Author's Notes: Nothing much. An attempt at a happy Cloud/Reeve. But mellowed out by memories of a mutual friend who came before.

Theme: Writer's Choice

Hope

"Did you know him?"

Reeve froze, with his hand on the door of the fridge. Really, he should have known that the conversation was going to go down this path. For all the tact that Cloud had, some subjects didn't seem to be graced by it. Zack was one of them. Really, Reeve knew he should have stirred the subject away from this before Cloud asked. But the blond had looked so needy, and Reeve could deny his young lover nothing.

"What was that?" he said after a moment, finally opening the fridge and pulling out the orange juice he'd been after.

"Did you know Zack?"

Stalling wouldn't work, as much as Reeve wanted it to. He owed Cloud the truth, even if it would hurt the younger man.

"I knew him. Through Lazard at first. I was often involved in helping Lazard arrange operations in the city. The former Head of Urban Development wasn't exactly fond of having such a young and 'green' executive. And since I was the only other one with the access to all the blueprints in the city…"

"I didn't ask about Lazard," Cloud pointed out as he took the orange juice that Reeve had retrieved from the fridge to pour himself a glass. "I asked about Zack."

"We knew each other. I never actually worked with him though."

"Aeris and Tifa avoided questions about him in the same way you are."

Reeve sighed and took up a seat across from Cloud. He knew what Cloud wanted. Assurances that Reeve didn't like him because he was like Zack. Promises that his love was not just the echo of a man who was dead. Some kind of proof that Reeve wanted him because he was Cloud, not because he could have been Zack. It was something that Reeve wasn't quite sure he could give the blond, as much as he wanted to. For the last few months, Reeve had been asking himself that question. And still he didn't have an answer.

"Zack and I were good friends. I heard a lot of good things about you from him. Before he passed on that was…"

"Good friends like Tifa and Barret are good friends, or good friends like Aeris and Zack were good friends."

"Aeris and Zack were good friends like Zack and myself before they met."

"So you were…"

Reeve nodded, frowning to himself. This would be where Cloud would blow up at him and accuse him of only having feelings for him because he was like Zack.

"Did you love him?"

That caught Reeve off guard. Where was the shouting? Where was the pouting? Where was anything other than an odd and solemn acceptance? Why wasn't Cloud doing… anything?

"What does that matter?"

"Just answer."

He didn't know. There hadn't been enough time to know. Rare meetings over two years, most of them broken memories of drinking and quiet moments together in dark corners. Was that what you called love? They'd barely been involved beyond the physical aspects.

"I don't know," he answered after a while.

The blond nodded and set aside his drink. Before Reeve knew it the swordsman was at his side, his hand coming up to force Reeve to look at him.

"Do you love me?"

That was a far easier question. The fact that they were here together, sharing breakfast at almost five in the morning before heading to do their separate jobs should have been answer enough. Or the fact that Cloud had spent the night with him. Or that Reeve had cooked for them so they might have an evening alone. Wasn't that enough to say he was in love?

"What does it matter?"

Cloud smirked and shook his head. "You're just so difficult Tuesti."

"Isn't that why you like being here?"

The smirk became a smile as Cloud leaned in close.

"Maybe it is," he whispered before kissing Reeve. "Or maybe, unlike Zack, I'm willing to try. Guess that means there is hope for me yet."

After that Cloud just smiled and headed for their shared bedroom to get ready for his day. Left behind, all Reeve could think of was that Cloud wasn't really like Zack at all. The masochist was going to stick it out, through thick and thin. Maybe the blond had something to prove, maybe the man was just using him… but damn if Reeve didn't want to enjoy that while it lasted.