The sun was just rising when Zax began cooking breakfast. Cloud had gone to the basement library while Sephiroth wandered into the piano room. Zax shook his head as he poured the pancake batter onto the skillet, hearing a soft piano tune float through the air. It was a pretty song he recognized, reminding him of wintertime.
"Fur Elise," Zax muttered to himself, flipping the pancakes. "I keep forgetting Sephy played the piano when he was younger."
"I never knew he played the piano," Cloud said, entering the kitchen. "He never said anything about it."
"Sephy tends to keep to himself and lets his actions speak for him," explained Zax, adding the finished pancakes to a small stack. "If you think about it, he has the hands for it. His fingers are long and slender, with the right amount of reach for even the most difficult piece."
"I didn't notice..." Cloud sighed. "I know so little about him...I wonder what it would have been like...if I met him before he became 'evil' and I got to know him better..."
Zax glanced over his shoulder. "Are those words of regret I hear? Or is it just me and my shitty hearing?"
Cloud chuckled weakly. "Maybe I should talk to him...see if I can get him to join us."
"You don't have to," Zax replied quickly, pouring the last of the batter. "We had a brief conversation earlier. He'll be with us for a while now." He turned to Cloud. "What you could do is go up to the piano room and tell him breakfast is almost done."
Shrugging, the blonde turned and left the kitchen, heading up the stairs and towards the sunlit room. He entered slowly and silently, doing his best not to interrupt Sephiroth's playing as the blonde went to the bay window, watching.
Sephiroth either didn't care or didn't notice that Cloud had entered, his eyes closed as his fingers flew over the keys, the piano singing a beautiful song. Soon the song was over, and the silver-haired man turned to his audience of one sitting across the room. For a moment, neither said anything, watching each other curiously.
Finally Cloud spoke. "I didn't know you played the piano."
A soft, almost unheard, sigh passed through Sephiroth as he stood, looking down at the black, wooden beast. "Now you know," he answered coolly. The man turned to Cloud. "Zax sent you up here?"
Cloud nodded his head. "He said breakfast is almost done."
Saying nothing, Sephiroth turned to leave, but Cloud's quickness stopped him, the blonde grabbing the elder's wrist. "Wait..." Cloud said. "Let's talk a bit. Zax can wait and so can breakfast."
Glaring at Cloud darkly, Sephiroth attempted to struggle free, but to no avail. Moving his arm more fiercely, Sephiroth again tried to free his wrist, but again to no success. Something's not right, Cloud thought as he kept his grip on the man's arm. He should have broken free at the first try. Its as if...Cloud gasped at the sudden realization.
"You're weaker..."
Instantly, Sephiroth stopped struggling. He faced Cloud with wide, fearful aquamarine eyes. "Let go of me..." Sephiroth whispered in a voice that was small, almost child-like. "Let go of me now!" Once again, Sephiroth tried pulling his wrist free.
Cloud released him as the man pulled back, making Sephiroth lose his balance and fall back onto the ground. "You couldn't fight back..." muttered Cloud. "That battle five years ago...that last wound...you're weaker than before..."
"I'll never be able to get back to my full strength," Sephiroth said, standing. "I'll always be weaker, no matter how much more experience I gain or how many more I'll kill..."
The blonde stared at him in awe, knowing he spoke the truth. But he's so calm about it...Cloud thought, watching Sephiroth back away, then turn and walk off. He knows he'll never be the same now, but he's so cool about it..as if it didn't matter if he was weaker or stronger...He was afraid though...When I grabbed his wrist, there was fear there...I could sense it and see it...
Shaking his head, he followed Sephiroth downstairs and into the kitchen, where Zax had set up a table for three. "Boy you two took your sweet time," Zax grumbled as the two entered. "I was about to send a search and rescue team."
"Bullshit," Cloud smiled, going to one of the seats. "You know me better than that Zax. I wouldn't pass up a good meal for anything!"
Zax turned to Sephy. "And what about you? What do you have to say for yourself?" Sephiroth shrugged, going to sit across from Cloud. Muttering a few silent curses, Zax sat between the two and the three began eating. After a while, it was Zax who broke the silence. "So...when are we going to smash that reactor?"
"First we have to find out the best way to get rid of it without triggering a landslide or anything like that," answered Cloud, digging into his pancakes.
"The reactor's main support beams are rusted and corroded," Sephiroth stepped in. "We could place a few minor explosives around them and, when it collapses, it'll look like it was a flaw in the design of the reactor and the wearing away of its internal shell that made it collapse."
Cloud and Zax exchanged glances before the latter grinned and stood. "Alright! We're going to have all these reactors down in no time! I say, tonight we celebrate after we take this one down!"
"Celebrate? Celebrate what?" Cloud asked.
"Why the beginning of a beautiful friendship of course!" replied Zax cheerfully. "I say blow up the reactor then get drunk like there's no tomorrow!"
"Boy that's a deadly combo," Sephiroth smirked. "Zax, a victory, and alcohol."
"All I'll be missing is a pretty girl! Hey wait a sec...that was an insult!"
For the first time, Sephiroth's lips curled into a full smile that made Cloud force down a blush. "You catch on quickly," he commented.
"Sephiroth, you asswipe!" Zax cursed, slamming his fists on the table. "For that, I'm making you buy the drinks!"
"You think you can handle it this time around? Last time we had a party, you passed out on the first drink!"
Crossing his arms, Zax replied in a haughty voice, "So straight whiskey isn't my drink...And besides, I'm more experienced now. I can handle more drinks than I used to."
"That's what you said the time before that." Sephiroth leaned back in his chair. "I think it should just be juice this time. Little Zachary may not be able to hold his liquor...again."
"Hey! Those be fighting words my friend!"
Cloud opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again, knowing better than to be caught in the middle of a situation like this. There have been quite a few before that resembled this between Cid and Barret.
"Is that a challenge I hear?" Sephiroth teased, his true personality beginning to shine through with the promise of drinks.
"You bet it is!" Zax shouted. "First one to pass out has to dress as a girl and to a dance at Golden Saucer the next day!"
"You're on! What color of dress would you like Zax? Pink or blue?"
"Shut up asswipe..."
"Will you two shove it?!" Cloud finally stepped in. "We've got a job to do!" He sighed with frustration, crossing his arms. "You two are acting like a pair of children..."
Sephiroth stood. "Well then. Shall we go now if you're in such a hurry to get this over with?"
His words hit Cloud like a slap. "Its not that...its just..." He shook his head. "Never mind." The blonde smiled weakly. "I guess we have the day to relax and then we'll go to the reactor after dinner."
"Later." Sephiroth left the kitchen before either of the other men could protest.
"What a stiff..." Zax grumbled, picking up the dirty dishes from the table. "The bastard really needs to learn to enjoy life and not take all this shit so fucking seriously."
"Maybe..." sighed Cloud. "If I went through what he did...I wouldn't blame him for the way he acts." He turned to leave. "I think I'll leave him alone for the rest of the day...It's probably what he wants..."