A/N: Thanks to people reviewing and requesting more already, I felt compelled to post the second chapter already. Plus, this was originally supposed to be part of the first chapter but the length didn't really work for me. So here you go, please feel free to review. I'm so glad to be back :)

Standard disclaimers apply.

Music inspiration: Sweet Nothing by Calvin Harris featuring Florence Welch

Chapter 2

So I put my faith in something unknown. I'm living on such sweet nothing, sweet nothing, I'm living on such sweet nothing.

My new favorite song of the summer started playing as my ring tone went off to my cell phone. Someone was calling me. It pulled me away from my sketch book and I accidentally smudged black coal across the white seagull I had been drawing in the quad.

Oh well, it had just been that kind of a day anyways. Not bothering to look at the caller I.D. I flipped open the phone, still focused on the bird in the grass before me.

"Hello?"

"Teef?" I sat up straighter, caught off guard by the name and more importantly the voice behind it.

"C-Cloud?"

"Yeah, hi. Sorry to randomly call but I got your number through Aerith. I gotta admit she's really out there." I could hear the laugh in his voice and felt my hollow and semi-fake one follow in response.

"Haha yeah, she's interesting to say the least. She didn't say anything else really random to you did she?" It might have been paranoia kicking in but I had a feeling Aerith couldn't keep her mouth shut.

"Oh she had plenty to say, all of it good so no worries." I tried to let out a breath in relief but it was still stuck in my throat. What had they talked about? I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I completely missed what he said next.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

He laughed and it sounded so light and care free that I envied him for it. "Just turn around."

After a moment's hesitation I did just that to see Cloud walking up the path to where I was sitting under a tree, flowers in one hand and candy in the other.

"Aww, you shouldn't have," I said with a giggle, setting my sketch book aside as he handed me the daisies and gummy worms with a flourish.

"A gentleman must always be prepared with a gift for a lovely lady." He bowed from the waist and gestured at the spot beside me. "May I?"

"But of course." I lifted my hand and he took it to help ease himself down to the ground, holding it a moment too long before releasing it.

"My favorites, I can't believe you remembered." I could feel my face beaming but I didn't care. After my spat with Aerith this was the best I had felt all afternoon, second to running into him the first time.

"How could I forget? You always picked daisies on our walks to school and had gummy worms every day as a snack throughout classes."

"Which I always shared with you." I shook the bag in my hand at him and he dutifully took one, pulling it to stretch it out between his fingers.

We ate in silence for a few peaceful moments, listening to the breeze rustle the leaves overhead while watching people walk past. A few waved and I waved back as others just outright stared at us sitting there in the grass.

"Are we making a spectacle of ourselves in a way that I don't know about?" Cloud finally asked, watching as quite a few more gazes wandered our way.

"Honestly I have no idea…maybe they're just not used to me being with a guy." It was out of my mouth before I realized it and quickly shoved in another gummy worm in place of my foot that seemed to take up permanent residence there since meeting Cloud earlier today. Gods, had it only been a day? One hell of a day indeed.

I could feel him looking at me in a sideways awkward glance but I couldn't face him, not until he said something totally unexpected.

"I don't believe that."

"Believe what?" I couldn't help tilting my head in his direction much like a dog would do to convey quizzical confusion.

"That you're usually alone. That you don't have guys swarming all over you."

He was being serious. Honest to Gods serious and I couldn't help laughing in his face. When he simply gave me an imploring look I shook my head.

"Nope. Do you see anyone else here?" I couldn't help the contempt lacing my words but this was Cloud; I could never figure out a way to be anything less than me with him, not hiding anything even when it was for my own good.

"Then they're all idiots." That made me smile in the pause that followed. "And I'm the lucky one."

I swear I almost choked on my gummy worm, coughing for air. He used his hand to pound on my back and suddenly the rest of the gummy worm was launched across the lawn a good distance away.

"Impressive," Cloud chuckled and so did I.

"Or disgusting. I'll take impressive though, it sounds better."

Before the uncomfortable stretch of silence could become truly awkward, Cloud's attention was caught by something else that was not me acting like a total fool, thankfully.

As casually as he could, Cloud reached out and snatched up my sketchbook off of where it had been resting on my messenger bag before I could even think to grab it. He always was a fast one.

"What's this?" He asked while leafing through the pages slowly, taking in the many different pictures I had tried drawing in there.

"I sketch in my spare time. Nothing fancy or anything, just things that catch my eye."

He was paging through the sketches more deliberately now, giving me a chance to analyze how I felt about it. Him looking through my drawings, that is. Not that they were private or anything, it's just that I didn't show my artwork to anyone. Not even Aerith. Ever. Watching his eyes soak up each image made me happy I finally did though, even if I didn't have a choice.

"Teef, these are really good." He was pointing at the detailed feathers on a pair of love birds, their heads close together much like ours were now to look at the drawing.

My fingers traced the shape of each bird as if feeling their connection and I sighed. "They're really pretty, aren't they? I love the colors and how affectionate they are, not afraid to show their feelings for each other to the world."

I was looking at Cloud before I even realized it and he was looking back at me, his cerulean gaze pulling me in until he was all I could see. He left the book resting in his lap and I leaned closer, our foreheads touching. Then I felt a sudden jerk forward as he pulled back, making me quickly catch myself with my hands on the grass. He must have seen the hurt and confusion on my face because he was quick to comfort me, placing a hand carefully on my cheek but thought better of it and moved it to my shoulder.

"Teef, it's not that I don't-" He shut his mouth quickly, rethinking his words.

But I got it. I understood all too clear. How could I have been so stupid?

"Let me guess, 'it's not you, it's me'?" I knew it all along but still, to have it put so blatantly simple right in front of my face burned more than I could have ever imagined in high school.

"I just don't want to ruin a good thing, you know? You're the first friend I've had since coming back, Teef. You have no idea how much that means to me. I don't want to hurt you."

I smiled stiffly as we sat in silence until it was unbearable and he got up with a wave, walking away like he always did.

Don't you know that you hurt me enough for a lifetime already?

I wasn't sure I was up for a repeat performance. Not until he turned around quickly, heading back to me in a dash and bent down to place a kiss on my forehead. Like I was a child.

Any physical contact with his lips was a step up, I guess.

A/N: Sorry it's so short. More to come so R&R please :)