fourstrings | no matter any weather

no matter any weather

[ It’s funny how things come full circle, sometimes. They’d been on holiday in Costa del Sol when Zack pulled the fantasy of working a little farm together out of thin air. Now they’re moving everything into the little farm they’ve bought for cheap because the previous owners won big at the Gold Saucer, wanted to sell up and move to Costa del Sol. So lucky, it’s like something straight out of a dream. Fitting, since the process of getting here had seemed like a nightmare.

It started with Wutai. No, it should have started with Wutai. All those people who just wanted to live their lives on their own land, and Shinra sent in SOLDIER to make sure that didn’t happen. And Zack had done as he was told; loved it, even, thinking only of impressing Director Lazard. But then there’d been that girl who tried to scam him, sending him off to find materia, and it was only after Zack had made her cry a couple times that he started asking questions. Like, what did a little kid need all that materia for anyway, and where were all the adults in her life when she was out trying to swindle a member of Shinra’s elite fighting force?

He'd gone to Angeal hoping to be talked out of his doubts. That? Had not happened. What happened was a fast track to honorable discharge (with documentation that Zack strongly suspects was faked, because Shinra doesn’t let anyone go easy) for him and Cloud both, money that Angeal had said he wasn’t going to need with a funny sort of smile on his face. Zack hadn’t understood, but by the end of Angeal’s explanation he’d been in tears, and never more grateful that Cloud, at least, had never made it into SOLDIER. Although even if he had, it probably wouldn’t have stopped him from looking like he was going to faint when Angeal gave them both goodbye hugs and told them to live well.

He'll never forget it, but it seems very far away now. They didn’t have a lot of possessions to move. The farm equipment was included in the sale, and the house on the land is small but cosy; lots of polished wood surfaces, a fireplace in the living room, faded floral curtains that the owner had said would need to be replaced, but that Zack kind of likes. Best of all is the little stable with a pair of work chocobos; they’d been wary of Zack, fluffing up their feathers to seem bigger, but when Cloud had gone in and quietly said hi to them it had only taken about ten minutes for one of them to nestle her head in against Cloud’s neck and the look on his face had made it all worth it.

Tomorrow, he’ll be planting all day. There’s a tiny crop of corn and greens for chocobo feed, but the rest of the fields have lain fallow since the old owners made their plans to get out. It’s gonna take work to get it running profitably, but it’ll be good work. Honest. And he’ll have Cloud here with him; Cloud, who has just put down the last box and is standing there looking around the room like he can’t quite believe it. Zack can; he believes in this, because he believes in Cloud. He walks over and loops his arms around him from behind, nuzzles his face into Cloud’s hair. ]

Welcome home.

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[ How can he not laugh at that? He ruffles Cloud's hair, which may or may not act as a distraction from the other hand which he places squarely on Cloud's butt. ]

Gonna be out in the fields all day getting all hot and tanned for when my sexy motorcycle-riding deliveryman boyfriend gets home.

[ it is not a distraction! but fortunately for zack, cloud kinda likes when zack's hand is on his butt. and he tugs down the collar of the other man's shirt just a little, enough to press a kiss to the center of his collarbones. ]

Y'know, not to get all traditional on you... but it's kinda hot. Thinking about you working hard to make a home for us. For me. Is that weird?

[ That kiss gets a pleased little hum. It's so good to be like this, on charge of their own time, their own lives, and choosing to spend it with each other. ]

Nah. Even if it is weird, I'll take it. Animals do that, right? Try and show how well they can provide, what a good nest they can make, so they can snag the best mate?

[ It's a good thought, and knowing that Cloud thinks it's hot just makes it better. He sneaks a hand up Cloud's shirt, lets his hand stroke over the warm skin of Cloud's back. ]

I'm just doing it backwards. I already got the mate I want. 'course, I'm always willing to show off my plumage for you whenever you want, if that'll help.

[ ... okay, it's probably bad form to laugh at the guy who's trying to flirt with you, but. why is it so easy to imagine zack doing one of those funky little bird dances? feather-shaking and all!

if it helps, he tries to bury his face into zack's chest to muffle the little bark of laughter. (it doesn't help at all.) ]

[ Luckily for Zack's ego, there's not a whole lot he likes better than making Cloud laugh. And he doesn't exactly have plumage (unless they count his hairstyle, which - unlike Cloud's - does require a certain amount of coaxing) but Cloud burying his face in Zack's chest makes him think he might have the next best thing.

He flexes one pec, and then the other, back and forth in the manner most often seen on obnoxious muscle men or male strippers. Just casually bouncing Cloud's face around with a tiddy dance, no big deal. ]

[ oh my god. it only takes about two bounces for cloud to pick his head up again to see what zack is actually doing, and once he does? those laughs that he's been trying his hardest to stifle end up escaping in an avalanche. ]

No way! I changed my mind! [ acting like he's about to roll off of zack and make his escape -- but giving plenty of time for zack to keep him trapped right there. ] I'm heading back to Midgar right now.

No! You don't like my mating dance?

[ It takes a lot of coordination to hook Cloud firmly in place with one arm while keeping up the bouncing pecs routine, but he manages! Maybe Shinra was good for something other than the two of them meeting after all. ]

C'mon! It's this or going out to try and catch you a real juicy worm.

N-Neither of those things are good options!

[ unfortunately, cloud never got all that fancy SOLDIER training. maybe that explains why he isn't managing the task of wheezing with laughter and trying to wiggle successfully out of zack's (very bouncy) hold. ]

Oh yeah? Good thing I have one last trick up my sleeve.

[ He says it like it's going to be terrible. Like he's about to break into a bird call or something. Leaves it just long enough to let that fear brew (and to admire Cloud laughing, his second favourite sight in the world) -

and then hauls him up a little into a kiss. Which is surprisingly difficult to do when Cloud is laughing so hard, so fortunately he stops with the bouncing as he does it. ]

[ oh god. what kind of trick would zack fair be saving for last? an attempt at breakdancing? popping and locking? twerking? any and all of those options are more than enough to give cloud an aneurysm, which is why maybe the squirming gets just a little more desperate --

and then zack hauls him up into a kiss. the laughter ends up getting cut off with a startled little mmph!, but fortunately? cloud is almost always more than happy to kiss zack, even after he's been jiggling his pecs. so he melts right into it for a long moment, before he breaks away and pulls back just enough to say: ]

Should've been your opening act.

I'll make up for it with the encore.

[ And he winks, grinning, before he tugs Cloud back in to kiss him again - slow this time, initially to try and get the upper hand but then just because he gets into it. How could he not? Cloud's gorgeous, all bright-eyed and pink-cheeked with laughter. And Zack? He's happy. Really, truly happy, in a way he hasn't really been since that first conversation with Angeal. Not like eveything was a front; he was genuinely excited when they found the farm, really did enjoy all the planning and plotting that he and Cloud did together. But there was always a little weight there, an understanding that there was still time for things to go very wrong - and they didn't. It's all worked out. If Cloud thinks the idea of Zack working to make a nice little home for them together is hot, maybe Zack's discovering he's pretty turned on by the idea of happily ever after. ]

[ cloud has just enough time for a little ugh in response to that wink before zack is pulling him back in. and maybe he should be playing a little harder to get, even if it's just for show, but he never quite manages the trick of it when it's zack. especially when it's zack kissing him like this, slow and sweet and wonderful. cloud can't resist the urge to slide his arms around zack's shoulders and lean into it, licking teasingly over zack's lower lip in an invitation for him to deepen it. ]

[ Invitation heartily accepted. Zack darts his tongue out to meet that flash of Cloud's slips it into his mouth and gives a happy little hum as he does, because he can never get enough of this. Of Cloud, who always seems to know what he needs, and who is so delicious that usually what Zack needs is him.

It's such a good feeling to get lost in it. The warmth of Cloud's mouth, the weight of his body over Zack's. The knowledge that this is their farm, so they can do this wherever they want to! Now that the struggling has stopped he slips that hand back up Cloud's shirt just for the pleasure of his bare skin, cups the back of his head in his hand. Possessive and grateful, all at once. And eventually, he breaks just to smile. ]

Hey. This is a historic occasion. First makeout in our own home.

[ cloud sighs into the kiss as zack slides his tongue into his mouth, feeling the heat slide down his spine. it's good to think that this could be how it is forever -- just the two of them, nights spent with lazy make-outs on the couch and days spent making this place into a proper little home. it's nothing as grand as being a world-famous hero, but... it's still good. and with zack? it's perfect.

but when zack pulls away just to say that, cloud huffs a little laugh. ]

Quick, someone call the news.

I'm gonna send out announcement cards to everyone we know. Fancy ones, like wedding invitations. Angeal's gonna be so proud.

[ But first, more kissing - if he can get away with it after that threat. ]

[ fortunately, cloud has seen angeal shut zack down over any discussion about their relationship at least a thousand times by now. he knows the card would go straight into the trash!

so that's why his response is just a little eyeroll before he leans down into that kiss. and since he's got the perfect vantage, he goes right ahead and slides his hands up zack's shirt, giving an appreciative little hum at the feeling of bare skin. ]

[ Zack may be the one with the special training, but Cloud's always gonna have the upper hand with moves like that. Zack's stomach muscles tighten and relax involuntarily under Cloud's hands, his touch so good that the first moment of it always seems to take Zack by surprise. But since they're venturing into cop-a-feel territory, he skates his hands down to Cloud's butt to grab a double handful and squeeze appreciatively. It's only half a joke - Cloud has a very cute butt, and like this Zack can apply just a little pressure and squeeze Cloud a little closer against his body. ]

[ zack getting a double handful of his ass and squeezing is enough to make cloud break the kiss with a little huff of laughter, even if he's not complaining. ]

Hey. [ pressing another kiss against the corner of zack's mouth. ] If we're gonna christen the new place, shouldn't we do it properly?

Oh, definitely.

[ Exciting talk! And Cloud is both always right about these things and 100% worthy of doing things properly, so Zack is eager to obey.

Except his brain is currently too flooded with Happy and Horny to leave a lot of room for figuring things out, so: ]

...how do we do that?

[ cloud blinks.

... and then pulls back a little so he can look at zack properly. ]

... are you serious.

[ He's dead serious. ]

Sorry, man. You've packed in your dreams to live a quiet life on a farm with a guy who's too excited to take you to bed to use his brain.

[ OH WAIT ]

Take you to bed!

[ Hopefully that's actually what Cloud means, because Zack is already trying to scoop Cloud up into a bridaly carry to take him to the bedroom. ]

[ fortunately for zack: 1) that is what cloud meant and 2) zack is hot enough that cloud is still willing to let zack take him to bed after that. (also that it's kind of cute when the puppy brain overrides zack's common sense, but cloud doesn't need to admit that.) ]

I can't believe everyone back at HQ was convinced you were a player.

They probably assumed I must've had game, since I managed to get the hottest guy there to fall for me.

[ He's grinning as he says it, readjusting his hold on Cloud so his weight is evenly spread. The house isn't big enough that it's going to be a long walk to the bedroom, but if he's doing this he's gonna do it right, and that means making sure Cloud is comfortable.

Of course, when they arrive in the bedroom, he gets a little kick out of not closing the door. It's their house! Nobody's around to walk in, or peek at them! Luxury. He carries Cloud straight to the bed, gets a little distracted by giving him a kiss before he puts him down, and then manages to tumble them both onto the new bedding on a valiant second try. ]

You never told me Sephiroth had a thing for you.

[ dryly, just to tease him.

but the effect is kind of ruined by the way he laughs when zack tumbles them both down onto the bed. he reaches up to tug zack on top of him just so that he can lean up for another kiss, wrapping his arms around the other man's neck and pulling him down until they're flush together.

and hey, just for the record? this bed is a huge improvement over the one in zack's old apartment. ]

[ He's not going to dignify that with a response. Not when there are issues at hand that are so much more important. Like their first kiss in their new bed! He's not going to keep up the running commentary for Cloud - that'll probably get old fast - but it's all significant to him. All special. He lets himself be pulled, nestles himself into the space between Cloud's thighs. Even fully clothed, the position never fails to send a little charge of heat through him. And since this is their first new-bed kiss, he's gonna make it a good one. Pours everything into it. His relief at being free, his joy at being free with Cloud and the fact that they can share this. All the love inside him, love that seemed impossibly huge when he first realized that was what it was, but has grown larger every single day regardless, until it infuses everything he does. And desire, always there, always burning, in the drag of his teeth over Cloud's lip, the warmth of Cloud's mouth when he licks into it.

It is, in his humble opinion, a pretty good kiss. ]

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