A/N : Set in AU, Zack and Cloud goes to the same Uni in Kalm. Zack's 22 and Cloud is a year younger. Its their last year in U and Cloud decides to confess to Zack in a manner people with an IQ above 120 should be confessing. Heheh…Rating may be higher in later chapter(s). But that depends on you. *puppy eyes*

And I had to make-do with some...symbols in the fic. Tried it a bunch of times but they keep disappearing everytime I save, so I had to substitute. Hope the effect is still the same huhu.

Disclaimer : I will own these two when I attain Godhood and start manipulating and bending the very fabrics of reality into My image. My Muses will my Prophets, and the Plot Bunnies of the Moon shall be my Reigning Priests above FATE! MUAHAHAHAHAHAAARRGGHHHH! *Ahem* Peace, yo! (^_^) ;;

"Cloud…"

"No…It's fine…Just forget about it, okay? I'm sorry…"

Zack felt his heart drop as he heard those last words, and that crack in the blond's voice was all but noticeable. He wanted to reach for his hand and stop Cloud from rushing out , but doing that in the university library wouldn't really be appropriate. He could only watch as the other stormed his way out of the place.

Cloud…

"Aww you've got to be kidding me, Chocobo! This is freakin' child's play! You got flustered the whole day just to ask me this? "

"I doubt a 5 year-old can solve an inequality problem, Zack. And…its…important. Its…for my Chem assignment…" Right…

"Well…yeah…but, you know what I mean..."

"The answer I got wasn't the same as the one at the back."

"I keep getting the sign the other way round…I'm not sure what I've done wrong…"

"You brought the book? Lemme see…" Zack started squinting more on the piece of paper in front of him.

"Its…I left it at home…"

"Aww come on! Look! Ya gotta change the sign when you're movin' a negative, Spikey! Blonds really are - "

"Ouch, Zack. Really. Ouch."

Zack just smirked at the response. Of course he didn't mean it, the blond boy had First Class Honours in Biochem ever since his first year.

-7i } -21u

-i } -3u

"Oh….soo…what's next?"

"Well you've got the 3 right, just gotta change the sign…" Scribble, scribble. "There!"

i {3 u

Gods, I just hope his not as dense today…

"Heyy…kinda looks like…" It was exactly five seconds later that it hit Zack right in the face.

Cloud looked down to the table, hiding a big grin on his face. "Umm…yeah…It does…doesn't it?"

"Are you…serious?" Zack didn't look up from the paper in his hand, his fingers was giving the poor pen a nervous, deathly grip.

"Ever since our first year, Zack…"

The silence that ensued was terribly awkward, and it was killing Cloud as every second ticked away. He searched Zack's features for a glint of answer the whole time. The raven had his head dipped low, Ckoud could see his hands were gripping the paper tighter. Blood rushed to the boy's cheeks in anticipation, his heart pumping so fast he could feel the thumps in his chest. Then Zack broke the silence.

"You know I don't go that way." It came out a tad stronger, and what happened after was more than enough evidence to say that it came out a tad more hurtful, than Zack thought it would.

Cloud twitched at the response, his lips pursed together to hold back a sob. Cloud was crestfallen. The sharp jab he felt in his heart forced tears to well up in his eyes. He kept looking down when instinct kicked in as he rushed to shove his books down his bag, so hard it looked like the bag was gasping for air as books were pushed down its throat. Cloud stood up and started to walk away. His mind was reeling; everything felt like it was crumbling and start to spin out of control. It really didn't actually and Cloud wasn't high. But that's how it felt at that time…

"Cloud…"

Tears were falling down Cloud's cheeks as he walked home all the way.

All that remained of Cloud now was a shriveled, broken lump curled to a fetal position. He cried himself to sleep that afternoon. And now he couldn't sleep. 3 years of longing, destroyed by a stupid act. All the dreams and hopes thrown to a black abyss of heartbreak. He winced at the pain he felt in his chest, tears started to flow more from his eyes. He called Zack's name between his sobs, trying his best to stifle his cries. The Chocobo big-ass plushie Cloud was holding on, or rather choking on, seemed to pity his owner. Even thought it could feel the last few threads of its inanimate life was slowly being pulled apart as the blond cried even harder, and hugged on its neck tighter.

Of course, the Chocobo had to be from Zack for his 18th birthday, didn't it? So evil are the plot bunnies from the Moon…

Cloud couldn't hold it in even more as he cried loudly and slammed back his head into his pillow as he threw the Chocobo to the wall. It was just a few weeks into his first semester in U, and he didn't expect to see Zack knocking on his bedroom door at exactly 12.01am on his birthday day, with a big-ass Chocobo plushie.

Goodbye cruel world… Cloud was oblivious to the last squawk his plushie gave out as its cotton skull smashed fatally onto the wall.

He brought his palms to his face, in regret for what he had done that afternoon. He cursed himself more and more. He could just lived his life out being close to Zack. Just being there, always near. Always there. Anytime the puppy porcupine needed company, he would always be near.

But that wasn't enough. was it? You stupid fuck! YOU DESTROYED EVERYHTHING!

Cloud couldn't stop the tears, seeing how both his brain was bickering to each other on who fucked it up more. He blamed himself for being too stupid to misunderstand Zack's gestures.

Sleep was his only comfort at that time and she crept in and pulled the soaked, salty Cloud who was still reminiscing and softly sobbing into her lethargic embrace. The ghost-Chocobo floating at the corner above its lifeless body weeped and let out a small squawk of sadness as it slowly ascended to Chocobo heaven.

The last few tears dropped from the broken Cloud to his pillow as sleep embraced him even tighter.

His hope of having to see Zack's smiling face to greet him in the morning now brutally crushed by reality, and blown away to Limbo…

Xoxo

A/N : You know I have the power to end this. To end Cloud's angst. In just one chapter, I could end it all. One chapter…to rule it all! MUAHAHAGHH - *ehemhem* You know what to do…

I mean, just look into these eyes~ *holds up a teary eyed Chibi Cloud by the collar*

You can't break his heart any more than how much Zack had! I know you people, you wouldn't have the heart to…Ne?

*pats all the fanboys/fangirls out there*