Disclaimer: I own none of the characters. Half are from FF7, other are from FF5, and still others are from Kingdom Hearts.

A/N: Please review, I always appreciate it. Also- I'm taking requests for another Clack romance. I've been dying to write some but I can't really figure out what to write for them so I figure I'll write what you guys want!

A Clack Romance

Of Break Ups and Band Shirts

Yawning, stretching and taking a moment to take in his surroundings- perfect breeze sweeping in through the open window, sun shining, mussed bedding, sticky sheets- Zack Fair woke up with a brilliant smile to match the blinding afternoon sun.

The only way to describe Zack's mindset and expression was stormy. Thunderclouds and blasts of lightning followed in his wake and anyone and everyone who stood in his way became privy to this fact. Now, usually Zack Fair was as harmless as a puppy- all playful bark and maybe a few friendly nips- but tonight he was growling and snarling and even the ever exuberant Yuffy Kisaragi stayed out of his way.

Whilst drunken party goers gave the ravenet a rather wide berth the two that had the angered man's full attention were the two who stayed oblivious to his thunderous mood.

Laughing and flirting, Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart did not realize their danger until their conversation was abruptly cut off as the blond suddenly had his slim waist snagged rather harshly and he had a face full of his boyfriend's rather buff chest.

His own viridian eyes flashed as he looked up into the other teenagers angry midnight eyes.

The previous conversation was promptly forgotten in lieu of the rather damaging words ahead of the couple.

Zack pulled last night's boxers onto his naked form and, giving the scene before him one last long look- and goofy smile- he pranced out the bedroom door.

With an awkward smile and wave that Cloud either didn't see or didn't acknowledge, his eyes so fixated on his angry boyfriend's, the havoc causing girl disappeared into the crowd of party goers leaving the two to their heated debate that had started long before she had appeared on the scene.

"Seriously, Cloud, flirting with your ex? What are we in, like middle school?" Having let his grip grow slack on the other's hips, Cloud easily brushed the ravenets hands away from his person and, in the guise of brushing invisible wrinkles from where the other man's hands had clutched he gave himself a moment a gain a hold on the torrent of emotions running through him.

It was a testament to how long the two had been together that Zack knew exactly what the blond was doing in this postponement. After all, Cloud liked to pretend his temper was pure ice and he could- usually- except when his sleazebag of a stepfather was involved or someone kicked a puppy or in an argument with Zack, himself, then his true fiery colors burst forth.

Finally, Cloud's hands pulled away from his shirt and, fists clenched, he once again looked up into midnight eyes, sneering. "No, sorry Zack, we're in college where we can fuck whatever slut falls into our bed."

Eyes flashing and temper worsened in the shadow of this old accusation, Zack exploded, "Aerith is not a slut and we were very, very drunk!" Zack found that he could truly care less that his boyfriend's anger was only rising with the torrent of his own. "It didn't fucking mean anything Cloud!" Before the other could open his mouth to refute him, he plowed on, voice rising, "It was one damn time, I was drunk, she was willing, and I was pissed! Why can't you just fucking get over it?"

Hand twisting into and ruining the chest of Zack's polo shirt without realizing it, Cloud snarled angrily, "It's hard to get over it when you're flirting with her every fucking chance you get!"

A look of utter disbelief joined the anger that continued to flash across his unusually midnight eyes, darkening them further, "Seriously? Me, flirting with Aerith? She's one of our best friends! I was talking to her." Disbelief disappeared in order for his lips to contort into an uncharacteristic sardonic laugh. "What about you? Ever since fucking Tifa came back into town you haven't been able to keep your hands off her! This is all you ever do, heap the blame on me." So involved in his anger the ravenet found a certain bursting glee in the hurt that was blooming in shades of red upon his boyfriends face. "Even before we started going out it was: 'It was Zack's idea to egg that house,' 'Zack flirted with a girl, never mind the eyes I've been making at the who-" His very off high pitched Cloud interpretation would have been amusing if the situation wasn't so dangerously explosive.

As it was, Cloud found nothing funny as the slap rang out across the now dead party.

Tears were running unchecked down the blonds' face and Zack found himself wincing at more than the sting that was marked in a red hand print across his cheek. He quickly found his anger diffusing as the usually emotionally stifled boy wore everything across his face for all their peers to see.

"Then why don't we just break up if our relationship's sucked that bad!"

And there it was. The mild chatter that had rung through the surrounding field of people ceased to exist and a rather large lump made itself known in his throat as his own dulling viridian focused on wet crystal blue.

Zack paid extra special attention to this morning's breakfast, making sure to pick out the stray egg shell pieces he managed to drop into his french toast dip and not to burn the maple syrup. Of course, he did all this while he whistled a happy tune. It was the day after his birthday and it was the first time that he did not have a hangover after such a long night of partying.

It was his birthday (his 24th!) and in order to celebrate such a day Reno and Yuffy had thrown a huge bash in celebration of both his birthday and his introduction into career world, which of course included lots and lots of booze.

Truly it was merely an excuse for the exuberant friends with benefits to throw a party and Zack was used to these types of occasions and was even quite welcoming of them, more than willing to use his own special occasion as an excuse to get drunk and laid. However, this time he found himself quite suspicious, unable to shake the feeling that they were hiding something rather dramatic, the party merely a veil.

It didn't help that Yuffy was especially jumpy around him and would visibly stumble (whether walking, standing still, or sitting for Shiva's sake) whenever he called her name. Nor the fact that Reno would snicker every time he was in his vicinity and would promptly get smacked across the head by anyone else around (usually Seph or Genesis but they both liked to kick the hell out of him for fun so that actually did not add to the suspicion).

Now, he sat on a rather lovely, rather cold leather couch surrounded by macking couples, sipping his beer and eyeing Tifa and Aerith's (ironically enough they had hooked up at the same party Cloud and he had had their falling out at and had been inseparable since) large smiles suspiciously.

Finally when Tifa's smile had reached the level of blinding, he carefully and reluctantly set his half drunk beer down furthest away from Genesis and a rather drunk Sephiroth as possible and focused his viridian eyes on the unusually silent, way over elated couple, "Is there something I can do for you two?"

The reactions were simultaneous. Aerith squeaked and masked a giggle and Tifa's beaming smile morphed into an i-know-something-you-don't-know-bitch smirk. "Well, we just wanted to come over and inform Mr. Birthday Boy that Riku and Sora are running late and they wanted to give you a birthday present before you disappeared with some slut." She flipped open her phone and the text message said exactly that, though he was surprised to find that it was from innocent Sora.

Huffing at the slut comment, he groused, "Just because I'm not looking for a fucking romance like everyone else does not mean every girl I sleep with is a slut." He was met with a rolling of the eyes.

When all went silent once again and his beer was bordering empty he finally stood up, ready to escape those ever penetrating eyes, "Well then, I'm just gonna go dance. After all it's my party and-" He would later deny the rather girly shriek that escaped his lips as he was once again pushed into the leather couch by Tifa- who was far stronger than she looks.

"Nope, we've been informed to keep an eye on you and that's what we're doing. They'll be here soon and we've already informed them where we're sitting so you can't go anywhere." The dark haired girl's smile was sweet but deadly and Zack found himself fearing for his life. How any guy ever dated the razor sharp girl he'll never know.

So, he was once again sentenced to sitting there unmoving and very bored. "You better not be setting me up with someone. Saifer almost chopped my dick off for even looking at Leon." He merely got indulgent smiles in return that made him fear for his life.

There was a flurry of movement and a huffing Sora suddenly stood in front of him, all beaming smiles and cheerful greetings though no Riku was in sight. "Hi Zack, happy birthday! I hope it's been great!" Zack was wondering if his face would break as large as the smile was.

"He-ey Sora, long time no see. Everything been good?" He tried to keep his eyes on the other boy's face but he could not help but to look around, watching for the inevitable.

The brunet sighed happily, his eyes going dreamy, "Yeah, you know Riku proposed? And it's your birthday so of course everything's-" But at that moment Zack's eyes found Riku and just who was beside him and suddenly everything clicked into place.

The other boy's crystal blues widened and his perfect pink lips dropped open, his face mirroring the shock vibrating throughout his own being. The blond was the first to find his tongue.

"Hey." Turning from the sizzling french toast his eyes alighted on a rather messy haired, tired eyed blond. He had a happy smile on his plump lips and an old Beatles t-shirt of Zack's was the only thing covering his small frame. It had to be the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen.

"Cloud?" He had only managed to voice his ex-boyfriend's name after a few minutes of gawking and Aerith being forced to click his mouth closed.

"Yeah…" The pause that resumed after the short conversation was not awkward at all as the others took their leave, Tifa pulling her girlfriend to the dance floor and Sora exuberantly pulling his boyfriend to their next group of friends, continuing on his rampage of announcing their engagement to the world, one set of friends at a time.

However, none of that mattered to the ravenet. All that mattered was the lovely blond who had shyly taken Aerith's seat beside him. He was still as beautiful as ever, all big blue eyes and blond hair.

Boldly taking Zack's hand, a move he would never done before they dated in the past, Cloud murmured softly, "It's been a long time."

"Yes," Zack smiled, twining their fingers together and holding the other's crystal blues with his own, "it has."

"Hey." Dropping the spatula and leaving the rest of breakfast to burn Zack pressed a hand to his renewed lover's slight waist, pulling him flush into his welcoming embrace.

Immediately taking the other's lips as his own he could not resist letting his unoccupied hand wander to the hem of the old band shirt and, cupping the naked bum beneath it, he incited a moan that he had only heard once again last night after too many years of going without.

They had had many problems in the past and he was not certain where the future lay but as he pulled back from the kiss to take in the sight of debauched, very used lips, darkened crystal blue eyes, and a t-shirt that was his own hiking up to share his lover's most secret places he could not help but to hope for the future.

"Break up?" Zack echoed the sniffling blond, his voice taking on a very hollow, detached tone. "I guess…" Shocked blue eyes snapped to his face and Cloud gave a jerking nod before turning and walking away. Mouthing silently to the back of the other boy's head what he had discovered that night he was caught with Aerith and maybe what he should have been saying to his face, Zack too finally turned and walked away.

Cloud paused in his steps, the same words rolling off his tongue though they were lost with the wind.

"I love you."