Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Paint The Town ❯ Ten Twenty-Three ( Chapter 18 )

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII is the property of Square-Enix. No profit is sought from this work.

 

Paint The Town

Ten Twenty-Three

 

 

At ten twenty-three and seventeen seconds Sephiroth shivered as a premonition of impending doom flitted across his soul.

 

At ten twenty-three and eighteen seconds he turned to the window to face the danger head on.

 

At ten twenty-three and twenty seconds he saw Zack swinging in towards the window from the floor up above.

 

At ten twenty-three and twenty-one seconds he realized the warning was a false alarm and let a little smirk grace his face.

 

At ten twenty-three and twenty-three seconds, Zack slammed into the windowed wall of Sephiroth's office with a very loud thwack.

 

At ten twenty-three and twenty-five seconds, Zack rebounded and thumped into it again.

 

At ten twenty-three and thirty-two seconds, after a series of bounces against the three-inch-thick reinforced glass, Zack finally came to rest, dangling from his rope against the side of the building, wondering what the hell had just happened.

 

Zack yanked the rope and kicked the glass a bit more but it wouldn't budge. Sephiroth's smirk turned into a dark grin. He took a seat in his enormous padded chair and swiveled it to face the window and take in the view. Zack threw him a thoroughly pitiable look, all pleading, proverbial puppy eyes.

 

After a few more minutes of watching Zack dangle, Sephiroth relented. He flipped his cell phone open, ever so casually, aware that Zack was watching his every move. He took his time, ignoring his speed dial options and pretending to search for the numbers. He heard Zack's phone ring through the glass. Zack twirled around as he tried to reach for it. Sephiroth almost snickered watching the man spin.

 

Zack struggled to flip his phone open with one hand. If it fell there was no telling how long Sephiroth would leave him hanging there, and a cellphone falling from such a height would probably go straight through to someone's stomach. Plus phones weren't cheap. “Hello?”

 

Sephiroth stretched out in his seat, watching Zack. “What, exactly, might you be doing there, SOLDIER?”

 

“Uh, hanging out?” Zack tried to get some leverage but damn, it was gusty up there. The breeze kept blowing him along before he could plant his feet down. Sephiroth could hear it gushing through the receiver.

 

“I assume you have a good reason for trying to enter my office in this fashion.”

 

“Well, yeah,” Zack spun helplessly, one boot toeing the glass. “You wouldn't let me in the regular way.”

 

Sephiroth gave him that amused look. “So you decided that breaking the window was your best alternative?”

 

“Yah, uh-huh, hey, could you let me in? It's kind of cold this far up.”

 

“Don't go asking for favors, SOLDIER. You've been caught attempting to break and enter your superior's office, for what I can only assume is some nefarious purpose.” Sephiroth twisted his chair half-away to hide the smile. Yes, let Zack suffer a little, he could take it.

 

“But Seph,” Zack wailed, “I was only trying to give you a present. You know that.”

 

“I know you ate it.”

 

“Not all of it! There's plenty left!” There was a firm stomp as Zack finally got both feet braced against the glass. He lifted one knee, even as Sephiroth watched, and tried again to shatter the window. Eventually it dawned on him. “Your office has the same stuff they use in the SOLDIER training center, doesn't it?”

 

Sephiroth gave him a withering look. Zack looked sheepish, a little like a puppy would, begging for love. Sephiroth felt something in him give, but not enough to relieve Zack just yet. “Why didn't you pick the lock on the door?”

 

“You deadbolted it. And that woman's out there. Too many witnesses.”

 

Sephiroth took that in. So Zack did have some sneakier tendencies. Not good ones, but they were there. “And the air vents are out because...?”

 

“Dude, they smell like butt! They go right over the men's room, you know.”

 

Sephiroth had to nod slightly. He rose and lifted the latch on the window. Zack wasn't all dumb, apparently, just energetic and blundering and tripping over himself, like a pup who hadn't grown into his feet yet. He could learn. He could be... trained.

 

Zack hit the floor with a careful roll, taking most of the impact on his shoulder to avoid crushing the goodies in his backpack. Sephiroth shut the window with a snap and turned. “So, what did you bring me?”

 

Zack grinned and wiggled around, nearly chasing a tail he didn't have as he tried to reach into the bag without taking it off his shoulders. Yes, Sephiroth thought, maybe it wasn't the same as having a real dog, but it would do.

 

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Time: 2hrs 42 mins

Music: Safri Duo - The Bongo Song

Notes: Uh, yeah, why does Seph have a window that opens that high up? And how long before Zack gets a good smack with a rolled-up newspaper? Will Seph remember to give him treats when he's been good or will he have to resort to begging? Will Seph be too harsh with his discipline? How far can I push this metaphor before you're convinced I'm a complete pervert? (What, you're not convinced already? ;P)