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When Shadows Break ~ Chapter 8
--------------------------------------- By the time Zack returned to his quarters late that afternoon, he was exhausted. Slumping down on his couch, he stared blankly at his boots, too tired to even take them off. Between the interview with Heidegger and the examination by Hojo, he'd been subjected to more company abuse than he had received in years - since he was a SOLDIER candidate, really. He was emotionally wrung out and too exhausted to even think about what tomorrow would bring. The beep and hiss of his door opening woke him from a light sleep some fifteen minutes later. He was still sitting on the couch, blinking in confusion, when warm hands grasped his shoulders. Strong fingers kneaded his tense muscles with the ease of familiarity. "Seph," he sighed. His lover replied with a gentle kiss on the top of his head. "You know?" Zack said softly. Sephiroth snorted. "Heidegger took a little too much pleasure in telling me personally." "I... I've made a mess of things," Zack stuttered. The words caught in his throat. "I didn't mean to." Sephiroth sighed. "Zack... you don't belong with Shinra. You're too --" Zack shook his head fiercely, interrupting him. "No! Don't say it. Don't talk about me! They're listening. So stupid... should've realized they were always listening...." His voice trailed off. Fingers clenched tightly over his shoulders. "It will blow over, Zack. Don't worry about it. Scarlet won't let Heidegger get rid of you permanently. And Hojo has orders NOT to use you as a test subject." Zack scrubbed his hands over his face. "Yeah, but what about Cloud? They think I've been corrupting him or something. He doesn't have anyone to look out for him. I have you." He shuddered. "Tell me it's all a nightmare, Seph. We can wake up soon, right?" Sephiroth walked around the couch and sat down beside him. Putting one arm around Zack's shoulders, he drew him into his embrace. "Shall we go back to before Strife arrived, then?" Sephiroth asked softly. The slightest hint of malice colored his voice. "It's not his fault, Seph!" Zack cleared his throat, realizing that he'd sounded a little shrill. Sighing, he burrowed against Sephiroth's shoulder. "Let's not argue about it, alright?" Sephiroth tensed for a moment before nodding. "As you wish. How long will you be gone?" Zack shrugged helplessly. "At least a month. Possibly three." His lover growled irritably. "That long? What on earth is he... never mind. This is Hojo, after all. It's better not to know." Remembering the professor's questions and his poking and prodding, Zack shivered. "Forewarned is forearmed," he replied without thinking. The echo of Sephiroth's war time advice earned him a dry chuckle. "I don't think one can be forewarned when it comes to that one," Sephiroth replied, stroking Zack's messy hair. "His... genius runs an erratic course." "Genius?" Zack asked incredulously. "I think he's more of nu --" Sephiroth laid a hand over Zack's mouth. "Careful." Zack nodded, running his tongue over Sephiroth's fingers. Planting a kiss on Seph's palm, he sat up. "Yeah, I'm in enough trouble already." He bent over to pull off his boots. "So what do you know about this assignment?" Sephiroth asked. "He's got some kind of project in the mansion that he wants to check on," Zack replied, looking up. Sephiroth's brow furrowed in thought. "And he needs a SOLDIER for this?" Zack shrugged as he leaned back against the couch. "Apparently. He said he was going to request one anyway, and I just happened to have 'ex-cellent timing'." "This worries me," his lover sighed as he glanced up at the wall clock. "Zack, I have to go." Following his gaze, Zack read the time. 4:30. "Dinner meeting?" he guessed. Sephiroth nodded. "Do you think..." he glanced down at his hands, nervously. "Do you think it would be okay if I said goodbye to Cloud?" Sephiroth took a deep breath and let it out slowly before responding. "Just be careful," he said finally. "Don't try to warn him or encourage him. Just state the facts." Zack clenched his hands into fists. He knew how much that would hurt Cloud - the seeming rejection and dismissal, coming from a friend - but Sephiroth was right. He nodded reluctantly. "And for god's sake, Zack, don't go back to the slums," his lover said gruffly, grasping Zack's chin in his hand. Blue-green eyes studied him intensely. "I don't know what you found down there that so fascinated you, but you can't risk it anymore." "I won't," Zack replied solemnly. "Will you be back tonight?" Sephiroth released his grip on Zack's chin. "Yes, but probably not until very late." He smiled gently. "I won't let you leave without saying goodbye properly." "You better not," Zack answered, trying to sound playful. Leaning over, he kissed him passionately. "I'll be back," Sephiroth said huskily, when they finally pulled apart again. Zack managed a smile as his lover left, but it didn't last once the door was closed behind him.
The door wasn't locked, so he hollered, "Come in!" while still fiddling with the basket. For some reason it didn't want to lock into place. "Zack?" His hand slipped at the sound of Cloud's voice and basket and ground coffee scattered across the kitchen counter and floor. "Shit," he muttered, trying to remember if he had a broom or not. "In the kitchen, Cloud," he called over his shoulder. "Nice mess," Cloud commented from the doorway a few moments later. Realizing the search for a broom was futile, as he didn't have one, Zack turned and shrugged. "Coffee?" he asked, gesturing nonchalantly at the grinds. Cloud chuckled. "Nah, they tell me it'll stunt my growth." "Well, we wouldn't want that, now, would we?" Zack grinned, running his gaze pointedly over Cloud's shorter frame. The blond blushed faintly. "Zack, I... I heard about what happened..." he blurted suddenly. "Oh?" Laying his hand on Cloud's shoulder, Zack led him into the living room. "I don't remember what happened. I... I remember hurting, a lot, and then I don't remember anything until I woke up in my room. Kaney said you brought me back - carried me to bed." He was still blushing and refusing to meet Zack's eye as they sat on the couch. Kaney, Zack remembered, was Cloud's roommate, another SOLDIER candidate. And he had been none to impressed at Cloud's return so late the night before. "You got hit by a Bio spell while we were in the slums. I took you to a healer, and then brought you back." Cloud fiddled with a wrinkle in his pants. "And for this... they're sending you away?" Zack sighed, leaning back into the couch. "For that - endangering your life - and for other things. It's not your fault, Cloud." He paused, shifting sideways so he could face the blond. "How'd you find out, anyway?" Cloud glanced up and quickly back down again. "The Turk. Reno, I think his name is. He found me after class and told me." That was not something Zack had expected. He wondered why the Turk had bothered, realizing irritably that he wasn't going to get a chance to ask him. "Did he say anything else?" he asked Cloud. Cloud cocked his head to the side. "Yeah, he muttered something like 'someone's gotta watch out for ya' or somethin'. I think. Like I said, he was muttering, and walking away from me, too." "Hn." Zack couldn't remember owing the Turk any favours, so he had to assume Reno was doing it out of the dubious goodness of his own heart. "Anyway," Cloud continued, interrupting his thoughts. "I wanted to come by and say goodbye and... stuff...." "Stuff?" Zack asked curiously, arching one eyebrow. Cloud blushed. "I... uh... wanted to say thanks. I really appreciate all the extra help you've given me." Glancing up at Zack, Cloud smiled shyly. "You're the only one who's helped me fit in here. Thanks." Zack smiled and was about to reply when Cloud leaned over and kissed him. He blinked in surprise. Cloud quickly pulled away, blushing furiously. "Ah... I'm sorry, Zack. I shouldn't've done that... I don't know... I'm sorry --" Reaching out, Zack tangled his fingers in Cloud's hair and pulled him close. Cloud swallowed nervously and closed his eyes as Zack leaned down and kissed him slowly, lingeringly. "Don't apologize," Zack murmured as he released Cloud. "I've been wanting to do that for a while now." Cloud looked up at him, hope and fear and amazement colouring his gaze. "Really?" he asked softly, licking his lips. "I thought... maybe... you know, you'd like.... be mad at me... or something." "Why?" Zack asked curiously. Cloud blushed again. "Well, you know, if you didn't like guys... I didn't even know I liked guys... until... until I met you." Zack chuckled, admiring Cloud's bravery and honesty. "Don't worry. I do." Cloud let out an exaggerated sigh of relief, but his smile quickly faded away. "How long will you be gone?" "At least a month. Don't worry, I'll be back before you have to take the test." "Thank you," Cloud said softly. "I... I'll miss you." Zack pulled him into a hug. "I'll miss you, too, Cloud," he murmured into the boy's tousled blond hair.
© 15/11/99 Tavam Shaytar
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