Cloud hopes his friend can't hear the painfully loud pounding of his heart as he asks, "Do you think it's okay to like guys if you are one?"

Zack's eyes take on a pleasant gleam as he says with a smirk, "I don't see why not. Why, is there someone you like?" He looks at Cloud expectantly.

The blond hesitantly replies, "Well, actually…, yes?"

Zack crosses his arms, his smirk faltering momentarily into a small smile, "Have you told them yet?" He eyes his friend hopefully.

Cloud suddenly seems embarrassed as he says, "Well, no…but-"

Zack grabs the blond by the shoulders and loudly says, in exaggerated franticness, "You HAVE to tell them! I'm sure they feel the same!"

Cloud snaps his head up and grins, "You do?"

Zack, totally not expecting that, *blinks* "You like…me?" His head then explodes from pure bliss.

Cloud snaps up in bed. "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" *blinks* "A nightmare…?"

5 hours later…in the local park

"…and then I basically told Zack I loved him and his head exploded! What if that actually happens? You must think I've lost my mind, huh?" Tears form in Cloud's eyes as he says all this to his friend Auron.

Auron, not sure how else to respond, pulls him into his arms and says, "You and I both know that could never happen. This is just your mind's way of telling you you're still scared that he may not feel the same."

Cloud, muffled by Auron's chest, says, "But in the dream he said he didn't have a problem with me being…you know…gay…"

Auron sighs, and replies, "True, but the mind gives us answers in ways that may not always be obvious to us." He pulls away just enough to look into Cloud's eyes, "I think the best thing you can do right now, is tell him exactly how you feel."

Cloud smiles and nods unaware that Zack is also at said park and has just spotted them.

Zack feels confused by the sudden anger he feels from seeing his friend in another man's arms and can't seem to stop himself from suddenly shouting, "Hey you! Hands off my fluffy Cloud!" Fluffy Cloud…?

Auron humphs and gently turns Cloud around saying, "Go on, I'm sure you'll find you were worried about nothing."

Cloud smiles and then runs to Zack who is still glaring at Auron, "Zack!" and throws his arms around his spiky-haired friend. To his dismay, however, Zack responds by gently pushing him away. This causes him to frown in sudden worry.

Zack looks away from Auron to his blond friend and says, in slight anger, "Is there something you wanted to tell me?"

Wait, is he jealous, thought Cloud suddenly hopeful. "Yes, there is," he said, beaming.

Zack groans in exasperation and says loudly, "I knew it! I just-"

Cloud stops his friend's ranting by grabbing him around the back of his head and gently bringing his lips crashing down on his own.

"O_O!" Needless to say, Zack had NOT been expecting that…not even a little.

After about thirty seconds, Cloud pulls away blushing slightly, breathing a bit more heavily.

Zack, also blushing and still a little startled, stammers "Wh-what was that…?"

Cloud gives him a hopeful smile before saying, "It's…what I wanted to tell you…"

"O_O!" Zack's blush deepens to a whole new shade of red known to man.

Cloud, suddenly hesitant again, says, "Is…is that okay?"

Zack stares for a moment longer before finally smiling and visibly relaxing at the same time, and sighs, "Totally… In fact," he gently tilts Cloud's head back a little so he can look directly into his soulful eyes, "I wouldn't mind being reminded in about, oh say, five seconds?

Cloud blinks at him and then allows his previous fears to melt into a grin. 5 4 3 2 1 The blond slowly wraps his arms around his friend's neck and leans in for their second kiss, his nightmare completely forgotten, knowing now that the real dream had just come true.