Title: Uncross Your Fingers
Author:
Emerald EmbersFandom: Final Fantasy VII
Type: Yaoi
Pairings: Seph/Cloud, Seph/Zack, Zack/Cloud
Rating: PG for mild language, mild yaoi and mild violent references
Disclaimer: I don't own FF7's characters, Squareenix (or more appropriately Squeenix) do, and as they're making FF7: Advent Children, I think they should be ADEQUATELY WORSHIPPED for what they're doing, and silly little fanwriters like me who make no profit and just look a bit sad in the library for typing out entire fics where they sit shouldn't be punished. I'm not deliberately infringing rights :).
Notes: Done for the Dialogue challenge, all 40 mins used, I think I managed not to use the conversers' names in the fic so go me, and this is slightly... umn... unusual in places courtesy of my bizarre sense of humour ^_^.
"You're dead."
"Of course."
"Then - then why am I speaking to you?"
"I don't know. You always were a strange one that way."
"Am I dead too?"
"Check your pulse. It's the easiest way to find out."
"Alright, so I'm not dead. Have I gone mad?"
"Gone? I think you're giving yourself a little too much credit there."
"Fine, be that way, everyone already thinks I'm a headcase and now I've got you, /dead/, murderer, stuck in my head speaking to me!"
"You never complained this much when I was alive. Why does everything have to be different now?"
"Because you could have changed when you were alive! Now you're dead, dead and gone and you died a murdering maniac and you're not supposed to be talking to me!"
"It's very lonely being a ghost, you know. I think you're quite cruel not letting me make conversation with you. Should I talk to Tifa instead?"
"Leave me alone! And leave her alone too!"
"Or how about Vincent? Always so sullen and full of guilt, if I press him enough I might persuade him to join me. Give me some company, as it were."
"You shouldn't need company, you're dead."
"I think we've established that point by now. Listen, it's not as if I can do anything to you anymore, much as I'd like to. I just want to follow you around. The Lifestream is so dull."
"If you start telling me I have to kill this or I have to find this-"
"We've established that I'm dead. I wouldn't benefit. Besides, I've changed. Not very much, but I've changed. Death has a tendency to help put things in perspective, and I've had... words with a few people who I hurt a little while I was alive."
"Did you speak to Zack?"
"Yes."
"How's he?"
"... I'd rather not say."
"Bad?"
"Perhaps."
"And what was all that about hurting people a little? You killed most of them!"
"Killing isn't necessarily the same thing as hurting, you know. When I killed President Shinra, he wasn't in pain for very long. Now you on the other hand - do you have any idea how painful the Omnislash is? At least I have the decency to try and kill people in one clean blow!"
"So... um... what happened when you died?"
"You'll get to find out for yourself sooner or later. I asked Zack, apparently it happens to everyone."
"What happens? And I thought you didn't want to talk about Zack?"
"I'm not telling you what happens. And don't try to be smart, because you're not."
"I hate you."
"Hmn... yes. But I /know/ you love me really."
"What?!"
"Did you really think I was asleep when you kissed me back in the inn at Nibelheim?"
"What?! You were faking?"
"No. I was trying to sleep, then you kissed me. And if you hadn't run back to your bed at breakneck speed afterwards, I would have said something."
"Why did you never ask me about it?"
"You're not the first person who ever did it. Zack used to do it constantly before he admitted he liked me and we stayed together for a while."
"You were with Zack?! Holy crap, I knew you guys had managed to get kinda close but - woah! And Zack never told me?"
"I'm surprised Zack didn't tell you everything he ever knew. He was besotted with you. He left me for you."
"... Oh. Well... this puts... a new spin on things..."
"It's alright. He's waiting for you, you know. He's trying not to 'bug you' too much, so he generally keeps away, but he's waiting. You have no idea how lucky you were to have Zack. He was wonderful."
"Oh man... I... did you... did you really like him?"
"He's the only person who ever treated me as more than a wonder or experiment, so I would say yes."
"Crap. I am so sorry."
"It was his choice and he preferred you. Pretty blue innocent eyes. Mine always unsettled him."
"I thought yours were amazing. They were so dark, and you looked at people like - like - I don't know. But you had really amazing eyes."
"How much did you like me, Cloud?"
"A hell of a lot, you were stunning and smart and strong. Couldn't help admiring you."
"Ah yes, admirers. I get bugged by them even in the afterlife."
"Why are we even having this conversation?"
"I'm not sure. I think I fancied a chat."
"Hn. Tifa's going to kill me if I don't hurry up with the washing, you know."
"I know."
"... Are you going now?"
"Not yet."
"... But you're waiting to ask me something."
"How can you tell?"
"You're hovering. I don't know how a disembodied voice hovers, but you're doing it."
"Fine."
"... Well go on then? What did you want to ask?"
"Did you mean to check out Vincent's backside when he was helping Cid fix the Highwind the other day?"
"... How long have you been watching me?"
"I want an answer first."
"Alright, yes, I meant to. Now your turn."
"Since I died."
"If you weren't a dead mass-murdering psycho, I'd probably say that was cute."
"Thanks."
"Are you staying?"
"Am I allowed?"
"... You promise you can't kill anyone or make me kill anyone?"
"I promise."
"Uncross your fingers!"
"I'm /DEAD/. I can't cross my fingers unless someone dips into the Lifestream to retrieve my corpse and do it for me."
"Oh. Well, I believe you then."
"Really?"
"No, but I don't like doing the washing on my own."
"Weakling."
"Pfft. I know you used to try and make Zack do yours when you were in a bad mood."
"Bad /way/, not bad mood, there's a difference. You try having Hojo pumping crap into your blood every other day and see how good you feel in the mornings."
"Oh. Sorry."
"I can bear a grudge as long as I like now, you know."
"That's wonderful."
"It's boring though."
"Right."
"Washing?"
"Washing."
End!