Zack sighed as he swung the door to his rooms open, pocketing the security card and kicking his shoes off at the door. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't notice a smaller pair of boots near the door. When the soldier stretched, he heard several vertebrae crunch into place and he made a face. Rounding the corner, he was forced to do a double take.

Sprawled out on his couch was his young protégé and friend, Cloud Strife. His golden spikes fell in a messy halo around his peaceful sleeping face. Zack held still, content just to absorb the scene. He rarely got to see Cloud with his barriers down, and this was the most peaceful he'd ever seen the cadet.

Regrettably, he had to wake up the young blond. "Hey, Cloud," he called softly. "Wake up, Spiky!" When that didn't get any response, he moved to the couch and affectionately tousled Cloud's spikes, drawing a soft groan of displeasure from his friend. Zack bit his lip, chasing the dirty thoughts from his mind and shaking Cloud again.

"Za-ack," complained the cadet blearily. "I was asleep!"

Zack chuckled, leaning back with hand on his hips. "Obviously, Cloud. Can I ask why you were asleep on my couch, though? Not that I mind or anything, I'm just curious."

Cloud rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and said, "Well, I came looking for you, but you weren't here. I needed to talk to you, so I thought I'd wait. Apparently I was more tired than I thought I was." He grinned wryly, and Zack grinned back. That was Cloud all right.

"So, what did you need to talk to me about? Don't tell me you forgot!" He had been teasing, but Cloud's face fell. Looking up with crystal blue eyes, Cloud chewed nervously on his lower lip before finally answering.

"Zack, I-I'm being shipped out. Tomorrow. It's an eight-month deployment on the border. I though you'd want to know."

Zack felt the blood drain from his face. Border territory was easily the most dangerous area to be stationed at right now. Most cadets that were deployed there came back, but in body bags.

"Umm, Zack, are you okay? You're looking pretty pale." Cloud's gently concerned voice broke through Zack's thoughts. Typical Cloud; more concerned about Zack than he was about being shipped out.

"I'm…" He debated saying he was fine, but that really wasn't true. "I'm…in relative shock," he said finally. Cloud nodded, suddenly looking anxious. He took a deep breath and looked up at Zack.

"I guess if you start hyperventilating, I'll call the medics." His voice was casual, but trembled slightly. Zack wondered what was making the cadet look so nervous and was about to ask when soft, tentative lips met his. As soon they were there, they were gone. Zack was speechless. All the time he had been drooling over the cadet, the feelings were mutual? It was almost too much to comprehend.

He looked at Cloud, and saw the cadet was now blushing furiously. Zack thought he'd never looked more completely adorable. Moving forward, Zack caught one of Cloud's hands, pulling the cadet closer. "Have I ever told you how completely amazing you are?" he murmured, pressing his lips to Cloud's, hoping for a response.

With a gasp, Cloud grabbed a gentle handful of Zack hair. Zack, never one to take anything for granted, let his tongue delve into the warm sweetness of Cloud's mouth. The young blond groaned, and the hand that wasn't laced in Zack's hair moved down and gently grabbed onto Zack's hip, making the soldier arch expectantly, only to groan in disappointment. Cloud took the hint and began hesitantly massaging Zack's erection through the general issued pants.

When Zack swore and broke away, panting, Cloud looked up fearfully. Zack was quick to reassure him, giving him a light kiss that Cloud turned into another deep-tongue experience that probably could've been called a mouth rape.

Losing all patience, Zack scooped Cloud into his arms and carried him to the bedroom where he gently tossed the blond to the bed. Cloud let out an indignant squeak that soon turned into a deep moan as Zack began rubbing their hips together, grinding erection on erection. Cloud was panting by now, and his face was flushed. Moistening his lips, he reached up and pulled Zack down, giving him a deep and spicy kiss.

Zack pulled their shirts off and as he was about to remove his pants, Cloud placed his hands over Zack's and said deviously, "Let me."

With carefully precision, Cloud flicked the button through and unzipped the fly. Slowly, he pulled the material down, taking Zack's boxers with it. The older man groaned as his aching erection was freed from its cloth prison. Tossing his clothes to the side, he turned to remove Cloud's pants, only to see the blond grinning at him, hips arched eagerly. Zack laughed aloud as he smirked and did what Cloud to him right back to the blond.

After clothes had been completely discarded, Zack hesitated and murmured in the blonde's ear, "Cloud, are you sure you want this? Once I get much farther than this, I can't stop. Well, I can, but it's really hard."

Cloud grinned. "That's not the only thing that's hard for you," he replied teasingly. Zack rolled his eyes and smirked. "I'll take that as, 'Go ahead, Zack! Fuck me so hard I can't see straight!'"

Cloud didn't comment, just ground his hips upwards, forcing their throbbing arousals together, flesh on heated flesh. Zack moaned and began grinding slowly into Cloud, drawing groans and sharp gasps from both of them.

Finally, Zack couldn't take it more. "Cloud, can I fuck you? Please!" Cloud rolled over on the bed and dug in Zack's bedside table, eventually tossing the older man a tube of lubricant. Flipping back over to his back, he looked up without a trace of fear in his eyes and said, "Zack, please fuck me! Take me now, damn it!"

Zack paused. "That is totally a movie quote. Which one?"

Cloud grinned. "I knew you'd pick up on that. Counted on it, actually. It's from Blazing Saddles. Now, back to sex, please?"

With a flippant grin, Zack popped the cap on the tube and began slicking himself up, taking care to coat three fingers thoroughly. Leaning forward and letting his tongue explore Cloud's mouth, he slid one finger in, letting Cloud adjust before slipping in another. Cloud winced, but didn't tense up, so Zack scissored his fingers around, feeling for a specific bundle of nerves that guys have been so blessed with. When Cloud gasped and arched into Zack's fingers, he smirked, knowing he'd found the sweet spot.

After he'd fully prepped Cloud, Zack made sure he was still slick and began sliding into Cloud's tight body. He groaned as he took it slow, then almost screamed as Cloud thrust himself down on Zack's throbbing arousal. He paused, to let Cloud get used to having someone's dick buried in his ass.

When Cloud nodded and rolled his hips tentatively, Zack began thrusting in and withdrawing shallowly and slowly, trying not to hurt Cloud. But Cloud shook his head, glaring up at Zack.

"I…want sex, not…acclimatization. Fuck me hard, Zack! I want to remember this in case I don't come back!"

Zack began pulling out until only the tip of his cock was still inside Cloud and slamming back, drawing keening cries of pleasure from the younger blond beneath him. Keeping himself off of Cloud with one arm, he began stroking and pulling on Cloud's weeping erection. Cloud tensed unexpectedly, and Zack cried out with the resultant pleasure.

"God, Zack! Again, please! That felt so damn good!" Zack complied, and could feel his orgasm coming closer, threatening to send him flying over the chasm, but he held out until Cloud's orgasm sent the blond into throes of passion and gratification.

"Za-ack!" he groaned throatily. That was enough to convince Zack to withdraw swiftly and come violently onto the sheets, Cloud's name passing like a mantra through his swollen lips.

When they both collapsed, exhausted, Cloud murmured, "Thanks Zack. You'll never know how good you make a memory feel." With one last lingering kiss, Cloud whispered, "I love you, Zachary Fair! Never forget that my heart belongs to you."

Zack woke up, feeling the unpleasant stickiness of drying cum on his stomach and hands. He looked for Cloud, but then reality came crashing back to him. Cloud was dead. Cloud had died a week ago. He was shot in the back by one of his own comrades. It was an accident, but that didn't stop Cloud from being dead. With a howl of anguish, Zack let tears wrack his body as he thought about the young blond that had him the happiest he'd ever been.