[500wordsaday] January 11
I managed 820 words today! :D Which is totally awesome. And since it was the stuff from yesterday, and I've added like another 1,400 words to this thing from the last time I posted it here), I figure posting the stuff from yesterday and today won't hurt. :D
Read the link above for the first part of this. FFVII stuff, Seph!returns, and so forth.
It brought the pain back, but it was only a shadow of what he'd felt earlier that day, manageable, ignorable even. It was only a slight headache, nothing to keep him in bed and Sephiroth stood, drawing Cloud's eyes to him once again. He studied the face for a moment, pale and fine-boned, and Sephiroth could see the man he'd become in those features.
The memories, he realized, were easier to sort out, with the pain not as sharp or as overwhelming as earlier. Cloud, he realized - Cloud was going to be the one to take him down. This too pale, too small boy, with a backbone of steel and something else, would be the one to eventually kill him. And not even once, but multiple times. And Zack - Zack was going to hate him and be left to Hojo's hands for years, like Cloud, and die -
Thinking about Zack made Sephiroth aware of where he was and the events of earlier; Cloud was still watching him, wary and ready to flee at a moment's notice. Indeed, to Sephiroth it looked as though he already wanted to flee; but pride and stubbornness and the knowledge that Zack trusted him enough to leave him watching Sephiroth kept him firmly in place.
"Where is Zack?" Sephiroth demanded, surprised at how hoarse his voice sounded, and when Cloud jumped up, hastily enough to knock his chair over, and rushed to explain everything, his tongue tripping over the words before he could even get them out, Sephiroth reached out and squeezed his shoulder. Lightly, not enough to hurt, just to reassure the boy that he didn't need to rush through everything, but it made Cloud flinch.
Sephiroth was used to people flinching away from him, knowing his bloody past, used to people being too afraid to meet his eyes and used to people ready to do anything to get away from him. It was nothing new, but seeing Cloud flinch away was more upsetting than anything. Not even Cloud could handle his touch; the one who was destined to kill him was secretly terrified of him. It was a dampening realization, but it made Sephiroth aware of one thing: he was the only one who knew. Maybe someone else was aware of what would happen in the future, but for the moment, Sephiroth had to work with the idea that he alone was privy to the information.
Apologies weren't natural to Sephiroth; he'd never made one to anyone, not even Zack. The realization made him frown slightly, and although he knew Cloud couldn't see his face - there was no possible way, with no light in the room, and even if his eyes had adjusted well enough to the gloom, details would have been impossible to spot - the boy shied away from him again, looking anywhere but at Sephiroth. So he simply squeezed Cloud's shoulder again and let his hand drop. "I am sorry, Cloud," he said, dropping his voice so it wasn't as harsh or demanding. "I wasn't myself this afternoon."
That seemed to do its intended purpose and triggered something in Cloud's mind - he straightened his shoulders, standing up a little taller, and managed to look in the general direction of Sephiroth's face. "There is nothing to apologize for, sir," he said, and even continued on, answering Sephiroth's question, although halfway through, he seemed to lose the brief amount of confidence Sephiroth's apology had given him. "Zack is sleeping, sir. He left me - um - I - he told me - that is, he - I can get him for you, sir, if-"
"There's no need to explain right now, Cloud," Sephiroth told him; Cloud's rambling was actually amusing, if he took the time to think about it, and he couldn't help the quick quirk of his lips. "Why don't we wake him up?"
Cloud nodded and turned with too much haste, stumbling over the chair, and again Sephiroth allowed himself a slight smile. "Watch out," he murmured, reaching out to steady the boy. Once he was sure Cloud wasn't going to fall again, it would have been easy enough to let go, but Sephiroth found himself reluctant to do so; the feel of another person against his skin grounded him, made him almost hyper aware of the word around him. The entire thing felt odd to him, and Sephiroth was aware his actions were out of the norm for him, softer and easier than anything he'd do under normal circumstances, in the bright light of the day.
He drew Cloud closer to him; close enough that he could feel the tenseness in Cloud's body and that made Sephiroth pause for a second, for it didn't seem to be out of fear. But Cloud relaxed again, as though willing himself to relax, and Sephiroth carefully massaged his shoulder, careful of his own strength. While bruises might have been a pretty decoration for Cloud's skin, it was hardly the place or time for such things - and hardly the circumstances under which Sephiroth wanted to mark him, again.
"Where is he?" Sephiroth asked, as he guided the teen out of the room, although he didn't need to ask; Zack was stretched out on the couch, an arm thrown over the back and a leg hanging down, dead to the world except for his snoring. Sephiroth watched him for a second; had he not slept in worse positions, or seen Zack sleep sitting up, he would have wondered how anyone could sleep in such an uncomfortable position.
The room was nearly as dark as the bedroom, but not quite; next to him, Cloud chuckled, almost silently, at the sight of Zack, and Sephiroth reluctantly let go. "We should let him sleep," Sephiroth said softly, hating the hesitance in his voice - he wanted Zack awake. But he could see the lines of tension on his forehead, the faint shadows hiding beneath his eyelashes. It would be easiest to let him sleep; everything could wait for the morning.
Cloud had different ideas, however; he shook his head, drawing Sephiroth's attention again, and frowned at him. "Zack told me to wake him if you woke up, sir," he told Sephiroth. "He'd be upset if I didn't." Cloud stepped away from, and as Sephiroth watched, helpless to stop a mere cadet, walked around the couch. Despite the snoring and the casual pose, Zack was awake the instant Cloud's hand was on his shoulder, instantly focusing on Sephiroth.
"Thanks Spike," Zack said, reaching up to grip Cloud's hand in a comforting squeeze, although his eyes never left Sephiroth. Sephiroth returned his gaze steadily, trying to understand what Zack meant by his look. "Why don't you turn on the lights?"
"Of course-" Cloud agreed, untangling his hand from Zack's, at the same time as Sephiroth said, "Wait."
Cloud paused, shifting uncomfortably and looking from Sephiroth to Zack and back again. Sephiroth dropped his gaze from Zack's, staring at the floor; for a second, he felt unsure and unconfident, a kid from the labs with no knowledge of people and told only that he was meant to go out and stop a war, without truly understanding why.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice low; too low, perhaps, for anyone normal to hear, although he was sure Zack heard. And from the too uncomfortable silence, he knew Cloud heard as well. Sephiroth carefully studied the bare floors, able to feel the heavy weight of Zack's gaze upon him. Nothing else could be heard, not even the sound of breathing, and Sephiroth's fingers curled into tighter and tighter fists as each second passed.
Cloud was the one to break the silence, walking toward the wall to hit the light switch, and the sound of his movements seemed to break whatever spell Zack was under, because he jumped up then, dragging the blanket he'd been laying upon, rather than under, toward Sephiroth.
"Nothing to apologize for, Seph," he told Sephiroth, wrapping the blanket around him and guiding him toward the small dining room and attached kitchen. "How about some tea? My mother always told me tea cured most anything, and sleep, and well you've already slept. I think Aeris' cookies are even better than tea, but her mom would murder me if I called now and woke everyone up for some cookies. I'll get you some tomorrow." Zack pushed him into a chair, tucking the blanket around him carefully.
Sephiroth was tempted to laugh; he'd never had anyone truly mother him and watching Zack attempt to do so was the most entertaining thing in the world. And in the next moment, when Zack frowned at him and adjusted the blanket, muttering about how it wasn't going to stay if Sephiroth moved, Sephiroth couldn't contain himself.
He laughed.
Read the link above for the first part of this. FFVII stuff, Seph!returns, and so forth.
It brought the pain back, but it was only a shadow of what he'd felt earlier that day, manageable, ignorable even. It was only a slight headache, nothing to keep him in bed and Sephiroth stood, drawing Cloud's eyes to him once again. He studied the face for a moment, pale and fine-boned, and Sephiroth could see the man he'd become in those features.
The memories, he realized, were easier to sort out, with the pain not as sharp or as overwhelming as earlier. Cloud, he realized - Cloud was going to be the one to take him down. This too pale, too small boy, with a backbone of steel and something else, would be the one to eventually kill him. And not even once, but multiple times. And Zack - Zack was going to hate him and be left to Hojo's hands for years, like Cloud, and die -
Thinking about Zack made Sephiroth aware of where he was and the events of earlier; Cloud was still watching him, wary and ready to flee at a moment's notice. Indeed, to Sephiroth it looked as though he already wanted to flee; but pride and stubbornness and the knowledge that Zack trusted him enough to leave him watching Sephiroth kept him firmly in place.
"Where is Zack?" Sephiroth demanded, surprised at how hoarse his voice sounded, and when Cloud jumped up, hastily enough to knock his chair over, and rushed to explain everything, his tongue tripping over the words before he could even get them out, Sephiroth reached out and squeezed his shoulder. Lightly, not enough to hurt, just to reassure the boy that he didn't need to rush through everything, but it made Cloud flinch.
Sephiroth was used to people flinching away from him, knowing his bloody past, used to people being too afraid to meet his eyes and used to people ready to do anything to get away from him. It was nothing new, but seeing Cloud flinch away was more upsetting than anything. Not even Cloud could handle his touch; the one who was destined to kill him was secretly terrified of him. It was a dampening realization, but it made Sephiroth aware of one thing: he was the only one who knew. Maybe someone else was aware of what would happen in the future, but for the moment, Sephiroth had to work with the idea that he alone was privy to the information.
Apologies weren't natural to Sephiroth; he'd never made one to anyone, not even Zack. The realization made him frown slightly, and although he knew Cloud couldn't see his face - there was no possible way, with no light in the room, and even if his eyes had adjusted well enough to the gloom, details would have been impossible to spot - the boy shied away from him again, looking anywhere but at Sephiroth. So he simply squeezed Cloud's shoulder again and let his hand drop. "I am sorry, Cloud," he said, dropping his voice so it wasn't as harsh or demanding. "I wasn't myself this afternoon."
That seemed to do its intended purpose and triggered something in Cloud's mind - he straightened his shoulders, standing up a little taller, and managed to look in the general direction of Sephiroth's face. "There is nothing to apologize for, sir," he said, and even continued on, answering Sephiroth's question, although halfway through, he seemed to lose the brief amount of confidence Sephiroth's apology had given him. "Zack is sleeping, sir. He left me - um - I - he told me - that is, he - I can get him for you, sir, if-"
"There's no need to explain right now, Cloud," Sephiroth told him; Cloud's rambling was actually amusing, if he took the time to think about it, and he couldn't help the quick quirk of his lips. "Why don't we wake him up?"
Cloud nodded and turned with too much haste, stumbling over the chair, and again Sephiroth allowed himself a slight smile. "Watch out," he murmured, reaching out to steady the boy. Once he was sure Cloud wasn't going to fall again, it would have been easy enough to let go, but Sephiroth found himself reluctant to do so; the feel of another person against his skin grounded him, made him almost hyper aware of the word around him. The entire thing felt odd to him, and Sephiroth was aware his actions were out of the norm for him, softer and easier than anything he'd do under normal circumstances, in the bright light of the day.
He drew Cloud closer to him; close enough that he could feel the tenseness in Cloud's body and that made Sephiroth pause for a second, for it didn't seem to be out of fear. But Cloud relaxed again, as though willing himself to relax, and Sephiroth carefully massaged his shoulder, careful of his own strength. While bruises might have been a pretty decoration for Cloud's skin, it was hardly the place or time for such things - and hardly the circumstances under which Sephiroth wanted to mark him, again.
"Where is he?" Sephiroth asked, as he guided the teen out of the room, although he didn't need to ask; Zack was stretched out on the couch, an arm thrown over the back and a leg hanging down, dead to the world except for his snoring. Sephiroth watched him for a second; had he not slept in worse positions, or seen Zack sleep sitting up, he would have wondered how anyone could sleep in such an uncomfortable position.
The room was nearly as dark as the bedroom, but not quite; next to him, Cloud chuckled, almost silently, at the sight of Zack, and Sephiroth reluctantly let go. "We should let him sleep," Sephiroth said softly, hating the hesitance in his voice - he wanted Zack awake. But he could see the lines of tension on his forehead, the faint shadows hiding beneath his eyelashes. It would be easiest to let him sleep; everything could wait for the morning.
Cloud had different ideas, however; he shook his head, drawing Sephiroth's attention again, and frowned at him. "Zack told me to wake him if you woke up, sir," he told Sephiroth. "He'd be upset if I didn't." Cloud stepped away from, and as Sephiroth watched, helpless to stop a mere cadet, walked around the couch. Despite the snoring and the casual pose, Zack was awake the instant Cloud's hand was on his shoulder, instantly focusing on Sephiroth.
"Thanks Spike," Zack said, reaching up to grip Cloud's hand in a comforting squeeze, although his eyes never left Sephiroth. Sephiroth returned his gaze steadily, trying to understand what Zack meant by his look. "Why don't you turn on the lights?"
"Of course-" Cloud agreed, untangling his hand from Zack's, at the same time as Sephiroth said, "Wait."
Cloud paused, shifting uncomfortably and looking from Sephiroth to Zack and back again. Sephiroth dropped his gaze from Zack's, staring at the floor; for a second, he felt unsure and unconfident, a kid from the labs with no knowledge of people and told only that he was meant to go out and stop a war, without truly understanding why.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice low; too low, perhaps, for anyone normal to hear, although he was sure Zack heard. And from the too uncomfortable silence, he knew Cloud heard as well. Sephiroth carefully studied the bare floors, able to feel the heavy weight of Zack's gaze upon him. Nothing else could be heard, not even the sound of breathing, and Sephiroth's fingers curled into tighter and tighter fists as each second passed.
Cloud was the one to break the silence, walking toward the wall to hit the light switch, and the sound of his movements seemed to break whatever spell Zack was under, because he jumped up then, dragging the blanket he'd been laying upon, rather than under, toward Sephiroth.
"Nothing to apologize for, Seph," he told Sephiroth, wrapping the blanket around him and guiding him toward the small dining room and attached kitchen. "How about some tea? My mother always told me tea cured most anything, and sleep, and well you've already slept. I think Aeris' cookies are even better than tea, but her mom would murder me if I called now and woke everyone up for some cookies. I'll get you some tomorrow." Zack pushed him into a chair, tucking the blanket around him carefully.
Sephiroth was tempted to laugh; he'd never had anyone truly mother him and watching Zack attempt to do so was the most entertaining thing in the world. And in the next moment, when Zack frowned at him and adjusted the blanket, muttering about how it wasn't going to stay if Sephiroth moved, Sephiroth couldn't contain himself.
He laughed.