[it's almost comical how zack, SOLDIER, gets spooked by sephiroth's (seemingly) sudden arrival. he's holding up a few books in one arm that get absolutely jostled as he jumps. upon seeing that it's, in fact, sephiroth and not someone here to actually scold him (sephiroth could, but chances are he might spare zack from open judgement) helps him relax — albeit a little.]
Geez, man. Don't sneak up on people like that!
[it's a hushed-hiss kind of scolding, frowning and looking miffed in a way that doesn't run too deep.]
[his phone was open on the shelf before him, and zack sidesteps the books on the floor to put the books on his arm in some kind of order onto the surface. only then does he pocket his phone.]
—sorry. [he ends up saying, sighing as he slumps his shoulders.] This stuff's got me on edge.
[no one tell him that books are organised in a specific order]
[For as absurd as this entire situation is, somehow Sephiroth is not surprised. He's also not surprised that Zack is right in the middle of it.
Though at least he'll leave all the judgement for when Angeal finds out about it. Zack doesn't need twice the scalding. Him attempting to put everything back was probably punishment enough.]
What were you doing in here anyway?
[Which, no offense Zack, but Sephiroth did not see you as the type to spend time in a library.]
This area is not exactly suitable for training as no doubt you found out.
[With that last part he gestures around to all the books scattered everywhere.]
[absolutely no offense taken, is what he figures he would say if sephiroth spoke up the sentiment. instead, he continues putting the books in two at a time, before collecting more from the floor.]
Oh, I know.
[—that this place isn't suitable for training.]
[it takes him a few seconds of silence before he speaks up again, figuring that sephiroth's silence is worse than being outright interrogated over this. so, with a sigh that admits to defeat, zack elaborates,]
I wanted to check out a book, and I figured I could just reach for it like an animal instead of using the ladder. [one can tell that hindsight was, in fact, 20/20 for zack in this case.] And so everything kind of toppled over.
[what was the book about? well, all books are on the floor, except for three which lay atop the table opposite the shelves—some heavy tomes on gardening and particularities of horticulture, as well as an encyclopedia of all known plants in gaia.]
[Sephiroth leans down to pick up one of the books, glancing at the title and then looking at Zack with a rather quizzical gaze. But instead of bringing up the questions that were currently going through his head, he simply hands the book over.]
Perhaps if you wish to engage in that strategy next time, you should hope to grow taller first.
[That might possibly be a joke.
And before he too far with putting them away, though Sephiroth is really tempted to wait until he's almost finished ...]
Also Zack ... Putting the books back in the wrong order will be noticed. And probably questioned.
[zack hesitantly takes the book that sephiroth hands over, looking down at its cover and reminding himself through it why he went through all this trouble in the first place. he kind of expects the older man to ask, but — it also makes sense that he wouldn't. sephiroth was in many ways a private individual, and that also reflected itself in how he would do his utmost to respect other people's privacy. if he won't dig into their lives, no one else will see a need to do the same for his, right?]
Are you tryin' to be funny, man?
[he does look up at him though, with a slight grin at the obvious attempt at a joke. it was kind of funny — and for all that's happening? zack will take it.]
[shaking his head, zack sets the book aside and continues his diligent placement of the books, until sephiroth's statement has him stopping in mild confusion.]
[Sephiroth really has to resist the urge to sigh and press his face into the palm of his hand. He somehow manages to stay rather expressionless though he does stare at Zack for a few seconds.
Has he never been in a library??]
Yes. They have a system so that it's easier to find a particular book you're looking for. They should all be marked.
[That part will require reading, Zack. But Sephiroth at least has some faith that can be managed.
[listen, sephiroth, we can't all be intellectuals.]
Oh, so that's why they have stickers with numbers...
[zack stops to look at the spines of the books he's holding at the moment, then back at the ones already on the shelf. the numbers are definitely not in order. even without understanding of the library system, one would think that zack—perhaps—should have made something out of the numbers. he starts organizing the ones that he already has up, carefully studying the other shelves.]
[he decides to sit on his haunches and pick out books from the floor. he holds a few out for sephiroth to take. because obviously sephiroth will help him! the ones he hands over go together with the starting number at the very top of the bookshelf, as far as he can tell.]
[looking down, he's still sorting through the books.]
Were you busy when I messaged you?
i will keep looking through doujinshi until i find one. I AM DETERMINED
[Well, not super busy, but Zack doesn't need to know that. He was just going over a few reports -- nothing that couldn't wait until later.
While he does take the books offered to him and places a few on the top, he also looks down ... Considers things for a moment. And then lets one of the books fall what will hopefully be directly onto Zack's head.]
[the book lands on his head, yes, and zack all but yelps and rubs at the point of contact—before looking up at sephiroth with one of those trademark hurt, puppy looks. all is well the moment sephiroth offers his apologies, and unable to find the amusement in the tone, rolls instead into a stage of worry.]
[sephiroth is always busy... so it's no surprise he is so tired he'd be dropping books.]
Aw, man...
[feeling guilty, he gets back up on his feet and puts a decidedly friendly hand to sephiroth's shoulder.]
Have you slept well lately? I shouldn't have asked you to come, obviously you're always busy—but do you ever stop and take a break? [there's no hint of sarcasm in his voice, as he obstinately leads sephiroth back towards a nearby chair.] Rest's important, buddy. If you want to take a nap I won't tell anyone. You know you can always count on me if you need a breather, right?
[... And that completely was not what Sephiroth is going for and he seriously hopes Zack doesn't start following him around like a puppy. He already has enough fans and Zack needs to go pester Angeal instead.
Speaking of which.]
You are starting to sound like your mentor. You have the lectures down at least. But have you learned anything else?
[Really Zack? He's not going to go take a nap, but if Zack wishes to clean up by himself he's fully welcome to it.
[zack makes a face at the comment that he resembles angeal. it's not—bad! it's just extremely flattering, and zack honestly doesn't think he's there, yet. which is why he gives sephiroth an awkward kind of grin and a forced hehe snicker in the process.]
I've learned a lot from him.
[arms crossed, almost pouting, he rubs at his nose before diverting his gaze back to the books.]
[he, too, doubts that sephiroth would take a nap, but by now he is convinced that The Super Soldier works too hard and doesn't really get a moment's rest. always perfect, always excelling, always a figure to aspire towards. does it give him room to just be human? zack's going to allow him that comfort, at least!]
[which is why he doesn't ask sephiroth to keep helping him with the books as he returns to them.]
I'm learning about flowers.
[is what he says, instead.] We don't see much of that pretty much anywhere here, which is... kind of a bummer. A girl [ah] I met is growing them in the slums, miraculously. I wanna help her.
[Oh Zack. You're noble to a fault. It's no wonder Angeal had taken a liking.
It's truth, no Sephiroth never really had anything resembling a normal life. Not even a normal childhood. His casual moments were when himself, Genesis, and Angeal would sneak into the training rooms and usually involved sword fighting.
And listening to Genesis ramble on about Loveless.
Which also usually lead to sword fighting.
At the mention of flowers and a girl, Sephiroth quirks a brow but his expression remains even otherwise. There might be something there of a knowing sort of smile, but just a little.]
Ah yes, your whereabouts have been previously noted.
[Yes, Zack, the company is watching you and this is Sephiroth's way of letting you know that.]
I suppose normal SOLDIER skills won't help you with that. Were you able to find anything here?
I need exactly the opposite of SOLDIER skills for this kind of thing.
[he's aware, and that's where he's lacking—and knows that it's important that he sorts through this whole book odyssey as quick and as best as he can. mostly because his time with aerith tends to be limited, being sent from one mission to the next, and even so he doesn't have that much free time to spend too far away from headquarters.]
[a whole bookshelf has been stacked back in place successfully, at least, and zack's pointing over to the books on the table.]
I got those. I thought they'd be shorter... but no one will mind if I borrow them for a bit, right?
[that's how libraries work, surely.]
Do you know about flowers?
[might be worth asking, as he leans down and gets a couple more books to keep organising and shelving into place.]
[Sephiroth resists the urge to give what would be the longest sigh ever in recorded history. Sometimes he wonders how Zack has managed to survive this long with so little knowledge.
The question about flowers though? That earns him a very, very flat look.]
Ah yes, part of my SOLDIER training was learning how to tend to a garden.
[That was sarcasm and Sephiroth really hopes that Zack gets it or else he really will sigh]
And if you're going to take something, you have to check them out. And there will be a record that you did.
[So you know, Shinra can track your reading habits or whatever they do.]
[zack does get it, and he laughs at the tone sephiroth looks—and just how close he looks to sighing in resignation. there's nothing quite like remembering that most people in these parts don't have interests outside of swords and improving on their fighting skills.]
[he ends up huffing towards the end of his laugh, picking up more books from the floor and checking over the codes on their spines.]
Right. Stupid of me to ask.
[but he's not deterred, keeping in mind what sephiroth is saying about checking out the books.]
We don't got libraries like these in Gongaga — where I'm from. We just grab whatever people wanna get rid of. [it seems like he's doing a quicker job of putting everything in place now that he knows what he's doing.] You probably guessed I didn't really bother with that much. I had my eyes set on Midgar from the start.
[Sephiroth did not have one, he slightly wondered what that was like. To have somewhere else to go back to. Where he is now is practically all he's ever known. And even he can't say that he's ever felt like he's truly belonged.
He's different. Somehow. And despite his rather smug demeanor, he does not mean that in a way that he's different because he's better than everyone.
[he jests, snickering at the idea of actually telling the great sephiroth off.]
Of course I care for Gongaga. It's just... that nothing ever really happens there. There's a reactor that blew up, but... [he shakes his head, turning back to sephiroth] I've always wanted to make it as a first-class SOLDIER.
[grinning, he returns to putting the remainder of the books up on the shelf.]
With the war happening, I guess that's what every boy was thinking about at the time. Helping out and all that. Being cool and strong like you and the other SOLDIER.
[Though it wouldn't be the first time he's heard that. Many signed up to join because of Sephiroth and that is why he continues to be the 'posterboy' for Shinra.
He can't say he appreciates all the fame. Fame that Genesis increasingly grew jealous over. He finds it more of a burden than anything to stroke his ego over.
Sephiroth continues to watch Zack put away the books, as reckless as the kid could be, he did have a lot of heart. No wonder Angeal likes him.]
[zack refuses to say anything about his involvement in the fanclub. there are certain things that are better off with sephiroth not knowing about, like that one. so he keeps steady and slowly...slowly... finishes putting the books on the shelf, before turning back towards sephiroth.]
I was asked to join.
[careful]
[and then a shrug.]
Doesn't matter though, right? You're more than what they put you down as in the fanclub.
[Well, Zack. You just admitted you at least read about what they say. That's just as bad as fully joining.
Sephiroth is not going to let the subject drop either and Angeal is going to hear all about it later. For Zack's sake he'll leave out the whole library incident. But everything else? That's open game.]
So did you? Join that is.
[As he states the question, he stares directly at Zack.]
[the answer is clear, but zack is not going to fully admit to it. he grins at sephiroth, it pushing into a laugh as he collects the books from the table and tucks them under his arm.]
C'mon, seriously? You know that everyone looks up to the Shinra poster boy at one point or another. It's no surprise that you've got a fan club!
I'm sure not everyone does. But I am well aware. I am reminded of it almost everyday despite my attempts to ignore its existence.
[He looks at the floor with a shake of his head, but his gaze quickly returns to Zack.]
One day, you may be the full object of their affections and have to deal with all of the rumors. Are you prepared tribulations that come with being First Class?
[zack tilts his head, something of a huff of air through his nose as he looks over at sephiroth with a most serious expression—before cracking a smile and putting his right first onto his chest.]
All I need to know is right here. [in his heart; basically, his moral compass.] Rumors are gonna happen anyway, but as long as I remember what's important... Honor, dreams... [he nods] Then I'll be fine.
Honor won't save you from what they tend to write about us.
[Every little detail from what they do to who they speak with. Sephiroth ignores it, but that does not stop other people from feeling the need to tell him what they read.]
But you'll do fine. In any case, I'm sure they've written about you already.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[it's almost comical how zack, SOLDIER, gets spooked by sephiroth's (seemingly) sudden arrival. he's holding up a few books in one arm that get absolutely jostled as he jumps. upon seeing that it's, in fact, sephiroth and not someone here to actually scold him (sephiroth could, but chances are he might spare zack from open judgement) helps him relax — albeit a little.]
Geez, man. Don't sneak up on people like that!
[it's a hushed-hiss kind of scolding, frowning and looking miffed in a way that doesn't run too deep.]
[his phone was open on the shelf before him, and zack sidesteps the books on the floor to put the books on his arm in some kind of order onto the surface. only then does he pocket his phone.]
—sorry. [he ends up saying, sighing as he slumps his shoulders.] This stuff's got me on edge.
[no one tell him that books are organised in a specific order]
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Though at least he'll leave all the judgement for when Angeal finds out about it. Zack doesn't need twice the scalding. Him attempting to put everything back was probably punishment enough.]
What were you doing in here anyway?
[Which, no offense Zack, but Sephiroth did not see you as the type to spend time in a library.]
This area is not exactly suitable for training as no doubt you found out.
[With that last part he gestures around to all the books scattered everywhere.]
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Oh, I know.
[—that this place isn't suitable for training.]
[it takes him a few seconds of silence before he speaks up again, figuring that sephiroth's silence is worse than being outright interrogated over this. so, with a sigh that admits to defeat, zack elaborates,]
I wanted to check out a book, and I figured I could just reach for it like an animal instead of using the ladder. [one can tell that hindsight was, in fact, 20/20 for zack in this case.] And so everything kind of toppled over.
[what was the book about? well, all books are on the floor, except for three which lay atop the table opposite the shelves—some heavy tomes on gardening and particularities of horticulture, as well as an encyclopedia of all known plants in gaia.]
no subject
Perhaps if you wish to engage in that strategy next time, you should hope to grow taller first.
[That might possibly be a joke.
And before he too far with putting them away, though Sephiroth is really tempted to wait until he's almost finished ...]
Also Zack ... Putting the books back in the wrong order will be noticed. And probably questioned.
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Are you tryin' to be funny, man?
[he does look up at him though, with a slight grin at the obvious attempt at a joke. it was kind of funny — and for all that's happening? zack will take it.]
[shaking his head, zack sets the book aside and continues his diligent placement of the books, until sephiroth's statement has him stopping in mild confusion.]
'Wrong order'?
[is there a right order?]
They have an order?
[clearly, he's not... so familiar with that...]
this is why i need a face palming icon ..
Has he never been in a library??]
Yes. They have a system so that it's easier to find a particular book you're looking for. They should all be marked.
[That part will require reading, Zack. But Sephiroth at least has some faith that can be managed.
... Maybe.]
does such an image even EXIST
Oh, so that's why they have stickers with numbers...
[zack stops to look at the spines of the books he's holding at the moment, then back at the ones already on the shelf. the numbers are definitely not in order. even without understanding of the library system, one would think that zack—perhaps—should have made something out of the numbers. he starts organizing the ones that he already has up, carefully studying the other shelves.]
[he decides to sit on his haunches and pick out books from the floor. he holds a few out for sephiroth to take. because obviously sephiroth will help him! the ones he hands over go together with the starting number at the very top of the bookshelf, as far as he can tell.]
[looking down, he's still sorting through the books.]
Were you busy when I messaged you?
i will keep looking through doujinshi until i find one. I AM DETERMINED
[Well, not super busy, but Zack doesn't need to know that. He was just going over a few reports -- nothing that couldn't wait until later.
While he does take the books offered to him and places a few on the top, he also looks down ... Considers things for a moment. And then lets one of the books fall what will hopefully be directly onto Zack's head.]
My sincerest apologies.
i believe in you!!
[sephiroth is always busy... so it's no surprise he is so tired he'd be dropping books.]
Aw, man...
[feeling guilty, he gets back up on his feet and puts a decidedly friendly hand to sephiroth's shoulder.]
Have you slept well lately? I shouldn't have asked you to come, obviously you're always busy—but do you ever stop and take a break? [there's no hint of sarcasm in his voice, as he obstinately leads sephiroth back towards a nearby chair.] Rest's important, buddy. If you want to take a nap I won't tell anyone. You know you can always count on me if you need a breather, right?
[zack is now Concerned.]
no subject
Speaking of which.]
You are starting to sound like your mentor. You have the lectures down at least. But have you learned anything else?
[Really Zack? He's not going to go take a nap, but if Zack wishes to clean up by himself he's fully welcome to it.
Sephiroth will supervise.]
no subject
I've learned a lot from him.
[arms crossed, almost pouting, he rubs at his nose before diverting his gaze back to the books.]
[he, too, doubts that sephiroth would take a nap, but by now he is convinced that The Super Soldier works too hard and doesn't really get a moment's rest. always perfect, always excelling, always a figure to aspire towards. does it give him room to just be human? zack's going to allow him that comfort, at least!]
[which is why he doesn't ask sephiroth to keep helping him with the books as he returns to them.]
I'm learning about flowers.
[is what he says, instead.] We don't see much of that pretty much anywhere here, which is... kind of a bummer. A girl [ah] I met is growing them in the slums, miraculously. I wanna help her.
[noble, too.]
no subject
It's truth, no Sephiroth never really had anything resembling a normal life. Not even a normal childhood. His casual moments were when himself, Genesis, and Angeal would sneak into the training rooms and usually involved sword fighting.
And listening to Genesis ramble on about Loveless.
Which also usually lead to sword fighting.
At the mention of flowers and a girl, Sephiroth quirks a brow but his expression remains even otherwise. There might be something there of a knowing sort of smile, but just a little.]
Ah yes, your whereabouts have been previously noted.
[Yes, Zack, the company is watching you and this is Sephiroth's way of letting you know that.]
I suppose normal SOLDIER skills won't help you with that. Were you able to find anything here?
[He gestures towards all the books.]
no subject
[he's aware, and that's where he's lacking—and knows that it's important that he sorts through this whole book odyssey as quick and as best as he can. mostly because his time with aerith tends to be limited, being sent from one mission to the next, and even so he doesn't have that much free time to spend too far away from headquarters.]
[a whole bookshelf has been stacked back in place successfully, at least, and zack's pointing over to the books on the table.]
I got those. I thought they'd be shorter... but no one will mind if I borrow them for a bit, right?
[that's how libraries work, surely.]
Do you know about flowers?
[might be worth asking, as he leans down and gets a couple more books to keep organising and shelving into place.]
no subject
The question about flowers though? That earns him a very, very flat look.]
Ah yes, part of my SOLDIER training was learning how to tend to a garden.
[That was sarcasm and Sephiroth really hopes that Zack gets it or else he really will sigh]
And if you're going to take something, you have to check them out. And there will be a record that you did.
[So you know, Shinra can track your reading habits or whatever they do.]
no subject
[he ends up huffing towards the end of his laugh, picking up more books from the floor and checking over the codes on their spines.]
Right. Stupid of me to ask.
[but he's not deterred, keeping in mind what sephiroth is saying about checking out the books.]
We don't got libraries like these in Gongaga — where I'm from. We just grab whatever people wanna get rid of. [it seems like he's doing a quicker job of putting everything in place now that he knows what he's doing.] You probably guessed I didn't really bother with that much. I had my eyes set on Midgar from the start.
no subject
[Sephiroth did not have one, he slightly wondered what that was like. To have somewhere else to go back to. Where he is now is practically all he's ever known. And even he can't say that he's ever felt like he's truly belonged.
He's different. Somehow. And despite his rather smug demeanor, he does not mean that in a way that he's different because he's better than everyone.
He's just --
Different.]
no subject
[he jests, snickering at the idea of actually telling the great sephiroth off.]
Of course I care for Gongaga. It's just... that nothing ever really happens there. There's a reactor that blew up, but... [he shakes his head, turning back to sephiroth] I've always wanted to make it as a first-class SOLDIER.
[grinning, he returns to putting the remainder of the books up on the shelf.]
With the war happening, I guess that's what every boy was thinking about at the time. Helping out and all that. Being cool and strong like you and the other SOLDIER.
no subject
[Though it wouldn't be the first time he's heard that. Many signed up to join because of Sephiroth and that is why he continues to be the 'posterboy' for Shinra.
He can't say he appreciates all the fame. Fame that Genesis increasingly grew jealous over. He finds it more of a burden than anything to stroke his ego over.
Sephiroth continues to watch Zack put away the books, as reckless as the kid could be, he did have a lot of heart. No wonder Angeal likes him.]
no subject
I was asked to join.
[careful]
[and then a shrug.]
Doesn't matter though, right? You're more than what they put you down as in the fanclub.
no subject
Sephiroth is not going to let the subject drop either and Angeal is going to hear all about it later. For Zack's sake he'll leave out the whole library incident. But everything else? That's open game.]
So did you? Join that is.
[As he states the question, he stares directly at Zack.]
no subject
[the answer is clear, but zack is not going to fully admit to it. he grins at sephiroth, it pushing into a laugh as he collects the books from the table and tucks them under his arm.]
C'mon, seriously? You know that everyone looks up to the Shinra poster boy at one point or another. It's no surprise that you've got a fan club!
no subject
[He looks at the floor with a shake of his head, but his gaze quickly returns to Zack.]
One day, you may be the full object of their affections and have to deal with all of the rumors. Are you prepared tribulations that come with being First Class?
no subject
All I need to know is right here. [in his heart; basically, his moral compass.] Rumors are gonna happen anyway, but as long as I remember what's important... Honor, dreams... [he nods] Then I'll be fine.
[a pause with a cheeky expression.]
I hope.
no subject
[Every little detail from what they do to who they speak with. Sephiroth ignores it, but that does not stop other people from feeling the need to tell him what they read.]
But you'll do fine. In any case, I'm sure they've written about you already.