CHAPTER FOUR
During our free block, I did decide to take Cloud to the library to meet Zack. I wanted to check in with him to make sure I still had my scheduled appointments with Aerith, but also it would nice to see Zack and introduce him to Cloud.
Cloud mentioned as we walked the prison halls, "I'm surprised I was able to meet someone I connected with. I never excepted it in a place like this." I smiled hearing that. Back in our cell, we sat together and talked and talked and talked. I learned milk is his favorite food, he learned pizza of any kind and strawberries are mine. I showed him the picture of Angeal, Genesis, and myself, too. He described his mother, but I didn't make him talk too much about it. I didn't want him to get too emotional. As it turns out, we're just two soft, family-devoted people who sought out revenge through murder and it got us where we are now; prison.
"I never believed that for one moment either. I was going to be content alone, since who would pay mind to my story? At least, that's what I believed until I started meeting people," I replied. It felt like a miracle. Cloud took my hand and squeezed me before letting go. I felt my heart pound… What a wonderful man I met… I added, "It almost makes me want to keep having people listen to my story just because I found you and you obviously give a fuck."
"I kinda feel the same. It was a traumatizing thing for me, but I think it should be a lesson to people to watch where the fuck they have their guns aimed and when they pull the trigger," Cloud remarked. I insisted, "I could not agree more with you. And people who use other human beings for sick experiments should be disposed of before they take away other peoples' lives. The innocent people's lives are worth living, but not theirs." Cloud nodded, clearly agreeing with me and I'm so happy that he did.
Making it to the library, I called out, "Zack! You around?" I waited a moment before Zack popped his head out and he ran up to me, making me almost flitch, but he hugged me? Me?! Here?! I was definitely not expecting affection from anyone here besides Cloud. Zack really trusted me, didn't he? Heh.
"Ah! Sephiroth! I was worried something bad happened to you! I mean, it's prison after all, so anything could happen to you," Zack exclaimed. He let go of me and I could almost cry… I informed, "Your care is astounding, Zack. Thank you. I'm fine. I defended some other smaller inmates and some fucking bully wanted to start a fight over it and I wasn't having that, so I fought back. Apparently, when you're deemed the starter of the fight, you get put into solitary confinement for a week. So? I was there." Zack blinked before commenting, "That sounds awful… There's a toilet, at least?"
"There's a hole and a bucket? I was strapped to this chair. They literally pantsed me, and tied me down," I explained further and Zack looked horrified. He remarked, "Wow… prison is pretty hellish. Being an inmate and all. All because you stood up for someone?" I nodded. I waved off his concern, informing, "It's fine. But hey, I got a cell mate. This is him." I glanced to Cloud, letting him introduce himself how he wanted to.
"Hi. I'm Ephraim," Cloud waved and I smiled. It really did seem like our little secret that his real name was Cloud. Cute! I loved that! Zack waved back and greeted, "I'm Zack. Sephiroth and I met here in the library. He likes coming here, don't you?" I smirked, telling him, "Well, I like reading and I like talking with you. So? It's a win-win situation. But? I did come here to mention something."
"Oh? Go ahead," Zack encouraged. I asked curiously, "I still have my scheduled appointments with Aerith, right?" Zack blinked, looked at Cloud, then me again. He informed, "Technically, I shouldn't say this around anyone else, but you two seem close. Aerith has kept that slot open because she figured something happened, but she also didn't think you died. You know, outside of being psychologist here, she's a really good medium. You know? Those people that can see and talk to ghosts? She's super in tune with that stuff. She'd know if you died." A thought ran across my mind and I glanced down at the floor… I shouldn't ask that of her… About my friends if they were around me…
"Right… as long as I have my appointments with her, that's fine. I still would like to speak with her. Even more so now… It's a long shot, but I wonder if my friends are somehow with me… It's one of the reasons why I have that photo. I kind of wished that they'd attach themselves to it. I don't know, though. I never really believed in ghosts or anything like that… But she's serious about it, huh?" I questioned Zack and he nodded. He insisted, "If anyone was going to be truthful about seeing ghosts and hearing them, it would be her." That did reassure me. Cloud sighed a bit and gripped my hand.
"If anything, I hope your friends are watching over you somehow. I wouldn't want my mum here. I just hope she sees me in heaven and doesn't hate me," Cloud stated. Zack seemed saddened when he heard that and asked, "Did she die when you were young?" Cloud shook his head and explained how he got into prison to Zack.
"Oh, shit… You two have a kinda similar story, then," Zack mentioned and I nodded. I mentioned, "Ephraim and I do indeed have a similar story. We're here because of revenge we fessed up to. Then we were blessed to share the same cell." Zack smiled, asking, "I guess that's great news. You seem pretty close. Are you two boyfriends?"
"NO! Don't be ridiculous! We're just… we're just close…" Cloud quickly argued, stepping back, and waving his hands in front of his face. I couldn't help but smirk. I mentioned, rocking on my heels, "I mean… I'd like to be your boyfriend. Wouldn't you?" Cloud was blushing, but now that Zack was mentioning it, maybe the sooner the better for this sort of thing. Since we were here and all, we didn't know what could happen to us. If I missed my chance to ask Cloud to be mine, I'd feel terrible and I'd never forgive myself. Cloud stared at me for a long while before he asked, "You serious? You want that?"
"Completed serious. I'd love for you to be my boyfriend," I stated and he blushed more, but he replied shyly, to my surprise, "Okay… yeah… me too." The happiness that swelled within me was unexplainable. I never knew this kind of happiness ever before! I cupped my hands to Cloud's cheek and kissed him, making him gasp, but he soon relaxed. When I pulled away, I felt in awe. Cloud looked in awe.
"So? If you two need a secret place to make out, I gotchu," Zack assured, seeming happy himself. He added, "I never figured happy things like this could happen in a prison. Congrats, you two. Really."
"I've always said that I had to make my own happiness. I think I succeeded," I glanced down at Cloud and he remarked, "I've found my happiness, for sure. Thanks, Sephiroth." I bent to kiss his lips once more. So? I found love inside this prison… Now I had an even bigger reason to keep Cloud safe and out of harm's way. If I ever let him get hurt, I'd kill myself. I didn't deserve to live if I couldn't keep important people in life safe and unharmed just once.
"So? I do have a favorite book here in this library. Zack keeps it safe for me. Want me to read it to you?" I asked, glancing down at my new boyfriend. Cloud smiled and commented, "I guess so. You can." I grinned and glanced at Zack who commented, "On it. I'll go grab it." I insisted, "We'll take a seat over there." I pointed to a bench and I led Cloud over that way. We sat down close to each other, but I wanted to be closer… I put one of Cloud's legs on top of mine and grinned at him. I reminded, "I'm very cuddly. I'm not sure if that's noticeable or not so far." Cloud giggled a bit and replied, "It's starting to become quite obvious, Sephiroth." I giggled, too. Then kissed the back of his head. His hair was so soft. I loved it.
Zack brought out the book and I took it from him. I explained, "This is Loveless. Genesis' favorite book ever. He'd read it over and over until it was beat into our heads, too. But that's fine. It's a great memory of him, now."
"I have read Loveless. We read it in school, actually. It was required reading," Cloud mentioned and I grew really happy to hear that. I asked him, "Really? That's so awesome! Genesis loved a good love story. He would've read so many more love stories if he had more opportunities and time to do so." Cloud gave a small nod before I started reading the book to him. It was a nice moment to just spend together. That, and I got to cuddle my new boyfriend! Why wouldn't that make me happy?
I finished the story and Cloud smiled. He told me, leaning against me, "You have a nice voice for reading, Sephiroth." I grinned hearing that. I questioned, "Do I? Haha! I was always told my voice was too deep by Genesis, but you know? In the afterlife, I'll rub that in his face that someone likes my reading voice. So, joke's on him!" I laughed and Cloud laughed with me. Cloud remarked, "I'll vouch for you." I buried my face into Cloud's hair.
"Will you? How sweet." I giggled, but stated, "Genesis did have a lovely voice for reading, though. It was like if sweet crème had a voice. Well, when he wasn't bitching at me or Angeal." I laughed. Cloud laughed as well, adding, "That's when he'd get spicy. Suddenly a chili was put into the crème." I laughed even harder at Cloud's addition to my story. I mentioned, "God, I hope he's here laughing with us because I think he'd find that hilarious. Ah…" I missed my friends so fucking much, but I was really trying to move on and be happy. Cloud just existing by my side was helping quite a lot. I asked him curiously, "Do you have a favorite book?"
"Um… I don't know? If I had to say something, it would probably be Harry Potter or Lord of the Ring. I like fantasy," Cloud informed. Oh, that was cool. I replied, "That's pretty cool, actually. I didn't ever read. Well? I didn't read anything fiction. I read a lot of chemistry books. I know a lot about anatomy as well. Angeal would read plant biology books and manuals on how things worked. He liked knowing those kinds of thing. Genesis was the one who was actively reading fiction, which was a nice change of pace, actually." Cloud admitted, "I like the escape that fantasy books provide."
"It was beaten into my head that I should care more about the things around me instead of letting myself dive into a world of make-believe. But I like how you describe. An escape… Perhaps that's why I loved when Genesis would read so much," I explained.
"Maybe…" Cloud spoke just as a loud buzzer went off around the prison. I sighed and groaned a bit.
"Free time is over?" Zack came up to us as he asked that. I nodded and commented, "Sadly." Before I made a move to leave, I spun Cloud around and kissed his lips once more. I needed another kiss. I pulled away, telling him, "I needed that." Cloud was blushing, but he assured, "It's fine… I think I did, too." I smiled brightly and handed Zack back the Loveless book before leaving the library before we both got in trouble for not hustling.
Finally, lunchtime came and I couldn't help but to remind one of the guards as they passed while I was sitting with my friends and boyfriend, "Hey, please take me to see Aerith Gainsbourg after lunch. I have an appointment with her." The guard glared at me, stating, "We know. Now that you're in confinement, you can finally go. Not that it'll do much for someone like you." I glared at the guard, but I didn't say a damn degrading word, as much as I wanted to. Instead, I replied, "Thanks."
"I'll be waiting as patiently as I can for you to come back, Sephiroth," Cloud told me and I smiled. I rubbed his thigh, informing, "Thanks, Ephraim. I'll be gone for at least an hour. It shouldn't be more than that." Cloud nodded, telling me, "Got it. I'll start worrying after two hours."
"If you can even tell the damn time while locked up," Fifi mentioned and all of us nodded, except Madd, who informed, "Actually, if I lean on my bars and squint, I can see a clock from my cell."
"Rub it in our faces, won't you?" Cloud teased and we all shared a laugh. Madd shrugged, stating, "Whoops."
I finished eating and I stretched a bit, letting out a yawn. A guard walked up to me, telling me, "Time to go, 15231." I sighed, not wanting to leave my friends just yet… or Cloud. But I stood, telling Cloud, "I'll back as soon as I can, Ephraim." He nodded, insisting, "I know you will, Seph." I smiled and went with the guard. I got clasped in irons and waited a few moments before I was escorted into Aerith's room.
"Sephiroth. It's so nice to see you! I heard from my puppy husband that you got yourself in trouble?" Aerith questioned and I nodded as I sat down, telling her how it went down and why I missed a week's worth of appointments with her. She smiled at me, informing, "It's perfectly fine. Things like this happen in prisons. I do get reports on my patients as well, but I always like hearing from them whenever possible."
"When wouldn't it be possible to hear an inmate's side?" I asked and Aerith suddenly held a sad smile. She told, "When they've died." Oh… that made sense, but it also reminded me of something Zack mentioned… I questioned, "I hope this isn't too blunt, but Zack mentioned you're also a medium?" Aerith nodded, informing me, "Yes. I am. Let me…" She ducked down for a moment and wrote something in a pink marker and seemed to hide what she was writing from my camera that may be on us. I read that is asked if I could keep a secret and I nodded. She smiled at me before writing on the paper that she was a Cetra?! My eyes widened and she then explained with words as she crumpled the pieces of paper, "It's why I'm such a good medium. I have my ways of knowing." She smiled and I had to ask, "Aerith… Are there or has there even been two men near me?" She seemed to look around me and then explained, "You're talking about your friends? I'm not sure what's best to tell you right now. Let me get to know you better." My head tilted and I sighed… It was probably some worthless thought to believe they were still around… It's probably why she was hesitating, to not disappoint me.
"I understand… Oh, I met someone yesterday. He's this really cute blondie. We're cell mates. He goes by Ephriam and, well… in our free block, I may have made him my boyfriend," I told her and Aerith smiled wide. She replied, "Congratulations, Sephiroth. Are you feeling a little better about your situation having him around?" I nodded, telling her, "Yes. I'm sure I'll come to love him very much. He's someone quite special to me, right now. I plan to always protect him. My other two meal buddies like him, too."
"I'm happy to hear that you've made friends and found someone to treasure. What is Ephraim like, then?" Aerith questioned and I explained how he was also in for defending someone he loved after they were wrongfully killed and that's why I felt so connected to him. She nodded, answering, "I can understand how he'd be special to you then, Sephiroth. Finding people to connect with in this place is important for everyone, so I'm happy to hear you're doing so well."
"Me, too," I said with a nod.
We talked until my session was over and I was then escorted back to my cell where Cloud was sitting on the bottom bunk, drawing. I excitedly got into our cell and snuggled up to Cloud who squealed when I did so.
"Welcome back. I missed you," Cloud informed and I cooed as his sweet words; "Naw! I missed you, too. I told Aerith about you, Cloud. I gave out your name as Ephraim to her as well. It makes me giddy knowing I'm the only one who will ever know your real name is Cloud." He smiled and leaned against me, actually he moved to sit on my lap, telling me then, "It makes me happy, too. I know no one will accidentally leak my name, then." I nodded and kissed his forehead.
"What were you drawing?" I questioned and Cloud seemed to blush as he informed, "Just some shitty sketches of Nibelheim, nothing special," he told me and allowed me to see. I smiled, commenting, "Artistic talent isn't something I have, so even this is better than me," I insisted. Cloud smiled and accused, "You're just being nice because you're my boyfriend." I giggled and told him, "So what if I am? Huh? I can't give you credit for hard work?" I began pulling Cloud with me as I laid down on the bed and we laughed.
"Forcing me to take a nap with you?" Cloud asked and thought about that…. What wasn't a bad idea. I mentioned, "Yes. Let's take a nap together." Cloud easily agreed and I closed my eyes as Cloud adjusted. Once Cloud was comfy, he pulled the covers over us.
"If we don't nap, we can talk," I suggested and Cloud nodded, insisting, "I'd love that." We did end up talking for a while, but I was getting quite sleepy. I could tell that Cloud was, too. Eventually, we both did fall asleep.