Emotion conflict
The swarm of hidden SOLDIERS and troopers ran over to the port, stopping dead in their tracks the rebels that were invading the city. Battle cries fused from everywhere, the two armies crashing into each other, at their head two SOLDIERS…
Explosions of magic lit up the port in a deadly fireworks, men waving their weapons toward each other, fighting, dancing with the Death, which would surely swipe some lives today. And on the boat, the two leaders clashed swords together, defending their cause, one claiming the world, one claiming justice…
*******
Zack wandered through the deserted corridors, weary and preoccupied. The battle against Hatako's hadn't been that hard, but most of the rebels had been killed, including Hatako. Zack himself had torn him apart with his Buster sword. But now that everything was over, he was going down to the lab… ha had to visit people very dear to him. He nodded to the guard and entered the dark room where all the Mako tanks were and stopped before one that was glowing a light shade of green.
- Hey Cloud…, he said grimly to the prone form floating inside, Do you hear me? It's over…. Cloud… Please wake up… Sephiroth's not doing well…
He sighed heavily, placing a hand on the cold tube. Cloud did not move, hell, he hadn't moved in three days. That was the main reason Sephiroth wasn't feeling good. Aside of that, the poor General was bedridden with a virulent case of lung infection, due to the higher toxicity of the young mantis pollen. Zack left the room with regrets, walking deeper into the scientific department, to the intensive care unit. He came closer of the curtains that hid his superior's bed and stepped in, sitting on the nearby chair. Few seconds later, the doctor Cooper drew open those same curtains, pulling a small tray with many instruments on it.
- Good evening, Commander.
- Doctor…, he greeted
The doc nodded in return and started to examine the patient. First with the readings on the different machines and then he pulled down the blankets to waist level. Sephiroth groaned, waking up from his medicine-induced slumber to look angrily at whoever was touching him with that cold stethoscope. He hated being touched like that, he shivered unconsciously but the doctor patted his shoulder soothingly. At least it wasn't Hojo this time…
- Good evening, General, sir, said softly Zack
Sephiroth turned his head and saw his friend at his side, looking over him. Then he felt the burning weight over his chest crushing him and he gasped for air, coughing harshly. But it was tearing him, it hurt… Can't breath…! He was almost passing out when his bed was suddenly lifted, someone wiped away the blood dripping from the corner of his lips and applied a breathing mask to his nose. Dr. Cooper quickly filled a syringe with a powerful painkiller and jabbed it in the silver-haired General's arm. After few minutes, Sephiroth calmed down, looking at Zack with glazed green eyes, his body completely limp. He was completely hammered by the drug.
- He's very lucky to be alive, added Dr. Cooper, If it hadn't been for this young boy's medicine… It was containing so much tranquilizers it was enough to slow the poison in the bloodstream. Speaking of which… Commander, would you please stay with him a little longer? I will go and see how mister Strife is doing.
Zack nodded, watching the scientist walk away, and focused back his attention on the man lying next to him when he heard a faint whisper.
- …My fault…
- Seph, no…, the dark-haired man whispered back, It's not your fault… Don't worry, he'll wake up, hey don't cry, Seph… He's still alive… Shh…
He cupped gently Sephiroth's face with his hands, washing the tears away until he fell asleep. Humming a lullaby, Zack covered him up with the blankets, aware of how distressed and guilty his friend was feeling. And himself couldn't help but feel helpless when an incubator stretcher containing Cloud passed in front of him. Dr. Cooper had taken him out of the Mako tank and was now draining his body of all the greenish liquid by the mean of a gastric tube. His bare chest lifted slowly at each intake of breath, but otherwise he wasn't showing any sign of awakening. Zack walked up to him and slipped a hand through the small porthole, gently grabbed his left hand.
- C'mon, spike… Squeeze my hand…
- His condition is improving, Commander, but I doubt he's going to…
But Zack's eyes went bleary all of a sudden and he uncurled his hand. Cloud's fingers were firmly circled around his… The doctor smiled and patted the Commander's shoulder.
- Hopefully, I am not always right…
********
Ten days later
The night was calm, too calm for the silver-haired man who, despite his condition, rose from his bed. He was still plagued by a harsh cough, (Hojo had ordered him to keep the bed) and the scientist was coming each day to inject him with a strong medicine that was leaving him completely numb for at least two hours. When he was waking up, Zack was there with a light meal, usually a soup accompanied by a small portion of plain rice. But at night, he was left completely alone… alone with his thoughts, with his guilt. But tonight it was simply too much, he /had/ to see Cloud… Cloud. The poor boy was still prisoner of his own body, unable to wake up. Sephiroth walked feebly to his closet, putting on his silky jade robe and matching slippers. The corridors were deserted, only some dozing troopers were still at their post, but they didn't noticed him. Sephiroth took the elevator and walked to the scientific department.
The General didn't have to search very long before finding the object of his uneasiness. The blond was lying on a normal stretcher, connected only to an IV and a cardiac monitor. The silver-haired man pulled close the curtains and, lovingly, brushed his knuckles against Cloud's cheeks.
- Cloud…, he said mournfully, I-I'm so sorry that you had been driven into this… Please, forgive me… Say something, anything… Wake up…
Carefully, he muffled his love into the blankets and picked him up, sitting on the rocking chair, holding him like a baby. Sephiroth breathed deeply, but couldn't hold back his tears. He supported Cloud's head with his hand, placing it over his heart, /feeling/… He looked down at that sleeping face, watching intently as his eyelids twitched under his caresses and finally, for the first time in thirteen days, Cloud's eyes slowly opened. Those two blue pools of clear ocean water met Sephiroth's gaze and the blond smiled, whispering his name in relief. The General tightened his embrace.
- You… you're awake… awake! By Holy…
- Seph… just sleep, 'k? M'head hurts…
Sephiroth sniffled and smiled back as he brought Cloud's head to rest against his arm, kissing his cheek, asking himself if this was a dream… No, not a dream… I feel him, I can feel he's really there, I'm not dreaming… With a voice quivering in fear, he softly pleaded his love to answer.
- Cloud, my dear, so very precious Cloud, promise me that you'll be awake tomorrow morning…
- Mmm… yeah…
Reassured, the silver-haired man allowed himself to fall into oblivion, his golden angel securely bundled in his arms. But the night was cold, and soon the sleeping man began to shiver unconsciously.
*cough, cough, cough*
At the other end of the lab, Nathaniel Cooper stopped in the doorway. Could the General be there at that hour of the night? Or did the little blond finally wake up? He quickly grabbed his discarded lab coat and walked into the intensive care unit, up to Cloud's bed. He could have swore that he hadn't closed the curtains of that bed, so he cautiously parted them a little… And he saw them, closely entangled together, almost breathing in unison, and what startled the doctor the most was that the blond was sometimes moving his arm or his head, something he couldn't do the day before. When he looked at the monitor, the heartbeat was normal, the pressure too… Dr. Cooper scooped up the young boy to lay him back on his bed, and then he guided Sephiroth to the next one. If Hojo learn about those two… I don't want this to happen to both of them… With utmost care, he covered the General and managed to make him swallow some cough syrup. Then, after making sure that they wouldn't wake up before the next morning, he picked up his phone and called the Commander.
********
- What is he doing here?!?
- P-professor! Dr. Cooper left a note saying that the General came last night because he couldn't stop coughing. It's also noted that he gave him XTP-34 to put him to sleep at a normal dose.
Hojo mumbled something under his breath, then turned to go back to his specimens.
- Notify me if he is returned to his quarters before 13:00.
Stephen Ward, the second doctor of the infirmary, nodded quickly. He scribbled down a note to Dr. Cooper with the exigencies of the professor. All he had to do was keeping an eye on the young blond, who was constantly tossing in his sleep. At 9:00, Dr. Cooper was back to relieve his colleague. The two were on 6 hours shifts, from 9 to 3/3 to 9, to keep the effectives up at every hours. Only the nurses were shifting more often, and during the day they were more than at night. From 1:00 am, Dr. Cooper was alone, since their day started at 6:00 am. So when Nathaniel arrived, Dr. Ward handed him the note and left for a well-earned rest.
- The General woke up an hour ago, he said, and he seems very anxious. Didn't eat at all, and he's still saying that he his not hungry.
- All right, I'll see what I can do. Have a good nap, Stephen.
Dr. Ward nodded and left. On the nearest bed, the silver-haired General was resting limply, watching intently his neighbour… Dr. Cooper smiled and walked up to Cloud's bed, lifting it up a little so he was in an almost sit position. With utmost care, he removed the electrodes stuck on his chest, which had the desired effect of waking him up. Sleepy blue eyes slowly opened, and the doctor greeted him warmly.
- Good morning, mister Strife. How do you feel today?
- Urgh… It hurts… What-What happened? Where…?
- Shh… You fell off a cliff on the Miniki Island. You sustained many injuries of which a broken leg and a very serious head trauma. Professor Hojo brought you and the General back to Midgar 14 days ago. You were in a deep coma.
Cloud's eyes closed for a moment, a frown forming on his forehead and the doctor continued.
- You're okay, for now. I will run a scan after giving you a little food. That way we will see if your trauma is causing those migraines. Still, I'll apply a cold patch to neutralize the pain, but I suggest you to move your head very slowly. Just take it easy, and thanks whoever up there you had your helmet when it happened!
The blond nodded feebly as the doctor walked away to order some broth for him. And then he heard his name spoken very softly… Sephiroth watched with admiration when Cloud turned toward him. It seemed difficult, so the silver-haired man just got out of bed so his love wouldn't exert himself to see him. For a moment Cloud said nothing, just drowned into those green eyes.
- Sephiroth… You okay?
The General coughed a little, but smiled nonetheless.
- Almost, now…, he answered, You should worry about yourself. I'll be fine. I know you'll be too…
Dr. Cooper came back just then, and Sephiroth returned hurriedly to his bed. The doctor
Applied a cold patch on the blond's forehead carefully and a nurse entered few minutes later with a tray of food. She placed a full meal on the General's table, who finally decided to eat, and then she helped Cloud with his broth. Slowly, not too fast so he wouldn't throw it all up afterward. The patch seemed to work pretty good, because the blond relaxed visibly. When they took him to the scan room, he was well awake and smiling. Sephiroth finished his meal and fell back in his pillows as Hojo arrived with his medicine. But even if it hurt some, the last thought he had was a wonderful one.
*******
Cloud rolled over, burying himself in the comforting heat source next to him. The satin sheets enveloped his body, suddenly covering his smooth skin prone to the light breeze. His mate pulled up the heavy quilt, muffling the sleeping blond carefully. He just made a slight discomfort mewl as Sephiroth dislodged himself from his grasp. Three weeks… three long weeks since he last been here… He bent down to kiss his lover's forehead, wishing him a few hours more of rest before waking up. Cloud, since he woken up, had passed many tests to make sure he wouldn't have any sequels from his fall and/or coma, and had been under close observation for almost a week before being sent back to his quarters. However, Dr. Cooper had warned Sephiroth about his student; Cloud would probably have very nasty migraines from now on.
The General stretched and yawned lazily, walking up to the window to close the curtains. Too much light had always woken Cloud up. Today was Saturday, he had taken the day off, mostly to take care of his lover, and also because Zack had asked a leave for the week-end. He had exerted himself on the paperwork when Sephiroth was bedridden, so his superior couldn't refuse him the permission. He left yesterday after his night shift, saying that he shouldn't be back before Monday morning.
The silver-haired man stepped into the shower, letting the hot sprays wash away the remnant of sleep still clinging to him. The lather awoken his senses with its fruity essence, and Sephiroth realised that he had taken Cloud's shower gel by error, but that only added to his smile. He loved that smell, anyway.
Getting out of the small bathroom draped in his robe, he went to the kitchen. Breakfast was good, as always, the coarse aroma of coffee comforting. Sephiroth enjoyed the quiet morning until three soft knocks made him sigh. He was decided; he would not go to work today, whoever was behind that door, so he stood up and went to it with his coffee mug. He startled, though, when he saw Zack standing before him, dark circles under his eyes. Sephiroth stepped aside, allowing Zack to enter. The Commander said nothing more than 'couldn't find her, searched all night long' before collapsing on the couch, exhausted.
- Zack? Why aren't you in your quarters?
- Too noisy, he slurred back, can't sleep…
- You're drunk.
It wasn't a question, it was a cold statement. Zack bowed his head, avoiding the deep gaze of his commanding officer.
- You didn't find her and got drunk because of that?
- You don know anything, a-ny-thing 'bout her!, he snapped furiously, She see /things/… said 't was too painful for her t'be with me… but that she'll die t'be with me… Looked at me, sh'was 'fraid…
- She… left you…
Sephiroth felt oddly bad seeing Zack like that. The Commander still had his head bowed so the General sighed and put a hand on his shoulder, guiding him down on his side. Boots, belt and shoulder pads were thrown carelessly on the floor.
- Sleep. When you sober up, you'll be able to tell me more clearly what happened.
- And exactly, what happened to him? He looks like hell…, a soft yet still sleepy voice asked.
Covering Zack with the blanket draped over the couch, he gestured to Cloud to go into the kitchen. Once there, he embraced him tightly, as if he was afraid of loosing him… But they suddenly backed away from each other when they heard a faint whisper coming from the living room.
- Aerith… Why…?
End
Author's notes
First of all, I have a special message for everyone who e-mailed me. Thank you for the support. I cannot tell you how much it helped me… And, guess what? I found another job, and I start Monday morning!!!!!!!!!! Oh I'm happy now!!! Very, very happy! I was worried because I didn't want to move back at home… Again, thanks a lot, Argentwolf, Lauren, dark Child, Flamekaat… and I know I'm forgetting some of you… but don't get mad at me. Now let's just hope that I'll be able to void my 'supposed' hit-and-run ticket. *Mumble, mumble* How could I have made a hit-and-run (and no one got hurt, all this for a scraped bumper damn it) if I have papers proving that I wasn't at the bank that day? I don't even have a f?%?ing paint mark on my car… *grrrrrrrrrrrrrr…*
Anyway, enough of my problems… Poor little Zack… Aerith got her reasons to tell him that. But it'll get better soon, don't worry. Watch out too for the end of this prequel and the start of 'Lover's war', or the game as I saw it. With some yaoi twist… Hehehe… Mwahahahaha!!!! Next chapter: Love letter.