Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Spiiiiiiiike. Boooooooored,” Zack whines from his splayed position on Cloud’s couch. The man had thrown himself there ten minutes ago and has been pestering Cloud ever since.

“What do you expect me to do about it?” Cloud doesn’t bother looking up from the paperwork he would gladly set on fire if he thought he could get away with it. Mounds of it cover his coffee table, with no hope for reclaiming it. He’s always been amused by Genesis’s complaints and threats to do the very same—he’s pretty sure Gen actually has set some on fire—but facing it himself, he’s no longer amused. Cloud would’ve turned down his promotion to sergeant if he’d know how much of the blasted stuff there is.

“Entertain me. You’re my boyfriend, it’s in the contract.”

Cloud snorts. “I don’t remember that clause. We have three other boyfriends who could entertain you. Go try one of them.”

Zack’s immediate silence is suspicious and telling. Cloud does look up this time, one eyebrow raised in question. Even with his head hanging over the edge of the cushion, legs akimbo, the raven-haired Soldier still manages to look slightly guilty.

Clouds eyes narrow.

The silence draws out for a long moment before Zack bursts out with, “I already tried them? Seph was doing paperwork and refused to be distracted even with the offer to pound me over the desk. He told me to go try Angeal, so I tried joining in on ’Geal’s class but he said I was distracting the cadets and kicked me out, which, ok, I might have been complimenting ’Geal’s ass, but come on, how can I not? So I tried Gen and he only had time for a very quick quickie before kicking me out and saying to come bother you. I already did my workout, it’s boring playing games by myself, there’s no one to spar with, so really, it’d be in everyone’s best interest if you play with me before I cause trouble!” Zack finishes with a blinding grin.

Cloud stares at him a moment longer before closing his eyes and rubbing his temples. Right then. He will be having words with his boyfriends about wearing Zack out better, but apparently work is on hold until he appeases Zack.

“Fine. I will play one game with you, and I do mean one.”

Zack lets out a whoop as he rolls of the couch. “You’re the best Cloud Nine! How ’bout the new racing game? Ooo or Super Soldiers Smash, or—”

“No video games. Those will take too long.”

Zack turns to look at him, blue eyes confused. “You just said you’d play a game though.”

“There are games outside of video games. Besides, I think you’ll like this one. May help get some of your friskiness out.” The question is where he put his deck of cards. He hasn’t had to carry around a deck since making corporal. The infantrymen in his squad always have one on hand.

Cloud gets up from the floor and starts searching through his storage cubbies near the front door. Really, there aren’t many places the cards could be. He probably put them—aha.

He triumphantly pulls the deck out.

Zack looks amused and skeptical. “Cards, Spikey? Poker isn’t any faster of a game, ya know.”

“Good thing we aren’t playing poker. We’re playing Summon Slap.” Cloud very carefully starts moving his piles of paperwork off the coffee table, Zack pitching in. He does not want to resort them later.

“What’s Summon Slap?”

“I learned it in the army. It’s a simple enough game, and you can get pretty crazy with multiple players, but it’s fun.” They both settle onto the floor and Cloud pulls the cards out of their box. They’re worn and floppy from use, the edges smooth. This deck has been with him for years, keeping his hands and mind company on long posts, and the feeling of them shuffling tween his fingers makes him smile.

Dealing the cards out, he says, “Rules are this. We each get a stack, do not look at them. We take turns flipping a card over into the middle of the table and keep flipping cards over until you see a summon card. The goal is to be the first person to slap it. If you do, you get to keep all the cards. If you slap a numbered card, you give the other players a card from your deck. Winner is the person who collects the whole deck.

“Any questions?”

“Flip a card, hit the summon, got it. With my reflexes you’re goin’ down, Spike,” Zack taunts with a smirk.

Cloud merely smirks back and taps his stack of cards against the table to make a neat pile, and waits for Zack to do the same.  He takes up the position, one hand on his deck, the other in the air ready to slap.

“One…two…go.” And the flipping begins.

Flip, flip, slap.

Zack’s mouth drops open, hand still in the air. Cloud lifts his hand off the pile to show the Odin card beneath it.

“You were saying, Puppy?” he teases.

“Bring it, lover boy,” and they’re flipping cards again.

To Cloud’s great amusement and cackling glee, Zack keeps losing. Cloud wins another summon before Zack even swings, a third seconds before Zack’s hand slaps onto his, and Zack accidently slaps a Chocobo card. His boyfriend’s intensity increases with every card flipped, eyes narrowed, body nearly vibrating with it.

Cloud flips over Alexandar and Zack’s hand smashes down on it with a loud “Hah!” And then the table breaks down the middle, collapsing inward, the cards fluttering onto the floor.

Did he just…

Zack’s hand hovering mid-air, they stare at the table, then at each other. A nervous smile steals over Zack’s face at whatever expression Cloud is making. Cloud’s pretty sure it’s the look he gives Supply officers. Zack doesn’t even try an apology, just makes a break for it by launching himself over the couch for the door. Some of Cloud’s paperwork scatters in his wake.

Cloud, anticipating his boyfriend, jumps onto his back and brings him crashing to the floor where he immediately starts attacking all of Zack’s ticklish spots. He’s honestly more amused than annoyed about the table, but the writhing man underneath him deserves some punishment for breaking his workspace.

Wait…where was he going to work now?

Godsdammit, Zack.

“So now I owe Spike a new table,” Zack finishes with a cheerful grin. Genesis snorts, and Angeal shakes his head in amusement. They’ve been lingering over dinner, seemingly reluctant to let the moment end. Cloud has always felt that something about Genesis’s apartment feels like home, something he thinks everyone feels, cause it’s where they all prefer to congregate when they can.

“Do we need to do some strength training exercises again?” Angeal teases his former student, leaning back in his chair. His blue eyes positively dance with mirth. “I’ve got a carton of eggs we could use.”

Zack lets out a laugh, hands raising in protest. “I just got really into it. Spike is so damn fast I forgot to control myself, and I really wanted to win!”

Sephiroth’s head cocks, expression thoughtful. “Is this game for two players only?”

“No, you can have multiple players. Why?” Cloud asks.

“It sounds intriguing. If you all would be willing, I would like to try playing. I have never played a game other than poker, and this sounds like a good test of reflexes. I am also curious to see if Cloud is as unbeatable as Zack claims.” Sephiroth’s eyes are on him, glinting with humorous challenge.

Cloud takes half a moment to imagine Hojo being blasted by an Aero strike to the dick before gracing his boyfriend with a return smirk.

“It’d be my pleasure.” Turning to look at his other boyfriends, he notices they too are looking at Sephiroth with softened gazes. It’s a pretty standard response amongst the four of them when Sephiroth shares something heartbreaking about his non-existent childhood. “You three in?”

“You’re on, sweetheart,” Genesis purrs, setting down his wine glass. “Zack is one thing”—the man in question yelps an amused hey—“but you won’t beat me.”

“Sure, I’ll play. But,” Angeal holds up a finger, “we’ll be playing on the floor. I’ll take no chances with another table break.”

With an enthusiasm that somehow surprises Cloud, his four boyfriends stand and start clearing the dinner dishes and cleaning up. He wonders at it. Not that he isn’t looking forward to playing with them, but the excitement in their voices, the speed in which they clean indicates something more. Sephiroth he can understand. The man loves trying new things, especially experiences he was denied as a child. The other three could just be exited for Seph, but Cloud doesn’t think that’s quite right. Is it perhaps something from their own childhoods at play here? Genesis and Angeal have shared some facets, but not every detail gets thought to be told.

Zack interrupts Cloud’s musings by asking, “Do we even have any cards? Or does Spike need to get his?”

Angeal hums thoughtfully, hands paused in his washing. “I don’t think I do, actually. Gen?”

Gen dramatically places a hand on his chest, as if offended. “I’m a man of the arts.”

“In other words, no,” Cloud says dryly and Genesis winks at him. “I’ll run down and get mine.”

“Shall I come with you?” Sephiroth asks with a small smile.

Cloud smiles back fondly. “I’d like that very much.”

The two men head out, the other three debating on the perfect game night snacks (never mind that they just finished dinner) and the best floor seating setup as the door closes behind them.

Alone with his silver haired boyfriend for the first time today, Cloud reaches out and tangles his fingers with Sephiroth’s, tugging him to a stop. When the man looks at him questioningly, Cloud tilts his head up for a kiss. Sephiroth bends and brushes their lips together in a soft, sweet slide Cloud could lose himself in. Unfortunately, the other three are waiting, so no losing allowed. He gives Sephiroth’s bottom lip a light nip before pulling away.

“Hi,” he murmurs.

“Hello back, my wolf.”

They start walking down the hall toward the elevators again, joined hands lightly swinging between them. Silence hangs comfortably. Cloud appreciates beyond words that he has one lover who understands and appreciates a good silence as much as he does. Who is happy to just be in his presence.

Cloud brushes his thumb over Sephiroth’s knuckles, and impulsively raises their hands to kiss the back of Sephiroth’s. His boyfriend’s fingers tighten around his in response. When he looks up, those green eyes have darkened a little.

Oh, really?

The elevator chooses that moment to arrive. Ah well, something to explore later. As they board, Cloud is struck with a brilliant idea. Ulterior motives? Who, him?

“We might actually be better off with two decks than one. Gives us more to play with. Why don’t we hit up Supply and buy some there. That way the cards can always be on hand too.”

“I am good with this plan,” Sephiroth says as he pushes the appropriate button with his free hand. “Are there any other such games as Summon Slap we can play?”

“I can think of at least five off the top of my head, and we can always research more.”

Sephiroth lights up and hums. Cloud resolves then and there to find all the childhood games he can for them to play. Anything to keep that excitement on his boyfriend’s face. (He also resolves to find a way to reanimate the long dead, just so he can re-murder Hojo, but that’s neither here nor there.)

Cloud internally cackles at the constipated look on the supply officer’s face. He clearly wants to call a Code Nibel, but Sephiroth’s presence prevents him from doing so.

“Got an easy order for you, Officer. Just need to buy two decks of cards.”

The man relaxes partially, though he side-eyes Sephiroth. “Of course, sir. What kind would you like? We’ve got your standard image cards and a couple special edition packs.”

“What makes them special edition?” Sephiroth asks. Cloud snorts in amusement as the officer’s eyes go a little starry.

“The images were redesigned and painted by Tetsuya Nomura. The summon cards are beautifully detailed and said to look truer to the summons they depict.”

“What do you think, Seph?” Cloud feels giddy over his moment of brilliance. He really wants Sephiroth to be the one to choose. To feel the excitement of picking something for himself and knowing it’s his to keep and play with. A toy that serves no other purpose than to be enjoyed. Every time they play a game, it will hold that much more meaning.

Sephiroth deliberates for a moment before requesting, “Two of the special decks, please.”

The officer salutes and scurries off to the back, returning with the cards less than five minutes later. When he hands them over, Sephiroth’s eyes shine with child-like wonder, and his fingers gently hold the boxes.

Cloud barely restrains himself from cooing. They pay out and head back upstairs, once again holding hands. Cloud finds himself laughing as Sephiroth powerwalks them to Genesis’s door, quickly walking in.

In the time they’ve been gone, the other three have rearranged the living room furniture, creating a game space with pillows on the floor, drinks on the coffee table. They’re lounging on the pillows, Zack mid-story about his latest mission. He breaks off when he sees Cloud and Sephiroth to say “What took you two so long? Did you get distracted?” He finishes with a playful leer.

“While we did enjoy a very nice kiss, Cloud thought it might be beneficial if we were to play with two decks and to buy them for our apartment. That meant we had to go to Supply. I chose to buy us the special edition cards. The officer said the summons are realistic, and I thought that best, considering.”

Genesis catches Cloud’s eye and winks. Cloud winks and smiles back. His boyfriend had obviously caught on that he had wanted to give Sephiroth the chance to own his own deck.

“Glad our little bird had the idea. Come sit down, love, let me put your hair up. You’ll need all the help you can get beating me,” Genesis teases, beckoning Sephiroth over with a hand wave.

“Hair up or down, I will win,” Sephiroth replies, but he sits down all the same to let the red head play with his hair.

Cloud plops down between Angeal and Zack, back against the couch. Angeal leans down to press a kiss on his brow. He mouths thank you when Cloud meets his eyes, and well, Cloud can’t help but dart in for a kiss on the lips too.

“All right, let’s get this game started!” Zack says gleefully. “I refuse to let Spike shuffle, someone else do the honors.”

“I’ll do it,” Angeal says, taking the decks from Sephiroth. With deft hands, he pulls out the cards and starts quickly shuffling.

Cloud feels his eyebrow raise at the multiple bridges Angeal makes with the cards. “You obviously have some dealing experience, ’Geal. Something you want to share?”

Genesis snorts when Angeal smirks. “Never play poker with him. He was a terror on the war front. It got to the point none of the soldiers would play with him. They mistakenly assumed his “honor” and innocent face meant he’d be lousy at it.”

“Not my fault they underestimated an enemy. It was a free lesson in perception and staying on guard.”

“Considering how much gil and items you won off the men, I doubt they considered the lesson free,” Sephiroth comments dryly, and everyone laughs.

Angeal finishes shuffling to his satisfaction and deals out the cards. Everyone gathers their piles and gets ready. The first round goes how Cloud expects it to—him winning, and his boyfriends bickering good naturedly. They’d gone fairly slow for the sake of learning the game, but by round two the speed kicks up.

Cloud is having the time of his life.

He starts losing one here and there, and his men’s jibes and jeers get funnier. He’s also never played with anyone who can keep up with him, and the challenge of facing four opponents with superspeed gets his adrenaline pumping.

Third round the concentration amongst the men is palpable, the room silent except for the slide of cards and slapping of hands. Cloud’s boyfriends’ faces are all masks of determination and a steely glint of competition. Cloud is losing more and more, hesitating a fraction of a second before slapping, and he’s not sure why his instincts are staying his hand.

He tells his instincts to shove it, and when he flips Bahamut over, he manages to slap it first. Triumph lasts maybe a millisecond before four hands slap down on his, and blinding pain races up his arm as every bone in his hand shatters.

Ah, he thinks woozily, fighting to not pass out. That’s what I missed. His boyfriends have been slapping harder in their determination to win. Should’ve calculated that in as a possibility.

Angeal’s arm is suddenly around his shoulders supporting him, and Genesis is casting Curaga on his hand. It hurts even more. A moan slips past his clenched teeth.

Zack and Angeal are arguing to take him to medical, and Genesis is insisting he can heal Cloud. He opens his eyes, not sure when they’d slipped closed, to say no medical, but Sephiroth is in front of him, arresting his words. He looks calm except for the tightness in the corners of his eyes.

Cloud goes to reassure him when Sepiroth smiles gently, cups Cloud’s cheek with a warm, broad palm, and utters, “Sleep.”

Cloud wakes groggily in the dark some time later. He notices immediately his hand is healed. Stiffness lingers, the kind left behind from a mending, but there’s no pain and he can bend his fingers without issue.

The next thing he notes is he’s in their bed, and four bodies surround him. Their breathing patterns let him know they’re sleeping peacefully, so Cloud starts slipping back into sleep.

Genesis and probably Sephiroth had healed him without Medical then. That’s enough for him.

Warm sunlight wakes Cloud the second time. Stretching and clenching his hand, he’s satisfied to find the stiffness gone. He can smell breakfast cooking, and since no one is in bed with him, takes a moment to starfish stretch.

He allows himself exactly one second to call himself an idiot for ignoring his instincts, and pray game nights haven’t been ruined. After that one second, he resolves to make sure they aren’t and will continue.  Taking a deep breath, he steels himself and sits up.

Time to deal with boyfriends’ inevitable guilt.

Throwing off the covers and rolling his way to the edge of the lake-size bed, he plots his plan of attack. Zack will be blaming himself hard, even though his wasn’t the first hand to land. Thankfully he’s easy to settle. A few kisses and reassurances and he’ll be fine.

Cloud is also pretty sure Sephiroth will be easy to soothe as well. The man is in control of his strength always, to the point Cloud bets he compensated his force mid-swing when he saw Cloud’s hand get there first.

No, Cloud thinks as he wanders into the kitchen, it’s these two who’re in need.

Angeal stands at the stove cooking up a storm, back straight and tense, every movement stilted. Plates of bacon, pancakes, eggs, and egged-skillet-toast already line the table.

Genesis seems to be backseat cooking, throwing snappish quips at Angeal from his seat at the table. If Cloud only paid attention to his words, he’d think his boyfriend is mad. However, the drumming of Genesis’s fingers gives his true emotions away—unease. Worry. Upset.

Zack and Sephiroth are nowhere to be seen. Probably avoiding Genesis’s tongue. Their firey boyfriend can be a little too on-point when he’s feeling upset.

Best defuse Genesis first, then.

Cloud makes his presence known by dropping into Genesis’s lap and sealing his mouth with a kiss. To add emphasis, he winds his healed hand into his boyfriend’s delightful red hair and tugs gently but firmly.

Arms wind around Cloud’s waist, and a purr vibrates in Genesis’s throat as he kisses back. Their tongues tangle in a hot, wet glide before Cloud pulls away with one more tug of his boyfriend’s hair. Genesis looks more relaxed now, eyes half lidded, and a small smile on his lips.

“Stop antagonizing Angeal.” Stop feeling guilty.

Genesis’s smile turns rueful. “As you wish, little bird.” With careful fingers, he takes a hold of Cloud’s hand and brings it to his lips.

The soft kiss against his palm tickles, and the sweetness of it has love rush through him. Cloud leans in to press their lips together once more, wanting to taste that sweetness and share some of that love back.

The rest of Genesis’s tension dissipates.

Now for Angeal.

Cloud gets up and walks over to the man who’s been steadfastly ignoring the two of them. Impossibly, he seems to be standing even straighter. Must’ve been Angeal’s hand to land first then, eh? Best be direct then.

Cloud wraps his boyfriend in a back hug and fast as a snake, slips his hand down the front of Angeal’s sweats, and grips Angeal’s soft cock in his healed hand.

Angeal freezes, sucking in a breath noisily. It sounds suspiciously like an eep. Cloud presses his grin into the back of Angeal’s shirt.

“Ang?” he says accompanied by a long stroke of his hand.

The man in question clears his throat. “Yes, Cloud?”

“I’m perfectly fine, see?” Stroke. “No lasting effect”—stroke—“full dexterity”—stroke—“and no pain whatsoever.” Stroke, twist. “So stop feeling guilty. It was an accident and nowhere near as bad as the Bahamut horn.” He strokes firmly one more time, and the noise Angeal makes is a laugh-laced moan.

“Yes, dearheart. Now, let me go back to these hashbrowns before they burn.”

Cloud reluctantly lets go, but makes sure to get a quick, filthy kiss before walking to the table.

“Seph, Zack, it’s safe. Come eat,” he says loudly. Genesis rolls his eyes when the two men walk in, Zack sporting a sheepish smile, Sephiroth’s expression placid.

Zack drops an apologetic kiss on Genesis’s mouth before coming over to wrap Cloud into a big hug. “Glad you’re ok, Spike,” he murmurs into Cloud’s ear. A shiver dances down Cloud’s spine from the brush of breath. He nips gently at Zack’s neck in retaliation, then pulls away to kiss him fondly, eyes warm. Zack smiles warmly in return, then moves to help Angeal.

Cloud plops himself into the chair next to Sephiroth, whereupon the man immediately grasps Cloud’s healed hand, running questing fingers over it. His callouses tickle slightly as they brush against Cloud’s palm, and he resists the urge to trap Sephiroth’s fingers. Sephiroth raises an eyebrow at him, and Cloud nods slightly, answering the question in his eyes. His boyfriend’s gaze softens and he laces their fingers together.

There. All of his men have been appeased, no lasting damage done.

Angeal and Zack bring the last of the plates over and everyone digs in with gusto.

“So what are we playing next?” Zack asks around a mouthful of egg. When everyone looks at him with varying degrees of incredulity and interest, he says, “What? We were having fun, the most fun we’ve had in a while. I know you all agree, and there’s games that won’t cause injury. Why can’t we continue game nights with those? It seems a shame to stop Seph’s education when it’s barely begun, and he did just buy cards.”

Cloud internally cheers. Yay Zack for fixing the potential issue immediately. He owes him another kiss.

Angeal looks thoughtful. “It’s true there’s any number of card games we could play.”

“And if we’re going to be thorough about it, there’re board games as well,” Genesis adds, fork tapping against his plate. “Wouldn’t be difficult to get a hold of them either.”

“Whaddya say, Seph? You up for more game nights?”

Sephiroth nods at Zack, excitement gleaming in his eyes. “I’d like that very much.”

Zack cheers. “So what should we try next?” and Zack, Angeal, and Genesis start tossing around ideas while Sephiroth listens with interest.

Cloud is content to sit back and watch his men, love flowing through his being.

None of this had been his intention when teaching Zack Summon Slap, but Fenrir, is he glad it turned out this way. These men of his deserve all the happiness, and the knowledge he’d introduced such a small thing with a large impact makes him simultaneously sad and elated. He’ll just have to make sure he keeps introducing them to new experiences.

Until then, he’d better moderate some of these ideas being tossed, because no way they’re teaching Seph dodgeball. That’s just asking for disaster.

Chapter Text

Go Fish

“I refuse to play this game any longer, it is for children, simple and mindless; it requires no skill at all.”

“That’s the point, Gen, to play children’s games. But I do have to agree, this one may be not for us,” Angeal tells Zack apologetically.

“Eh, no worries. It was an iconic game to try and we can strike it off our list. You good with that, Seph?”

Everyone looks at the man who nods slightly in return.

Cloud sighs a silent breath of relief. Thank the ancients, Go Fish is boring as fuck.

Bullshit

The game starts out well, it really does. There is much taunting and calling each other out, lots of laughter as bluffs are called upon. It’s fun to see how well they can read each other.

Right up until Angeal goes “poker faced.”

“I swear to Odin,” Genesis hisses, stabbing a finger in the air, “one of you lose or call a draw right now. It’s been two hours of this standoff. I will set the cards on fire if I have to.”

Angeal looks raises an eyebrow at Genesis’s threat and looks back at Sephiroth. “What do you say, love?”

(Everyone knows Genesis won’t really burn the cards, but Cloud kinda shares the sentiment. It got boring thirty minutes into the standoff, and even playing a couple rounds just him, Zack, and Genesis with the second deck got old after a while. Someone needs to give here.)

Sephiroth hums in consideration. “I suppose I would be willing to call it a draw. For the sake of my cards.”

Cloud snorts and Zack laughs outright at the smirk Sephiroth throws Genesis, who throws his hands up in the air with an explosive, “Thank you!”

Cloud can’t help but tease, “Does this one need to go on the banned list too, Gen?”

“I don’t care if you four play it again, but I refuse to ever play with these two. It’s as bad as playing poker.”

Angeal lets out what Cloud can only describe as an evil cackle. He stares at his lover in amazement, slightly turned on. He had no idea the man could make that noise, and he needs to hear it again. What else can they play that will turn on Evil Angeal mode?

Operation Evil Cackle is a go.

Memory

“No,” Cloud says flatly. “I am not playing Memory with three men who have eidetic memories. Choose another game.”