“So what if I broke my arm I’m still doing it.” for Clack? (Cloud/Zack, is that their ship name?)

It was really such a shame that duty came first. Maybe if he'd learned to slack off a little more, he wouldn't be in this predicament. Not that it actually was one, since he had no intention of changing his plans. The show must go on! Too late, Zack realized he'd said that last bit out loud. Thankfully, it didn't really matter since the only person who'd heard him was Kunsel. Un-thankfully, Kunsel was a lot more levelheaded and always the first to point out when Zack was about to do something stupid. "I think you need to hit up the medic ward first, man. You don't look so hot." "I'm always hot. At least according to my fan club."

"Har, har." It was obvious Kunsel was rolling his eyes under the helmet. Maybe that was why he always kept it on, so Zack wouldn't see him constantly looking exasperated. "Seriously though, that fight with the Behemoth really messed you up. I know you're a 1st, but you don't constantly have to throw yourself in front of us little people." "That's exactly what it means." Zack winced as he accidentally jostled his arm. "Fine, fine. But you still look like shit. Just tell him that you need to postpone your little shindig. If he really likes you like you keep going on about, then he won't mind." Zack jumped up, ignoring the surge of pain in his arm. "No way, man! Do you have any idea how long it took me to get up the guts to ask him out? Not to mention find a night we were both free?!" He flailed around a little with his good arm. "So what if I broke my arm? I'm still doing it!" Kunsel rolled his eyes again. Obviously it was hidden, but Zack just knew. "You're such an idiot sometimes." "Huh?" "You're a 1st. This guy's a cadet, right?" A goofy little grin formed on Zack's face. "Yeah." "So just rearrange his schedule so that he so happens to have a night off the same time you do." Zack opened his mouth to argue, but snapped it shut when he realized that his friend was...absolutely brilliant. "Heyyy, good idea!" His good arm slung around Kunsel's shoulder. "What would I do without you?" "Probably lose an arm." Kunsel chuckled and gently nudged Zack away. "Now call the guy and get your ass down to medic before I have to drag you." "Yeah, yeah." Kunsel only left when Zack actually picked up his phone, proving he wasn't going to do anything stupid and stand around much longer with a broken arm. He quickly dialed the number that was now as familiar to him as his own, his heart thudding uncharacteristically fast as it rang once...twice... "Hello?" His chest fluttered, his smile widened, and butterflies fluttered in his stomach. He allowed himself to swoon for a second, glad that no one was around to see him act like a fool. That was how Cloud's voice made him feel. "Hey Spike," he greeted. "Zack?" Even though Cloud was one of the shyest, quietest people he'd ever met, there was always a little lilt to his voice whenever they spoke, like Cloud was still amazed that Zack had taken an interest in him. It made the butterflies in Zack's stomach have little caterpillar babies and flutter some more. "Got it in one!" He grinned, only the jolt of pain that shot up his arm when he tried to switch his phone to the other hand reminding him why he'd actually called. "I'm really, really sorry, but I have to cancel our date tonight." There was silence on the other end for a good thirty seconds. Zack wasn't actually sure if it was because Cloud was disappointed, or that he'd actually referred to their little get-together as a date. "Want to have dinner this weekend? Maybe get out of Midgar for a little while?"

"...With me?"

"Yeah, you. I like you a lot, y'know." "...How come?" Cloud finally asked in a small voice, breaking Zack out of his daydreams. "I had this mission earlier today, right?" At Cloud's hum in acknowledgement, Zack continued, "It was mostly just supposed to be me observing, but then this Behemoth charged in outta nowhere. I had to step in." "What happened?" "We got it without any causalities, but it really hated me." He laughed a little. "It swiped me away like I was nothing and I slammed into a wall. My arm's broken."

There were a couple of beats of silence as Cloud let this sink in. "Oh. Okay, then. I guess you need to rest, right?" "Once I go down to medic, yeah." "What?" Cloud's disappointment seemed to immediately melt into concern. "You haven't gotten it checked out yet? How long have you been back? You said your mission was this morning!" "It was," Zack admitted with a sheepish chuckle. "I've been back for a few hours." "Why?!" "I..." Zack trailed off a little. He felt a bit like a fool for admitting this, but he liked Cloud an awful lot and had really been looking forward to their date. Dinner at a nice place, maybe a movie, walking along the fields outside of Midgar and stargazing... Finally, he let out a wistful little sigh. "I just really didn't want to miss out on being with you, my arm be damned." Cloud was quiet for a long moment, and Zack would've thought he'd hung up if not for the shaky little breaths in the receiver. Finally, though, there was a reply. "Does the medic ward allow visitors this late?" It was by far one of the last things Zack expected to hear. "Huh?"

"I mean..." Now Cloud sounded hesitant. "I know you're in SOLDIER, so it's probably not a big deal for you to get fixed up. And it's probably not what you planned for our....date." He paused. "But at least if I came to visit, we could be together for a while. If you want." "Of course I do!" Zack blurted out. Cloud was right - this was a far cry from what he'd wanted to do, but as long as they were together, that was really all that mattered. "Meet me at medic, okay? They usually like to keep me under observation for a few hours to make sure the mako's not doing anything weird." "Okay." Zack could hear the smile in Cloud's voice and he just about melted. "I'll meet you there." "Perfect." After he hung up, Zack just leaned against the wall with a goofy little grin on his face, staring into space. Visions of the medic doing something painful that would make Cloud want to grab his hand swam in mind. He ignored the logical part of his brain that reminded him that he'd had a high pain tolerance even before making SOLDIER. As he headed down to the medic ward, he remember Kunsel's advice and mentally went over his calendar. He was pretty sure he had next Friday off...and now, Cloud would too. And this time, he'd make sure no broken limbs got in the way.