Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ First Class ❯ The Truth ( Chapter 6 )

The Truth

 

“Man, Hojo's gonna kick your ass…”

 

Sephiroth looked up from the files he was thumbing through. “I'm not afraid of him,” he said, before returning his attention to the files.

 

Zack knew that was a lie. Sephiroth was afraid of Hojo. In fact, Hojo seemed to be the only thing Sephiroth was afraid of. Zack had no idea why, but he had never dared to ask.

 

Sephiroth pushed the drawer shut with an exasperated sigh and started in on the one above it. Zack wasn't quite sure what he was looking for. When Sephiroth had shown up at his door half an hour before, around 4 AM, and asked him to come with him, the urgency in his voice had made Zack go without question. He hadn't even asked why his friend wasn't asleep at such an ungodly hour and looked like he hadn't gone to bed at all.

 

Zack leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. “What are you looking for, anyway?”

 

“Hojo's been hiding something from me,” Sephiroth said, “and I want to know the truth.”

 

Oh, so that was it. Zack almost slapped himself for not realizing. Sephiroth had said before that he knew almost nothing of his parents or where he was born.

 

“Have you ever considered that you might be better off not knowing?” Zack said, “Ignorance is bliss and all that.”

 

Sephiroth ignored him, pushing the current drawer shut as well. He sighed again and leaned forward, resting his forehead on the top edge of the file cabinet.

 

“It's useless…” he muttered, and Zack was shocked by how utterly worn out he sounded.

 

Zack moved away from the wall. “Seph…”

 

Sephiroth moved away from the cabinet and headed for the door without a word. Zack followed after him, his chest tight with worry.

 

They entered the elevator and Sephiroth pressed “44”, and then leaned against the wall as the elevator began its descent.

 

Zack looked over at him. He had never seen Sephiroth look as defeated as he did right then; his partially shadowed eyes spoke of loss and frustration.

 

Zack touched his shoulder and gave him a concerned look. Sephiroth glanced at him for a fraction of a second before turning away.

 

The elevator stopped at 44 and the doors opened, but Zack made no move to get off. He couldn't leave his friend in this state.

 

“Seph…” He gripped Sephiroth's shoulder as the doors slid shut again.

 

“Leave me alone, Zack…” Sephiroth said in a very commanding tone.

 

“No,” Zack said.

 

“Leave me alone,” Sephiroth said, the icy anger that usually made people shrink back in fear in his voice.

 

“No,” Zack said, getting slightly angry himself, “I'm worried about you, damn it!”

 

Sephiroth pushed Zack's hand off his shoulder and turned around to face him. The fierce look in his eyes made Zack's blood run cold and he backed up a few paces involuntarily.

 

“Seph…You're scaring me…” he said, the wall cold against his back.

 

That seemed to snap Sephiroth out of whatever strange mood had overtaken him.

 

“I apologize,” he said, looking away again.

 

Zack sighed. “Come on,” he said, and pushed the button to open the doors.

 

Sephiroth looked at him. “What?”

 

“There's only a couple hours before work and it's not like either of us is going to get any sleep,” Zack said, “So, come on. I'll make you some tea.”

 

“Fine.”

 

Ten minutes later, they were sitting on Zack's couch drinking tea. Sephiroth's morose mood seemed to be persisting, and Zack was still worried.

 

“Hey, cheer up,” Zack said.

 

Sephiroth didn't say anything, merely took another drink.

 

“I can kick Hojo in the nuts next time I see him if that'll make you feel better.”

 

Zack was rewarded with a snort and a small smile from Sephiroth.

 

“Oh, so it would?” Zack said, grinning, “I'll make sure to do it then.”

 

“I'll make sure to misplace the conduct referral forms,” Sephiroth said.

 

Zack laughed, glad that he had managed to make his friend feel better.