Going Home

Part of the 2018 FF7 Fanworks Exchange

Zack hummed along with the radio as the truck bounced along the unpaved road, steadily taking them towards Gongaga. Towards home.

He'd had to use…less than legal means for obtaining the vehicle. Spending all that time with Reno had paid off he supposed. He was sure that the owner would understand, and he'd left payment. Sure, a high-powered rifle wasn't the most standard form of payment for a vehicle, but he thought it was a good trade.

He looked over to his partner, slumped over in passenger seat, still out of it.

"Hey Cloud, you keep talking my ear off like this and we're going to have to find you a muzzle."

"…."

"Yeah, yeah, I know I talk a lot too, but you knew that when you signed up!"

"…."

"I tell you what you're going to love, meeting my parents."

He winced at that, remembering a night filled with fire and death in Nibelheim…and how it'd taken his friend's own family. He pressed on.

"They're going to love you man, I know it. They'll be glad someone's keeping me in line. Looking out for me, you know?"

"…."

A smile spread across his face. "Yeah, they'll probably force adopt you to be honest, man. They're pushy like that." He gave his companion a conspiratorial wink. "Rubbed off on me I guess."

"…."

The dark-haired man slapped his forehead. "Oh, how could I forget the best part!? The food, bro, you're going to love the food!"

".…"

He tsked. "Yeah, I know you like that Nibel stuff, and it's not half-bad, I'll give you that. But this? This is perfection."

"…."

"You ever have a barrel feast?"

"…."

"What's a barrel feast!? Oh bro, you haven't lived yet! So, we dig a hole in the ground, right? Then, we put a barrel down in the ground, hence the name. Then, you fill up the rack, think of like four or five grated metal shelves, all sitting one above the other." He explained, moving his hand as if he were building the shelves himself.

"…."

"I'm getting there, buddy, slow down! The bottom few layers are your veggies, anything from tomatoes, to zucchini, to onions and such." His smile grew. "Then, at the top, that's where you put the chicken. A whole lot of chicken. You put that whole rack in the barrel, then seal it. Then, we take some hot coals and put them on top, cover them in dirt, and wait."

"…."

"Is it good?" He asked incredulously. "Spike, you give that thing a couple of hours, and it's the best thing you've ever tasted." He practically moaned thinking about it. "The way the juices from the chicken dribble down and soak the veggies? Perfection man, perfection. You mix that with some rice, and you're eating like a king, I don't care what nobody says."

"…."

"I know, kinda makes me hungry too. What's say we pull off somewhere soon and grab some chow and shut eye? It's getting kinda dark out here anyway."

"…."

He took his friend's silence as agreement, and began scanning for any signs of an inn or pub. A few minutes later, he spied an offshoot peeling off to the right of the 'road,' with a hand-painted sign that read 'Mary's dinner and inn.'

"That works for me, what about you buddy?"

"…."

"Figured, you're always hungry. Don't know where you put it all with that little ass frame." He teased.

The gravel of the inn's driveway crunched underneath the truck's tires as he pulled in, making sure to park so that he could get out quickly if needed. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that…not again.

"You just wait here, bud. I'm going to go get us a room."

Cloud was more than happy to comply.

Zack made his way into the inn, finding mary and getting them a room. One that was as close to the road as possible. He returned to the vehicle and pulled it around, getting it as close to the door as he could, to avoid any questions about his companion's status that were…hard to answer.

"Ok, Short Stuff, oopsy daisy." He said as he pulled Cloud from the passenger's side, slinging the boy up onto his shoulder. He quickly made his way to the door, and after fumbling with the lock for a moment, pushed it open, revealing a simple hotel room. Two twin beds, a nightstand, a tv, and bathroom. It didn't really matter, they wouldn't be staying long anyway.

He carefully set his friend down on the bed, positioning the pillows to keep him upright.

"Home, sweet home, eh Cloud?"

"…."

"Yeah, I know it's not much, but we're on a budget. Now, I'm gonna go grab us some food and bring it back."

"…."

"I know you want to socialize man, but people get weird about the silent treatment thing. Here, I'll turn on the tv for you while I'm out." He explained, as he made his way over and flicked it on. "Just don't watch too much, it'll rot your brain. Ok? Ok. Be back in a jiff."

With that, he made his way out of the room, careful to lock it behind him, just in case, and started towards the small dinner that was attached to the hotel. Mary's certainly wasn't anything special as far as variety or quality was concerned, but the meals were hot and the prices were fair. He put in an order for two helpings of the 'special stew,' at the bar, and left what made the stew special unasked…he felt it was probably better that way.

"Haven't seen you 'round here before." He heard a voice call to his left. He looked over at the seat next to him at the bar, finding a man of medium height and build, with with short, brown hair eyeing him curiously.

"Haven't passed through here in a while." Zack admitted. "Most of the work's up at Midgar nowadays."

The man hummed. "Ain't that the truth? By the looks of it you're a military type. How's that life?"

Something was off about this man, he could feel it. He couldn't point to it, couldn't describe it for you, but he knew. He'd come too far not trust his gut.

"It's got it's ups and downs, like anything I guess." He answered carefully.

"Yeah, I suppose it'd be that way. I tell ya though, you actually kinda look like one of those SOLDIER guys that we see on the news all the time."

Zack carefully, painstakingly, looked over the man again. He wore what looked to be a bomber jacket but held no patches or insignia that Zack could see. The man's face was covered in stubble, clearly out of regulations, but he might have been on leave. He couldn't see beneath the bar, but he bet those rugged work pants led down to military issued boots.

But it was the eyes that caught him. Their glow was dull, but there…the telltale sign of a SOLDIER. If he had to guess, he'd say with the man's limited mako exposure, he was probably third class.

He smiled weakly at the man. "Me? Yeah right, those guys would eat me alive."

"Here you go hun, two orders of the special to go." Mary mercifully interrupted as she passed him the disposable containers.

He let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks." He said, nodding to her and pulling away from the bar.

"You sure I can't buy you a drink or something? You know, for your service." The man asked.

Zack took another step back. "Nah, I'm good. Feeling tired. Thanks anyway though."

The man nodded. "Don't worry about it. I'll see you around, Zack."

He tried not to look like he was trying to bolt from the dinner, tried to keep a steady pace as he walked out the door, waited until he'd rounded the corner to dump the food and break out into a sprint.

He could only think of one thing. He'd never told the guy his name.

He didn't bother with the lock as he slammed the door to the room open.

"Cloud, we gotta go!"

".…"

"Yeah buddy, I was hoping that too, but we gotta get the hell out of here." He explained, as he gathered their meager belongings into a small knapsack, before moving over to pick up his blond friend.

"It's mako poisoning, isn't it?" A voice sounded from the door behind him.

Fuck.

He let out a slow breath, and letting the knapsack fall onto the bed, turned to face the man.

"Yeah…pretty bad."

The man hummed from his place in the door. "Looks it."

Zack gave him a pleading look. "Hey, I don't know what they've been saying about us, but-"

"You remember me?" The stranger asked, cutting him off.

Zack shrugged tiredly. "Maybe? You seem kinda familiar, but I can't come up with a name…sorry."

The man sighed. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense, given the crowd you were running with back then. We served together in Wutai."

Zack snapped his fingers. "It's Kyle isn't it! Xiao Long province, right?"

The man nodded. "Yeah."

"Fuck that place."

The man chuckled darkly. "Yeah."

Zack gestured towards Cloud. "Look, Kyle, we don't HAVE to do this. You can see that whatever you heard is bullshit. Please man, just look the other way. We'll be in the wind."

Kyle ran a hand through his short hair. "Fuck, Zack…I already called it in."

"Damn." He had to at least try. "Shinra, they're not who you think they are, you should split too bro."

Kyle shook his head sadly. "I think they're exactly who I think they are, which is why I can't look away. I got people, Zack."

Zack's shoulders fell. "And you already called it in."

"Yeah, I'm sorry."

"I got people too, Kyle."

The man stepped slowly into the room.

"I know."

Zack sighed as he turned the key in the ignition of the truck, letting his forehand fall against the steering wheel.

"…."

"Yeah buddy, I feel the same way."

"…."

"I don't know where we'll go, but we need to move. I guess we'll have to circle back to Gongaga later, once the heat's died down a bit. Dammit!" He punched the dash, leaving a dent in the black surface.

"…."

He sighed. "No man, I'm not giving up. I…I just get frustrated, you know? I was excited to see my folks. Excited for you to meet'em too."

"…."

"I know I got no right to complain, Spike, I still got people." He was quiet for a moment, staring through the windshield. "I'm sorry about your ma."

"…."

"You're right, life is a bitch." He chuckled, before smiling at his friend in the passenger seat. "But you know what? I bet that girl you like so much is still running around."

"…."

He tsked. "Are you kidding? That girl is crazy about you. Bet you she went to Midgar to find work. You know who else is in Midgar?"

"…."

"Yeah, wasn't too hard to guess, huh? I sure talk about her enough."

"…."

"She's gonna love you man, I just know it." He said, popping the truck into gear, and slowly pulling away from the inn.

"…."

"Yeah man, we're gonna be ok…we're gonna be ok." He comforted, as a tear slowly rolled down his cheek. "We gotta be ok."