Part IV
Awakening in front of Hojo can be frightening. Especially when you feel like you just had been thrown down from the 70th floor… God only knew how much he was confused. He was wearing an hospital gown, buried under blankets, in a lab with two Turks. Zack and Cloud seemed to have disappeared, obviously something had happened while he was sleeping. He propped himself up a little to see Tseng looking at him with an idiotic grin on his face, that just seemed totally out of place.
- What are you staring at?
Tseng shook himself.
- …?…! Reno, go notice Zackary Hoeken that he will have some check-up to do. Floor 34, Hall B door 54.
- Yeah… See ya 'round, boss…
When the door closed, Tseng moved closer to the bed, pushing Sephiroth back on his pillow. The silver-haired man tried to protest, but the Turk put a finger on his lips.
- You are not going to waste your energy now… You made us worry sick, you know. Yes, Zack is fine, he got through this.
- Tseng, whatever he had, I caught it?
- Yes, and I won't hide it, you have been in a deep coma for two weeks. You drove Hojo mad with 'incertitude' like he said. Be grateful to Cloud, the boy supported hell to help you.
- What did he…?
Tseng hopped down the bed and rummaged through a duffle bag. He got out a t-shirt and a loose pair of pants.
- You'll be able to ask him yourself, I'm bringing you back to your quarters, and they will be watching over you.
- I don't feel like walking, right now…, Sephiroth answered, sinking down in his pillow.
- That's why I'm here. We're friends, no? Dress up and I'll help you with that.
******
That was great… The sun, the beach, Cloud, the pounding on the door… Pounding…? Zack jerked awake and got up, ready to beat the crap out of whoever was trying to smash his door. Hell, even in my sleep I can't take a day off to Costa del Sol… He unlocked and prepared himself to shout out loud his frustration when he noticed that it was a Turk standing before him.
- Reno… Do you have any idea of what time it is?
- Sorry, I'm not here for fun, Zack. You've got direct orders to go directly to your superior's quarter for an indeterminate time. You have some more 'monitoring' to do, hehe.
Zack blinked a few times, letting sink in his mind what he had just been told. Monitoring. Superior. Indeterminate time. He was about to ask something to Reno, but the hall was already barren. He closed the door and a mischievous smile spread across his face. Cloud, you gonna have one hell of surprise… He muffled his giggles and started packing.
******
Sephiroth had never expected to live long enough to see something as ordinary as walking like an inhuman torture. Tseng was forced to literally drag him along, his muscles were so stiff and he was so weakened he couldn't do three steps without stopping to breath. Being in the middle of the night was a good thing, too, nobody could see him, the Great Sephiroth, in such a humiliating state of weakness. After what seemed an eternity they finally reached his door, who opened instantly on Zack. The two helped Sephiroth to sit on the couch and Tseng left, leaving them alone.
- Thanks the Gods, you're alive!
Sephiroth smiled weakly and welcomed Zack into his arms. The sound of his heartbeat calmed the dark-haired man after a while, knowing that his friends was really there.
- I was afraid… Afraid that I wouldn't be able to thank you… You and Spike saved my life… I owe you one… I was afraid of loosing you…
The General passed a lazy hand in his second's dark mane, ruffling it playfully. They cuddled a while in silence, until Zack couldn't support it anymore.
- No offence, Seph, but you /stink/. Seriously. Remember when we get back from the Wutai war? I think we should go bath you before nearing the bed, 'cause you'll surely kill us before the morning… Come on, I prepared a bath before you arrived.
Sephiroth winced at the memory. It took nearly an hour to get all the mud, blood and dirt cleaned from his hair, and almost one and a half of soaking in a bath to have the feeling of being able to support himself for the night. For that he had been grateful to have a bathroom in his quarters. He let Zack undress him and help him to get in the water. Sephiroth closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth take some of his stiffness away.
- I know you don't like the idea, but I will have to wash your hair while you wash yourself…
It was true, he didn't like when someone else touches his hair, but right now he wasn't caring.
- Zack, Tseng told me something about Cloud…
He closed his eyes as Zack rinsed his hair, letting the water drop down his face before continuing.
- He said he saved my life… What did he do? And where is he?
Zack chuckled softly.
- Don't worry, he's asleep in your bed. To answer your question, he did save your life. But he didn't do it without pain. You remember when I was at the hospital and Hojo ordered Cloud in the lab?
Sephiroth nodded.
- Well, Hojo wanted to extract antibodies from his blood stream. It worked, at least for me, but you, you went comatose the day after you received the injection. When I was returned to my quarters, Seph, you were dying. Literally. Hojo went mad and transferred you to his lab in the Shinra Tower. I heard him say that the JENOVA cells in you had caused the virus to mutate… and whatever he tried to make the antibodies from Cloud to mutate failed. So he summoned Cloud in the lab once again.
- He didn't let…
- Yes, sir. He let Hojo inject him with Mako, JENOVA cells and your virus. And you know how terrified he his when it comes to needles… It took him some hours but Cloud managed to produce the antibodies you needed. Hojo almost sucked him dry and now he eats as much as you and sleeps more than a marmot in winter…
They smiled at each other, Zack washing away the sweet scenting bubbles out of the silver mane. Then he helped Sephiroth to get out of the tub, wrapping him in a warm towel before doing the same for his hair. He dried it and by the time he'd brush it, the General was already drifting away so the two of them trudged toward the bed. There Zack put him his nightclothes and tucked him in. Cloud mumbled something in his sleep when Zack pushed him to get his share of the bedding. The blonde wrapped his arm around Sephiroth's waist and Zack did the same to Cloud.
*******
When Sephiroth woke up the next morning, the first thing he noticed was how his left arm was numb. He tried to move it without disturbing the shock of golden hair lying half over it, but failed and the boy mewled in protest.
- Zaaaaaaaaack 's too early…
Them he rolled over, freeing Sephiroth's arm but pinning him down by nestling his head over the General's chest, snoring his way back to dreamland. Someone let out an hearty chuckle as the silver-haired man closed his eyes once more. Zack returned into the kitchen with only one thought: breakfast.
He eventually came back to the bedroom to poke Cloud. The boy didn't appreciated and grunted, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at his face.
- m'ving nice dream… sta del sol wissephy…, he whined
Zack sat him gently, careful not to disturb Sephiroth and shook him. The boy's eyes opened and he asked sleepily what he had done with the pillows to make them so comfortable.
- Man, you're really dense in the morning… you weren't sleeping on a pillow but on Sephiroth himself!
Cloud's eyes widened and he almost cried out in joy but Zack put his hand on his mouth.
- Shh… You can kill me later… For now, don't wake him up. Come on, let's have breakfast, I'll explain.
The blond stared a while at his sleeping superior and covered him up before following Zack into the small kitchen.
********
Eventually some days later Sephiroth was well awake and well aware that he couldn't leave his bed. Cloud had brought the TV in the bedroom and Zack was in charge of the cooking. Shinra, however did not seems to understand the word 'bedridden' because Heidegger was constantly sending him reports and other paperwork. Zack had tried to do them at first, but it was so complicated, Sephiroth ended doing them while he was supposed to sleep. What made Hojo upset, of course, who was coming each day at noon, but nobody listened, for a time that his orders would have been useful.
Of course the General was slowly going over his physical weakness and a week later it was just a bad memory. And so by it was more and more difficult for Zack and Cloud to make him keep the bed.
It was the day Hojo caught him doing his morning stretching…
- What are you doing out of your bed? The scientist asked angrily.
Sephiroth shrugged indifferently, continuing his exercises.
- You don't expect me to lie there all day long. I'm bored and stiff, so I'm training.
- Fine! Do what you want! Don't come back whining because I warned you!, Hojo answered, noticing that he could not win against Sephiroth.
He gave up and left, mumbling something about specimen that couldn't wait. Cloud and Zack burst out laughing.
- If I wasn't sure it was Hojo, Cloud started, I would tell he's overprotecting you! My mother used to treat me like that!
Their laughter died few minute later, the atmosphere shifting to a more sweet mood. The two SOLDIERS sat down next to their leader and kissed his cheeks.
- But he's right, Zack breathed in his ear, you should be in bed, now…
Sephiroth moaned as Zack nipped his earlobe gently, making his intentions clear to the General. He didn't refuse the offer. Cloud trailed his hands on his chest, pinching a nipple, electing a soft groan. Using soft caresses they succeeded in dragging their superior back to his bed…
******
Meanwhile, Tseng was walking down the hall, grateful to have at last a free hour to visit his friend. He hadn't see him in a while, well he wasn't back to his office yet and Rufus just wouldn't let him go. Well anyway he was happy that Sephiroth was still there. Tucked under his arm was a small box of fine chocolates (Sephiroth's favourite, of course) and a small card. The Turk punched in the code of the door, (well being a Turk he must know the codes…) and entered. The quietness of the apartment was disturbed by muffled moans and whimpers coming from the bedroom…
Tseng sighed and put his gift on the kitchen table, slightly amused, remembering what Reno had told him. Silently he made his way out, shaking his head. I just lost 20 Gils…
End
Author's notes
Arrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhh!!!!! I tried to do a lemon, I tried, but somehow it didn't worked… Maybe a lime is the best compromise… I promise I'll make a PWP next time with this threesome… If you want to send me suggestions, don't hesitate! (After all, many of you wanted a lemon and I kinda let you down… It's just fair that I ask this from you ^_^)
Well, see ya!