A/N: I have no idea what's happening with the pairings in this thing. Zack and Cloud are particularly close, but then there's lots of Sephiroth and Cloud flirting, and tbh if this was ever continued it would most likely be heading towards ASGZC anyway.

Contains BDSM mentions, obviously, but nothing sexual or explicit at all. The small amount of actual play involved is very light.

It's mostly just self-indulgent silly fun, tbh.

"You know, this wasn't exactly the introduction I was hoping for," Cloud grumbled under his breath.

Zack laughed. He was swinging his legs impatiently, perched on the chairs in the waiting room while Cloud paced. "C'mon, don't be nervous about it."

"I'm not nervous."

"You are. You're pouting and being grouchy, you always do that when you're nervous."

Zack snagged Cloud's wrist and pulled him down to sit next to him. He wrapped a reassuring arm around Cloud's waist.

"It'll be awesome. They're great guys, trust me."

"I know, I know. That's why I wanted to make a good impression," Cloud sighed, rubbing his face in his hands. He didn't push Zack away though.

Maybe he was nervous. This was his first opportunity to work with Sephiroth as a model, to actually get a decent amount of time together instead of just sharing fleeting pleasantries as they passed on their way to separate photoshoots. And it was… well. This.

"How did they even get Sephiroth to agree? I thought he only took the high paying jobs, but this is only a small company…"

"How d'you know that?"

Cloud felt his face heat up slightly. "I might have, um. Looked into it a little. I wanted to know what I was getting into before agreeing. I mean, a company selling BDSM equipment and co-running a fetish club? I'm not into doing anything sleazy, thanks."

Zack coughed back a laugh. "Ha! Don't let Gen hear you say that; it's his company. He's a friend of Angeal and Seph."

There was a long silence while Zack grinned, holding back his snickering at the thought of Genesis Rhapsodos' ire at being called sleazy, while Cloud gave him a very hard stare.

"You could have told me that!" he hissed. "You're a rubbish manager."

"That's cause I'm not a manager, dork. I told you you could have gotten a professional."

"Yeah, 'cause a professional wouldn't set me up to do a BDSM photoshoot!"

"Hey. Gen's stuff is high class. It's good pay. And you're modelling withSephiroth. What are you complaining for?"

Cloud groaned. Zack was right, it was a great deal, objectively. There wasn't even any nudity involved or anything. He'd be topless, but other than that it was only posing. It was just…

"I'm nervous as fuck," he admitted solemnly. Although his butterflies might have been a little bit from anticipation as well, but the fact he was anticipating anything about it at all only fed his nervousness even more.

Zack threaded his fingers through Cloud's, squeezing his hand encouragingly. "Don't be. I'm right here, yeah?"

"Yeah," Cloud said.

His stomach was still doing backflips though. He wished they hadn't arrived early now; he'd rather have turned up late, even if it meant annoying Sephiroth. The wait was killing him.

"They've finished with the set up and are ready for you guys now," the receptionist called over, far too perkily for Cloud's tumultuous mood.

Zack pulled Cloud up with a smile. "Let's go!"

Cloud trailed behind Zack as they made their way through the building. He'd let Zack do the talking, he decided. After all, Zack was best friends with Angeal, who was best friends with Sephiroth, who was apparently friends with Genesis as well.

This was proven when Zack barrelled into the room, almost pouncing on Angeal in his eagerness to hug him.

"Mind the cameras, puppy," Angeal scolded, with no real heat behind it. He ruffled Zack's hair even as he pushed him away.

"Hey, Angeal. Hey, Seph. Hey, Gen." Zack shut the door behind them, and nudged Cloud into centre stage. "Guys, this is Cloud Strife."

"Uh. Hi," Cloud stuttered. Smooth.

"Oh? The cute one Zack never shuts up about?"

Cloud assumed that was Genesis, the only man in the room he hadn't seen before. He was… a lot younger and more attractive than Cloud had been anticipating. He had a delicately flipped hairstyle and was dressed in red leather, and wasn't at all the old pervert Cloud may have been dreading.

"Cute one?" Cloud echoed, shooting a look at Zack.

"Well, he's not wrong," Sephiroth agreed with a small smile and eyes narrowed. He strode forward to take Cloud's hand. "Sephiroth. I believe we've met around the company a couple of times. It's a pleasure to finally work with you."

Cloud's mouth went slightly dry. Shit. He could see why Sephiroth got all the good gigs; the man was even more gorgeous up close, and had a low purr of a voice that was utterly disarming.

Cloud only nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

Genesis' eyes were on them, wickedly amused. "Perfect! Well, let's get this show on the road."

"Is it just us?" Cloud asked.

"Yes. Angeal will be our photographer – you've worked with him before, I believe? Sephiroth is modelling with you. As this is my company you are representing and my money for the photoshoot, I have appointed myself creative director and artistic consultant." Genesis did a little toss of his hair as he announced this. "Zack… Zack, why are you here?"

"Oi! I'm Cloud's manager and moral support."

"Ah, that's right. As I thought. Zack is just here to take up space."

Genesis shot a handsome grin in their direction, and Cloud realised he was only teasing. Cloud smothered a laugh at the indignant noise Zack made.

"Well, if you want to do something useful. We're starting with the straightforward clothing catalogue shots – Cloud's collection is over on that pile there. The outfits are all numbered in the order for shooting. You can help him get changed."

Although it initially sounded strange to have someone simply helping him dress, the need for Zack's assistance soon became apparent when Cloud was faced with the bewildering array of belts, buckles and tight leather, all personally designed by Genesis himself.

They got the hang of it eventually.

It wasn't so different from modelling for any other kind of clothing catalogue. Angeal was efficient enough to take all the necessary photos for one of Sephiroth's outfits while Cloud was getting changed, and then do Cloud's shoot while Sephiroth retreated behind the curtains that had been set up and prepared his next set of clothing. Flipping between the two of them like that, they managed to get through what had seemed a rather daunting pile of items in a bit over an hour.

Which meant that, sooner than Cloud was ready for it, they were up to the second stage of the shoot.

"Alright, this is the important part," Genesis informed them. "The new club Rufus is sponsoring is opening in Sector 8 next month, and we need an aggressive promotion to get it off the ground. You guys are the face of that promotion."

Cloud shot Zack a look of alarm. It wasn't that he minded being part of the promotional work, but it sounded like it was important for Genesis. The last thing Cloud wanted was to not be good enough and risk ruining things for him.

Zack nudged him and gave an encouraging smile.

"I've brought in some of the furniture that we'll have in the play rooms, so we can show it off at the same time," Genesis continued, practically radiating enthusiasm. "It's a fabulous set-up, if I do say so myself."

"Just give me a moment to get my equipment together," Angeal said, fondly exasperated by Genesis' excitement. He knew how much his friend enjoyed getting to exercise his dramatic flair.

Zack and Cloud helped, carrying a few extra camera bags and the spotlights for Angeal.

They moved from the first room, which had been a plain, standard studio set-up, into the adjoining area. Cloud stopped dead and stared.

Genesis' handiwork was impressive, there was no doubt about that. What had started out as an empty studio space was now a decadent – if stylishly minimalistic - boudoir. The walls were covered with crimson drapes, a black leather couch to one side of the room and candles dotted around for atmosphere. That was the normal part. Then there was a large Saint Andrew's Cross and a padded spanking bench, all in black metal and red leather, and what was otherwise a fairly everyday display table except for the fact it was laid out with an assortment of floggers and paddles and restraints.

"Uh," Cloud said, eyes wide.

Angeal tutted good-naturedly. "Really, Gen? Do you know how difficult it will be to get the lighting right with this set up?"

"I have every faith in you," Genesis replied seriously.

"Hmph. Let me do a few exposure tests first."

Angeal started to set up his camera equipment then, taking a few practice shots and adjusting the settings as necessary. While he was doing that, Zack sidled up to Cloud.

"You still okay?" he murmured. "I know this must be kinda weird for you, and I didn't expect Gen to go this much overboard when he said he wanted a 'set', but…"

"Oh. Y-yeah. Of course. Why wouldn't it be fine?"

Zack chuckled. "'Cause you've been standing there still as a statue for five minutes already?"

"That's an exaggeration." Cloud took a breath. "It's fine."

It was fine. It wasn't that he was uncomfortable, it was just… he hadn't been expecting a full play room set up like the one Genesis had produced. The anticipation-butterflies in his stomach had become a whirlwind, which only set his nerves on edge more because, ha, the last thing he needed was for these gorgeous, talented men to find out that he was possibly a bit more interested than he should have been.

He was professional, he wasn't staring, and he definitely wasn't starting to blush.

"Genesis?" Cloud asked. "What do you want me wearing for this part of the shoot?"

Genesis' eyes were bright as he turned to Cloud. "Ah, yes. As lovely as it would be to have you in absolutely nothing, precious, just the trousers from the second last clothing shoot will be fine. Then we'll pick you out a nice collar."

Okay, now Cloud was blushing.

Zack came to his rescue, holding out the pair of trousers in question. "Don't mind Gen, he just uses his – really awful – attempts at flirting as a form of endearment. It means he likes you."

"I heard that, Fair!"

"Good, you were meant to!"

Angeal checked his camera one more time and stood up. "Alright children, if you're done. I've sorted out the settings, we can begin whenever you're ready."

"Sure," Cloud said, nodding. He was professional.

Cloud took the clothes from Zack and ducked back through into the original room to get changed. The trousers were one of the simpler designs; black cargo pants that were fitted at the top and loose around the leg, with a few sturdy D-rings for either decoration or actual use, Cloud wasn't sure.

Sephiroth had also changed by the time Cloud returned. His outfit for the shoot was similar; trousers but no top, although he also wore knee-high military style boots in contrast to Cloud's bare feet.

Cloud's mouth went dry. Fuck, Sephiroth was gorgeous. It wasn't like Cloud hadn't seen him shirtless in various promotions and shoots he'd done before, but seeing it in person, and coupled with those gloriously tight leather pants…

"Sephiroth, if I could get you standing about three foot in front of that wall… a little more to the left, centred between the candles, that's it," Genesis directed. He turned to smile at Cloud, though the smile was a little too suggestive to be reassuring. "Why don't you go and kneel at his feet?"

In all honesty, that was exactly what Cloud's instinct wanted to do right then anyway. He walked over in a daze, sinking to his knees in front of Sephiroth. He caught Sephiroth's eye as he did so, and Sephiroth gave him a small, amused smile.

Genesis sighed happily at the sight. "I knew those two would look splendid together. Angeal…?"

Angeal took just a couple of pictures of them like that, more as a warm up than anything else. Then Genesis got Zack to hand over the collar they had picked out.

"Sephiroth, put that on Cloud. Slowly and sensually, please, make sure Angeal has something good to work with."

Sephiroth gave a low rumble of amusement. "When have I ever not given you something good to work with?" he said. Then he was straight back to work mode.

He slowly tilted Cloud's head up, carefully brushing some of the unruly blond bangs from the younger man's face. So they wouldn't be in the way in the photo. Right? His fingers gently caressed the column of Cloud's throat before reaching around. The soft leather whispered against Cloud's skin. Then Sephiroth was buckling the collar into place, giving a playful tug to the ring at the front as he drew away.

Cloud was smitten.

"Do you need that again?" Sephiroth murmured, and it took Cloud a second to realise he was talking to Genesis and Angeal, not him.

Stupid. He shouldn't let himself get so caught up in the moment. He had to think about his role too; how did they want him to act for the camera?

Genesis leaned over Angeal's shoulder as they flicked through a couple of the newly-captured photos. Genesis cooed. "I think you're good, sweets. Lovely work. Lovely expression, Cloud. If you just stay exactly like that for a moment, we'll just grab a shot from some other angles…"

The shoot continued on that way for a few more static poses. Sephiroth used a short crop beneath Cloud's chin to tilt his head back; Sephiroth had a flogger draped over his shoulder and a hand in Cloud's hair, Cloud's head resting against Sephiroth's thigh; Cloud was stood with his back against Sephiroth's chest and Sephiroth's hand around his throat.

Angeal flicked through a couple of the shots to ensure Genesis was satisfied. Genesis was.

He clapped his hands together, eyes bright with anticipation of what came next. "Shall we get some shots of the furniture in use now, hm?"

"Uh," Zack interrupted on Cloud's behalf. "How 'in use' is in use?"

"Oh, I don't know," Genesis said airily. "Just tie Cloud to the cross and we'll see where it goes."

Cloud laughed. And maybe the laugh had a touch of nervousness to it, but, honestly, he didn't think he minded that much. "It's okay, Zack. I'm fine with it."

Sephiroth took Cloud's hand and led him over. Cloud found himself standing awkwardly in front of the cross – he was willing, certainly, but not sure exactly how Genesis wanted him.

"Are you happy to be cuffed to it, Cloud?" Genesis asked.

"Yeah."

"Good boy. We'll have you with your back to the cross first, facing us. Sephiroth, would you like to do the honours?"

Cloud got into the position he had been directed to, heart pounding. His breath caught as Sephiroth pressed up close against him, fastening Cloud's hands into the cuffs above his head. Cloud could feel the warmth of Sephiroth's skin against him. Their faces were so close, all it would take for their lips to meet was one tiny, inexorable lean forward—

Fuck. Professional, professional, professional.

Their eyes met, gazes lingering, so close that the tips of their noses actually brushed at one point. He wondered if Sephiroth had done that on purpose. That small smile – maybe it was almost a smirk, but there was no malice behind it. Did Sephiroth know what he was doing to him?

Cloud inwardly sighed and resigned himself to that fact that, if he hadn't already had a bit of a crush on Sephiroth, he definitely would after this.

There was the subtle click as the camera captured the moment several times over from various angles and distances.

The good thing about being bound up against the cross was that Cloud didn't have to worry about his positioning at all. It was something he could be a bit self-conscious about in his shoots – he was terrible at figuring out what to do with his hands if he hadn't been specifically directed on how to pose them. The slightest change in angle could make all the difference between a great photo and one that looked incredibly awkward. But he couldn't get it wrong like this. It was oddly reassuring.

They went through a few more static poses. Then Genesis decided he wanted something more dynamic.

"Sephiroth, how about you trying flogging him?"

Cloud and Zack both looked at Genesis in varying degrees of interest and alarm.

"Just gently," Genesis clarified, showing no remorse for leading them into misinterpretation. "Pretend. Go through the movements but don't actually hit him."

Zack breathed out heavily. "If you hurt my li'l chocobohead…" he threatened vaguely.

"I'll hurt you if you call me that again." Cloud's threat carried a lot less weight, given his current position, and Zack only shot him a toothy grin.

"Hey! I'm just looking out for your well-being!"

"I assure you, I will do no harm." Sephiroth trailed the flogger across Cloud's chest, the leather barely tickling. "The sensation will be no more intense than that."

"Shame," Cloud muttered under his breath.

There was no way the others had heard that. But Sephiroth was close enough that he might have. He made no comment if he had.

Sephiroth went through the motions, seeming to know exactly what he was doing without having to be directed. That sent a whole flurry of new questions through Cloud's head. Had he done this before? Was he actually into this kind of thing? Cloud could totally see it, now he thought about it.

He needed to stop thinking about it.

Genesis checked a few of the shots, humming over them. "Mm, it's not quite right. Sephiroth, the movement looks a little stiff, the flogger isn't falling right. Cloud, your expression – while adorable with your nose scrunched up like that – doesn't quite look like you're getting hit."

"I cannot make the flogger fall the way it should without fluid movement and thus some degree of power behind the stroke," Sephiroth countered.

"It tickles. What expression is someone supposed to make when they're getting flogged anyway?" Cloud asked.

Genesis clucked his tongue at both of them, before launching into a detailed tirade about the sensation of getting hit with a flogger and various reactions he had seen on people, and what he thought would look the cutest on Cloud.

Cloud was too bewildered to keep up. He glanced helplessly at Sephiroth.

"I think," Sephiroth said, in a voice too low to be heard by anyone but the two of them, "that this would be quicker and easier if I just flogged you for real, do you agree?"

Cloud's mouth was dry as hell again. He was startled by just how much he wanted it, now the opportunity had been so directly offered to him. "…y-yeah. Please."

"We will try again," Sephiroth interrupted Genesis. He glanced to the side to ensure Angeal had the camera ready, then looked to Cloud. Cloud gave a nod, barely perceptive. He may have been holding his breath.

The leather tails of the flogger hit Cloud's chest, and Cloud's breath rushed out in a gasp. It hadn't even hurt; just a light, thudding sting that faded within a few seconds. It was only the surprise of it that had prompted his reaction. The smack of leather against skin had sounded infinitely worse than it had felt.

Didn't stop Zack making a noise of outrage, surging to his feet. "Hey! That's my best friend you just–"

"Zack!" Cloud hastily reassured. "Zack, it's okay. I asked him to."

Zack raised an eyebrow. He was still glaring daggers at Sephiroth.

"The dynamic shots aren't really working without the… well, the dynamic. So we agreed if we just do it properly, the photos will come out better and we can all go home happy. Right? It didn't even hurt."

"This is the first time I've ever seen him so overprotective," Sephiroth noted quietly, just for Cloud's hearing. "Is he always this way around you?"

"Okay, but you can't just–"

"Hm!" This time it was Genesis who interrupted Zack. "They do have a point. That picture looked much more fluid and realistic."

"Zack…" Cloud glanced at the others, then made a gesture to Zack with his head, beckoning him closer. Sephiroth obligingly stepped away, and Zack moved in to take his place.

"It's okay," Cloud said again, voice low enough so only Zack could hear. "I did ask, and I'm perfectly okay with this."

Zack's forehead rested against Cloud's, searching Cloud's expression and finding only sincerity. "You're trembling."

"It's… it's kind of exciting."

Zack's eyes narrowed. "You're into this."

"Zack! It's not that– I mean, I've never– I don't know."

"You're secretly a kinky little shit. And you've been holding out on me all this time?"

Cloud laughed. "No! That's not it, you dork!"

At least that got Zack's expression to soften. He stepped back, holding up a finger to Cloud in warning. "Don't do anything you're not comfortable with, got it? I'm your manager, and it's my duty to take care of you."

"Yeah. I got it." Cloud opened his mouth to continue – to thank Zack, for caring, for being so willing to look out for him, perhaps – but Genesis and Angeal were looking at them expectantly again. So he simply nodded instead. "I'm good to go."

Sephiroth returned to stand in front of Cloud, trailing the flogger across his chest again, followed by a second identical one. Cloud blinked. Sephiroth must have picked it up while Cloud was distracted with Zack.

Genesis perked up. "Oh? Do you know how to florentine? That would look lovely."

"Of course." Sephiroth was not the sort of person to sink as low as snorting, but that was very close to the sound he made then. "What do you take me for?"

"Um. Do what now?" Cloud asked.

Sephiroth only smiled at him. Or maybe it was closer to a smirk again. Whatever it was, it made Cloud's heart skip a beat. Professional, damnit.

He stepped back, offering Cloud a demonstration. Sephiroth quickly fell into a fluid rhythm, moving his hands together to create a double figure of eight pattern with the floggers as they moved through the empty space.

"You would receive four strikes per cycle, no harder than that one previously," he explained, even as he kept moving the floggers with a careless grace.

"Okay. I can handle that," Cloud said.

"This is not a scene. If you request to stop, or show any signs of distress, we will stop immediately."

"I understand."

Sephiroth nodded once, then changed the trajectory. The floggers hit Cloud's chest with each downward stroke, marking an x shape. Sephiroth was true to his word, keeping the strikes light, barely even starting to redden Cloud's skin. Cloud sighed at tilted his head back, just enjoying the sensation. It was almost relaxing, in a way.

Genesis clapped his hands together. "Lovely! Angeal, aren't they just precious?"

"Of course," Angeal said absently, far more focused on capturing the moment on camera than paying attention to Genesis at that particular moment in time.

"Harder," Cloud pleaded softly. He hadn't even realised it slipped out until Sephiroth stopped, and Cloud opened his eyes to see a multitude of raised eyebrows directed his way. Shit!

His face was burning in an instant. So much for acting professional.

Sephiroth stepped back, pinwheeling the floggers at his side for the time being.

"Sorry," Cloud said, in the exact same moment Sephiroth asked, "are you certain?"

Genesis' low laugh interrupted them. "You two can play later," he encouraged, "but I believe we probably have enough material with regards to the flogging now."

"Oh." Cloud absolutely did not sound disappointed – or so he told himself.

Sephiroth also seemed to be frowning slightly. "I am also comfortable with a six-point florentine, which may have additional visual impact for your shoot."

"On video, I would agree. But it won't make a significant amount of difference for the still images, I'm afraid." Genesis regarded them with amusement, and evident mischief planned. "We do, however, have a spanking bench that we have no material for yet."

"Wh—ooooookay," Zack interrupted. He had been keeping out of the way for most of the part, hanging around behind Angeal and helping him swap out lenses or adjust the lighting when required, but now he stepped between the two on the creative team and the two models as if he was bodily trying to shield Cloud from Genesis. "Spanking was definitely not in the agreement."

Genesis raised an eyebrow. "It doesn't seem like he would mind."

"Any form of nudity below the waist was also specifically ruled out," Zack added pointedly.

Cloud's mouth had opened to speak for himself, but he deflated at that comment. As much as he would have been tentatively interested in actual use of the spanking bench, Zack made a very good point. Cloud had got so caught up in the moment, he'd forgotten that one vital piece of background information; this was a photoshoot. The resulting pictures were going to be used for publicity. And while Cloud may not have minded if it was just Sephiroth (and the other men in the room), he was not so keen at all for the rest of the world to see his ass.

"Maybe we could… try it while I'm still clothed?" Cloud suggested, the immediately regretted it. Although he kept his tone light, the words themselves still made him sound desperate for it. How goddamn stupid and unprofessional could he get?

Genesis and Zack shared a glance, considering it.

"Hm," Genesis hummed thoughtfully. "No. You're right that it would allow you to proceed without having to amend our initial agreement, but it's not a terribly good practice to be promoting. We'll stick with simply posing, as per the original plan."

Genesis nodded in Sephiroth's direction, and Sephiroth placed the floggers down and moved to free Cloud from the cross. His body pressed close to Cloud again as he reached up to undo the restraints at the top of the cross.

"Sorry. Now I feel like an idiot," Cloud said quietly. It wasn't necessarily directed at Sephiroth, but there was no one else who would've heard it.

"Do not feel bad," Sephiroth replied. Which only made Cloud feel worse; was he really that obvious? "In another circumstance, and with light play only as we have been doing thus far, I would not consider it an issue if that was most comfortable for you. However, in the case of a more involved scene – such as one we are acting for the camera – it is far more beneficial to the top to be able to see the area they striking in order to evaluate how reddened or bruised the skin may be and adjust play accordingly, for the recipient's own comfort and safety."

The heat was rising to Cloud's cheeks again, though this time it was purely embarrassment.

"That is not something anyone would expect you to know," Sephiroth concluded firmly.

Cloud gave Sephiroth a small smile. "Thanks for trying to make me feel better about putting my foot in my mouth."

Sephiroth lingered a little too long, taking Cloud's wrists and guiding them back down to his chest, holding them there for a moment. He nodded slowly then stepped back.

"Alright," Genesis said. "Just some posing for the bench, then." He came forward to direct the scene himself, firstly picking out a pair of leather cuffs to match Cloud's collar. "Here, precious, let's get these on you."

It was flattering to be the centre of attention as Sephiroth and Genesis worked together to manoeuvre Cloud into position. Genesis fastened the cuffs around Cloud's wrists while Sephiroth backed Cloud against the bench.

It was a fairly simple piece of equipment, designed to be as versatile as possible. Two flat seating levels and a slope connecting them, all padded red leather, and an assortment of rings and hooks along the metal legs. Cloud was simply sat on the lower seat for the time being.

"We're not going to bend you over or tie you up too much," Genesis said conversationally. He had acquired some rope from the selection of toys and was loosely tying the cuffs on Cloud's wrists to the bench. "Here, just put your hands out so that rope is taut, that's it. Like you're reaching desperately for Seph but just can't break free from your bonds… it's a dramatic thing."

Genesis dropped the melodramatic tone he'd slipped into and gave them a thumbs up as he moved away, leaving Sephiroth to stand in front of Cloud.

They didn't do very much more. Angeal took photos of them like that – Sephiroth with his knee between Cloud's spread legs, looming over him – focusing equally on showing off the furniture as much as the models.

A few shifts in position, a few touches that made Cloud's heart briefly skip, and then all too soon they were wrapping up. Cloud's cuffs and collar were removed, and Cloud shivered as Sephiroth's touch was taken away with them.

"You alright?" Zack asked, sidling up to Cloud.

Cloud had to shake himself, feeling a little heady and slightly turned on after all of that. Sephiroth had gone to converse with Genesis and Angeal, seemingly discussing the results of the shoot as they gathered around Angeal's camera screen.

"Oh. Yeah. Of course."

"Uh huh." Zack shot Cloud a raised eyebrow and wry grin. "You seemed pretty into that… something you wanna tell me?"

Cloud blushed and scowled at the same time. "Like what? It was more fun than I was expecting. And… I can't help if I notice Sephiroth is gorgeous, it's kinda common knowledge."

Zack huffed a laugh. "Okay, he's hot, I'll give you that. But," Zack tapped Cloud on the nose with his index finger, making Cloud screw up his face in the most adorable manner, "I still think you're secretly a kinky little shit."

"Zack!" Cloud protested.

A hand clapped onto Cloud's shoulder, and Cloud turned to see Genesis standing behind him. He'd probably heard that little exchange.

"Thank you for all your assistance today," Genesis said. "We've got some lovely shots. And you do look terribly good together with Sephiroth. I'll recommend they put you together for more shoots in the future."

Cloud's eyes widened. Sephiroth was a lot more high profile, and if he did do a big shoot with him… "T-thanks. That's nice of you to say."

Genesis smirked. "And," he added, "you are, of course, invited to the opening of the club, free of charge."

Zack and Cloud shared a glance. Zack waggled his eyebrows at Cloud, a silent 'I know you want to'.

"Will you guys be there?" Cloud asked. He was definitely interested, but going alone would be too much.

"Myself and Sephiroth for certain, Angeal has been invited and I am determined to drag along. Zack is welcome too – we can't leave you without your moral support, after all."

Zack scoffed, but it was with good humour. "I feel so appreciated."

Cloud knew Zack was only joking, but he took Zack's hand anyway. "I'll go, but only if you come too."

"You're cute. I mean, I know you just wanna go so you can angle to get Seph touching your ass, but you're cute."

"Zack."

Genesis only laughed. "Oh, I imagine he'd be happy to, as long as he's spanking it. We'll see you there, then." He left them with a wink and a wave of his hand.

The other two remained in silence for a moment, Cloud fighting not to blush again. "…Do you mind? Coming along, I mean?" Cloud finally asked, hesitant.

"Nah, I don't mind." Although Cloud had been the one to take Zack's hand initially, it was Zack who now squeezed his fingers reassuringly. "After all, I'm pretty interested to see the place myself. But you totally are a kinky shit."

Cloud ran his eyes back over the spanking bench, the Saint Andrew's cross he'd been bound against, the collection of floggers and restraints and the collar Cloud had actually rather enjoyed wearing. He couldn't deny the idea of it all was appealing. "Fine," he admitted, "maybe I am. Just a little."