Prompt: Friends, not food!

Cloud swiped at his face with the back of his sleeve, grimacing at the gritty feeling against his skin that he knew meant he'd just made it worse - sweat still dripping down to sting his eyes but now with dirt clinging unpleasantly to his forehead. He resettled his grip on the broadsword. It still sometimes confused him at how light it felt, expecting the weight to drag his arms down to drop the weapon to the ground. But, no, it seemed as light as the training sword he'd had for such a short time at the end of his willing service to Shinra.

He was glad, sometimes, that he didn't fully remember what they'd done to him in the lab before they'd escaped.

A burst of cold air brushed over him and he half turned to see Aerith grinning at him, giving him a thumbs up before she spun and redirected the full weight of the Blizzard she'd muffled for him to help him cool off. The icy shards of her spell slammed into the side of the hideous monster, it's two tongues lashing at the frozen spears pinning one of its hands to the ground.

The sound of a terrified chocobo grabbed the monster's attention, turning hungrily toward the noise only to give a grunt of dissatisfaction when it only saw Tifa holding up her PHS that was playing the recording that had lured the 'chocobo-eater' out in the first place. It wasn't exactly the brightest monster, but it made up for in ugliness and brutality. Bill was going to owe them a lot more than he'd offered at first, or at least let them rent some chocobos for free on top of the gil they'd more than earned.

Barret peppered the monster's side with another volley of bullets, only a few of them hitting the softer parts that weren't covered in its thick armor.

Cloud had to jump out of the way as the monster swiped at him, its massive double set of jaws snapping inches from his face as he leaped over, his sword gouging a furrow along its back. He landed in a roll and spun around, finding Zack barreling forward with the buster sword raised over his head for a vicious downward slash.

The expression on his friend's face was bordering on manic, his teeth bared in a grin as his limit-break cleaved the monster's head fully in half. He stood over the monster as he slumped to the ground. He spun his blade around his hand, slapping it home against his back as he laughed.

"Chocobos are friends! Not FOOD!"

Cloud doubled over, the adrenaline from the fight leaving him shaky as the danger came to an abrupt end. He couldn't help the laugh that was forced out of his throat - they'd all had little to laugh about lately, and Zack was the best at making sure everyone's spirits were kept high when everyone else tended to wallow a bit. Aerith, who he was certain forced herself to be cheerful, appreciated his efforts more than most.

Zack clapped him on the back, leaning close to quietly ask if he was okay, if he needed a break. Cloud shook his head as he caught his breath, "It's fine, I can rest when we get paid, maybe get back to Kalm and actually sleep in an inn for once."

"Bedtime it is!" he said, taking the sword from Cloud's slightly shaking hands and putting it on his magnet harness, "let's get you some rest bud."

Cloud hated that he needed to rest so often - as if he hadn't spent nearly a year sleepwalking and being dragged around. But he appreciated Zack's determination and care to keep him safe. He felt a weak smile split his cheeks as Zack walked beside him, Aerith coming around to shore up his other side and kindly pretending she wasn't helping him stay standing by looping her arm through his and letting him lean on her. Tifa handed him a canteen with a smile...

Cloud really couldn't believe he made such good friends...

So this is randomly an AU where Zack!Lives and Cloud recovered in the slums while Zack joined Tifa and the others to stick it to Shinra and ended up doing all the thing Cloud would have done. I bet he looked a lot sillier in the dress but was a much better sport about the whole thing!