Okay Zack, focus. What was it you were going to tell her?

"Hello?" answered her sing-song voice.

"Um, Aeris?"

"Hi Zack!"

"Hi! Do you have a minute?"

"Sure."

"I'll be straight with you. Cloud told you about Tifa right?"

"Yes"

Here goes nothing "Well, you know we're best friends and all. It's nothing personal; I just wanted to have a talk with you. I want to know you better. Don't get me wrong; you seem really nice and I'm almost sure you wouldn't do that to him, but I want him to be happy. So I want to be 100% sure instead of 99.9%". Aeris giggled at his remark.

"I understand, and I'm glad you worry about him. You're a really good friend"

"So what do you say?"

"Name the time and place"

"Good. Does 'Mr. Smoothie' sound good? Today around three maybe?"

"That's fine," Zack released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"Okay, just one more thing. Could you please not tell Cloud?" a long silent pause scared him to death.

"Sure, but why?"

"I guess you should already know, but he's really proud and I wouldn't want him to feel like I'm looking out for him. Besides, I know he'd freak out if he found out I'm investigating you or something like that," he crossed his fingers and prayed she'd buy it.

"Well that's true; he'd think there really is a reason to worry"

"Exactly!" YES!

"I'll see you there"

"It's a date. Well, not really. I mean, it literally is but, not a romantic one, just a friendly outing. You know what I mean!" Aeris went in a fit of laughter once more.

"I know. You're so funny Zack. Bye!" Zack pressed the end button and sighed relieved. He waited a few seconds and dialed Cloud's number. He answered after a few tones.

"Hello" came out his blonde friend's tenor voice.

"Cloud, mission accomplished"

"Great. How'd she react?"

"Pretty normal until I asked her to keep it a secret. She tensed up a little and hesitated. She even asked why."

"It was just as I expected. Thanks a lot man. I owe you one," exclaimed an ecstatic Cloud.

"No problem. So, what next?" asked Zack.

"I'll wait and see if she tells me. If not, then it's time for plan B"

"Which is?"

"That is you going out and telling me how she behaves"

"Al-righty, roger that"

"Roger" and Cloud hung up the phone. Zack looked at his watch. It's 11:30; I still have enough time for working out. He headed to his training room and started lifting weights.

Aeris made sure she locked her door. Grabbing her purse tightly, she went down the stairs. She checked her mailbox in the process, and seeing it was empty decided to hurry up. Its 2:45, I'm sure I'll make it on time, she thought as she walked through the crowded streets of Midgar. After some minutes, she could see 'Mr. Smoothie's' sign in the distance. Her stomach fluttered strangely when she saw Zack, sitting at a table, fidgeting with a straw. Strange, my heart beat quickened. She hurried up to him and smiled warmly.

He looked up to her and felt his cheeks warmed up. She was wearing a white ruffled top and a pair of light blue jeans that hugged her legs nicely. Her hair was up in a ponytail, a white ribbon adorning her braid.

"Hi Aeris" she looks lovely.

"Hi Zack" she took the seat he was offering. He pulled a seat for himself and ungracefully landed on the floor, earning a few glances from other customers and a hearty laugh from her.

"Are you alright Zack?" said Aeris in between giggles. She noticed he was wearing a tight black t-shirt that showed off his well toned body. Zack blushed ashamed of his clumsiness. You suck Zack, he thought bitterly. He carefully sat down this time and smiled broadly.

"So… How are you?"

"I'm fine, but I thought we were going to chat about Cloud"

She catches up quickly, "Sure, I just wanted to break the ice" he cleared his throat, "I want to get to know you better. Why don't we talk about our Cloud?"

"Our Cloud?" she giggled, "Alright, where do we start?"

"Why don't you tell me where you met our lovely Cloud?" Zack fluttered his black eyelashes to emphasize his remark. Aeris giggled once more, can he be any funnier? She thought, blushing as she noticed he had long, thick eyelashes. I like long, thick eyelashes. Stop it Aeris! She shook her head.

"Well, it was a year and a half ago. I was at my flower shop and he came in. When he faced me he stuttered and turned around. Can you believe he left without saying a word?"

It almost happened to me too, "Yeah, that's my Cloud. He gets dumb in front of a pretty girl"

"I thought it was so adorable. Then I noticed he had left his wallet and I ran after him"

"Oh Cloud, always so forgetful!" said Zack in a sing-song voice.

"I know! When I finally caught up to him, he stared at me with the cutest face ever!"

"Aw!!!" Urgh, I think I'm going to be sick.

"Yes! Who wouldn't fall for him?"

"I know! If I were a girl, I'd also fall for him!" They laughed together, and he thought it was the best feeling ever, even though he was choking because of the sweetness on her voice when she referred to Cloud.

"And then?"

"And then, he asked me to decorate his office. Of course, work is work and nothing happened. But a few weeks later, he asked me to decorate his apartment. One thing lead to anothers and we started going out. Isn't it romantic?"

"Definitely" I can't take it!

"What about you Zack? How did you meet our Cloud?"

"We met at our playground. To be honest, we weren't the best of friends at first"

"Yes, Cloud told me you used to bully him. I still refuse to believe someone as nice as you could do such a thing."

"I know, but we were kids back then. He's always been smaller than me and apparently I thought that made me superior. Until one day, I got what I deserved and an older kid bullied me"

"Really? Cloud never told me that."

"It was Cloud who stood up for me, saying adorable things like 'stop bullying my bully, he's my bully and bullies only bully, they don't get bullied'" Aeris squealed.

"Aw, and then the bully stopped bullying you and you became friends"

"Uh, no. He got his ass kicked and then I got mine kicked. We cried together on each other's shoulders and his mom healed both of our bruises. That's how we became friends. From that day I swore I'd protect him, and that's how it went on"

"Oh, Zack that's a beautiful story. But Cloud never told me he'd stood up for you. That's so adorable!"

"I know!" he faked out a laugh and joined her in her giggling.

"My Cloud, he's always so humble"

"Yeah, he's always been like that"

Zack stared at her thoughtful face. He found her stunningly gorgeous, from her emerald eyes to her rosy cheeks. She looked up to him and found him staring at her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare," he cleared his throat, "So, any boyfriends before Cloud?"

She blushed lightly, "Yes, two"

"Two? I expected more, no offense" Really, only two? With her looks?

"The first one doesn't even count"

"Why not?"

"We didn't even kiss," her face was somewhat distant.

"What? Not even once?"

"No, it wasn't a real relationship. We just went out on a few dates and after some months we stopped seeing each other. We went on different paths."

"What a moron, who could resist the urge to kiss you?"

"Aren't you?" she surprised him with a coquettish flutter of her eyelashes.

Just barely, "You have a point there", he placed his chin on the palm of his hand and gazed at her eyes intensely. She looked down, embarrassed. Keep sucking Zack.

"I'm sorry. Anyway, what about the other guy? How long did you date him?"

"Two years"

"Two years!" TWO YEARS!

She giggled at his reaction, "Yes, two years. His name was Sephiroth"

"And what happened?"

"It was strange. I didn't feel complete with him. There was something missing in our relationship. I did find out later though"

"What was it?"

"His maleness"

"Pardon?" What?

"He was gay"

Zack raised to his feet with an incredulous look on his face, "WHAT? How is that possible?"

"Well, he told me he didn't love me as a woman, that it was more like a sister. He told me he couldn't pretend to be someone he wasn't and then admitted he felt attracted to men," she gave him a sad smile.

Zack sat down and let out a heavy sigh, "How can someone be gay when they have such a beautiful girlfriend?" he noticed her shifting uncomfortable on her seat. Zack, you're the king of suckiness.

"I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, but you can't deny you're quite the looker. If not, Cloud wouldn't be marrying you."

"You think so? Do you think I'm prettier than Tifa?"

"Of course; hasn't he told you?"

"Can I believe him? I don't think he'd tell me otherwise"

"Good point. But if you want a second opinion, I think you're more beautiful than her. She's not all that you know" No one is compared to you.

"How is she?"

"Pretty ordinary; dark hair, dark eyes, pretty slender, and she also cheated on him with her ex"

"I know; that was a really painful experience for him. But look at the bright side; my ex is gay"

Zack laughed heartily for the first time in the afternoon, "Another point for you."

"Thank you Zack, that helped me regain my confidence. Believe it or not, I'm scared that I might not be good enough for Cloud"

"Well dear, you passed the test. You're perfect for him." Lucky bastard.

She glanced at her wristwatch, "Oh my! Look at the time; it's been more than half an hour already"

"Time sure flies by when you're having fun" he stood up, "thank you for your time Aeris. I hope to see you soon." She offered her hand at the same time he offered his cheek. They laughed it out, he extended his hand and she offered her cheek. You keep sucking Zack.

"Oh, come here you!" Aeris grabbed him by the shoulders and kissed him fully on the cheek, turned around and waved goodbye. Zack touched the spot she had just touched with her glossy lips and sighed. Her lips are so soft; I bet they'd feel even better against my own. He thought as he stared at her retreating form in the distance. Better get home and call Cloud on the way.

Aeris walked hurriedly towards her apartment. Why doesn't Cloud smell that manly? Sure, I like how he smells; so clean, but Zack smells like… like a man! Urgh! And his stub, it's so manly. Cloud can't even grow a mustache! And why are you thinking like this? Bad Aeris! You love Cloud for who he is, so stop wishing he'd be like someone else. Her rambling brought her to her building and she walked up the stairs, not noticing Cloud's car parked outside.

Zack should be calling me pretty soon, thought the blonde as he saw his fiancé walk away. As in cue, his cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Mission accomplished" said Zack's baritone voice.

"Good, I just saw her walk in. What happened?"

"Everything went smooth. You've got an angel bro!"

"How come?"

"She only talked positive things about you; I wanted to throw up at all the sweetness!" Cloud chuckled at his remark, "and she's only had one real boyfriend who turned out to be gay!"

"That's what she told me. Hard to believe with her beauty right?" said Cloud with a satisfied look on his face.

"I know; how can someone be gay with a girl like that?" Cloud cleared his throat, clearly establishing he didn't like the comment, "Sorry dude."

"Anything else?"

"One more thing, she practically idolizes you"

"That's good; I feel the same way about her"

"Yeah well, I'm glad I could help you out bro," this is finally over, thought a relieved Zack.

"Actually, I was going to ask you another favor"

Oh no, "what is it?"

"Could you go out with her again?"

"But why? She passed, right?" Come on!

"This time she did, but I'd like to see her next move. She might tell me, or she might not. I'd like to find out. What do you say?"

What can I say? "Alright Cloud, just because this is about you"

"Thanks man! I have to go now, I'll call you later!" Cloud hung up the phone. Zack sighed as he passed a hand through his dark locks of hair. Oh boy, hope this doesn't turn out ugly. The last thing I need is to fall in love with my best friend's girl.