Disclaimer: If I owned FFVII, there would be a really pretty remake with Kingdom Heart graphics, no getting tossed up by the annoying dolphin (took me forever) and a LABLED MAP! Do you know it's possible to miss Zack's home town entirely? I didn't get around to it till the third disk which kinda messed up the story line….
Warning: PLEASE READ ALL THE WAY THROUGH! There is very, very, very minor shounen-ai content in here, Seph/Zack. It's mainly in references and absolutely nothing graphic. If you don't like it you don't have to read but you can easily ignore it. There won't be anything graphic or particularly necessary to the plot so you can just interpret it as a really close friendship if you choose.
Enough talk for now, on with the story!
Chapter 2: Intervention of an Angle
General Sephiroth, SOLDIER first class and hero of the Wutai war frowned at the lab door. Composing his features, he strode through the forbidding portal and into Hojo's sanctum for his bi-weekly appointment. He ignored the lab technicians as they carefully inserted an array of drugs into his system and then set up a mako drip. His green eyes narrowed when Hojo did not appear of habit dictated. The scientist never failed to haunt his regular appointments, usually with some new drug to try. As soon as the 'treatment' completed Sephiroth slipped out of the room and carefully scouted the other rooms in the lab. In the sixth he found the scientist. Hojo fluttered around a table, occasionally picking up a needle from the table next to him. Sephiroth looked at the smooth metal wall opposite him. Its reflection revealed Hojo' latest obsession.
A baby. A small, blond baby boy with bright blue eyes. Far too bright. Eyes that shown with a mako radiance.
Anger flared up inside of him. He could remember all too well his childhood within Hojo's clutches. The pain and loneliness of those days washed over him. Silently he retreated from the scene and vanished from the lab. In his heart blossomed a promise. He would do everything in his power to lessen he hardships of that young child.
*~*
Several calls later, five hours and three conversations with Zack, Sephiroth leaned back in his chair glowing with satisfaction. Zack sat opposite him on the other side of his desk. Zack's black hair rose in long spikes framing a young face full of good humor and life. Sephiroth regularly thanked his lucky starts for Zack. His friendship and lively presence had saved his sanity more than once.
"So basically, that kid you saw was a SOLDIER candidate until Hojo turning him into a baby and started experimenting on him. But because he is – or was – a SOLDIER candidate he is still under you jurisdiction." Zack summarized.
"Exactly," Sephiroth replied. "And thanks to your brilliant remark about 'the last thing we want is two Generals running around with the same bloody personality' Cloud will not remain totally in the doctor's care."
"Seph, the last thing we need is another you," Zack protested his friend's glare. And it worked!"
"That's the only reason I'm letting you get away with it," the General countered. "Besides, you'll be taking first shift with him."
"WHAT?!" Zack yelped. "You can't mean they expect US to take care of a BABY!"
"Actually, they do," Sephiroth said enjoying his friend's discomfort. "We don't know exactly what Hojo's doing to Cloud. We can hardly let normal people handle him." He frowned. "And I think Hojo is hoping we mess it up so he can get custody back permanently."
"You'll be helping?" Zack questioned.
"Yes. We'll keep Cloud in my quarters. You'll be staying there as well."
"You sly dog," Zack replied grinning. "Well with that reward waiting for me I'll definitely do it. But which one of us is going to be the mom? You certainly have the hair for it."
"Zack…" Sephiroth growled.
"Just kidding."
*~*
Zack looked down at the small child. Bright blue eyes stared back at him. "I'll need it back down here by seven tomorrow" Hojo said. His mouth twisted in disgust. He didn't like having to release his 'precious specimen.' The "The first few months of the process are critical."
Zack nodded absentmindedly and scooped the child up. He silently thanked his mother for forcing him to take care of his younger brother years ago. The experience would help now. Even if he had hated it then. Carefully carrying Cloud the first class SOLDIER excited the lab and headed towards Sephiroth's quarters. Once inside he went to the small kitchenette and grabbed a prepared bottle. He sat down and fed the small infant. Halfway through Cloud fell asleep in his arms.
About an hour later the door opened behind him. "Is that our charge?"
"Hello Seph," Zack greeted. Cloud stirred in his arms. "Opps. Sorry little fella. Didn't mean to wake you.
Cloud's eyes flitted around the room alight with curiosity. His eyes found Sephiroth and he looked back to Zack in confusion. "That's Seph. Short for Sephiroth. And I'm Zack, remember? We're going to take care of you when ever we can get you out of Hojo's slimy hands." Cloud made a look of disgust at Hojo's name. "Aren't you smart. Come on over Seph. Your turn to hold him."
The General cautiously approached. Zack carefully handed the baby to him and showed him how to correctly hold him. Cloud smiled up at Sephiroth. He felt himself give a faint on in return. Amazing what one small bundle of life could do to a heart. "He's bigger than I thought he would be."
"Hojo mentioned he's growing abnormally fast," Zack commented. "Little Cloud-kun needs a lot of food right now and a lot of attention. Hojo thinks he's about three months old. If he keeps growing like this he'll be back to normal in fourteen to fifteen months."
"I wouldn't count on it," Sephiroth replied. "With Hojo experimenting on him, nothing about this child will be regular or predictable." He handed Cloud back to Zack. The infant pouted by didn't cry. "I picked up the rest of the supplies we'll need. I'll go set them up."
"Better to be prepared," Zack agreed. "I know my younger brother was up at all odd hours. Look forward to loosing sleep." He glanced at Cloud. "Then again my brother cried all of the time and Cloud hasn't cried once."
"That's a blessing," Seph mumbled as he started moving the boxes into the room designated as Cloud's. "Maybe we won't need the earplugs."
*~*
Sephiroth jerked into consciousness. Zack blinked up at him sleepily. "Seph? Something wrong?"
"Don't know," the silver haired man replied. He slipped out of bed and threw on a robe. "I'm going to check on Cloud." Walking into the other room, Sephiroth looked down into the crib. Cloud was wide awake looking extremely uncomfortable. And yet he didn't cry. Sephiroth quickly changed the baby then went to get some milk. Blue eyes looked at him questionably. "That bastard taught you not to cry, didn't he," Sephiroth muttered. Undoubtedly Hojo had refused to answer the infant's cries of need. Sephiroth knew that Professor Gast, Hoof's predecessor had been involved in is earliest care though he still didn't know exactly what had been going on and he could only vaguely remember the man. He shed away form the memories as much as possible.
Sephiroth made a mental note to set up a timer tomorrow night so they could check Cloud regularly. For tonight he sat down in a comfortable chair and carefully held Cloud. Bright blue eyes shown with gratitude then closed as the blond fell into slumber
*~*
Zack smiled when he spotted the pair the next morning. For Sephiroth to sleep past dawns without drugs or an extremely draining workout was a miracle. Not that Zack minded the workouts whether in the training rooms or in the bed room. He carefully lifted the small baby from the Generals arms. Cloud blinked sleepily and looked up at Zack. "Time to get you ready. It's already six." The SOLDIER carefully bathed and dressed the blond then warmed his bottle.
"Zack?" Sephiroth called some time later.
"In the kitchen!"
Sephiroth walked into the kitchenette and glanced at the clock. "Six thirty?!"
"Good morning sleepy head," Zack teased. "I believe the world has officially ended. I never thought I'd see you sleep this late." He ignored the other's glare and passed him a bottle. "Better spend some time with Cloud-kun now. I have to take him back to the lab in fifteen minutes."
"Already?" Sephiroth murmured as he carefully fed Cloud.
"I know. It feels like we just got the little guy away only to throw him back." Zack sighed. "I better take him back. I don't' think Hojo would take kindly to how you're reacting around him. And it would traumatize the troops to see you carrying a baby." He ducked the cushion flying towards him.
*~*
Tears filled Cloud's eyes as he looked up at Zack. Guilt shot through the SOLDIER. "I promise we'll get you out again tonight Cloud. As often as possible." Zack whispered as they stepped through the lab doors. "As soon as your big enough we'll even take you around to see the SOLDIERS and Midgar."
"Excellent. Back right on time," Hojo's chief assistant said as he spotted Zack. "Take the specimen to lab 3." One of the under workers nodded and took Cloud from Zack. The SOLDIER turned and left.
End of Chapter 2
Author of the Update: Jade Tatsu for FFVII fic The Other World. It got me into FFVII in the first place and made me and S/C addict. A few months later I made off with my cousins' copy of the game and started playing it…after I had read several fictions including A Long Hard Road (that took about a week). Me worry about spoilers? Nah.
On OOCness: I find Sephiroth and Zack to be two people almost impossible to write 'in character' because we don't SEE them in character. Sephiroth we only see briefly in Nibelheim in a professional setting until he goes haywire. We see Zack in a flash back and a twisted version of his personality in Cloud during the game. We never see them in a non-formal setting so please take that into account. Most of this story is behind closed doors, away from ShinRa.
And there IS a reason why Sephiroth is so drawn to Cloud. But you won't find that out for a while. ^_^
And thanks to CeeCee for your review! It completely brightened a really miserable day!