/Edited and re-done on July 28, 2010 at 8:32 AM. I rather like this one. There's a slight hint at Yuffentine at the end, because I'm me, but you don't have to take it that way if you don't want to.
During his later musings, after the battle with Sephiroth's Remnants, his thoughts often went to his friends. Although, in his defense (as he would try to keep up the uncaring façade that really isn't very believable anymore, of course) those musings were more often than not triggered by a call from said friends or a word from any of the four demons taking up residence in his now probably very large subconscious.
He should start charging rent.
They would pay him in nightmares.
Now, to his assault (because, did you really believe anyone could –or would- resist the chance to partake in the sport said demons find very enjoyable: harassing him?) these poignant states of private reflection- once there- were never pushed back with too much effort, as he actually quite liked to think of them… even if he'd never admit it. Those living of his resized mind never missed a chance to join in, much to his vexation, for while he was not too openly hostile to them (they had, after all, gotten him out of some very tight spots many a time, and, as per the manners beaten into him by an age and culture that forgave not disrespect, he must be thankful) they were quite annoying sometimes.
They were particularly so when they called him names.
That hurt his feelings.
For those reasons, he tried very hard to just not muse over his friends. They were friends now, of course. There are some things one goes through with others that end with becoming friends, and battling a mad demi-god hell-bent on destruction, with an obscene resistance to staying dead, is one of them. He doubts anyone could fight against a comradeship like theirs after being faced with a significant death, the knowledge you may perish painfully in a few hours, a grueling battle, then having to do almost all of it again after you believed all to be well.
He will never be able to understand why they like him.
They like his confusion too much to tell him.
Then a different threat comes, one that hits impossibly closer to home (impossibly, because he thought nothing could have been closer than her son) and they have to save the world all over again. Well, no, they don't have to. He must, because he is in the center of it all and feels responsible (as he does for so many things), but they come to help him. Because they want to, because he needs help and he helped them so they will help him. How could he not be grateful? So, after that battle, he doesn't push those thoughts away, and they stop coming as often. Possibly because he mused over what they were doing and now he knows. Possibly because he spends much less time reflecting, and more time keeping a certain ninja from teaching the children to steal wallets.
The demons still laugh at him.
He knows they're just jealous.