Zack sighs, rubbing a hand on Cloud's back. It hurt that his friend was like this, he wanted to make the pain go away, and had hoped that the joke would help a little, but it hadn't.

Zack just held on to Cloud, not wanting to let go of his friend just yet, he waited, hoping that just being close could help. He listened to the sounds of their room, of Cloud himself, reminding himself that he was here, he was alive and so was Cloud.