A/N: Made some changes because sometimes you hate what you wrote and you just neeeeeed to fix it 😬
Life goes on… or so they say.
That's why you keep on living.
This is exactly what Cloud's doing as he observes the chaos happening ahead of him.
A woman with a brown bob who's fixing her hair in front of a floor mirror. A pair of kids laughing and racing after each other until the woman starts screaming at them to behave. People already positioned by the white backdrop won't stop roasting one another's looks. A grumpy old geezer's asking for probably the tenth time when's all this going to end because he wants to go home.
"Will you guys just settle down? Cloud doesn't have all day to deal with us," scolds Leslie, a man with grey hair who has brought his entire family here for a photo session.
The noises from the family subside as they regroup and rearrange their positions with the help of Cloud's assistants.
"Leslie, you should be at grandpa's left and Merle, please move to grandma's right," Cloud instructs, gesturing with his hands.
Leslie and his bride-to-be quickly reposition themselves.
Cloud gives them a thumbs up. "Alright. Ready?"
He counts from 1 to 3, then sparks of light go off as several images of the family are taken.
"Thanks, Cloud. Sorry they're so hard to manage," Leslie apologizes when he comes to Cloud by the end of the session.
Cloud smiles. "No, it's fine. I've handled worse. I'll make sure the photos are ready before the wedding."
"That would be awesome."
Almost immediately, Leslie's brows shoot up like he's remembering something. He fishes through one of his trouser pockets and pulls out what seems to be a 5 by 5 card.
"Here. The invitation. Please come, if you can."
"Will do."
It's past 6pm when the family's finally gone home, leaving Cloud and his team scrambling to pack and close for the day.
Cloud still finds it hard to believe that he's running his own studio.
Wanting some distance from Zack, he left After Dark by Fair a year ago with a day's notice and not a word about where he's going.
He also moved out of the apartment that he shared with Tifa to start fresh in Sector 2.
He lived with Leslie for a short while in the studio apartment he still lives in now, sleeping on the couch until his roommate decided to get hitched.
After 3 months of a career break, he found a great space to rent in Sector 2 and opened Strifetographer – a photography service for family portraits and events.
Managing a studio's tough work and his list of clients isn't as wide-ranging as he wants it to be but he's content with where he is.
Adjusting to these new changes in his life remains an ongoing process.
He's locking the doors when his stomach starts rumbling like tyres moving across gravel. It just occurs to him that he hasn't eaten anything besides two bland crackers for breakfast.
There's only one place to go: Mireille's Stop. His favourite Sector 2 takeaway and the best place to get mouth-watering made to order gyros.
Mireille's Stop is just 3 blocks away from the studio but it's almost 7pm and the queue to the counter is already so long that it stretches all the way out of the premises.
Just like every other day.
Cloud sighs and joins those who're lining up outdoors.
Hands in his pockets, he moves when the line advances forward. The smell of fried meat, onions, herbs and pita bread grows stronger as he draws nearer to the front of the takeaway.
He becomes more aware of just how hungry he actually is.
The phone in his pocket vibrates.
Just what he needs – something to be distracted with.
He checks and finds a series of texts waiting for him to read.
Whore: Pls help
Whore: There's no one else who I can ask for help
Whore: Idk what to do with him
Whore: Your dad doesn't care
Not a distraction he wants.
He shoves the phone back to his pocket and paces 2 steps forward.
The woman behind him runs out of patience and breaks away from the line, grumbling about slow service. Filling in her place is a man in a suit.
"Oh, it's you."
A familiar voice.
He turns around and finds Tseng, the man in suit staring back at him.
He smiles stiffly. "Didn't think you would be around here."
As far as Cloud knows, Tseng works for the police department in Sector 0.
Tseng shrugs. "There's a week of training here I've to clear. No choice on my part."
The line keeps going forward and Cloud finally has his feet in the takeaway.
"Aren't you going to ask about him?" Tseng asks, unprompted.
He makes a questioning look.
"You know. About Zack."
Cloud scratches the back of his neck. "I don't know. Is there something I need to know?"
"If you're wondering… his studio hasn't been on business since 5 days after you left. The last time I saw him was 6 months ago and he didn't look good."
The news makes him feel unsettled but he doesn't like where this is going.
"Okay… so what do you want me to do about it?"
Tseng's face doesn't change. It stays as blank as it looks from the beginning of the conversation. But Cloud hears the man taking a deep breath.
"I don't know… maybe check on him?" Tseng cursorily suggests as if he doesn't want to sound like he's pushing Cloud to do it.
When Cloud doesn't respond, the man huffs.
"Look. I'm just worried about him, okay? He doesn't let anyone in anymore. But maybe… it will be different if it's you."
"Aerith's looking out for him, isn't she?"
Tseng scoffs. "Don't mention her. She can do no shit for him."
His talk with Tseng ends there.
The teenager in front of him is done making his order and happily walks away with a gyro wrapped in silver foil.
"Welcome! What can I get you, sir?" greets a female server with a 'Kyrie' nametag pinned at the top right of her apron as Cloud stands at the counter.
His mouth lists the toppings he usually wants in his gyro.
But his mind's not really thinking about what he's eating for dinner.
Cloud breathes out a shaky breath, then waggles his hands, hoping to get rid of his jitters.
He doesn't know why he's so nervous. He has been to this place far too many times.
His eyes stray to the doorbell switch on the wall.
Here goes nothing.
He presses the switch twice and waits for whoever's going to answer the door.
Minutes tick by before he hears movements heading his way.
The door opens and instead of a warm welcome, he's met with Zack shouting, "Can't you fucking see the sign? No. Salesman. Allowed. I don't want to see any fucking one of-"
The outbursts stop like a record player would when there's dust on a vinyl.
Zack's grey blue eyes enlarge as he realizes who's at his doorway.
Cloud smiles awkwardly. "Hey…"
"Cloud…" Zack seems incredibly awed by Cloud's presence that he momentarily forgets what he needs to do.
"Are you… going to let me in?"
Zack steps away, panicking a little. "Sorry. Of course. Come in."
Cloud walks in and studies wherever his eyes can see.
"You've kept this place… really clean," he remarks, actually impressed that the place seems spick-and-span with not even a single dust at sight.
A huge contrast to the owner who's hovering close in a sleeveless black top and grey briefs, looking scraggly with his bed head and unshaved stubbles.
Cloud has never seen Zack like this before.
"It's the only thing I can do now anyway," Zack mumbles.
Cloud pads to the living room and is instantly reminded of the many times he had been there together with Zack.
And that time when they first had sex.
They feel like distant memories.
He notices the stack of pizza boxes on the coffee table.
"Ah sorry. I forgot to bin those," Zack says, hurrying to remove them.
Cloud trails behind as Zack heads to the kitchen and tosses the boxes into a large waste can.
"I heard… about your studio," he remarks, leaning his back against the sink counters.
"Tseng told you?"
He nods.
Zack slumps onto a stool. An embarrassed smile bends his mouth as he looks away. "Yeah. I just couldn't do it anymore."
"Why?"
The smile falls off from Zack's face.
"Because I left?"
Silence.
Zack still doesn't want to look at him.
He sighs. "Sorry. I needed some space and time away from you. But at least, Aerith is-"
"It's just not the same without you," Zack cuts him short. "And please stop talking about Aerith. There's nothing between us now."
"Aerith's… no longer with you?" Cloud repeats, eyebrows raised.
Another silence.
Zack doesn't seem like he wants the talk to continue, so he doesn't want to pry any longer.
The dryness in his throat points out that he needs his breakfast.
And there's just no greater diversion than food.
"Are you hungry?"
Zack finally looks at him.
"Kind of…"
"I'll make us something," he says, then goes on to check the fridge.
From the fridge, he grabs what he needs – some eggs, milk and a packet of butter – and places them on the island near the stove.
He's closing the fridge door when he sees the frozen food packages piling up along the first 3 shelves.
"Do you still have the flour and baking powder we used to make those waffles some time ago?"
Zack rummages the low cabinets and takes out the said two ingredients.
"Great. We're having pancakes. That honey needs to be put to good use," Cloud remarks, pointing at a jar left alone near the microwave to collect dust on its lid for Minerva knows how long.
Zack returns to the stools and just sits watching him prepare their breakfast.
He's flipping around the first pancake when he decides to carefully tell off the other man, "Zack, you need to stop eating those frozen food and pizzas."
"Maybe I will… if you stay around again."
He breaks into a smile.
Some things just never change.
"I'll make us coffee," Zack says, moving to grab a packet of dark roasts from the top cabinets.
The other man tinkers with the espresso machine until it's making a sizzling sound.
By the time Zack's back on the stool, Cloud's done making the pancakes.
He plates two of the flat cakes for him, and the other two for Zack.
As he's dripping strings of honey onto his, a thought crosses his mind.
"I'm thinking of going back to Nibelheim this weekend," he starts, spreading the honey across the top of his pancake – just buying time to work up his courage. "Do you… want to come with me?"
"Tifa's not coming with you?"
He passes the jar to Zack. "No… we're not together anymore."
Zack glances at him, the other man's hands pause from scooping honey out of the jar.
A brief moment of silence drifts by.
"Yeah, sure. I'll come with you."
Cloud bites into his pancakes. Zack bites into his pancakes.
They put more into their mouths – tasting, munching and swallowing their cakes.
Until their eyes meet and they can't help but smile at each other.
A/N: Next chp will be the final one! It's actually insane that I managed to write this far 😂