» i'll hold my place so i may safely feel alone »

[neverwinged]

Who: Zack Fair (neverwinged), open to anybody in the vicinity who would like to pal around with / abuse the local puppy.
When: Day after Zack wakes up, early morning
Location: Outside Sion's surprisingly still standing shack. That's alliteration, babes.
Rating: Pending, that's all up to who visits.
Summary: Zack's outside wandering on still injured legs,

Comments

[neverwinged]

If he had still been questioning it, Zack would've wondered just what he was doing moving in close range to someone who held the potential to hurt him just as bad as before. Because really, who knew if the person who wore Cloud's mask was now wearing Angeal's, and perhaps just knew more about the man to impersonate him better? What if this was all just a more elaborate trap to fall into?

But Zack had made his decision. He'd decided that this was Angeal, his mentor, because he so desperately wanted that feeling of being protected that even if it was just for a moment before something went wrong, he would take the opportunity. He'd felt safe, whenever he was with Cloud, Kunsel, Sion, even Shera. But Angeal had always been watching over him, he'd always felt protected. Even in the years after his death, he'd still been there. And he was there now, arms around him, keeping him warm and protected again.

Still offering to teach, as well. Zack sniffled just slightly against the material of the other's shirt, trying his best to be strong and not cry like a little girl, and thought about it. He did figure that he'd need a proper lesson in wing maintenance, something drastically different in his life that would take time and getting used to before it would become just another part of Zack, the same way Angeal's was a part of him.

Right then he had to startle himself awake, blinking his eyes open and wondering just when exactly he started to doze off. He turned his head slightly, still resting against Angeal's chest but angled just enough to see a hand petting the black feathers attached to his shoulder, and the white feathers moving to surround them both, blocking the cold wind from his almost-bare shoulders. Zack remembered then; affectionate touches to his new wing had the unlikely effect of putting him to sleep. He discovered that when Cloud had done the same, and Zack had promptly fallen back asleep after a minute of petting.

Knowing that now, Zack let himself smile, only a few tears there now, and that earlier apprehension and fear melted away. Even in this state, the younger male knew that he wouldn't be able to fall asleep so easily if it really wasn't Angeal. It could've been an exact copy, mastering his teacher's mannerisms, voice, everything about him in order to lure him in close and then tear him apart, but Zack couldn't physically be able to doze off if it was. There would still be a feeling that something was wrong. That feeling was no longer there.

"Mmhmm," Zack mumbled softly, shuffling just that much closer to Angeal's warmth, suddenly remembering how chilly he was. "Much better."