In Sleep
By S.J. Kohl

Zack/Sephiroth
Rating: NC-17, overall.
Disclaimer: Not mine, not mine, not mine.

Summary: Sephiroth has an unusual request to make of Zack. He says he's been sleepwalking, and he just needs someone to sleep in his room him and make sure he stays in one place. But what's really going on?

Warnings: AU, violence, death, self-mutilation, adult themes, yaoi, sex, trauma, experimentation, Uke Sephiroth, angst, language.

Zack knocked on the door and resisted the urge to bang his head against the cinderblock wall. Sephiroth's apartment. He'd just knocked on the door to General Sephiroth's apartment. What was he thinking? He might be a Soldier Second Class, but he was only fifteen years old, barely older than the youngest cadets, hardly more than a sniveling brat in the eyes of someone like Sephiroth. That wasn't to say he hadn't earned his rank, damn it—he'd worked damn hard to make Soldier!—but still…that wasn't the point. The point was, what in Odin's name was he doing knocking on General Sephiroth's door after curfew?!

Zack took a deep breath and knocked again. He took another deep breath, trying to suck some oxygen back into his numb cheeks. He couldn't get them to stop tingling. He'd been invited. That was right. Invited. He wasn't here of his own accord. A note had been slipped under his door, telling him the General needed to see him and that it was too urgent to wait until morning. Zack shoved down any and all inappropriate thoughts as to what a man like the General could possibly want with an underage almost-cadet in the middle of the night, and knocked again.

Was the General even home? Zack pressed his ear up flat against the door. He didn't hear any movement inside, not even a breath of air. Maybe someone else had left the note, as a joke? But no, it had been pressed with the General's seal, and no one had access to that but Sephiroth. Anyone else caught using it…

Zack cut that line of thinking off as well. He didn't really want to know what might happen in that case. He raised his fist to knock again, but the lock clicked, and Zack had just enough time to scramble backwards before the door opened and he toppled inside and smacked against the General's chest. Zack looked up, and up, and up, forced his eyes to push past pale, sculpted chest muscles and leather straps and focus on the General's feral, sharp-featured face. He snapped to attention, shoulders straight and uniform mostly tugged into place. "Zackary Fair, Soldier Second Class, Sir. You wanted to see me, General Sephiroth, Sir?"

General Sephiroth stared, hair swaying slightly in a breeze that shouldn't exist in a climate-controlled area.

Zack blinked. Sephiroth looked young, a lot younger than Zack had ever imagined he would look. Oh, he'd seen the General before, of course, but only from a distance, and intellectually he knew Sephiroth was only twenty-one years old, but he'd just never imagined that General Sephiroth could look so…soft…around the edges. There was something in his eyes Zack couldn't quite define. They were a bright green, like grass after a spring rain, and they were wider than he'd pictured, but there was something in them, something… Zack blinked again. "Sir?"

Sephiroth cocked an eyebrow and brushed a strand of silver hair out of his face. "I said, why don't you come in, Soldier."

"Yes, Sir," Zack nodded, stepping into the room as Sephiroth backed out of the way. He didn't return to attention. Instead, he fell into position with his legs shoulder-width apart and his hands clasped behind his back. He didn't move far from the door that closed behind him. What was he supposed to do, just go collapse on the General's couch? Although… Zack eyed the dark gray leather contraption in the far corner of the room. It was one of those huge couches that span more than one wall, and it looked like it was made of butter. Zack swallowed as the General took a seat at one corner of the couch.

General Sephiroth, still dressed in that uncomfortable-looking uniform even this far past curfew, didn't say anything. He just sat there and stared at Zack. His eyes traveled minutely, flicked up from Zack's feet to his hair, and then back down again.

Zack shifted his feet a little, but he didn't say anything either. It wasn't really his place to talk, and he did have the patience to observe some rules. Despite popular opinion, he had a pretty healthy sense of self-preservation. He had to know exactly where he was standing before he did things like bounce rubber-band balls off the heads of superior officers. Zack suppressed a wince, remembering just how that particular incident had turned out. Perhaps his sense of self-preservation was just a trifle off. He might need to work on that.

Finally, Sephiroth stirred and spoke. "You're Angeal Hewley's student?"

"Yes, Sir."

Sephiroth crossed one leg over the other and beckoned for Zack to take a couple steps closer. "He speaks very highly of you."

"Thank you, Sir."

Sephiroth studied Zack for a few minutes longer, his eyes lingering on shoulders and arms, on the strength of his stance and the way he held his balance.

Zack cleared his throat, unable to stand it any longer. "Sir?"

Sephiroth leaned back, allowing the warm, soft grip of the leather to ease the ache in his back. Then he leveled a tired glare at Zack. "Yes, Soldier?"

Zack licked his lips and shifted his weight again. He looked around the room. There was a painting hanging over the couch, some kind of grayscale abstract, and there were a few other pieces hung on the white walls here and there. There was the couch, of course, and the glass coffee table in front of it, a small black table at either end, and another he'd noticed by the door as he came in. There was a chair that matched the couch, and a large flat screen television on one wall, and the floor was made of gray and white tile, and it looked cold. Zack finally settled his gaze on Sephiroth, knowing the respectful thing to do was to look down, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. It was after eleven. Curfew had hit over an hour ago, and, as far as he knew, the middle of the night wasn't exactly a conventional time for assignments or the like. It seemed terribly suspect. But...who said no to Sephiroth? Zack grimaced. Maybe that was the point. "Sir," Zack said, his voice quieter than usual. "Is there a reason you…invited me over?"

Sephiroth snorted inwardly, though his outward expression remained deadpan. The word invited was certainly misleading. It had been an order, even if it had been phrased rather…politely. That had been a courtesy toward Zack; they both knew it wasn't his place to refuse. As another courtesy, Sephiroth definitely should have told the boy why he was here by this point. It certainly sounded…suspect. Yes, that was the word. Zack was young, too young, in fact, and he was trying to climb upward in the Soldier ranks. Sephiroth had the power to help him with that, if he so chose to do so, and Zack would, of course, know that. So…an order issued to a young Soldier, to present himself, alone, at the General's quarters in the middle of the night. The whole situation did not reflect at all well on Sephiroth. It went completely against every rule and regulation on the books, he had no doubt. Still, the boy hadn't flinched. He didn't even look nervous. Sephiroth couldn't quite figure the kid out. Most cadets and even new Soldiers looked up at him with that strange mixture of fear and worship haunting their eyes, and Zack was younger than most new Soldiers. Sephiroth looked the boy over again. There was no fear in his eyes. Interest, confusion, and a little bit of wariness, perhaps, but no fear. Sephiroth gestured to the other wing of the couch. "Sit down, Private Fair."

Shrugging, Zack moved to flop down onto the leather couch. He caught himself, though, before he sprawled out completely. This wasn't his room, after all. Still, he leaned back and made himself comfortable. He sighed happily. It was just as soft as he'd imagined it would be, and supple too. It conformed to the shape of his body, hugged him close so he knew he'd have no trouble falling asleep if he just let himself drift off for a moment. He sat in the corner, cross-legged, leaning half against the back of the couch and half against the arm. Zack turned to face Sephiroth again, and grinned. "Mission accomplished, General."

Sephiroth fought to keep from rolling his eyes. "I see. But can you perform that well in the field?"

Zack's grin didn't falter. "Occasionally. If Angeal offers the right treats and doesn't make me jump for them."

Sephiroth eyed Zack, keeping down his smile only with great effort. The boy had guts, and that could only be a good thing. He did wonder, though, what Zackary Fair would make of his…request. It was unusual at best, completely inappropriate in any case, and potentially fatal at worst. Zack was only Second Class, and that was certainly a potential hazard, but nerve and a refusal to freeze up were the most important qualities in regards to this particular mission, and Sephiroth had thought Zack the most capable Soldier out there, considering what he'd heard and what he'd seen just now. Perhaps Genesis and Angeal were better suited, being stronger and knowing him better, but he couldn't ask either of them so it didn't really matter. According to Angeal's reports, Zack was both stronger and faster than he should be, given his age and his Second Class mako levels, and he was intuitive, a natural strategist. He had his flaws, of course, but Sephiroth had the sneaking suspicion they would be more beneficial than anything in this situation. Sephiroth was the General, after all. He was feared, held in awe. Untouchable. In fact, everyone tried to stay as far away from him as possible, even when they were speaking directly with him. They wanted to be out of range, he supposed. And that was fine, usually, but right now he neededsomeone to keep close to him. Very close. And Zackary Fair had, in the space of a few moments, demonstrated a remarkable ability to be very free with himself in Sephiroth's presence. Under normal circumstances, Sephiroth would consider that to be an intolerable nuisance, but it might just come in handy right now. He didn't know Zackary Fair, didn't trust him, but... Sephiroth sighed. It was getting to the point where he had to trust someone. "Zackary…may I call you that?"

Zack nodded, slightly mystified. "Zack, actually."

"Zack, then." Sephiroth leaned over a little, toward Zack. "I have a rather…unusual…request to make of you."

Zack cocked his head to the side. "An order?"

"No" Sephiroth shook his head. He wouldn't make an order out of this. If Zack was going to do it, it would have to be of his own free will. And if he refused, well, Sephiroth would deal with the consequences as they arrived. "Just a request. You can refuse if you want to."

"I…" Zack took a deep breath, confused. He was only Second Class, and barely that. He'd just been promoted up from the cadets a few months ago, and, sure, he'd skipped Third Class entirely, but it wasn't like he was the only Soldier who'd ever done that. It happened occasionally. So, if the General was going to go asking for personal favors, why come to him? He was good, yeah, but he was no First Class. Not yet, anyway. "…Sir?"

"I'm serious, Zack. You don't have to do this. I'm asking you because I think you are well suited to my purposes and because I believe your presence would be quite beneficial, but I would never do anything to make you...uncomfortable. Besides, if you choose to accept this assignment, you can't afford to have any reservations, so if aren't you entirely certain, please tell me so. I'll be happy to let you go back to your room."

Zack's eyebrows drew together in confusion. A mission he'd be uncomfortable with, a personal favor to the General? He'd thought again for a second that there was something…suggestive…about the whole situation, but no. He didn't think there was. There was something earnest in Sephiroth's eyes, something almost desperate. Like he was worried about something. Afraid, even. And Zack had been through a lot of strange things already. Just last week Sephiroth had shoved him up against a wall and performed a full-body cavity search on him when Hojo had accused him of stealing classified documents from the lab. He hadn't even seen the General during the entire procedure, but he sure remembered how his hands felt. Of course, he had stolen the documents, but he'd been issued orders to do so, and he hadn't been stupid enough to keep them on his person for more than a few moments. Ergo, they hadn't been found. But anyway, if that hadn't made him uncomfortable, he wasn't entirely sure what would. Sure, he might be a little uneasy right now, but he wasn't afraid. Or uncomfortable, exactly. Still… Zack nodded, his smile ghosting away, almost like it had never been there. "I'll be honest, Sir. I promise."

"Good," Sephiroth took a deep breath. He looked away. It was time for the awkward part. "I…I need you to sleep with me."

Zack blinked, his eyebrows furrowed tight together again. He shook his head, hoping he'd heard wrong and fearing, just a little, that all those thoughts he'd had about the General asking him up here weren't too far off the mark after all. Not that it could be all bad, if that really was what Sephiroth was after. Zack looked at Sephiroth and…blushed. He shook his head, looked down for a second. When he looked back up, he thought…he thought General Sephiroth might be blushing too, just barely. "Umm," Zack bit out a slight laugh. "What was that you said?"

"I said… Oh." Sephiroth laughed this time, and passed a hand through his hair. "That didn't come out well at all, did it? What I meant was, I need you to sleep in the bed with me. That's all. Nothing...inappropriate, I assure you. I wouldn't ask, especially since we hardly know one another, but I cannot allow myself to sleep alone right now. I need someone here with me, and…" He stared hard at Zack. "It has to be a Soldier."

"But Sir…"

"It's just…it needs to be someone like you."

"Like me?" Zack leaned back a little, not quite sure what the General meant by that.

Sephiroth nodded. "Brash, confident, perfectly willing to disobey order and convention. And yet, also quite skilled and adaptable to any situation."

Zack opened his mouth. "I…thank you. Sir."

Sephiroth waved a hand dismissively. "I won't touch you, I promise. You could even sleep on the floor if you'd like, though I'll grant you it's not exactly comfortable, which is why I suggest we share the bed."

Zack shook his head. "No, it's just…what do you want me to do? And why? That is, if you don't mind me asking."

"I told you, it's an unusual request. And you have to be certain." Sephiroth sighed again. "Basically, I've been experiencing some unusual and uncontrollable…symptoms, lately. Sleepwalking, to be precise. Should you choose to assist me in this matter, I would need you to keep me in the room at night." Sephiroth swallowed. "By any means necessary."

Zack's eyes went wide. "Um…Sir? You uh, you realize I'm only a Second Class, right?"

Sephiroth nodded. "If I believed this assignment to be in any way beyond your skills to perform, Soldier, I would not ask."

"Then," Zack swallowed thickly, wondering just what kind of trouble he was getting himself into here. Still…what kind of idiot would turn down an opportunity like this? He couldn't help but feel just the tiniest bit excited. Check out the General's apartment, sleep in his bed, see what he's like when he's not on duty… Zack grinned. "I'll do it."