Mislabelled: Chapter 4 - Maintenance
Title: Mislabelled
Chapter 4/8: Maintenance
Author: xpaperplanex
Beta: lems
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~5400
Characters: Sephiroth, Cloud
Genre: AU, friendship, drama
Warnings: language, a few violent situations, canon timeline has been thoroughly ignored, references to sex, potentially upsetting issues regarding brain injuries
Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII and make no money from this work.
Summary: The sequel to Handle With Care. Cloud and Sephiroth have adjusted to their roles as toy and owner, but life isn't always easy, even with each other. Dealing with the past and the present can be a rough ride.
Previous Chapters: | HWC | 1 | 2 | 3 |
I want to thank lems for volunteering to beta for me. She did a fantastic job helping to get this chapter into shape, especially in regards to showing how Sephiroth's been improving. (Also she helped make Genesis sound like Genesis!) Thank you! urplesquirrel as always, remains my amazing idea trampoline and cheerleader. Thank you, too!
***
Zack poked his head into Sephiroth and Cloud's office, checking if Cloud was ready to go. They appeared to be in the middle of their goodbyes, so he hung back, but Cloud noticed and waved him in. It always took them ages to say goodbye, even if it was just a short mission. Lazard had just started telling Sephiroth to show up half an hour early, in the hopes that he'd be about on time.
"Okay, lots of luck with your mission today." Cloud kissed Sephiroth's nose and hugged him tightly. "I'm going to hang out with Zack while you're gone, so if you get back early, you can just call him and I'll come back. I left a note on the board, so no worrying. Okay?"
Cloud was big on notes. They had two corkboards - one in the office and one at home - that he had gotten for the sole purpose of leaving notes saying where they were going. He had spent a few days making custom notepaper for each of them, so Sephiroth would have an easy-to-fill out form with the date and time. He even drew little stick-Sephiroths and chocobos on their respective paper. When Zack had questioned him about it, Cloud had just shrugged and said that Sephiroth worried. He had apparently forgotten once that Cloud had told him he was going to the grocery store, and had panicked over it. So Cloud had decided that notes were the way to go.
Cloud had made a lot of changes, actually. A tech he had met in the lab had given him the name of a neurologist who wasn't associated with Shin-Ra, so Cloud had gone to see him in hopes of getting some advice for working with Sephiroth. Zack knew that Cloud had been reluctant about reintroducing what looked like the science department's questionnaires, but he had eventually caved, which Zack thought was a good thing. He had taken a look at some of the forms and they looked really good for helping Sephiroth start taking more responsibility for his life. Cloud had also encouraged him to keep a journal. Zack had never been allowed to see it, but Cloud was really happy with the way the entries were getting longer and Sephiroth's handwriting was improving.
"Okay. Are you going to have fun today?" Sephiroth was stroking Cloud's hair, making a mess of it, and kissing him repeatedly. Zack was beginning to rather doubt that things weren't sexual between them.
"Lots of fun. Zack's taking me out for lunch."
"Make sure he gives you something nutritious," Sephiroth said sternly.
"I will, don't worry. I'll have tons of vegetables. All right, enough, you have to go or you're going to be late. I'll see you soon."
"Love you, Cloud." Sephiroth reluctantly set Cloud down and patted his head.
"I love you too, now shoo." Cloud ushered Sephiroth out the door and waved until he was gone before turning to Zack. "Good to go?"
"I've been ready for ages, kid." Zack ruffled Cloud's hair.
"Yeah, yeah, we don't like saying goodbye. I'm just going to get changed into my shorts, then let's go! I want tacos!"
"What happened to your tons of vegetables?"
"Meh, I'll make salad with dinner or something. This is my day off. I want tacos."
***
Cloud couldn't keep the grin off his face as he wiped some sweat off his forehead. He couldn't believe how hot it was here already. But Nibelheim's arcade was nothing compared to the ones in Midgar, no matter how hot it got. They were always on the top of his list of things to do on his days off. "So, Zack, I wanted to talk to you about something." Cloud ducked down behind the bar and reloaded.
"Sure, what is it?" Zack was bobbing and swaying, firing like a madman and taking hits.
"Well, for starters, aim! You're wasting ammo! I want to go home."
"You what? I thought you were happy?" Zack stood completely still and stared at him.
"Get out of the - shit, shoot 'continue', quick. I am, I am, that's not what I meant. I love being with Sephiroth, I just miss my mom. Aim for the helicopter - no, use the rifle." Cloud shook his head sadly. "What kind of SOLDIER are you?"
"I use a sword, Cloud."
"Well you should at least know that you can't hit a helicopter, let alone anyone in it, with a shotgun. Anyways, I was wondering if maybe we could figure something out so I can go home to visit for a week or so. I promised her when I left that I'd come back to visit during the summe-shit! Bugs! Switch to the shotgun! Shotgun! Cadets get a few weeks off in summer, so I'd planned to come back then. She knows about my new job, but she's still hoping I can get some time off."
"I think we could probably swing that, if you think Sephiroth can accept it."
"I was thinking we could tell him that I've got to go in for annual maintenance or something. It'd make - dammit! Zack, you suck at this game."
"This game sucks!"
"So, what now? Can you dance?"
"Absolutely not, let's do that drumming one again. That was fun. But I want a drink first. And I don't think I can drum and talk at the same time."
"Cool. Let's grab some drinks and a table then. So anyways, I think something like that would make sense to him. I mean, toys like me need maintenance, don't they?"
"Makes sense to me. I can print up a maintenance reminder form and we can work something out. You think he'll be able to handle you being gone?"
"Yeah, I think that if he knows about it well in advance, and knows for sure how long I'll be gone and when I'm coming back." Cloud paused. "And that I am coming back, I think he'll be okay. I'll have to come up with a reason why he can't come visit me..."
"Well, you're probably shut off during the maintenance, and the facility you were made in is top secret, I'm sure. What do you want to drink?"
"Umm... rootbeer, please."
"Rootbeer and an orange pop, please. Thanks."
Cloud took their drinks and grabbed a table while Zack paid. Sephiroth would accept that as a reasonable explanation for not being able to visit. Zack had handwaved a lot of stuff by saying it was top secret. Maybe if he said that they would have to turn him on every once in a while, to check things, he would be able to call and see how he was doing. The thought of going an entire week without even talking to Sephiroth was a bit terrifying. He sipped at his rootbeer, pondering how much his life had changed in barely more than half a year. His entire world revolved around Sephiroth, and he knew that he was just as dependent on Sephiroth as Sephiroth was on him. Well, maybe not quite.
"So, when do you want to go?" Zack flopped down into his seat and grabbed his drink. "Before your birthday? You'll be a whole year old, and I'll bet Sephiroth's going to want to celebrate."
Cloud laughed. "That's right; you said I was supposed to be released in the summer, didn't you?"
"August eleventh was the day Cloud the Chocobo Toy was first powered up."
"I'd definitely like to be back for my birthday. Maybe if I go home in the last week of July?"
"Sure, we can work that out. I'll talk to Lazard about getting you transport."
"Transport?" Cloud choked a little.
"Well, yeah. Were you planning on walking?"
"No, but -"
"Whatever." Zack waved his hand casually. "You could ask Lazard for a trip to the moon and he'd give it to you as long as you keep Sephiroth happy. Sephiroth isn't scary when you're around. You're a valuable asset to the team; you have a right to transportation."
"I guess it's good to know I'm appreciated. So... think I can wrangle a dramatic arrival on a helicopter?"
"That'd put everyone who bullied you in their place, huh?"
"Yeah..." Shit, he was going to have to - no. He wasn't a failure. He didn't drop out of the cadet program. He was Sephiroth's assistant. He had been chosen. It was a good career. Probably no one back home knew that Sephiroth no longer had a rank, so he could get away with adding the 'General' on there, too. And if he got his way, he'd get Sephiroth his rank back soon.
"Sorry, Cloud, I didn't mean to bring it up." Zack reached out and laid his hand on his.
"S'okay. The most dramatic thing would probably be me getting carried out of the helicopter, too sick to move. I get motion sickness."
"Well, be prepared to be sick, then. 'Cause I'm thinking chopper to Corel, then we'll get someone to drive you the rest of the way. We've got lots of troops moving in and out of Corel, so Lazard'll be able to get you on with one of those trips, but no one goes to Nibelheim anymore."
"I can do it. Walking would take too long." Cloud drained the last of his drink. "Let's go drum! Sephiroth's gonna be home soon and I want to get a few more games in."
***
Sephiroth peered into the mailbox and smiled when he saw a letter. It was always exciting getting mail. He grabbed the letter out of the box and turned it over. It was addressed to him; it looked like an official letter and was from the Shin-Ra Merchandising Division. The envelope scraps dropped to the floor as Sephiroth tore into it. Why would they send him a letter?
Dear Sephiroth,
It's nearly time for your Cloud the Chocobo Toy's annual maintenance and repairs! Regular maintenance is required to keep your Cloud in top working condition. Maintenance is performed at the Shin-Ra Merchandising Division's factory, for the best possible service. It takes approximately one week, including transportation times. A list of dates available has been provided, please pick the one that works best for you, and contact us with your decision as soon as possible.
Your Cloud will be picked up from your residence in the morning on the Sunday of your choosing, and returned on the following Saturday afternoon. This delivery service is provided free of charge.
Included is a short questionnaire about your Cloud's performance and general working condition. Please feel free to include any comments or suggestions you have, as this will enable us to better serve you in the future.
Yours truly,
Kuhaku Shiroki
Department Head
Shin-Ra Merchandising Division
Maintenance? That... yes, Cloud probably would need maintenance, but a whole week? He folded the letter back up and jogged to the elevator.
"Cloud?" Sephiroth threw the door open and rushed into the kitchen, where Cloud was starting dinner.
"Shut the door, Sephiroth," Cloud reminded him. "What's up?"
Sephiroth grumbled and went back to close and lock the door properly. "I got a letter just now. The merchandising people want you to come in for maintenance."
"So soon?" Cloud rinsed off his hands and dried them, then took the letter from Sephiroth to read. "Maybe they wanted me to be able to spend my birthday with you, so they want me to come in a bit early."
"So... you - you have to go?" A tiny part of Sephiroth had been hoping that maybe Cloud would say that it was a mistake.
"'Fraid so. Maintenance is important. But it's only a week, that'll be okay, right?" Sephiroth hesitated and Cloud continued, "We'll give Zack a call and ask if he can hang out with you more often while I'm gone. That'd be nice, being able to spend some time with him, wouldn't it?"
"I - I guess..."
"It sucks, though, doesn't it? I don't want to have to leave you for a whole week."
Sephiroth nodded glumly. "I don't want you to go."
"I know." Cloud brushed Sephiroth's hair aside and laid a hand on his cheek. "But I have to. I'm pretty certain you won't be allowed to visit me; they were really strict about that before I came here, but I'm sure I'll be able to call when they power me up for tests."
"Calling would be good. Wait... tests? Do they hurt you?" Visions of Cloud in a lab, strapped to a table danced through Sephiroth's mind.
"No, the tests don't hurt at all. Neither does the maintenance. Don't worry."
"That's good. I don't want them to hurt you."
"They won't, I promise. They're just going to make sure I'm in good working order and everything's running like it should. So how about we take a look at these dates and see when would be good?"
"All right," Sephiroth said reluctantly, taking the paper back from Cloud. "You have a birthday?" What Cloud had said earlier finally dawned on him.
"It's in August. The eleventh. So if I can be back before then, that would be good. I'd like to celebrate it with you."
"I want to celebrate it with you too! We'll have cake!"
Cloud laughed, "Okay, that'll be fun. So how about I go this week, then?" Cloud pointed at the third option, which had him leaving on July twenty-fourth.
"I guess that'll be okay."
"All right. How about you fill out that form they sent you - make sure you give me good marks!" Cloud grinned. "Just kidding. Make sure you tell the truth, so we can fix any problems. I'll call them tomorrow and tell them when to come get me."
"And... you'll... you'll come back, right?"
"Of course I will. I'm going to miss you so much. I'll call every day, okay?"
"Okay, I'd like that."
"All right, I'm going to go finish making dinner, and you work on that form."
Sephiroth nodded and went to sit down at the table. Cloud followed a few seconds later and held out a pen. "Thanks," Sephiroth said.
"No problem. Call if you need any help." Cloud headed back to the kitchen and the sound of chopping soon followed.
***
Sephiroth frowned at the paper in front of him. This was hard! He wanted to give Cloud 'excellent' scores on everything, but he was supposed to give suggestions and tell them what to improve. It was just... Cloud was an excellent companion, an excellent cook, an excellent conversationalist, and an excellent everything else too! Well, he could at least circle 'not applicable' for his sexual performance, since Cloud was still in his adjustment phase. At least it wasn't another excellent.
Sephiroth ground his teeth, thinking hard. What problems had they had? After he got the manual, things were pretty easy. Before though, that was a bit tricky. He thought back to the first night he had had Cloud... that would be a good suggestion! Sephiroth picked up his pen and wrote in the comments section:
I don't think that Cloud not being able to speak properly when he is upset is a good feature. I didn't have a manual and didn't know that he would be damaged when I tried to touch below his waist. Cloud had a hard time telling me that it was bad and I almost damaged him. I think that should be fixed so he can talk when he's upset.
There! That was a good suggestion. That voice thing wasn't much of a feature at all, if that was what it was meant to be. How were people supposed to know that they shouldn't do something if their Clouds couldn't tell them?
"Cloud?" Sephiroth gathered up the papers and took them to the kitchen. "I answered the questions and put one suggestion in. Do you think that's good enough?"
"Yeah, that should be fine. Were the questions hard?" Cloud took a spoonful of soup and blew on it, then held it up for Sephiroth to taste. "Any good?"
Sephiroth nodded. "It's good."
"Sweet! Let's give it another fifteen minutes to simmer, then we can eat." Cloud held out his arms for Sephiroth to pick him up. "So? How were the questions?"
"Mmm..." Sephiroth hummed and leaned against the counter, absently scratching Cloud's scalp. "They were a bit hard. I think you're good at everything you do. I don't know if I was..." He paused, trying to think of the word.
"Objective?" Cloud suggested.
"Yeah, objective. See? You're good at it."
"Thanks, I'm glad you're happy with me." Cloud flapped his hands suddenly. "Boiling over! Boiling over!"
Sephiroth glanced over at the hissing stove and hurriedly carried Cloud over to it so he could take the pot's lid off. "Maybe I should write that down on the comments: you let pots boil over."
"Don't you dare! It was the pot's fault!"
***
"All right, Sephiroth, let's go." Zack touched Sephiroth's arm and pulled him away from the front doors of the lobby where he had said goodbye to Cloud. "He'll be back before you know it, don't worry."
"'Kay." Sephiroth pulled his gaze away from where he had last seen Cloud and trudged after Zack, who walked extra slowly so Sephiroth would keep up with him.
"C'mon, we can have fun while he's gone, can't we? Want to watch some movies today? Cloud left me with a bunch he said you really like."
Zack had brought his things over to Sephiroth's apartment that morning, and Cloud had handed him a laundry list of instructions. They included an outline of their daily routine and things to watch for with Sephiroth's mood. He also had a list of things Sephiroth liked to do depending on his mood. Movies with happy endings were Cloud's go-to distraction when Sephiroth was feeling down.
"I guess," Sephiroth said with a sigh and slumped against the wall of the elevator. "When does he get back?"
Zack sighed and patted Sephiroth on the shoulder, resigning himself to getting this question a lot. At least he wasn't angry or combative like he used to be, before Cloud came along. "Saturday. He'll be back in a week."
It was going to be a long week.
***
"Sephiroth, we need to go to the training room now." Zack poked Sephiroth in the side and got him to look away from the window. The poor guy had been moping for four days straight; the only breaks from his depression were when Cloud called each night, and for about an hour afterwards. Zack used that time to get him to take a shower and get into bed. At least he was eating. Zack had to admit he had been a bit worried about that at first, but if he put food in front of Sephiroth, he would eat it. Though he did complain a lot that it wasn't as good as what Cloud would make.
"Sephiroth, come on, don't you want to go fight some programs? I heard they've got a really good one for you to test out."
"Yeah." Sephiroth pushed himself to his feet and trailed after Zack, who went back to grab Masamune for him.
A small cluster of scientists were milling around the training room's computer, either waiting to test out their new program or, in Professor Sahmin's case, waiting to gather data from Sephiroth's performance.
"Sephiroth," Zack instructed, "You're going to be fighting a series of five battles, one right after the other, okay?"
"'Kay." Sephiroth absently drew Masamune and wandered over to the door. "Hurry up and open it. I want to go home."
"They might be kind of tough, so make sure you pay attention." Zack was a bit worried; they had designed this program based on the improvements Sephiroth was making at focusing in battle. He wasn't sure if Sephiroth would be able to do it if he was relying on his speed and muscle memory to compensate for his head being off in the clouds.
"I'm paying attention, Zack. Come on."
"All right, I think they're ready to start. Go on in." Zack waved Sephiroth through as the door opened, then went back to the scientists so he could watch.
"He's really well behaved today," Professor Sahmin remarked from behind his clipboard.
"Yeah, he'll do pretty much anything I tell him while Cloud's gone. He's just depressed as hell." Sephiroth was going through the motions of the fight, but he wasn't putting his heart into it at all. Still, he was breezing through the programs like nobody's business.
"Interesting..." Sahmin scribbled something down. "So he hasn't been violent?"
"Nah, I think he can't be bothered. He'd rather count down the seconds until Cloud gets back."
"How long will it be?"
"Two more sleeps. Oh, sorry, he gets back on Saturday. I'm used to counting sleeps now."
"That's not much time..."
"No, not much longer. We're going out on a mission tomorrow; I'm hoping that'll take the whole day, and Saturday I think will be spent being excited."
"You know, we missed a few important tests during his ann-"
"Ho no! You want Sephiroth back in the labs, you talk to Cloud first. He'd murder me if I sent him up there when he wasn't around." Zack chuckled and punched the professor on the arm. "Cloud's a scary little chocobo; I'm not taking him on."
***
"What time is it now, Zack?"
Zack sighed and looked at his watch. "Nine forty-two. He gets back at three. Why don't we watch some TV?"
"I don't want to. I want Cloud back!"
"I know, but wanting him back won't make him come back any faster. You've survived this long, you can wait a few more hours." Zack turned the TV on, hoping it might distract Sephiroth somewhat. "Do you want something to eat? You haven't had breakfast yet." There was no response from Sephiroth. "Cloud's going to be upset if he comes back and you haven't eaten."
"You're not good at cooking, Zack," Sephiroth whined.
"I know, but I'm doing the best I can. You need to eat something. How about a sandwich, at least? I can't screw up a sandwich."
"Fine." Sephiroth curled himself into a ball and glared at the television.
Getting Sephiroth to eat killed an hour, and Zack managed to keep him occupied with a show about dinosaurs for another hour. Then Sephiroth was back to asking for the time every few minutes.
"Will they bring him back to the apartment? Or is he coming in a car? Can we go wait where they'll drop him off?"
"Umm..." Zack thought fast. Cloud would be arriving on a helicopter, which meant he'd be coming from headquarters. "It would probably be best to wait in the lobby of this build- wait a sec." Sephiroth had jumped up and started heading for the door. "We've still got a good three hours before he comes back."
"What if he's back early?" Sephiroth looked exasperated. "I want to meet him."
Zack opened his mouth to argue further, but shut it again without saying anything. There was no point. "All right, put your shoes on and let me go get my book."
Sephiroth beamed. Zack was pretty sure it was the first genuine smile he had seen the entire week. Even when Cloud had called, there had always been a lingering trace of sadness on Sephiroth's face. "Thanks, Zack."
"Yeah, yeah, get your shoes on."
Zack withstood a solid three hours of Sephiroth pacing back and forth in front of the doors, constantly checking the time. He was quite proud of himself for maintaining his patience, but hoped that Cloud had really enjoyed his trip home.
"Wha-"
"Two fif-"
"He's here! Zack! It's him!" Sephiroth rattled on the door and snarled in frustration when it didn't open. Zack quickly dropped his book and ran over to trigger the automatic door before Sephiroth decided it would be faster to just go through it. "Cloud! Cloud! You're back!"
Zack chuckled as Cloud dropped his bags and held up his arms so Sephiroth could sweep him up into a hug and begin planting kisses all over him. He jogged out and picked up Cloud's bags for him; he clearly wasn't going to be put down anytime soon.
"How was maintenance?" Sephiroth asked between kisses.
"It was great! They said I was in excellent condition; you've been doing a really good job of taking care of me."
"I have?"
Zack started trying to herd Sephiroth indoors; they were attracting attention out here.
"You bet you have. I didn't need any repair work, just the regular wear-and-tear fix-ups. They were really impressed."
"That's good."
"Did you do okay while I was gone?"
Sephiroth made a grumbling noise, but didn't say anything and he went back inside the building.
"He did all right," Zack spoke up. "He was whiny and depressed, but he survived. So did everyone else."
"I'm glad you and everyone else survived. I missed you so much. I'd have been sad if I came back and you were locked up because you got cranky."
Zack got the two into the elevator before the security guard at the desk had snapped too many pictures. Taken out of context and those pictures would definitely seem like Sephiroth had been carrying some young boy up to his apartment to fuck. Cloud's legs were wrapped around Sephiroth's waist, and while Zack was sure there was no tongue involved in their kisses, it was pretty hard to tell from some angles. Ah well, he thought, if the pictures were published, he knew who to send the Turks after. He just hoped the guard knew that too.
Sephiroth collapsed onto the couch with Cloud pressed tightly against him and Zack shuffled awkwardly at the door. He hadn't thought it was possible for two people to be that close to each other and not engaged in some sort of sex act. Either way, it was way too intimate and Zack was beginning to feel like a voyeur, so he quietly let himself out and shut the door behind him. He'd check on them and see how Cloud's trip really was on Monday.
***
"So? How was your trip, Spiky?" Zack threw the door open with a bang, causing Cloud to jump and drop his book.
"Dammit, Zack," Cloud grumbled. He grabbed the book off the floor and sat up properly on the couch. "You don't know how to knock?"
"Must've forgot. Sephiroth's out, right?" Zack came and sat down next to him, bouncing a little bit.
"Yeah, he should be back in an hour or so."
"Cool! So, the trip? How was it? How was your mom?"
"It was good. She was good. Glad I was able to come home."
"Did you have any trouble?"
"Not really. Some people tried to bug me about not making SOLDIER, but I just ignored them. I've got a job I'm happy with. And hey, I'm important enough to warrant my own transport back home; that shut most people up." Cloud grinned. It had hurt, when some of the old bullies from before he had left had tried to pick on him, but he didn't need to even bother with them anymore. He had gone to see his mom, that was it. The fact that Tifa had actually been nice to him was just a bonus.
"That's good. I'm proud of you, kiddo." Zack ruffled his hair.
"Knock it off with the 'kiddo', I'm almost sixteen!" Cloud laughed and shoved at Zack.
"Nuh-uh, you're almost one! Sephiroth's really excited about your birthday. I think we're going to use one of the conference rooms for the party, since there are a lot of people who want to come."
"There are?"
"Of course there are. You've made a big difference around here, Cloud. Whether you know it or not. People appreciate that."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. All hail the Sephiroth tamer, right?"
"Right!" Zack said. "So Cloud, I wanted to ask you something. It's been bugging me a lot lately."
"Sure, what is it?"
Zack sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Are you and Sephiroth having sex? It's okay if you are, I'd just feel a lot better if I knew for sure one way or the other."
Cloud stared at Zack for a long time.
"So... that's either a 'how'd you figure it out?' or a 'no'..."
"No. No, absolutely not, Zack. I would have told you if we were. Sephiroth... he - he's improved a lot, but I don't think he can really consent to anything just yet. And besides, he's never given me any indication that he wants something more. We're happy with the way things are."
"Okay, sorry, I didn't mean to... I hadn't really considered that. I just assumed..." Zack looked like something had just occurred to him and he looked guilty.
Cloud sighed, it couldn't hurt to try asking. "Why did - I mean, except for that first night, Sephiroth's never tried to touch me inappropriately. Even then, I think he was just curious and surprised that I was... you know, anatomically correct. So why did everyone think he was going to rape me? And don't try to deny it," Cloud said, seeing the look on Zack's face, "I know you did."
"Well, um, you know..." Zack trailed off, looking embarrassed.
"I know he slept around a lot before Nibelheim, I've gotten that much. Whatever you say won't change my opinion of him now. I know he's not the same person. I just - I need to know, Zack."
"He did more than sleep around, Cloud," Zack said. "He was a predator."
"What do you mean?"
"Sephiroth was an... anything that moves sort of guy. And he wasn't nice about it. He had this way of convincing people against their better judgment. It was never rape, but you can bet there are a lot of people out there with regrets. For Sephiroth, people were for fucking and that was it. I was out on a mission with him one time... the poor girl was still trying to get her clothes on when he kicked her out."
"Are you one of those people?" Cloud asked, curious. "With regrets?"
"What? No! And none of your business, either!" Zack sighed loudly. "I think Angeal told him to stay away from me, to be honest. Otherwise I think I might have been."
"Was he really that bad?"
"Angeal said he was taking out his aggression and frustration towards the lab. He couldn't lash out at Hojo, so he hurt other people. And got his rocks off while he was at it. Genesis would work with him sometimes, picking people up, but he did it for Sephiroth, I think. If you asked me, he just wanted to be with him and took whatever he could get."
"I just... I can't imagine him ever being like that." The image he had in his head of the Sephiroth he knew and the one Zack was telling him about just didn't match up at all.
"Nah, your Sephiroth's a sweetheart. But you see why we were concerned? I wasn't even sure if Sephiroth could understand whether or not you were giving consent when he first found you. I was sure he'd - I mean, he hadn't in so long, that..."
"Yeah, I understand."
"That's why we came up with the adjustment phase idea. We figured that if he actually liked you enough, he'd probably keep you around, even if you slept with him."
"It was a good idea. I'm glad we didn't have to tell him 'no' outright. I'd like to have more of a relationship with him, some day, if he improves enough. Right now though, I think I'd feel like the scum of the planet if I asked him for sex. And I wouldn't mind waiting until I'm a bit older. As long as I still get my private time." The private time was important; being bathed by a person he was attracted to and having almost-sixteen-year-old hormones wasn't the easiest thing in the world. At least Sephiroth was good at ignoring the obvious.
***
Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
Results May Vary
A/N: One day I'll draw the notepaper that Cloud makes. Anyways, go check out the first side-story, Results May Vary!
Chapter 4/8: Maintenance
Author: xpaperplanex
Beta: lems
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~5400
Characters: Sephiroth, Cloud
Genre: AU, friendship, drama
Warnings: language, a few violent situations, canon timeline has been thoroughly ignored, references to sex, potentially upsetting issues regarding brain injuries
Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII and make no money from this work.
Summary: The sequel to Handle With Care. Cloud and Sephiroth have adjusted to their roles as toy and owner, but life isn't always easy, even with each other. Dealing with the past and the present can be a rough ride.
Previous Chapters: | HWC | 1 | 2 | 3 |
I want to thank lems for volunteering to beta for me. She did a fantastic job helping to get this chapter into shape, especially in regards to showing how Sephiroth's been improving. (Also she helped make Genesis sound like Genesis!) Thank you! urplesquirrel as always, remains my amazing idea trampoline and cheerleader. Thank you, too!
***
Zack poked his head into Sephiroth and Cloud's office, checking if Cloud was ready to go. They appeared to be in the middle of their goodbyes, so he hung back, but Cloud noticed and waved him in. It always took them ages to say goodbye, even if it was just a short mission. Lazard had just started telling Sephiroth to show up half an hour early, in the hopes that he'd be about on time.
"Okay, lots of luck with your mission today." Cloud kissed Sephiroth's nose and hugged him tightly. "I'm going to hang out with Zack while you're gone, so if you get back early, you can just call him and I'll come back. I left a note on the board, so no worrying. Okay?"
Cloud was big on notes. They had two corkboards - one in the office and one at home - that he had gotten for the sole purpose of leaving notes saying where they were going. He had spent a few days making custom notepaper for each of them, so Sephiroth would have an easy-to-fill out form with the date and time. He even drew little stick-Sephiroths and chocobos on their respective paper. When Zack had questioned him about it, Cloud had just shrugged and said that Sephiroth worried. He had apparently forgotten once that Cloud had told him he was going to the grocery store, and had panicked over it. So Cloud had decided that notes were the way to go.
Cloud had made a lot of changes, actually. A tech he had met in the lab had given him the name of a neurologist who wasn't associated with Shin-Ra, so Cloud had gone to see him in hopes of getting some advice for working with Sephiroth. Zack knew that Cloud had been reluctant about reintroducing what looked like the science department's questionnaires, but he had eventually caved, which Zack thought was a good thing. He had taken a look at some of the forms and they looked really good for helping Sephiroth start taking more responsibility for his life. Cloud had also encouraged him to keep a journal. Zack had never been allowed to see it, but Cloud was really happy with the way the entries were getting longer and Sephiroth's handwriting was improving.
"Okay. Are you going to have fun today?" Sephiroth was stroking Cloud's hair, making a mess of it, and kissing him repeatedly. Zack was beginning to rather doubt that things weren't sexual between them.
"Lots of fun. Zack's taking me out for lunch."
"Make sure he gives you something nutritious," Sephiroth said sternly.
"I will, don't worry. I'll have tons of vegetables. All right, enough, you have to go or you're going to be late. I'll see you soon."
"Love you, Cloud." Sephiroth reluctantly set Cloud down and patted his head.
"I love you too, now shoo." Cloud ushered Sephiroth out the door and waved until he was gone before turning to Zack. "Good to go?"
"I've been ready for ages, kid." Zack ruffled Cloud's hair.
"Yeah, yeah, we don't like saying goodbye. I'm just going to get changed into my shorts, then let's go! I want tacos!"
"What happened to your tons of vegetables?"
"Meh, I'll make salad with dinner or something. This is my day off. I want tacos."
***
Cloud couldn't keep the grin off his face as he wiped some sweat off his forehead. He couldn't believe how hot it was here already. But Nibelheim's arcade was nothing compared to the ones in Midgar, no matter how hot it got. They were always on the top of his list of things to do on his days off. "So, Zack, I wanted to talk to you about something." Cloud ducked down behind the bar and reloaded.
"Sure, what is it?" Zack was bobbing and swaying, firing like a madman and taking hits.
"Well, for starters, aim! You're wasting ammo! I want to go home."
"You what? I thought you were happy?" Zack stood completely still and stared at him.
"Get out of the - shit, shoot 'continue', quick. I am, I am, that's not what I meant. I love being with Sephiroth, I just miss my mom. Aim for the helicopter - no, use the rifle." Cloud shook his head sadly. "What kind of SOLDIER are you?"
"I use a sword, Cloud."
"Well you should at least know that you can't hit a helicopter, let alone anyone in it, with a shotgun. Anyways, I was wondering if maybe we could figure something out so I can go home to visit for a week or so. I promised her when I left that I'd come back to visit during the summe-shit! Bugs! Switch to the shotgun! Shotgun! Cadets get a few weeks off in summer, so I'd planned to come back then. She knows about my new job, but she's still hoping I can get some time off."
"I think we could probably swing that, if you think Sephiroth can accept it."
"I was thinking we could tell him that I've got to go in for annual maintenance or something. It'd make - dammit! Zack, you suck at this game."
"This game sucks!"
"So, what now? Can you dance?"
"Absolutely not, let's do that drumming one again. That was fun. But I want a drink first. And I don't think I can drum and talk at the same time."
"Cool. Let's grab some drinks and a table then. So anyways, I think something like that would make sense to him. I mean, toys like me need maintenance, don't they?"
"Makes sense to me. I can print up a maintenance reminder form and we can work something out. You think he'll be able to handle you being gone?"
"Yeah, I think that if he knows about it well in advance, and knows for sure how long I'll be gone and when I'm coming back." Cloud paused. "And that I am coming back, I think he'll be okay. I'll have to come up with a reason why he can't come visit me..."
"Well, you're probably shut off during the maintenance, and the facility you were made in is top secret, I'm sure. What do you want to drink?"
"Umm... rootbeer, please."
"Rootbeer and an orange pop, please. Thanks."
Cloud took their drinks and grabbed a table while Zack paid. Sephiroth would accept that as a reasonable explanation for not being able to visit. Zack had handwaved a lot of stuff by saying it was top secret. Maybe if he said that they would have to turn him on every once in a while, to check things, he would be able to call and see how he was doing. The thought of going an entire week without even talking to Sephiroth was a bit terrifying. He sipped at his rootbeer, pondering how much his life had changed in barely more than half a year. His entire world revolved around Sephiroth, and he knew that he was just as dependent on Sephiroth as Sephiroth was on him. Well, maybe not quite.
"So, when do you want to go?" Zack flopped down into his seat and grabbed his drink. "Before your birthday? You'll be a whole year old, and I'll bet Sephiroth's going to want to celebrate."
Cloud laughed. "That's right; you said I was supposed to be released in the summer, didn't you?"
"August eleventh was the day Cloud the Chocobo Toy was first powered up."
"I'd definitely like to be back for my birthday. Maybe if I go home in the last week of July?"
"Sure, we can work that out. I'll talk to Lazard about getting you transport."
"Transport?" Cloud choked a little.
"Well, yeah. Were you planning on walking?"
"No, but -"
"Whatever." Zack waved his hand casually. "You could ask Lazard for a trip to the moon and he'd give it to you as long as you keep Sephiroth happy. Sephiroth isn't scary when you're around. You're a valuable asset to the team; you have a right to transportation."
"I guess it's good to know I'm appreciated. So... think I can wrangle a dramatic arrival on a helicopter?"
"That'd put everyone who bullied you in their place, huh?"
"Yeah..." Shit, he was going to have to - no. He wasn't a failure. He didn't drop out of the cadet program. He was Sephiroth's assistant. He had been chosen. It was a good career. Probably no one back home knew that Sephiroth no longer had a rank, so he could get away with adding the 'General' on there, too. And if he got his way, he'd get Sephiroth his rank back soon.
"Sorry, Cloud, I didn't mean to bring it up." Zack reached out and laid his hand on his.
"S'okay. The most dramatic thing would probably be me getting carried out of the helicopter, too sick to move. I get motion sickness."
"Well, be prepared to be sick, then. 'Cause I'm thinking chopper to Corel, then we'll get someone to drive you the rest of the way. We've got lots of troops moving in and out of Corel, so Lazard'll be able to get you on with one of those trips, but no one goes to Nibelheim anymore."
"I can do it. Walking would take too long." Cloud drained the last of his drink. "Let's go drum! Sephiroth's gonna be home soon and I want to get a few more games in."
***
Sephiroth peered into the mailbox and smiled when he saw a letter. It was always exciting getting mail. He grabbed the letter out of the box and turned it over. It was addressed to him; it looked like an official letter and was from the Shin-Ra Merchandising Division. The envelope scraps dropped to the floor as Sephiroth tore into it. Why would they send him a letter?
Dear Sephiroth,
It's nearly time for your Cloud the Chocobo Toy's annual maintenance and repairs! Regular maintenance is required to keep your Cloud in top working condition. Maintenance is performed at the Shin-Ra Merchandising Division's factory, for the best possible service. It takes approximately one week, including transportation times. A list of dates available has been provided, please pick the one that works best for you, and contact us with your decision as soon as possible.
Your Cloud will be picked up from your residence in the morning on the Sunday of your choosing, and returned on the following Saturday afternoon. This delivery service is provided free of charge.
Included is a short questionnaire about your Cloud's performance and general working condition. Please feel free to include any comments or suggestions you have, as this will enable us to better serve you in the future.
Yours truly,
Kuhaku Shiroki
Department Head
Shin-Ra Merchandising Division
Maintenance? That... yes, Cloud probably would need maintenance, but a whole week? He folded the letter back up and jogged to the elevator.
"Cloud?" Sephiroth threw the door open and rushed into the kitchen, where Cloud was starting dinner.
"Shut the door, Sephiroth," Cloud reminded him. "What's up?"
Sephiroth grumbled and went back to close and lock the door properly. "I got a letter just now. The merchandising people want you to come in for maintenance."
"So soon?" Cloud rinsed off his hands and dried them, then took the letter from Sephiroth to read. "Maybe they wanted me to be able to spend my birthday with you, so they want me to come in a bit early."
"So... you - you have to go?" A tiny part of Sephiroth had been hoping that maybe Cloud would say that it was a mistake.
"'Fraid so. Maintenance is important. But it's only a week, that'll be okay, right?" Sephiroth hesitated and Cloud continued, "We'll give Zack a call and ask if he can hang out with you more often while I'm gone. That'd be nice, being able to spend some time with him, wouldn't it?"
"I - I guess..."
"It sucks, though, doesn't it? I don't want to have to leave you for a whole week."
Sephiroth nodded glumly. "I don't want you to go."
"I know." Cloud brushed Sephiroth's hair aside and laid a hand on his cheek. "But I have to. I'm pretty certain you won't be allowed to visit me; they were really strict about that before I came here, but I'm sure I'll be able to call when they power me up for tests."
"Calling would be good. Wait... tests? Do they hurt you?" Visions of Cloud in a lab, strapped to a table danced through Sephiroth's mind.
"No, the tests don't hurt at all. Neither does the maintenance. Don't worry."
"That's good. I don't want them to hurt you."
"They won't, I promise. They're just going to make sure I'm in good working order and everything's running like it should. So how about we take a look at these dates and see when would be good?"
"All right," Sephiroth said reluctantly, taking the paper back from Cloud. "You have a birthday?" What Cloud had said earlier finally dawned on him.
"It's in August. The eleventh. So if I can be back before then, that would be good. I'd like to celebrate it with you."
"I want to celebrate it with you too! We'll have cake!"
Cloud laughed, "Okay, that'll be fun. So how about I go this week, then?" Cloud pointed at the third option, which had him leaving on July twenty-fourth.
"I guess that'll be okay."
"All right. How about you fill out that form they sent you - make sure you give me good marks!" Cloud grinned. "Just kidding. Make sure you tell the truth, so we can fix any problems. I'll call them tomorrow and tell them when to come get me."
"And... you'll... you'll come back, right?"
"Of course I will. I'm going to miss you so much. I'll call every day, okay?"
"Okay, I'd like that."
"All right, I'm going to go finish making dinner, and you work on that form."
Sephiroth nodded and went to sit down at the table. Cloud followed a few seconds later and held out a pen. "Thanks," Sephiroth said.
"No problem. Call if you need any help." Cloud headed back to the kitchen and the sound of chopping soon followed.
***
Sephiroth frowned at the paper in front of him. This was hard! He wanted to give Cloud 'excellent' scores on everything, but he was supposed to give suggestions and tell them what to improve. It was just... Cloud was an excellent companion, an excellent cook, an excellent conversationalist, and an excellent everything else too! Well, he could at least circle 'not applicable' for his sexual performance, since Cloud was still in his adjustment phase. At least it wasn't another excellent.
Sephiroth ground his teeth, thinking hard. What problems had they had? After he got the manual, things were pretty easy. Before though, that was a bit tricky. He thought back to the first night he had had Cloud... that would be a good suggestion! Sephiroth picked up his pen and wrote in the comments section:
I don't think that Cloud not being able to speak properly when he is upset is a good feature. I didn't have a manual and didn't know that he would be damaged when I tried to touch below his waist. Cloud had a hard time telling me that it was bad and I almost damaged him. I think that should be fixed so he can talk when he's upset.
There! That was a good suggestion. That voice thing wasn't much of a feature at all, if that was what it was meant to be. How were people supposed to know that they shouldn't do something if their Clouds couldn't tell them?
"Cloud?" Sephiroth gathered up the papers and took them to the kitchen. "I answered the questions and put one suggestion in. Do you think that's good enough?"
"Yeah, that should be fine. Were the questions hard?" Cloud took a spoonful of soup and blew on it, then held it up for Sephiroth to taste. "Any good?"
Sephiroth nodded. "It's good."
"Sweet! Let's give it another fifteen minutes to simmer, then we can eat." Cloud held out his arms for Sephiroth to pick him up. "So? How were the questions?"
"Mmm..." Sephiroth hummed and leaned against the counter, absently scratching Cloud's scalp. "They were a bit hard. I think you're good at everything you do. I don't know if I was..." He paused, trying to think of the word.
"Objective?" Cloud suggested.
"Yeah, objective. See? You're good at it."
"Thanks, I'm glad you're happy with me." Cloud flapped his hands suddenly. "Boiling over! Boiling over!"
Sephiroth glanced over at the hissing stove and hurriedly carried Cloud over to it so he could take the pot's lid off. "Maybe I should write that down on the comments: you let pots boil over."
"Don't you dare! It was the pot's fault!"
***
"All right, Sephiroth, let's go." Zack touched Sephiroth's arm and pulled him away from the front doors of the lobby where he had said goodbye to Cloud. "He'll be back before you know it, don't worry."
"'Kay." Sephiroth pulled his gaze away from where he had last seen Cloud and trudged after Zack, who walked extra slowly so Sephiroth would keep up with him.
"C'mon, we can have fun while he's gone, can't we? Want to watch some movies today? Cloud left me with a bunch he said you really like."
Zack had brought his things over to Sephiroth's apartment that morning, and Cloud had handed him a laundry list of instructions. They included an outline of their daily routine and things to watch for with Sephiroth's mood. He also had a list of things Sephiroth liked to do depending on his mood. Movies with happy endings were Cloud's go-to distraction when Sephiroth was feeling down.
"I guess," Sephiroth said with a sigh and slumped against the wall of the elevator. "When does he get back?"
Zack sighed and patted Sephiroth on the shoulder, resigning himself to getting this question a lot. At least he wasn't angry or combative like he used to be, before Cloud came along. "Saturday. He'll be back in a week."
It was going to be a long week.
***
"Sephiroth, we need to go to the training room now." Zack poked Sephiroth in the side and got him to look away from the window. The poor guy had been moping for four days straight; the only breaks from his depression were when Cloud called each night, and for about an hour afterwards. Zack used that time to get him to take a shower and get into bed. At least he was eating. Zack had to admit he had been a bit worried about that at first, but if he put food in front of Sephiroth, he would eat it. Though he did complain a lot that it wasn't as good as what Cloud would make.
"Sephiroth, come on, don't you want to go fight some programs? I heard they've got a really good one for you to test out."
"Yeah." Sephiroth pushed himself to his feet and trailed after Zack, who went back to grab Masamune for him.
A small cluster of scientists were milling around the training room's computer, either waiting to test out their new program or, in Professor Sahmin's case, waiting to gather data from Sephiroth's performance.
"Sephiroth," Zack instructed, "You're going to be fighting a series of five battles, one right after the other, okay?"
"'Kay." Sephiroth absently drew Masamune and wandered over to the door. "Hurry up and open it. I want to go home."
"They might be kind of tough, so make sure you pay attention." Zack was a bit worried; they had designed this program based on the improvements Sephiroth was making at focusing in battle. He wasn't sure if Sephiroth would be able to do it if he was relying on his speed and muscle memory to compensate for his head being off in the clouds.
"I'm paying attention, Zack. Come on."
"All right, I think they're ready to start. Go on in." Zack waved Sephiroth through as the door opened, then went back to the scientists so he could watch.
"He's really well behaved today," Professor Sahmin remarked from behind his clipboard.
"Yeah, he'll do pretty much anything I tell him while Cloud's gone. He's just depressed as hell." Sephiroth was going through the motions of the fight, but he wasn't putting his heart into it at all. Still, he was breezing through the programs like nobody's business.
"Interesting..." Sahmin scribbled something down. "So he hasn't been violent?"
"Nah, I think he can't be bothered. He'd rather count down the seconds until Cloud gets back."
"How long will it be?"
"Two more sleeps. Oh, sorry, he gets back on Saturday. I'm used to counting sleeps now."
"That's not much time..."
"No, not much longer. We're going out on a mission tomorrow; I'm hoping that'll take the whole day, and Saturday I think will be spent being excited."
"You know, we missed a few important tests during his ann-"
"Ho no! You want Sephiroth back in the labs, you talk to Cloud first. He'd murder me if I sent him up there when he wasn't around." Zack chuckled and punched the professor on the arm. "Cloud's a scary little chocobo; I'm not taking him on."
***
"What time is it now, Zack?"
Zack sighed and looked at his watch. "Nine forty-two. He gets back at three. Why don't we watch some TV?"
"I don't want to. I want Cloud back!"
"I know, but wanting him back won't make him come back any faster. You've survived this long, you can wait a few more hours." Zack turned the TV on, hoping it might distract Sephiroth somewhat. "Do you want something to eat? You haven't had breakfast yet." There was no response from Sephiroth. "Cloud's going to be upset if he comes back and you haven't eaten."
"You're not good at cooking, Zack," Sephiroth whined.
"I know, but I'm doing the best I can. You need to eat something. How about a sandwich, at least? I can't screw up a sandwich."
"Fine." Sephiroth curled himself into a ball and glared at the television.
Getting Sephiroth to eat killed an hour, and Zack managed to keep him occupied with a show about dinosaurs for another hour. Then Sephiroth was back to asking for the time every few minutes.
"Will they bring him back to the apartment? Or is he coming in a car? Can we go wait where they'll drop him off?"
"Umm..." Zack thought fast. Cloud would be arriving on a helicopter, which meant he'd be coming from headquarters. "It would probably be best to wait in the lobby of this build- wait a sec." Sephiroth had jumped up and started heading for the door. "We've still got a good three hours before he comes back."
"What if he's back early?" Sephiroth looked exasperated. "I want to meet him."
Zack opened his mouth to argue further, but shut it again without saying anything. There was no point. "All right, put your shoes on and let me go get my book."
Sephiroth beamed. Zack was pretty sure it was the first genuine smile he had seen the entire week. Even when Cloud had called, there had always been a lingering trace of sadness on Sephiroth's face. "Thanks, Zack."
"Yeah, yeah, get your shoes on."
Zack withstood a solid three hours of Sephiroth pacing back and forth in front of the doors, constantly checking the time. He was quite proud of himself for maintaining his patience, but hoped that Cloud had really enjoyed his trip home.
"Wha-"
"Two fif-"
"He's here! Zack! It's him!" Sephiroth rattled on the door and snarled in frustration when it didn't open. Zack quickly dropped his book and ran over to trigger the automatic door before Sephiroth decided it would be faster to just go through it. "Cloud! Cloud! You're back!"
Zack chuckled as Cloud dropped his bags and held up his arms so Sephiroth could sweep him up into a hug and begin planting kisses all over him. He jogged out and picked up Cloud's bags for him; he clearly wasn't going to be put down anytime soon.
"How was maintenance?" Sephiroth asked between kisses.
"It was great! They said I was in excellent condition; you've been doing a really good job of taking care of me."
"I have?"
Zack started trying to herd Sephiroth indoors; they were attracting attention out here.
"You bet you have. I didn't need any repair work, just the regular wear-and-tear fix-ups. They were really impressed."
"That's good."
"Did you do okay while I was gone?"
Sephiroth made a grumbling noise, but didn't say anything and he went back inside the building.
"He did all right," Zack spoke up. "He was whiny and depressed, but he survived. So did everyone else."
"I'm glad you and everyone else survived. I missed you so much. I'd have been sad if I came back and you were locked up because you got cranky."
Zack got the two into the elevator before the security guard at the desk had snapped too many pictures. Taken out of context and those pictures would definitely seem like Sephiroth had been carrying some young boy up to his apartment to fuck. Cloud's legs were wrapped around Sephiroth's waist, and while Zack was sure there was no tongue involved in their kisses, it was pretty hard to tell from some angles. Ah well, he thought, if the pictures were published, he knew who to send the Turks after. He just hoped the guard knew that too.
Sephiroth collapsed onto the couch with Cloud pressed tightly against him and Zack shuffled awkwardly at the door. He hadn't thought it was possible for two people to be that close to each other and not engaged in some sort of sex act. Either way, it was way too intimate and Zack was beginning to feel like a voyeur, so he quietly let himself out and shut the door behind him. He'd check on them and see how Cloud's trip really was on Monday.
***
"So? How was your trip, Spiky?" Zack threw the door open with a bang, causing Cloud to jump and drop his book.
"Dammit, Zack," Cloud grumbled. He grabbed the book off the floor and sat up properly on the couch. "You don't know how to knock?"
"Must've forgot. Sephiroth's out, right?" Zack came and sat down next to him, bouncing a little bit.
"Yeah, he should be back in an hour or so."
"Cool! So, the trip? How was it? How was your mom?"
"It was good. She was good. Glad I was able to come home."
"Did you have any trouble?"
"Not really. Some people tried to bug me about not making SOLDIER, but I just ignored them. I've got a job I'm happy with. And hey, I'm important enough to warrant my own transport back home; that shut most people up." Cloud grinned. It had hurt, when some of the old bullies from before he had left had tried to pick on him, but he didn't need to even bother with them anymore. He had gone to see his mom, that was it. The fact that Tifa had actually been nice to him was just a bonus.
"That's good. I'm proud of you, kiddo." Zack ruffled his hair.
"Knock it off with the 'kiddo', I'm almost sixteen!" Cloud laughed and shoved at Zack.
"Nuh-uh, you're almost one! Sephiroth's really excited about your birthday. I think we're going to use one of the conference rooms for the party, since there are a lot of people who want to come."
"There are?"
"Of course there are. You've made a big difference around here, Cloud. Whether you know it or not. People appreciate that."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. All hail the Sephiroth tamer, right?"
"Right!" Zack said. "So Cloud, I wanted to ask you something. It's been bugging me a lot lately."
"Sure, what is it?"
Zack sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Are you and Sephiroth having sex? It's okay if you are, I'd just feel a lot better if I knew for sure one way or the other."
Cloud stared at Zack for a long time.
"So... that's either a 'how'd you figure it out?' or a 'no'..."
"No. No, absolutely not, Zack. I would have told you if we were. Sephiroth... he - he's improved a lot, but I don't think he can really consent to anything just yet. And besides, he's never given me any indication that he wants something more. We're happy with the way things are."
"Okay, sorry, I didn't mean to... I hadn't really considered that. I just assumed..." Zack looked like something had just occurred to him and he looked guilty.
Cloud sighed, it couldn't hurt to try asking. "Why did - I mean, except for that first night, Sephiroth's never tried to touch me inappropriately. Even then, I think he was just curious and surprised that I was... you know, anatomically correct. So why did everyone think he was going to rape me? And don't try to deny it," Cloud said, seeing the look on Zack's face, "I know you did."
"Well, um, you know..." Zack trailed off, looking embarrassed.
"I know he slept around a lot before Nibelheim, I've gotten that much. Whatever you say won't change my opinion of him now. I know he's not the same person. I just - I need to know, Zack."
"He did more than sleep around, Cloud," Zack said. "He was a predator."
"What do you mean?"
"Sephiroth was an... anything that moves sort of guy. And he wasn't nice about it. He had this way of convincing people against their better judgment. It was never rape, but you can bet there are a lot of people out there with regrets. For Sephiroth, people were for fucking and that was it. I was out on a mission with him one time... the poor girl was still trying to get her clothes on when he kicked her out."
"Are you one of those people?" Cloud asked, curious. "With regrets?"
"What? No! And none of your business, either!" Zack sighed loudly. "I think Angeal told him to stay away from me, to be honest. Otherwise I think I might have been."
"Was he really that bad?"
"Angeal said he was taking out his aggression and frustration towards the lab. He couldn't lash out at Hojo, so he hurt other people. And got his rocks off while he was at it. Genesis would work with him sometimes, picking people up, but he did it for Sephiroth, I think. If you asked me, he just wanted to be with him and took whatever he could get."
"I just... I can't imagine him ever being like that." The image he had in his head of the Sephiroth he knew and the one Zack was telling him about just didn't match up at all.
"Nah, your Sephiroth's a sweetheart. But you see why we were concerned? I wasn't even sure if Sephiroth could understand whether or not you were giving consent when he first found you. I was sure he'd - I mean, he hadn't in so long, that..."
"Yeah, I understand."
"That's why we came up with the adjustment phase idea. We figured that if he actually liked you enough, he'd probably keep you around, even if you slept with him."
"It was a good idea. I'm glad we didn't have to tell him 'no' outright. I'd like to have more of a relationship with him, some day, if he improves enough. Right now though, I think I'd feel like the scum of the planet if I asked him for sex. And I wouldn't mind waiting until I'm a bit older. As long as I still get my private time." The private time was important; being bathed by a person he was attracted to and having almost-sixteen-year-old hormones wasn't the easiest thing in the world. At least Sephiroth was good at ignoring the obvious.
***
Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
Results May Vary
A/N: One day I'll draw the notepaper that Cloud makes. Anyways, go check out the first side-story, Results May Vary!