Chapter seven - The Importance of Coffee Breaks

Sephiroth returned home around midnight - as usual - and by looking inside of his fridge he found out majority of his food's best-before date had been like a month ago and there was a small layer of mold on his yoghurt. He wondered, while scraping the yoghurt to the sink, he should pay more attention to his eating habits.

But Sephiroth hated shopping and eating in restaurants. Which somehow sentenced him to this state.

Because he knew he wasn't about to sleep soon, he decided to kill the time with paperwork. It also worked well to silence that voice... Voice that kept speaking to him when he was alone. Which was way too often during these days - with Zack gone...

No, Zack deserved that holiday and Sephiroth was glad for him. He escaped this life at least for a while. But still... being with Zack was certainly better than being without him.

The stab of pain in his slumber made him lay his pen down, pressing fingers against his forehead. He wished the voice wouldn't come this time.

When the states he'd been experiencing prevented him from sleeping for two weeks, he was more or less forced to visit a psychiatrist. But it would be better if he didn't. The psychiatrist listened to him, then made a call - and Sephiroth was sure it was to some Shinra's chief scientist, Hojo perhaps - returned and suggested some herbal tea and meditation.

Sephiroth was convinced Hojo forbade that psychiatrist to take any action with him. He was the one who wanted to have absolute control.

Not mentioning medication didn't work on him much anyway. Must have been the mako in his veins.

Sephiroth rested his head against his hand. Suddenly he didn't feel like filling the stupid reports. Maybe it was time to go to bed...

Flames... Flames were everywhere. And there was a person standing behind them. Zack? Looking at him with plea in his eyes. Sephiroth was walking toward him, raising an arm to pull him to safety. He looked down. Why was Masamune in his hand? And then he heard a cry of pain. He gazed in front of him. Zack was there with his eyes wide open, the blade of Masamune sticking out from his back.

Sephiroth literally jumped up from his chair. He was shivering slightly and felt cold sweat on his forehead. A dream? So vivid...

"Damn..."

For the first time he was glad Zack wasn't there. He wouldn't want to discuss this topic with him. Not because he wouldn't trust him, though. In a matter of fact, Zack was much more clever than it appeared. He proved that one day in the office.


That Thuesday Zack's importunity achieved the maximum possible level. He kept talking without any need for a break and Sephiroth unsuccessfully tried to focus on his work without smashing a chair against him.

He also came three hours later and his explanation was: "Gee, I'm so sorry, Seph, but I accidentally broke my clock in sleep."

Sephiroth told him tree times to stop talking with no real effect. To be honest, Sephiroth wasn't so angry just because of Zack. It was that morning he had found out majority of the money gained from Wutai war was invested into mako extraction and the rest to the scientific department.

Sephiroth believed some of the money would be given to Wutai to recover after the war. Especially if he were about to visit Wutai next week to discuss this matter. What was he going to tell them? Sorry, but we no longer have the money so can we move to the buffet table, please?

"You have that look again. Really, I think you should train some less frightening expression."

"Zack," Sephiroth said, turning at him. Zack was smiling and Sephiroth sighed.

"Focus on your work."

"Focus on your work. Don't you have something better there?"

"Yes, I do," Sephiroth said, his anger level raising. "Shut your mouth and work."

Zack managed to be silent for a few minutes but Sephiroth saw with the corner of his eye he kept watching him. And he would speak in five, four, three, two -

"I think you bother yourself with this stuff too much, Seph. It's not healthy."

"Spare me your deductions," Sephiroth muttered.

"You act like this office and those stupid documents are essential for living. But it's just some fucking officialdom. For example today. You look like your family member died."

Zack usually didn't dare to go so far. That also depended on how far Sephiroth would allow him to go.

"I'm sorry," Zack blurted out. Sephiroth remained silent. He heard Zack really sounded guilty.

"That's fine," Sephiroth said.

They were working for about thirty minutes. Sephiroth frowned. Wasn't his typing somehow louder than other days? The screen light was so sharp... And that silence... That silence was intolerable. Although he prayed for it ever since this morning, when he finally got it he hated it. He hadn't even realized Zack's chirping kept him from thinking about what to say to the Shinra diplomats next week.

Sephiroth had to stop typing for a while because of the buzzing sound in his head. He rubbed his eyes. He was aware Zack would listen to him if he decided to share his troubles but somehow he wasn't able to bring himself to speak. To confide. He had never done it before...

"Did you hear about the money for Wuitai, promised by Shinra?"

Wait. He did say it?

"Well... Sort of..." Zack said in an uncertain voice.

"They won't give them anything."

"What?" Zack exploded, papers on his desk flying in the air.

"Why?"

"More important investments were made instead."

"That fucking bastards!"

After he calmed down, he looked at him thoughtfully.

"That's why you're so pissed off today?"

"I'm not -"

Sephiroth stopped. Was it really necessary to lie to him? When he was so good in detecting his moods anyway? So Sephiroth just nodded. Answering Zack's questions honestly didn't seem so impossible as before.

There was a smile spreading over Zack's lips, different from the usual grin. Sephiroth wondered what was the cause of that.

"Are you going to tell them?"

"Yes, next week," Sephiroth said. "I don't even know how to start."

"You'll handle it, I'm sure," Zack said. "You know you have quite a position here, right? You could finally start using it a bit, hey?"

Sephiroth turned after him quickly. Zack was smirking with sparks in his eyes. Then he jumped up, walking across the office and sitting down on Sephiroth's desk. Sephiroth straightened, looking him in the eyes.

"What are you doing?" he asked slowly. Zack pushed his monitor away.

"You work way too much. Don't you wanna go on a coffee break with me?"

"You've had a coffee break ten minutes ago," Sephiroth objected.

"Well... yes, but you haven't. I'm paying."

"You're paying a cup of coffee from the coffee machine? How impressive."

"Seph..." Zack pleaded.

"It's working time."

"Nobody will find out. And Margot's gone as well."

"I'm your superior and I know that. "

Zack was silent, producing the most puppy-like face he was capable of.

"Sit down," Sephiroth said, "and work, Zack."

He knew the effect of this tone. Zack obeyed and remained quiet for the rest of the shift. When it was over Sephiroth gave him a look. The cheerfulness seemed to be gone. Well, sometimes he needed to calm down, Sephiroth thought, packing his things.

"So we're going?" he heard from above, meeting Zack's eyes.

"Where?"

"The coffee bar!" Zack reminded him and Sephiroth realized he would have to repeat the whole thing once more.

"If you're going I'll stop singing at work," Zack suggested and Sephiroth hesitated. This was a question worth consideration. When he somehow reluctantly crossed his arms on his chest, Zack's face lightened with victory.

"I haven't said yes."

"You have," Zack said and Sephiroth gave in. He didn't know if it were Zack's gift or just the technique of tiring him with persuading but whatever, it worked. Zack promised the coffee bar was stalkers-free - which Sephiroth hoped was true. While they were walking, Zack poked him.

"Cheer up, Seph."

This time Sephiroth hid his puzzlement with the way Zack was treating him. He couldn't say he would mind. It only kept surprising him. He couldn't imagine anyone who would ever poke him in such a friendly way, without fear or insane admiration.

"If you say it just one more time, I will throw you down the stairs."

"Well, if it helps you..."

It'd been about a month since the event in his apartment when Sephiroth attacked him. Although Zack claimed it was fine, Sephiroth expected it would make him turn his back on him. And he kind of wanted it for he was afraid of hurting him again. However with the passing time Zack was acting still the same, like nothing happened at all.

When they arrived in the coffee bar, Zack chose a remote box in the corner. He talked about a dog he had as a child and Sephiroth was looking out of the window, not really paying attention but listening to the never-ending stream of words. He remembered his aversion toward restaurants. This time it wasn't that bad...

"You will do it, right?"

Sephiroth turned at him.

"What?"

"You'll go to that bastard of a president and you'll tell him if he doesn't change his fucking budget plans you'll shove Masamune up his ass."

Sephiroth imagined for a moment he would actually do that and couldn't help himself but smirked with amusement.

"That approach would earn you a ticket to the gallows."

"Nah... you must put it a bit more subtly."

"Really?" Sephiroth remarked with irony. Zack nodded, playing with the menu card before asking: "Weren't you afraid when I didn't show up this morning?"

"Afraid of missing your unbelievably annoying blathering?"

Zack seemed amused.

"Maybe you could explain again why you overslept."

"I've told you my clock had broken down."

"And the final match of the season has nothing to do with that."

"No... well...Yes... Hey, how do you know that?"

Sephiroth thanked the waitress for his coffee and stirred it with a teaspoon.

"You were speaking about it the whole yesterday."

"Ha!" Zack exclaimed, making Sephiroth look up at him with the cup near his lips.

"So you are paying attention to me sometimes."

"Sometimes..." Sephiroth agreed.

"Seph..." Zack said suddenly, with urge in his voice. "Can I give you an advice? I mean, I know nothing about your duties but... if you care about my opinion..."

Sephiroth gestured his hand.

"Speak."

That was what Zack was apparently waiting for. It seemed he'd been preparing those words in advance.

"Well... Look, I know you can't just screw it all," he started. "But all this worrying and stress, it's not worth it, ya know. You should care more about yourself... I hate seeing you so worried with stuff nobody else gives a shit about. The people who should actually take some action don't even know. I'm not saying you shouldn't care either but don't take it that seriously..."

Zack paused, letting Sephiroth absorb that.

"You're also just a human, ya know. And you have some rights. Like the right to go for a stupid cup of coffee with me."

Zack gave him a serious look. Sephiroth put the cup down.

"Why do you care?" he asked.

"You mean you don't know? When I see you like that in the office, I'm trying to distract you with my pestering. And since you hate it so much, it's the only way to stop it."

Sephiroth didn't know what to say for a few seconds. He wouldn't think Zack would feel like this about him... It had never crossed his mind...

He cares so much?

"I've never said I hate your blathering..." Sephiroth said then, making Zack smile. He was pushing his cup from side to side, that particular soft smile on his face.

"Why are you smiling?"

"It's nothing," Zack said. "I'm just... I'm just glad you're here. Ya know, I didn't believe much you'd agree. Although I wouldn't give up on ya."

Sephiroth realized he was staring at him and shook his head.

"Why?" he asked simply. Why was Zack so persistent, why did he keep bothering himself with all this? Every normal person - or at least a person Sephiroth knew - would leave it be after a few tries. But not Zack.

"You crazy?" Zack asked. "I like your company... Hey, I see you don't like speaking much but... gee, I was glad when you've finally said something today. And don't make me go over that more or we'll look like some engaged couple."

Sephiroth glared down at his cup. He liked his company... Sephiroth honestly didn't know why. But at that moment he didn't even care. He also couldn't remember why he'd been against coffee breaks. They were actually quite nice.


Chap 7 done, yep. Hope you liked.

Next: Something from Zack's POV, including a swimming pool. Yes, they'll be in trunks, ha ha:-)