Yo, Tifa! [ Despite the unease he felt attempt to crawl back inside of him, Zack quietly pushes it away with a smile. Lately he's been too good at doing that...

He'll trot over to her table and give a small wave, surveying the cup and tea she already had. ]

Sorry. Hope you've not been waiting too long? [ She picked out a nice spot, too. Good. Easier to talk this way. ]

Oh yeah, I'll grab something. [ He turns to head to the counter but pauses briefly to add: ] Would've liked to have known what you would have gotten me, though!

[ And with a laugh he steps away for a moment to try and order.

... But in all honesty, he really wished Tifa had.

He stares up at the menu, squinting at the different array of drinks. None of the names really look all that familiar, and the specialty names only seem to confuse him more. A tall? What the hell kind of a size was that?

It's probably taken him a little longer than intended to come back but when he does he has in his hand a simple, small, black cup of coffee. ]

... Think I'm gunna need to read the menu a little longer next time.

[ He was never much of a coffee drinker to begin with- maybe because he could never make it right? Or maybe the kind they served on the SOLDIER floor was always stale... regardless, he slides into the chair across from Tifa and sets the drink to the side for now.

The... air did feel a little tense, as if had when he first ran into her. Yet just like before he was determined to ease the tension as much as he could. So, to the response of her first question, the man will lean back into his chair a little, balancing it on its back legs before: ] Not bad, actually! Got my own room, a soft bed to lay on— livin' the dream! [ He pauses with a laugh. ] Guess Cloud was never one for decorating though, huh? The place is still pretty bear.

Really? That's strange, considering you grew up in the same place 'n all. [ He recalls the conversation he had with Cloud in their shared inn room one night. How when he asked about Tifa he didn't seem to elaborate. Not that he wanted to pry too much, but perhaps she could give clearer answers as to their relationship...

It was strange, too, that she mentioned not seeing Cloud much since they arrived here. Was their relationship really that intense? ]

Sounds like you care for him a lot, though. You two... are friends, right?

[ Finally trying to take a sip of this coffee....... and oh my god, it was so awful (without any sugar or creamer, of course-) and he casually puts it down to the side. ]

Yeah! At least, a little bit. He's not really one for opening up about his feelings or anything— [ A brief pause. ] —but he's a really determined, if nothing else! He was always mentioning how badly he wanted to be in SOLDIER, and pretty sure he could've done it, too.

[ Geez, these two were complicated, weren't they? ]

Midgar's a pretty big place, so I suppose that makes sense. But hey- just means you can reconnect here!

[ There's a pause in his cheerful demeanor when Tifa asks, and instantly his eyes look up to read hers. She seemed confused, serious even, and it took him a moment to process whether or not what she was saying is what she believed to be true.

... Wait, something wasn't right here.

He frowns, his own brow quirking up. ] ... Did someone tell you that?

[ He's not going to avoid the question entirely, but getting some context would be helpful. ]

[ … What?

Nothing was adding up at all. Why would Cloud have told her that? Maybe it was a pride thing… or maybe it was something else. Something that poked at the back of his mind when he reflected back to seeing Cloud for the first time here.

He already didn’t remember Zack in the first place, so he was already convinced the man’s memories were a little out of place. Maybe though, with Tifa’s help, she could clear a few things up and provide answers in the gaps that he was missing…

But he couldn’t know what had to be be done without at least telling her the truth first.

…

Zack eventually winces under his thoughts before shaking his head. ] When I first met Cloud he was in the infantry, and was there until the two of us left Shinra.

[ the words left a bad taste in his mouth. He didn’t feel right talking about Cloud or his business when he wasn’t around… but without knowing exactly what was going on with him, Zack would have no help of trying to find a solution. ]

There weren’t many of us in First Class… only a handful, actually. But unfortunately Cloud wasn’t one of ‘em…

[ His body tenses as she speaks, and Zack has to cross his arms over his chest in order to keep himself still.

A dark, deep pit forms in the bottom of his stomach, making it difficult to swallow. He doesn't want to remember what happened a year ago, yet even the small glimpses back into the past feel as if it happened yesterday.

Zack breathes through his emotions before lowing his gaze to the soft as he speaks softly. ]

The uniform. I... I gave that to him. It was a change of clothes... it was the only thing I could find after— [ after that.

Should he tell Tifa? Did she even know? Shinra did keep a tight lip about what they were doing, but knowing that it effected Cloud in such a way... that he ended up like this.

He wanted to vomit.

His head deepens into his chest, hands clenching his forearms. ] Cloud actually looks a little older. I don't really know how...

... After Cloud and I broke out from under the Shinra Manor. [ His throat goes dry when he speaks, shutting his eyes to try and hide away the memory of the many years of his life- of Cloud's life- that they would never get back. ]

Tifa, this isn't the easiest thing to talk about— [ There's a small plea in his voice, something of a small whimper that chokes him back from forming a proper sentence. But he's trying, and he knows she has more questions to ask. He just... doesn't know how to formulate it all into thought.

Finally, after a long period of sentence he focused himself to try and continue. Voice dripping with regret. ]

Something happened to Cloud that really messed him up down there. It... it could be the reason he think he's SOLDIER, or why he doesn't even remember who I am...

[ The sudden movement from the table alerts Zack, and he is nearly taken back a bit in surprise when her earnest question comes out.

... Sorry Cloud, he'll apologize to you later. Really, and sincerely. ]

That's the one. [ He admits, scoffing sadly as he peers back down to his drink. ] Cloud came with me and Sephiroth on that last mission... he was one of the infantry men on the tour with us.

[ His shoulders hunch down as he continues, voice dripping with regret as he spoke. ] He seemed nervous the entire time, though. Figured you two had some history he didn't wanna talk about, so 'course I didn't pry, but... yeah.

[ Zack nearly jolts out of his seat when the loud crack is heard- the hairs on the back of his neck standing straight up. His eyes dart to the table, mouth hanging open at just how that possibly happened and sat motionless for a moment as the air around them began to heavy to move.

He understands. He knows how difficult it must have been for Tifa and everyone else waiting for them. To be left out in the dark for so long...

Zack wished he had more answers, but a lot of what was left was between her and Cloud. He was never one to really open up about his emotions, but something was telling him there something deeper between the two of them. All he could do now was ease her mind about what he did know... and even that was hard to explain. ]

I'm sorry, Tifa... [ Was all he could manage to breathe out at her frustration. ]

I managed to break out and take Cloud with me, but by then... years had gone by. We were stuck there getting poked and prodded or whatever the hell those Shinra scientists do. But Cloud he- [ His face hardens. Hands clenched at his thighs and tightening his grip on his pants. ] -he couldn't handle all that mako. Couldn't even walk, let alone talk to me.

[ Mako poisoning. Zack was able to withstand it, given the amount used to becoming SOLDIER, but- ]

We became fugitives. On the run all the way up until I woke up here.

[ Zack just simply shakes his head, a look of defeat washed over his features. If only he had done more to help, if only he could have. ]

At least not that I know of. Think you can only really get better with time, but that stuff doesn't exactly wash away. [ A pause, his voice rough. ] I hadn't seen Cloud since he "recovered", but now he's acting a little strange. Guess I can't blame 'em, though...