Author's note: One Character prompt # 03 - Trouble lurking Warnings: None, really. Hero worship and practice violence.
Sephiroth had seen the blond-haired trooper around before. With helmets on, they all looked alike, the cumbersome objects granting them anonymity; but whenever he was free of it, this boy's hair stuck up at all angles in defiance of the weight that crushed it flat for a large part of the day. It reminded him a little of Zack, except he knew the dark-haired SOLDIER owed at least some of his spikiness to hair gel.
But it was possible that this mental association, unconscious or not, meant he didn't at first notice when the blond began to spend time in Zack's company.
After awhile, he grew used to laughing references about 'Fair's blond shadow', although he saw little evidence of it personally. When Zack was around Sephiroth, the trooper didn't seem to be around Zack. He wasn't quite sure what to make of that: maybe the other SOLDIERs were exaggerating; maybe Zack simply didn't see any reason for them to meet. He certainly didn't have much in common with a raw recruit who barely reached his chest, after all. It was quite possible the boy was intimidated by the mere thought of meeting ShinRa's general, who was, after all, his commanding officer.
So when he felt eyes watching him while he sparred with Zack in a supposedly deserted practice room, his first thoughts were of the worst possibilities: someone from the Science department, Turks, even Heidegger. He turned as he feinted towards Zack, allowing his gaze to sweep the bleachers that rose to one side without taking his gaze off his opponent.
Instead he saw a small figure perched in the highest corner, a halo of blond spikes surrounding his head, watching them with intent blue eyes.
Sephiroth blinked, and turned his attention back to Zack.
"You have an audience," he said quietly as their blades met.
"Huh?" Zack drew back and tossed a glance at the bleachers. "What, Spike?" He laughed. "He's not here to watch me."
A slight frown appeared on Sephiroth's face. Sometimes, Zack didn't make a great deal of sense, and it often had to do with some kind of joke. Not aimed at him, but he was coming to follow his friend's often odd turns of speech and odder sense of humour, and it was mildly frustrating when he seemed to be missing something. "Why else would he be here? He follows you about often enough the other SOLDIERs have taken to referring to him as your shadow."
"He doesn't follow me, exactly." Zack gave a wry grin. "It's more that I drag him off to have some fun before he expires from lack of it – like somebody else I could name."
That earned Zack a green-eyed glare, and the little trooper a measure of sympathy. Sephiroth had been dragged off by a Zack who was in search of 'fun' before; while it was always an interesting experience, he wasn't sure he would call any of the occasions an unqualified success.
"No," Zack continued, "if he's here to watch anybody, it's probably you."
That succeeded in distracting Sephiroth long enough that Zack nearly landed a blow. He bought his blade around to meet Zack's faster than most eyes could see it, and the force of it sent the other man stumbling back a bit. "What do you mean?"
Zack shrugged, unfazed, and moved in close again. "Kid's got a serious case of hero worship. The chance to see his hero fighting against the second-best man in SOLDIER? There's no way he was going to pass that up."
"Really? The second best man in SOLDIER?" Sephiroth had picked up some things from Zack. "I hadn't noticed anybody but us here."
"Hey!" Zack laughed. "I mentioned I was coming down here for some sparring practice today, and that you might join me. You don't mind him watching, do you?"
Sephiroth sighed. He was used to people watching him. This was harmless, even though the words 'hero worship' had him mentally cringing. "Not at all."
"Right." Zack stepped back, and dropped his sword to a rest position. "Hey Spike! Stop hiding in the corner and get down here!"
Blue eyes went wide in surprise and apprehension. There was a moment's hesitation and then the trooper began climbing down the bleachers until he was standing on the edge of the sprung floor. He saluted.
"Relax, kid, neither of us are on duty."
Sephiroth nearly snorted at the 'are you kidding?' look the trooper gave Zack in return for that remark. It was one he was sure he'd given the brunet himself a few times.
"Seph, this is Cloud Strife. He wants to join SOLDIER, so I thought he might like the chance to watch us spar." Zack sounded like a proud parent, and a mortified flush spread over the trooper's cheeks.
Sephiroth looked at the small blond. He was short, with a slender build, and looked much too young to be wearing a uniform at all. If anything, the spiky hair - which looked oddly fluffy, on closer inspection - made him appear taller than he really was. And he wanted to be in SOLDIER? Then those blue eyes looked up from where they were focused on a spot on the floor, and met his.
He didn't see the hero worship Zack mentioned, that fawning gaze that lacked all rational thought. No, those eyes were solemn, and a little apologetic, and the last thing he felt like doing was laughing at the seemingly ludicrous ambition.
"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't mean to disturb your practice."
"It's no trouble," Sephiroth said uncomfortably. "Zack's right. You should sit closer."
"Thank you, sir." The head ducked again, and Sephiroth caught sight of a small, shy smile before the trooper turned and obediently moved to sit on the bottom tier of the bleachers.
"See?" Zack said as they moved back to the centre of the mat, although Sephiroth noticed he kept his words quieter than normal. "I told you he liked you."