Disclaimer: I own neither Final Fantasy VII nor anything else so related. I do own Tenshi and Daivolo. Steal them and die!
Warnings: This fiction may contain course language, violence and adult situations, reader's discretion is advised.
Author's Idiocy: Ok, you better be glad you even get to meet my newest bishies. They were originally going to be art. But I just gave up on them. But I just had to use them because they are sexy as hell. I mean everything about them is the best of the best. And to have them together is just so much better.
()--() ()--() ()--() ()--() ()--() ()--()
My instructors are screaming at me again. Telling me how much of a failure I am. It's not like I am my father. It's hard to be that perfect. I'm not even sure I should try. They say a long time ago he went crazy because he thought he was so perfect he was a god.
I know I am not perfect. They keep telling me that. How can I be? Dad had this wonderfully long silver hair, and mine is darker then the darkest night, but just as long if not longer.
His eyes were a bright glowing green; mine are muted around the edges with blue. I can honestly say I still have those exotic cat lit eyes that he does. Not may people can say that. I can count the people I know who have that feature on one hand.
He had this very strong almost scowl like mouth. Mine could hold nothing more then a pout. It was a curse. Everywhere I go woman think I'm not felling well and they want to hug and pet me. One woman even tried to take me home telling me everything was going to be all right in the morning.
And then countless upon countless times I've been yelled at for not wearing the proper Shinra SOLDIER uniform. God what do they want from me? At least I still wear the belt. And I do protect myself with my father's shoulder guards. It's not like I'm wearing something that gets in the way when I fight.
There is just enough clothing to hide the things I need to. My left hand twitches when I'm using Masamune so my shirtsleeve comes down to cover the hand. The other arm is bare because that is the one I use to swing Buster.
The right side of my shirt hangs low to cover Talon. Not many people know I carry her all the time. She's a fine weapon. I've been customizing her since I first learned about side arms. She is and always will be my gun. Nobody can take her from me.
I keep a pair of throwing knives on my thighs whenever I go out on assignment. So those belts on my leather pants are not just for show.
And the boots, they match the shirt and the earring. They were custom made for me. And they are frankly better then those Shinra issued pieces of hide they gave us.
I was given the earring when I joined SOLDIER. They said that it would help me find something I've lost. The ancients know I haven't lost anything but my father. And how is it going to help me find him? I know he's already dead. He was killed the year of my birth. But everybody tells me again and again exactly who he is. I know where he is. And I know I haven't lost anything.
I've seen the style before, the wolf head holding something in its jaws. The hero Cloud, murderer of my father, had an earring like this. But his wolf always held a ring. Mine holds a cross pierced heart. A lone wolf with a broken heart, just like mine is in a way.
"Cadet Valentine, are you even listening to me?"
"No sir!"
Now the old windbag is going to spend a while explaining to me how a General should be able to follow orders as well as give them.
Yep that's me, Tenshi Xin Valentine, General in training. Hojo's perfect little SOLDIER. Or as close to perfect as he can get. He keeps reminding me I will never be as good as my father.
They want me to be the General just like my daddy. Which was complete and utter bullshit. They just didn't want me joining some other military organization.
Everybody knows that there is nobody who can take me down one on one. Or even two against one. And not even three, four or five against one. One person even said that Cloud himself couldn't stand against me for more then a few moments. That has yet to be seen. They won't let me track him down so I can kill him.
But with everything that I have going on in my life at least I'm not the heir, Daivolo Ryu Shinra, the devil dragon of Shinra.
The only thing that seems to point to the president being his dad is that nose of his. It looks permanently stuck to his forehead. Like he can do nothing but look down his nose at you.
He's got silver hair that goes down to just about his shoulder blades. And if you look at it in the right light you can almost see streaks of red. And as far as I know there hasn't been any Shinra, by blood or marriage, who has ever had silver or red hair.
Dave is and always will probably be my closest friend. Which may be a good thing. Because as soon as his father dies he's going to be President and I'll be his General.
"You are dismissed Cadet Valentine."
About fucking time, I'm late enough as it is. It's not every day that you get to have dinner with the President. And I would still like some time to shower and change after training.
But it was just my luck that the halls were clear. Either nobody was hanging around or word was out that I was in a bad mood. The last time I was in a bad mood I broke three noses, nine arms and three legs. Not that it was my fault. They shouldn't have ever tried to just push me out of the way trying to get to the bumblebee before all the best girls were taken.
Either way, I enjoyed my brisk walk back to my room.
Keying in the code for my door it slid open with its usual swish. But what wasn't normal was the body that ejected itself out of it at me.
"Blaze, what are you doing in my room again? Don't you know your father is going to have my hide if you keep showing up here?"
Blaze Tuesti was probably the only woman other then Scarlett that you would see voluntarily walking the halls of the SOLDIER barracks. But then again she isn't your normal teenaged girl. Specially trained by my grandfather and the new operator of Cait Sith. She also has probably the most well developed set of brains. She could remember anything you wanted like it was recorded. Even getting tone of voice correct.
"Ya well hello to you too."
"Listen, I have to go meet the President in a few minutes. So tell me what you want and then get out."
"Well lets see since you haven't been so nice to me today, I just might forget to tell you that Daivolo told me to tell you something." She is just doing this to piss me off. I know it.
"Get on with it."
"Oh fine then." She looked up at me and pouted. "Father said he wanted to talk business, so don't dress up. Come straight from training so that you can remind him that you work too hard."
I just had to shudder a little bit. That sounded so much like Dave. Right down to the way he's always scolding me. "Anything else?"
"No, but if you ask me, take a shower, you stink. I can't see why father is always going on how you might ravish me like some animal. I wouldn't let you touch me with a ten foot pole smelling like that."
"Oh really," I let my one eyebrow arch toward my hairline as I took a threatening step forward. "And who's to say you can stop me?"
"Me."
"Really?" I launched myself forward playfully as she squealed and ran away.
Oh don't get the wrong impression; I don't feel that way about her. She's like my younger sister. Hell the other day Cadet Roberts tried to make a pass at her and she was trying to get away from him. I gave him one hell of a beating that he won't soon forget. Nobody, and I mean nobody, is allowed to pick on my little sister, but me.
Now if only I could just convince Reeve that she is my little sister and not a potential girlfriend, life would be so much easier.
But first that shower.
()--() ()--() ()--()
I'm sure dad could get more mad then this. I really do. I just can't think of anything or anybody who could do it as well as Tenshi. He has the gift for making the smooth talking Rufus Shinra swear like a sailor.
Dinner has been sitting out and ready for the past ten minutes. It's getting cold but he won't let me touch it.
I know I had sent Miss Tuesti down with a message for him. Which means Tenshi probably isn't out of training yet, or he is doing this just to make my dad mad.
Either way I'm going to kick his ass about it later. But for now I have to sit here and watch my dad glare at me. Which I might add is very uncomfortable. It's almost like my father can see ever inch of every secret I have ever held. And if he ever knew some of then he would likely disown me.
The door to the dining room opened just then and a small woman walked a few paces inside. She must have been well trained because she didn't even flinch at the glares she received from my father and I. I'll have to remind daddy to give the poor woman a raise. Having to deal with us has got to be pure hell.
"Mr. President, sir. Mr Valentine has just arrived and wishes me to give you his apologies for being late and unprepared."
I could see a tiny piece of fear in her eyes as she said Tenshi's name. That didn't look good. That meant he was mad as hell and anybody who stood in his way could and would get hurt. Or worse.
This was going to be a dinner to remember. My father and my boyfriend pissed off to the point where any stray word could destroy the city. And I would be helpless to control anything.
"Let him in June."
I can't say as I blame her for leaving quickly. I wanted to leave too. I really didn't want to sit here through a dinner I knew would be silent and strained.
The doors flew back with great force nearly crashing into the walls that held them, which was a great feat itself. Those doors are solid hardwood and really heavy. All that spoke of the training and mako injections. And of uncontrolled anger.
Tenshi could move so quietly he could sneak up on a nervous mouse when he wanted to. But if you could hear him coming you needed to run for cover.
Not that a Shinra ever backed down. I can't remember how many times we got into fistfights before we realized that we actually loved the other. And I've had to stop him from hurting my dad on a few occasions.
But then again that is my job. I am a TURK. I'm supposed to protect my dad. Even though with his death it means I get everything. And it's not like he isn't prepared for any attack that might be made. He was teaching me how to shoot the moment I could hold a gun. He even gave me one of his prized guns when I joined the TURKs. Not that I use it much. I much preferred the relics I found in the armoury one day.
They were beaten and much abused. But they still worked. I grabbed them one day and took them apart. Out of the 5 I found I got 2 useable guns from them. They also had the advantage of having a blade above and below the barrel. Very handy when the target you are trying to hit comes to close.
Not that I miss much. I'm even a better shot then Tenshi's grandfather, Vincent. We went to the shooting range one day when he was training Blaze. And for 100 bullets and a 350-yard target I had the tightest grouping.
Tenshi walked over to the side of the room. Not even being subtle in the fact that he was in a bad mood. There was always a weapons rack there and a small bowl of scented water.
His throwing knifes imbedded themselves into the wood of the top of the rack. Before he leaned a sheathed Masamune against it. Next he unbuckled Buster from his back and leaned it beside Masamune.
When I asked him why he used Buster he just simply told me that it felt right in his hand, even more so then his father's sword. And I had to agree with him. My twin rifle blades felt better in my hands then my father's gun.
I noticed he didn't even bother taking Talon from her holster. But hell I had a hard time getting him to take it off when we were alone. One of these days I'm going to shove that gun up his ass and see how much he likes her after that.
His movements were jerky, almost like something was bothering him, as he washed his hands in the scented water. I highly doubt he needs them washed, I can tell he just took a shower. His hair is still slightly damp. Not that anybody would notice it. His hair was so long and straight it always hung like that. And it was always so shiny that even if it were wet nobody would think twice.
He turned and nodded to my father, eyes harsh with anger. His eyes nearly all blue as the cat slit eyes narrowed. And then he nodded at me, a visible difference in his eyes. They seemed to glow green for a moment as they passed over me.
He's always liked me in my uniform, said it made me look smart. He earned himself a black eye for that one. And the way his mouth turned up at the edges made me shiver. He was planning something and from that look I don't know if I should be running for my life or starting to tear my clothes off here and now.
"Mr President, Daivolo." Oh he is hiding something. I just know it. He isn't normally polite. The last time he came to dinner he just came in sat down and started to eat.
My father rose from his seat and slightly inclined his head. "Mr. Valentine."
And so the dance begins. I'm so going to be the first person to die. I can't leave them here alone.
I didn't bother to show the same courtesy. Tenshi and I decided that to hide everything, we would appear to hate each other. That same hate we had before that one-day 2 years ago in the training areas.
You know I can't even remember who kissed whom first. All I know is that I had one of my fighting daggers to his throat and he had Masamune against mine. That was before he started getting twice daily shots of mako. We just leaned in and bam my first kiss ever was stolen from me. Not that I minded.
What really got me pissed off was that he denied it for a few weeks. Always saying there was nothing there, even when he was looking out for me in little ways.
We started with dinner and it was mostly quiet. But the sounds of the cutlery on the dishes were driving me nuts. I know they had plenty to talk about. They just weren't saying anything.
And then my father cleared his throat.
"Tenshi, you'll be pleased to know that in a few days you will be promoted to General. We will hold the ceremony in the main courtyard. You are required to attend and to wear the proper dress uniform." My father waved his hand in the air. And a young man stepped forward and put a manila envelope in his hand. "And this is your first assignment as General."
Tenshi took the envelope and opening it. His eyes going wide as what he read on the sheets of paper contained within.
Just from that look I know exactly what assignment he had been given.
AVALANCHE seemed to be making waves again, mostly because we finally got Reactor Five up and running again. And it was his job to put them down before they became a problem again.
And if intelligence was right Strife was going to be part of AVALANCHE again. They had reported that he's taking a less active role this time. But if Tenshi were to hit them Cloud would most likely be there.
"Your things are being moved to your new quarters as we speak." My father then continued. "Do you have any questions about your assignment or your promotion?"
"No sir!"
Well that certainly broke the ice and calmed things down a little, but not enough to make me feel safe. There was still something that Tenshi needed to put out there.
"Sir, I don't know if you have heard the rumours. But it seems people are comparing me to my father in more ways then just my fighting ability. It is said that I'm a cold-blooded murderer. I would like to remedy that by showing them I do have a softer side."
OH SHIT! I really do need to hide now. Plate? No. Napkin? No. Table? Yes! Wait, no! That would be wrong. Um, help me?
"What do you have in mind my boy?"
"Shinra policy prevents us from having relationships. They claim it distracts us from our goals." Distraction my sore ass! It just gives you another reason to beat the shit out of people. When you want it and I'm too busy to give it to you, you go kick some poor souls ass. It's a wonder they don't think worse of you because of that. "I have been seeing someone for the better part of 2 years, and I would like your permission to move them to my quarters."
"It's alright with me. It will be good for everybody to show them that you are not your father. The last thing we need is another Sephiroth come to destroy this planet."
The young man from earlier came forward with the proper forms and handed them to Tenshi. Lord I'm going to die. And I'm going to die horribly. I watched my fate being sealed by his hand. I also watched the eyes of the young man grow wide in shock when he took the form from Tenshi and briefly read it over to make sure everything was filled out correctly.
"You'll have a few days to tell the young woman that you will be having her move in."
"There is no need, they already know."
"And you will need to keep Shinra secrets from her."
"That is not a problem sir."
"Now tell me who is the lucky lady?"
"No lady sir."
"I beg your pardon?"
"There is no lady sir."
"You are gay?"
"Yes sir."
Oh this isn't going well. I can see my father's eyebrow twitch. The same twitch he gets when he's done something wrong and he's going to kill everything within a few miles to keep it quiet. I think I'm going to reconsider hiding under the plate.
I'm almost glad that Tenshi kept Talon with him. He might need her if father presses this more.
"Ok then, tell me who this gentleman is."
"I would rather not tell you sir. It's not my place."
Oh saved by compassion, or maybe not. I can feel those feline eyes on me. Silently telling my father he needs to talk to me. And my father didn't even miss the gesture. I'm almost hating the fact that my dad was implanted with Jenova cells and gets monthly injections of mako.
"I see." Lord that was cold. He's already planning my murder. I can see it in the continued twitch of that eyebrow. "Well if you two will excuse me, it seems I have some paperwork to do."
I don't think I have ever seen my dad that tense. He stood up and walked out of the room looking so much like a board. I wonder if Tseng is going to get yelled at for not keeping a better eye on his recruits, mainly me.
"Why did you do that?" My voice sounded strange to my ears because I hadn't said one word all night.
"Because I'm tired of sneaking around. Besides my popularity is just about to go through the roof. It will be harder for either of us to sneak into the other's room at night. And then back to our own in the morning." He had a point. "And it would have only gotten worse when your dad died. I thought it best to get everything out in the open now."
"But I wasn't ready."
"And you think your ever would have been?"
"No, not really."
He walked around the table until he was standing behind me. His hands moved down my arms and then he was wrapped around me his mouth close enough to my ear for me to feel his breath.
I tensed.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm not going to hide anymore my dragon."
"But …"
"Shh, everything will be ok. You'll see."
"How many more secrets are you going to tell tonight?"
"No more I think. So far I haven't had the need to explain that one to anybody but you."
I pulled myself out of his embrace and turn to hit him in the shoulder. "You better not have!"
"Come on, let's get you moved before your dad finds that form and has it reversed."
"He can still do that."
"Maybe, but the way that poor boys eyes popped out of his head it's going to be Shinra common knowledge in less then an hour."