Gift
Zack nodded absently, pretending to pay attention to what the SOLDIER that he had struck up a conversation with was saying, as his eyes scanned the room.
The president's office was decked out in its usual manner for this yearly celebration, red, green, gold, and silver tinsel hung from the ceiling, and there were several beautifully decorated trees against the walls. The president's desk had been covered with a festive red velvet cloth and various holiday foods were laid out upon it. Shinra had even gotten a small band to play this year.
Zack loosened his tie a little and continued to scan the room. Where the hell had Sephiroth gotten off to? He seemed to have the strange habit of slipping away unnoticed. You'd think someone like him wouldn't be capable of that, but, there was no sign of him.
"'scuse me," he said to the SOLDIER, interrupting the story that had clearly been meant to impress him. "There's something I gotta do."
He made a hasty retreat and wandered around the room hoping to catch a glimpse of his missing commander or some clue as to where he had gone.
"Oi!"
He looked in the direction of the call and saw one of the Turks heading for him, the redheaded one; Reno, if he remembered correctly.
"You're the Lieutenant General, right?" Reno said.
Zack nodded. "Call me Zack, though."
Reno grinned wryly. "'kay. Zack it is! You're lookin' for the General, aren't ya?"
"Yeah," Zack said. "Do you know where he went?"
"Saw him go outside awhile ago," Reno said, jerking his head toward the open door to the roof. "Looked pretty pissed."
"He always looks like that," Zack said. He started toward the door, but then stopped and looked back over his shoulder. "Thanks."
Reno raised his glass in response.
Zack emerged into the cooler air outside and spotted Sephiroth instantly. He was leaning on the cement guard a few feet away, looking out over the city. There was no one else around, probably because Sephiroth was there and the more annoying of Shinra's employees were currently busy bothering someone else.
Zack joined him and stood there in silence for a moment, enjoying the cool night air. It was a welcomed change after the stuffiness inside.
"Some party, huh?" he said, looking out at the city lights. He'd always thought the city looked almost magical at night. It would have been, had it been any place other than Midgar.
Sephiroth said nothing. Zack looked at him and noticed that he was looking a great deal more morose than usual.
"Hey…what's got you so down?" Zack said. "I mean I know you hate these things, but…"
Sephiroth closed his eyes with a sigh and clenched his hand into a fist on the cement. "I hate…Yule."
"Why?" Zack said, "What's there to hate about it? Everyone's happy this time 'a year."
"Happy…" Sephiroth said, bitterness in his voice. "I was never happy on Yule."
He sighed again. "I told you I have lived here most of my life. There was only one day out of the year where there were other children around, and that was today. Shinra used to hold a banquet for all of the children living on the plate and their families. They were always so happy, showing each other the gifts they'd received.
"I remember the first year I went, I asked one of them why he had gotten a gift and he looked at me like I was insane. I had never gotten a gift on Yule, so I didn't know about it."
Zack was shocked. "No presents?"
Sephiroth shook his head. "Never," he said, and added quietly, "Until last year."
"Damn," Zack said. "I'm sorry."
Then he grinned, remembering that he had brought the present he'd gotten Sephiroth with him, not intending on going back to his apartment after the party. He pulled the small package out of his jacket pocket.
He'd decided on deep red paper with silver accents on it this year, which was perfect for the contents of the box. It was a dragon armlet with a summon materia, and not just any summon materia; it was a mastered Knights of the Round. It had taken him months to master the materia after he had been lucky enough to find it in a store. The dragon armlet had been difficult to locate as well; in the end he had traded a large amount of gil and his mastered Bolt materia for it to be ordered out of a shop on the other side of the world and sent to Midgar.
"Here," he said, holding the box out. "Happy Yule."
Sephiroth looked down at the box, as if he was making sure it was really there.
Zack laughed. "Just open it."
Sephiroth took it and un-taped one end, then slid the box out and opened it. He stared at its contents for a moment and then touched the materia. Seconds later, he withdrew his hand and looked at Zack.
"This is…"
Zack grinned. "Knights of the Round. Mastered."
"How…?"
Sephiroth appeared to not be able to form complete sentences. Zack figured that meant he had succeeded in surprising him.
"Did it myself," Zack said.
Sephiroth stared at him and Zack had to laugh at the surprised look on his face.
"The look on your face is priceless!" he said.
Sephiroth's face immediately went back to its usual impassiveness. He closed the box and slid it into his suit jacket.
"Thank you," Sephiroth said, with a small smile.
Zack smiled back. "Anytime."
