"Let's take a walk, okay?"

It was getting late as Zack posed the idea, and Cloud nodded in agreement and followed him out of the building. He had just given him a tour of the new building, but Zack was too antsy and anxious to be stuck inside for too long. When they got outside, they walked to the edge of Midgar and sat down beside each other on an old tree that lay on the ground. Cloud folded his hands in his lap while Zack fidgeted nervously and stared at the horizon. The sun was just beginning to go down, leaving streaks of purple and pink highlighted across the slowly darkening sky.

"It's beautiful," Zack said.

"Yeah."

"I'm glad I get to see my first new sunset with you, Spiky. There's no other person I'd rather be with right now than with you," Zack said. He turned to Cloud and slowly inched his hand over to Cloud's hand and covered it. "Glad I'm here, Cloud," he said, and smiled.

They sat that way for a while, not speaking. They drank in the sunset with hungry eyes, and when the sun finally slipped completely beneath the edge of the planet, Zack removed his hand from Cloud's. "We should get back to the building now," Zack said. Cloud nodded. His mouth felt glued shut. He couldn't believe he had spent all these years missing Zack, and now that he was here, he couldn't find the words to say. He didn't move from the spot, and neither did Zack.

"I want to kiss you. There. I've said it."

Cloud felt his breath hitch as Zack turned to him and said those words. He saw Reno's face in his mind; heard his voice, speaking words and vows of love and adoration. He stood up quickly. "Zack… Now is… not the time…" Cloud trailed off and looked down at the ground.

"Too soon, huh?" Zack asked, and then chuckled. Cloud shook his head. "No. It's just that… things have changed since you… since you were gunned down years ago. I'm with Reno. We're… married."

"No shit? I never thought you were the marrying kind! Not to that Turk, anyway!" Zack said, laughing. He reached over and ruffled Cloud's hair. "Come on, let's get back. I'm sure Reno's wondering if we ran off together or something crazy like that. But that would never happen, right?" Zack said. Cloud gave a small laugh and shrugged. Internally, he kicked himself. Did he really just turn down a kiss from Zack, even after all he had thought about over the past day or so? Oh, fuck it… Cloud stopped walking and grabbed Zack by the arm.

"Zack…"

And then he was in Zack's arms, feeling safe and secure and so at home. "Cloud…" Zack's voice was silenced when Cloud's lips met his. His eyelids fluttered closed as their lips parted in unison and they tasted each other with such a passion that he had to break free and push Cloud away.

"Sorry. Did I do something wrong? I thought it's what you wanted," Cloud said. Zack shook his head and said, "Hell no! You did great, Cloud. It's just… I couldn't breathe. Not that you were killing me or anything. It was just too much. I can't explain it."

"I know what you mean. I felt it, too," Cloud admitted. "Regardless… It's over and done with, and we need to head back."

"Wow, Cloud. That sounds like a line that I would use," Zack laughed, adding, "I never was the type to kiss and stay for too long. I pegged you different, though. I thought you'd be one to cuddle afterwards." Cloud laughed and punched him on the arm. "Let's just go, okay?" Zack nodded in agreement and they finally made their way back to the building. Inside Cloud's apartment, Reno had made dinner. Upon opening the door, Cloud moaned in approval at the scent. "Homemade lasagna," he groaned, patting his stomach. Reno grinned at him and winked. "Yo, Zack, come on in and grab a plate. Plenty for everyone," he said, fixing himself a plate. Cloud made himself a plate as well and sat down beside Reno at the kitchen table. He felt Reno grab his thigh. He cried out in shock and blushed, elbowing Reno in the side.

"Ah, hey! Gonna break a rib, yo!" Reno exclaimed, pretending to be hurt. Cloud smirked. He was enjoying this playfulness between the two of them. It kept his mind off of the kiss he had shared with Zack earlier. He told himself that it wouldn't happen again, but he couldn't be too sure of that, especially when minutes later he saw Zack sneaking glances at him from across the table. They weren't exactly neutral glances, either; each look was laced with desire and a fire that left Cloud squirming in his chair.

He loved Reno, but Zack still held his heart in many ways. How would he ever find the way to balance the two? In silence, he ate the delicious meal that Reno had cooked for them and tried to avoid Zack's glances as much as possible.

Of course he had complicated things by kissing Zack. He groaned and finished his meal, then went to bed after bidding the two men goodnight. He fell asleep to the sound of two old work buddies catching up over a few shots of vodka.

It was two in the morning when Reno finally crawled in the bed next to him and curled his body against Cloud's turned figure. "Hey…. Still asleep?" Reno whispered to him. "Reno, what is it? Of course I'm sleeping… Crazy Turk…" Cloud grumbled. "Zack told me you kissed him. It didn't take a genius to know that he'd start blabbing after a few drinks," Reno said. Cloud jolted upright and hissed, "He told you what?" Reno laughed and pulled gently on his arm. "Come here, Cloud. I'm not upset," he slurred.

"Reno, you're drunk. Of course you're not upset," Cloud said, laying back down and turning toward Reno. Reno pulled him closer and rained kisses on the side of his face. "It honestly doesn't bother me. I'm not an idiot. I saw it coming. At least you got it out of your system," Reno said matter-of-factly. "Yeah," Cloud said, but couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Just don't do it again, okay? I told you earlier today that I don't know what I would do if I had to live my life without you. I don't want to lose you to a memory of something that could have been. It's me and you now, babe," Reno said, slightly sounding desperate and somewhat pleading.

"I am sorry, Reno, but I'm glad that you understand. Glad you're not mad."

Reno said nothing more, and neither did Cloud. They slept until dawn broke, then they were up again. Zack was sleeping on the couch, still dressed in his smelly, old black turtleneck and black pants. Cloud scoffed at the man and nudged him. Zack's face became distorted and he grumbled. "What the hell?" he mumbled. Cloud put his hands on his hips and shook his head. "If you think I'm doing your laundry, you have another thing coming," he said, and laughed as Zack waved him off.

"You stink, Zack. You need a bath."

Zack jumped up and tackled Cloud. They rolled on the floor together, kicking each other and pulling hair playfully. Zack got a one-up on Cloud and pinned him before the blond could even know what was happening. Reno was beside himself at the kitchen table with his cup of black coffee, laughing at the two old friends play-fighting.

"Cloud's right, Zack. You smell worse than a chocobo stable."

He didn't have time to duck as Zack jumped up and lobbed a couch pillow at his head.