maybe his face is on fire, but that shouldn't prevent him from being able to dance.

right? right.

... except, no. barely two steps into the dance, and he's already managing to trip right over zack's feet again. ]

[exsurgo]

[ Man, close like this, it's kinda... have Cloud's eyes always been that big? That blue? And with his hand on Cloud's shoulder like this, it's kinda more obvious that all the training he's doing is starting to pay off. He's filling out a little. Zack should tell him, he'd be pleased -

and then they collide, probably because Zack is paying more attention to Cloud than he is to what Cloud is doing. And probably making Cloud nervous with all the staring like a creep. Well, at least the fact that they're already holding on to each other means Cloud doesn't fall!

Time to live up to what Cloud said about being a great teacher. Rule number one: make sure your student feels relaxed and comfortable. ]

Hey, Cloud?

[ And he leans forward just a touch, like he's about to whisper in Cloud's ear but not quite closing the distance. ]

Ribbit.

[meteorics]

Sorry! [ an instinctive kneejerk. ] I just --!

[ but before cloud can even finish the thought, zack is leaning closer. closer... closer... closer...! so close that cloud can clearly see the way the mako threads through the bright blue of the other boy's eyes, so close that he can see that zack's lips are (just a little!) chapped. so close that cloud's brain has just a second to go ?! at the thought that zack might be about to kiss --

and then.

that. ]

Um. [ hang on, his brain is still trying to reboot. ] ... what?

[exsurgo]

[ Well, it didn't make him laugh -

but it did interrupt the apologies and the look of mounting panic on Cloud's face, so Zack's calling it a win! ]

Remember. I told you about my froggy past, so this is a no-shame zone. You're doing real good for, what, five minutes of lessons? Believe in yourself, man. I do.

[meteorics]

[ he's still... processing...

... and then cloud blinks. once, twice. then: ]

Did you just... [ his voice is wobbling, just a little. ] ... ribbit at me?

[exsurgo]

[ Zack is still close, voice quiet. Horribly sincere. ]

I did. And I'll do it again. I'm gonna ribbit at you as many times as it takes for you to know there's nothing you can do to look lame to me.

[ Okay, maybe that was a little much. He breaks into a smile. ]

[meteorics]

[ there is a long moment where cloud does absolutely nothing except stare. eyes wide, expression impossible to read, dead silent otherwise.

... and then, a little crack in his composure in the form of a snort.

then he has to let go of zack's hands because he's bent double from laughing, almost caving in on himself from the force of his giggling. ]

You can't...! [ trying to wheeze it out between laughs, half-incoherent. ] Y-You can't th-threaten people with ribbits!

[exsurgo]

[ Cloud lets go of Zack's hand, which is a good thing - Zack's been battling the urge to give him a little kiss with increasing frequency lately, and it's never stronger than when Cloud laughs, all lit up like that. The urge is still there, but the distance makes it a lot less easy to think about just pulling him in close and going for it.

Still good, though. Zack laughs too, the sound of Cloud's mirth absolutely contagious. ]

Can and did. It's up to you now, sunshine. Believe in yourself, or get ribbeted.

[meteorics]

[ oh my god!! that just makes the laughter worse, and cloud is forced to brace himself on his knees before he ends up toppling head over heels. ]

D-Don't -- [ pfftahaha. ] D-Don't make it into a-a verb!

[ why are illegal verbs so funny? we just don't know. ]

[exsurgo]

Too late!

[ And by this point Cloud's laughing has him so caught up that he drops down into a squat to preserve his own balance. Even for the squatmaster it's too much with the force of that laughter, and he ends up just plonking down onto his butt. ]

I'm gonna ribbet you with ribbity ribbets!

[meteorics]

S-Stop!

[ cloud doesn't last that much longer on his feet, either. especially not when zack hits him with a whole sentence of ribbeting threats -- there's a final wobble, and then he's plonking down hard on his butt, too. and finally, just flopping down onto his back and letting the stupid fit of giggling wind itself down, blinking hard against the tears burning at the corners of his eyes. ]

I'm taking back what I said about you being a good teacher. [ which would sound a lot more threatening if he hadn't just laughed himself to the point of having the hiccups. aiming a little kick at zack's ankle. ] You're the lamest.

[exsurgo]

Hey, at least it's getting you out of class!

[ not even a beat to protest being called lame. First of all, he's like 70% sure Cloud doesn't actually think that (or at least likes it, if he does), but mostly it's way different to Cloud calling himself lame. The giggles subside a little as he just Looks at Cloud, laying there on his back, still laughing.

Man, Zack is boned. ]

[meteorics]

[ just thinking about class is enough to make him wince!

but... ]

... did they really make you learn the... [ what was the name of it again? ] ... uh, whatever you and Genesis did? That looked... um, way harder than the waltz.

[ and if he has to try to practice something that involves... that much close contact with zack, he's absolutely going to combust. ]

[exsurgo]

[ Cloud's laughter dying down is enough to get Zack peering at him again, so it's kind of a relief when that's the question. ]

Nah. The required stuff is just the basics. Things like that, the advanced stuff? It's optional. Turns out I really like dancing.

Not so much when it's with Genesis, but hey. [ He shrugs easily. ] At least he didn't trip me. Again.

[meteorics]

You're really good at it.

[ it's the kind of compliment given easily, by someone taking for granted that the recipient is just... good at everything.

but then cloud is scrunching up his nose a little, clearly turning something over in his head. ] I don't really get the point of making us learn stuff like this. I mean, even if I end up going to a fancy event, it's not like...

[ ... anyone is ever going to ask me to dance.

but he realizes how depressing that is before the words make it out, so the rest of that sentence just trails away into nothing. ]

[exsurgo]

[ Zack leans back, propped on his elbows. He doesn't know exactly what Cloud is thinking, but he can hear it in his voice - that little thread of doubt, the mean little goblin voice that seems to pipe up and tell Cloud he's not cool enough or good enough.

So when Zack opens his mouth, he says what he's been thinking but not planning on saying. ]

Aw, come on. You don't wanna light up the floor with me? I was kinda hoping teaching you this would give me one thing to look forward to when I have to get into dress uniform.

[meteorics]

[ a blink. and then another, and then it's obvious that those words process all the way by the way that cloud's expression lights up -- a mix of happiness and awe, like every time zack is nice to him is the first time. just as unexpected and just as welcome. ]

You'd wanna dance with me? In front of everyone?