Chapter 1: Realization. [There is mature content [xxx] scattered throughout this series. If a chapter contains some xxx it will say MATURE CONTENT on the top.]

Genre: Romance/Humor/Friendship/Tragedy
Age: 18+
Pairings: Mainly revolved around Cloud x Seph and Cloud x Zack. All of the other FFVII characters are also included in this series. Other FFVII pairings are also included in this ongoing series.

-Cloud's POV.

The rain was pouring relentlessly.
Cloud looked out the window, feeling nothing but incomplete. There was only one thing on his mind. And, naturally, it was Sephiroth. He just couldn't understand him. He felt connected to him in multiple different ways...

It can't be love...definitely not lust...I just feel so attached and I don't know why, Cloud thought.
Wait a sec...What the hell am I thinking?

Just then someone knocked on his bedroom's door. "Hey Spikey!! What you up to? I'm seriously bored, let's go hang with Aerith at the flower shop!"

"Alright..." Cloud sighed. Cloud opened the door to a pair of electric blue eyes, that in which he could see his own reflection. Of course it was the mako, the mako that Cloud was so intrigued by.

"Hey, you okay buddy?" Zack said, gazing back down at him curiously.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Let's go Zack." Cloud replied dully, motioning him back out.

Zack led the way down the stairs, leading to the bar. "Hey you guys, going somewhere?" Tifa looked up at Cloud and Zack from the bar counter, she was wiping it down in a circular motion.

"Yeah! We're headed over to Aerith's." Zack smiled. Tifa admired Zack's childish ways, and his easygoing manner lifted up everyone's spirits. Cloud nodded at Tifa in confirmation.

"Alright, have fun then!" Tifa waved them goodbye.

-Zack's POV

"Hey Cloud, let's take my truck!" Zack said enthusiastically.

"Let's just take Fenrir, it's faster…" Cloud said. Zack looked at Cloud reluctantly, and agreed.
What the hell is wrong with Spikey…he seems upset. Maybe he's tired or cranky...no..it's something else. Hm, I bet Aerith can help me out... Zack thought.

Zack convinced Cloud to let him drive Fenrir because he didn't get to take his oh, so precious truck. Cloud wrapped his pale arms around Zack's waist, and Zack maneuvered the motorcycle forward. The ride to the flower shop went by very slowly…
"Hey Cloud! Did ya hear about the Chocobo race that's coming up soon? We should go! We could bring Tifa, Aerith, and..uh, anyone else, like Denzel and Marlene! They'd love that!"

"Mmh…yeah, sure. Sounds like fun." Cloud said indifferently.
Cloud still isn't the same damn it...I think I know what the problem is... Zack parked up in front of Aerith's shop and he felt Cloud release him from his weak grip. Zack looked at Cloud as he stretched his arms out and began walking toward the shop.

The black tank top, and black cargo pants fitted Cloud well. Zack followed Cloud inside and yelled, "Aerith! It's us, where are you! I MISSED YOU!"

Cloud and Zack heard a faint distant, "Zack? I'm coming in a second, silly!"

Cloud took a seat on one of the stools in the small, orderly shop, and fixed his gaze on his black shoes. Zack noticed this, and asked Cloud if he was okay.

"Zack, I'm fine." Cloud said in a serious tone.

"Cloud, I don't buy it. You look so much more reserved. Just like…back then," Zack paused. "It's him, isn't it?"

Cloud didn't respond. Hah! I was right! Damn, wait a sec, how am I suppose to help him...I think I'll have to talk to Angeal later for some guidance, I bet he'd know what to do...

Aerith walked in, "Hey, you both are awfully quiet!"

"Well Spikey here is always quite, you know that Aerith, my sweet." Zack got up and grabbed Aerith around the waist and smiled straight at her.

Aerith giggled and turned away from Zack. "I have some news for you both!"

"What is it?" Zack pondered.

"Guess who visited my shop earlier! Sephiroth! He was looking for someone."
Cloud furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Aerith and Zack instead of his shoes. Zack knew.

"Looking for Cloud?" Zack  questioned.

"Mhm. He said he wanted to see him, and that he feels that he needs to talk to him. He told me if I ever see Cloud later I should tell him that he's been staying with Angeal for awhile."

Great! Now I can head over to Angeal's with Cloud! Wait, that is…if Cloud wants to go…What am I thinking!? Of course he's gotta go!

"Alrighty then, Cloudy, lets go to Angeals!" Zack exclaimed. Cloud looked at him thoughtfully.

"I don't really wanna go, Zack." Cloud said solemnly.

"How come!" Zack released Aerith and roughly ran his hand through his friend's spikey hair. "Come on, Cloud! You've gotta sort out things with him sooner or later…" Cloud looked at Zack and nodded his head in disapproval. "Cloud…your coming whether you like it or not!"

"Zack, please…" Cloud pleaded, but to no avail,  Zack grabbed his wrist and pulled him out of the flower shop.

"Bye Aerith, I'll come by later tonight 'kay? I love you!" Zack yelled. Aerith smiled and waved at them goodbye. Cloud tried to pull his hand away from Zack, but Zack's grip was way too firm. "Cloud, you've gotta face it. Your scrawny."

This ticked Cloud off. "I'm not SCRAWNY!" Cloud landed a punch in Zack's gut with his other hand, and Zack released Cloud.

"That didn't hurt." Zack laughed.

"Did you want it to hurt?" Cloud began pulling off his leather glove.

"No, no! I was just kidding! Come on let's go!" Zack grabbed Cloud's forearm and convinced him to get on the motorcycle.