SERIES NOTES

This universe differs from the compilation canon in the following ways:

Angeal, Genesis, and Lazard do not exist

Events of Crisis Core did not happen

Events of The First Soldier didn't happen

SOLDIER/the Shinra security forces in general have a military rank structure that is as follows:

Security Forces(troopers) Private Corporal Sergeant Master Sergeant Sergeant Major

SOLDIER Third Class: Lieutenant Captain

Second Class: Major Lieutenant Colonel Colonel

First Class: Major General Lieutenant General General/Commander General    Relevant Units 1st Security Brigade: 1st SOLDIER Unit "Dragon Fire" - Sephiroth and Zack's unit in Wutai. Sephiroth takes command of the whole brigade afterward and this unit is retired 2nd SOLDIER Unit "Green Blood" - SOLDIER training unit, headed by Zack in First Class and beyond 13th SOLDIER Unit "Ragnarok" - Major General Garner's unit. I stole this one from canon, but only in name.

2nd Security Brigade: 2nd Battalion, Delta Company - Unit Kunsel was part of in Wutai prior to joining SOLDIER

Run Through the Jungle He cursed whoever had decided to assign Fair to his command.

Casualty Sephiroth wasn't just his commander, he was his friend - or at least Zack hoped he would be, even though there was probably a ways to go to get there - and Zack would not leave anyone to die, most of all a friend.

Deliberation Little by little Zack was infiltrating his defenses and he was powerless to stop him.

Climbing the Walls "I'm sick and tired of trying to get you to talk to me, so you know what? I'm done. If I'm nothing more than another SOLDIER to you then fine, that's what I'll be."

The Nature of Fire Wutai was burning.

Morale I know you think it's stupid, but I got you something anyway.

Insubordination Sephiroth looked at Zack, who looked as if he was enjoying the SOLDIER’s suffering immensely. “Tear gas?”

Old Sword “I didn’t take you for the sentimental type."

Promotion “I have something for you.” Extras: Unspoken And the words he hadn’t said lingered there unspoken between them.  I want it to stop. Me too, Zack, he thought. Me too. Fine Art There was another slight smile on Sephiroth’s face. “Thank you for breakfast.”

The Truth "Man, Hojo's gonna kick your ass."

Incident Sephiroth was overcome by a distinct feeling of dread.

Important Things He looked perfectly normal; there was no indication on the outside of the turmoil that was going on inside him.

Friend "Why do you…do things like this?"

Saturday Night "You look like a 5 gil whore."

For The Long Run "There's no way you're gonna make me leave."

Concern He figured Zack would talk his ear off about everything and nothing, as he usually did when they traveled anywhere for missions. But instead, Zack had decided he would make a good pillow.

Gift "I hate…Yule."

Rat in a Maze "I don't know why you let him do that to you."

Therapy "Did you not say that I could speak to you about anything at anytime? What makes you think that you do not have the same right?"

The Perils of Cooking Frowning, he threw the offending onion in the sink and sat down on the floor.

Harsh Words "Perhaps you should find another sparring partner."

Memory The cold needles slid into his veins, sending fire raging through him.

Idol "I thought you said you brought me here to make up for being a jerk, not to continue being one."

Ribbon "You'd be the prettiest Shinra employee. Even that hot chick over in the clinic would have nothin' on you."

Sick Day He knew he had work to do, but screw Shinra; he was going to help his friend.

Elitist "I merely appreciate a quality individual."

Broken Hearted Sephiroth stood in silence as his only friend cried his heart out.

Friend of a Friend "Corporal Strife, may I have a word?"

Like A Flower She was treating him just as she would anyone else, as if he was nothing special. It was very nice.

Bright Red The entire scene was playing back in his head like a song on repeat; the blood, the cries, the feeling of Zack's body trembling from the pain.

Follow Me "Will you follow me?" "Through hell and back again."

Vacation The stress was starting to get to him again and if he didn't find a way to be rid of it soon, there were likely to be casualties.

Cleaning The condition of Zack's apartment reminded him very much of a war zone, complete with flying projectiles.

Things Left Unsaid “You sound tired. You’ve been working too hard again, because I’m not around to stop you, haven’t you?”

Simple Things Sephiroth muttered something under his breath, that Zack couldn’t really understand, but it sounded an awful lot like “I’m going to die”.

The Violin "I’m merely keeping this until the day its owner comes back for it."

Absence He couldn’t imagine coming home after a long day of work and not finding Zack there waiting for him.

Home Sephiroth had never had a home.

Going Back “Call me Zack.” He extended his hand. Avery looked at it for a second, then took it. “Kunsel.”

53 Seconds Sephiroth’s movements were elegant, slow, flowing into each other, a modification of the normal katana drills, to accommodate the length and change in balance of Masamune. It was mesmerizing. 

Lunch Break But Zack had gone through the trouble to bring him lunch, so the least he could do was eat it. So, he picked it up, trying his best to ignore the unknown condiment mixture already oozing onto his hands, and took a bite.

Comfort “So nothing happened? I don’t have to murder anyone?”

Fascinating Zack had a fascinating face.  Extras: Crying Shame There was no way he would ever be that good. He could barely even handle his fucking sword anymore. Why the hell had Sephiroth chosen him as his second when the obvious better choice was right there? Making Sephiroth laugh and smile in a way he’d never seen… It was a wonder Sephiroth even looked his way. Rematch “Activating combat mode!” a robotic female voice announced. Zack glared at the screen. “Who left that damn thing on?”

Chapter One And Sephiroth had turned his back on him again, looking up at that hideous creature, muttering softly like he was speaking to it. Pausing like it was speaking back to him.

Then, through the haze of pain, Zack finally understood. It was. Chapter Two But he had failed. He hadn’t accounted for Zack, and that had been his biggest mistake. Chapter Three Somewhere between waking and sleep, he remembered the words Zack had said in the reactor, that had shot through the darkness of Jenova’s influence like a ray of brilliant light. The words that had saved him. Chapter Four Somehow, this felt right, like a piece that, after being missing all this time, had fallen into place. And he felt something he’d never truly felt before: peace. Chapter Five He watched the rest of the tension in Sephiroth ebb away, listened to his breathing become deeper, and felt kind of like a magician. It was pretty amazing that he could bring his dearest friend this much comfort with just a simple touch. Chapter Six Zack was hit with the thought that no other person on the whole planet had ever seen Sephiroth like that. Chapter Seven “I wasn’t sure I’d ever see you smile like that again,” Zack said, suddenly serious. 

“You may take all the credit for this one.” Chapter Eight It was hopeless. Fighting only brought pain. So much pain. And even though he fought, she was winning.

She would have him again. She would force him to hurt Zack and Kunsel and everyone else. That flaming meteor would destroy the world. Chapter Nine Zack sniffed, and he felt his shaky exhale of breath. “I’m so pissed at you right now.” Zack pressed another kiss to the base of his neck. “Really fucking pissed…”

Chapter Ten But now there was someone else here in his apartment, on his couch, someone who wasn’t afraid of him, though he had every reason to be. Someone who cared.

Chapter Eleven He felt tears slip down his cheeks as that wound opened inside him, a dark abyss ready to swallow every part of him. In Nibelheim, he had surrendered himself to it, let it take what was left of him after those endless days and nights he’d spent discovering his inhumanity, devouring word after word that affirmed every horrid thing he had ever felt, had ever thought, had ever done. Eventually, those words had all bled into one.

Monster.

Chapter Twelve The look on Sephiroth’s face was so soft, so adoring that Zack almost couldn’t believe he wasn’t dreaming. Somehow he’d extracted that look from under the miles of ice and stone that Sephiroth wore like armor. Chapter Thirteen And he dreamt; not of the labs, or drowning in mako, or flames, but of a field of yellow flowers under a cloudless blue sky, the warmth of the sun against his skin, distant birdsong. And he was happy. Chapter Fourteen “There were…extraneous variables I did not consider,” Hojo had said after Sephiroth had deemed his experiment a failure.

The experiment wasn’t over. Chapter Fifteen Sephiroth stirred with a soft groan and his arms wrapped around Zack and, to Zack’s surprise, so did the wing and for a moment, cocooned in the soft blackness, nothing else existed, not the glass in his knees, not the nasty Jenova goop soaking into his uniform, not his blackened veins. Just Sephiroth.

Chapter Sixteen A perfect black feather was in the exact center of the coffee table, almost like it’d been left there for him. Zack smiled and relaxed. If he knew Sephiroth at all, and he did, that was exactly why he’d put it there.

And from it, and the sight of Kunsel asleep in the armchair under one of Sephiroth’s other blankets, he knew everything was alright.

Chapter Seventeen Sephiroth laid his hand on the single paper on the table. “I need you to give some information to Major General Garner today at precisely 14:45.”

Chapter Eighteen An open meadow that stretched on seemingly forever, fireflies dancing amidst the wildflowers, brilliant in the twilight, the distant sound of birds greeting the night and the occasional croak of a frog and chirping of crickets.

His Promised Land.

He fell to his knees as the walls holding everything in crumbled and the tumultuous sea of emotions washed over him. And his sobs joined the cacophony.

Chapter One As soon as he’d walked in, this place had felt like home. It was perfect. He’d almost started crying right there in front of the real estate person.

Now it was theirs, a place he could start a new life with his tiny, but wonderful, self-made family. And as he set down his small amount of stuff in their bedroom, he finally cried. 

Chapter Two “Will you cut my hair?” Sephiroth said, before he could lose his nerve.

Chapter Three Zack had the warm fuzzies. Someone had cared about Sephiroth before he’d been around, had tried to make him feel welcome.

“Garner, man, I wanna hug you right now,” Zack said.

Chapter Four “After last time…when I cut you out of my life…” He closed his eyes, turning his head slightly into Isaac’s hand. “I should not have. It’s been almost three years…” He shook his head.

“Hey,” Isaac said. “I’m here now, aren’t I?”

Chapter Five He ran to the door and tugged it open, and sure enough, there was Cloud on the other side, hair hidden under a beanie, a military issue pack on his back. Zack didn’t even let him get a word out before he threw his arms around him and pulled him close against his chest.

Chapter Six He felt something press against his skin to the left of his spine from the inside, then some of the worst pain he’d ever felt erupted from that spot as his skin ripped open and something forced its way out with a splatter of blood on the ground.

He turned and gaped. It was a wing, smaller than Sephiroth’s, blue on top, blood-tinged white on the bottom.

Chapter Seven “You better not have just apologized to me for not being happy right now,” Kunsel said, but his voice was gentle and filled with the same pain that had been on his face. “No clue where you got the idea that you have to be happy all the time. You’re allowed to not be the hero, you don’t have to ignore your own pain for everyone else. Always trying to save everyone, but goddess forbid you let yourself be saved for once.”

Chapter Eight If he’d doubted how much Sephiroth loved him, and for how long—some of the finished drawings were dated—there was no way he could anymore when faced with the evidence right there on the floor in front of him. This was the proof of Sephiroth’s love. Undeniable.

Chapter Nine “Go away!” Zack glared at the offending limb and poked it a couple of times. “Away! Gone! Bye!”

It had the audacity to flap a little, but definitely did not go back to wherever it came from. He wanted to put a shirt on damnit. 

“Come on, man…”

Chapter Ten “I require your assistance.”

“Huh…?” Kunsel blinked a few times and sat up straighter.

“I understand that you are supposed to present someone with a…token when asking them to marry you,” Sephiroth said. “But I don’t know what is appropriate or where to get such a thing.”

Chapter Eleven Kunsel shivered and curled up more. “Come on, man…”

“That’s my line.”

“If you get to put your cold extremities on me, then I get to have your line.”

Chapter Twelve Sephiroth inhaled sharply and there was a low sort of growl in his throat when he breathed out. “I will hunt Hojo down and drag him from whatever hole he’s hiding in and tear him apart for daring to put his hands on you,” Sephiroth said, that growl in his voice too.

Chapter Thirteen The highway was virtually empty, and he was making good time, idly watching the passing signs and thinking. Until one caught his attention. An exit sign.

Nibelheim

Chapter Fourteen Through the closed door, he heard the beep and hum of lab machines and he felt him. Sephiroth. But something was different. The feel of him was fading like it had when Sephiroth had been driving away from him. But he knew Sephiroth was there behind that door.

Then it hit him all at once. He was feeling Sephiroth dying.

Chapter Fifteen Sephiroth smiled fondly. He had missed Zack so much, had screamed internally for him over and over through the pain — apologies, pleas for help, professions of love he could never say aloud. Then he’d heard Zack’s voice, felt his touch. Somehow Zack had responded to his calls, come to save him again. 

Chapter Sixteen Kunsel heaved a weary sigh. “I’m just glad you’re alive, man.”

Chapter Seventeen “Would it help if I stayed up? Kept watch while you sleep?”

“That sounds ridiculous.” Sephiroth shook his head at himself, at how some of the anxiety eased at just the suggestion.

“Would it, though?”

“…yes.”

Chapter Eighteen “You should be a cook, too,” Zack said around a bite of carrot. “Cook slash bartender slash secret hacker spy.”

Kunsel laughed. “Still not a thing.”

“Yet.”

Chapter Nineteen There was a moment of silence, then they both started to speak at the same time and stopped abruptly.

Zack rubbed the back of his neck with an awkward laugh. “You first.”

Chapter Twenty “Bad dream?”

“No…I was in space,” Sephiroth said. “Now I see why.”

Zack pouted. “I wish I had cool space dreams.” Chapter Twenty One “I’ve got you,” Isaac murmured. 

Memories flashed through his mind at those words. The excruciating pain, followed by warm relief, hands holding both of his, Isaac’s voice, knowing that the people he loved had come for him, that he wasn’t going to die alone. He curled closer to Isaac, pressed his forehead to his neck.

Chapter Twenty Two Zack performed a much more subdued version of a victory dance. “I’m getting maaaaaarrieeeeeed~”

Chapter Twenty Three That was not at all what Zack had expected, and something he hadn’t even thought about. “You want my name?”

“It is much better than the alternatives, the name of a man I detest or a woman I never knew.”

Zack pouted. “You sure know how to make a guy feel special.’’

Sephiroth gave him a fond look. “I want it because it’s yours, because it means I have a family, that there is somewhere I belong.”