Trinity
folder
Final Fantasy VII › Yaoi - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
4
Views:
893
Reviews:
9
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Final Fantasy VII › Yaoi - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
4
Views:
893
Reviews:
9
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Final Fantasy VII, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Four
Trinity
Four
of bone and saw the arc of blood splatter from the base of Vincent’s nose to
The General’s fingertips, then onto the floor near his own feet. Cloud rushed
forward, but arrived a second too late as Vincent went down on his hands and
knees, collapsing onto the hard ground in front of him.“Vince. Vince!” Cloud knelt and grabbed onto
Vincent’s arms. He hoisted him up an inch, cradling Vincent’s head in his
lap only to discover the sheer amount of blood pouring onto his uniform. Vincent
moaned, half-conscious and reeling in Cloud’s arms.“Humph,” The General scoffed in contempt.
“Pathetic.”Cloud felt his anger rising. “Was that really
necessary, sir?”Sephiroth, surprisingly, said nothing in defense. He
merely watched as Cloud gently shook Vincent, trying to get some sense back into
the man. A few seconds later Vincent grunted, lifting his head slightly to catch
Cloud’s wide-opened eyes. Cloud breathed a sigh of relief, despite the fact he
now had seen the extended damage on Vincent’s blood-covered face, and slowly
started to bring both of them to their feet.“Get out of my tent, soldiers.” Sephiroth ordered.
“The meeting is over.”The brunette’s glare back at the general instilled an
unnamed fear within Cloud. “Come on, let’s go.” Cloud urged, pulling
Vincent along and afraid that another second would ignite the air in the room on
fire. Vincent’s hands clenched tight in retaliation, but he did follow the
blonde toward the exit. Please, God, Cloud prayed silently, let this be over.
Let this end here.They half-ran, half-stumbled out of the tent, a trail of
blood dripping onto the ground behind them. “Someone!” Cloud began to yell
as soon as they cleared some distance from The General’s abode, “Get a medic
here! Now!”
eyes for once were mirthless. He found the general sitting by his desk, looking
at papers. Zack stepped forward, slamming his fists on the tabletop in front
Sephiroth to get his attention.“Why did you hit Lieutenant Valentine?” His tone was
not amused.Sephiroth rested his left elbow on the table, his
cheekbone atop his long fingers. “News sure travels fast around here.”“Seph,” Zack sighed exasperatedly, “the blood
trail is still there on the dirt. Why did you hit him?”Sephiroth shrugged. “Because he had attempted to
attack his superior officer.”“Did he really?”“No, he didn’t get to it, if that’s what you’re
asking. Why’re you getting so upset? I was punishing a disobedience.”“But you shouldn’t have.” Zack pulled a chair from
the side and dropped heavily upon it. “You should have left him to me.
He’s not under your jurisdiction, and if he has actually assaulted you it
would be my responsibility to deal out the appropriate reprimand. It’s
procedure.”“It was a reflex when I sense a threat, Zack.”“Hah,” Zack let out a dry laugh. He couldn’t
remember the last time he had been this serious, or sardonic. “Seph, you broke
his nose in two places and almost made him bit off his tongue. I don’t think a
‘reflex’ is going to cut it.” He glanced at the white-haired man, who was
now staring at him. “Is something else going on here? Did you two know each
other before and I just simply missed the history?”“Shouldn’t I be asking you that question?”
Sephiroth replied. “He’s lucky that I didn’t pursue it. This is the army,
Zack, I could easily get him discharged.”“You can’t get him discharged,” Zack stood up
again, his expression determined and unyielding, “unless I agree to it. He’s
my lieutenant, General. And he’s also one of my Turks. I handpicked him
to be here. I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t think I know his character
well enough.”Sephiroth’s eyes narrowed. “Are you accusing me of
being unjust, General?”“Frankly, yes,” said Zack. “Although I wouldn’t
call Major Strife an unbiased witness, but he’s the only one we’ve got, and
judging from the way he looked when he recalled the incident, I trust him. Seph,
you beat the shit out of Valentine, and I don’t have anything to substantiate
his threat besides a verbal account of him possibly getting emotional to
something you have said. It proves nothing!” He paused. “You can correct me
on anything that’s inaccurate here. I just like to know.”Zack was not unaware of his blatant partiality towards
Vincent. He couldn’t really help himself; he cared tremendously about each and
every one of his Turks. The Turks were a special force, created during Zack’s
early days when the Shinra army was in dire need of extraordinary talents. Never
one to think inside the box, Zack not only deployed scouts to search for new
talents in the usual circles – the army reserves, the police force, and the
church groups – but also personally went to some of the so-called shady areas.
He found one of the best officers under his division inside a small dingy fight
club in the streets of Shinra City. Another expert tactician was a pickpocket
who had unwittingly tried to lift Zack’s travel bag on a bus. And one of the
best places for breeding raw heroes, Zack had considered, was the central
prison.It had no doubt generated a huge controversy. The Shinra
religion was not tolerant of major sins such as murder and assault. It dealt
fairly light punishment for small offenses like theft, but for the ones who had
committed a crime serious enough to be sent to prison, they were pretty much
branded for life. Literally, because all of the prisoners were tagged with a
five-digit number in an arbitrarily chosen place, and it would stay with them
until death. It was usually positioned so that it would be difficult or
dangerous for one to remove it himself, and whoever willingly helped the
prisoner would face detainment himself if discovered. The general public was
harshly prejudiced against the sinners, treating them at best with fear and
disgust. Hence, it was especially difficult for the ones who were unlucky enough
to be branded at an easily exposed area, for they shall not find solace anywhere
they go after their release.This facet of the Shinra religion was one that Zack had
never agreed upon. Not only was it unfair to the one who had committed mid-level
crimes and had repented sincerely, but in Zack’s opinion it was also a great
waste of human resources. They could not advance further even if they obviously
possess the necessary skills and intelligence to do so, and it would be a misuse
of talents at best. Zack wanted people like such in his army. He was good at
picking out the gems among the trash, and figured in addition to their
intelligent and fearlessness, he would also get their sense of personal loyalty.
And loyalty was a grand asset to a soldier in the time of war.Therefore, he went through all the major prison systems
in Shinra City, hunting for the few rare usable ores in the coalmine. It took
quite a while, but he managed to find a few scattered in over seventy prisons
around the country and recruited them into his division, giving them the title
of the Turks since he couldn’t officially promote them to anything higher than
a second lieutenant. They were his, and Zack trusted their striking aptitude and
absolute fidelity.He found Vincent Valentine four years ago in a small
prison outside Mana. The war was on a temporary standstill, with the Shinra
lacking resources to attack and the Avalanche recuperating from an earlier
assault. Zack had relatively more free time on his hands. He left his
second-in-command in charge of the troops, and went on a solo expedition for his
recruits. He received a call from a side resource, telling him about a potential
candidate in Noting Hill. Zack immediately headed toward the destination, and
before twenty-four hours had passed since the call he was standing at the
checking station in the Northwestside Correction Facility, NH Division.Zack was on his way toward cellblock 17 when he
distinctly recognized a sound of pain as he walked past a room with the door
slightly ajar. Being unable to ignore it and continue, Zack came to a stop in
front of it with an opened ear. The sound came again, and Zack decided to open
the door. He stepped inside and was immediately met with four guards on their
evening break. All were in various states of undress. Two men who still had on
their pants were holding down a pale teenage boy on a table, injecting what Zack
suspected (and later confirmed) as an aphrodisiac into the skinny arms. One man
had settled between the boy’s quivering thighs and was thrusting violently.
The stale scents in the room informed Zack this was nowhere near the beginning
of the activity.Zack felt bile rising in his throat. He was unarmed, but
his fists were raised and poised. The guards succumbed to his anger within
fifteen minutes. Two stacks of paperwork and a couple of phone calls later, Zack
checked in a hotel in Mana with a shivering and undernourished Vincent
Valentine, serving sentence for accidentally killing a girl during a heated gang
fight. He was sixteen then, just at the age where he would be tried as an adult.
Zack had to pull a few strings, but since it was technically self-defense there
wasn’t any exceptional resistance. Zack didn’t think further than getting
the boy out of the hellhole to someplace safe and warm. The important thing was
saving him from future abuse and nourishing him back to health, both physically
and mentally.The boy didn’t speak for the first three days. During
that time Zack had taken him from Mana back to Shinra City, and put him in his
own quarters for the time being. He filed a report to the central government on
mistreatment of prisoners, and was glad to hear that particular branch was under
investigation a fortnight later. Right then, Zack was too busy making sure
Vincent showered, ate, and slept. He also went to back to the prison for
Vincent’s files and any medical records, in case there was something else that
they had given the boy that he should be aware of.On the fourth day when Zack came back from all of his
duties, he found the boy in the living room, huddling on the sofa and mumbling
to himself. He looked up when Zack walked in, and jumped so quickly that all
Zack had heard was a stampede of feet before he was tackled against the door.“What the-?” Zack pushed, the doorknob digging into
his sides as Vincent latched onto him. He looked at the boy and saw the pupils
were dilated and perspiration covered his forehead and chest. Zack frowned.“Ugh, ugh,” the boy panted, “I, I need to – I
need it. I need it! Please.”Zack turned his head just time as Vincent leaned
forward. His lips landed on Zack’s cheek, missing its mark and Zack just then
noticed the boy was stark naked besides a pair of boxers. The hardness pushing
against Zack was unnatural, in addition to a feverishly hot young body. Zack
moved, putting his army training to use and with a well-placed hand locked
Vincent into a chokehold on the floor. The boy whimpered, a faint “it hurts”
reached Zack’s ears. Zack held him down, thinking rapidly about what could
have happened within a few hours, then suddenly he understood.He smacked himself mentally for not thinking about the
severity of those drugs’ aftermath. He had checked on the immediate effects of
the aphrodisiacs, but didn’t dwell on their long-term addictiveness until now.
Zack lifted the boy up, half-dragged him into the bedroom and pushed him on the
bed. Vincent was struggling quite violently by then, and Zack, needed to buy
himself some time, struck the boy hard on his temples. He then found some of his
old clothes, and tied Vincent’s hands and feet together on the posts. When it
was secured and he had a moment to breathe and think, Zack picked up the phone
and dialed Aeris’ number.She came twenty minutes later, with her med kit and a
rope of restraint. She gave Zack an accused look, called him a blockhead, and
then proceeded to tranquilize the boy thrashing on the bed. When Vincent finally
passed out, she untied the makeshift bondage, gently wiping the
already-prominent rope-burn with ointment.“Why didn’t you take him to a hospital?” Aeris
asked him. “He probably will fare better there.”“I – uh – can’t. Not without more paperwork. I
don’t want them to send him back again.”Aeris gave him a look. “Is he another one of . . . ”Zack nodded. Aeris let out a quiet sigh. Then she asked
Zack for the name of the drug and Zack handed her the examination statements
from earlier.“The doctor didn’t tell you about the after
effects?” Aeris asked incredulously.“I wouldn’t exactly call him trustworthy,
considering who he works for.” Zack replied.They retied the boy properly, trying to make it
comfortable yet strong enough to keep him from hurting himself during the rehab.
Zack folded out his couch in the living room, pulled two sets of blankets out
for Aeris and himself to rest in. It was much better that she stayed, for if
anything serious happens he would at least have a resort to turn to. She said it
probably would take a month or so for him to be completely sober, considering
the doses they had injected into the boy and its frequency. Zack paled at the
suggestion.“The war probably will restart by then. I can’t stay
and take care of him!”Aeris stared at him. “What exactly are you planning to
do with him?”“I’m not entirely sure. He actually wasn’t on my
recruit list, but, well, I couldn’t just leave him there.”Aeris smiled. “Well, then we’ll just take it one
week at a time. If an order comes and you need to be at the front lines, then
we’ll think of something.”The situation stayed like such for several days. During
the day Zack and Aeris would tend to their respective duties on alternating
days, leaving someone home to take care of the boy. At night they would keep the
door open, even though Vincent’s constant thrashing and restrained screams
would keep both of them awake at all hours. It was in these restless nights that
Zack decided to give Vincent the choice of becoming a Turk. If not for the
endurance to live through the torture of the drug, but just for the look in the
boy’s eyes throughout this ordeal. The determined, hateful, and surprisingly
clear brown eyes that Zack had grown a respect for.He went to check the boy one morning and discovered the
worst was over. Vincent lay there, eyes wide open but focused. His body has
stopped trembling, and color was returning to his pale cheeks. Zack felt his
pulse and discovered it was beating normally. He smoothed down a lock of
sweat-damp hair, smiled, and said, “Do you remember who I am?”The boy turned his head, his gaze centered on Zack’s
face. “Yes. But, who exactly are you?” he asked in a soft voice.“I’m Zack,”“Zack,” The boy repeated. “I’m Vincent.”Later Aeris told him that it was a miracle that Vincent
didn’t scream until his throat gave out, because the pain was known to be
excruciating, even to a full-grown adult. It was even more miraculous that
Vincent was capable of walking two days after the clean up with the amount of
muscle that had been strained. “You got yourself a pretty decent Turk
there,” Aeris had commented, when she kissed Zack goodbye and threatened
castration if he ever drops something like this on her again.Now, as he paced in Sephiroth’s tent, looking
expectantly at the general for the truth of the passing morning, Zack realized
his temper was waning rather quickly. Sephiroth stood up, an odd expression
enveloped his features.“Was what I summarized inaccurate?” he asked.Sephiroth shook his head. “No, you were quite
right.”“Then why –”“Zack,” Sephiroth’s eyes glowed, his voice
strangely even. “Do you remember the Jenova project?”Zack frowned. “Yes. But what does that have to do with
anything?”A smile appeared on Sephiroth’s thin lips. “Why do
you think Major Strife had transferred to your division three years ago? He was
an excellent officer; I would rather much have him with my troops than give him
freely away.”The pause was unnerving, and Zack realized he should be
putting together something obvious, something important, but he failed miserably
at grasping that straw. He waited, unsure of where to put his footing, or
whether there was one at all.“Who do you suppose Cloud Strife is? I’m sure
you have seen the Project at some point, no?”And when Zack remembered exactly what Sephiroth was
speaking of, he was rendered utterly speechless. He was making a chocked noise
from the back of his throat, along with eyes wide enough to strain his upraised
eyebrows. Sephiroth watched him, green eyes narrowed to slits and Zack could
only stare back in shock, for the first time wondering what kind of hand fate
had again, brought upon them by the sheer power of coincidence.
“That should do for now.”
The medic put a strip of bandage carefully across thebridge of Vincent’s nose, reinforcing the brackets that were keeping the bones
in place. He then got up, wiping the last bit of blood away from Vincent’s
mouth corners and said, “Don’t eat anything solid for a few days. And
don’t even try to speak. I’ll go talk with your superiors about your
condition.” He clasped his hands together. “Thank the Lord that you’re not
currently active in battle.”Vincent nodded, crossing himself after the medic’s
retreating footsteps. The pain on his face had ebbed, although he could still
feel the throbbing inside his sinus and the thick cotton around his tongue. No
solid food, was it? Vincent had experienced much worse. However, it was not the
physical pain that irked him, but who did it and why it was done.He turned his attention to the side, seeing the blonde
crouched near the bed. Vincent wanted to be angry, but he was willing to hear an
explanation. He had indeed saw the exchange within the General’s tent, and was
even more bewildered that the Major only stood there, plainly taking it all in
as if it were – as if it were natural. Vincent didn’t think he was the
jealous type, but he had never seen Cloud reciprocate to any of the
easy-to-reach opportunities, not even with casual flirting. He guess he took it
for granted, and now it had descended upon him that there were things that a
man, no matter how trusting, would think of when certain evidence hits him
squarely on the face.Cloud was watching at him with a worried look, the
anxiety from before not drained at all from his face. He moved forward and
stopped in front of the brunet, gently reaching for the brace but Vincent jerked
his head away. Cloud paused, looked down at the ground and asked softly, “Are
you alright?”Vincent turned away. Out of the corner of his eyes he
saw Cloud wringing his hands together nervously. “Look, I –” Cloud
started, “I don’t - Why did you follow me? What did you think would happen
anyway? I mean, nothing –”He broke off abruptly when he saw the sharp glare
Vincent threw at him. Cloud fidgeted, face pink and eyebrows knitted in an
incensed frown. “Stop asking me what happened! I don’t know what
happened! It’s –”Cloud broke off again. This time he walked to a chair a
few feet away and sat down, his right shoulder leaning against the metal back.
His profiled faced Vincent, expression contorted in pain and Vincent felt his
anger thinning inside him. Cloud wrapped his arms tightly around himself,
propping up one leg on the chair’s edge and remained still.There obviously was something else going on, Vincent
realized. He stood up slowly, approaching the blonde’s chair quietly as not to
startle the blonde. Cloud didn’t seem to be paying attention, until Vincent
kneeled down beside him and put a hand on the top of his left knee. Cloud
shuddered and closed his eyes, his voice soft and sounding as if he was talking
to himself.“There’s something missing. I’m . . . not
remembering something important. It’s – when he – it’s blank, but it’s
not. It’s so . . . familiar, and I don’t remember why! What had . . . ?”He looked at Vincent with pleading eyes. Vincent
didn’t know what he was supposed to say, or not say, but express. How should
he know what Cloud had experienced three years ago? Or was it even longer?
Vincent could only show his concern, and squeezed Cloud’s knee gently in
comfort.Cloud’s hand came up and the long fingers caressed the
side of Vincent’s cheek. “God, I’m sorry, Vince,” he let out a
frustrated sigh. “Really, why did you have to follow me to the General’s
tent?”Because I don’t trust Sephiroth. Because otherwise you
would have been in much deeper shit than you already are. Because it was a wild
hunch. Because of many many unreasonable reasons that I couldn’t possibly tell
you right now. Vincent shook his head, only drawing a capital T on top of
Cloud’s still bloodstained pants. Because I’m a Turk, Cloud. Because I’m a
Turk.He laid forehead down on top of Cloud’s thighs. Cloud
said nothing move, but wove a hand through Vincent’s short hair, gripping onto
the roots in the fashion of raking leaves. It was soothing, and Vincent closed
his eyes, willing himself to stop thinking about who was supposed to comfort
whom and why did this felt more like the closing of an era than a mere fight. He
didn’t know whether to take it as the beginning of the end, or the end of the
beginning.They stayed like so until the sun had begun to climb
westward, and the noises of preparation for the evening meal seeped through the
fabrics of the barrack walls. Vincent lifted his head, and found himself meeting
Cloud’s candid gaze. Vincent smiled helplessly, straightening himself up and
offering a hand to the blonde. Cloud took it, and they both turned to look at
the door flap. It was a Friday and they needed to be present at the evening
service.Cloud put his head on Vincent’s shoulder. “Did it
hurt?”Vincent shook his head. Cloud let out a chuckle, “Not
your nose. You’ll deny it even if it does, I bet. I mean,” he tapped
Vincent’s breastbone. “Here.”Vincent swung an arm around Cloud. He shook his head
again, once. Cloud shifted, turning and reaching to place a small kiss onto the
side of his neck.“I’m sorry,” the blonde reiterated.Vincent held him tighter.
