Day Two

🍐🍐 PEARS 🍐🍐

   ✲꘏ ꘏ ꘏ ꘏ ꘏ ꘏ ꘏✲

As the last rays of the setting sun swam through the frosted glass of the makeshift medical facility, an almost tangible sense of ‘knowing’ began to overwhelm its patients. Tonight, no doctors or nurses were present, even though the various piles of tools and equipment seemed to be suspended in motion, as if they were only moments ago being rationed out among an overwhelming crowd. That crowd was no longer here or anywhere to be seen. In fact, these barracks had been effectively evacuated, leaving only two to remain with a pretense of defending this last bastion, this pillar of operations of what used to be called Base Camp. Cloud hoisted himself up from his bed, propping himself up on his elbows to search for the only other pair of eyes that were left to meet him in all of the northern district of what used to be their home. This realization, unlike the others, was the easiest of them all for Cloud Strife to accept.

“It’s a beautiful evening.” The words were soft and almost like a blanket to Cloud and the paralysis of his spiraling panic. It was a simple observation that Sephiroth didn’t need to address verbally, which made it all the more obvious that it was primarily for Cloud’s comfort. “I’m surprised you wanted to stay down here. I could still bring you up to the roof if you wanted to see the tail end of sunset.”

Cloud sighed, appreciating the dimensions of the General’s gentle affection that he’d been too busy to notice in the same way before. He rolled his head back to look at the ceiling instead of the wheelchair that he’d glanced at from habit after hearing Sephiroth make the offer—once again and for the final time. 

No, Cloud thought, I want to be here with you, in the same special way we were when we first met. I want to be equal to you as I was then, now. I want to be…

He swallowed. Cloud blamed his survival instinct for the way his heart clung to impossible ideas, like a life where he belonged to the man before him, all fantasies that his biology was building up to try and convince Cloud Strife not to give in to the defeat awaiting him at the the end of the War that was fast approaching them, and whoever else was left behind. 

“It’s nicer here, I think.” Cloud laughed a little at himself, thinking a little in disbelief how funny it was that a place that had so often felt like prison now felt the most like home. “Do you remember the first time we met?”

Cloud had known all about Sephiroth. There wasn’t much of a story he could say that wouldn’t have been humiliating. Without anything to lose anymore, Cloud had finally found the courage to ask questions he’d been wondering in all the time since they had first—truly—met.

“Of course.” The sincere smile in Sephiroth’s voice was audible. Cloud didn’t need to stare into the shadow behind the door frame where Sephiroth stood at attention, on guard, to see it. “I cherish it.”

There was a pause before Cloud continued. “What did you think?”

Their first shared memory was in the forest overnight on a reconnaissance mission, late at night when the rest of camp had been asleep, recuperating for whatever their next day might have brought. Cloud had skirted off and away from the group to take some time to himself, sitting towards the edge of one of the many rocky outcrops that overlooked the raging water that covered the noise of their camp. Cloud had been saving his last can of rationed pears, carrying it with him for just the right kind of opportunity where he could enjoy his favorite treat in the peace of nature, somewhere he could forget the reality of war for just a moment, long enough to steel himself to whatever duty he was to perform next.

Cloud, however, did not realize that his commanding officer had noticed, and had trailed behind to make sure that Cloud wasn’t a danger, or worse, a spy. Upon Sephiroth’s discovery that Cloud was nothing close to a threat, that he had only wanted to enjoy his prize, Sephiroth was invited by Cloud to share in his spoils, so long as the two could talk and reminisce alone together, under a clear night sky of stars and the privacy of the thick of the woods. What was normally a dessert of canned pears that Cloud could enjoy in minutes had somehow turned into over an hour of back and forth between Cloud and the man he’d most admired.

“That I’d never tasted a pear so sweet.” The reply was instant, confident, showing no signs of wavering even when he was certainly more aware than anyone else just how close the curtain was to falling on their necks. Cloud could hear the sound of Sephiroth’s worn boots creaking against the floor as Sephiroth approached him.

Cloud fished around his bed for a moment before finally collecting the can of pears that he’d been saving for them to share this last time, although he hadn’t thought he would use it like this—Cloud had thought more that they would share it before their superiors would send Cloud Strife back home to retire due to his injury. Cloud rubbed away the sand that somehow managed to find its way into the grooves of the lid before pulling up the tab, the metal making a distinct pop as the vibrant, almost tropical smell of its contents seemed to fill the entire room. Sephiroth was close enough now that Cloud could ask him to sit beside him. He did, politely sitting further away towards the foot of the bed, waiting silently for Cloud to announce his terms as he had that first moment they’d shared together.

“Stay right here with me tonight.” Cloud was shaking slightly but acceptance washed over him as soon as Sephiroth’s shadow consumed his own. “Please.”

Sephiroth took Cloud’s free hand into his with a strong and certain grip, brushing Cloud’s palm with the back of his thumb reassuringly. He nodded.