Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by their original creators. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.

Cloud stepped off the train and he looked around as he exited the platform. It looked the same as it did all those years ago.

Almost five years. It was a long time, but it would have been longer if something important wasn't happening today.

Zack was graduating from the college attached to the high school, which was right next to the elementary school. Cloud hailed a taxi and took it to the campus. The ceremony was starting soon, and the area was filled with people.

Hopefully he wouldn't be noticed, and be able to watch Zack's graduation before slipping away again.

Cloud sat in the sea of people, wearing a pair of dark sunglasses and a hat smashing his spiky hair down to frame his face. He clapped politely as people were called up for their awards and presentations, and was grateful 'Fair' was near the beginning of the alphabet.

Cloud clapped along with everyone else, and Zack gave a grin and a wave. He seemed to notice something in the audience though, and Cloud's breath hitched his throat as it seemed Zack recognized him, before the older tee-man seemed to shake it off and walk off the stage.

It would have made him stand out more if he left now, so Cloud quietly waited out the rest of the ceremony. After it had ended, Cloud got up with the flow of people, and started making his escape as the graduates came to find their family members.

"Hey…Cloud! …CLOUD STRIFE!"

Cloud looked up at the shout of his name, and he reached up to pull off his hat and sunglasses as Zack fought through the crowd towards him. He smiled, and when Zack stopped in front of him he opened his arms. Zack didn't hesitate and swept him up in a tight hug. Cloud wrapped his arms around Zack's neck and felt arms go around his waist and body.

Zack was taller than Cloud, with a broad chest and strong arms. Cloud was shorter, thinner, but fit perfectly in Zack's arms. He rested his forehead on Zack's shoulder as the older man held him.

"I can't…believe it's really you," Zack said, his hold strong.

Cloud got the feeling the hug was longer than appropriate, and he carefully eased Zack's arms from his body, smiling softly.

"I promised I'd be back," Cloud said, stepping back a pace from Zack. "And I wouldn't miss this for anything."

"So what are you doing now?" Zack asked, with a goofy grin on his face as he looked at Cloud.

"I have to take the train back out to Esthar," Cloud said, and Zack balked.

"You came all the way back to see me graduate and you're turning around and leaving again?" Zack asked, incredulously. "No way, I won't allow it! We're having a party, and you are coming with me!"

"You should spend tonight with your family," Cloud protested, but Zack grabbed his hand.

"I'm spending it with my friends, too, and even if you don't believe in friends, I certainly do," Zack said, pulling Cloud along with him. "So you're coming with me."

Cloud put his sunglasses and hat back on as Zack dragged him around, finding people. After several people agreeing to a party at Zack's house, Cloud tugged Zack's hand, where the older man had refused to let him go.

"Zack…where's Aerith?"

Zack stopped so abruptly that Cloud collided into him. He was blinking, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

"One missed call…" Zack said, and Cloud barely heard him.

"You…shouldn't keep her waiting," Cloud reprimanded, tugging his hand free from Zack's grip to place it on his hip, looking up at Zack.

Zack pushed a button and held the phone up to his ear. He seemed to be listening to a message, and Cloud patiently waited until Zack closed his phone. He turned to Cloud, and his smile came back.

"She's with her mom," Zack explained. "She'll meet us at my house for the party. Let's get going to help my parents set up."

Cloud nodded, and followed Zack out to the parking lot. Zack reached back as they walked and Cloud let him grasp his hand, pulling him along faster than Cloud's typical pace.

Zack nearly threw Cloud into the jeep, and Cloud buckled as Zack go in and started the jeep.

"I keep thinking…"Zack said, hesitating before buckling his seatbelt. He looked at Cloud, grinning sheepishly. "If I let you go, if I look away…you'll be gone again."

"My promises can be rather empty," Cloud admitted, and Zack pulled out of the parking lot. "But I promise, Zack, I won't leave without saying goodbye first."

Zack looked at him as they sat at a red light, and reached over to pull Cloud in for a kiss. Cloud let him, and pulled away after only a brief moment. "Sealed with a kiss," Cloud said, smiling a little.

Zack grinned, and they both jumped as the car behind them honked. Zack looked at the green light and chuckled sheepishly as Cloud leaned back to look out the window, the smile still on his lips.

Zack's parents were nice, and Cloud helped Mrs. Fair in the kitchen while Zack and Mr. Fair set up the rest of the house for the party.

Living alone gave Cloud necessary cooking skills, and talked to Mrs. Fair as she asked questions and told stories about Zack. Especially the past five years, Cloud enjoyed hearing what he missed on.

As the doorbell rang, signifying people arriving, Cloud excused himself to the bathroom to clean up. Mrs. Fair led him up to the master suite's bathroom, which was spacious but more importantly, secluded so no one would bother him until he came out.

He cleaned up, washing the evidence of his kitchen work away. He jumped as the door was knocked on, and he opened it cautiously.

It was Zack, and he was grinning. "I brought clean clothes," Zack said, holding them up. "Ma said you smelt like meat and vegetables."

Cloud rolled his eyes, opening the door wider and going back to the sink. Zack stepped in and shut the door behind him. He set the clothes down on a chair and opened a cabinet and pulled out some towels. While his back was turned, he heard Cloud open the shower door and step in. He glanced back to see Cloud tossing his clothes over the top of the frosted glass door.

The shower was brief, and Zack played with the bottles and makeup on the counter by sink so he wouldn't look at Cloud. He glanced up at the water turning off, and tossed a towel over the door of the shower.

Cloud wrapped it around his waist and stepped out, a small smile on his face. "I haven't had a hot shower in five years."

Zack blinked, watching Cloud curiously. "…Really?"

Cloud nodded, taking another towel from Zack and rubbing his hair dry. "The shower at home in Esthar doesn't get above lukewarm."

Zack turned back to the bottles on the counter as Cloud dressed, the towel resting over his shoulders. "Does your mother have eyeliner?"

"Uh…" Zack trailed off, looking at the different makeup containers.

Cloud snickered, picking one up and opening it. Zack watched as he leaned into the mirror, applying the eyeliner. It was fascinating to watch Cloud's eyes change, the blue brighter than Zack could ever remember.

"We shouldn't keep your guests waiting," Cloud said, and he gathered up his dirty clothes. Zack tossed the towels in the laundry bin, and led Cloud to his room, opening the door.

"You can leave your clothes here," Zack said, taking them from Cloud's arms and tossing them on the floor. "Let's go."

Before Cloud could put his clothes neatly back in a pile Zack had his hand and was dragging him off to the party.

There were tons of people around, and Cloud pulled his hand out of Zack's grasp. He shook his head at Zack, but was smiling softly. "I promised."

Zack grinned, and nodded in return, and didn't reach for Cloud again. Cloud vaguely remembered people, but no one seemed to remember him, so he grew disinterested until he spotted someone he did know.

"Aerith," Cloud greeted, and she looked at him, smiling. Cloud thought it was a sad smile, but he returned it. "May I?" he asked, his arms opening.

"Of course," Aerith said, and hugged him back.

"It's your turn next year, right?" Cloud asked as they stepped apart. Aerith laughed lightly, nodding. "I'm excited," she admitted.

They continued talking and mingling around other people and with Aerith at his side people seemed to recognize Cloud. At least, most commented about 'that pokey-headed kid' and Cloud took it to mean himself.

Eventually Cloud and Aerith went outside, and Cloud followed Aerith down the steps into the garden. She sat on a bench by a blossoming bush, and Cloud sat next to her.

"…I saw you, at the ceremony," Aerith said, and Cloud looked at her. She was looking away.

"I didn't see you, I'm sorry," Cloud admitted, looking away himself.

"I saw Zack first, and was going to him," Aerith explained, her voice quiet. "But he saw you first, and then you were all he saw. I was standing less than ten feet away, but neither of you noticed me. And the way he held you…as if his long-lost love had finally come back to him. I tried calling him, but he didn't answer. I knew he wouldn't, he was with you. So I left with my mom, and tried not to cry."

"I'm not trying to take him from you," Cloud said, and Aerith patted his knee, still not looking at him.

"You don't have to try," she said. "Ever since you left, Zack's smiles never reached his eyes, not even for me. But as soon as he saw you, I saw his entire face and being brighten. The only time he truly smiled when you were gone, was when he read the letters you sent him."

"I only wrote three times," Cloud protested, frowning slightly.

"And it was the only time he was happy," Aerith said, and Cloud looked up to meet her gaze. "I know you read my letter. The one I wrote before you left. What were you thinking?"

"…I was thinking, that someone who was nice to me was hurting because I made you both worry so much," Cloud explained. "I was going to tell Zack, so he wouldn't worry about me anymore, and work to take care of you more."

"…Do you not love him?" Aerith asked, and Cloud shrugged.

"I don't know," Cloud said. "I don't…know what it's supposed to feel like."

Aerith reached over and hugged Cloud. "Didn't anyone love you? Like your mother or your father?"

Cloud shook his head, leaning against Aerith's embrace. "Just like heroes and friends…it must not exist."

"You should ask Zack to show you," Aerith said, stroking Cloud's hair softly. "Zack has been waiting to show you, for over five years now. You shouldn't tease him so much."

Cloud sat up out of Aerith's embrace, and looked at her. "Would you hate me?" Cloud asked, and Aerith smiled, shaking her head.

"I'd never hate you," Aerith said, patting his head. "I want you and Zack to be happy, it's all I want. My happiness will come in time."

Cloud stood up, and took a few steps to leave before turning around. "Aerith…"

As she looked at him, Cloud smiled. "If my mother was alive, she'd love you. For taking care of me, the way she never could."

Aerith smiled brightly at that, and Cloud turned and went back inside to find Zack.

As it turned out, Zack was looking for Cloud too. Cloud was caught up in a hug, and he stiffened for a moment before realizing it was Zack.

"I know…you promised," Zack said, muffled by Cloud's shoulder. "But I can't help it."

"Zack…" Cloud hesitated, and Zack pulled away to look at him. "Will you…show me love?"

Zack blinked, and Cloud fumbled for words. "Aerith said to ask you to show me, because I don't know what it's supposed to be, and I know it's stupid, but…"

Cloud's rambling stopped as Zack held a finger to his lips. "Come on."

Cloud let Zack lead him away from the party and up to his bedroom. He sat on the bed as Zack shut the door and leaned back against it.

"Cloud…" Zack began, before shaking his head. "I don't know where to start."

"You can start by being my friend," Cloud offered, and Zack looked at him. "By being there when I need you."

"We are friends," Zack said, striding over to kneel in front of Cloud. "I'll always be here when you need me."

"Then…you can start by showing me love," Cloud said, and Zack smiled.

"I can do that," Zack said, and reached up from his kneeling position to pull Cloud down into a kiss.

This kiss was different from the one in the jeep. Cloud leaned back to pull away, and Zack just followed, until Cloud was pinned to the bed under Zack.

Cloud wasn't sure what to do with his hands, so he left them on Zack's shoulders. Zack kissed his lips and cheeks and neck, his hands running over Cloud's chest and sides and when Cloud arched from a sensitive bite to the spot right below his ear, Zack slid his arms underneath Cloud's back and held him close as he stopped kissing.

Cloud could feel Zack's breath hot against his neck, and ran his hands along Zack's shoulders and back. "…Z-Zack?"

Zack pulled back, and Cloud flushed at the look in his eyes. "Cloud…you be sure to tell me…if you get scared."

Cloud nodded, and Zack slowly eased the borrowed shirt off Cloud.

Cloud wasn't scared at all that night.

Cloud was dressed the next morning, and he knelt by the edge of the bed. Zack was sound asleep, and Cloud just watched him until he saw Zack stir.

"Zack…"

Zack sleepily opened his eyes, but they widened as they saw Cloud dressed and up. "What?"

"I'm leaving," Cloud said, pausing when he felt Zack's hand around his wrist. "I have to go back to Esthar."

"I'll go too," Zack said, groggily sitting up. "Right now…?"

Cloud brought Zack's hand holding his wrist up and kissed his knuckles. "You're staying here."

"No I'm not," Zack protested, fully awake and reaching out to hold Cloud's other hand. "I'm going with you."

"Your mother told me last night of your plans for the future," Cloud said. "Living in Esthar isn't part of it."

"Because…because…" Zack trailed off.

Cloud smiled gently. "Because why, Zack? You knew I was still there. You knew where I was, I wrote you three times, and you wrote back once. It…it's all right, Zack, to make a future without me. Especially since I took so long to keep my promise, I never came back expecting you to change anything for me."

"But I am, and I will," Zack said. "I promised you Cloud, I'll always be there for you. I can't keep it if you leave me."

"You are there for me," Cloud reassure, standing up and out of Zack's grasp. The older man got out of bed and wrapped his arms around him, holding Cloud tightly. "Whenever I felt like I couldn't go on, I remembered you and your kindness to me."

Zack refused to let Cloud go, so Cloud brought his hands up and rested them on Zack's waist. "Cloud…" Zack pulled away, holding one of Cloud's hands.

"…?" Cloud hummed in response, and felt something slide over his left ring finger. "…Zack…?" he questioned, looking down.

"My class ring," Zack explained. "I'll replace it with diamonds soon. I'll be in Esthar tomorrow night. I'm letting you go right now, with a promise that we'll be together tomorrow night."

Cloud nodded, and smiled. Zack leaned down and kissed Cloud softly before pulling back. "Sealed with a kiss," Zack whispered.

"Don't forget," Cloud said, stepping away from Zack. "You promised."

"You promised too," Zack countered, but he was grinning.

Cloud did promise.

And he never broke or postponed another one again.

The End

Turn on The Veronicas "In Another Life" and think about Aerith.