Archive of Our Own

“Mr. Rhodea. Another birthday present was delivered to your quarters.”

All week gifts from Andrea’s many friends and admirers had been filling the Honeybee Inn, a shower of them on the day of. Even Andrea couldn’t keep in step with the quickness of their arrival.

“Thank you,” he said, to the Inn’s receptionist, and floated on with a small cluster of his Bees to make his way through the doors in the back and continue preparations for the night’s show. A show that would be more extravagant than most at the Honeybee Inn – and that was saying something. The 16th of August, Andrea’s night, was always a celebration to remember.

“Sir?” Andrea stopped and turned.

The receptionist told him coyly, “This one might not… keep. You should see for yourself, sooner rather than later.”

Andrea raised a groomed brow. His Bees tittered, apparently in on the secret.

“Oh…? Then, if you’ll excuse me, my boys and girls.”

They called out behind Andrea, Leave tonight’s preparations to us! and, Ooh, you’re gonna love this one, Andi!

Expectations were certainly high. And they were more than met, because as soon as Andrea opened his bedroom door, he was graced by the gift of Cloud Strife.

Being framed by black-lacquered bedposts and a purple canopy, the man knelt on Andrea's bed. An enticing sight alone. But there was more to be seen.

As well as his darling, fine-line frown, Cloud wore a dress.

Andrea rested his fingers on his lips, holding his other elbow in his palm. Taking the reality in, one step at a time. He played off the shock with his routine smarminess.

“Well, well...” He swung his hand out from his mouth, to hang his upturned palm in the air before Cloud. “Who is this gorgeous creature?”

The mercenary, adorably, felt the need to have to inform him.

“It’s Cloud.”

A span had passed since Andrea had the pleasure of being in the presence of the man, Cloud. A year ago, just a little past the day. August 11th, on Cloud’s birthday.

Back then, Cloud had asked Andrea when the next available opportunity was to see him, to which Andrea had replied, For you, Cloud? Anytime. Cloud became the sole possessor of a lifetime open invitation to the Honeybee Inn.

But, Cloud whisked away shortly thereafter.

Hardly surprising, really, with how fortuitously Cloud had stepped onto Wall Market’s streets. Every unthought of, improvised step of his aligning the town’s many chaotic rhythms. It seemed to just be Cloud’s way, to fall into a place and as suddenly leave it, forever altered, whether he meant to or not. Most assuredly, that was the effect of a hero.

Lovers of all kinds came and went, in Andrea’s experience. Though he’d admit to his own heart, there had been a sharper sting of disappointment at this one’s absence, and an unexpected pang of actual loneliness while he was being celebrated on his very own birthday, five days later.

“Oh, sweet man,” Andrea said, amused. He kicked whatever stage fright remained in his toes and was keeping him from waltzing in, and flung the door shut behind him. He sauntered with confidence to the bed’s edge, to stroke the underside of Cloud’s chin with the point of a finger and lift it from its subtle, self-conscious tuck.

As though Andrea wouldn’t recognize that intrinsic, unparalleled beauty. Even in Cloud’s current attire, and even with his face so well done up. Andrea suspected he knew whose handiwork was on display here, and if that wonderful gossip had been responsible, it would explain why Andrea’s other Bees had been abuzz.

Fine black liner traced Cloud’s brilliant eyes, and was as masterfully drawn as the gradation of shadow. Bright yellow in the corners, shimmering gold on the rounds, deep brown on the delicate skin between sharp, blond brows and deep creases of the eyes. The warm hues were complimented with a dark dusting of blush, and a burgundy application of lipstick.

Then, there was the outfit.

From the waist down, the dress draped around Cloud’s sitting form. Round swaths of yellow cloth spiraled on black, to create on the front the focal texture of one large flower. A ruffled yellow hem bordered a tulle black trim to the dress, a detail that was duplicated on the top edge of the corset, the other half of the ensemble. The corset was black, vertically ribbed with more yellow frills, and cinched closed with bright yellow laces tying down the dip of Cloud’s spine.

The whole affair was accessorized by a hair ornament and a necklace, both adorned with more tulle, and smaller yellow cloth flowers. A sheer top cut a neckline the shape of a stinger into the top of the corset, and covered down the arms. Lastly, there were soft black gloves that covered Cloud’s hands, clasped demurely on his lap.

Exquisite, was Andrea’s judgment.

“I knew it was you,” he said, in a surreptitious whisper.

Annoyed, Cloud glared up along Andrea’s wrist to his face. Keeping his hands in place, though. In his own bland voice, he grumbled, “Then why’d you bother asking?”

Andrea shifted, to hold beside one blond braid the back of one of Cloud’s earrings. One half of the pair Andrea had favored Cloud with.

“Perhaps,” he answered, “I wanted to be sure I wasn’t dreaming this.”

Cloud scoffed lightly. Though his eyes searched Andrea, hearing nothing but his sincerity.

Andrea straightened to drink Cloud in again. “Look at you,” he said, deeply. “Tell me, did you choose all this for me?” He hadn’t missed the obvious theme of the wardrobe.

“I…” Cloud, pulling himself out of his distraction under Andrea’s attention, blinked, and admitted, “I had some help, actually.”

A group effort, it turned out. The ever stupendous Aerith and Tifa helped search for the dress, and like Andrea had suspected, his Bees helped with makeup and with sneaking Cloud into the Inn. It would seem thank you cards were not going to be adequate to express Andrea’s gratitude this year.

He questioned, “And how did you know today was…?”

Cloud lifted his shoulders, to shrug. “Asked. Last year, after… uh, I thought of how I’d make it up to you. Missed my chance, the first time around. Wasn’t gonna miss it again, though.”

Which meant Cloud had been planning this night for a little over a year. In Andrea’s uncharacteristic loss for words, Cloud went on, “Things are looking alright, here. Are they?”

“Oh,” Andrea found his rhythm again, “They’ve certainly improved. Even more so, now. We’ve all so missed our favorite guest of honor.”

“Hey, I’m… sorry, that I couldn’t make it back sooner. I would’ve, y’know. If I’d had the choice.”

“Please. I understand. You’ve always been a man on the move, Cloud Strife. Busy as a bee.”

He chuckled at the expectedly unimpressed droop of Cloud’s shoulders. Though he smirked, too.

“Truth be told...” Andrea turned his hand, to drift the backs of his fingers down the side of Cloud’s neck. “I have missed you, most of all.”

“Right here, Andrea,” said Cloud, impatient, and not standing for the dramatics.

Andrea took another moment anyway to consider Cloud. The reality he presented was filling Andrea with satisfaction, and the feeling embellished Andrea’s words. “Yes… yes, you are.”

“You going to say hi, then… or what?”

“Why, of course… how rude of me.”

Despite the haughty attitude, a soft noise escaped Cloud’s chest in the confines of his corset, when Andrea finally alighted his hands on Cloud’s curved sides and his toned arms. Andrea pressed his palms firmly to Cloud’s lower back to encourage him to slide forward, to drape his legs over the bedside, and sit much closer.

Nose to nose but for a scant distance, Andrea looked into Cloud’s eyes, and felt his smile spread on its own.

“Hello, my dearest Cloud.”

“Hey,” Cloud replied, his voice huskier than usual. With the tips of his fingers he felt Andrea on his chest, soft velvet on slippery silk.

Andrea leaned gently away under the press. He couldn’t help admiring the dress again when it reentered his frame of vision.

“Where did you say you found this?” Andrea pinched lightly the folds of it to lift the edges. He watched Cloud’s chest fill the corset with his sudden, silent breath. Caught offguard by even that small of a rise. What was he going to do once Andrea gave him his real greetings?

“The shop of the person who made that other dress. Madame M let us know where it was.”

“But… this must have cost a fortune. Has mercenary work become that lucrative?” Andrea doubted it. It was a thankless profession.

“...Free, actually,” Cloud answered.

Andrea’s laugh was incredulous and brief. “Pardon?”

“The dressmaker, she, uh. Gave it for free.”

“Just like that?” Not even requiring some silly quest be completed first by the poor errand boy?

“Well, she said.” Cloud’s mouth flattened on whatever had been said. At last he repeated, “’Witnessing beauty can earn a person more than gil.’”

“I think we’d get along, this dressmaker and I.” Andrea would be certain to extend his thanks to that kindred soul as well. He was feeling especially gracious, this year.

Andrea gave Cloud more ample warning by an even slower raise of the dress hem. He watched Cloud’s eyes, noting the lovely shade of pink on his neck, though. Cloud’s slight lean back that opened him was the permission Andrea was looking for.

When Andrea knelt and draped the fabric over his head, he was granted the view of black, high-laced boots, and sheer stockings and thigh garters that kept them from slipping. The most pleasant view of all, were Cloud’s lacy black panties, provocatively stretched over his lower contours.

Mm… Emerging from the dress in order to see Cloud’s face again, smoothing a hand unseen up the width of Cloud’s muscled thigh, Andrea dropped his voice to reverberate.

“And what about this lovely piece, Cloud? Was this one,” he slipped his fingertips under the bottom hem of the panties, stretching them up until they snapped back to Cloud’s hip, “Your pick?”

“Y-” His reply had started breathy, but he glowered after the snap. “...Yeah.”

Andrea squeezed his laughter in his chest, for Cloud’s sake. He did so enjoy teasing the man, but there was a pressing need that told him, enough was enough.

He moved his hand further under Cloud’s dress.

“Let me commend you on your taste...”

“You’re so – Ah… Andrea-”

“Yes?” Andrea felt the instinctive reach into his palm, and pressed through the lace to content it.

“Nothing,” Cloud sighed. His expression was so at ease, his sparkling lids over his eyes, and his brow smooth. His openness was breathtaking.

Andrea had to rise, his hand keeping in place, to reach Cloud’s lips and smother him with deserved affection.

As though not a day had passed, much less a year, Cloud met Andrea’s moves perfectly. No awkward bumps of noses, no stumbling search of lips between them. Just elegant synchronicity. Andrea had so missed what an easy, compliant partner he’d found in the singular Cloud Strife.

Taking the same cue, they parted from each other. They’d smudged Cloud’s lips a fair deal with their sentiments. A shame. Though not at all, truthfully.

Cloud glanced at Andrea’s mouth, too, uttering, Oh. Andrea knew what his focus was caught on.

“Something on my face?”

“Yeah, my… lipstick.” Cloud swallowed, hearing what he’d said.

Andrea grinned, playfully. “Does it suit me?”

“Yeah,” Cloud answered, voice hoarse, “Sure does.” Andrea’s hand kept rhythm, fluttering the dress faintly over Cloud’s lap.

After more breathless kisses, Cloud pushed at Andrea’s shoulder, panting at him, “C’mon. Andrea.”

Andrea accommodated with a smile, slipping his hand out from underneath Cloud’s gown. “Is there something else you want?”

“You tell me.” Cloud still panted lightly. “It’s your birthday.”

“And it would be a waste for me to not make the most of my present.” Andrea breathed the skin behind Cloud’s ear, the waft of a perfume that was sweet and flowery filling the tops of his lungs, with its notes of nectar and honey.

“Yeah. So,” Cloud turned his head beside Andrea’s, and made an offer to Andrea anyway. “You wanna fuck me in this?”

Andrea shut his wide eyes, and laughed dangerously low. Well, if that didn’t sound like a brilliant offer. “Well,” he hummed, “I am certainly tempted to…”

Although it was an unexpected one, coming from Cloud, if Andrea rightly guessed his experience. “I don’t mean to be imprudent,” Andrea said, swaying back to stare with softly crinkling eyes, “But have you ever been the… follower, in this particular dance?”

“I…” Cloud shook his head. “…No.”

Andrea had thought not. Then, Cloud went on, “I’ve been, uh… rehearsing, though. I mean, I guess.”

Cloud gave up on the metaphor. But Andrea’s brows glided up at what Cloud was implying. “Is that so?”

Cloud really had been planning for this night. The thought, and the thought of the specifics of Cloud doing so, cued a swift downward procession of blood.

Cloud tipped his chin up. The move was subtle, but it gave him a certainly stubborn appearance. “So… yeah?”

“Oh, yes. If you’re amenable to the idea, then so am I, by all means.”

Andrea suddenly folded his hands flat together in front of his face, and tapped the sides of his two index fingers on his lips in thoughtfulness. His mind was suddenly a flurry of possibilities, as inspired as when he was coming up with new choreography for a show. The offer Cloud was making was beyond enticing.

A thought that was utterly vain came to the forefront: Cloud was wise to choose Andrea. Because could he make it good for him.

Andrea clapped his hands softly with resolve. “Do I wanna know?” Cloud flatly asked, from watching the whole thing play out.

“Oh, you’ll find out soon enough.” Cloud made a small, aroused noise.

Andrea skimmed his hand along the pleated fabric of the large petals of the dress, following their spin outward. “Tragic, but I think we’ll have a better time if we get you out of this portion. I would hate to ruin such fine work. And I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to see anything of you if you kept it on…”

While that was a fun idea to entertain, it wasn’t what Andrea wanted. He hadn’t seen Cloud for a year, and he wanted to see all of him every second they had together.

“Yeah, alright,” Cloud grudgingly agreed. Apparently, of the same mind.

“The rest, though, that can certainly stay where it is.”

With a roll of his eyes, “Figured,” Cloud retorted, of the same mind once again.

He took Andrea’s hand, when it was offered to raise him from the bed.

Not so much as a wobble when he stood on his heels, of course, or when he flippantly swung a braid back over his shoulder. Perfectly balanced. Together, they eased the lower half of the dress down Cloud’s trim hips, and Andrea offered his hand again for Cloud to step out of it.

Almost into Andrea. Cloud realized and was about to gracefully transition to step back. Before Andrea, curiously, pressed his hand to the small of Cloud’s back, and instead pushed the outer span of their hips together.

By instinct alone, Cloud dropped his weight into his hip, and into Andrea’s. Just as a dance partner was expected to in order to be lead. Andrea still held their joined hands aloft. Their pose was more relaxed, but a promenade, nonetheless.

Andrea breathed, “You don’t even know you’re doing everything you’re supposed to so utterly perfectly, do you?” Cloud was astounding, the purest natural Andrea had ever laid eyes on. And ever would, he’d bet every gil he had.

Cloud said, Huh? with quiet confusion. Only affirming Andrea’s observation. Andrea shook his head in wonder.

Skimming his hand lower, he tucked his fingertips under the top back edge of Cloud’s panties. He couldn’t forget how nude Cloud essentially was, against him. He felt Cloud’s pulse thud where their hips met, and watched it thrum in the line of his neck. With deliberate, slowed down movements, he finally spun Cloud out.

“Back on the bed, with you.”

Cloud blinked, but lowered onto the bed’s edge as told. He pulled himself back and adeptly cleared his heeled shoes.

Andrea finally looked around the rest of his bedroom. Piles of his gifts – bottles of wine and variously sized boxes containing the finest clothes, makeup, and jewelry from up on the Plate, most of which would be shared with his Honeybees – surrounded the bulbed-lit vanity where Andrea ritually put on his face, and covered as well the worn, but treasured, purple and gold threaded rug on his floor. What he was looking for, he found in the twin endtable around the other side of the bed, and he dipped his hand in to pluck out what supplies would be needed.

Cloud’s form was a faint shadow on the closed curtain of his canopy bed, dimly outlined by the lamp opposite on the second endtable. That wouldn’t do. Andrea yanked the drapes apart, making Cloud bend his neck back to look behind him. Andrea tossed what he held across the bed, and reached to unbutton his black shirt and slide it off his shoulders.

When he lowered his ankle back down from untying the laces on his second shoe, Cloud was there to tug and release the front buckle of his belt. He slid the leather free of Andrea’s pant loops. He glanced up at Andrea.

“You are a vision,” Andrea marveled. He stroked the backs of his knuckles on Cloud’s powdered cheek. Yeah, okay, Cloud muttered, though ducking down his pleased, diminutive grin, before he chucked the belt toward the curtain where it slapped and dropped past to hit the floor. He reoccupied his hands by pulling on Andrea’s zipper, mouth slanting much less softly when Andrea gasped from the fingers Cloud molded over him.

“Ah, ah, Cloud… Not how I want you.” Andrea set the points of his fingers on Cloud’s clavicle to nudge him back, and Cloud dropped on his back and elbows, while Andrea joined him on the bed. He pulled the curtains on both sides shut, enveloping them in filtered, purplish light. He then crawled over Cloud, and settled astride one of his thighs to finally rub the two of their bodies together. Groans parted both of their lips.

Andrea glided himself on that leg, its impressive bulges and deep definitions highlighted and shadowed even more sumptuously by the sheer stockings. The thin material felt wonderfully sensual against Andrea’s skin, as did the stiff material of the corset against his own smooth, bare chest, after he lowered against Cloud. The intoxicating aroma of perfume he caught again from where it must have been sprayed on Cloud’s inner thighs, mixing with his aroused musk. He pressed his own knee into the mattress under Cloud’s groin for Cloud to seek his pleasure, too, as they rut in tandem.

Cloud’s velvet hands gripped Andrea’s hips shortly though, trying to still their motion. “A-Andrea. Come on, you can’t just want – like this.”

Which was perhaps meant as a warning, as well. The red tip of Cloud’s cock poked above the lace he still wore, leaking wetly on the hem, and on a spot of skin where it pressed up against his lower abdomen.

“No,” Andrea breathed, unable to help himself from caressing that lovely reveal anyway. Ah – shit, Cloud winced, clenching his eyes momentarily shut. “You’re right. Not like this, either.”

Andrea exposed Cloud by rolling the garment down, stretching it over the thigh garters before slipping it free of Cloud’s ankles. Cloud’s relief could be heard in a sigh. Picking up the bottle of lube he’d selected before, Andrea rolled it between his palms to make it warm.

Cloud had laid back for Andrea to remove his clothing, but he lifted his head and leveraged onto his elbows again at the snick of the bottle cap.

“If I remember correctly…” Andrea regained Cloud’s focus. “’Gold’, was it?”

It took a moment for Cloud to understand. His eyes rounded when he did.

Relaxing, he looked softer at Andrea. “…Right. Yeah, that was it.”

“Excellent.”

Andrea held the bottle high in the air as he squeezed, drizzling its contents on his upturned fingers. Mostly, on the bedsheets. He snagged his bottom lip in his bite when Cloud stared, and flushed from the excessive amount, and Andrea’s show of disregard.

Andrea edged closer, hands on top of Cloud’s knees to spread them. “Lay back now, my sweet gift.”

Cloud slid his elbows out from under him to lay his arms straight, while Andrea dipped a shoulder in order to reach under his back. He thrummed a single finger down the laces.

“Comfortable?” he wondered. Cloud arched, as much as he could, to press himself into Andrea’s touch.

“Wouldn’t say that,” he answered, corner of his mouth wry.

“Would you like me to loosen it for you?”

Cloud shrugged his shoulders against the bed. “Nah. It’s fine. Just stiff.”

“Alright.”

Andrea took his hand back, spreading his fingers on top of Cloud’s bound abdomen, feeling the ruffles of fabric and the expert stitches, instead of the hard leather of the guard that would normally be protecting there. He bent low to kiss Cloud’s smeared lips, while his wet reach followed the underside of Cloud’s thigh up along his flank.

He brushed his lips and some of Cloud’s remaining lipstick on the skin between Cloud’s sheer v-collar, while he glided his touch over Cloud’s entrance.

“Ah…”

One finger skimmed slowly across, then two glided to slick Cloud more thoroughly. Cloud fidgeted, only readjusting to give Andrea better access. He tried a light press. He was rewarded by Cloud’s mouth parting on a pleasant gasp. When Cloud was subtly rolling his hips to help Andrea, he decided Cloud was ready.

He pushed.

“Nn.”

“…Sting?”

Cloud answered, quietly, breathlessly, “No…” While Andrea was being careful to keep his finger straight and still, Cloud was shifting his hips to feel it more. “You can…”

Andrea was a little breathless, himself. Cloud truly had been “rehearsing”, as it were.

“How about more, Cloud? Would you-”

“Yeah. Yeah.”

Andrea slipped in his second digit. He curled his fingers, to beckon the first sweep of sensation across the stage. Cloud whined, quiet and high.

It wasn’t long until Cloud rocked with the motions of Andrea’s fingers, encouraging him to introduce a third and say, “I think you’re more than ready to take me. Do you feel the same, Cloud?”

“D-do it, already.”

Andrea said, “Oh, with pleasure.”

The condom Andrea had chosen was pink. Cloud shook his head in quietly amused disbelief.

Feeling especially coquettish, Andrea told him, “I am going to have you wearing pink, one day.”

Cloud snorted, softly. He watched Andrea’s hands unroll, and smirking, responded, “Nah. Looks good on you, though.”

Andrea groaned at Cloud’s bold compliment, and at finally getting hands on himself. Cloud’s stare flickered to Andrea's, at the unrestrained noise that came from him that time, though Andrea felt no shame in the expression. He’d been enlivened for quite some time.

One hand set wide on the inside of Cloud’s thigh, Andrea urged it further apart, and curled his other hand around himself to line perfectly in sync.

A low, hitched breath entered Cloud’s throat, before Andrea even nudged him. Cloud dropped his eyes shut, and grit his teeth on his next whine when Andrea did ease steadily in.

Andrea enjoyed many positions. But he would be unconvinced that any other was better than this. Seated, and purely feeling the pent energy of the moment, was his favorite. Just like the moment on stage, when everyone was poised before the start, on anticipatory edge waiting for the cue, the sound of the first beat, the first shine of light, the real curtain rise.

The corners of Andrea’s mouth curled as he basked in that feeling. He set a hand to brace himself on Cloud’s middle, on his corset containing his shallow pants. “How are you doing, Cloud?”

“Uh, real fucking good.”

Andrea’s teeth flashed in his grin. “Then take a deep breath, my dear.”

Heh. Cloud said, “In this thing?”

Andrea chuckled too, while Cloud did best he could. “There we go…”

“Andrea, c’mon,” Cloud said, impatient again. “More than ready, like you said-”

Andrea thrust. Hard. Enough to knock Cloud’s teeth together.

Mm-!

Mm… Andrea echoed with wicked delight.

When Cloud caught his breath back, he spoke through an open, aroused smirk. “You like to give it rough, too, huh?”

“Only because I know you can keep up.”

“Yeah.” He wrapped his stockinged thighs tight around Andrea’s waist. “Show me your best moves, Andrea.”

Bold talker, when he wanted to be. That hadn’t changed. Andrea would never stop applauding that side of him, either.

He laughed low and dark, from the hot arousal that dripped like wine to splash in the depths of his sternum. “Oh, you glorious man.” So open to the new experience. So unafraid. For Andrea to give less than his all then and there would be the biggest stumble of his life.

The moan that eked from Cloud’s throat lifted with each rough, rolling thrust Andrea gave him. Suddenly Cloud’s arms bent above his head, scrabbling, and fisting Andrea’s dark-colored sheets in his gloved hands. Andrea reached up with him, grabbing and pushing Cloud’s wrists right were they were, and pressing them deeper, after each shove being made below.

“Yes – yes,” Andrea groaned, “Oh, yes…”

Cloud’s brow pinched finely from exertion. His mouth hung open beautifully from pleasure. His skin shimmered softly from a light sweat, sparkling like his miraculously untarnished eyeshadow.

Andrea licked at his neck, tasting him and the traces of his perfume. His hands he slid up to unfurl Cloud’s and press into his palms, interlacing their fingers. The noise Cloud breathed was small, surprised but content.

All of these were very, very nice reactions. But Andrea knew he could draw better ones out yet. There was one particular point of pleasure he’d yet to memorize.

He angled his hips, to press even deeper.

Cloud’s shout was loud enough it even startled Andrea. Cloud blinked hard, twice. His mouth remained agape, sensually so.

“Oh,” said Andrea nefariously, “You’ve never managed that on your own, hm, Cloud?”

“N-no… What… Ah, fuck!”

“Hm?” Andrea continued hitting exactly on the beat.

Cloud tore their tangled fingers apart to grab at the back of Andrea’s neck and shoulders. “I–” he choked on the words, “This feels – this-”

“It feels wonderful, doesn’t it?” For Andrea, too. Cloud was tight in all the right places. Andrea fluttered his hands down Cloud’s sides, to grip his cinched waist and guide him, by drawing his hips to slap into each of Andrea’s pounding thrusts.

“Shit, shit! Don’t stop.” Andrea wouldn’t dream of it.

Shaken and sweaty, cock prominent and red, Cloud looked thoroughly, thoroughly overwhelmed. Andrea was thrilled.

“Does it feel good, Cloud?” he asked, tone casual but for the rich depth of it. “Tell me… am I making you feel just as good as you’re making me?”

Cloud growled, an unexpected delight to Andrea’s ears and other parts of him, when he palmed the back of Andrea’s head to bring him and his mouth down to Cloud’s in a hard crush. Cloud’s lower lip that Andrea had moistened skid loose from his bite when he cried out.

“Like you even gotta ask,” said Cloud. “Yes – fuck! - y-yes, it feels… you, you feel good.”

“You don’t know how overjoyed I am,” Andrea breathed his words hotly against Cloud’s ear, “To give you this pleasure. You’ve gifted me something truly special.”

When Andrea’s hand drifted to emphasize his appreciation, Cloud seized it. He explained, with his voice a rasp, “No. N-not until you’re close.”

Ah. Andrea understood. “Who says I’m not?” Andrea asked, voice low and provocative. Cloud didn’t release his grip until Andrea agreed, “Yes. Alright then. Together.”

It wouldn’t be long. Andrea could hear the last beats of the song playing, could see the heady choreography reaching an end. Andrea threw himself into his performance, keeping perfectly in step with Cloud’s want. And there it was, crescendo, finale. Andrea’s cock, swelling.

He reached for Cloud, stroking him last. Simultaneously, they spilled – Cloud across Andrea’s hand, Andrea inside of Cloud.

Ankles were lifting in the air at Andrea’s back, Cloud’s legs taut with the strain of his orgasm. Andrea swayed inside a few more times, pushing out the silent gasp caught in Cloud’s throat.

“Oh, yes,” Andrea himself gasped. “Oh, yes, honey…”

He breathed, deeply, coming down from the high. Unclenched his eyes to gaze at the beautiful form beneath him. Cloud, golden and dark against Andrea’s deep purple sheets, laying still, and showing his glittering eyeshadow with his eyelids down.

Running his hands along Cloud’s corseted sides again, Andrea was very disinclined to disrupt Cloud’s rapture. But disrupt it he must. Except, when he shifted back the merest distance, Cloud’s legs locked around him, surprising Andrea with their force.

“Oh – well, now.”

His eyes still closed, in bliss, Cloud told Andrea, “Don’t go. Not yet.”

Andrea brushed the longer blond bangs from Cloud’s face, regretfully. “I’m afraid I don’t have it in me for an encore, so soon.”

“Ha.” Whimpering, Cloud let Andrea ease out.

While Andrea wiped his hand off, and slipped off his condom, Cloud stiffly bent at his waist to sit up. His yellow hair ornament rolled off his head. He looked completely dazed, eyes hooded prettily and mouth partly slack.

“…Andrea,” was all he seemed capable of saying.

Andrea crawled close again, sitting near enough to drop many kisses on him. “Forgive me for repeating myself,” said Andrea, “But I so missed you.”

“I… Same here,” Cloud admitted. Then, with a soft, self-aware expression that was caught in the slight curve of his mouth, and the slight curve up of his brow, he said, “Was thinking about this for a whole year, remember?”

Andrea knew, then. Cloud had missed, yearned for, Andrea just the same. A couple of intimate moments they’d shared, once on the stage, once in a bed, had brought them inextricably closer than that. Andrea marveled at the loveliness of such a possibility, how it had happened at all, and to him. But happened, it had.

Andrea adored the man before him.

He surrounded Cloud’s face with his hands, rubbing his thumbs on the skin in front of his ears that were still decorated by his earrings. Andrea always took his own advice. He confessed, in all heartfelt sincerity, “If circumstances were different, Cloud Strife, I’d keep you and only you in my bed for all the days to come.”

Cloud’s expression grew clear and stunned. Then, there was that discreet blush Andrea so enjoyed.

Slightly rough yet earnest, ever brave when he chose to express his hidden heart, Cloud replied, “If circumstances were different, I’d… take you up on that, Andrea.”

Wondrous, to hear. Painful, to hear. Andrea sighed with feeling. He’d just had to go and fall for a hero.

“Fate can be cruel,” he remarked. Cloud chuffed, and agreed, Yeah. Among other things.

Bittersweet was the feeling. But nothing that could spoil what was already becoming a cherished moment. Andrea put on a brave face, and let some of his brimming seduction ooze back into his voice. “This has been, quite possibly, the best birthday I’ve had.”

“Yeah?” Cloud raised an eyebrow and smirked in kind, and Andrea laughed when he said succinctly, “Cool.”

“Although…” Andrea swept his surely twinkling gaze over Cloud. Cloud tipped his head, endearingly, waiting.

“The night’s still young, Cloud. I would love if you would treat me to another dance.”

“You mean…”

“Why, the stage, of course.”

Cloud sighed. He assessed Andrea with a weighty look, that Andrea didn’t mind being under at all.

“…Fine. Only because it’s your birthday.”

Andrea grasped Cloud’s hands and stood in one swift, graceful motion, right there on the bed. Cloud blinked at finding himself on his feet, uttering, Wha–

“Come,” Andrea declared grandly, “Let us wash off and fix our faces, and then we’ll make our way to the stage!”

Cloud rolled his eyes at the theatrics. Though there was a small flicker of a smile in the sardonic tilt of his mouth.

Andrea released him, to step to and fling the curtains wide.

“This 16th of August will truly be a night to remember at the Honeybee Inn!”