Take These Chances

by kzam

Zack and Cloud meet at two very different points in their lives. It's only natural they fall in love at two different points as well.

1. Part One

Hey! So, someone requested I cross post this from my Ao3 account. Just a heads up for anyone who didn't read it over there - this fic is endgame Zack/Cloud, but it takes a long time for them to get together and there will be other pairings along the way. The story is about personal growth as much as it is about their eventual relationship.

Also, the story was written in 3 parts rather than true chapters. I broke down each part into 2 'chapters' so it would be a bit easier to read, but they're still pretty long.

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Part One

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It's just a get together, precious.

Cloud scowled at his phone, already suspicious. "Just a get together" sounded an awful lot like a going away party of some kind, and quite frankly, he wasn't interested. He'd politely declined Genesis' offer to throw him a graduation party, and he knew his friend too well—Genesis could only tolerate so many no thank you's before he took matters into his own hand and forced the issue.

Somehow he found himself outside of Seventh Heaven anyway, exhaling a long breath into the cool night air—watching as it dissipated around him. Nights like these were his favorite, just cold enough to see his breath, but not harsh enough to remind him of life back home.

It was a shame to spend it inside.

He ignored the closed sign readily displayed on the door, opening it and taking a single step inside. Arms were around him before he could take another, pulling him into a warm hug. The embrace was comfortable, and somewhat expected—but he'd figured it would happen later. Genesis normally got to him first when he actually showed up to things like this. Even in the crowd it was easy to spot the redhead over Tifa's shoulder, perched on a barstool and chatting away with his boyfriend at the bar.

Thankfully she wasn't done with him just yet.

"Cloud!"

"Tifa," he said back, rubbing her back before she pulled away to meet his eyes. "It's been a while."

"Too long," she responded, giving him the look as she raised a playful fist. "What're we gonna do about that?"

He put on an innocent smile. "Uh. Not hit me?"

The look disintegrated into a fond smile. "I'll let you off the hook this time. But really, no need to be a stranger. I missed you."

"Sorry," he replied lamely, adding a slight shrug to play it off like he didn't feel quite as guilty as he really did. Tifa was amazing—the perfect mix of feistiness and familiarity. The only person in the city he knew was also from his hometown. None of that made it easier to face her though. She'd come to the city and conquered her dreams before he'd even decided what his own dreams were. Even now he felt lost, despite the diploma he'd received from Midgar U just a few weeks ago. "I missed you, too."

She already knew—that much was obvious in her eyes. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Sure," Cloud agreed, perking up a little. A drink was exactly what he needed right now. He could feel Genesis' eyes on him, and knew it wouldn't be long before he was pulled into a frustrating conversation. A little liquid courage never hurt. "The usual?"

Another nod and she was off, quick to fetch a beer from her private stock. She slid it over to him as he approached the bar before moving on to refill a few drinks for some of the other people waiting for another. It went without saying that they'd talk later that night—she'd definitely whack him if he left without catching up at least a little.

"Glad you could make it, dear."

Cloud smiled a bit, taking a seat by Genesis' side. He raised his bottle, nodding in acknowledgment to both Genesis and his boyfriend before taking a sip. Thank Gaia for Tifa stocking Nibel ales just for the two of them. "Did I miss anything?"

"No, we only arrived a few minutes before you," Genesis explained shortly. "I wanted to invite some of your old classmates, but—"

"I reminded him of your request," Sephiroth interjected, a tiny smile on his face when the redhead rolled his eyes.

He had never appreciated Genesis' boyfriend as much as he did in that moment. "Thanks, Seph."

"Are you packed then?" the redhead asked, apparently not eager to fall into the amicable silence that usually ensued when Cloud and Sephiroth were in the same room.

It wasn't an awkward thing. Actually, he really liked Sephiroth's company, silent or otherwise. Sure, the man was dating his ex-boyfriend, but really…it wasn't like he and Genesis had ever been that serious. Their entire relationship had been more of an ill-advised romance than anything, ending amicably when it became clear that it wasn't headed anywhere. And that was ages ago, back when he had still been a freshman in college while Genesis was in his final year.

Somehow they'd stayed in touch over the years, Genesis apparently making it a personal mission to not only remain a close friend, but to look out for him as well—to be something of a mentor to the younger man, keeping him on track every time it felt like he was swerving off the road again. He probably would have dropped out of school by his third year without that support, too uncertain what he was even doing with his life…

"At least you'll have a degree when you're done. We can figure out the rest later."

And now that he had his degree, it felt an awful lot like "later" had arrived. Naturally the redhead was eager to follow through with his offer to help, having settled into a very grown-up lifestyle himself. The man had his dream job, a wonderful boyfriend, a house—and it wasn't just for the show of it. Genuinely, he was happy with where he was in his life. Something Cloud definitely envied. It made him feel so much younger and helpless in comparison.

"I was gonna finish packing tonight," he admitted, shaking the stray thoughts from his head.

"You leave tomorrow!"

"In the afternoon," Cloud replied, like it made a huge difference. "I can't bring much anyway."

"How long is your trip?" Sephiroth inquired, sipping at his own drink.

He shifted on his barstool. "Um. I haven't really decided. A few weeks maybe?"

"You have an open ticket, dear. Take your time—enjoy yourself," Genesis urged, his hand falling to Cloud's knee and giving a friendly squeeze.

"Trying to get rid of me?" It was meant to be a joke, but his tone wasn't quite light enough for it.

"Of course not," the redhead said indignantly. "I only meant that this is potentially a once in a lifetime opportunity. Who knows when you'll have time to travel to your heart's content again?"

"I don't really have gil to do too much," Cloud reminded him. Again. "A month would be pushing it. I should be job hunting, or—"

"When you get back," Genesis interjected firmly. "Don't spend another minute worrying about that. I want you to go and enjoy yourself. If you need anything, all you need to do is call me and I'll take care of it."

He made no effort to hide his eye roll. Yeah, Genesis was loaded—that was no secret. The man came from a pretty wealthy family, and was doing well for himself on top of that. That didn't mean he needed to pour his gil down the drain.

"It's not your responsibility to pay for me to go sightseeing," Cloud told him.

"You only agreed to this idea because I suggested it. That makes it at least partially my responsibility to ensure it goes well," he insisted smoothly, smirking when Cloud had no quick comeback. "And really, all I've done so far is buy you the boat tickets. It was hardly an expense."

"Consider it a graduation present," Sephiroth suggested.

He shook his head. "I'm paying you back."

"Absolutely not! I want you to go and enjoy yourself—don't waste another second thinking about anything other than the places you want to visit while you're gone."

And then it started. Sephiroth was well traveled himself, and ready to suggest a few places Cloud might be interested in seeing. Honestly, it all sounded great, and definitely something he was interested in…but part of the reason he'd let Genesis talk him into this ridiculous idea was because it was time to go and do something on his own.

He found his eyes wandering, not trying to be rude, but in desperate need of an out. Tifa was occupied, only stopping by to replace his drink with a smile. Most of the other people in the bar were strangers, a private party of some kind he assumed from the closed sign that had been on the door. It was something Tifa did from time to time, usually for neighboring businesses who put in the request with her.

AVALANCHE this time, he realized, spotting one of Genesis' oldest friends sitting in a booth. That explained why they'd decided to come here tonight despite not technically being part of the get together.

"I'm gonna go say hi to Angeal," Cloud declared, forcing a smile when Genesis gave him an exasperated look. He'd started adding on to Sephiroth's suggestions, which basically ended with the two boyfriends reminiscing with each other about their own travels. "See you guys in a bit."

They nodded, Genesis quick to add that he better not sneak out without saying goodbye, and then he was rounding the room. No need to cut through the small crowd, not that he was really worried about anyone random wanting to chat.

"Cloud!" Angeal smiled up warmly, gesturing for Cloud to take a seat across from him. There was no one else at his booth, but there were a few drinks and a couple platters of classic drinking food spread over the top.

He snatched a fry as he slid across from Angeal, returning the smile easily. "Hey."

"How are you?"

Angeal was still someone he considered a friend of a friend, but the man was just so damn kind and welcoming every time. Maybe they didn't talk in their free time, but that was something he actually wouldn't mind changing. It'd probably be easier now that he wasn't swamped with school work, he mused.

"I'm good, how's it going?"

"Pretty good. Congratulations, by the time," he tacked on, his smile growing. "Gen mentioned you graduated a couple weeks back. It must be a relief to be done!"

"You could say that," Cloud agreed, taking a long swig of his drink. "Is this some kind of work party for you?"

"Sort of. We have a few new staff members, so Barrett thought it'd be good to take them out. I wouldn't call it a party, but it's nice."

He whipped his head around, looking for the man Angeal mentioned. "Is he here? I didn't see him."

"Left early. His daughter wasn't feeling well," Angeal explained, causing Cloud to frown. Maybe he didn't know Barrett Wallace well, but the few times he'd run into the man had been pretty amusing. And all of them had been here, at Tifa's bar. They always ended up bickering somehow, but it was oddly enjoyable. "Should I let him know Spiky was looking for him?"

"You can let him know he still owes me a job!" Cloud joked, shaking his head at the idea of it.

Angeal chuckled as well. "I'm sure he'd give you one, if you were really interested."

"Nah. I'm headed out of town tomorrow anyway," he said, settling into a more serious tone.

"Gen mentioned that. Are you—"

The words were lost on his mouth, his attention turning to a man approaching their table. Cloud followed Angeal's gaze, eyes going wide at the sight in front of him. A tall man with the clearest blue eyes Cloud had ever seen, looking directly at him. He couldn't meet them for more than a moment, but he couldn't bring himself to look away either.

So he looked up and down instead.

Long legs fit into too-tight black jeans, stirring his imagination in all the right ways. A button up shirt not exactly buttoned up all the way, the top three undone and exposing what looked to be some seriously soft but toned skin. And wild black spikes that could rival his own crazy hair, long and free—practically begging to be tugged in the back…

"Hey," the man said, a knowing smirk on his face as Cloud's eyes snapped back up to his own. He winked at the blond's mortified expression before sliding into the booth right next to him. The mystery man reached over him without regard for personal space to snatch one of the drinks that had been left on the table. "Think this one's mine."

"Yeah, no problem," Cloud mumbled, looking over at Angeal imploringly.

Angeal was just smiling, realization striking him when he noticed Cloud's look. "Oh, right! This is Zack. He's one of the new staff I mentioned. Zack, this is Cloud."

Zack smiled at him, the bright look on his face only seeming to make him more attractive. A firm handshake had his heart racing, leaving him wishing the handsome stranger had sat by Angeal's side instead. How embarrassing…He could obviously tell that he was having some kind of effect on the blond, eyes lit with amusement.

"Nice to meet you. Do you work for AVALANCHE, orrrr?"

"Oh, no," Cloud replied quickly, laughing at the thought. Not that he would have minded working for the non-profit, and he probably had enough connections to get a job like Angeal had implied. It just wasn't on his radar right now. "I just know some of the people here."

"Cool. So what do you do then?" he asked, the brunt of his attention just nearly overwhelming. "Student still?"

"Just graduated," Cloud revealed slowly. "Midgar U."

"Nice! I went there too, but I've been done for a couple years," Zack said brightly. "Let me guess, some kinda art major?"

"Um, no," he said, arching an eyebrow. "Why would that be your guess?"

"Dunno. You've got kinda this persona, ya know?"

"Not really."

"Hm. Architecture?"

"…No," Cloud responded, laughing quietly this time.

Zack frowned. "It wasn't business, was it?"

"No. Why ask like it'd be a bad thing?"

"It's not. That's what I studied, is all. Woulda thought we'd run into each other if we frequented the same profs and all that," he explained quickly. "How about something medical? You'd be a cute nurse, yeah?"

Heat flooded his cheeks. "Um, no. Are you just gonna keep guessing?"

He shrugged. "Unless you just wanna tell me, but where's the fun in that?"

"I guess. You can keep going then."

Zack's smirk returned in a hurry. "History? You look like you'd appreciate something like that."

"I would, but…nope."

"I'm assuming nothing environmental, otherwise you wouldn't laugh at the idea of working with us," Zack said, drawing Cloud's attention back to Angeal. He felt a bit guilty, forgetting the man he'd come over here to speak with. Luckily he just looked amused by the whole exchange, nursing his drink as he listened in. "How about poli sci? Maybe you're into law and all that?"

"Nah."

"Man, you don't give anything away, do you?"

Cloud snorted. "You're the one who wanted to guess. I could just tell you if—"

"No, no, no! I'm like halfway through my guesses. Gimme three more."

He pursed his lips. "Fine."

"I'm thinking something more like drama now. Acting and all that. Maybe that's why I haven't figured it out yet!"

"No," the blond responded, laughing when his new acquaintance outright pouted. Those lips, too…well, they were nothing to laugh at. His eyes flickered back up to Zack's. "Want a hint at least?"

"Yeah, maybe. Unless it's a language? I kinda hear an accent on you."

"I'm not from around here," Cloud replied, a bit surprised. He'd lost his accent years ago. At least he'd thought so. "Definitely didn't major in any language."

"Huh. You'd better gimme that hint then."

"Well. I'm not very good at it."

Zack raised both brows. "That's the hint?" he clarified, chuckling when Cloud nodded. "Um. I dunno, you look like a man of many talents. How about…math?" He couldn't hold back a loud laugh, not even stopping when Zack feigned offense and gave his shoulder a playful whack. "C'mon! No one's good at math! It was a good guess."

"And your last one," Cloud reminded him, tsking as he shook his head. Zack just laughed himself, shrugging helplessly as he awaited the answer. "Communications. I, uh…well, I thought I wanted to do some stuff with journalism for a while. But it's mostly been a huge waste."

"Why's that?"

"It sounded cool at first—writing and reporting on everything. But I'm not great at talking to people I don't know, even if it's just scripted questions. Plus, the more I learned about the media, the less I wanted to do with it."

"I dunno, I think you're pretty good at talking to people you don't know," Zack said easily, his smile making it impossible to feel awkward about the whole thing. "Plus, it's not like that's the only thing you can do, so it's not a waste."

"Yeah. Just have to figure out something I'd actually want to do, I guess."

Zack just nodded, his expression softening. "That's definitely the hard part. I couldn't have made worse decisions when I graduated."

"What do you mean?"

He leaned in close, glancing around a bit before whispering conspiratorially, "My first job was with ShinRa."

Cloud's eyes went wide. Yeah, that definitely wasn't something to say loudly in a room filled with AVALANCHE staff. The non-profit was notoriously critical of ShinRa, the poster company for everything they hated—environmental fuck ups.

"Ang knows already," Zack said quietly. "He's been helping me keep it quiet and kinda mentoring me while I get used to my new position."

"It's probably a good thing you worked there. Something must've pushed you away, and now you get to do something about it."

"Yeah. Not everyone's so cool about it though, so maybe let's keep that between us."

"Of course. It's not like I'll be around anyway," he said, reminding himself just as much.

Zack studied his expression closely. "Why do I feel like you don't mean around any of my co-workers?"

"I mean, like…around Midgar." He frowned a little at his own words. Zack obviously looked a bit surprised, too. "I'm gonna do some traveling. I'm taking a boat out to Costa Del Sol, then making my way around the continent."

"What? That's awesome! What kinda places are gonna go see?"

"Pretty much everything I can fit in," Cloud explained, his excitement returning just by sitting near this man. Zack's enthusiasm was obviously contagious. "I'm thinking to do a few of the usual things—Cosmo Canyon, Gold Saucer, Rocket Town…I really wanna hit the Ancient Forest too, I think it'll be awesome."

"Yeah! Absolutely, you've gotta!"

"Yeah, but I also wanna just do my own thing, if that makes sense. I don't wanna just go and do the things everyone does."

"No, I get that. You should just hit up all the little towns on the way. Maybe rent a bird and just foot it for a while. I bet you'd run into all sorts of awesome places off the beaten path."

"I was thinking about something like that. My friends," he said, gesturing toward the bar where Genesis was now resting his head on Sephiroth's shoulder, "keep telling me about all these great places, but I dunno. Half the point in doing this is to just…go. You know?"

"Yeah. I wish I'd done something like that outta school instead of jumping right into work. Now I've got bills—I can't up and go for more than a week at a time."

"That's exactly why I wanna do it while I can. I don't really want to just grab whatever shitty job I can get and then get stuck."

"I hear ya. That's basically what I did—luckily I got out, but man. The stuff ShinRa does," Zack said, shaking his head. "I've gotta live with that on my conscience. That's half the reason I signed up with AVALANCHE instead of just finding another big business. Coulda made a ton more gil, but I really wanna do something good with my life."

"I want something like that," Cloud said, nodding along. "Something I care about. Not to say I don't care about the environment, but…I guess I'm still trying to figure it all out when it comes to work and stuff."

"Yeah. Nothing wrong with that—take some time, figure yourself out. Who knows? A few adventures and you might come back with a whole new outlook on life. Something'll catch your eye."

"That's what I'm hoping for," he admitted, a bit awed by the man in front of him.

How did this complete stranger know exactly what he needed to hear? All his life he'd been told he was hard to read—indifferent, even. Yet this man was looking at him with complete understanding, like he thought it was the most logical thing for someone to do in his situation. Even Genesis didn't really understand, and he was the one who'd made the offhand suggestion Cloud do this in the first place. It only became a serious thing when Cloud got caught up in the idea himself but didn't know how to fund the expensive boat rides between the two continents.

Zack continued with a few questions, mentioning his own limited travel experiences. Apparently he was from that continent as well, another country boy—he'd made a quick joke before suggesting Cloud swing down that way just to try food.

And then he just kept talking, so easily captivating all Cloud's attention. They were like old friends, seamlessly catching up after spending some time apart…except everything Zack was saying was new to him, exciting—and so was the way he was eager to respond, even spilling a few details about his own hometown which was absolutely not on his travel agenda.

"Yeah, my mom's going to meet me out in Rocket Town," Cloud explained vaguely, relieved when Zack didn't press him for the reasons. I don't really like the snow was his normal excuse when people asked why he didn't like visiting home, but that lie wasn't one he wanted to tell this time—not if he could avoid it.

"Are you going with anyone?" Zack asked at one point, eyes budding with curiosity.

He just shook his head. "I don't really know anyone who'd want to go, and even if I did…it's something I need to do alone."

Again Zack was nodding like he understood completely. "Yeah. That's the way to do it—get up every day and just roll with it. Do whatever you wanna do, no answering to anyone else. I'm kinda jealous to be honest! I'd be trying to go with you if I didn't just land this job."

Cloud blinked in surprise, a persistent flutter filling his stomach. "You're missing out. I'm gonna make the most of it."

"I really hope you do," Zack replied sincerely. He set his forgotten drink down, pulling his phone from his pocket after a quiet ding. "Oh, shit. I've gotta head out in a few." He scrolled through his messages, a deep frown etched on his face before looking back up to Cloud. "We should meet up before you go! I wanna hear more about your plans, yeah? Maybe we can do lunch or something."

Of course someone too good to be true would ask him out tonight of all nights. Handsome, funny, charismatic…His heart stopped for a moment, and he tried not to look too disappointed. "I'm leaving tomorrow."

The eager look on Zack's face faded, replaced by another frown. "Holy crap…Wow, that's soon. Why don't we exchange numbers? I'd love to hear about what you get up to while you're gone. Maybe you could message me or something, keep me updated?"

Yes. That sounded like a fantastic plan, so Cloud pulled out his own phone without hesitation. Zack promptly snatched it from his hands, punching in what Cloud assumed was his number.

"Alright! Sent myself a text too," Zack said, tacking on a wink as he returned the phone. "I hope you have an awesome trip."

"Yeah, me too."

"Seriously, I wanna hear all about it. And pictures! I may never get to go to some of those places, so I'll have to experience it all with you."

"Yeah, no problem," Cloud assured him.

Zack eyed his phone for another long minute before letting out a short sigh—his first all night. He definitely looked better when he was smiling brightly.

"I better go. My boyfriend gets grumpy when I get home too late. Something about not being able to sleep alone."

Boyfriend. Cloud felt his heart sinking, and was sure it was plastered on his face when Zack gave him a weak smile. A pity smile, maybe? Obviously he saw Cloud checking him out, and he must've noticed how Cloud was hanging on his every word throughout the conversation. It wasn't like Zack had been anything more than friendly though.

"See you around, I guess," Cloud said, a bit dumb and a bit illogical since he was leaving—but it brightened Zack up a bit, the dark haired man giving him a quick hair ruffle before sliding out of the booth.

He walked away with a small wave, not offering a proper goodbye. A moment later his phone lit up though, a message from Zack displayed on the screen. Don't forget Gongaga! As if he could forget such a ridiculous name…It wasn't actually on his must-visit list, but the thought brought the smile back to his face.

"He was cute."

Cloud blinked in surprise as Genesis slid into the seat that Angeal had apparently vacated at some point.

"I guess," he responded after a moment, sipping at his now warm drink.

"You're going to have to give me more than that, dear. It's been ages since I've seen you hit it off so well with someone," Genesis pressed, almost expectant.

"How do you know? You only really see me a couple times a week. I could hit it off with loads of people on campus."

The redhead raised a brow. "Yes, you could, but you've told me on more than one occasion you're not interested in making new friends. You've also made it quite clear you're not interested in a romance of any sort, which makes this all the more curious."

"How's that?"

"You were enraptured by him," the redhead accused. "I saw you blushing from the bar!"

"You were sitting there watching me talk to him?"

"Yes."

Cloud sighed. At least Genesis was honest about his craziness. "You're too nosy for your own good."

"If you'd open up of your own accord, I wouldn't need to be."

"He was really nice," Cloud admitted, crumbling under Genesis' pointed stare. "And yeah. Definitely good looking. But it doesn't matter. I'm leaving tomorrow, and—"

"And he'll be eager to see you when you return! I saw his face—he was equally intrigued by you."

"And he has a boyfriend," the blond finished. Normally he would've felt like it was some kind of victory, correcting one of Genesis' assumptions, but…not this time. "We did exchange numbers though. I think maybe we could be friends at least."

"That'd be nice," the redhead responded, the smile on his face seemingly pleasant—except that Cloud knew him, and knew it was forced. He was disappointed too, clearly. "You'll be meeting plenty of new people on your trip as well."

"Yeah. Tons."

"Were you planning to stay much longer? Sephiroth and I can give you a lift, if you'd like."

"Tifa might kill me if I don't hang out til she catches a break."

"Ah. That explains why she's headed this way then. We'll wait at the bar, yes? Just let us know when you're ready to leave."

"Thanks, Gen. For everything."

Genesis' expression softened. "You're quite welcome, dear."

xxxxx

One month turned into two, and then three into four. It definitely hadn't been a part of Cloud's plan, but he'd left without a plan, so it wasn't entirely shocking. Circling an entire continent took time, and there was just no way to make it to everywhere he had in mind unless he only spent a single day in any one location.

And as Zack had told him, where's the fun in that?

A day per location just wouldn't do, so he decided to take his damn time with the trip. When five months turned into six though, he knew it was time to get back to Midgar. His savings had been blown within the first two months, which made the whole experience a bit of a challenge. He'd actually taken a few odd jobs in his travels to keep his gil flowing, mostly deliveries while he was in between locations. There were so many expenses—sometimes he'd do some cleaning or maintenance in exchange for food or an inn room. Every day was its own unique experience.

But he'd done it. He'd succeeded on his own, getting to hit up every location he wanted without falling further into debt with Genesis or anyone else. That alone made it all worthwhile, and Zack's encouraging messages…

Well, those were nice too. Maybe he'd spent a night or two under the stars just to take pictures—it wasn't something easy to find in the big city, after all. A fellow country boy was bound to appreciate something like that. Those were just a few of many they exchanged.

From big name locations, to weird buildings, to unheard of town signs, to odd animals, to strange foods—he sent Zack pictures of everything, only to be encouraged to keep doing so. To be questioned about what he was doing that day, where he was headed next. It always kept him on his toes, wanting to do new and interesting things just to be able to say he did.

Usually Zack would send back a picture of his own—sometimes his desk, sometimes a pizza, sometimes a street. A stark contrast to whatever Cloud sent him, usually accompanied by words to live it up while he was away from the apparent monotony of life in Midgar. Sometimes he'd even call just to get the full story about a picture, making sure to remind Cloud how awesome it was and how lucky he was. The entire trip might've been cut five months short without the constant enthusiasm.

Are you here yet?

Cloud smiled down at his phone before typing out a quick reply, on the train still.

It felt weird being back in Midgar, two bags on his back and nowhere to call home. He'd been living in an off-campus apartment before his trip, and headed out the day his lease expired. Thankfully Genesis and Sephiroth had been great, offering to let him store what few things he couldn't bring along as well as giving him a place to crash until he was on his feet.

But Zack…Zack was the one meeting him at the train stop.

"Spike!" Barely three steps off the train and he was being pulled into Zack's arms, both of them laughing as his bags hit the concrete. "I'm so glad you're back, man. I was starting to think you were an imaginary friend!"

"You were the one who told me I couldn't come home without stopping in Gongaga. I would've been back two weeks ago otherwise."

"Yeah, but you got to taste my ma's spiced flower prongs, so it was worth it," Zack insisted, pulling back enough to send Cloud a clear look—eyes gleaming playful, but daring him to disagree.

It was hard to put on a fake indignant look when he was too caught up just looking at his friend for the first time in all these months. Sure, a few of the pictures sent had been selfies, but those were mostly ridiculous and hardly did Zack any justice.

Now wasn't the time to think about that though. The memory of their first meeting flooded his mind, paired with the embarrassment of being caught eyeing Zack up and down...yeah, that wasn't happening again. They were actual friends now, plus he was coming off of six months of independence and newfound confidence. He could play this off, no big deal.

"Eh…it was okay, I guess." His friend's jaw dropped until Cloud started laughing again. "I'm kidding! They were great. Thanks for that, by the way. I was definitely gonna run outta money if your parents hadn't let me crash there."

"Hey, no problem. I know you were kinda strapped for gil at the end, so it's not like I'd send you there and expect you to camp out."

"Again," Cloud added, thinking back fondly to the nights he did camp out just for the hell of it. "I'm gonna miss so much of that. The city's great, but when you're just out there it's so liberating. I still can't believe everything I did."

"I can," Zack responded easily. "Anyone brave enough to up and leave like you did definitely has the chops to make it under the stars for a night or two. And ya know, it's not like we hafta leave the continent to do that. Next time you wanna camp, sign me up—we'll leave the city and make a couple days of it."

Cloud arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah! I wouldn't offer if I didn't mean it."

"You do realize this is only the second time we've actually met, right?"

"Uh, you do realize we've been talking every day for the last six months, right?" Zack countered, a hand on his hip. He looked amused compared to Cloud's skeptical look. "Doesn't it kinda feel like we're gonna be friends for a long time?"

"Well, yeah. I hope we are."

"Me too," Zack agreed with a smile. "I'm not saying we gotta go right now, but just…whenever, right?"

"As long as your boyfriend doesn't mind you camping with some strange man."

Zack frowned. "You're not a strange man, and he knows we've been talking all this time. Plus, you'll prob'ly meet him soon anyway. He's been dying to see the face behind the pictures."

And it was Cloud's turn to frown. "You've been showing him the pictures I sent you?"

"Uh, well," Zack responded, hand on the back of his neck. "Not all of them. Sometimes he'd wonder why I was smiling at my phone so much, so, ya know. It was easier just to show him."

He nodded his head slowly, a weak smile on his face. It wasn't like he'd sent Zack anything private anyway, even if Zack had been the only one to get most of those pictures. And of course it made no sense for Zack to be vague or secretive about some harmless messages.

Of course he showed his boyfriend. No big deal.

"You okay?" Zack asked, bringing a hand back to Cloud's shoulder.

"Yeah, sorry," he said immediately, snapping out from his daze. "I guess I haven't slept a ton the last few days—I got sick on the boat, and then I was excited about getting back."

"Excited to see me?" the older man pressed with a bright smile.

"Eh. I guess."

Another laugh, and his sour mood was forgotten. "I was pretty excited too. Here, let me grab one of these," Zack offered, snatching one of Cloud's bags. "I wanna bring you to lunch. Or did you want me to bring you to Gen's first?"

"Lunch sounds good," Cloud decided, lifting up his second bag. "Pizza maybe? I haven't had any in six months, and someone kept sending me pictures."

"Don't act innocent! You sent me pictures of my ma's cooking. Pretty sure you win in the teasing department."

"Welllll, she might've sent me with something for you."

"Are they cookies?" Zack guessed, lighting up right away.

"I'm not supposed to tell you until I give you the package," Cloud said firmly, shaking his head. "You'll have to wait till we're done with lunch."

"Fiiine. I guess it'd be better if we started doing things in order anyway."

"What's that mean?"

"Well, you've already spent the night in my bed, and I haven't even brought you to lunch yet," Zack joked, a goofy smirk on his face.

"Right. It better be a good lunch too, otherwise I'm telling everyone about your SOLDIER sheets," Cloud warned, winking when Zack stared down in shock.

"Seriously? Ma still has those on the bed?"

"She said she didn't want to change anything in case you ever decided to go back home."

"Man…that's embarrassing."

"Not really, I'm kinda jealous actually—I would've rocked those sheets growing up. I mean, what's not to like? Superhumans with super powers, fighting off the threat of killer aliens. Everyone loved that show."

"Yeah, everyone except Lux, so maybe let's not mention those sheets when you meet him?"

Cloud laughed softly. "He hasn't seen them himself?"

"Uh, well. I haven't exactly made it back home in a while. School kept me busy, then getting a job…it's been kinda crazy, and Lux is in the same boat. When he has time, he swings out to see his own family."

"Right. Makes sense."

Their walk fell into a strange silence, unlike any that had occurred between them during any of their calls. Whether that was because their daily chats hadn't brought them as close as he'd thought or it was because Zack had brought up his boyfriend again…Well, Cloud wasn't sure. He hoped it wasn't the first one, at least. The second was something he'd just have to get over.

They didn't talk about Zack's boyfriend, Luxiere, very much during any of their chats. His name would come up from time to time, but that was it. Aside from knowing he actually worked for ShinRa still, the man was a bit of a mystery to Cloud. He could only assume Luxiere was wonderful—how else would he land someone like Zack?

"Hey," Zack muttered, giving him a quick nudge. Cloud looked up at him curiously. "You look really nice today."

Cloud blinked up at him, too baffled to blush. "I've barely slept, and I haven't showered in two days. I look and smell like shit."

Zack snorted, throwing his free arm around the blond's shoulders. "Doesn't matter, Spike. It's just really good to see you again."

"You too," Cloud admitted without a second thought. Zack's compliment actually made a bit of sense now, even if he wasn't in total agreement today. Hell, if Zack had bags under his eyes and unkempt hair, he was pretty sure he'd be saying the same thing just because it was so good to actually be seeing him in person after all this time. "You're kinda taller than I remember."

"Well, you're shorter than I remember," he countered with a wink.

"…I was sitting when we met—didn't stand once," Cloud huffed.

"Doesn't mean I didn't see you across the room. I noticed you right when you walked in and Tifa went in for a hug."

"You did?"

"Yeah. Pretty sure the whole room did—lots of people were waiting on drinks," Zack explained with a chuckle. "Wasn't expecting you to walk over to my table though."

"Ang…He's an old friend of Gen's," Cloud said, sure that Zack knew that much. He'd become pretty good friends with Angeal as far as Cloud knew, which meant he knew Genesis and Sephiroth by default. Genesis really was too nosy for his own good, always making sure to screen his friends' friends. "I went to say hi to him. I didn't even see you till you came back."

"Yeah, I went to the bathroom, then one of the guys from the office stopped me to say hey. I kinda blew him off when I saw you there."

Cloud was gawking by that point. "Why?"

"Uh, well. Don't take this the wrong way, but you kinda looked down, you know? Stressed or something," Zack started to explain, his smile too kind for it to sound offensive. "I dunno why, but I really wanted to cheer you up. I'm told I'm pretty good at it."

"…Is that what this is?" Cloud asked point blank, coming to a grinding halt. Zack's arm fell back to his side, and he looked a little lost when their eyes met. "That's why you've been messaging me all this time? To be nice?"

"What? No! That's not what I meant," he said quickly, chuckling at the idea of it. "That's why I said don't take it the wrong way. I mean, maybe for the first minute that was what I was thinking, but after that I just liked talking to you."

Cloud nodded, inclined to believe it. No one in their right mind would talk to someone for so long if they didn't actually want to, surely.

"Hey. We're friends, right?" Zack prompted gently. All he could do was muffle a yes before Zack was dropping his bag onto the sidewalk and pulling him firmly to his chest. The man seriously knew a thing or two about good hugs. "And you really do look great. Maybe shorter than I remembered, but you're still taller, you know?"

"Uhh…that doesn't make sense."

"We're gonna hafta spend a lot more time together, Spike. I thought we were on the same page—when I say you know, you're supposed to say yeah!" Zack teased, squeezing him once more before releasing him entirely. Cloud just stared up, rolling his eyes pointedly. "Taller like more confident. Seems like you came back a new person."

"You didn't really know me before I left."

"Yeah, but I'm still right, aren't I?"

Cloud considered it. "Yeah, actually. I didn't really have the massive life epiphany I was hoping for, but I do feel a lot more sure of myself."

"It shows," Zack told him. "And this is a fun day, Spike—no talking about epiphanies and all that. We can figure that out tomorrow."

"You mean figure out what I'm going to do with the rest of my life?"

"Yep. Not on the agenda today."

"Right. Tomorrow then—no big deal," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Zack just smirked. "Maybe we're on the same page after all."

xxxxx

Tomorrow had snowballed into the next week already, and Cloud could already feel a pattern beginning. Between catching up with Genesis and Sephiroth, visiting Tifa, and spending time with Zack there really just hadn't been time to buckle down—not to mention the few former classmates he'd run into. It felt like he was eating out every single meal, and then spending every night at the bar.

That didn't leave a lot of time for a job or apartment hunt.

"You're stressing too much," Zack told him with a friendly pat on the back. "You just got back. Give it a couple weeks, yeah?"

"Says the man with a job."

Zack's hands fell to his hips. "You're crashing at Gen's. Last I checked he said you could stay forever if you wanted."

"You checked?" Cloud asked, openly amused.

"Well, maybe I didn't check, but we're kind of tight knit now, you know? I spent a lotta time with him and Seph while you were gone," he reminded the blond. "Between them and Ang, we've got a good group. We'll make sure you're all set till you find something."

Cloud smiled at that. It was nice to hear Zack was getting along so well with two of his closest friends. It was extra motivation for him to spend more time with Angeal, too—they really could be the group Zack was describing. Making friends had never been his thing, but a small group of important people…that sounded appealing.

It was just a matter of balancing everyone on top of his job hunt.

"What're you thinking?" Zack prodded, eyes narrowed in thought as he watched Cloud.

"I'm thinking I don't get how you do it."

"Do what?"

"Find time for everything." He ran a hand through his hair, his stress levels rising again. "You've got a job, a boyfriend, old friends, new friends. It's a lot."

"Nah, not really. You've gotta think, a lot of my old ShinRa buddies aren't so happy with me right now," Zack admitted with a shrug. Cloud just frowned—it was their loss, clearly. How could anyone give up a friendship with someone like this? "I'm kinda learning to put more energy into where it counts."

"What's that mean?"

"Being nice to everyone, but only really putting time into the people who matter," he replied, grinning when Cloud's expression softened. "Including you. I stretched myself thin at ShinRa, and what'd it get me? A buncha people who got pissed at me when I left. Lux is the only one who stuck with me through that."

"They're crazy for holding it against you."

"Yeah, but it is what it is. I learned a good lesson, and I'm a much better judge of character now."

"Oh really?"

"Heck yeah, why else do you think I've been hangin' around you so much?"

Cloud elbowed him from across the center console. "You told me it was for my good looks."

"Well, duh, that too," Zack agreed with a chuckle, elbowing him back. "But we were talking every day without even seeing each other while you were gone. There's a good vibe between us."

"Yeah, I don't really click with people that often," Cloud admitted, sure he'd told Zack as much by now. "It's weird, I just wanna spend all my time with you guys lately. I've never been that way. The last few years it was school first, people second. If I didn't have time to hang out, oh well."

"No wonder you're into it now then—it's the first break you've had since growing up," Zack said, like it was somehow the most sensible thing in the world. "Now c'mon, let's go!"

"Can we at least talk about what kind of job I should get?"

"Nope. You're thinking too much! Let it come to you naturally, otherwise you'll end up somewhere lame like ShinRa and regret it."

"Where are we even going?" Cloud asked, letting himself be lead out to Zack's car—an energy efficient model that he only used when they were going somewhere out of walking or biking distance. The bundles in the back seat caught his eye right away. "…Is that a sword?"

"You're ruining the surprise!"

"Why do you have—"

Zack narrowed his eyes, but whatever annoyed effect he was going for just wasn't there—the twitch at the corner of his mouth was an easy giveaway. "Remember how you got to do all those awesome things, but there was one you missed out on in the Gold Saucer?" he asked, starting the car and pulling out of Genesis' driveway without pause.

"…I ran out of gil before I got enough points for a sword lesson."

It was an oddball thing he'd heard about while he was there, and he hadn't even thought about it since moving onto the next part of his trip.

Apparently there was a man who knew the ultimate sword technique, and he'd give out lessons in exchange for battle points. That was basically a currency system obtained from winning a silly fighting game—a video game, basically, which Cloud was pretty good at. It came down to eating or playing though, and that had been a pretty common sense decision at the time.

"How'd you even remember that?" he asked, eyes blown wide as he stared into Zack's.

"Uh because you didn't even really wanna go to the Gold Saucer, but then you spent a full week there trying to get that lesson once you found out about it," Zack told him with a grin.

He laughed, mostly at himself and the memory of his impulsive travel decisions. "Yeah…If I'd had another couple hundred gil, I definitely woulda gotten it."

Instead he'd gotten some silly souvenirs, including the chocobo bobble head he'd gifted Zack upon his return. Not nearly as cool as a sword lesson, but worth it when he thought about the happiness on his friend's face as he tapped the thing's head and aww'd about how cute it was.

"Well, I dunno about any ultimate techniques here in Midgar, but I know a guy who knows a little of everything. He sent me the address to a place that does cheap lessons—standard stuff, but I thought it'd be fun for us."

"Wow," Cloud breathed, not sure if it even came out.

"I figured we could see how it goes," Zack explained with a shrug. "If we like it, we can look into something more advanced maybe. And if we suck, then we get to laugh at each other. Win-win!"

Cloud was already laughing. "Uh, if you say so. Don't be surprised when I kick your ass though."

"You're a beginner, right?"

"Yeah, but I'm pretty good at things like this."

"I'll bet—handling those Nibel wolves with sticks when you were a kid!"

"Yeah, I was kidding when I told you that," Cloud broke the news to him, putting a hand on his shoulder when he let out a fake gasp. "Sorry."

"I can't believe you lied to me." So dramatic—almost as dramatic as Genesis, except Zack was bad at hiding his amusement. "I think it'll be a pretty even match either way."

Cloud found himself eyeing the bundles in the back seat a bit more curiously. "You've done this before?"

"Nah. I got that stuff for us. They rent out practice gear where we're going, but my buddy said it'd be cheaper in the long run to have our own."

"So you're banking on the fact we're doing this more than once?"

"Yep! I mean, we can't do snow sports or water sports or half the cool stuff you got to do on your trip—but we can do this whenever we want! Even if we don't like this place, I'm sure we can find another."

What in Gaia did he do to deserve such an amazing friend?

He didn't bother asking Zack, sure his friend would eventually grow tired of answer what he deemed to be silly questions. Instead he just gave into his own excitement, genuinely thrilled by what they were doing. Sword lessons…who took sword lessons these days? It was going to be awesome!

"Tifa's been bugging me for years about self-defense," Cloud was saying, much to Zack's amusement. "Don't laugh, she could kick both our asses barehanded!"

"Hey, I believe it. She's a tough lady."

"She trained under this master back in Nibelheim," he explained with reminiscent smile. "I tried too, but it didn't work out so well. I barely made it past the beginner levels."

"So now you've got something to prove, huh?"

"Eh, kinda. Mostly I wanted to do something like this for fun. It's not like I'll be walking around the city with a sword anyway."

"Yeah, but they say just knowing the motions of it all helps a lot if you ever get into a fight or whatever," Zack said, each word more enthusiastic than the last. "Not that we get into fights, but that's not the point!"

"Yeah, it's good for more than that, too. Discipline and all that," Cloud remembered—and who knew? Maybe it'd help him clear his head more. "It's probably a good work out."

Zack was nodding, opening his mouth to say something before he started looking around more carefully. "I think this is it!"

And with that, Cloud nearly got whiplash—Zack turned abruptly into a parking lot, a wide grin on his face.

Cloud looked around, not really recognizing anything in the area—it was just a small, random plaza as far as he could tell. A book store, a tattoo shop, a quick loan center, and something called Masamune, which Cloud could only assume was their destination. The sign was an elegant silver, with fancy black lettering and a long, intricate katana underlining the word.

"It's the name of some legendary sword or something," Zack said, drawing Cloud's attention back.

That was when it really began to sink in.

"I can't believe we're doing this."

"I can! It's gonna be great!"

"Who actually does things like this?"

"Uh, we do, because we're awesome. Now c'mon, let's head in. We've only got like ten minutes to get changed before our lesson's supposed to start!"

He didn't have to say it again, Cloud hopping out and helping him carry in one of the two bags that had been lying on his backseat. It wasn't particularly heavy—just an awkward shape.

"What's in here?"

"Just a change of clothes, some safety gear, and a practice sword," Zack replied easily. "For each of us."

"You didn't have to get me—"

"I know," Zack interjected with a wink. "Gen actually stole the clothes for me to pack, so they're yours anyway. The rest you can consider a welcome home present. And a thank you."

"A thank you?"

"Yeah. I've always wanted to do stuff like this, but I never got around to it. You kinda inspired me to just go for it, and I really wouldn't wanna be here with anyone else."

The compliment filled him with warmth as he met Zack's eyes again—so serious for once. As much as it suited him, Cloud preferred when those eyes were lit up with amusement.

"In that case, I'll try to take it easy on you this one time," the blond deadpanned.

His words had an immediate effect, a fun yet competitive gleam taking over Zack's expression as he proclaimed, "Those are fighting words, Spike! You're gonna be wishing I was the one going easy!"

xxxxx

Two months later, and still no massive life epiphany.

Thankfully he'd gotten a job, even if it was one he could've had without four years of school. Tifa was happy for the extra help around Seventh Heaven, and had no problem with it being a temporary position for Cloud. Six months abroad had improved his people skills to the point where he knew how to fake it at least, so the tips weren't bad. He'd made enough to pay Genesis back within the first month, and was ready to move out by the middle of the second.

Angeal was apparently looking to rent out the second room in his apartment, which worked out perfectly since Cloud wasn't ready for a place of his own just yet. It was kind of obvious Angeal didn't really need help with rent or anything, as he'd been living in the same apartment by himself for a couple years, but when he mentioned maybe looking for someone just to cut down on expenses? Cloud was happy to take the bait and be that someone.

As nice as it was living with a happy couple, it definitely felt like he'd hit the point where he was imposing—his income was high enough for him to be paying them rent, which they refused to accept. At least Angeal would let him pay some bills in exchange for doing Cloud such a big favor.

Plus, he really had been meaning to get to know the man a little better. They weren't quite there yet, but it felt like they made more progress by the day. Why he'd been so against making friends in college was beyond him, but it felt like things were headed in a better direction overall since his return.

"You're sure you have no interest in AVALANCHE?" Angeal asked, and not for the first time.

Cloud just chuckled the way he always did at that question. "It's basically the only thing I'm sure about."

"Why though? If that's okay to ask."

"Don't get me wrong, I think you guys do great work. And really, I'm all about doing things the eco-friendly way," Cloud said hastily. "Gen and Seph both offered to give me jobs too, and I really appreciate everyone's support. I just…I need to find my own path. Tifa's cool with helping me out short term, but if I accepted a job from AVALANCHE, I'd feel bad leaving when I found something else."

"That makes sense," Angeal assured him. "You probably make a comparable salary with tips anyway. I've seen you in action at the bar."

Cloud snorted. "Uh, right."

"What? People seem to like you."

"That's one way to put it," Cloud replied with a shrug.

"How would you put it?"

"I'd say I'm better at small talk than I used to be, which is something pretty standard for anyone else. It's not that anyone likes me in particular."

"Zack seems to," Angeal replied, brows furrowed.

"Um. Yeah, he's a good friend."

"We went to the bar a couple times during your trip," Angeal said conversationally. "Now he goes a couple times a week. Only on nights you're working."

"Well, you know Zack. He loves some good small talk."

"Ah. You must be better than standard then."

Cloud held Angeal's gaze evenly. There was a look on it—he obviously was implying exactly what Cloud thought he might be. But there was no judgment. If anything he looked concerned.

"He spoke about you a lot while you were gone," Angeal added carefully. "All good things."

"We're friends."

"Cloud—"

"I know. He has a boyfriend, and that's fine," Cloud said, cringing at the sympathetic shift in Angeal's features. "Seriously, it's no big deal."

"I haven't known him much longer than you, but he's my friend too. He tells me things."

"About me?"

"Well, yes. He always has nice things to say about you. That's not what I meant though. His boyfriend—Luxiere. They've been arguing."

Cloud frowned. Zack definitely hadn't mentioned that, but really, they just didn't talk about Luxiere. It wasn't like they avoided the subject, it was more they got too caught up in other things when they were hanging out together. "Why're you telling me this?"

"I don't know," Angeal admitted, his frown deepening. "It wouldn't be appropriate to pursue him while he's in a relationship."

"I'm not planning to."

"But if he's unhappy…"

"Ang. They've been together for years. Since they were sophomores in college! You don't stay with someone that long if you're unhappy."

"People can change as they grow up. Zack in particular is going through a lot of changes still."

"Couples argue. That doesn't mean anything."

"I know. You're right. I just see you two together sometimes and I see how happy you make each other—I wish I had someone like that in my life."

"You wish you were falling for someone who's in love with someone else?"

"So you do feel something for him," Angeal concluded, effectively dodging Cloud's question.

"It's not…I'm not going to do anything about it," Cloud insisted simply. There was no point in trying to outright deny his feelings. "I'm not that kind of person."

"I know. I just wanted to tell you I'd noticed, and that it's okay if you need to talk to someone. I know Genesis probably isn't the easiest to open up to about things like this."

Cloud snorted. "Because we dated?"

"Because he treats it like gossip until he decides it's serious enough to warrant a serious response," Angeal corrected.

"You might have a point there."

"Zack's not your only other friend, is all I meant. I know you have Tifa, and I know you and Sephiroth get along well, but we're living together now. You can talk to me if you need someone to lend an ear."

Maybe it should have felt awkward, but it was actually just really nice. "Thanks. And you know, you can talk to me too. Gen mentioned he thought you were interested in some flower girl?"

Angeal laughed softly. "That's what I mean. He jumps to conclusions and then treats it like gossip."

"I won't," Cloud promised, a tiny smile on his face.

"Thank you," Angeal said, that same smile on his face. "I don't have anything to say just yet, but I'll keep your offer in mind."

"Yeah, I don't either. But you know, I'm about to go meet Luxiere with Zack, so that might change later," he confessed, heart slumping at the thought.

He'd been putting it off since returning from his trip, begging Tifa for extra shifts just to have an excuse at some points. But his friendship with Zack was starting to mean too much to him, and a good friend would at least meet the guy their friend was in a relationship with.

Angeal seemed to sense his discomfort, concern etched onto his face. "Are you doing anything special?"

"I'm going to their place. They're cooking me dinner, I guess."

"Well, the offer stands. I'll be here tonight if you want to talk about it."

"Yeah, cool," he agreed, grabbing his phone from the coffee table when it started vibrating. He eyed it for a moment before looking to Angeal. "Zack's waiting outside. I'll see you later."

"I hope it goes well."

Cloud muttered another thank you, grateful to have someone in his corner going into this. It wouldn't be bad. Worst case scenario, the man who snagged Zack Fair was every bit as amazing as Zack deserved. And really, that wasn't a bad thing. Best case scenario, Luxiere was not only awesome, but he would hit it off with Cloud too.

That'd make things easier. Probably.

Zack was already rounding the car, giving Cloud a quick once over before pulling him for what had become their standard greeting—a warm, consuming hug. "Hey, Spike. Looking good tonight! You didn't hafta dress up for me."

Cloud arched an eyebrow, glancing down at himself to make sure he was wearing what he thought he was. Sure enough, it was the same white t-shirt and jeans he thought, and it was pretty much a variation of what he wore most of his off days. Maybe the jeans were tight in all the best places, and maybe the shirt hung off his small frame just right…but that was just a good fit. Definitely nothing special.

"Who says I dressed up for you? Maybe I just wanna impress your boyfriend."

"Well, it's prob'ly gonna work. No complaining when he can't take his eyes off your ass."

"Uh. I'm going to be sitting," Cloud reminded him, amused. "Unless our plans changed?"

"Hey, maybe we eat standing up at my place."

Cloud slid into the passenger seat, eyes gleaming with amusement as Zack tried to look serious—it wasn't working. "I'd rather sit on the floor than let your boyfriend gawk at my ass all night."

"As long as I get to sit by you," Zack responded, finally cracking a smirk as he started the car.

…It was nearly too much, Zack's constant compliments and off-hand flirts. Obviously his friend was just teasing, and it wasn't like Cloud was the only person Zack treated that way. But really, it was getting harder and harder to act casually about it—to play it off or dish it right back like it was nothing.

But it was nothing, so that was what he had to do. He shrugged with all the indifference he could muster, "Eh, we'll see. I may wanna sit with him."

Zack just snorted, his big smirk not fading as he set right into the next topic. It was always like that with Zack. They'd flirt a bit, Cloud would play along before putting up a sarcastic wall at some point, and then Zack would just transition right into another topic seamlessly—all teasing forgotten.

And he was so good at it, too. How could someone make a story about going to the grocery store to pick up the tomatoes he'd forgotten sound so damn interesting? The way he was waving at least one hand at all times, his other on the wheel, and the way he would laugh at his own story, glancing over at Cloud during all the best parts…which, why were there so many good parts to this story? Grocery stores weren't that interesting.

Zack Fair was really something else.

"What're you smiling at?" his friend asked finally, sparing just one more glance before his eyes were back on the road.

"You're kind of a dork," Cloud replied simply, laughing at the shocked noise he got in response. "I mean that in the best possible way."

"Good, because I pretty much decided it was a compliment," Zack said decisively, grinning as they arrived at Zack's apartment building. He'd been there before on more than one occasion, just not while Luxiere was home. "So hey, before we go in…"

His hand froze before releasing his seatbelt, attention locked on his friend. "Yeah?"

"Lux is kinda…well, just give him a chance. For me."

"I'm here, aren't I?" Cloud countered, cocking an eyebrow. Zack just nodded, looking a bit too uncomfortable. "What's wrong? He's your boyfriend, he can't be that bad."

"First impressions aren't his thing," Zack explained, his word choice slow and careful—very unlike his usual quick, carefree flow. "He's really great once you get to know him."

"And that's what you want?"

"Yeah, of course. Feels like we're hanging out all the time lately, and I want it to stay that way. I mean, I'm gonna hang out with you anyway—it'd just be easier if you were friends with both of us, you know?"

"Yeah. Makes sense. To be honest though, I think you've got it backwards."

"Huh?"

"Uh, first impressions aren't my strong suit either. It's not like he's some dude in a bar and I can just smile and ask how it's going without really caring. This is different. He's important to you, which makes him important to me."

Zack was positively beaming. "Spike, trust me, you make a great first impression. The best!"

He was sure his face was red as he scowled. "We both know that's not true. Or did you forget why you wanted to talk to me in the first place?"

"Did you forget that I couldn't get enough of you after that? Still can't, really. I talk to a lot of people, Spike, but I don't become good friends with just anyone. Trust me, he's the one who I'm worried about here. You're gonna be great."

Cloud bit back his skepticism, just nodding instead. "We should go in."

"Yeah, dinner's probably done by now."

They hopped out of the car together, both lost in their own thoughts as they walked into the building and up the stairs. Zack was a few steps ahead, and Cloud couldn't help noticing how tense his posture was with every step. If he didn't know any better, he'd have thought Zack was actually nervous about all this. But really, he wasn't the one meeting anyone new. He was probably the one who'd take over the conversation if there were awkward pauses, but that was basically the most natural thing for someone as charismatic as Zack.

"Ready?" he asked, hand on the door knob as he peering back at Cloud.

All he could do was force a smile, his own nerves piling up rapidly. "Yeah. Let's go, I'm hungry."

"Pffft. That's what all this is about, huh?" Zack shot back, loosening up as he opened the door. "You just wanted to come for the free food."

"You caught me. I'm not one to turn down free food."

"Must be nice living with Ang then. I swear, every day he comes in with a packed lunch for me."

"He cooks in bulk," Cloud explained with a shrug. "He'll make a ton on the weekend, then portion it out for the week. There's always too much."

"Sounds like you hit the roommate jackpot to me."

Cloud laughed as he agreed, Zack's smirk keeping the mood effortlessly light.

For a moment it made him forget what was happening. It was like he was walking into Zack's place any other time—to hang out, eat, maybe watch a movie…Maybe he'd fall asleep with his head on Zack's shoulder, only to wake up and make one too many apologies while Zack laughed at him and told him it was no big deal. It was practically standard now.

A man stepping into his peripheral caught his attention though, rapidly reminding him that it wasn't that kind of night. And no, his heart didn't sink when Zack walked up to give him a quick kiss. And it didn't ache in his chest when their fingers interlocked. Why would it? They were a couple, that was how they were supposed to act.

He only needed to tell himself that a few times before it sunk in that it really didn't matter if it was painful to witness. Either way he had to deal with it.

"So, this is Cloud," Zack introduced, the man by his side extending his one free hand toward the blond. Cloud shook it politely, an awkward smile on his face as the man gave him a quick once over. "Cloud, this is my boyfriend, Luxiere."

"Nice to meet you," Cloud said automatically, the same words echoed back.

He might've given Luxiere a once over too, but that was mostly just out of surprise. He was no Zack Fair, but he was pretty good looking—almost as tall as Zack, too. That wasn't a shock though. What caught Cloud off guard was the neatly combed hair, the black business slacks, and the tucked in blue button up. If Zack hadn't looked like he'd gotten up and thrown on whatever, Cloud would've been sure he was underdressed for this dinner.

"Hey, why don't you guys sit down and I'll get you some drinks," Zack suggested, a grin on his face as both men nodded agreeably.

He kissed Luxiere on the cheek before headed into the kitchen, leaving Cloud alone with his boyfriend. And yeah. There was no point in denying the tension he felt immediately, their only connection gone from the room.

"So," Luxiere began, taking a seat in one of the comfy recliners in their living room. His legs were crossed, and hands folded on his knee. "You're the one Zack's been raving about."

Cloud blinked in surprise, sitting where he usually sat—in the middle of the couch. "Apparently," he responded, not needing to force a smile this time. Thankfully he knew exactly the right thing to say next. "He talks about you all the time, too. It's nice to finally meet you."

There. That was the polite (albeit not totally true) thing to say. Definitely better than admitting his name barely came up in any of their conversations. He tried not to frown at the thought that maybe Luxiere was just being polite too. Maybe Zack never talked about him either.

Luxiere just gave a hmph in response, indifferent sounding.

"How's work?" Cloud asked, his fall back subject for the evening. Probably bad that he was falling on it already, but hopefully Zack wouldn't leave them alone again. Luxiere working for ShinRa was one of the few facts he knew about the man. "Zack said you got a promotion recently?"

"That's right. I was moved to a new department—we call it our Crisis Core," Luxiere explained with a hint of pride. "We handle bad publicity, spinning it around to keep the company successful. It's one of the company's most important departments."

"I can imagine," Cloud responded without much thought. "They must keep you busy."

The words were out before he could take them back, but he bit his tongue anyway. His talk about work plan was supposed to be filled with easy questions and light compliments. Nowhere in this conversation was he supposed to indicate how he felt about ShinRa.

Luxiere arched a brow, his expression unreadable. "And you work in a bar?"

"Uh. Yeah, actually. My friend's the owner, so she hooked me up with a job."

"Maybe you've been spending too much time with Zack then."

He could feel the color draining from his face. "…What do you mean?"

"Zack's become something of an extremist since he started working for AVALANCHE," he replied with a shrug. "No need for that attitude to rub off on a bartender."

Cloud scoffed. "I can't care about the environment because I work in a bar?"

"Well, you're not exactly in a position where you have access to all the facts, are you? You should do some research before blindly agreeing with Zack."

He was sure he was about to say something he'd regret, but thankfully they were interrupted. Zack was practically rushing back into the room, a grin on his face as he handed Cloud a beer. Then he perched on the arm rest of Luxiere's chair, handing his boyfriend one after stealing a sip.

"Sorry it took so long," he said, glancing between the two. "Ang called from the office."

"Let me guess. He needs you to pull extra hours again," Luxiere grumbled, his arm curling around Zack's waist.

"Yeah, tomorrow though," Zack explained with a shrug.

Angeal…who had been home when Cloud left their apartment. He sent Zack a curious look, but didn't bother asking. Maybe Angeal had gotten called in himself—it wouldn't be the first time.

"They really need to start paying you when you pull overtime," Luxiere said firmly.

"Uh, they do," Zack countered. "It's kinda the law. I don't work for free."

"And those events on the weekend?"

"That's volunteer work—not mandatory. AVALANCHE doesn't even run most of those."

"No, but it's highly encouraged, isn't it? I bet your boss wouldn't be so happy with you if you didn't go."

"Not true. He doesn't even go half the time."

He was so adamant. Cloud shifted uncomfortably where he sat, not sure what to say or do. This wasn't a side of Zack he was familiar with. Passionate Zack ranting about something he cared about? Sure. That wasn't what this was though. They were bickering, and clearly it wasn't the first time they'd gone through this particular debate. Luxiere was firing back about how at least ShinRa compensates its employees properly, Zack was insisting it wasn't about the money…

"Maybe we should talk about something else?" Cloud offered, jumping in at the first pause between the two.

Guilt washed over Zack's features while Luxiere still seemed indifferent about the whole thing. "Sorry, Spike. You're right. Why don't we eat? Everything's ready."

"Sounds good," he agreed, a bit too eager maybe.

The uneasiness in the room only followed them, even when they were seated and had food in front of them. Zack had been joking about sitting by him, of course, taking the chair at Luxiere's side instead. It made it easier for him to hold Zack's gaze during conversation at least, but he had to sip at his drink and pretend not to notice when one of Zack's hand dropped under the table. On Luxiere's knee maybe, offering a silent apology? Whatever it was, it wiped some of the irritation off the man's face. The rest faded when Luxiere caught one of Zack's bright smiles.

Apparently he wasn't the only one who couldn't resist smiling back when Zack was looking like that.

"So, are you seeing anyone, Cloud?" Luxiere asked, pulling both their attention.

"Oh, uh. No," he answered, hoping he wasn't poking at his pasta too irritably. This wasn't exactly is favorite subject. "No one serious."

"Holding out for someone special?"

His eyes snapped up, wide with worry. "No, definitely not."

"That's a bit odd, isn't it? You're an attractive young man. There must be someone who's caught your eye."

"Lux, if he doesn't wanna talk about it—"

"No, it's fine," Cloud cut in, not needing them to start bickering again. "I don't mind. I'm just focusing on myself right now. Getting on track and all that."

"Coming off a bad break up, then?"

Wow this man was persistent. "No, definitely not. My last boyfriend is one of my best friends now."

"Who's that?" Zack asked curiously.

"Um. Gen, actually," he replied, a bit surprised Zack didn't know that already. Surely it'd come up by now. Judging by the look on his face though, he had no idea. "It was a long time ago. I was a freshman in college."

"That's so weird! I can't picture the two of you together," Zack said, chuckling at the thought.

"It never got that serious. I mean, we were together for most the year, but…"

"But what?" his friend prompted gently.

"But we wanted different things."

His eyes were imploring, silently begging Zack not to ask the next question. It would sound much more dramatic and nonsensical than it actually was, and there was no good way to explain it. Thankfully Zack seemed to understand, giving a quick nod. Luxiere didn't look particularly curious himself, falling back to that unreadable expression he'd worn most the night so far.

It was time to take back control of the conversation. Small talk. He could handle this.

"Did you go to Midgar U, too?" Cloud asked, directing his attention to Luxiere.

"Yes. Didn't Zack tell you? We met there, during our freshmen year. It really doesn't seem that long ago."

"Oh. Cool," he said…or grumbled. It was hard to tell. "Business major?"

"Of course. ShinRa has a selective hiring process."

Cloud tried not to snort, but was mostly unsuccessful. "Guess we won't be co-workers anytime soon."

"No, we won't," Luxiere agreed, looking a bit too smug for someone saying something Cloud could obviously care less about. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to use the rest room."

No one said a word as he left the room, Luxiere only pausing to smile back at Zack. Cloud could see how stiff his friend's shoulders were—he knew he was doing a bad job at making this go smoothly.

"He's great," the blond said, jumping the gun before Zack could ask him to try harder. "I almost wish I'd been a business major, I bet working with him would be loads of fun."

Zack laughed uneasily. "Spike…"

"What? I'm serious. But hey, since I'm not applying to ShinRa anytime soon, I'll just figure out another way to get to know him better."

"Yeah?" Zack asked, arching an eyebrow.

He smiled. "Yeah. Of course."

"I know you're just saying that for me. I'm not oblivious—this isn't going well."

"I'm trying."

"Hey, you're doing great. I just…remember what I said about first impressions. He really is a great guy, and I know you'll like him after a while."

"Remember what I said," Cloud shot back with a shrug. "I have no problem with him."

"He'll warm up to you soon. I think you're just cuter than he was expecting."

"Uh, what?"

"Well, I mighta forgotten to mention it to him. Didn't seem relevant."

"I thought you showed him pictures from my trip."

"Uh, pictures of stuff, not pictures of you. Those are just for me," Zack said with a wink.

"Yeah, well, you have plenty of good looking friends. I don't see what the big deal is."

"Eh, I don't either," Zack admitted, hand on the back of his neck. "He'll get over it when he sees how things are with you and me. Just follow my lead, yeah? You guys have tons in common, so I'll keep us on those subjects."

"Um. Yeah, sure."

"And don't think you're off the hook either," he warned, wagging a finger in a way that Cloud just couldn't take seriously. "I wanna hear all about you and Gen. I still can't believe that!"

"There's not much to say."

"I still wanna know."

"I might wanna know how Ang called you from the office when he told me he'd be home all night," Cloud countered, raising both brows.

"I made it up," he confessed, like it was nothing. "I needed an excuse to stay outta the room so you guys could talk alone. I came in when it sounded like it wasn't going well."

"Right. And you made up working extra hours?"

"No, I really am doing that! We just planned that a few days ago. Now it's your turn."

"It's a long story," Cloud said, sending him a look.

"You're the one who said there wasn't much to say."

"There's not, but I'd rather not go into it till we're alone."

"We're alone right now," Zack responded—and it really felt like it, when their eyes met. But alone for a minute until Luxiere came back into the room really wasn't what Cloud meant.

"I'll tell you later," he repeated, heart sinking when Zack's expression fell. He didn't press the subject again, saying it was fine as Luxiere reappeared in the room. It was dirt in the wound when Zack's smile returned at the sight of him after Cloud had knocked it from his face.

"What are you talking about later?" Luxiere asked, taking his seat again.

"His ex," Zack replied, his attention back on his food. "Guess it's not anyone's favorite subject."

"It's not that it's a sore subject," Cloud said insistently. "I'd just rather focus on getting to know you, Luxiere. Isn't that what tonight's all about?"

"I'm supposed to be getting to know you as well," Luxiere answered pointedly.

"Okay. What do you want to know then?" Cloud asked, defeated.

"I'd love to hear more about your ex-boyfriend."

Yeah, maybe he'd walked into that one. He took a deep breath before deciding to just get it over with.

"His name is Genesis. He was a senior when I was a freshmen—a drama major. I was new to the city, and I mostly kept to myself…I was kinda awkward and shy. For whatever reason, he noticed me, and that meant a lot," he explained, refusing to meet Zack's stare. It was a bit late for an apologetic look. "We became friends after I turned him down for a date, and eventually he asked again and I said yeah. And then, I dunno…a few dates later, he was my boyfriend."

"What went wrong?"

The question was a bit too eager for his liking, but there was no point in dodging it. "Gen's a hopeless romantic. He wanted some fairy tale romance, and that's just not who I am."

Luxiere cocked a brow, but it was Zack who asked, "What do you mean?"

"…I'm just not a happily ever after kind of guy," he shrugged. "I don't even know if I believe in things like that."

"Cloud," Zack muttered, choking on the name. "You can't really mean that."

"You don't need to say it like that," Cloud said, shaking his head. "It's not a bad thing, it's just what it is."

"So, what? You don't think we'll stay together?" Luxiere asked, draping an awkward arm along the back of Zacks chair.

And this was why he hated this subject. "I didn't say that."

"You don't believe in happily ever after."

"I don't. That doesn't have anything to do with anyone else's relationships."

"Isn't that a little overdramatic?"

"Lux," Zack grumbled, shooting his boyfriend a look.

"It's fine, he's right. I know how it sounds. That's why I didn't want to talk about it. But hey," he said, glancing between them, "since we're on the subject, why don't we talk about your exes?"

"Uh. Remember that time I said it's not really anyone's favorite subject?" Zack asked lightly, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips when he met the blond's eyes. Cloud gave an amused nod in return. "Yeah, that includes Lux. And before him I was never serious—just a few flings and a lot of experimenting."

"Okay then. Next subject," Cloud decided, pleased that they both seemed just as done with this one as he felt.

"Final Fantasy," Zack said, drawing both their attention immediately. "You're both big fans!"

Cloud stifled a laugh as he nodded in acknowledgment. This was what he and Luxiere had in common? A video game? The man was smiling at least, which was a start. Maybe.