You Gave Me A Promise
#11 of A Lions Obsession
Months; it has been four months with no trace of either one of them. Zack sat at a desk tucked in the corner of his bedroom; it had been hours since he moved from his place in the small corner of the room. Days since he even left the house. He buried his face into his paws before roughly pushing them up and lacing his fingers through his raven hair. The stress and worry evident on his worn features. Ever since he was released from the hospital the police along with himself have been searching the psychotic male and his victim. They searched both his and Squall's apartments and even searched where Zack had been held captive. They hoped to find any evidence to where Squall may have disappeared to, however, Squall had all but pulled a Houdini. Nothing could be traced to where Squall had disappeared to; nothing. But that's not what bothered the wolf; really he couldn't care less if he ever saw the brunette again. He didn't care if the lion got away with what he did; just as long as Zack never had to lay his eyes on the bastard. Just as long as he had Cloud safe in his arms and far away from sight of Squall; he could care less where the bastard had went or did with his life. The problem; Squall had taken Cloud with him and Zack could do little but wait patiently trying to search for any hints to their location.
Zack's eyes were red and swollen; his lips a bit dry and his drooping in depression. He was all but sick with worry and frustration. Zack had developed his own little obsession; to find Cloud; to bring him back; to save him from that sick bastard Squall. He pleaded day and night for something anything that would lead him to his lover.
A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts and he quickly scrambled to his feet. It was routine whenever he heard a knock at the door or hear the telephone ring. His heart would beat faster in his chest and the adrenaline would pump through his veins. The possibility and longing for the interruptions being answers to where his lover was; or perhaps even Cloud himself muting out all his disbelief's. He swore that one day Cloud would be standing at the door or he would hear his voice over the phone. He rushed to the door not even bothering to fix his attire before flinging the door open; he was surprised he didn't take the door of his hinges.
His eyes dimmed from their glimmer of hope once they settled on Tifa; but he forced a small smile none the less, "Oh; Hey Tif'. Sorry I thought maybe..."
Tifa herself forced a small smile; she couldn't help but pity the shell of a man before her. His hair was messier than normal; if that was even possible. His button up shirt was only half way buttoned; she assumed he attempted to get dressed and gave up half way through deeming it unimportant. Either that or he had come home after a day at the police station looking for answers and never quite cared enough to completely change back into his pj's. He did manage to change his pants into a pair of dirty sweat pants.
He looked almost like a different person. The lack of sun robbing his fur of his normal healthy glow; his normally bright blue eyes which were always warm and welcoming seemed dim and closed off. His eyes seemed puffy from lack of sleep; her smiled faltered taking in the sight of her friend, "No luck then; I suppose."
Zack's forced smile strained a bit, "No; nothing yet...."
Tifa and Zack stood with their eyes lowered for a short moment before she spoke again, "When's the last time you ate? You look like you could use a good bite to eat."
Zack's stomach whined at the thought of food instantly and the raven male halfheartedly scratched the back of his head with a small chuckle, "Yeah; I guess I could."
Tifa smiled thoughtfully, "We can head over to the bar; I closed it down for the day. We can head over and I'll make you something to eat."
Zack shifted his weight for what Tifa knew was Zack's way of searching for an excuse, "I dun no Tif'... I mean I have no leads yet; but I'm sure I'm close. If I just..."
Tifa pushed her paws on her hips and gave Zack a sideways glance, "You're no good trying to save Cloud on an empty tank; you know as well as I do that you can't function on an empty stomach." A paw reached for his wrist and dragged him along, "Let's go you."
Finally sitting down to eat their burgers and very a healthy beverage of choice; beer of course; the two sat in silence as they ate. Tifa was unnerved by the appearance and demeanor of her friend; she was just as worried about Cloud as he was but she knew they were no help to Cloud if they neglected their own health. A image of Zack running in to save the day then promptly falling face first from exhaustion and malnutrition was a all to familiar scene that played in the back of her mind. The last thing she needed was to lose Zack too; all she could do was pray for Cloud's safe return and aid in Zack's efforts. Along with keeping the boy on his own two feet.
"Tifa... I want to ask you something...," Zack almost whispered as he stared into his half eaten burger.
Tifa shifted uncomfortably knowing where the conversation would soon lead; this as well had become routine, "Hm, What did you want to ask me?"
"Tifa...How..," he paused trying to find the right words, "did he.. was Cloud.."
"Zack," Tifa cut him off with a short warning tone, "Please don't...That‘s not impor.."
She was quickly silenced as his fist collided against the top of the bar, "Dammit Tifa; it is important!"
Guilt of his outburst hit Zack as he saw Tifa jump at his loud shout; he lowered his head and turned to stare at his balled fist resting against the counter, "I'm sorry Tif'....I just... I want to know..."
"Why though Zack? Why are you asking me to answer such a question...," Tifa's own hushed whisper barely reached his ears; another pane of guilt hit his chest. He was demanding a lot from Tifa; and she had been nothing but generous and kind to him. Really she was the only one there for him at the time; without Cloud; he was alone. With his family living so far away; it was really as if they weren't really there at all; and Cloud's family. That was another story altogether; and one that Zack wasn't willing to indulge in.
"When I was in that cabin I was left to think about a lot of.... Things... Particularly things Squall spoke about. You know; all I kept thinking was I needed to protect Cloud. I didn't care about what happened to me; I did but... that was an after thought when it came to Cloud...," Zack took a breath and closed his eyes, "It was something he said to me. That day in the cabin...."
_"I should really put you out of your misery; you're useless now anyway..," Squall stated in a monotone followed by a hint of amusement as he almost sung, "'He' doesn't even want you anymore. Why would he; you're disgusting."
"Why someone so pure could ever be tainted by the likes of you is something I simply will never understand; but I erased your sin..."
Zack's tightly closed eyes jerked back open; fear evident in the paling blue orbs his maw moving wordlessly.
"He truly is beautiful; like no other... his eyes, his heart, his face, Mmm his lips... his body...," Squall watched Zack pale with amusement, " I enjoyed taking every inch of him."_
"If you hurt him...," Zack forced his raspy voice to growl a warning.
Squall simply laughed softly his face beamed in a happy expression; eyes smiling just as much as his twisting lips, "Hurt? Me hurt my angel... I would never dream of such a thing. I don't think I should have to remind you but I'll tell you once again; I only do what he allows," Squall stretched out the word, "me to do... I never forced him into anything."
"I just need to know Tif... I need to know the truth..."
"Zack...," Tifa started.
"Tifa; Please..."
Tifa sighed in defeat; she didn't want to be the one to tell him. She didn't want to be the one to have to explain that after Cloud thought Zack had left him he drowned himself in booze at her own bar; and fell into a depression. Or that it ultimately led to him leaving left the bar with Squall. She didn't want to tell him about their meetings or dates; especially that they had seemed to develop into a budding relationship. But at the time Squall seemed like a great trustworthy guy. He even had Tifa fooled. The way he acted and treated Cloud didn't indicate anything out of the ordinary; with the expectation of seeming to be a little clingy and very much affectionate at the early stages of their relationship there wasn't anything to indicate any ill will. Tifa had always thought herself a good judge of character but she could've never seen these events unfolding before her eyes. Cloud had spoken to her a lot after they thought Zack had left; more so than before. She knew every detail and every happening between Squall and Cloud; for the most part. But she didn't want to explain anything; it was Cloud who should be the one to explain these things to him. After all Cloud didn't know what Squall was really doing behind the scenes. To Cloud Squall was just a nice guy who liked him and had all the best intentions; not some crazed maniac who kidnapped his boyfriend and was secretly battling over control of the blonde‘s heart.
"Zack; he didn't.," she seemed to search the back of her mind for the right way to answer his question, "he didn't know. He would've never..."
She trialed off before finishing unable to say the words; so it was true then...
"So he did... have... a relationship with Squall then...," Zack said to no one in particular; just stated rather sadly and defeated.
"Zack he had no idea; he thought you left him...," Tifa offered softly; really unable to say anything more than that.
"I would never leave him like that; he should've known that," Zack spat irritably. It was more out of contempt that Squall's words now fresh in his mind were confirmed true on most accounts. Squall had done those things... and Cloud allowed them to happen. Cloud consented to let Squall touch him; consented to allow him to love him. As much as Zack wished to childishly stomp his feet and claim falsehoods he knew he couldn't; and that he would only be lying to himself.
Tifa as if sensing the thoughts now rose her own voice, "How do you think he found you! There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't think there was something off about the whole situation. He never really accepted that you left him like that; but what could he do Zack! Everything indicated that you in fact left him!"
"I didn't leave him," so he was being childish; but he didn't care.
"How was he supposed to know that," Tifa was close to screaming as their conversation became more and more heated. "He had faith in you Zack; he always had. He never gave up on you! If he had Squall would've won and you could be dead by now!"
Zack shifted uncomfortably under Tifa's glare and words, "He has won Tif'." The raven haired wolf sounded like a kicked puppy, "It's been four months Tif... He's gone and he took Cloud... There's no leads; no trace of him what so ever. Squall won; I'm useless... I can't do anything to save Clo.."
A loud crack of a paw hitting a dark furred cheek echoed in the room as Zack's head flew sideways wide eyed; Tifa stood in front of him her chest heaving with angry breaths. Her paw dropped to her side slowly after slapping the wolf; she hoped it knocked at least some sense into him. She couldn't believe what Zack was saying. She'd just keep slapping and reprehending him as long as it took for him to pull out of this rut he was in. "Cloud never gave up on you; Don't you dare give up on him Zack!"
Zack's paw rose slowly to his throbbing cheek as his eyes fell shamefully to the ground unable to look into Tifa's eyes, "You're right... I'm sorry Tif..."
Tifa's face softened as she watched the lupine's shoulder slump down and begin to shake. She wrapped her arms around him and wasn't in the least surprised when he immediately latched onto her and buried his face in her shoulder. She winced at the tight grip but said nothing to him; instead she held him and allowed the boy to cry. She hummed softly trying to sooth him as she stroked his back trying to comfort him, "It'll be okay Zack; we'll find him... I promise..."