Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Price for a Memory ❯ I Thought You Needed Me? ( Chapter 8 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

8.

Sephiroth paced back and forth through his quarters. He was pissed off at how close Zack got to the blond haired male. A huge part of him believed that the Cadet would have “surrendered” to his raven haired commander given half the chance, much to his own distaste but to Zack’s great pleasure.

Glancing out the window into Midgar’s darkness he felt a little guilty. He basically terrified the youngster into fleeing the club but he couldn’t stand to see both him and Zack getting closer amidst the alcohol induced mist.

He couldn’t shake the feeling coursing through his veins. Given time. He wanted the boy as his. He wanted him as his own possession.

------

“He said it’s an emergency. I have to go.”

“W-what? You can’t just leave me out here Zack.”

“I’m not gonna leave you. I will walk you back to the compound. I’m sure you can find your way back to the room yeh?”

Cloud nodded slightly. His head had begun to hurt. He felt exhausted. Drained. Shattered. Yes the alcohol was beginning to wear off and cause its lovely side affects.

Slowly and silently the two started back to the barracks. Cloud wanted to say something to Zack but the words couldn’t find him.

Zack kept glancing over at the tiny blond.

“Um Cloud?”

He whipped his head round slightly startled at the sudden noise.

“I wanna….apologise....I didn’t mean to well….force myself on you there. I don’t know what came over me. To much to drink huh?”

Cloud done nothing except nod his head, a glum look spreading across his features. He wasn’t sure what had come over him either, but at that moment before he leaned in, he wanted his raven haired commander. However, he couldn’t get the Generals words out of his head. No that wasn’t it. The words were not in his head. He actually heard them out loud as if Sephiroth was standing right behind him. However, every time he looked about no one was there. Confusion etched across Cloud’s face as the two started walking faster back to the barracks.

“Well, see you tomorrow morning Cloud. Tomorrows Monday yeh? What time is it? 3am? Yeh tomorrows Monday….this is Sunday.” He couldn’t stop rambling

“Sorry. Gonna go see what the General wants. Training starts early so rest up yeh?”

“Ok Zack.”

“Oh and Cloud? Sorry again….”

Cloud said nothing but shut the door and headed over to his bed. Perching on the edge he tried to shake the drunken haze from his mind. He couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. He felt as though green eyes were constantly watching him through the darkness, the light, all the time.

He sat in that same position on the edge of the bed for what felt like days. He didn’t move. Just stared out into the darkness of the dorm. Not moving. Barely blinking. Just thinking.

Zack stood impatiently outside Sephiroth’s door. He knocked loudly three times. Nothing. Growling he pounded on the door clearly getting more riled by the second.

“Sephiroth! You in there! You paged me saying you needed me!”

Still nothing. He pressed his ear up to the door. He couldn’t even hear Sephiroth move about inside.

“Where the hell is he?”

Zack stood confused scratching his head. He had said in the message to head straight up to his room. Why say that if he was not going to be there? Zack was pissed off. Very pissed off. His night was ruined beyond all repair. Through his drunkenness he wanted to punch the General. He wanted to more than punch him. He wanted to beat him senseless for wasting his night.

“Prick.” Zack grumbled as he turned to stomp away.

He stopped dead when his eyes clocked onto cold aquamarine glaring into his.

“Who is a prick? I hope that remark was not aimed at me Zack?”

“Of course not sir. I wouldn’t do that. Um….you wanted to see me? You said it was an emergency?”

Sephiroth played innocent. He plastered a bemused look across his face then shook his head slightly.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I haven’t been in my quarters all night. I don’t even have my pager on me. I was down in the basement trying to get into the archives. That door is sealed tight. The only way I can get in is by blasting my way through but in doing that I would get caught and maybe arrested.”

“Hold the phone! I got a message from you right in the middle of….me and.…my night out with Cloud. I have it here! See?”

“Hmmmm, that is strange but I can assure you I did not send you that message. Perhaps it was one I tried to send weeks ago that you are just receiving now?”

“Whatever. Look, I’m drunk and tired. You don’t need me?”

There seemed to be a slight pleading tone in Zack’s voice as he questioned Sephiroth. His eyes widened slightly as the silver haired male seemed to contemplate the question. His heart however sunk as the General shook his head and turned to go into his room firmly shutting the door on the raven haired male.

------

Cloud awoke as soon as he heard Zack enter the room. He sat up and stared at him as he made his way across the darkened dorm sighing heavily.

“What did the General want you for?”

“He said he never left me a message. I don’t know why but I think he is up to something.”

“Like what?” Cloud questioned while sleepily rubbing his eyes awake.

“Come sit beside me.” He motioned to Zack who almost grudgingly obliged and moved over to Cloud’s bed to sit down.

He sat quite far from the blond Cadet. He didn’t want to feel the boy’s body heat radiating off his coldness. He leaned on his knees and glared at the floor. Cloud shifted nervously beside him almost inching that little bit closer. He too was unsettled. He could still feel those green eyes boring through the darkness right into his soul. He was seriously creeped out.

“Zack? I saw something tonight. I was sure I spotted Sephiroth in the club we were in. Well….at least it looked like him.”

“Yeh, I thought I saw him too. Just as I came chasing after you. But he said to me he had….been….in the library all night.”

Zack quickly replied not wanting to tell Cloud he was really snooping about the basement archives attempting to get information on this guy related to Cloud.

“Hmmmm, weird. You think he’s got clones running about?”

“Don’t even go there. Knowing Sephiroth like I do, I wouldn’t put anything past him.”

Cloud reached out and placed his hand on Zack’s shoulder. Zack turned to face the blond. He couldn’t help but smile when he saw the boy’s face. So gentle. So kind. So caring. He moved his own hand up to his shoulder and lightly placed it on top of the blond’s.

“Thanks Cloud. You made me feel better.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You don’t have to. Just being there is enough. Now, lets catch some shut eye. We train very soon. Monday morning at 7am.”

------

Sunday in the barracks consisted of virtually nothing. There were not many officials wandering about as they were finishing their training programmes for their new recruits. Cloud decided to use his day off to explore the compound. He traversed the corridors on his own. He felt better that way somehow. Too many people scared him. Made him very claustrophobic.

He passed the training grounds he stood on the day he was accepted. No one was about. He passed the food hall. It too was closed. In fact, the whole barracks was deserted. Perhaps everyone had taken to the streets of Midgar to enjoy their day off before training began. In any case he didn’t really care. He quite liked being on his own.

On passing the massive gym complex something caught Cloud’s attention. He stopped and peered through the glass door. Right in the middle of the room standing perfectly still on a training mat was none other than the General. If Cloud did no know better he would have thought the man in the middle of the room was no more than a statue. He just wasn’t moving. Even his eyes didn’t blink. He was staring straight ahead. His gaze fixated on the far wall. His right arm extended fully gripping tightly onto the legendary Masamune.

Cloud watched mesmerised. He watched as the General slowly and gracefully bent both his knees into a more fluid fighting stance. He watched him freeze to the spot once again. Glowing aquamarine eyes still fixated on that one spot on the wall.

In less than a second the General had shot across the room sword in hand slicing at the air. Every leap and bound was perfect. Each swing of his sword so precise. No enemy would have a chance against the General. Cloud found himself wondering just how a man so tall and quite largely built could almost float so lightly while fighting. He certainly couldn’t do that. His sword skills were still so rusty.

Still he watched totally entranced. He had lost track of just how long he had been standing there. He watched the General stop his movements. Sheath his sword and stalk over to the opposite side of the room….towards where he was standing. Cloud didn’t realise the silver haired male was heading his way until he pushed the door open thus smacking Cloud on the face with it.

Cloud stumbled away from the door clutching his sore cheek. Sephiroth didn’t even seem to notice him. He was still staring straight ahead. It wasn’t until Cloud moaned at the pain in his face did Sephiroth snap out of his daze.

“Oh, Cadet Strife? I….did I hit you with the door?”

Cloud didn’t know how to react. Did he say yes and prove he stood for what could have easily been hours staring and ogling the General, or did he lie his ass off and say he stumbled as he was casually walking by?

“Ummm, yes Sir….you did but just as I was walking by. Just exploring the barracks Sir.”

“What did I say about names on days off Cloud?”

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s alright. Did your evening with Zack end well?”

Sephiroth smirked slightly as Cloud fumbled to think up a reply. He knew full well what happened. He knew the blond got scared and ran away. He knew he pushed Zack away. He knew he turned the raven haired male down.

“Ummm, yes it was ok. I have never drank so much before in my life. But….I kinda saw and heard things. I just ended up desperate to get home. I was a bit of a shit to Zack. I didn’t mean it though.”

“I’m sure he will understand. Yes yes, I have had similar occurrences of hearing voices after mako injections. There is no need to worry. You’re not losing your mind yet Cloud.”

Cloud smiled dumbly as without another word the silver haired male turned and ambled down the corridor away from the blond.

“Oh Cloud? I’m expecting great things from you. Do not disappoint me. Understood?”

Still he smiled idiotically. He nodded his head at the departing General clearly not thinking that he could hear him nod. As he began walking back to his dorm, one thought ran through his head over and over again.

“Idiot!”

A male with dark hair and even darker eyes had been watching the two males talk with each other. He took great pride in his creation of the perfect General. His mako infused and enhanced body was perfect. However, he was swiftly tiring of the male before him. Instead he watched the tiny blond standing more than a head shorter than the General. Beady eyes narrowed as he studied his beautiful features.

“I recognise him….but from where?”