westerncontinent | Tied up in tinsel

Tied up in tinsel

[It's a flash of inspiration coming from watching a Solstice-related advert while they're curled up on the couch. Cloud's initial thought is already? Even if it is, at least, December by now (if only just), but after that one comes the memory of how Zack had seemed a little disappointed by how short time their decorations were up last year (mostly because they'd still been settling in and buying things haphazardly), when they were taking them down.

So, maybe they could start a little early this year? Cloud opens his mouth, then glances sideways to Zack and closes it again. They could. But even more so... surprising Zack with some initiative might be even better, even if he only started small, like their bedroom.]

I'll be back.

[Jumping up off the couch, Cloud crossed the small apartment, into their bedroom and the storage closet there, snagging the step stool on the way. One which even Zack used in the few cases he needed something from the higher shelves in the closet, because not even Zack Fair was tall enough to reach those easily, and after he got a box on his head once, he'd started using the step stool.

Smirking a little at the thought, Cloud peered up at the boxes, rolling his eyes when he realized the one he needed wasn't even closed right and standing sort of precariously on its shelf. Zack. Getting up there, Cloud started to try and tip the box right, then had to start feeling around because it seemed to be wedged wrong?

And then he got a plastic solstice tree bauble on his head as it rolled out of the box. Muffling a groan, Cloud got down, picked it up, and got back up, shoving it into the box. Maybe too deep, because he was getting something tangled around his fingers. Zack. Rolling his eyes again, he reached up to try and feel around the insides of the tilted box, because he didn't feel like yanking the whole contents of it on top of him.

Apparently this would take a little longer than he thought.]

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[ Zack's first answer to Cloud moving is actually a pout. They'd been sitting pretty comfortably together, after all. And while it wasn't necessarily unbearably cold in the apartment, his sides suddenly felt chilly compared to the seconds before where there had been a warm body leaning against him.

But he'd be back, he said. So, Zack stays. The show they're watching is pretty interesting anyway. Enough so that he really wants to know where it's going from the cliff hanger left before the commercial break.

Still, he can't help but listen a little when he hears some shuffling around in the other room. The quiet thud of feet as Cloud jumps down from something. Maybe a grumble in between there, too. But then the commercial ends and the program's back on and Zack ends up spacing again, all too consumed in what's going on on the screen. ]

[Cloud finds a couple loose tinsel garlands, folded up on themselves and knotted together with their strings of badly rolled up christmas lights. Suppressing another groan, Cloud remains on the step stool, awkwardly on his tip toes, trying to untangle what he can't see. It's just, he has to stick his hands deeper into the mess, and it might be stuck on one of their electric candelabra.

With an annoyed grunt, Cloud yanks, then sways...

And overbalances, swallowing his startled cry even as the step stool clatters and sways, most of what was in the box spills out around him, and the whole mess he's stuck with, which he's flailing through trying to get a grip on something while he also bangs a knee into a lower shelf, gets wedged up between two shelves.]

Shit.

[Cloud yanks, annoyed.

It doesn't give.]

[ It's about at that point that a loud explosion can be heard from the main room from the television. It's also about that time that Zack jumps again because he'd been busier listening in on the loud bang of something against a wall. So much that he wasn't paying attention to what was going on with the show and that startles him as well.

Getting to his feet and walking a few steps towards the bedroom, Zack calls out: ] Hey, Spike. You okay in there?

I'm fine! I just--- dropped something! I've got it, Zack.

[Is what he says, and very insistently too, because he does not want Zack to come in here and see this. Hopefully Zack will listen to both the reassurance and the annoyance and understand he doesn't need (shouldn't) come in here.

The only problem is, his arms are stretched out above him and he's standing on his toes, and just barely so, and whatever got wedged up there it got wedged good. He can yank, but each pull makes the shelves rattle and creak, and that's all.

He really, really doesn't want the whole wall of shelves to come down on him, but he needs to get loose. It's just... wriggling his hands, all he's doing is making the tinsel sparkle from the closet lamp and the cables of the Christmas lights squeak as they rub against each other.

[ It's fine, he says.

So, Zack leaves him to that if not with a short pause. But then he's heading for the kitchen, oblivious to whatever it is Cloud's up to. Maybe he hid away from snacks from him to surprise him and he's having a hard time getting to them? Who knows with that disaster of a closet they have. He really.. hasn't been upkeeping it well lately.

All the same, he's got the fridge door open and he's peeling through their wares as he calls out again. ] You want anything to drink?

[It is fine.

He just needs the right angle. Or to get the step stool back upright, to then get the right angle to unstick whatever has gotten wedged so he can at least have more room to get free of the tangle of christmas lights and tinsel around his wrists and hands. The only problem is, he has so little leverage from standing on the tips of his toes that he sways a little when he moves a leg, and trying to hook the step stool, upended on its side, with one foot and facing the other way is... a lot trickier than he thought it'd be.]

Uh---

[Cloud really hasn't been paying attention, but tries to replay what Zack just said as he tries to grab most of the tangled mass with one hand and twist his other out of it.]

Y-yeah! Drink would be great.

[He can feel some smaller loops of cable tighten around two of his fingers as he tries to pull his hand back, and barely swallows his frustrated groan. He really can't let Zack see him like this!]

What kind?

[ There's a loud clank that can be heard as he riffles through what they have. For once, the fridge is full of more of a selection than usual. He might have been feeling especially festive already. Or maybe that just in need of a good excuse to grab a bunch of shit. Look, there was a lot on sale. They could actually afford it. He wasn't about to pass it up.

Though he may be looking oddly at the bedroom door. ]

The... [This time, the pause is genuinely for Cloud trying to remember what they have in the fridge, nose scrunching while beating down his frustration as he tries to switch which hand is holding onto the mess that somehow ended up tying him up while he tries to wriggle his other hand free.] Wasn't there... like, some new seasonal flavour or whatever? That.

[It was silly and gimmicky but they'd bought it and that meant it was there to be drunk. If he could just get free. Cloud's grunt this time as he pulls on that other hand is loud, and then he immediately freezes as the shelves groan loudly, something that is not whatever's wedged stuck to keep him almost hanging there sliding.

Nothing falls, but it feels like it's getting close to it, and he can't see what it might be. Kicking the lowest shelf in frustration merely sends him swaying gently before he catches himself on the tips of his toes again.]

Gotcha! [ There's a wide smile in his voice and the opening and slamming of cupboards. The clink of a glass on the counter and then the draw of a drink being poured. ]

One peppermint snaps coming- up?

[ His voice hits that question with a bit of a jolt to his lilt. And he's already starting towards the door before he asks anything. ]

You sure you're okay in there? Did I put something up too high again? [ Maybe there's- a bit of a tease in his voice with the latter question. ]

Edited 2018-12-27 00:33 (UTC)

You didn't--- [He squirms, pulling.] didn't put---! [Grunts and almost yelps when something does fall off a shelf, but luckily it's light and small, bouncing off his shoulder harmlessly.] I'm fine!

[The way his voice went up, it's probably obvious he's not fine though and Cloud slumps against the shelves in his almost-dangling by his arms situation and sighs.]

I, um... I need help, Zack.

[Cloud grimaces, bracing himself for the inevitable.]

[ If that immediate denial followed by all the grunting is anything to go by...

Add in the 'I'm fine' and Zack's by the door by the time he actually asks for help. He pokes his head in, canting it to the side when he sees the odd way he's standing with his hands up and his feet on their tiptoes. ] Uh.. Spike..?

[ And... that's about when he notes how he's not reaching for something.. but bracing from something and takes a few steps closer to investigate.

...He didn't just snort. ]

Don't say--- [Cloud grits his teeth and turns to glare at Zack, socked toes scrabbling for the bare purchase he has since every shift of his weight means he loses his balance and need to catch his feet again.] I hate you.

[Because that was totally a snort and Cloud is expecting Zack to start laughing in another second or two, or as soon as he realizes he really is stuck as he is, that he somehow managed to end up tied up.]

This is your fault.

[Does he sound sullen, as the light from the ceiling catches in the tinsel twined with the Christmas lights and makes it sparkle? Maybe just a little.]

[ He definitely sounds sullen. And in the end, maybe that's what finally tilts him over the edge. He's bent over guffawing now. Attempts to rein it in enough to actually help, but when he starts to straighten up, he sees the position he's in and the way the tinsel sparkles in his hair like he's a tree and bursts out laughing again.

Just.. Just give him a moment to: ] Didn't- know- you were into that-

Zack!

[Cloud tries to kick, but stretched out as he is, balanced so precariously, and with Zack behind him, the backwards kick doesn't reach very far, and sets him swinging again, just slightly, before he catches himself.]

I'm not---! You... ugh. This just happened.

[He pulls on his hands again, but not hard enough to do more than make things rattle quietly, showing he's well and truly stuck.]

Just happened, huh.

[ Is that a tone of disbelief as he finally gains his composure and ends up casually sidestepping that kick. Look- he'll take it usually, but getting kicked in the stomach today was not on the agenda. Still, he steps closer after that. Reaches up well past where Cloud is dangling while he gives it a good look from where he stands. Still, it's difficult to see from where he's at, so that's Zack catching the step stool for himself and getting a better look-see.

If not with a whistle and a: ] Man, Spike. I think you managed to even outdo me here.

Yes, it just happened.

[Cloud grumbles, but stays still when Zack steps close again to try and see how tangled things are, and then has to right the step stool so he can use it, and then of course he says something like that.]

If I did, it's 'cause of you! You're the one who put this stuff away. All I did was slip.

[That's not... entirely true, but Cloud will claim so. This is embarrassing enough as it is.]

All you did was slip.

[ Zack gives him a flat look. Nope, not buying it. And maybe at that point the kind thing to do would have been to try and untangle him from where he's at. And maybe Zack had been right about to start on that. But that comment...

That comment has him turning to Cloud and there's something of a tease in his eyes while he purposefully runs a hand down his side. Slowly. ]

Maybe I should just leave you like this.

[Cloud catches that look out of the corner of his eyes and looks away, stubborn and embarrassed. The story will not change. At least that's Cloud's conviction when Zack then steps down from the stool and runs a light, teasing touch down his side, slowly.

The way he's stretched out, all the nerves are tense and alert, so even that light touch makes him shudder, and Cloud hisses.]

Zack! Don't you dare.

[Scowling, he tries to turn to face him, but Cloud doesn't get very far and has to face the shelves again with an annoyed grunt.]

You say that right now, but.

[ He leaves that thought to linger. Maybe because he's more focused right then on the lingering of his fingers instead. On the way they reach his hip before sliding right on back. And this time, he's shuffling over- closer until he's right behind Cloud and now both hands are repeating what he just did. Gradually sliding until they find hips... and then encircling him at the waist as he buries his face in his neck. ]

You sure you aren't into this?

[When Zack doesn't get up on the stool (why did he expect him to cooperate?) and instead touches him again, a long, lingering slide from hip up his back and then comes closer---

Cloud sucks a sharp breath in without even meaning to, and he has no leverage like this, so he can just as little move into any touches effectively as he can try to get away from them.]

Th-that's not--- What's that got to do, with anything?! You think it's comfortable to be strung up like drying noodles?

[He can't deny that he seems a lot more aware of Zack's touches like this though, but, again, tinsel and Christmas string lights??]

I mean you pretty much are a noodle, so what's the difference?

[ Whether he actually means that or not is questionable. There's definitely a certain tease in his voice. And then he's blowing softly against the back of his ear. Giving him a lingering kiss there instead as his hands tease at the hem of his shirt. ]

This an early gift or something? I mean the Solstive isn't here for a while, you know.

I'm not.

[It's another hiss, Cloud yanking on his tied hands reflexively, out of aggravation, and then freezes before he manages to pull too hard when air skitters over the shell of his ear, a flush of warmth following and rushing down his spine.

Cloud has to collect his brain and thoughts, sputtering.]

The gift was supposed, to be getting some of the decorations up early! Not, not this.

[And by now he's redfaced, and not from frustration. It's strange how this makes every teasing tug on the hem of his shirt feel more sharply than Zack is pulling on him, and his whole back seems to be alive with the warmth of Zack's presence.

It's embarrassing, and now for new but still related reasons to just getting himself accidentally tied up. Zack being a shit and asking if he likes it is just making it worse.]

Oh, was that it?

[ He says and for once, he sounds surprised. Sure, he might also be running a hand up into his shirt and grazing his bare stomach, but. Details. Stepping a bit more into his space and nudging Cloud's feet to stand on top of his own, Zack casually decides to embrace him then with a chuckling sigh. ]

Spike, you're too good to me. You know that?

Uh-huh.

[Muttering, Cloud shrugs as well as he's able in his position, arms up over his head as they are. And with Zack's hand sliding up under his shirt and around to tease over his stomach, Cloud manages half of a squirm, teeth buried in his bottom lip.]

Zack---

[Grunting softly in surprise as Zack comes in closer and shuffles around until he's standing on Zack's feet, Cloud blinks. That, at least takes some of the strain off his arms, and with Zack hugging him he can relax against him.]

And yet you're not untying me. [He might sound a little wry, but at least Cloud's smiling again, if still pink-cheeked.]

Maybe 'cause I like you this way.

[ There's no maybe there. Not really with the way he goes from hugging him to leaving kisses along his neck. Or to leaving hands to casually explore his clothed chest as things are. ]

But I guess I should help you down, huh. So, we can decorate something other than yourself.

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