Zakkura Headcanons: HOLIDAY EDITION
Cloud is not all that festive a person. Heās not a grinch (well, no he kinda is by definition) but he doesnāt really get āreadyā for Yule like everyone else. He doesnāt decorate; you couldnāt pay him to wear a holidays sweater; he stopped believing in Santa at age four; and he certainly doesnāt go out of his way to buy people gifts. Mostly because heās never had friends to buy for, but heās convinced himself itās because he believes itās stupid.
Zack. Loves. Yule. Itās his favourite holiday ever because of course it is! How can you not love Yule?! He loved āhelpingā his mom with baking and getting under his dad fee- I mean helping his dad decorate. Gift buying is the only thing heās ever prepared for because he basically spends all year thinking about what to get people he likes.
Imagine Zackās horror when he realises his best friend and crush isnāt bothered by the sights and smells of holiday cheerā¦
He immediately determines himself to making Cloud enjoy Yule. Heās a little neurotic about it actually -not that he lets Cloud know that, because Clouds suppose to be having fun FuN FUN! Angeal and Kunzel are both subjected to Zackās ranting and frantic Christmas prep as he tries his absolute best to make sure Cloud has a good experience.
He invites Cloud around to Bake; drags him out in the cold to pick a tree; buys him festive drinks; drags him out AGAIN to Yule markets. Cloud for the most part silently puts up with it all, and even more privately enjoys the attention Zack gives him as the taller man tugs Clouds scarf up to cover his nose, holding his hands to warm them up.
Zack buys Cloud festive PJās for yules eve and basically wrestles him into them before making him park his butt on the couch to drink hot chocolate and cud- watch movies.
If Cloud falls asleep because he feels warm and safe then thatās a happy coincidence. If Zack takes advantage of his sleeping in order to tuck him into bed while Zack does some last minute wrapping and stocking stuffing then that is his business.
Cloud does have some traditions during the holidays. Namely on the actual day he will call his mom and ask if she got her present. He will stay on the phone for a while as he makes his lunch and assure her heās fine. Yes heās eating enough, no he doesnāt have plans today, no heās not being bullied, yes heās sure. Itās the same most years.
This year however when he calls her she is delighted to know that heās spending the day with Zack. She chats animatedly with Zack about their family traditions and gushes over this āolder boy looking after my babyā.
Zack keeps glancing giddily at Cloud whoās got a⦠hell, itās a really fond look on his face. Clouds mom likes him! Clouds mom promised to send him mittens!
Zack wants to tell Cloud how he feels but Heās too busy making sure Cloud has a good day. Calling his own parents has Zack standing in the kitchen with a turkey baster having a mini panic attack while his mother over explains cooking times and stuffing. Then, like a guardian angel, Cloud takes the baster from him and preps the turkey like itās something he always does.
Zack is struck with the domesticity of it all and desperately wants to blurt out āIām so in love with youā but he doesnāt.
He had plans to tell him he swears. Heād boobie trapped the entire apartment with mistletoe and everything, but heās so preoccupied with trying to make Cloud happy that he kind of puts itās on the back burner.
Cloud however, beats him to it. Itās at the end of the night, when they are warm and full and cozy. Theyād been playing chocobo racer, pushing at each other teasingly trying to put the other off, and then Zack had shoved Cloud a tiny bit harder than he ment too. Cloud -never one to go down without a hell of a fight- pulls Zack with him as he goes down.
They kind of just lay there for a second on their sides, Zack having rolled so he didnāt Crush his crush. And then Cloud gently leans in to Kiss Zack softly whispering a heartfelt āthank youā against his lips. Zack doesnāt have to ask what for, he knows he means the day, but he wants another kiss so he rolls Cloud on top of him, locks his arms around the smaller, and steals a couple more.
āHey so will you be my boyfriend for Yule?ā
āOr forever, Forever works for me if it works for youā
āYeah that works for meā¦ā
āIām kinda stupidly in love with you.ā
Cloud goes an adorable shade of red as he mumbles āme tooā into Zackās chest.