Work Text:
They were frozen together on the sheer, shadowed side of the glacier, as footsteps crunched past somewhere above. Sephiroth had eased himself onto a narrow shelf; he lay there, stilled, glancing downward at Zack, anchored in a dozen feet above the water. They met each other’s eyes, silent, listening and waiting. Their empty transport bobbed along, continuing with the current; hopefully they wouldn’t need it anymore. Zack held his breath as it struck the ice. Would they hear?
A sprinkling of ice and snow dislodged and spilled down the glacier toward him when the toe of a boot appeared from a ledge further above. Zack ducked his head and hugged the cliff side, praying the guard would not think to look down. Sephiroth grew even quieter, if possible. The snow rained onto Zack’s spikes and tickled down his neck. A light breath of wind stirred their heavy clothing.
The crunching of boots continued, as whoever was up there turned away. The two detectives breathed a collective sigh of relief. When Sephiroth nodded, Zack resumed his upward climb; Sephiroth turned his attention to the wall above him.
Crack.
Ping.
With deceptive abruptness, the anchor spun loose from the ice and Zack plummeted toward the water. Frantic, he latched onto the rope, but it snaked down with him. With only twelve feet to fall, he hit the glacial liquid before it could pull taut.
The sharp gasp as icy waters wrapped around him drowned out the sound of the splash in his ears. His fingers were white upon the rope beneath his gloves, and, for a long, excruciating moment, after he remembered how to breathe, he could hear nothing but his helpless hyperventilating, desperate and shallow. His muscles had seized.
When coherent thought returned to him, he had the presence of mind to wonder why he hadn’t fallen beneath the waves. His head and face remained above the water, though it lapped at his chin; jerking his gaze upward, he found Sephiroth once again lying upon the shelf, arm outstretched and gripping the rope. The man’s jaw was clenched as he fought to keep Zack above the water. Urgent voices above them indicated that they had been heard.
Sephiroth’s eyes met Zack’s. There was an interminable moment where they stared at each other, waiting to be discovered.
Then Sephiroth let go.
Zack slid beneath the waves.