The ending I went with for the werewolf Zack story so far is great.
Because here’s Tseng, he’s just been beaten up by this one guy who’s right there on the floor in the middle of this room.
Said SOLDIER was ‘taken down’ by what appears to be a mutated wolf - no, wait, it’s technically not actually that, it’s actually Zack, the kid SOLDIER he’d come here with.
Tseng is just pretending he’s got it together and he knows what he’s doing.
Internally, he is a Turk that is mentally screaming VELD VELD WHAT DO I DO I WASN’T TRAINED FOR THIS, VELD and YOU LOT BETTER HAVE SORTED THIS OUT BEFORE WE GET BACK TO MIDGAR OR ELSE- I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT ELSE! BECAUSE THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE!
Zack currently isn't together enough to figure any of this out for himself, and is only gathering that everyone who he’s seeing as ‘not-Hollander’ is upset and stressed, and he’s just? But it’s okay? Angeal is okay? What’s everyone worried about?
AKA Zack has too much fun teasing Cloud from the Lifestream, and Cloud can’t do anything about except pretend it’s not happening.
He’s rather proud of how composed he pretends to be. Zack is just mischievously amused.
Phantom Flirting
. . . . .
Ya know, most people enjoy the chance to socialize with their friends.
“I’m not most people.”
Obviously. I’m just saying-
“Don’t you have something better to do than criticize my social life?”
Your lack of it you mean? Not really. Aerith’s stalking Tifa and Reno, or Tseng I can’t remember, so I can’t hang out with her. Angeal’s following Genesis around-
“As usual?”
Yep, as usual. Not sure what he’s up to, but apparently he’s been hanging around Kalm lately. Angeal won’t tell me anything, and Aerith doesn’t care enough to look into it, so I have no idea. Plus I like following you around, so I’m not about to waste time tracking him down only to find out he’s reading on the beach or something.
Cloud sighed, leaning further over his bike as he raced over the road. He loved Zack, he really did, but sometimes he could do without having the man in his head. Especially when he was trying to make deliveries.
Anyway, Angeal’s following Genesis. So I don’t have anyone to hang out with.
“So you’re bothering me instead?”
You know you love it, Spike!
Cloud sighed.
Look at it this way, I’m making the journey more interesting.
“Interesting, huh…”
Well, I could make it more interesting…
“Don’t you dare. I’m on a schedule, and I don’t have time to be sidetracked.”
Zack chuckled in his head, voice low and rumbling. It sent a shiver of anticipation up Cloud’s spine, which he ruthlessly crushed.
You sure?
“Zack.”
Alright, alright. Maybe later, then.
The low-spoken words were accompanied by the ghost feeling of two hands sliding down across his sides in a teasing action. This time, his shiver was physically impossible to suppress. Cloud clenched his teeth and leaned lower against Fenrir, speeding up incrementally. Zack still noticed, and let out a chuckle that was far too seductive for Cloud’s own good.
It wasn’t fair.
“Zack. I’m trying to work.”
I’m not stopping you.
“You’re distracting me.”
You’re good at multitasking.
“Not when you’re involved.”
Is that a compliment, or…?
“Something like that.”
… Thanks?
Cloud huffed out a chuckle and leaned right to guide Fenrir onto a side road leading to the WRO headquarters.
As he parked next to HQ, he noticed a familiar helicopter. “What is Rufus doing here?” he murmured.
“Apparently he has a meeting with Reeve. Or so the Turks say.”
Cloud glanced over at the ex-Turk, unsurprised by his sudden materialization. “Vincent.”
“Cloud. Delivery?”
“Paperwork from North Corel. Barrett found a new oil field.”
“I see.”
With a wave, Cloud made his way to the briefing room, knowing that Reeve was expecting him.
Bets on walking in on them with their pants down? Literally?
“No bet.”
He rapped the door three times and waited five seconds before walking in. That would give them time to at least get a couple of steps away from each other if he was catching them in a… compromising situation.
He was relieved to see them across the table from each other when he walked in. That was an improvement over the last four times he’d dropped by in the last month. Even if there was a lingering smell that his enhanced senses picked up. He ignored it and walked over to Reeve, dropping the box on the table next to him.
“Barrett sends his regards. He found a new field.”
“Oh really? That’s excellent!”
He made a noncommittal noise, then tensed as he felt the pressure of hands on his hips and breath in his ear. He forced himself not to react to the blatant invasion of his privacy, knowing that the invader was invisible to all eyes in the room.
“Zack.”
Whaaaat, this conversation is gonna be boring. Might as well… His tone dropped into something darker. … entertain myself.
Cloud’s miniscule hitch in breath almost gave him away, but he kept his face as stone-like as possible.
“I’m working.”
Zack nuzzled his neck. So am I.
“Zack!”
The dark chuckle in his ear warned him that this would not be a fight he would win.
“Why do you enjoy torturing me?”
Only sexually, and you love every minute of it. The thrill of being right in plain sight, at risk of being caught… you can’t help yourself. You can protest all you want, but… Zack lightly bit the sensitive juncture between his neck and shoulder. Cloud suppressed a shudder. … you and I both know you get off on this. Don’t you?
Cloud swallowed and focused back on the events at hand, valiantly attempting to ignore his phantom best friend/lover.
Reeve was finishing up a spiel and Cloud managed to catch the tail end of it, despite his distraction. “-Edge could probably use some more solar panels.”
“It probably couldn’t hurt,” Cloud agreed, and was proud of himself for keeping voice steady, “though I think that Junon needs them more.” Especially with Zack doing THAT with his tongue.
“Most likely,” Rufus interceded smoothly, “though installing more panels will cost quite a bit of money, considering the combination of both materials, for the power lines the panels and the collection generators combined, and of places to put them. Especially if you go the water route, again. In Junon, at least.”
“And I suppose you’ll be donating money to the cause?” Cloud asked dryly, using the action of crossing his arms to hide his sudden shift of weight backwards, into the hands roaming his torso and mouth nipping at his neck. He felt Zack smirk against his neck and tensed as the man suddenly bit down harder. He covered his sudden gasp with a few coughs.
“Damnit, Zack!”
Don’t pretend you aren’t getting off on this. Zack chuckled, sliding one hand along his hips and squeezing his hidden erection. Cloud clenched his teeth tightly to hide any reactions, grateful for his loose pants and side cloth. Your body’s giving you away.
“Are you alright?” Reeve looked concerned. Rufus had a brow raised curiously.
“I’m fine.” Cloud waved them off, hoping they wouldn’t notice any change in his voice from Zack’s roaming, and not so roaming, touches. “Just some dust from the road.”
“You could get a mask,” Rufus pointed out.
You could. Zack purred. I don’t really like it when you’re gagged, though. It stifles all the pretty sounds you make. Though you do look good with something in your mouth.
Cloud determinedly swallowed his whimper. He would not break so easily, damnit! “I could,” he acknowledged tightly, “but I’m not fond of the idea.” As Zack squeezed him again, he abruptly turned to Reeve. “Any deliveries you need me to make?”
Reeve looked startled at the suddenness of the question, but quickly recovered. “Ah- no. Not at the moment.”
Cloud nodded, forcing himself to unclench his hands and drop his arms to his sides. Zack immediately began sliding his hands along them. Cloud forced himself not to twitch like he wanted to. “Then I’ll talk to you later. Let me know whenever.”
“Ah, right of course.”
Cloud inclined his head to Rufus, then turned on his heel and walked out of the room. He quickly sped along the hall, as quickly as he could without running, until he got outside. He slipped into a back area out of the way of anyone accidentally stumbling across him, and slumped sideways against the shadowed wall.
I’ll admit, I’m impressed. Zack murmured, teeth tugging at Cloud’s ear. You held up surprisingly well considering the circumstances. You didn’t give yourself away, I don’t think they even noticed something was really wrong. His hands slid back along the blond’s hips. I think that sort of… dedication… deserves a reward. Don’t you think?
Cloud couldn’t choke back a whimper at the words. Especially when they were accompanied by the feeling of Zack’s full body pressing hard against him. “Zack.”
Hmm? What’s wrong?
“Zack, quit-” he arched as the invisible brunette bit down hard on his neck again. “-I have… stuff to do…” He panted. “And this is so not the place.”
You sure? Zacks hands dipped low again causing Cloud’s head to drop, low groan falling from his lips.
It was very hard to affirm the question when Zack was touching him like that.
He pressed clenched fists to the wall, allowing his forehead to drop against the cool surface. “I- ngh… Zack…”
He suddenly stiffened at the sound of footsteps. “Zack!” he hissed. “Stop! Someone’s coming!”
He could feel the man’s pout against his neck. Damnit… is it really that big a deal?
“Yes!”
A few moments later, Tseng stepped around the corner, looking harried. He faltered at the sight of Cloud, before understanding and sympathy crossed his normally blank face as he took in the blond’s position against the wall.
“You too, huh?”
Cloud recalled Zack’s earlier comment about Aerith following Tseng around and grimaced in sympathy. “Aerith?”
The Turk sighed and nodded. “Zack?”
Cloud tensed as Zack resumed his earlier ministrations. “Yeah.” His voice sounded strained, even to him. “Zack, quit!”
Why? It’s just Tseng.
“Who it is isn’t the problem!”
Tseng hissed out a breath. “Aerith!” Cloud could hear, distantly, the Cetra’s laugh.
In a sudden movement he shoved himself off the wall, prompting a startled noise from Zack.
“I’ll see you later.”
Tseng gave him a distracted nod as the blond strode past.
❝ in such troubled times, it is hard to know friend from foe. ❞
ASOIAF: Sword of Storms starters.
Aerith sat with her hands clasped over her lap, her gaze somewhere with her flowers, though further-off. She heard his calm voice from behind.
How long had Tseng been there? How long had he kept watch — had he ever stopped, since he found that scrappy seven-year-old clinging to her new home in the slums?
"... are you my friend?" she quietly asked. Her head lifted, and she seemed to return from wherever her thoughts had drifted. "I have known you as long as I have known Ma." Elmyra, who so fiercely watched over her found daughter throughout the years. "Yet I don't know you, not really... are you my friend, or are you going to betray me to my foe?"
Well, or something like that.... For FF7 (yay, OMFG, can’t wait for the new game to come out!). whitejenna asked for this and so sorry for the wait, things have been insane lately at work and migraines haven’t been helping. But I was determined to get this out (hoping to get the other prompt out as well soon, and some Cannonball scenes since there’s interest in the fic).
Hope it’s along the lines of what you wanted! Might do a follow up at some point...
Probably open up the prompt again this weekend.
*******
Busy typing notes to himself on his phone over how his meeting with Lyda Doucha, the formidable head of her family’s transportation company, Rufus was startled from his thoughts as the device chimed about an incoming call. Seeing that it was from Tseng, he accepted the call with a slight frown; he was due to arrive back at headquarters before the hour, so anything that couldn’t wait until then didn’t bode well. “Yes? What happened now?” If it had something to do either with the contracts for the new construction or a certain redhead, things were about to become very unpleasant.
“Sir.” There was a certain pained note to Tseng’s voice just then, along with a slight pause, which clued Rufus in to this matter being about the latter, dammit. What trouble could Reno find by checking out a construction site? If he’d gotten into the explosives somehow…. “I’m afraid there’s been an incident.”
“And by incident, I take it to mean that a certain idiot has somehow caused enough trouble to ruin both your day and mine, yes?” Rufus switched the call to speakerphone so he could pull up the news app in an attempt to see if any items about explosions or mass destruction had made it onto the network; the Turks had done their job well enough to cover up Reno’s involvement, as always, but there’d probably be something out there about a gas explosion or the such. Yet so far, nothing.
“Sir… Rufus.” Oh, it was never good when Tseng went with his name like that. “I think it’s best that you report to Medical as soon as you return. Some things… need to be seen rather than explained.”
His fingers pausing on the screen of his phone, Rufus frowned even though the Head of Turks couldn’t see him. “How bad is it?” How bad was Reno?
“Just… come here,” was all Tseng said before he ended the call. Rufus thought he heard some shouting in the background, thought he heard *Reno’s* voice, loud and displeased, and then there was silence.
The rest of the ride was an anxious one, spent with him looking up whatever information he could over the network and finding little; if something had happened during Reno’s assignment, the Turks had done an excellent job of covering it up. Normally that was a good sign, was what he wanted, but Rufus’ nerves were on a knife’s edge by the time they reached headquarters and Rod opened the car door for him. Tseng or another Turk must have sent some sort of message to the man, since he hustled out of Rufus’ way and then fell in step behind him, Cyril a quiet shadow, as Rufus stalked toward the elevators. “Are *you* going to shed any light on what’s happening?” he snapped while he pressed the button for the Medical level and then keyed in his override code.
Rod gave a cold stare to someone who attempted to step in before the doors closed and then shrugged. “Just was told to get you here as fast as possible, Sir. When I asked for more detail, Cyn sent back one word, and that was ‘Hojo’.” He even held up his phone with the message displayed to show it to Rufus.
There was a sinking feeling in Rufus’ stomach at mention of the name; the scientist had caused so much damage with his experiments, was part of a legacy that Rufus strove to cleanse from *his* company. Had Reno and Rude come across something when they’d checked out the site of the former headquarters before the construction began to reclaim some of the land?
Now even more anxious to reach the Medical department, Rufus cursed the time it took to reach the floor, even though it couldn’t have been a few more seconds at that. Once the doors opened, he was out of the elevator and striding down the hall, which would have been suspicious in how empty it was if not for the fact that a possible medical emergency had occurred. Reaching his objective, he pushed open the doors – and stepped into chaos.
“-damn things under control!”
“How tha *fuck* do ya suggest I do that, huh? Got a fuckin’ manual on these things, do ya?”
“Think calling Strife will help?”
“How? He’ll probably want to run them through with a sword!”
“Then what about some ideas of your own?”
“How ‘bout ya back tha fuck off an’ stop pokin’ us with shit!”
Rufus stared as feathers fluttered about in the air, some a glossy black and others a pearlescent, soft grey; he caught a grey one as it drifted in front of him, the feather about as long as his forearm and tufted at the one end. Gathered across the room were the Drs. Alim and Cavish, along with several of the Turks – including Reno and Rude. Including currently *winged* Reno and Rude.
There was a large black wing protruding from the right side of Rude’s back as he sat on a medical bed, sunglasses askew, usually impeccable suit torn in several places and smeared with pale soot. His wing twitched a little as he seemed to stare at an even more rumpled Reno, who was standing a few feet away, an equally large, grey wing attached to the left side of his back that constantly flexed and spread about as he jerked his hands through the air, a feral expression on his face as he argued with Tseng and the doctors. “Back tha fuck off!” From the sounds of his gutter accent, Rufus judged his lover to be more than a little stressed at the moment.
His lover. Wings. Hojo. Feeling the beginnings of a headache from this mess, Rufus twirled the feather between his fingers as he approached the stand-off. “So, I’m to assume that the site isn’t safe quite yet?”
The sound of his voice had the doctors jerking their heads in his direction while Reno’s wing extended outward, which caused several pieces of equipment to be knocked about. While Dr. Cavish yelped in dismay, Reno approached Rufus with a fierce scowl on his face. “Fuck no! Stupid fuckin’ hidden labs an’ booby traps an’ fuckin’ *wings* and FUCKIN’ BASTARD HOJO!” He grabbed onto the lapels of Rufus’ white overcoat as he spat out the last part, his aquamarine eyes blazing and lithe build trembling with rage, yet didn’t lash out at Rufus other than in a verbal manner; his wing, however, continued to flex and unflex behind him, keeping the others at bay while loose feathers floated about them.
Rufus stared back in a calm manner as his left hand threaded through his lover’s fiery, tangled hair. “Are you done? Any more ‘fucks’ to be had?” he asked as he tightened his grip on the strands and gave a slight tug.
“Eh, fuckin’ quacks an’ their fuckin’ tests,” Reno muttered, sounding a bit less peeved now that he had Rufus’ attention. He closed his eyes as he shuffled forward a little, his wing curling around the two of them; Tseng stiffened, as if to rush forward, but a shake of the head from Rufus arrested any action.
Rufus eyed the appendage now that it was up close – the gleaming feathers, the seamless integration into Reno’s back, the way it seemed to respond more to his lover’s emotions than thought. “Well, you did grow a wing at some point today, I think they’ve cause for concern. Add to that the fact that Hojo seems involved somehow and yes, you’re screwed. Sorry.”
It was interesting how the feathers rustled about when Reno huffed in anger and pulled back, the scowl back on his face. “An’ who ordered us to go there, eh?”
“Yes, yes, but I didn’t know you’d – what, run across? Fall into?”
“Ground collapsed, Sir,” Rude supplied for him. “We were just about done when it happened, too.”
“Shitty bastard must’ve had a hideaway lad or somethin’,” Reno mumbled as he picked at a feather. “Just our fuckin’ luck ta find it.”
“Yes, well, I didn’t expect there to be anything like that when I sent you out.” Rufus batted the idiot’s hand aside before he damaged the wing and glanced over Reno’s shoulder at Dr. Alim. “What’s the prognosis?”
The middle-aged doctor appeared nervous as he ran his hands through his disheveled hair. “We took some blood and a couple of scans, and… well, it’s *Hojo*, Mr. President. From the little I’ve seen so far, I think it’s similar to that of the First Class SOLDIERs, but he was probably experimenting with something else since the Turks don’t have the same Mako exposure. I would think that the wings will come and go once they calm down and gain enough control over them, but… this probably isn’t the most conducive environment for calm.”
“Ya think?” Reno spun around, causing Rufus to curse and duck as the grey wing once more flared out and nearly took off his head – as it was, an expensive looking monitor went crashing to the ground. “So what, just deal with it an’ hope they go away?”
Rufus ducked beneath the lashing wing and hoped he wasn’t knocked out in the process as he pressed against Reno’s right side; there was a suspenseful moment as he felt feathers brush against him, but the wing once more curled around him, cocooning him in soft, gleaming grey. “Yes, that’s exactly what you’re going to do.” Across the room, Tseng stood with his hand hovering near the front of his black blazer, as if to reach for his gun, while Elena, Rod, Cyril and Kali also were at the ready to follow their leader if he went after Reno to prevent any harm to Rufus. The only one who appeared calm was Rude, who clutched at his wing and frowned as if attempting to will it away. “And to facilitate that, I think it’s time we went home.”
“Sir! I’m not sure if-“
“There are more tests that we can-“
“Perhaps it is best that he’s in a familiar-“
Rufus cut them off with a wave of his left hand. “You should have all of the samples you need, and if not you know where to find him. We’re going to try that ‘calmer’ environment and see if it’ll help with his… control issues.” He could feel Reno’s body stiffen against him, the wing curl tighter against his back and side, but the idiot kept his mouth shut for once.
Stepping away from the cloak of soft feathers with some reluctance, Rufus removed his outer coat and held it up to Reno. “See if you can’t keep it still until we get to the car.” It probably wouldn’t be wise to use the helicopter just then.
Gritting his teeth as he fought with his wing, Reno let out several sharp breaths before he managed to furl the new appendage close to his back. “Damn thing issa pain in tha ass.”
“Seems par for the course for you,” Rufus muttered as he draped the coat over Reno’s shoulders, mostly covering the wing, and smiled in face of the glare he got for the comment.
Rod and Cyril came to escort them to the car, along with Tseng. “You do realize that we’re uncertain if there are any side effects besides the wing,” the Head of Turks warned him.
Rufus managed only a slight smile as he urged Reno into the elevator in front of him. “I’ll take every precaution – handcuffs the entire time as soon as we reach home.” His lover’s surly expression faded from the glower into something rather pleased. Meanwhile, Tseng’s grew more pained.
“I’m… certain you’ll be very… inventive with your… security protocols, Sir.” Tseng sighed as he pressed the bridge of his nose between his fingers.
“Hmm, very inventive indeed.” Rufus caught at another drifting feather and fought not to smirk just then. Later he would have to deal with the problems stemming from a contaminated work site and whatever other surprises left behind from Hojo, but for now….
But for now, ‘feather play’ was about to take on some very interesting new dimensions.
*******
