Title: Goodbye Apathy

Rating: T for language

Pairing: Zack x Cloud

Warning: Contains Yaoi

Songs: Contains a part of Someone Like You by Adele. I highly recommend you listen to this song while you read. Go on YouTube and listen to the video where she is singing live in her house.

Occupations: Cloud; Pianist & Zack; Second in charge of Shinra Corporation

"I think we should break up…" Zack said looking down.

Cloud stopped what he was doing and looked at Zack.

"Can you say that again Zack?" Cloud asked slowly.

"I said I think we should break up." Zack repeated himself feeling worse the second time he said it.

Cloud felt his world falling apart because he was actually paying full attention to what Zack was saying.

"Why…?" Cloud asked with eyes full of disbelief.

"Did I do something wrong? Did I say something weird? I can change, just… please…" Cloud asked reaching out to touch Zack's hand with tears forming in his eyes.

"It's not that I don't love you anymore, it's just… I feel like I'm not really getting where in life. I still have the same boring job, I don't have my own house yet, not married, no kids…" Zack said softly squeezing Cloud's hand.

"I need to find out who I am outside of us. Maybe, I can accomplish a dream? You know?" Zack said hoping for the best reaction from Cloud.

Cloud slowly dropped his hand from Zack's hold.

"I'm sorry I was holding you back from your dreams…" Cloud said.

"That's not what I—"Zack said before he was interrupted.

"But, I'm more sorry, that I wasn't enough so that you could be happy." Cloud looked in Zack's eyes with tear filled eyes. He ran out of the café they were in, ran into the crowd of people, and got mixed up somewhere in the sea of people in the city.

A week has gone by without either Zack or Cloud talking, but Cloud thought it was time to either make or break what he thought he had with Zack.

Zack walked to the park where Cloud asked him to meet up at and stood there looking at Cloud and how perfect he looked in a snow filled environment.

"Thanks for everything you've done for me…" Cloud choked out looking at Zack with a soft smile

"I haven't been this happy in forever. I'll never forget you for that…" Cloud said the last part in a whisper. The ocean that was withheld inside Cloud's eyes came rushing out. Cloud and Zack locked eyes. Zack could only look back with sympathy. Zack opened his mouth, but was interrupted.

"Don't." Cloud interrupted. "We won't say our goodbyes… You know it's better than way." Cloud said slowly turning around. He could only pray that Zack would reach out and hold him back, but he felt no physical resistance pulling him back.

"I guess you never really did care…" Cloud thought to himself with his tears coming out

Zack stood there in the snow, trying to get himself to move.

"Chase after him you idiot! You're in love with him and you know it!" Zack told in his head.

But he just stood there as a piece of him walked away in the slowly falling snow and snow filled streets.

Five Years Later—

Cloud exited the building that he lived in heading for the Serenity Banquet Hall where he will be performing for the night. The party was going to be filled with all occupational branches in Shinra Corporation. Cloud got into his car and started off for the banquet hall.

As Cloud arrived, he wasn't surprised to see that he was one of the few people actually there because he had to prepare his area to give entertainment to the hard workers of Shinra Corporation. After an hour, guests started to appear at the party. Cloud looked around and all he saw were people with fancy clothes and jewelry sipping champagne out of well, champagne glasses. Cloud focused on playing the piano. Cloud looked around more only to see the last person he ever wanted to see.

Zack walked into the banquet hall with a beautiful woman with brown curly hair and calm emerald eyes arm in arm. They walked in and became the center of attention quickly. Cloud felt the scar in his heart starting to reopen. Cloud could feel tears trying to escape his eyes. Cloud tried to brush his thoughts out of his head. Cloud couldn't take it. He got up and dashed for the restroom.

As Cloud dashed to the restroom Zack noticed an almost familiar blonde gravity defying blur of hair.

Cloud ran into one of the stalls, not caring about locking it, and started to feel vomit crawl up his throat. He bent over the toilet and started to throw up. Unknown to the sound, someone entered the restroom.

"Cloud?" A far too familiar voice to Cloud said.

Cloud heard his name, but didn't know who it could be due to him not knowing anyone at the party. Then it hit him.

"Oh Gaia no… Zack…" Cloud thought to himself.

"Cloud? Is that you?" Zack said going to the stall where he heard vomiting come from.

"Please don't come any closer…" Cloud said in his head. He tried to reach for the lock, but his body wouldn't move due to the shock of Zack being in his presence.

Zack walked up to the stall and opened it. There he saw a Cloud who looked sickly due to vomiting.

"Holy crap Spike, are you alright?" Zack asked kneeling down beside Cloud.

Cloud just sat there not looking at Zack. All the emotions inside of him overwhelmed his body and gave him an energy boost to abandon the raven head who injured their master. Cloud walked to the sink and splashed his face with cold water.

"Cloud…?" Zack said looking curiously at Cloud.

Cloud blow dried his hands with the air blower and walked out the restroom while popping a mint into his mouth leaving a sad Zack in the restroom by himself.

"Thank God I got out of there…" Cloud thought to himself. "I thought I wouldn't make it out alive…" Cloud started to walk off to where the piano was in the main room. The rest of the night Cloud did not see Zack which was a giant relief for him. When the party was coming to an end, there was a giant cheer coming from the dining hall.

"Welcome the man who stands at the right side of Shinra, Sephiroth!" The crowd of people started to clap and look at the long silver head man.

"And the man who is at the right side of Sephiroth, Zackary Fair! Let's toast to Zackary Fair and his wedded wife Aerith of two years! May the graces of Gaia let you stay together for eternity!" The crowd cheered, clapped, and somewhere in the crowd whistles could be heard.

It was now two in the morning and all the members of Shinra have left the banquet hall and Cloud was alone in the main room sitting at his piano too shocked to do anything. His mind was flashing back to the toast that was held not too long ago.

"Let's toast to Zackary Fair and his wedded wife Aerith of two years!"

Cloud couldn't believe that the whole time Cloud was trying to let his heart heal, Zack went off and got married. It was heartbreaking to Cloud because he finally knew for a fact that Zack just never cared.

Cloud started to play some notes on the piano. The janitors didn't look up from their spot, but just enjoyed the tune that was being played by the blond.

As Cloud began to get lost in his own music being played, he was oblivious to footsteps coming toward him and halted a few feet from him. Cloud opened his mouth and started to sing.

I heard that you settled down.
That you found a girl and you're married now.

Cloud started to pour his feelings out through song. Something he only did in front of Zack and no one else ever since they were kids. Tears started to fall from Cloud's eyes as he continued to sing.

I heard that your dreams came true.
Guess she gave you things, I didn't give you.

Zack just looked at the back of Cloud's figure and tears began to form in his own eyes from listening to the words that were coming out of Cloud's mouth. He felt his heart beginning to break and regret ever leaving the blond to fend for himself in this big blue sea people called the world.

Old friend, why are you so shy?
Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light.

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited, but I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it.
I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded, that for me, it isn't over.

Never mind, I'll find someone like you.
I wish nothing but the best for you too.
Don't forget me I begged
I'll remember you said
Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead.
Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead, yeah.

Cloud was interrupted when he felt two strong arms wrap around his waist. Cloud was shocked and looked to see who owned these two strong arms. Cloud looked at Zack and Zack looked back at the blond.

After five years of healing, Cloud let his tears out, he couldn't hold it in. He couldn't stand to see Zack hugging him with tears in his eyes.

"Why are you crying…?" Cloud choked out trying to push Zack away.

"Cause I hurt you. I left you all alone." Zack said looking down with his hair covering his eyes.

"Well you should have thought of that five fucking years ago!" Cloud screamed at Zack with streams of tears falling even faster and more came.

"You left me! You shouldn't be the one to cry! You should be happy! All your dreams came true didn't they? You finally have a great job, an amazing home, better clothes, and… a wife!" Cloud screamed again.

"I—" Zack said before he was interrupted.

"No! I don't want to hear your bullshit of excuses! They mean nothing to me! It took me five years of being by myself to get over you and here…" Cloud calmed down covering his eyes with his hands. "… you just waltz back into my life like nothing ever happened…" Cloud finished and started to break down even more.

Zack brought Cloud into a tighter hug crying. He placed his chin on top of Cloud's head. He kissed the top of Cloud's head and cried along with his best friend since their childhood days.

"Please, just leave me alone so I can try to live a normal life…" Cloud whispered whimpering into Zack's chest.

"We're getting divorced." Zack said plainly.

Cloud froze and looked up with tears in his eyes. "Why?" he asked.

"We moved way to fast in this relationship. You weren't the only one who was hurting Cloud… I spent days without sleep and focused on work. I met Aerith one day walking around the city, and we just hit it off. The next thing I know, I was getting married…" Zack said.

Cloud could only look at Zack with his tearful eyes waiting for Zack to finish his story.

"The day of the wedding, I thought about you. When I was standing at the altar, I didn't want to see her, I wanted to see you. I didn't want to hold her hand that day, I wanted to hold yours. I didn't want to hear her say "I do" I wanted to hear you say it instead…" Zack said in a low, but soft voice tears falling at a faster pace.

"Why are you telling me this…?" Cloud said looking away from Zack.

"She apparently helped you find your dreams and I only held you back." Cloud said with a stern voice.

"I thought a lot about this and the truth is… I think I'd be a lot more happier with you Cloud…" Zack said while using his hands to grab Cloud's chin to look him in the eyes.

"Fuck you." Cloud said with poison in his mouth.

"Why would you want to be with me, huh? Weren't you the one who said you couldn't figure out or progress in life because I was in it? So why would you want me back? I'll only hold you back even further from accomplishing anything else you want out of life!" Cloud yelled.

Cloud pulled Zack's hands away, got up, and started to walk out of the main room to his car. Zack quickly got up behind him, extended his arm out to grab Cloud, turned him around, and brought Cloud into an embraced followed by a kiss by surprise.

Cloud was still and shocked with wide eyes. He felt weak, his legs gave up to support their master and his eyes fluttered closed losing himself in the kiss.

"You're so unfair…" Cloud said with a tear falling from his face.

So, third fanfiction written! This story is going to continue with more chapters coming depending on the amount of Reviews I can get! Hope this story was worth your time!