Sick Day
Sephiroth looked up at the clock for what seemed like the hundredth time. It was 10:17, which meant that his second-in-command was over an hour late. It wasn't unusual for Zack to come in late, especially on a Monday, but he was never this late.
He reached for the phone for the third time, actually intending to call Zack's apartment this time. It was late enough that it wouldn't seem like Sephiroth was calling because he was worried, which he was, but to chew Zack out for being so late.
He dialed the number and waited for an answer, preparing himself to yell at Zack for being late…and for making him worry, but Zack wouldn't need to know that.
"…Hello?" The voice on the other end barely sounded like Zack, it was so exhausted sounding and weak.
"Is there a reason you are over an hour late to work?" Sephiroth asked, his tone strictly business.
Zack groaned. "Huh…?" There was some shuffling, then a pause, and then, "Aw, fuck!"
There were more shuffling sounds and then another groan and a muffled curse.
"Sorry," Zack said. "Be right there…"
Sephiroth sat there a few moments after he heard the click on the other end, wondering what the hell was going on, before setting the phone down and returning to his paperwork to occupy himself until Zack arrived.
Fifteen minutes later, Zack arrived and Sephiroth nearly dropped his pen when he saw him. For lack of a better description, Zack looked like shit. He was pale, there were dark circles under his eyes, he hadn't combed his hair and his uniform looked like he had just thrown it on, not caring what it looked like.
Zack sank into his chair and gave the pile of papers on his desk a thoroughly miserable look. Sephiroth watched him as he grabbed the paper on top and his pen, and started in on it, propping his head up with his free hand.
Sephiroth sighed quietly and went back to his own work. It wouldn't do to worry about Zack when there was work to do. But, he found, as he did his work in complete silence, that it was strange not to have Zack interrupt him every few minutes with something completely pointless, and he wondered when that had gone from being annoying to something he actually enjoyed.
He looked up and saw that Zack was sprawled on his desk, his face buried in the crook of his arm. He sighed again and got up, figuring that he should give the man a break and send him home.
"Zack," he said.
"…What?" was the muffled response.
"Go home."
Zack lifted his head a little. "I don't think I can make it there…"
Sephiroth was about to make an exasperated reply, when he realized that Zack was being
completely serious.
He walked around next to Zack's chair and held out his hand. "Come on."
He knew he had work to do, but screw Shinra; he was going to help his friend.
Looking relieved, Zack took his hand and Sephiroth helped him up and then out the door and into the nearest elevator. He pressed the button labeled "45", figuring it would just be easier to take Zack to his apartment, since Zack's own was further away.
"Where are you taking me…?" Zack said, leaning against him.
"My apartment," Sephiroth said, as the elevator started to descend.
Zack didn't say anything, only leaned more of his weight against Sephiroth. Sephiroth could feel the warmth coming off of Zack, even through his leather coat, which led him to believe that he had a fever.
The elevator stopped and the door opened. Sephiroth helped Zack down the hall to his apartment, and slid his keycard through the lock, before helping Zack inside.
He eased his friend onto the couch and Zack slid his boots off with shaky hands and leaned back.
"Lie down," Sephiroth said.
Zack did as he was told and Sephiroth went and got the blanket from his bed, bringing it back and draping it over Zack.
Zack curled up under the blanket with a small sigh.
Sephiroth, confident that Zack would be alright by himself, figured he'd better go back and finish the paperwork.
"I'm going back to the office," he said. "You may stay here as long as you wish."
He headed for the door.
"Seph…"
He stopped at Zack's call and turned back toward his friend.
There was a small smile on Zack's face. "Thanks."
Sephiroth inclined his head in response, then continued toward the door.
It was nearly midnight by the time Sephiroth finally left the office and returned to his apartment. On the way down, he had been wondering if Zack would still be in his apartment, but the light that was now filtering under his door told him that he was.
He went in and unbuckled his boots and set them by the door, then went into the living room. Zack was sitting on the couch with the blanket wrapped around him, watching television; Sephiroth was pleased to see that he looked almost normal.
Zack looked over at him and grinned. "Hey, did you know you get some really great porn
channels?"
Sephiroth rolled his eyes. He was back to normal, all right.
"Another late night at the office," Zack said. "I would've come back, but I just woke up."
Sephiroth sat down. "I assume you feel better."
"Yeah, tons," Zack said. "I knew those mako treatments would be good for something."
That was one of the good things about SOLDIER members, the mako meant that they rarely got sick and if they did, it only lasted a few hours instead of a few days. Sephiroth had such a high level that he never got sick at all, aside from the headaches he got every so often.
Sephiroth's weary mind was momentarily distracted by the news program that was on the television. The anchor was spewing the usual crap that Shinra put out to the masses to keep them loyal. Frankly, he thought it was disgusting and wondered how anyone could really be so blind as to not see what Shinra was really doing.
He rubbed his temple; as a matter of fact, he was getting one of those infrequent headaches right now.
"Hey, Seph?"
Sephiroth looked over at him.
"Thanks again for hauling me down here earlier," Zack said.
"You're welcome."
Zack grinned and threw an arm around his shoulders.
Sephiroth tensed involuntarily. He still wasn't used to anyone touching him in a friendly manner. He was so used to pain following any sort of contact, as it always had when the scientists touched him, that his muscles automatically contracted in preparation.
He sighed and willed himself to relax. He was much more easily agitated when he was tired.
Zack kept his arm where it was and turned his attention to the television, and Sephiroth looked at it as well, though he didn't pay attention to it, letting his mind wander. After having to be so on edge all day, it felt good to be able to relax.
Sephiroth surprised himself a few minutes later, when he started to doze off. He let himself, too tired to get up and go to bed.
He was roused from his half sleep when Zack removed his arm. He suppressed a yawn, annoyed that the pleasant relaxed feeling was starting to dissipate.
"Go to bed," Zack said.
Sephiroth's exhausted body forced him to agree. He got up and Zack did too, shutting off the television.
Zack handed him the blanket with a smile. "See ya in the morning."
