Author's Note:

My apologies for this chapter. I'm a really angsty writer at heart, and I cannot help the horrible "oh-my-goodness-everything-is-going-wrong" kind of chapters. Angst and emo are infectious. Hence the warning from the last chapter.

Disclaimer:

I'm late for work... Drat.

Chapter seven: Idiot

The doorbell had rung somewhere in the hushed bustle of the apartment, but Zack barely heard it under the pounding of water rushing over his head. He stared at the bottles of shampoo through sopping black bangs, eyes running over the words but all he saw was the train station. The bench. And Cloud upheaving everything he thought he knew about himself.

"Idiot..."

He leaned his forehead against the cool shower wall, trying to soothe the thick inferno of conflict in his mind. This was not supposed to happen. He was supposed to be in love with Aerith. And love was not something you just lost in the span of one afternoon.

But he could not possibly ignore this.

He rammed a fist into the wall, sending hairline cracks scampering wildly across the tiles. The hot water trickled in steady streams down his face, turning salty with the tears that now fell from his eyes.

Tomorrow. He would talk to Aerith tomorrow.

But for now, he had guests. And it was his girlfriend's birthday.

--

Aerith had been busying herself helping Cloud set the small table. The blonde watched her out of the corner of his eyes, thoroughly more at ease that it was not Zack who was handling the fragile plates. But there was something about this girl he could not quite put his finger on. He felt so calm when she was around, a striking contrast from the daily tumult of life in the Shinra academy.

"Do you work with Zack?"

The cadet looked up from the pan of vegetables he was slowly spooning onto a plate. Aerith was watching him intently, resting her elbows against the kitchen counter.

"No," he answered, handing the plate to the brunette with a small smile. "He's my mentor in SOLDIER, actually."

She chuckled, turning back towards the table with another plate of food. "Zack's always talking about you. His 'Golden Boy'."

Cloud sighed as he followed her with the steaming pot of soup. How he wished he was anywhere near as talented as Zack always said he was. There was a dull thud from the bathroom, followed by a muffled howl of pain.

Aerith laughed brightly. "Oh Zack..."

Cloud looked at the cheerful young woman seated next to him. She was the image of poise and benevolence, calm and peace. A strange opposite of the combustive spontaneity of a certain raven haired SOLDIER...

"You and Zack must be close," Cloud commented. He wasn't much for conversing with strangers, but there was something about her that was different. Something that made him feel right at ease with himself, dropping all his guards. If Zack could trust her, he definitely could.

She laughed.

"We should be. I'm his girlfriend."

--

Zack strolled jauntily into the room, toweling off his long raven hair before nonchalantly tossing the fluffy white material on the nearest couch. The fragrant aroma of the food already cooling on the table sent excited trembles in his empty stomach. Everything was set. Everything was perfect. Everything was-

Where was everyone?

Zack looked up and about the apartment to spot a distraught looking Aerith hovering by the open door. A stunned paleness foreign to her was cast over her face as her gaze strained unwaveringly at the empty corridor.

"Where's Cloud?" he asked, his eyes sweeping over the empty kitchen. The pots and pans were piled up in the sink unwashed. Cloud would probably make me clean that up... he thought, a grin playing at the corners of his lips.

Aerith finally turned away from the door, looking up at the excited SOLDIER sadly. The words felt strange on her lips. "He... Left."

"Left? Where?"

Aerith shook her head sadly.

Zack's eyes widened in tragic realization. Cloud... He started towards the door. He had to find him. He had to explain everything. He could not have the best feeling that had ever happened to him walk right out of the door without a fight from him. He was halfway out the door before stopping abruptly.

Aerith's waiting for you...

"Go to him."

Zack looked up from the open door at the young woman who had placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Her touch alone always seemed to make things better. But not this time.

"I'm sorry, Aerith... I-"

She shushed him with a gentle finger against his lips. "I'll be waiting here when the two of you come back."

Zack nodded briefly, then ran out the door. She shut the large wooden door soundlessly, moving towards the empty table set for three before sitting herself down and finally allowing herself to sigh.

"Happy birthday, Aerith."

--

The rain was pelting against his face, plastering his soaked blonde hair against his tear stained cheeks. He was running. He did not know where he was going, how long he had been running, where he was, or even why he was running.

He just needed to get away from Zack.

Idiot... What made you think you could have him...

He wiped his face futilely with his hand, the reddened palm stinging upon contact with the salt of his hot tears. But that pain was nothing compared to the crippling ache in his heart.

He almost wished it would stop beating.

"We should be." Aerith laughed lightly. "I'm his girlfriend."

Cloud started, his hand lazily stirring the soup loosened its grip on the ladle, sending it splashing noisily into the soup, dousing his entire hand in boiling hot liquid. Aerith gave a terrified yelp, quickly leaning forward to salvage the young blonde's bright pink hand.

The young man jerked his hand away from her touch, missing the shocked and hurt look in her bright green eyes. He clutched his wrist, a tight knot growing in his gut as his eyes began to water.

"I... I have to go."

She reached for him as he quickly got up and all but ran out of the apartment.

The lack of breathing finally caught up to him and he sank onto the steps leading up to the marble halls sobbing uncontrollably. His legs collapsed under him as he crumpled onto the cold, wet ground, the last of his energy and will leaving him in a torrent of pained screams muffled by the concrete.

How could he have been so foolish...

Zack never loved him. And never would. Aerith was perfect for him. And he was just...

A failure.

"There you are..."

Cloud's gaze snapped upwards from the ground to the intruder, his hands immediately curling into tight fists, ready to fend of whatever came.

"Professor?"

--

Zack was running, his eyes darting frantically about, yearning for something, anything that would lead him to the young blonde. His voice had run hoarse with the endless calling out of his name. The rain was relentless, restricting his vision to mere meters ahead.

He pulled out his cellphone again, punching in the numbers he had long committed to memory. But the other line was dead. He stumbled on a low wall next to the parade square, a string of curses escaped him in exasperated cries. The SOLDIER 1st Class exhaled harshly, flopping himself onto the wall, burying his face in his hands as hope began to wane in him.

"Cloud... Where are you..."

"Looking for me?"

The SOLDIER spun around, relief pouring into him as he heard the familiar mellow voice. All this relief promptly drained out of him, replaced with horror as he was met not with the face of his student, but with the edge of a sword pointed directly at his heart.

Mako blue eyes stared into cold sky blue. "What are you doing..."

Cloud's eyes were narrowed in pure hatred, his hand gripped tightly around the hilt of the sword.

"You... You failed my SOLDIER test..." he hissed, advancing on the weaponless SOLDIER. "Was it just another ploy? Just some game to you? Like my feelings? Taking my heart, hopes, and dreams and crushing them?"

"It's not like that. Cloud, you have to-"

"I DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING YOU SAY." Cloud roared, thrusting the blade forward in a swift precise motion. Just like he was taught.

Zack dodged the blow, rolling swiftly to his side as the cold metal traced a thin line across his arm. The cadet quickly pivoted on his right foot, swinging the sword back down again with lightning speed, another attack Zack easily side stepped. Cloud let out an enraged yell, raising the blade above his head once again.

In a flash of black and splattered rain, the SOLDIER kicked the blade out of the small hand, rushing forward to grab the younger man's wrist in his. He pressed his body against the smaller frame, forcing the blonde to look him in the eye, trying desperately to tell him the convoluted mess of thoughts in his mind.

The sword fell. Cloud reached out his left hand, expertly catching the hilt again, and in one clean move stabbing it into Zack's side.

The grip on his wrist loosened. The raven haired man staggered backwards slowly, his eyes never leaving Cloud's emotionless stare. Zack gave him a pained smile.

"Perfectly done."

Then he collapsed onto the side of the pavement, his vision hazing over slowly. A name escaped his lips in a breathless whisper, his hand reaching out feebly to the receding back walking back towards the waiting Professor Hojo.

Then, silence.

TBC

Please review. Sorry for the emo.

I might come back in the future to revamp this chapter (vocabulary and grammar wise. Not plot wise. Sorry. lol)