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Title: Lavender
Author: GW Katrina aka![[insanejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/ij-userinfo.gif)
icedark_elf
Beta:forgottenlover
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Pairings: If you look at it sideways, Zack/Cloud
Warning: Character damage, but not dead. Go me.
Wordcount: 965
Summary: Sometimes it takes being needed to cause things to change.
A/N: I asked for words, and I got them. About 250 of them. This is number -one-.
I've been told that this has been stolen to be a sequal to this fic byforgottenlover. Go check it out.
Lavender
It was an accident that snapped Cloud out of the haze of Mako poisoning for good.
He and Zack had been on the run for almost a year. It had been a long year, and Cloud knew it even if he wasn’t really aware of much else. It felt like a long year, and each time he drifted to reality from the voices in his head, he realized that everything was different outside. It had gotten cold. When had it done that? Or when the warmth had come back. That had been odd. One night he had gone to sleep and it was chilly, then next time he woke up, two months had passed and the sun was warm on his skin.
Zack did his best to keep Cloud up to date. Even when he couldn’t respond, or when he could but just lacked the energy to do it, Zack continued to talk to him, telling him what was going on or where they were at. It was comforting to hear his voice, especially when Cloud was in the darkness of his own head, where all the voices babbled, but Zack’s cut through them and helped Cloud remember that the other voices weren’t there, not like Zack was.
He was aware when he felt Zack curled up next to him, skin warm no matter how cool it was where they were. He was aware when Zack chatted about nothing in particular, just so he could hear a friendly voice.
He was aware when he heard Zack’s curse, and the ground vanished under him and a blinding light, so bright it made his eyes water even where his face was pressed tight against Zack’s chest.
He was aware when they hit the fast moving water, and Zack thrashed a moment before pulling them to the surface, even as they were swept downstream.
“Spike, I really need your help right now. Come on, buddy, if you’re paying any attention at all, I really, really need your help. Need to get us to shore.”
Zack needed him.
Nobody had needed him before. Wanted him there, sure, liked having him around, yeah. But needed was something completely new.
Forcing past the voices, to the only one that really mattered, Cloud blinked blurred eyes and focused on the closest bit of land. It took effort, coughing and spitting effort as they fought their way to the dubious bit of shelter.
Zack was leaning hard against Cloud, and it was only because of what Hojo had done that Cloud could hear the faint, almost silent near-panic sound Zack made deep in his throat.
“Zack?”
“Flashbomb, Spike. I… I can’t see anything.”
Cloud had froze, eyes gone wide, seeing clearly for the first time in…almost two years, and he focused on Zack instantly. The other man’s eyes were shut tight, faint red mark across his face. It had gone off so close that it had actually caused a burn. That wasn’t good. Wasn’t good at all.
“Zack, sit down.” Cloud tugged him where he would be able to sit and not get anymore soaked that he already was, and the blond gentle ran his fingers along Zack’s cheeks. “Come on, Zack, let me be the one to help you, please? Open your eyes.”
It took effort, and a faint pained sound from Zack, but he got his eyes opened, tears streaming down his cheeks, and Cloud made a pained sound of his own.
Zack’s eyes had always been a deep, vibrant color. Some said violet, some said blue, others indigo. All Cloud knew was that they were almost too pretty for a boy and told Zack as much.
Zack’s eyes were a washed out lavender color. That…couldn’t be good.
“We’ll fix it,” Cloud promised. “We will.”
Zack didn’t bring up the very valid point that they were still on the run from Shinra, or that they didn’t really have a lot of cash. He just, after a moment of quiet, nodded, a weak grin on his face.
“I know, Spike. We got to stick together. Guess it’s your turn to watch me for a bit, hmm? This doesn’t mean that when I can see again you can slough off on me again, okay?”
“Okay. Ready to move or do you want to wait a bit here? I know flashbombs can make you feel sick, too.”
“I’m good. Let’s go, before they find us.”
Helping Zack to his feet, Cloud froze when the man pulled the Buster sword off his back and held it, hilt out, in Cloud’s general direction. “I can’t swing it when I can’t see,” he said bluntly. “Time to see if all your training paid off.”
Cloud froze for a moment, then, hand shaking, took the sword. A moment later, after a bit of wiggling by Zack, the dark haired man also passed over the piece that would let Cloud attach the sword to his back.
“I’m going to want her back, you know. Don’t get too used to carrying her around. We’ll find you one of your own later, but for now you carry her.”
It took a few minutes of trying, but Cloud got everything settled, then he grinned at Zack weakly, even if the man couldn’t see it. “Come on, Zack, let’s get out of here.”
Eyes shut once again, Zack managed to sling an arm around Cloud’s shoulder. “All right, Spike, lead the way.” He did grin and leaned heavily against Cloud. Murmuring softly, still smiling, Zack continued. “I trust you to keep us safe.”
Zack had faith in him. Now it was time for Cloud to have the same faith, in both of them. Looping his arm around Zack’s waist, he led them into the woods.
They were going to get out of this.
Next Fic: Wait
Wordcount for the day: 4,523
Author: GW Katrina aka
icedark_elfBeta:
forgottenloverFandom: Final Fantasy VII
Pairings: If you look at it sideways, Zack/Cloud
Warning: Character damage, but not dead. Go me.
Wordcount: 965
Summary: Sometimes it takes being needed to cause things to change.
A/N: I asked for words, and I got them. About 250 of them. This is number -one-.
I've been told that this has been stolen to be a sequal to this fic by
forgottenlover. Go check it out.Lavender
It was an accident that snapped Cloud out of the haze of Mako poisoning for good.
He and Zack had been on the run for almost a year. It had been a long year, and Cloud knew it even if he wasn’t really aware of much else. It felt like a long year, and each time he drifted to reality from the voices in his head, he realized that everything was different outside. It had gotten cold. When had it done that? Or when the warmth had come back. That had been odd. One night he had gone to sleep and it was chilly, then next time he woke up, two months had passed and the sun was warm on his skin.
Zack did his best to keep Cloud up to date. Even when he couldn’t respond, or when he could but just lacked the energy to do it, Zack continued to talk to him, telling him what was going on or where they were at. It was comforting to hear his voice, especially when Cloud was in the darkness of his own head, where all the voices babbled, but Zack’s cut through them and helped Cloud remember that the other voices weren’t there, not like Zack was.
He was aware when he felt Zack curled up next to him, skin warm no matter how cool it was where they were. He was aware when Zack chatted about nothing in particular, just so he could hear a friendly voice.
He was aware when he heard Zack’s curse, and the ground vanished under him and a blinding light, so bright it made his eyes water even where his face was pressed tight against Zack’s chest.
He was aware when they hit the fast moving water, and Zack thrashed a moment before pulling them to the surface, even as they were swept downstream.
“Spike, I really need your help right now. Come on, buddy, if you’re paying any attention at all, I really, really need your help. Need to get us to shore.”
Zack needed him.
Nobody had needed him before. Wanted him there, sure, liked having him around, yeah. But needed was something completely new.
Forcing past the voices, to the only one that really mattered, Cloud blinked blurred eyes and focused on the closest bit of land. It took effort, coughing and spitting effort as they fought their way to the dubious bit of shelter.
Zack was leaning hard against Cloud, and it was only because of what Hojo had done that Cloud could hear the faint, almost silent near-panic sound Zack made deep in his throat.
“Zack?”
“Flashbomb, Spike. I… I can’t see anything.”
Cloud had froze, eyes gone wide, seeing clearly for the first time in…almost two years, and he focused on Zack instantly. The other man’s eyes were shut tight, faint red mark across his face. It had gone off so close that it had actually caused a burn. That wasn’t good. Wasn’t good at all.
“Zack, sit down.” Cloud tugged him where he would be able to sit and not get anymore soaked that he already was, and the blond gentle ran his fingers along Zack’s cheeks. “Come on, Zack, let me be the one to help you, please? Open your eyes.”
It took effort, and a faint pained sound from Zack, but he got his eyes opened, tears streaming down his cheeks, and Cloud made a pained sound of his own.
Zack’s eyes had always been a deep, vibrant color. Some said violet, some said blue, others indigo. All Cloud knew was that they were almost too pretty for a boy and told Zack as much.
Zack’s eyes were a washed out lavender color. That…couldn’t be good.
“We’ll fix it,” Cloud promised. “We will.”
Zack didn’t bring up the very valid point that they were still on the run from Shinra, or that they didn’t really have a lot of cash. He just, after a moment of quiet, nodded, a weak grin on his face.
“I know, Spike. We got to stick together. Guess it’s your turn to watch me for a bit, hmm? This doesn’t mean that when I can see again you can slough off on me again, okay?”
“Okay. Ready to move or do you want to wait a bit here? I know flashbombs can make you feel sick, too.”
“I’m good. Let’s go, before they find us.”
Helping Zack to his feet, Cloud froze when the man pulled the Buster sword off his back and held it, hilt out, in Cloud’s general direction. “I can’t swing it when I can’t see,” he said bluntly. “Time to see if all your training paid off.”
Cloud froze for a moment, then, hand shaking, took the sword. A moment later, after a bit of wiggling by Zack, the dark haired man also passed over the piece that would let Cloud attach the sword to his back.
“I’m going to want her back, you know. Don’t get too used to carrying her around. We’ll find you one of your own later, but for now you carry her.”
It took a few minutes of trying, but Cloud got everything settled, then he grinned at Zack weakly, even if the man couldn’t see it. “Come on, Zack, let’s get out of here.”
Eyes shut once again, Zack managed to sling an arm around Cloud’s shoulder. “All right, Spike, lead the way.” He did grin and leaned heavily against Cloud. Murmuring softly, still smiling, Zack continued. “I trust you to keep us safe.”
Zack had faith in him. Now it was time for Cloud to have the same faith, in both of them. Looping his arm around Zack’s waist, he led them into the woods.
They were going to get out of this.
Next Fic: Wait
Wordcount for the day: 4,523