Okay but those Last Order scenes you posted
I get it. I get it now
Zack lugging Cloud around like that, talking to him like he's fine, having full conversations with him, going through such lengths to protect him while fighting off their attackers, since Cloud is in no state to protect himself. Man,,,
YEAH. YEAH!!
Genuinely I'm obsessed about those months on the run. Since i started with Crisis Core i also saw the way they extended on that. Like in CC at that point of the game Zack has grown so numb and you can see his smile drop everytime he's away from Cloud, but when he's with Cloud? He is at his brightest, cracking jokes, smiling, telling him how cool he is, ruffling his hair (never recovered from this specific scene because he doesn't realize Cloud is waking up when he does that and the next scene as he moves away Cloud tries to reach out to him and he can't and GOD.). And you can also see him get sad he doesn't get an answer from Cloud, but he still does it, he still will power through his own sadness and helplessness if it means Cloud would feel like he'll be safe waking up.
But at the same time, he becomes much more ruthless. He will keep Cloud safe no matter what even if he has to kill for that. In CC, Zack is friend with two Turks, Tseng and Cissnei. But once they're on the run and Shinra sent people to attack them, at some point Cissnei catches up to them and Zack immediately raises his sword against her with a very dark look on his face as he moves to shield Cloud. Like there's not even a second of hesitation because of their past history, Zack just immediately gets the threat she can be and to damn being an old friend, he'll protect Cloud no matter what. (In that scene Cissnei is actually there to help so he lets his guard down a bit and it's one of those scenes where you can really see his upbeatness just drops when he's not around Cloud)
And in Last Order, the scenes i posted, I'm genuinely obsessed with the way Zack both hurts and ignores the infantrymen who were trying to get to Cloud behind his sword. They're not important enough for him to even talk to, he needs to reassure Cloud first and foremost, but he's also not holding back against the guys who were putting Cloud in danger. Also i feel like his lighthearted comment about "aw Cloud don't be mad, you know I'd never abandon you" is more him voicing how even if he had to run off for a bit for the battle, Zack just so desperately put his life on the line there.
And all of that while he remains tender and soft!! He puts Cloud down on the ground very gently before destroying the people threatening him. He's gentle with his speech, he's just. God!!!
Like they're amazing before Cloud gets into this state, the way Zack tends to just light up when he sees Cloud and how Cloud is also at his brightest when Zack is around, they really have a sweet dynamic and they inspire each other and all.
But god the specific mix of gentle but ruthless, upbeat but only to give Cloud hope, gets to me so bad. Zack Fair the man that you are.
I'm so glad you see it with those small scenes. I've personally just never recovered fron them. Thank u for indulging it as i talk about it