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"Dunno," Cloud murmured, setting the weapon polish down on the step beside his hip and picking up the rag. "What’d daddy say?"
He stopped, and blinked over his shoulder when the pitch of Marlene’s childish voice dropped — as much as it could, anyway.
"Check with our blondie, too, but I ain’t got an objection!"
Cloud raised an eyebrow at her, to match the corner of his mouth. Finished with her impersonation, Marlene giggled.
"Homework done?" She nodded. "Then sure."
"Thank you, Cloud!"
"Mm. Have fun."
Marlene bounded past him and down the steps to the backstreet. Cloud raised a hand to return the wave of her arm, before she whisked off toward the slum alley that led to the playground.
He ran the rag the rest of the way down the broadside of his sword. Even if Biggs and Barret had conspired to give Cloud the day off from running things at HQ, didn’t mean he was going to slack off with weapon maintenance. Use leads to wear, tear, and rust…
Cloud frowned when he caught himself mumbling that old line, unbidden. Wasn’t usually a good sign, when shit from back then started making its way through into his head.
Finishing up and checking over his work, Cloud nodded to himself, and slid his sword off where it laid across his knees. Spent another moment sitting still, resting in the secluded shade on the porch steps behind the bar. The Red Shot bar, in the Sector Seven slums.
Right. He knew where he was.
He carried his sword one-handed and plucked up in his other his supplies, then headed in.
Bar wouldn’t open for a few hours. Barret was killing time upstairs.
He was lounging on the window’s ledge, his book abandoned on the nearby desk. He glanced from the street when Cloud stepped into their room. Cloud mounted his sword on the wall, before crouching over his trunk, depositing the polish inside.
"Hey… You okay?"
Didn’t have to look, to know Barret had straightened up and was frowning at his back instead of taking in the view outside. Not like it was much of one anyway. Not to most people. Not Cloud, until recently. Guessed he’d come around to sharing Barret’s opinion, though. No denying the slums were ugly — but they were home.
Cloud took a silent, steadying breath. Right. He was home.
"Yeah… better."
There was a shuffle, Barret finally coming to the decision Cloud was telling the truth, as he settled back against the window. "What’d I say. Knew you needed a break."
"Mm." Maybe Cloud would admit Barret was right. Admit it was a good thing Barret kept his keen eyes fixed on Cloud, and was stubborn enough as Cloud to force him to take the time off. Though Marlene teaming up on Barret’s side had definitely given them an unfair advantage.
Cloud eased the trunk’s lid shut, leaving the rag on top to make sure it got cleaned later. He straightened, and stretched with a quiet grunt. Didn’t realize he’d been so stiff the whole time he’d been leaned over and focused on his sword. Cloud untangled his laces and toed off the pair of scuffed boots he was wearing. Shed his black denim jacket next and draped it across the silver trunk.
Across the room, he felt the pull in Barret’s gaze. As if Barret’s palm was dragging him by the hip, Cloud turned his way. Almost wanted to stay put so he could keep staring back.
Barret looked good. As usual, but. Way the light was pouring in from behind, bathing his bare skin, made him look even better. He hadn’t even bothered putting on a shirt yet, lazy day taken to real heart. His lap spread open nicely from his backward lean. His palm looked comfortable on the bend of his hip, and so did his leg hanging off the ledge. Crown of his head resting on the glass behind him turned his eyes half-lidded, and like hell Cloud could withstand the gravity in them.
Sturdy was how Barret felt when Cloud leaned into him. He sagged, and let some of his tension bleed out. Bent his arms around Barret’s shoulders and neck, and curved his fingers along the braids covering Barret’s head. Wrapping his own arm powerfully and entirely around Cloud’s waist, Barret held him snug.
"Hey. Marlene check with you first before headin’ off to play?"
"Yup."
"Attagirl," Barret proudly murmured. Cloud smiled faintly, too.
Bulge of Barret’s arm squeezed Cloud tighter, growing more and more intense. Before Barret realized and relaxed that muscle. He put his palm to the back of Cloud’s hanging t-shirt instead, smoothing it down. Then he reached and covered Cloud’s ass.
Cloud rolled his eyes but smirked. Knew what Barret was going to ask next.
"Wanna take you to that bed right over there, pretty thing."
Cloud quipped, "That your idea of R&R?"
"Oh, you won’t have to do any of the work."
Playfully, Barret all of a sudden used his grip to tug Cloud further into him. He laughed deeply when Cloud jerked in response and regained the balance he’d barely lost. The fingers he used to brace himself on Barret’s shoulders curled tightly, after. Should’ve only felt annoyed. But one edge of his mouth had been knocked off-balance too, skidding upward sharply at the move.
"I’ll take real good care of you… What d’ya say?"
Day off, huh. If this R&R was already being forced on him, might as well get spoiled.
Cloud opened his palms, following and feeling Barret’s corded shoulders. He met Barret’s twinkling look with his own. "Mm… Sounds all right by me."
Barret found his feet, and strengthened his arm that time to carry Cloud flush to his side and pivot them. Cloud helped out by holding his feet up, adjusting his arms behind Barret’s neck to hang on. He kept his hands around Barret’s head to tug Barret down with him, when they made it on the bed.
Barret touched Cloud all over his back under his clothes. Crowded himself between Cloud’s legs, putting them in a position where they were pressed completely together. Avidly overpowered Cloud, until Cloud surrendered to the attention. Not like Cloud was putting up a fight. Couldn’t say he didn’t like these indulgent moods of Barret’s.
But the agonizingly slow drags of his lips, and his hips against Cloud’s, made Cloud ache. Pinned down, Cloud reached and clawed where he could to urge Barret to hurry up.
Stubble scratched where Barret kissed the column of Cloud’s neck. "Why don’t you just settle down, there? Said I got you, didn’t I."
He sounded sure. Cloud shivered, and let Barret go so he could undress and then rifle through the bedside drawer.
Had enough time to kick off his own jeans and strip out of his shirt, before he was pressed firmly flat to their bed again. Barret’s slicked up fingers moved under Cloud, massaged and delved inward — and just like that, honed in on their target.
"Oh, shit—" Barret kept stroking, relentlessly, that same spot over and over. Cloud clung to his back. Pleasure was breaking down the wall inside him, and Cloud became taut, sputtering, "Barret, that’s — hah — I’m gonna—"
"Wanna cum more than once?"
Wasn’t often, but Barret had managed before to pull Cloud into post-coital talk, and ask how come Cloud liked being fucked after he’d gotten off and was still oversensitive. First orgasm always felt like a rush for Cloud. Too fast for his liking, like it was over before it started. Like the pleasure was being yanked from him before he got to enjoy it ("You poor, touch-starved bastard," Barret had muttered, with a fond roll of the eyes).
Still felt good. Obviously. It was an orgasm. But the sting from cumming the first time let the burn of a second one build slow. Slow enough to spread, catch fire to every nerve.
Fuck, did Cloud want that — that burn. And Barret knew. Cloud huffed through his nose, then nodded hard. No way was he going to deny that offer.
Barret rumbled, "All right then," rubbing deeply, touch not holding back, "Cum."
Cloud shook, and did as told.
His breaths fell heavy after against Barret’s shoulder. The drag of his fingertips bunched Barret’s skin, before he straightened his hands out. He sighed, answering Barret’s lightly tugging bite on the stud in his ear with a rough voice, "Just… just need a minute."
Refractory periods for SOLDIERs (and ex ones) were short. Cloud had ended up explaining that, too, though Barret had that pretty much figured out for himself. Barret still reassured him, "Take all the time you need, baby. I ain’t goin’ nowhere. Not ’til I’ve finished taking care of you."
Fuck.
Cloud swore that resolute timbre in Barret’s voice was the hottest thing he’d ever heard. Big man was so confident he knew how to treat Cloud right. It turned Cloud on even more. Because he knew Barret was damn capable, and good for his word.
Cloud was ready to go. How the hell could he wait any longer, when Barret could be making him feel as good as promised.
Barret was hot and thick against Cloud’s hip. Cloud started grasping again to encourage Barret on. Spread his legs wider under Barret, too. "Not gonna make you wait. C’mon, big man."
"You know that name drives me fuckin’ wild—"
"Yeah," Cloud smirked, "Sure do."
The growl Barret let out started a warm thrill, that caught more heat sweeping down Cloud’s spine. Barret replaced slick fingers with his thick cock. When he moved, he grazed Cloud’s prostate. No accident. Barret grinned, when Cloud gasped.
Cloud’s hands felt knocked away by the thrust. He scrabbled for the sheets above him. Hissed low with Barret’s groan, feeling his dick stir and harden from Barret’s inside him.
Every brutal rut was rucking them up the bed. Until they hit the headboard, and Cloud bent his arms to brace them against it. "Fuck! Ah, shit, shit—!"
"Makin’ you feel good?"
Didn’t have a retort ready to throw back and knock down Barret’s smarminess. All Cloud’s focus was on that burning escalation. Barret was doing it just right, giving Cloud what he wanted — that burn he craved.
"Yeah," Cloud blurted, "You’re — fucking me so good—"
An old shame tried to wrap around Cloud’s throat, smother his voice before he said something else. Cloud swallowed past it. Screw that. That inhibition had lowered a long time ago with Barret.
Barret expelled a harsh breath. Obviously he’d been expecting Cloud’s usual attitude, that smart comeback. Hadn’t figured out that Cloud was so far gone. "Hell, Cloud—"
More words kept tumbling out. Gasped, slurred words, every name he’d ever called Barret. Just a messed up, garbled litany. Cloud didn’t bother paying attention to what he was saying. He just let go.
Swore it was half the reason he liked sex. All the shit weighing on his mind, he could let it down. Even for a moment was fine. Though the weight was getting lighter every day, and the moments he could let it down longer. Before Barret, it had been a damn long time since he’d been able to completely relax. Just be with someone.
When headstrong Barret put a hand on him, took on that mission to get Cloud to relax, it was always going to be a sure victory. Always seemed to know when Cloud needed it, too. Like he’d known Cloud needed the forced R&R from the Watch. Took on that role of caring for Cloud with stupid ease, because even with Cloud Barret was downright doting, devoted—
"—ddy—"
Cloud moaned at the fierce twitch he felt inside him, the sudden surge of Barret’s cock. Then Barret abruptly went still.
Cloud tried not to whine. Or squirm. His ankle impatiently lifted off the bed, but he set it back down. Slowly he reopened his eyes, searching for Barret’s to figure out what the hell made him stop.
"…Must be takin’ real good care of you, if you’re gonna call me that."
"Huh?" Cloud’s brow furrowed. He quietly uttered through his heaving breaths, "The hell are you…"
He trailed off. Because suddenly he heard himself from a moment ago, and realized. He opened his mouth to explain. Like he even could.
Against his will his ears flushed. A mortified glow he wished would fucking quit it.
Barret felt his cock swell before he caught up with what he’d just heard come out of Cloud’s mouth. He forced himself to a stop, before he did something reckless. Like pound Cloud within an inch of his life.
Didn’t really know what the hell to think about it — or his own damn reaction, for that matter. It was normal for Cloud to pick up Marlene’s name for him when they talked about him, so it wasn’t like it was even the first time he’d heard Cloud call him that.
Was definitely the first time he’d heard Cloud say it in a moan like that, though.
Cloud’s eyes blinked open, looking for Barret. His expression was frustrated. And confused.
He hadn’t even known what slipped.
Another rush of heat flashed through Barret at that. But Barret kept his cool. Directed the aggression he was feeling into his hand, that fisted the sheet next to Cloud’s shoulder.
"…Must be takin’ real good care of you, if you’re gonna call me that."
"The hell are you…"
Barret watched the gradual widening of Cloud’s eyes, and felt the stiffening of his body, when he realized.
Cloud opened his mouth. But neither of them had a clue what he was going to try and say for himself. He merely managed to get out, "Sh-shut up—"
Oh, his ears were red.
Barret’s mouth spread in a shit-eating grin.
"Naw, naw…" Barret pulled his voice from the very depths of his chest, making it flow low and smooth. "C’mon, baby… say it again."
Cloud just groaned. "No."
"Hey, now. Thought it sounded real good—" Barret dropped his voice even lower, and he let some of the pent excitement he was feeling loose, rocking his hips with force, "—when you did."
Cloud gasped, sharp, from the move. The reminder of what they were getting up to, not his own shame. Some of that red spilled nicely onto his neck, his chest.
"Don’t tell me that s-seriously—"
Barret shrugged a heavy shoulder. "What can I say — think I like the way you call me just about anything."
"Idiot…"
Barret crooned, messing with Cloud some more and busting into a laugh after. "Oh, yeah, does that get me hot—"
A choked noise came out of Cloud, after he cut off and twisted his face away. "You’re such a — fucking—"
Barret could feel a quiver from Cloud’s chest. Could hear each short breath leave him, too. The back of his wrist was doing a poor job covering his wide, split open grin. Damn, was it a treat every time Cloud genuinely let go and laughed. Barret would act a fool any day, to get Cloud to relax and just enjoy his damn self.
Once Cloud settled, he looked at Barret. Good. After Barret’s ribbing he still seemed embarrassed as hell. Didn’t look outright ashamed though, or like he wanted to escape his own skin. Wouldn’t be right if he was that uncomfortable. Making sure Cloud felt good here, after all.
The considering, serious expression on his pretty face was mitigated somewhat by the pink still coloring it. "Fine…" Cloud suddenly muttered, "Just once."
Well, shit. Didn’t think his joke would actually be taken for real.
Cloud’s jaw clenched. Then his mouth smoothed into a determined line, that matched the set of his brow. He raised his eyes to Barret’s. Looking stubborn. And annoyed. Maybe at himself, but maybe at Barret, too.
"Why are you still stopped?" he grumbled. He kept going before Barret had a chance to speak up. "Thought you were taking care of me—"
Barret grunted, jostled by Cloud hooking his powerful legs tight around Barret’s waist, locking their lower halves and pulling Barret further into the warm core of him. Oh, that felt good.
"C’mon," Cloud said, "And keep fucking me… daddy."
"Fuck…" Really wasn’t the name that did anything for Barret. Cloud looked damn unsure, vulnerable, after the fact, observing Barret’s reaction warily. But shit, he still said it. Let his defenses down, to indulge Barret. The brave son of a bitch. That was hotter than anything.
Barret caved, chuckling where he buried his face against Cloud’s neck and nuzzled. He hummed into Cloud’s ear.
Took just one more shot at him. "Sure thing… since you’re being so good, for d—"
Cloud’s deadly stern voice cut him off like the swing of his buster sword. "Don’t you fucking finish that sentence."
Barret was going to finish something, all right. Mood had for sure changed after Cloud’s slip. But it sure as hell wasn’t ruined. Barret could ramp it back up just fine, he had no doubt.
Dragging out, he slid until just the tip of his cock was covered. He drank in the sight, and how the sensation got Cloud’s lids to flutter, his chest to hitch. Waiting one more drawn out beat, Barret swung all the way back in.
"Mm—!" One of Cloud’s hands not pushing on the headboard flew to grab Barret. His fingers raked along Barret’s side slick with sweat. "Ah, f-fuck, that’s it—"
"That’s it," Barret repeated. "Lemme hear you."
Rapid pumps, and the sounds of Cloud’s hoarse voice filling their room again, sped up the burn inside Barret. Felt like a fuse inside him had been lit ever since Cloud walked into their bedroom — he was just that hot.
Before the spark could reach detonation, Barret pinched it off by gripping the base of himself, and yanked out. Lining his cock quickly against Cloud’s, Barret opened his hand to grasp the two of them together.
Cloud’s ragged moan told Barret how near he was, too. Barret groped them with a single, firm squeeze. All it took.
Barret strained through the bliss blasting through him in order to watch. Loved the sight of Cloud’s slender cock in his fist, and getting to watch the white ropes they made twist and dapple high as Cloud’s hot pink clavicle. Loved to see Cloud’s brow all pinched up, and his mouth round silently before there was even a shout. Turned out what he shouted was Barret’s name. Loved to hear that satisfaction in his voice, too. Barret finally had to give in.
Sometime after, Barret’s screwed shut eyes reopened. A few drops beaded loose when he tightened his fist to milk them out. Then he let Cloud go. Just so Cloud could raise his quivering arms and yank Barret into a crushing kiss.
Eventually, Barret tugged the sheets over to clean Cloud up. Wasn’t done taking care of his man yet. Cloud’s body stayed lax under Barret’s hand, that wiped from the join of his legs, up over the hard ridges of his midsection. Barret hummed at the warmth that flared briefly back up. He smeared the mess a little more, hearing the low whine Cloud let out as he did. When he actually cleaned it up, he tossed the sheet back off to the side. He hung above Cloud.
There was a moment they stayed in place, both still panting some, with their stares connecting. Breaking when Cloud rolled onto his side, groaning and hiding his face against the bed.
The move pulled a barked laugh out of Barret. He smoothed his palm up and down Cloud’s back. "Aw, you ain’t still embarrassed—"
"Shut. Up." Barret snickered at Cloud’s muffled annoyance.
He dropped onto his back next to Cloud, bouncing the bed and him. He pillowed his head with his bent in half arm. When Cloud didn’t move out of his curled posture, Barret clicked his tongue.
"Quit your mopin’." He shrugged alongside Cloud, shifting the covers under them. "Shit gets said in the moment. Nothing to get hung up about."
"Ugh." That caused another laugh out of Barret. "This is 'cause you wanted me to make more noise in bed."
"Damn right. Knocked that particular wall down a while ago. If you build it back up, I’mma be pissed."
Cloud snorted. Finally turned, to lay on his back like Barret. Barret took the chance to roll over him again. Slot their legs between each other. Make their mouths stick in leisurely kisses.
He eased back and gave Cloud a good look over. Answered Cloud’s slightly furrowing brow, "Ah… Nothin’. Just thinkin’ you don’t seem so on edge…"
He’d had a hunch, second Cloud had walked through the door. Hell, he’d had it days before, when he’d approached Biggs about getting the leader a day off. Stubborn son of a bitch would never ask for one, so Barret had to keep a careful eye on him. He wasn’t a SOLDIER, anymore. No need for him to wear himself down so bad he forgot that.
"Seem better," he finished. Couldn’t help if he was smirking some. He’d had something else to do with that.
Cloud’s miffed expression softened despite its reputation. He reached for Barret’s face, and Barret let his mouth go slack for Cloud to trace his lower lip and drag it further down. "Said I was."
"Yeah. You’re right."
Cloud dropped his hand to Barret’s chest, then his own. He pulled a face at the residue he no doubt felt. In a flat tone, that did a shit job at covering how flustered he still really was, Cloud stated, "I’m taking a shower."
Barret let him up. "All right… baby."
Wasn’t the first time he’d called Cloud that, either. But Cloud definitely heard the dig in it, that time. Maybe Barret ought to take it easy with the teasing. Was supposed to be the man’s day for R&R. Couldn’t help himself, though.
Cloud shot Barret a narrow glare from where he stood with his jeans back up his hips. Barret had thought he looked damn good when he walked in the room wearing them. He looked just as fine walking out with them still unbuttoned, wearing nothing else but mild exasperation.
Barret settled back, listening to the squeak of the faucet and the static rush of water from down the hall, waiting his turn. Found himself looking out the window again, shook himself when he didn’t remember how long he’d been staring. Too distracted. Recalling Cloud saying that.
One time thing, huh? Maybe Barret had no shame, himself. Because he was damn sure hoping that wasn’t the last time.