_Friday Funky_
Sephiroth entered the elevator with his customary two steps and about-face,
leaning ever so lightly against the back wall of the compartment while his aid
and sometime friend slouched in after him. Zack switched his clipboard to his
other hand and swiped his badge to activate the panel before punching in the
ground floor with a flourish. Chore accomplished, he offered his commander a
frank grin as if to say ‘thank god that’s over’.
Nodding in agreement, Sephiroth composed himself for the long ride downwards
from president Shinra’s office to the freedom of the streets. By unspoken
agreement he and Zack were on their way to the smallish park near Shinra One to
stretch their legs and work out some of the frustration of sitting through the
day long conference. Sitting still for 6 hours straight left him feeling a
little giddy, he didn’t even want to think of how wound up his officer had to
be.
Daring to give Zack a sidelong appraisal while the man stared forlornly at the
security camera in the car, Sephiroth decided the man was likely one hair short
of making an ass of himself just for the hell of it. A Zack in such a mood was
indeed a dangerous thing. God only knew what the man would get up to if left
unsupervised. Just like a kid being let of out detention, the only things on
his mind were likely merry mayhem. He squelched the firm desire to tell his
friend to ‘Stay’ and ‘Heel.’ The short-term amusement of seeing the SOLDIER’s
stunned face would hardly be worth the hours of whining that would probably
ensue. Following the man’s gaze up to the sleek little camera aimed their
general direction, he snorted with the sudden insanity of the idea that struck
him.
Zack was looking over at him, one eyebrow raised in silent inquiry. He gave his
friend a long look to appraise exactly how ‘crazy’ he was feeling, and then
jerked his chin subtly at their mechanical audience. Summoning his best bored
drawl, Sephiroth murmured. “I dare you.”
“No way.” The dark haired man grinned widely.
“Oh come on.” Sephiroth looked blandly out the glass windows behind him. “I bet
the guard would appreciate it.”
“No!” Zack started to laugh, stubbornly shaking his head, just like a kid.
“Must get boring sitting down in that booth all day, staring at elevators.”
“You’re just trying to instigate something.” The southerner crossed his arms
and made a play for stern. He failed miserably.
“You know you want to.” Sephiroth noted they were just sliding past the 50th
floor. “Just until the thirties. I dare you.”
“You’re a menace.” Zack burst out laughing again. “They’re going to think I’ve
gone round the twist.”
“So?”
“No!”
“I”ll pay you.” Sephiroth buffed his glove on his sleeve.
The southerner paused even as he was shaking his head in refusal. “You’ll… how
much?”
“Twenty gil.”
“Cheap bastard, my pride’s worth at least fifty.”
“Fifty then.” He eyed his friend’s rapidly weakening resolve and moved in for
the kill. “And we can stop for pizza at that place you like.”
“You’ll buy me pizza too?” Zack’s mouth twitched with a barely suppressed grin.
“Oh damn it. You win. But they’re going to look at me funny in the lobby, you
know.”
“Heh.” He accepted the clipboard he was handed with an impassive expression,
watching his friend to see if the man would actually go through with it. Being
an idiot late at night in the hall where nobody could see was one thing, doing
it in an elevator that was under human surveillance was something else. Still,
if anyone would be up for the challenge, it was Zack, and sure enough, as soon
as the dark haired man had adjusted his suspenders he broke into a remarkably
energetic version of the funky chicken in the middle of the cramped elevator
car.
Watching Zack dance was almost a history lesson in the progression of disco
club lunacy. The man rapidly switched through some sort of step-dance from the
north, the signature moves from the Aquarian fad that swept the city five years
ago, several break dance moves that barely fit in the confined bit of floor
space, a much abbreviated Electric Slide, some Twist and Shout, a bit of Walk
Like an Ancient, and then rounded off his set with the latest Mambo craze and a
few minutes of frantic riotous flailing.
The southerner had just enough time to straighten his shirt and primly claim
his clipboard back before the car came to a stop. Sephiroth stepped out into
the lobby and gave the ogling men at the security desk an impassive stare as he
strode across the polished lobby, assistant dourly in tow. He was amused to see
Zack was able to keep his straight face until they hit the street. The SOLDIER
fell to cackling hysterically the minute they cleared the chrome doors, and
didn’t get a grip on himself until they were beyond the edge of the plaza and
moving into the city proper.
“Did you see their faces?” Zack wheezed happily as he caught up with his
general. “God they were floored!”
“I think you made their afternoon, Major.” Sephiroth smiled slightly, as amused
as he was willing to show in public.
“You owe fifty gil, and a pizza.” His friend was quick to point out.
Sephiroth gestured that he could lead the way, murmuring “Mercenary” to his
back. Zack just grinned over his shoulder, and then clutched at his neck with a
pained expression.
“Ow, god damn it. I’m too sober to pull stunts like that.” The dark haired man
grumbled, rubbing the sore muscles. “Hell, you owe me a beer too. Let’s go to
Blue Heaven after Pizza, take an early set and see if Samantha wants to flirt
with you some more.”
“I’ll pass.” Sephiroth winced a little at the memory of the last time the woman
had him in her clutches. A lovely specimen to be sure and a fine singer, but
the woman was far too adept at making him uncomfortable.
“Oh come on, I’ll protect you from the big bad lounge singer, general. Buy you
a
“That would cancel out your beer.” The general reminded him. “And we ought to
check on how much crap has piled up in the office while we were away eventually.”
”Spoil sport.”
“But I think a bit of alcohol might be required before I can stomach that
particular chore.” Sephiroth sighed. “So what do you want on your pizza?”
*****