#boomchick

The first time Cloud asked Sephiroth for a picture, the man had gave him a faint, indulgent smile and agreed. But he hadn’t walked over to join Cloud for a selfie. He’d left the room completely, in fact. Cloud had gone back to his bunk with a confused disappointment, and had been surprised to have a personalized, autographed PR photograph of Sephiroth delivered to him later. Cloud had to admit it was sweet. Sephiroth had signed it “to a future fellow Soldier” and Cloud was pretty sure that wasn’t one of the standard autographs. He’d used to daydream about buying one of the mass-marketed autographs back when he was at home. He’d never been able to work up the money. He kept it safely tucked away in his drawer. He had to appreciate the gesture, after all. But it hadn’t been what he’d meant at all. Most people didn’t go home from a date with an autographed picture of their significant other. He tried to decide how to be more clear next time. He ought to have said ‘I want a picture of us,’ he supposed. Sometimes Sephiroth could be really literal. The next time they met up, he was prepared. He had his phone open to the camera as he waited outside Sephiroth’s apartment, ready to go. He bit his lip lightly as he internally rehearsed. ‘Hey, let’s take a picture of us.’ He opened his mouth to start speaking as soon as the door slid open. But as usual, at the very first sight of Sephiroth he lost his train of thought. Cloud’s mouth went dry and his words abandoned him. Sephiroth stared down at him with a look like he was studying Cloud with a hard eye for details. Then he tilted his head a touch to the side and his lips curled up into a soft smile. It was the same every time, and it always made Cloud weak in the knees with relief and pride. As if he’d been closely inspected, and found to more than pass muster. “Cloud,” Sephiroth greeted, that beautiful soft look on his face. “W-wait,” Cloud managed to stammer, “stay just like that!” He whirled with his camera so his back was to Sephiroth. He summoned a fast smile and snapped a quick picture of both of them. He brightened, perking up. That had to be a perfect picture, with that smile on Sephiroth’s face… He sighed heavily when he pulled up the photo.

  It was a blurry picture of his own blushing face and Sephiroth’s chest from the shoulders down. The only hint of Sephiroth's expression was the angle of his bangs, hanging to one side, as if Sephiroth had tilted his head a little further in confusion.

“What are you doing?” Sephiroth asked, leaning over Cloud’s shoulder to peer at his phone.

Cloud shuddered, feeling his face heat up and his brain freeze as Sephiroth spoke next to his ear. His voice was so intimate—his words spoken only for Cloud. Cloud cleared his throat, turning to Sephiroth rather stiffly.

“I kinda thought we could take a picture together,” He admitted, taking a slow breath to calm himself down. “On your phone?” Sephiroth asked, arching a brow and straightening, giving Cloud a little more room. “If you want one I can probably schedule an appointment with my usual photographer. He’s a little eccentric but—” “It doesn’t have to be that fancy!” Cloud waved his hands between them, one still holding his phone. The camera showed a distorted, blurred vision of the background towards him as he shook it. “I just want one for us, not a magazine or anything.” “I see.” Sephiroth murmured, though he looked confused. “As you like. I’m happy to oblige you. If, that is, you will give me some warning to get on the correct level this time.” “Level?” Cloud paused, tilting his head. “Or you could stand on a box, if you would prefer,” Sephiroth offered, a wicked humor lighting his eyes. 

“I’m not that short,” Cloud objected, stiffening up even as Sephiroth chuckled and drew him inside with an arm around his shoulders.

They relocated to the living room. Then Sephiroth carefully straightened Cloud’s arm, narrowing his eyes as he sighted down the camera to get both of them in frame. Then he crouched behind Cloud and gave him a serious nod.

Cloud cast him a brief glance, then summoned a smile and snapped a picture.

Both of them looked at the resulting image in confusion a moment, Sephiroth’s face stony and calm, perfectly attractive, and Cloud’s tilted in a soft, shy smile. They glanced at each other. Sephiroth arched an eyebrow, and Cloud snorted despite himself.

“Try again?” He offered, waggling the camera.

“Mm.” Sephiroth tilted his head again, replacing Cloud’s hand in position. “On three. One, Two,”

On three, Cloud took a steadying breath, schooling his expression as he snapped the photo. Then he was left staring at a screen where Sephiroth had a strained half-smile over his shoulder while he himself struggled to look serious. Cloud looked, at best, like he had a stomach ache. Sephiroth made an odd sound.

Cloud started to apologize, but when he turned to look he found Sephiroth with a hand over his mouth, covering a smile, and his eyes narrowed in quiet delight. He was holding back laughter at the image, his eyes flicking to Cloud, but always returning to the screen. His green eyes were bright with amusement.

Cloud stared at him a moment, his apology washed away with the expression of delight. His own lips slowly twitched up in a dopy grin, and he waggled the phone.

“Wanna try with the box?” He asked, giggling.