Title: Hysterical Tinge
Pairings: Undecided for now, but probably going to ZackxAngeal, CloudxSephiroth. Genesis needs some love too, even if we are not on speaking terms right at the moment.
Warnings: Descriptions of kidnapping, assault, rape...you get the picture. Remarkably, Zack's actually not too hurt in this one. Physically anyways...
Angeal watched Zack awkwardly moved his sword around, stopping to adjust his re-set fingers on the handle. Despite being told he had time off, the teen had taken to practicing every day. It had been a week since he, along with Cloud, had been rescued. His physical wounds had healed. The whip marks had faded, only someone who knew what to look for would see them. Zack swung around, stopping to adjust his fingers with a frustrated sigh. Fed up, he threw the sword away from him. Zack dropped to his knees. Angeal stepped forward at this.
"What is it, Zack?" The teen didn't look up right away. His body started to shake from repressed sobs. Angeal frowned. He had been afraid this would happen. Zack hadn't dealt with what happened yet. Now, it seemed that this couldn't be held back anymore. Angeal knelt next to Zack, hesitantly placing his hand on his student's shoulder. Zack leaned into the touch, allowing Angeal to wrap an arm around him. "Talk to me, puppy." Zack looked up, his face a picture of misery. Angeal's heart ached. Only now did he see the dark marks under Zack's eyes. "Have you been sleeping?" Zack hesitated, then nodded slightly.
"I'm afraid." Angeal tightened his grip.
"Of what?"
"That if I go to sleep, I'll be back there. That WE will be back there." Angeal didn't have to ask to know who he was talking about. Cloud. The blond had not left Angeal's apartment yet, which was a blessing in disguise. They hadn't figured out how to explain the boy's sudden appearance. If Hojo found out about Cloud...His attention went back to Zack, who was still crying. Apparently this effected Zack a lot more than he had let on. Angeal stood, pulling Zack with him.
"I promise you Zack, you're safe. Let's go back. I want you to drink some of that herbal tea I have. It'll help, I swear." Zack nodded, suddenly too tired to argue.
Sephiroth strode into Angeal's apartment without a sound. He paused, listening for any signs of life. There was a soft noise in the living room. He quickly stepped around the corner, pausing at the scene before him. Cloud, the blond he had rescued, was sitting on the floor. A few books were spread around him, a frightened look on his face. The general ignored this.
"Is Angeal here?" Cloud takes in a stuttering breath.
"N-no. He's o-out with Zack." Sephiroth nodded. He expected as much.
"Will he be back soon?" Cloud shrugged, blue eyes avoiding Sephiroth's unwavering gaze. It was unnerving.
"I don't know." His voice was steadier this time. "They left a while ago." Sephiroth nodded again.
"Then I will wait for him." He ignored the wince that followed. He sat at the table. In the silence he heard a small thudding. He knew it was Cloud's heart beat. "Are you afraid of me?" Cloud looked up, eyes widening.
"I..well...I gue...yes. How can you tell?"
"I can hear your heart beat." Cloud pressed a hand to his breastbone. Considering that the end of the conversation, Sephiroth turned away. He was used to people being afraid of him. A scraping of a chair on the floor brought his focus back. Cloud sat across from him. "What are you doing?" The words were even, holding no judgement. He was curious.
"I guess I owe it to you to try and not be afraid. If that makes any sense." He still wasn't looking at Sephiroth. The heartbeat was intense now, echoing in the general's ears. "You saved me, after all."
"It wasn't just me." It was a habit, to put the attention on the others. Cloud nodded.
"But...you..." He paused, not sure of what he wanted to say. How do you tell one of the most famous men on the planet that you were glad that they hadn't hurt you when given the chance? He winced at how stupid that sounded even in his own head. A pregnant silence took over. It wasn't an awkward one, at least not meant to be. The arrival of Angeal, with a silent Zack in tow, changed that.
"Cloud, will you boil some water please?" The blond nodded, glad to have a reason to go. Sephiroth stood, a question in his cat-green eyes. "He needs sleep," was the only offer of explanation. Angeal ushered Zack to his bedroom. Zack lay down on the bed with little complaint, slipping off his boots. Cloud came in with a steaming cup, guessing correctly why Angeal wanted him to make some water. Zack took it, making a face at the smell of herbs. "Just drink it, Zack." He blew on it, then drained half the mug in one gulp. Angeal took the cup from his hands, feeling relief when Zack's pale eyes started to flutter closed.
"An...geal. D..don't...go." Angeal shook his head, pulling a chair to the bedside.
"I'll be right here when you wake up, puppy. Go to sleep." Zack's eyes closed and his breathing evened out. Angeal let out a sigh. He turned, not surprised to find Sephiroth there.
"Is he going to be alright?" Angeal turned back to look at the teen.
"I don't know." He walked out, sitting on the counter. Cloud gave him a smile, sipping from a glass of water. "How are you?"
"I'm alright." The burly man nodded.
"Sephiroth's a good man." He knew the blond probably felt terrified at being alone with a stranger. Angeal suddenly felt the need to defend his friend.
"I...I know that." Angeal heard the unspoken words behind that. I'm afraid of everyone. He would have to try and explain that to Sephiroth. "I'll be in my room." Angeal nodded, feeling discouraged. Cloud had trusted him enough to let Angeal in on his secret. But, the blond had expressively forbidden Angeal from letting anyone else know. Even Zack, who Cloud trusted more than anyone. Sephiroth would be able to help. Sighing again, Angeal rubbed a hand over his face.
"Long day?" He turned to Sephiroth.
"You have no idea." The man smiled faintly.
"Genesis says hello. He'll be back tomorrow." Angeal nodded. The auburn-haired SOLDIER had gone on a small mission in Junon. Shin-ra, with the declaration of war on Wutai, needed someone to protect the shipment of supplies coming in from the mountains.
"Good." There was a pause.
"Is there anything you need to talk to me about, Angeal?" The other man closed his eyes. He was tempted to tell his friend about Cloud. But, his traitorous mouth spoke for him.
"No. Everything is fine. Well, as fine as can be expected." What with two broken boys living in my place, he mentally added. Sephiroth stared at Angeal, his eyes boring into the back of the SOLDIER's head.
"Alright." His tone was neutral, but Angeal picked up the message. I'll let it go for now, but this isn't over. The silver haired man left just as noiselessly as he had came.
"It never is." He whispered to no one.
The man paced angrily, cursing.
"You mean to tell me there is no trace of where they could be?" Another man shook his head, slightly afraid.
"No. So far, there is no trace of the two prisoners." The first man screamed in rage. A glass went flying across the room.
"HOW CAN THERE NOT BE?" He sighed, running his hands through his hair irately. The second man waited.
"We know who rescued them." The other's body snapped to the speaker, all his attention focused on him. "Three SOLDEIR operatives. I believe you know them." At a push of his button, a picture came on a screen above their heads. The first stood, all traces of his anger gone.
"Oh, this is too rich." He giggled, then laughed madly. "I can't believe it. Now, I have a way to accomplish both my goals." He paused, grinning insanely at the picture of Shin-ra's most famous SOLDIERS. He gestured to his subordinate. "Leave me." He grabbed the phone that lay on the desk. Dialling a number that he had been saving for a while now, he waited for an answer.
"This had better be important." The voice was nasal, annoying. He looked past it, this was more important than his petty irritants.
"May I have the honour of speaking to the great Doctor Hojo."
"Yes. Who is this?"
"That's not important. I have some information that will make even YOUR wildest dreams come true."
Hojo hung up the phone, staring at it. Glee bubbled up in him. If this information was true...He stood, grabbing his coat as he left. A boy who could do natural magic. Oh, the implications of such a thing. He ran out the door of his lab. He stopped, he usually considered running an undignified act. Hojo barged into his prize experiment's (Sephiroth) office. The general paused, pencil in hand.
"Hello Doctor. Is there something I can help you with." The pen was lowered onto paper. A delicate scrawl followed. Sephiroth kept his eyes on the paper.
"Yes. You see, there is an interesting rumour going around. I heard that on your little escapade, Zack wasn't the only one you brought back." He stared at Sephiroth, waiting for any reactions that may give him some sort of clue. It took all of his control (and some he wasn't even aware he had) for Sephiroth not to give anything away with his body language. The pen continued across the paper, his breathing was normal. Even his heart rate didn't increase. He shrugged, blandly looking up Hojo.
"I don't know where you heard that rumour, Doctor. But I assure you, Zack was the only one we rescued." Inside, questions swirled. How did he find out so quickly? What was his interest in Cloud? Hojo still stared at Sephiroth.
"You wouldn't lie to me, would you, my boy?"
"We've had this discussion before. No." Hojo narrowed his eyes, angry at not being able to get what he wanted.
"Hmmm. Well, regardless, I think we need to run some more tests. Stop by whenever you able." His tone left no room for argument. He left without Sephiroth responding.
The General waited exactly fifteen minutes before getting up from his desk. Hojo had a habit of hanging around. Holding his breath, he listened for any noise. There was none. Moving quickly and efficiently through the halls, he reached Angeal's place. His friend was sitting on a couch, Zack with him, both of them watching TV.
"Hojo knows about Cloud." Angeal sat up. "Are you sure there is nothing you need to tell me?"
So..the plot thickens. Muah hahahahaha! (cough)