Chapter Text
Cloud shouldn’t have been as surprised as he was when Sephiroth led him above the plate. He was surprised when the man was very insistent on paying for his train ticket (“Consider it part of my tip.”) but he was learning that Sephiroth wasn’t exactly the person he seemed to be.
Cloud hadn’t been above the plate since he first got to Midgar years ago. He could readily admit that he was excited—he hadn’t seen the sun in years, and he missed Sunna, no matter how much he prayed to her to still feel close. But the ride up was spoiling it. Everyone on the train kept looking at them, and it made Cloud feel uncomfortable and self-conscious. He straightened his second-hand clothes a few times nervously (which Sephiroth noticed and kept quiet about, regardless of how endearing it might have been—not that he would admit to it being endearing), very aware of how cheap they were in comparison to Sephiroth’s strange leather get-up.
He leaned over to hiss, “Why is everyone looking over here? Are you famous or something?”
Sephiroth couldn’t keep the amusement off his face when he said, “That’s a word for it.”
Cloud pulled back to look at him like he had six heads, but Sephiroth just continued to look ahead, not making eye contact with him.
He sincerely hoped he was just fucking with him.
He couldn’t actually be famous, right?
He second-guessed himself about that the entire rest of the ride up.
The staring didn’t get any better above ground, but he noticed it less. When they got off the train, Cloud stopped and shut his eyes, taking a deep breath that was interrupted when Sephiroth pulled him out of the way so other passengers could disembark. He finished his long breath, enjoying the sweet, clean(er) air, and looked up, a soft smile lighting his face.
Hail Sunna, may my days be bright long after you are out of sight.
Eventually, he looked back to Sephiroth, who raised an eyebrow at him. He shrugged, but his cheeks began to burn.
“It’s been a long time since I was above the plate.”
“How long is a long time?”
“Years. I’m not sure how many.”
Sephiroth began walking, expecting Cloud to fall in beside him. Cloud didn’t appreciate the presumption, but did so anyway.
“Did you used to live above plate?”
“No, the last time I was here was when I first got to Midgar.”
“You’re not from here, then.”
“No, I’m from a little village in the mountains called Nibelheim on the Western Continent.”
“I’m familiar with the town, I’ve been a few times. Is that where you learned…” Sephiroth waved his hand vaguely, “this?”
Cloud snorted.
“Well, I sure didn’t learn it here.”
“Is it a common cultural thing, there? I don’t recall seeing shrines like yours when I visited.”
“You wouldn’t have, my family were the only shamans.”
“Shamans?”
Cloud shrugged, saying, “That’s what we’ve always called ourselves.”
Sephiroth hummed.
“So the town is without a shaman now that you’re here, or do you have relatives who stayed?”
“No, they’re without now, and there’s no one left to teach them the traditions but the spirits, and I’m not sure that they would help.”
“Isn’t that a bad situation? What if they need you?”
“That’s their problem. They didn’t want me in town anymore, so I left. They’ll have to live with the consequences.”
It was slightly more nuanced than that, given that the whole situation was retribution from the spirits, taking away everything he had to force him to move forward. But kicking him out of town was still their action, and Cloud didn’t feel bad that they would have to deal with the repercussions.
“Harsh, but fair.”
“That could be Nibelheim’s motto, honestly.”
Sephiroth gave a little puff of laughter but let them lapse into silence. Cloud was grateful, it gave him a chance to appreciate the sun and sky and not-stale air as they walked.
Eventually, they began to approach a truly massive building.
“I forgot they even made them this big,” Cloud mumbled as they got closer. He missed the tiny upturn of Sephiroth’s lips.
“Have you ever been in a building this tall?”
“Not once.”
“This will be interesting for you, then.”
Cloud walked inside and saw the large Shinra logo on the wall. He stutter-stepped, freezing for half a second in surprise, looking quickly between the sign and Sephiroth, who didn’t seem to notice his moment of surprise.
He didn’t realize that Sephiroth worked for Shinra. Much less that he lived there!
The secretary at the front desk politely said, “Sephiroth,” as they walked by.
Sephiroth said, “Linda,” without so much as looking at her, which Cloud found to be rather rude, but he didn’t push the matter.
He followed close on Sephiroth’s heels as the man led them through a maze of hallways that quickly lost Cloud before bringing them to an elevator. Cloud had only actually been in an elevator a handful of times and wondered how long it would take for them to get where they were going in a building that big.
When they got inside, the elevator was thankfully empty. Which was good, because that meant only Sephiroth saw Cloud stumble under the impressive speed the elevator took off at after Sephiroth punched the button for 70 of all things.
Just who was he?
Sephiroth led them to a door far down the hall which he opened with by tapping a plastic card to a panel, and Cloud felt wildly out of place. He hadn’t even known that was a thing.
Sephiroth’s apartment was pristine in appearance, but Cloud almost sunk under the weight of the energy in the place. He was almost relieved for it—this, he knew. This, he understood. The work was familiar, even if the surroundings were strange.
Cloud couldn’t help the way his nose wrinkled as he entered, saying, “Yeah, I’ve got my work cut out for me.”
Cloud pulled the backpack off his shoulders and rested it on a counter after getting a quick nod of approval from Sephiroth, where he pulled out his supplies. He wished, now that he was here, that he had brought his drum regardless of the hassle of transport—he could use it. Instead, he began humming and walking through the apartment. He guided his hands through the air above objects to feel for Jenova’s taint, listening for where the sound of his humming bounced back, but with the echo sounding wrong. He took mental note of these places (the bed, the stove, the front door, all of the mirrors, the singular framed painting) and returned to his supplies on the counter.
He pulled out a box of matches and the juniper stick, lighting it quickly. He prayed beneath his breath to Aegir and Juniper and Midgar, that they might help his work, between breaths where he blew on the juniper to encourage the spark. He began to go around the apartment recaning the space, singing galdr as he went. He chose the rune-notes carefully. Eiwaz for protection, algiz for defense, sowilo for the sun’s bright light in the darkness, kenaz for cleansing fire, ansuz for the aid of the gods, dagaz for the new beginning of dawn. He sang as he went, letting it build around him, not caring if Sephiroth’s neighbors overheard him. When he stopped to draw breath, he blew one out over the juniper, encouraging the embers and giving it the aid of his ond. He walked from room to room, tracing the outline of each to make sure he got into all the corners, even inside his closet, until he was satisfied that the area was clean. He had forgotten, by this point, that Sephiroth was there at all, despite the fact that the man was trailing him throughout the process.
Cloud went back to his bag and poured the last of the sea water into the ceramic cup he’d made specifically for doing work in a client’s home. He dipped the juniper in it to douse the flame and muttered a thank you to its spirit before setting it down on his bag. He then went around to each of the spots he had felt out earlier and, at each, dipped his finger into the cup. With the sea water, he drew a bindrune on each spot, blowing his ond onto it to charge it. Along with each spot he marked, he did the windows and all the doorways. It was easier to do the galdr this way, where he didn’t have to stop to blow on the juniper every other breath, and he got louder as he went. He ended with the front door gladly, as there was only a drop left in the cup at that point. He thanked each of the spirits he had called on and set the cup aside.
“I don’t have incense for you to light, but you need to thank the spirits aloud anyway.”
“I already thanked them.”
“You thanked them for their help the first time. This is a separate working.”
With no more argument, Cloud led him through prayers of thanks to each spirit.
The work being concluded, Cloud gathered his belongings.
“You should be good now,” he said as he packed. “I’ve cleansed the area and sealed the spiritual entrances. If she manages to get back in, though, she’ll be pissed. The first sign of activity, you come back to me and I’ll take care of it, but be sure you come quickly. Things will escalate fast if it comes to that.”
“How likely do you think that will be?”
“Honestly? Not very, but she was stubborn. I’m not sure she’ll let it go. Your apartment is locked down though, so even if she tries her damnedest, it will take her a while to get in. We’ll just have to see how it goes.”
“Hopefully she lets it lie.”
“Hopefully. If she’s determined, she’ll strong arm her way in eventually. Just keep an eye and an ear out. It’s nothing that can’t be fixed if she does.”
“You’re very confident.”
Cloud shrugged, saying, “The spirits I work with are stronger than she is, and they do the heavy lifting. I’m just the channel they come through.”
“I thought you were the one doing the work.”
“I am, but the power isn’t mine. I just borrow it sometimes.”
“I’m grateful, regardless. It will be nice to get some uninterrupted sleep.”
“I bet,” Cloud said, shouldering his bag. “You have my number if you need me?”
“I have your business card, is that your number?”
“Yeah.”
“You give out your personal number to clients? Isn’t that a bad idea?”
Cloud shrugged again.
“I can’t afford a second PHS, so it’s really my only option. It’s worked out fine so far.”
Sephiroth frowned, but let it slide.
“Let me walk you down, then.”
“Thanks.”
When they left, there was a dark-haired man leaning against his own doorway slightly down the hall and across it. Sephiroth nodded to him, and he nodded back, and Cloud was steered off toward the elevator. He couldn’t help but be a little amused that Sephiroth would have to explain why he had some stranger singing loudly in his apartment.
He was, however, glad that the man had heard him and didn’t just see him leaving Sephiroth’s apartment. He didn’t need anyone thinking he was Sephiroth’s booty call.
And then he realized that was likely what the entire building thought.
His face turned red, but Sephiroth politely didn’t point it out.
The elevator went just as fast on the way down as it had on its way up, but Cloud managed not to stumble this time. Linda let them pass the desk without a word this time, though Cloud came to a stop outside the front doors.
“I can find my way from here. I want to enjoy the sun and the air a bit on my way home.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I am. Call me if you need me, but I hope you won’t. If you still feel like you aren’t fully in your body yet, you can call me for that too.”
“You can fix that?”
“It’d be team work. Like me steering you while you walk. But yeah, yeah I can.”
“I thought you just did hauntings.”
“I do a bit of everything. If it’s spiritual, chances are I’ve done it at least once.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Cool. I’m gonna head out, then. Either put my number in your phone or don’t lose that card.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
Cloud waved briefly, and then headed off.
Sephiroth watched him go.
“So, who was that?” Zack asked, following Sephiroth into his apartment without being invited.
“A shaman.”
“A shaman?”
“He also calls himself a medium, if that helps. He’s the recommendation I got from your store to take care of my spirit problem.”
“So it’s taken care of, then? I can be in here without being freaked out?”
“You can.”
“Thank gods,” Zack said, wandering in to lean against the back of the couch. He folded his arms over his chest and stared at Sephiroth, who stared back.
After a long moment, he said, “What?”
“He was cute.”
Sephiroth blinked.
“I can give you his number, if you’d like?”
“Nah, man, he’s not my type. He is yours, though.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“What are you implying?”
“That he’s cute, and that we both know you’ve noticed.”
“That’s unprofessional, Zackary.”
“He’s your shaman, not your boss. I don’t really think there are rules here.”
“He’s still a person I hired. It would be inappropriate to come onto him.”
“Why don’t you let him decide that? If you try and he shoots you down, then, well, at least you know.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Want me to do it for you?”
“Zack, I’m not saying no out of a lack of courage, but out of a sufficient level of ethics.”
“C’mon, do you even remember the last time you went on a date?”
When Sephiroth answer with silence, Zack continued, “Listen, just text him, ask if he wants to get coffee or something. As a thank you. See how it goes when you’re not in a business setting.”
Sephiroth answered with more silence. He was hoping it came off as imposing and not that he was considering it, which he was.
Unfortunately, Zack knew him better than that.
He grinned, clapped Sephiroth on the shoulder, and said, “Good man.”
To: Cloud Strife: I feel I owe you another thank you. Would you like to get coffee?
From: Cloud Strife: Sounds good to me. When and where?