Warnings: Violence, large time skip. language
AN: Sorry for the delay. Thank you for the advice after my last chapter, it really helps. I have been so slow to update due to computer issues, and promise to try and write more in future.


Hojo smiled down at the bound ex-SOLDIER, comparing the results of healing times with those he had projected before the experiments. If anything, the results were better than he could have hoped for. It was a shame that the blonde was struggling to respond to the experiments – initial studies had implied that he would be a far better candidate, if only he was strong enough to withstand them.

He took a sample of the blood, stroking Specimen Z's hair.
"You're doing nicely, perfect results, and if only you would be a little more obedient, then life would get better..."

Zack screwed up his nose and spat up at the other man, flinching when he was rewarded with a punch to the chest. By now he really should know not to get into conflict with the other, and yet he found it difficult if not impossible to avoid antagonising him. It was just easier to fight and live with the consequences than surrender and know you had given up.

Hojo snarled softly.
"If you don't behave then I'll have to try them on your little pretty friend instead...It's a shame that he isn't very strong right now. I'm trying to build up his strength with the mako, but he's not ready yet. I don't know if he'll survive."

Hojo's words filtered into Zack's mind and he shook his head rapidly, not wanting to give in to that, unable to accept the idea of Cloud suffering for his behaviour. He took a few deep breaths and then spoke, voice quivering a little, close to breaking.
"I'll be good."
"Much better." Hojo replied with a smile. "If you are, then I'll let you see him later."
Zack nodded, desperately wanting to be able to see his friend again. His eyes were struggling to focus, but when he looked over at Cloud in his tube, it did not look good. The other was too pale, too thin, too tired. Zack had to be strong for them both, or Cloud would never make it.

***

Zack tried to relax now that the experiments were over. Hojo had stayed true to his word, allowing him time with Cloud. The scientist was sat a short distance away, observing the interaction between his two favourite experiments, monitoring them and noting down their reactions to each other. Not only did this ensure compliance from Specimen Z, it gave him interesting new research data. Specimen Z clearly cared a lot for Specimen C, which was a surprise considering Z had been in a relationship with General Sephiroth. Still, he chose not to comment on it, preferring to watch dispassionately as Specimen Z embraced Specimen C.

Zack shuddered, doing what he could to ignore the scientist who was still gazing steadily at them. He felt sick, but he didn't think Cloud had noticed the other, and he wanted to encourage him. He cuddled him tightly, rocking him in his arms.
"Cloud... Cloud you can do this, you can be strong Spike, I know you can be a hero."
Cloud smiled up at him, not really sure if this was real, or whether the cocktail of drugs in his blood was causing hallucinations. After a few moments thought, he settled on the hallucinations. Zack had no sign of the cuts Hojo had inflicted. They had been cured, but to Cloud's addled mind, that possibility never occurred. Instead, he came to believe that this was all just his imagination, and that Zack was really elsewhere. Having decided this, he had the confidence to lean up and brush his lips over Zack's.

The contact was real, vivid, the first proper kiss Cloud had initiated, and it was all too clear to him that he wasn't hallucinating. He had just done that to Zack. He opened and closed his mouth rapidly, a bright blush on his cheeks. Zack smiled indulgently, leaning to claim his lips.
"It's alright Spike."
Cloud cuddled up closer to him, and Zack ruffled his hair affectionately.
"I'm going to take good care of you."
Cloud nodded again, still a little stunned by what had happened.
"I'm going to take good care of you too..."

Hojo's glasses glinted. This was very interesting indeed.

***

Zack wasn't entirely sure when the hell became routine, but it did. There was only so long the human body could stay frightened for. He'd see Cloud sometimes, not as often as he liked, between the invasive experiments carried out on his battered body. He was getting stronger, taller, and at the same time, Cloud was getting more distant, smaller. To start with, Hojo had prized him, praising him for his interesting results, torturing him constantly to gain new information.

Over time though, Hojo had gotten bored. Zack would see him gazing at the floating body of his friend as he operated on the older SOLDIER, and he became more interested on observing the two of them together. Zack could do nothing to prevent this, and didn't want to – this joint observation gave him an opportunity to hold and reassure Cloud which otherwise he would be denied.

Despite the fact they got little food, Cloud was getting stronger, and that made Zack smile. He wanted, or rather needed, the other to gain in strength so that their escape would be as simple as possible in the circumstances. Zack wasn't entirely sure how it had happened, but he had begun to make friends. Not just Cloud, but also some of the lower scientists, cleaners and guards. Sometimes he felt like a traitor, but he reassured himself it would be necessary for his escape. His escape would come, he held onto that thought above all others. He couldn't give in now.

Slowly as he became more settled, his ideas for escape became more random, less thought out, less serious. He was making a kind of life for himself and Cloud, and while not much, it took the edge off of the need for freedom. Escape was something he desired, but he desired more food or time with Cloud more. He had learnt that obedience meant he saw his friend more, and that was crucial for the survival of both of them.

One day, everything had changed, and escape became his entire focus.

***

Hojo stood in the doorway, impassively observing his two experiments. Specimen Z had been incredibly useful, yielding more research data than he could have hoped for, but he was now outliving his usefulness. Part of him was tempted to merely remove Z, but he decided against it in case he could be put to use in future tests.

"Specimen C." Cloud looked up, and nervously walked over, body trembling. Whilst he had been experimented on a lot less than Zack had, he had been hurt more, and his strength was slowly beginning to crumble. He stared down at the floor, long hair falling in front of his eyes.
"Sir?" When he spoke, it was little more than a whisper, and his voice was trembling.

Hojo smirked, grabbing Cloud's arm and injecting in a syringe full of mako. He was planning to take the boy to the labs and do more tests, but the mako needed time to settle in his system.
"I'll come back for you in an hour."

Zack ran to Cloud, cuddling him and stroking his hair. He tilted Cloud's head up so he was looking into the other's unnaturally glowing eyes.
"It'll be okay Cloud. It'll be okay."

It wasn't okay. When Cloud returned after several days, he had turned totally in on himself. He gazed out with a blank stare, not speaking, not moving. He'd sit where he was left, gazing hollowly at the world.
"Fuck Cloud, stop being creepy..." Zack whispered, ruffling his spikes. "Strife, I command you to stop scaring me."
There was no response.

When food and water arrived, Zack carefully fed Cloud, but Cloud showed no sign of being aware of it.
"Come on Spike... I can't do this on my own. What if I have tests?" Even the thought of experiments wasn't enough to retrieve Cloud from his mental prison.

Days passed, and the guards took pity on Zack, allowing him to spend as much time as possible with the catatonic Cloud. Zack used that to his advantage, feeding the other, comforting him, talking to him. Sometimes he'd get angry and scream at Cloud, but later he'd hold him and apologise for letting him down. They couldn't spend all their time together though.

Zack let Xyke manhandle him into a mako tube. Cloud was already in one in an attempt to shock him out of his silence, and Zack knew now that he had to pick his fights. He floated there, watching and listening to the world outside, but unable to interact. He thought this might be what life was like for his friend.

Hojo sat at a desk, going through his notes, muttering to himself. Straining his ears, Zack could hear what was said despite the thick glass. To some extent, the experiments were to his advantage.

Hojo ran his eyes over the files, then hit the desk in frustration.
"C is useless!" He hissed, glaring at the information. "I've had enough. I'll have to terminate him. He's using up my precious resources..." He smirked slightly, voice quieter, almost beyond Zack's hearing. "And I can monitor Z's reaction to see how I am doing with making him a super-SOLDIER." He laughed out loud, sanity slipping.

Zack felt sick. It was all he could do not to thrash in the tube, but doing that would let Hojo know he had been overheard. His mind was made up. He and Cloud were leaving, and soon.