FF7: SPEAK -- Clack

Title;; SPEAK!
Prompt;; Mariella - Kate Nash
Pairing;; Clack -- Zack and Cloud

Zack really needed to pee. He hadn’t had a lot to drink, besides a glass of milk for breakfast, so he didn’t understand! “Angeeaaalll,” The boy moaned out loud as they walked down the brightly lit hall, his small hand lost inside Angeal’s giant one.

“Pup, I told you already.” Angeal looked down at Zack. “It’s just nerves.” The man stopped in front of a door and knocked. Zack could hear that murmurs from inside. Would they like him? He was sure they would… he hoped he was sure, at least. His grip on Angeal’s hand tightened, and Angeal gave Zack a quick hair ruffle.

At last the door was swung open. Zack breathed a sigh of relief. So his teacher wasn’t a fire breathing dragon! Instead, it was a very pretty young woman. She only came up to Angeal’s chest, but Zack got the feeling she was not someone to cross. She had very long red hair, and Zack was pleased to notice a bit of freckles dotting over her nose.

The woman looked from Angeal to Zack. Her curious gaze brightened as realization dawned. “Oh! Hello!” Her voice was very lovely. Strong and assertive, but sweet like the sugar sticks Angeal rarely let him have. “Mr. Fair, am I right?”

Angeal let a smile crawl onto his face, and he shook his head. “No. Angeal Hewley, actually.” Zack giggled silently. Mr. Fair? Angeal wasn’t his dad!

The teacher’s face clouded with confusion. “Hewley? But I thought his papers said F-- Reno put down that crayon now.” Her eyes fell on someone in the class. There was a loud complaint from a student, but Miss Teacher rolled her eyes and turned back to the duo.

Angeal waited patiently. Zack’s attention, however, was already wavering. He noticed that the teacher wore those silly sandals with pointy heels, making her taller than she really was. Angeal insisted that he would love them when he got older, but Zack still didn’t see the point.

“No, there was no error.” Angeal’s voice brought Zack out of his mind wandering. “I’m Zack’s guardian. His parents are back in Gongaga.”

“Well then!” She laughed, clearly embarrassed. “I’m so sorry. I just assumed, you two look fairly alike. I’m Nessa Thropp.” Zack watched as she held out her hand for Angeal, who took it and gave it a soft shake. It was a pretty name. Zack liked saying words with S in them.

Nessa had turned to Zack and bent down. (Zack thought it was simply amazing that she didn’t just tumble over in those shoes.) “Hello, Zack.” She smiled, her green eyes almost perfectly level with his deep blue ones.

Zack stared at her hand for a moment, before breaking into a huge grin. “Hiya, Miss Nessa.” He beamed, taking it and shaking it with energy. It was decided. He liked Miss Nessa.

The woman looked as if she was about to correct him, and tell him that it was Miss Thropp, but the look faded. Zack was far too adorable for his own good. “Alright, go have a seat in that empty desk, Zack.” She said, gesturing to the class. “Everyone, this is Zack Fair. He’ll be your new class mate.”

Zack stepped into the classroom bravely. “Hi!” He beamed, waving furiously.

The class responded with their own collection of greetings.

“And this is Mr. Hewley. He’ll be here for a little while to make sure Zack is comfortable.” Miss Nessa gestured to the strong man behind Zack, who nodded at the class with a light smile on his face. Once more, greetings filled the air.

After that, Zack had bounded to his desk, and spent the morning listening to Miss Nessa read. He had found out that he was sitting next to Reno, a scruffy red-head who had grown accustomed to drawing lines under his eyes with red markers. Behind him was a very pretty girl named Aerith, who had already captured Zack’s heart, as Angeal would have put it. Of course, the boy in front of Zack had captured his attention, never mind his heart.

According to Reno, the boy’s name was Cloud. He hadn’t spoken once this year. Like his lips were glued together or something. Miss Nessa was very nice about it though, and never called on him during class. Aerith had added that Cloud never wore color, just black. Zack wondered if he was just trying to be mean by not speaking to the others, but both Aerith and Reno had said Cloud had been nice enough last year.

Despite Zack’s interest in Cloud, his concern for the boy’s social habits flew out the window when the bell rang, signaling recess. Zack was one of the first ones out of his seat, but when he heard Angeal say his name, he was forced to back track, watching wistfully as Reno hurried out.

“So?” Angeal asked, an eyebrow raised. He stood, leaning against the back wall.

Zack opened his mouth, but closed it again as Miss Thropp’s voice filled that air. “Cloud, pack up Sweetie, you’ll miss recess if you keep dilly-dallying.” Zack turned, realizing she was not speaking to him, but the blond who sat in front of him. Zack watched as Cloud stood up from his desk and slowly trudged out the door. Zack turned his attention back to Angeal.

“I like it!” Zack said, giving a thumbs up to his guardian. “I met two new friends! Reno, and this girl, Aerith.”

Angeal nodded. “I saw. Try to keep talking in class to a minimum, okay Pup?”

Zack bobbed his head in agreement.

“Alright. Go for recess. I’m going with Miss Thropp to meet the other teachers. After that I’m heading back to the Fire Hall, alright? I’ll be back to pick you up. Be good.”

“Kay! Alright, yah… Bye Angeal!” Zack was already out the door, and Angeal was sure the boy only heard half of what he had said.

Zack skipped along down the hall, his new sneakers squeaking along. Reno had told him to meet at the swings. He pushed the door to the playground, his big eyes searching the area for the swings. Instead of finding the flying seats, Zack’s eyes found a rather disturbing scene.

There were three guys, three big guys, like, third grade. They stood in the shade of a tree, boxing in something, or rather, someone. As Zack ventured closer, he realized, much to his horror and rage, that it was Cloud.

“Your mother’s a whore!” He heard one of them sneer at the blond. Zack didn’t know what a whore was, but he did know, how ever, that it was a word that was on Angeal’s banned list, that along with a female dog and Clusterfudge. (Well, not those exact words.) Zack was about to run for a teacher, but then one of the boys pushed Cloud down and kicked him. Well, it’s safe to say that all of Zack’s logic went out the window. He eyes darted around for something to attack with, and when they landed on a rather large stick, he wasted no time.

“Hey! You!” Zack yelled, brandishing the stick at them as he charged forward. “Leave him alone!” And with surprising speed Zack entered the fray, slapping the stick across their faces. They laughed at Zack, finding his attempt at being a hero amusing.

Until Zack ditched the stick and tackled the biggest one, clamping his sharp teeth onto his ear.

The high pitched scream that the boy gave off set the other two running. The flailing boy in Zack’s mouth shoved him away and trailed after his friends, a hand covering the ear that was attacked.

Zack landed with an oomph beside Cloud. “That was fun!” Zack grinned, sitting up and looking at the blond. “You okay?”

Cloud sat up as well, albeit with a bit of a wince. He nodded, his eyes curious.

Zack scooted closer to the boy. “I know you probably already know, but I’m Zack.” He held his hand out. “Who’re you?” Of course, Zack already knew, but he wanted to see if Cloud would speak. When all Cloud did was blink, Zack sighed. “C’mon! How about you speak to me only? It’ll be our secret!” Zack flicked on the puppy eyes. Did those work on kids the same age as himself? “Pleeeaassee?”

Cloud’s eyes looked away for a moment in what Zack was sure was a thoughtful gaze. At last, they met his own again. He was going to speak! Zack grinned and nodded his head, trying to encourage the boy. Yeah.. no. Cloud shook his head, and the smile fell from Zack’s face. “Oh come on! That was supposed to be where you whisper your name to me!” Zack insisted, scooting even closer to Cloud. “If you don’t… I’ll… I’ll do something!”

Cloud raised a bruised eyebrow.

“Uhm… Heeyaw!” Zack yelled, and tackled the boy, pouncing on him. “Speak! Or I’ll do something else!” The eyebrow was raised higher. Zack bit his lip. What could shock the boy enough to get him to say something? “Maybe I’ll kiss you! You look like a girl you know! And I won’t get cooties ‘cuz you’re a boy too!”

“…What?!” It was squeak, high pitched like a mouse. It could’ve past for a noise, but Zack read it loud and clear.

“I DID IT!” He cried happily, clasping his hands together. “I GOT YOU TO SPEAK!” Zack rolled off of Cloud after that, looking happy as a peach. “So. Your name. Tell me it.” Zack said, sitting on his heels.

Cloud bit his lip, looking utterly disappointed with himself. Zack’s smile slipped for a moment. Maybe he shouldn’t of tricked the boy into speaking. “……Cloud.” The blond whispered suddenly, looking down at his hands. “I’m Cloud.”

“You spoke again! That’s great Cloud!” Zack beamed. “And you’ll keep talking, right? To me at least?”

“I… guess.” Cloud nodded, giving Zack a light smile.

The bell went off, signaling the end of the short recess. Zack turned and looked at the door where children were starting to pile in. “Let’s go, Cloudie!” He said, grabbing Cloud’s scraped hand and pulling the boy off the ground. “We don’t wanna be late!” And with that he slowly started to trudge back to the door, dragging Cloud along with him.

Half way to the door however, Zack suddenly stopped, causing Cloud to bump into him. “Hey Cloud?”

“..Yeah?”

Zack turned to Cloud, and hastily pressed a rather sloppy kiss onto Cloud’s dirty cheek.