Insidious Rain

by Issi

Some people believe that a person is not dead until the things they have caused to happen in this world are over. In this tangled web of humanity, if one thing had been different, one new strand woven in, would the final web have taken a different shape?

3. Interlude Part One

All in all, Zack quite likes this new secretary.

She's not so much of a pushover as some of the assassin-fodder Heidegger shoved behind the desk in previous years. She's competent, and after seeing her pull that freaky throwing fan out of a man's windpipe and look cross over a tiny nick on the supports, he doubts he needs to worry about seeing the look of stress and guilt on Seph's face as he writes yet another apologetic bereavement letter for some time yet. It makes sense, when he thinks about it, for her to have this position, and he respects her professionalism.

But the real reason he likes her, is because of the way she treats Sephiroth.

She's respectful round him, of course, and reserved - Zack's the only person brave enough (or stupid enough, depending on your point of view) to be quite so irreverent, and even he knows when to stop pushing. But there's no fear in her eyes when she speaks to him, just polite respect. She doesn't look at him like a monster or a legend - some days Zack's not sure of the difference when it comes to people's perceptions of Sephiroth.

And the clincher? He's fairly sure he's found an ally in the fight to show Sephiroth how to live.

Ren Wolfe, he has discovered, has a liking for honey.

So he leans casually across her desk - and gives her credit that she doesn't bat an eyelid, but maybe she's just used to him by now - and flirts cheerfully as he slide the little jar full of golden syrup into a drawer, all the while informing her gravely of an urgent, top-secret problem that needs the General's attention for the whole day. And Ren looks equally grave as she agrees that it's obviously very important for them to send First Lieutenant Zack Fair to explain and with a few taps of her keys she clears the General's schedule for the day.

And when Zack manages to manhandle Sephiroth out the office without actually laying a finger on him - because he's stupid, not suicidal - she smiles politely, and Zack could have sworn he once heard her murmur 'Have fun.' as the door shut behind them.

So yeah. All in all, he quite likes this new secretary.