Juvenile
How can you express your love to someone who considers you as his best friend?
Warning:
This is a boy's love story. Don't like it, don't read. If you like it, then I'm glad.
Disclaimer:
I don't own Final Fantasy. They're belongs to themselves and to their owner.
Best Friend
"You and I Cloud, are going to be best friend forever! Okay?" a little boy with a raven hair spoke to another boy who got blonde hair and smaller than him.
The smaller boy looks up to the other, a smile spread over his face as he replied, "Yeah! Zack and I are best friend, forever!"
The raven hair boy grin widely, holding up his pinky finger to the other then, "Pinky swear?"
The blonde nodded, intertwined his pinky finger with the taller one. "Pinky swear."
-XXXXXX-
Cloud eyes opened at the sound of the digital clock beeping. Groaning, he take a look to the side, reaching out his hand to turn off the sound at the digital clock next to his pillow.
He sigh, rolling over on his bed so he could stare at the ceiling, holding up his pinky finger as he stare at it.
"Best… friend…" Cloud muttered, staring at his pinky finger sadly, "Forever…"
-XXXXXX-
"Oh, good morning dear." A woman in her twenty greeted Cloud when he walk downstairs. She was cooking something that smell like sunny-side egg in Cloud's opinion.
He let out a warm smile to the woman, "Good morning mom."
"Hey! Morning spike!" another voice sounded from his living room that almost startled him. When he turned around, he was greeted with a boy taller than him with a raven hair sitting on the couch, and there's no other boy with raven hair that he knew except him.
"Zack, you're here again?" Cloud raised an eyebrow, putting one hand on his hips. For some reason, Zack would always be here every morning when Cloud go downstairs.
Well, not that he minds.
The raven hair boy put a wide smile on his face, "It's because your mom's cooking is VERY AWESOME! I love your mom's cooking very much. Your mother is a good cooker, not to mention she's beautiful as well."
The woman who overheard their conversation couldn't help but giggle, amused with how Zack spoke very well. "Oh Zack, you're so sweet, and you know that you're welcome to come to our house."
Cloud rolled his eyes as he slumped into the couch next to Zack, leaning his back against the couch. "If he came to our house every day, he'll eat all of our supplies. He's a pig."
"Hey!" Zack denied, pointing his finger at Cloud, "Watched it Cloud, you've got a bad mouth, you know."
"Yeah Cloud, don't be so mean to Zack." Mrs. Strife butted in to their conversation as she still prepared their breakfast. "Beside, it's nice to have him around since you always look happy whenever you see him."
"Mom!" Cloud cried out, surprised at his mother declaration.
Oh come on, you DO feel happy just by seeing him. A voice sounded in his mind, but he ignores it.
"Oh really?" Zack smirked, raising one of his eyebrows, "So you feel happy when you see me…"
"No I'm not!" Cloud denied, this time turning to look at his best friend, "I don't feel that way!"
Liar.
"Really?" with a teasing voice, Zack lean closer to Cloud who have to look away when he notice just how close their faces are.
Damn, he hates it when Zack get too close to him and teasing him like this.
Liar. You do know you love it when he was so close with you like this.
…Damn how he hates that inner voice of him.
"S-stay away." Cloud said, pushing Zack away so he could distances both of them, "Your mouth stink."
Yeah right. That was the same mouth that you always wanted to kiss for such a long time.
…Fuck. He hates himself.
"Geez, Cloud, you're mean." Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Zack look away, putting a look of dejected on his face.
Seeing that look, now he felt guilty. "O-oh… s-sorry."
Zack, however, still not look at him and that dejected look were still on his face. Cloud felt even guilty when Zack turned his back to him.
Great, Cloud, what a way to make him mad.
"Zack?" Cloud called out, moving closer to his best friend when he got nothing as a reply, and gently, he put a hand on the raven hair boy hesitantly. "Zack?" he tried again, but the boy still ignored him.
"Zack, I'm sorry…" he apologized, fearing the fact that Zack really get mad at him. "Zack, I'm really sorry, I don't mean to hurt you…"
This time, Cloud was relief when Zack finally turned to look at him, his eyes though went wide when a grin appeared on Zack's face, and that's when he realized something.
"Wha— you trick me!" Cloud shouted, smacking at Zack's shoulder who only laugh in response.
"Sorry, I couldn't help it. I just love to teasing you." That words and a grin was the only reply Cloud received, and he almost pouted in annoyed since Zack was teasing him.
Seriously, God knew how much Zack love teasing him.
"Who's the mean one?" Cloud glare, smack the other boy's shoulder again.
"Oh come on~" still with a wide grin on Zack's face, he pulled the smaller boy into a tight hug, ruffling the blonde hair with his right hand then. "I'm sorry, don't get mad at me, okay?"
Cloud almost closed his eyes when he felt that gentle touch and he almost wanted to snuggle closer to Zack's embrace. It was probably made out of his habit, he remember how he would always relaxed and comfortable whenever Zack pulled him into an embrace.
"…I'm not mad." Cloud muttered in reply, enjoying the warm of Zack's embrace.
Just like a sanctuary.
"Good!" Zack grin widely, pulling Cloud away gently as he ruffles the blonde's hair again. "Can I get a kiss?"
Cloud look at Zack wide eyes, he knew that Zack's only joking, but… still, it always manage to make him embarrassed. "Idiot. Pervert." He grunts, smacking Zack's thigh this time.
Zack laugh seeing the blush on Cloud's face, and he brought his hand to ruffle the blonde's hair once again. "Damn, you're so cute."
With a glare and blush, Cloud turn to look at the other, "No, I'm not."
"Yes you are."
"No I'm not."
"Yes you are."
"No I'm not."
"Oh you two are so adorable together." Cloud mother comment as she put the breakfast on the dining table, "If it possible, I want you two get married."
"Mom!" Cloud's eyes wide opened hearing that.
Mrs. Strife only chuckle, "I'm just kidding." She spoke, sitting on the chair then before announced, "Ok, come on you two. Breakfast ready."
"Oh yeah!" the raven hair boy exclaim excitedly, jumping out of the couch as he ran toward the dining table.
Cloud put a small smile on his face, shaking his head at how silly his friend's is before he joined Zack and his mother to eat his breakfast.
Fate are being unfair too Cloud Strife.
His life is ironic because fate had chosen his heart to fall for the wrong person, namely his best friend, Zack Fair, and what makes it much more ironic is because Zack only see him as best friend.
Cloud and Zack have been best friend since they were six. Up till now, even if they're best friend, they're completely different in other people eyes. Zack is very energetic, very friendly, good at sports and very popular, and because of his easy-going personality, lot of people likes him.
While Cloud is… well, he's just Cloud.
He nothing like Zack, and that's why everyone seeing him nothing but as Zack's shadow.
Many people think very little of him.
But Zack's different.
"You and I Cloud, are going to be best friend forever! Okay?"
Zack treated Cloud very nicely. When Cloud's being bullied, Zack would be there to protect him, and when Cloud's alone, Zack will always makes sure that he's with the blonde just to make sure that the boy didn't cry alone.
Now that time had passed and now they're in High School, spending every single day and every single minutes with Zack make Cloud realize something how inseparable they are, and noticed how his feeling toward the raven hair boy had changed into something stronger.
Love. Yes, that's how he felt about Zack.
It's very wrong to feel that way to your best friend, especially since they're both are boys. He didn't know whether he should be happy or not knowing that he's in love with Zack. He's happy when he's with Zack, but the more he spends his time with Zack, the more he realized things between them will never change.
They're just best friend.
Nothing would change between them.
"Hey Cloud?"
Cloud snapped out of his mind upon hearing Zack's voice, noticing that they're still in the same spot, namely at the rooftop of their school. "U-Uh, yeah?"
"What's up? You've been spacing out for quite a while, did you even listen what I said to you?" Zack asked, raising an eyebrow as he put a hand on Cloud's shoulder.
Cloud merely smile and shook his head. "I'm sorry… It's nothing. What we're talking about just now?"
Zack continue to stare at his friend, a concern look clearly shown on his face but he decides not to question again if Cloud told him that he was fine. "It's about Aerith."
"Oh." Was the only respond from Cloud and the boy have to look away to hide that look of disappointment and jealousy. Any topics that concern Aerith, or any other girls never become a pleasant topic for Cloud.
But hearing what Zack said to him next had crushed his heart. "You see…" Zack began, a wide and excited smile spread over his face, "We're finally going out! Just how cool is that?"
Cloud didn't respond, just staring blankly in front of him and continue to feel how his heart is broken, again, and again. "O-oh…" he finally manages to respond, and forced a smile formed on his lips when he look at Zack, "C-congratulation."
Zack looks back and Cloud was surprised hearing the boy's next words, "Why do I felt like you're saying that half-heartedly?"
It was no surprised how Zack could read Cloud like an open book after for a long time being together, and sometimes Cloud hates it when Zack could read him like that because he scared there might be other things that he couldn't hide from Zack in order to protect their relationship. But up till now, Zack seems unaware of his feeling to him, and Cloud didn't whether to felt relieve or sad.
"Why wouldn't I? You're my best friend Zack, if you're happy, then I should be happy." Cloud replied, faking another smile on his face.
"You know Cloud, you're not a good liar." Zack said, putting both his hand on each side of his hips as he stare down at his best friend who look away from him. "Okay, what's wrong with you? Are you not happy that I'm with Aerith?"
"…It's not that."
Another lie, and Zack was aware of it.
"Don't tell me…" Zack began, and Cloud look at Zack hesitantly, fearing that the raven hair boy had finally found out about his feeling to him.
"Don't tell me… you like Aerith as well?"
Cloud frowns, "No I'm not."
Zack studied the look on Cloud's face for a moment. Okay, he knew now that Cloud was saying the truth, but there's still something that make Cloud unhappy about him being together with Aerith, and he wanted to know what that was.
"Okay, then tell me what's on your mind." Zack said, crossing his arms in front of his chest this time.
And once again, Cloud look away from him. This is one of Cloud's habits when he was hiding something from Zack, and there's no way that Zack's not aware of it.
"Cloud."
"…It's nothing Zack, really."
"Cloud, plea—"
"I said it's nothing, okay?" Zack was taken aback when the blonde suddenly shouted at him like that, and this is makes him even concerned now that whatever it is Cloud trying to hide from him is something that really important to the blonde.
"Hey, I'm just asking… no need to be so mad at me." the raven hair boy spoke, ruffling the back of his hair. He didn't know why Cloud's being so mad so sudden, but he didn't like it when the blonde was upset, especially when he's upset at him.
"…I'm going back to class."
"What?"
"Please… just, leave me alone now." Was the last thing Cloud said to Zack before he disappear inside, ignoring the call of his name from Zack.
-XXXXXX-
When school was over, Cloud didn't go home with Zack like usual since he's not really in the mood for talking with Zack right now. Beside, Zack must be rather choose to walk home with Aerith now, since they're officially dating now.
Cloud didn't even greeted his mother when the woman called out a warm 'welcome home', he just went upstairs to his room and throw his school bag to the floor before dropped down to his bed quite forcefully, creating a loud squeak from the bed.
He lay on his side, doing nothing but staring into nothing for he didn't know how much times had passed. He didn't feel like doing anything at all.
It was frustrating.
Here he was, getting mad at his own best friend who probably didn't even bothered with him right now and probably just enjoying the company of his new girlfriend, while Cloud will only just laying here feeling how his heart clenched about the thought of Zack and Aerith.
It's very pathetic of him. He knew that Zack loves girls, he knew that Zack would never love him like the way he did, he knew that he should have just given up on Zack.
But his heart didn't allow him to do that, and that's why until now he only can secretly love Zack.
It can be very lonely somehow.
And he hates it.
A knock on his door is what makes Cloud startled from, and he turn his body over to cast a look of the door, "Yeah?"
"…Cloud. It's me." was the reply coming Zack who stood behind the closing door. Cloud was reluctant for allowing Zack came inside his room, he knew nothing what words would escape his lips if he saw Zack, and he didn't wanted to hurt Zack.
So he stay silent and came back to lie on his side, staring at the white wall in front of him.
"Cloud, please talk to me." Zack's voices sounded again, and hearing the almost the pleading tone on Zack's voice make Cloud had to think over whether he should let Zack came inside. But in the end, he decides to not answer.
"If you're not going to talk to me, at least I wanted to see you." Hearing that, Cloud felt how his heart beat to that, but he immediately tried to calm his heart. He don't need to get any false hope from the raven hair boy.
"I'm going in." Cloud have to cast a look at the door hearing that, and when the door started to opened, Cloud look away from the door and back to the wall again. Even when the sound of the door closed and the sound of footsteps drawing near to where he is, he still didn't budge and continue to stay silent.
The bed makes a creaking sound when Cloud felt a weight next to him, but he remains silent.
"Hey, Cloud." Zack called out, lying on the bed as well as he cast a look at the blonde who had his back to him. Cloud didn't respond to him and this is makes him sigh before he tried again, "Cloud…"
"…what?" Zack was a bit startled when Cloud finally respond to him, and he turn to the side, supporting himself with his elbow as he tried to get a look of Cloud's face, but the blonde turn his face further into the pillow, just so Zack couldn't see him.
"Cloud, come on. Look at me please." Zack almost whined, and he move closer to Cloud again, so close that the blonde could feel his breath on his ear.
Once again, Cloud's heart was beating again.
"What do you want?" Cloud grumbles, hoping that Zack would stay away from him so he didn't have to deal with his rapid heartbeat.
You love it though.
"I want you to look at me." Zack said as he put his hand over Cloud's waist who became a bit tensed feeling the contact.
But Cloud found himself soon relax at Zack's touch before he let out a sigh and turned to look at Zack. "There, happy?"
Zack chuckle before move closer to Cloud, and the next thing he said makes Cloud to frown. "I'm sorry."
"What are you apologizing for?"
"Don't know."
"Then why did you apologize for something you don't even know?"
"Don't know." Zack said again, shaking his head. But when he look down at Cloud in the eyes followed with the next things he say, Cloud felt himself blushing. "But, I don't like fighting about you."
Cloud look away from Zack's gaze, partly because he was blushing, another reason is because he was ashamed of himself. Zack was apologizing to him for something he didn't even know about just because he don't want to fight with Cloud, and Cloud's ashamed because Cloud's only thinking about himself while Zack here always thinking about Cloud.
What a bad best friend he you are, Cloud.
"…I'm sorry." With a whisper he turned to look at Zack who seems surprised by his sudden apologize. "I'm sorry for treating you that way earlier."
Cloud only felt how his heart racing inside his chest when Zack put a very genuine smile that Cloud always love to see, it was the kind of smile that Zack always gave to Cloud. "It's okay. You know I can't get mad at you."
Cloud smile in return and closed his eyes, snuggling a bit closer to Zack to rest his forehead against Zack's chest. "Thank you."
"It's fine." Zack replied, a smile of relieve spread over his lips knowing that Cloud's no longer feel upset. "We're best friend after all, right?"
This time Cloud's eyes were opened hearing that along with how he felt his heart break again hearing that.
Best friend, huh?
Cloud put a small smile, a sad one that is, and he more than relieved that Zack couldn't see him. "Yeah…" he began, closing his eyes again to inhale Zack's scent, "Best friend…"
I had decided to write a multi-chap story of Zack and Cloud, just because I wanted to showed how much I love them^^ *chuckle* This is the most adorable yaoi pairing ever XD *hanged*
I knew that I'm NOT the best person when it comes to write something and when it comes to English, so you'll find a lot of mistakes here. But writing really has become one of my hobbies, and I would be more than happy if you guys would review, since this is my first time writing multi-chap Zack and Cloud and your review will inspired me to write more.
Anyway, thank you for reading^^