Title: Kitty Days!
Summary: Cloud Strife never expected that he would meet two of his idols/crushes in this way. He knew he shouldn't have brought his cat with him to the gardens!
Pairings: SephirothxCloudxGenesis
Warnings: Sexual Innuendo, Yaoi, M/M, curse words?
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 nor their characters. I only own myself.
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"Seph! Come on… Come down from up there!" Bright blue eyes glimmered as small tears of frustration welled up on them.
Cloud Strife merely wanted to relax in peace with his pet cat without any of his bullies disturbing him on his day off. He had been happy when Angeal—who helped him and Zacl out with his cat after Zack introduced Cloud to his mentor—suggested that he could hang out in the gardens, which was supposed to be off-limits to cadets like him unless they were given permission by the higher ups which he had. Angeal had trusted him with his card to the gardens knowing that Cloud would not be causing any problems in the garden unlike a certain puppy that they both know. Zack pouted at the unfairness of it all and claimed that Cloud was stealing Angeal away.
Of course, Cloud took it the wrong way and apologized looking very much like the kitten that he had just adopted with his drooping blond hair and sad big blue eyes. Zack squealed and immediately hugged him which did not impress the kitten that was in his arms. Zack ended up with a lot of scratch marks in his arms after the cat decided that it was a good scratching post.
He was brought out of his thoughts when his cat mewled loud and clear. He looked down at his owner with the air of an emperor and his eyes held an imperial glint. The cat which was supposed to stay still beside him so that they could have avoided this situation and he could have cuddled with him in peace, had long white silky smooth hair that was brushed every night by Cloud in order to avoid unpleasant tangles in them. Zack had often threatened to cut it all off whenever he saw Seph and the cat would look at him with narrowed eyes and hiss threateningly before swiping at the man's feet. Then he would snobbily slink away with tail and head up in the air back towards Cloud's lap to be petted for the rest of the night.
Its eyes—which was the main reason why he named it its name aside from the facts that he had a crush on said namesake and that it acts like him as well based from what Zack said—was a pair of slitted vivid green eyes that Zack swore would glow sometimes as if the cat had mako in its veins. Cloud was fascinated by the cat's eyes from the beginning he saw it just like he had admired Sephiroth from the moment he heard about him from the newspapers.
"M'row!" Cloud jerked back when he heard the agitated yowl from Seph.
Seph's tail was lashing out erratically signaling to Cloud that it wanted down.
"Couldn't you come down there Seph? I mean, you got up there by yourself so you should be able to go down by yourself too right?" Cloud pleaded up to the cat which looked down at him with a gleam in its eyes.
Cloud felt like he had been called an idiot by his darling cat inside his own mind.
'Great, even my cat thinks I'm an idiot.' Cloud depressingly thought.
He finally shook his head and mustered up all his courage.
"You can't become a SOLDIER if you can't even climb up one measely tree, Cloud. It's not like you're climbing up a Gaia forsaken cliff." Cloud gave himself a pep talk as he looked for a sturdy place to start his climb up.
Finding a jutting out part in the trunk, he wrapped a foot and an arm around the tree and began pulling himself up. He resolutely stared up to his target since he knew that if he looked down, he'll probably lose all of his courage because of his stupid fear of heights. He continued climbing and climbing ip until he finally reached the branch Seph was parking his ass on.
"Seph!" Cloud breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at the cat. "Wait there, I'll finally-"
He let out a shriek as the branch that he was stepping on broke away. Thankfully, he managed to get on the sturdy branch that he was hoping to reach from the start. His eyes strayed down and he completely froze.
"T-that's too high!" Cloud stuttered out with an all too high voice he was not proud of as he wrapped himself around the branch, shivering and trembling in fear.
Tears began escaping his eyes as he thought about his current situation. He knew that he shouldn't have pushed it but Seph… He couldn't just leave his beloved cat behind.
He felt something nuzzling his hair and when he looked up, he saw Seph staring at him with unnervingly intelligent eyes. Even for a cat, Seph was just far too intelligent for it to not be suspicious. The cat always seemed to understand their words whenever they were talking to him.
'He really is as smart as his namesake.' Cloud thought.
His cat continued to stare at his distressed face before it gave him a kitten lick/kiss on his cheek as if he was apologizing for what had happened and for comfort. Cloud's eyes softened as he finally unwrapped himself from the branch. He carefully leaned his back on the trunk of the tree and pulled his unprotesting cat into his lap. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on top of Seph's head.
"Thanks Seph." Cloud whispered. His answer was a loud purr.
Cloud began to use the breathing technique Angeal taught him to calm his mind so that he could try to think of a way out of this situation. He couldn't just jump down the tree because they're too far high up and jumping down as an unenhanced person would probably end up with him snapping his neck or spine on the ground. He couldn't climb down because he simply doesn't know how. Taking into account that he was going to bring Seph down with him, he could climb down with just one arm.
So what will he do now?
He felt Seph pawing at his front pocket and he realized something. He has his phone! But then he remembered that the two people who could have saved him from this tree is on an outside mission that will last for a few days.
'Maybe… I can ask them to call someone to help us but what if they're at an important part of their mission? What if I disturb them?' Cloud looked down at Seph who stared back at him. The cat began rubbing himself against his owner's hand and stomach. 'Well, it couldn't hurt to try I guess.'
He dialed Zack's number and waited for his bestfriend to answer his phone. While waiting for him, he stroked a finger up Seph's back and couldn't help the fondness that lit up his eyes when the cat's back arched up to his touch.
"Hey Spike!" He heard Zack's cheerful voice, "whatcha doing?"
"Hi Zack, I'm not disturbing you at an important part of your mission right?" Cloud asked worriedly.
"Nah, we've just arrived at the Inn and dropping our things back. We're gonna start the mission for real tomorrow." Zack said and Cloud heard a thump from the other side of the phone, "but for real now, why're you calling? Is something wrong?"
Cloud chuckled at the complete mother hen Zack turned into whenever someone he cares about is in trouble. Lately, he's been the one Zack's been concentrating all that mother hen tendencies which Angeal said they all experienced when they were first getting to know Zack.
"I… Um… I need your help." Cloud sheepishly said, his finger scratching Seph underneath his chin, which is his favorite spot.
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Zack blinked at the statement and tried to push back that worried feeling since Cloudy doesn't seem like he's in any real trouble.
"You do know that me and Geal's out of town right? We can't be your knight in shining armors right now." Zack said while hugging the pillows in the bed.
He snickered when he heard the sputtering that came from the chicabo, "Wha- Shut up Zack!"
He could see the brilliant red that spread out in the kid's cheeks and to the tips of his ears. Cloudy was just too damn easy and so fun to tease!
His sensitive ears could also pick up the increasing volume of Cloudy's pet cat Seph as his owner is no doubt lavishing him lots of attention and affection.
He whistled in awe, and said, "Damn! Seph is lapping up all of your attention isn't he?"
As if sensing his presence, Zack heard the purring stop and then it was immediately replacef by threatening hissing. He snorted and shook his head.
Exactly like his namesake. But maybe he has a little of Genesis as well…
"Yeah, about that… Seph got stuck up on a tree earlier and I couldn't just leave him here. So I climbed up after him but now…" He could practically see the kicked chicabo look in Cloud's face right now as he explained his situation, "we're both stuck up in a tree."
Zack couldn't help it. He snorted.
"Zaaaaack!" Cloud whined in his ear.
"Sorry kiddo, it's just that you have such rotten luck it's amazing." Zack sobered up and stared at the ceiling as he thought of a way to help Cloud down, "let me see… You can't jump down from the tree because not only are you afraid of heights but you're also unehanced. So jumping down is a nono unless you want to break your neck. You can't climb down because you don't know how—remind me to teach you when we come back—and you're carrying Seph. So am I right or am I right?"
Zack grinned when he heard the answering whimper. He hummed thoughtfully and said, "No worries! No worries! Just wait a sec and I'll call you back in a little while. I gotta ask Geal something."
"Nooooo! That's too embarassing!" Cloud pathetically wailed but Zack had already ended the call before he continue to try to persuade Zack from involving Angeal.
Zack didn't understand why he wouldn't want Geal to help him. Geal's nice so he wouldn't make fun of Cloud unlike Gen or ignore Cloud like Seph unless Cloud piqued his curiosity.
As if called by something, Angeal appeared in the doorway holding his own things. He must have finished briefing the team on what they were going to do.
Angeal looked at his student and immediately gave Zack his stern look when he saw the devious grin that he often used just before he was about to cause trouble for anyone.
"Aw, don't look at me like that Geal." Zack whined, "Cloud's just asking for some help since he's stuck up on a tree with Seph without any way down."
"Our Seph or the kitty Seph?" Angeal sarcastically asked as he sat down beside Zack on the bed.
"Duh. Obviously it's kitty Seph. If it were our resident Sephiroth, I doubt Cloud would manage to call me since he'll obviously be unconscious in the presence of his Majesty Sephiroth and they wouldn't even be in this situation." Zack rolled his eyes and a smile twitched up Angeal's lips.
The First Class officer laughed and shaking his head, saying "Gen is rubbing off on you, Puppy."
"Nah, this is really me. If he was rubbing off on me I'd be reciting Loveless every single second of the day like him." Zack dismissively said before he bounced in impatience, "come on Geal! Cloudy's stuck up on a tree what if he starved? Or what if Hojo found him?"
Zack looked horrified especially when he thought of Hojo finding Cloud. The scientist would probably kidnap his blond cadet away and experiment on him!
"Don't be silly Puppy," this time it was Angeal's turn to roll his eyes at his student, "the Professor is banned from the gardens because the last time he used it, he managed to create carnivorous plants that ate at least five of the cadets that were visiting."
Zack's nose scrunched up in disgust, "Ugh."
"Indeed. I thought that Cloud was afraid of heights. Why would he be climbing trees if he were afraid of them?" Angeal returned to their current issue at last. He knew that the poor little cadet was probably waiting for Zack and was probably miserable up the tree waiting for help.
"You know how Cloud is. If it's someone he cares for or someone he's supposed to be taking care of, he'd erase any of that fear and hesitance so that he could protect them with his own hands no matter his fears or hurdle." Zack said with a fond smile.
He remembered when he first met Cloud. The cadet was all hunched up and completely uncomfortable flying up on a helicopter as he avoided watching the scenery outside of the window. Zack had managed to get the boy into a conversation with him and the older was surprised and happy to know that Cloudy is really a fun person to talk with. After that mission, he still continued to keep into contact with Cloud and became close as friends.
There was one time when Cloud was taking care of his cat outside and Zack stepped out to use the bathroom. When he got back Cloud had broken the nose of one of his bullies growling at them to never attack his cat or his friends again or he'll rip the kid's balls off and feel them to him. The bullies scampered off after that and Zack never looked at his little friend the same again.
Oh, he knew that Cloud was still innocent in a lot of ways but underneath that sincerely sweet and shy self is a wicked anger that was just waiting to be unleashed on complete morons.
When Cloud's angry, he's reminded more of a Genesis in a rampage.
Angeal nodded with a smile, "Ah yes, that's one of his more honorable traits. Now as for help… How about you ask some of your friends to help him?"
Zack brightened up at the idea and began dialing away the phones of his friends whom he knew often visited the garden. Unfortunately, Kunsel was also out on a mission outside of Midgar like them. Max is also at the same mission as Kunsel. Adrian was in an important meeting that will last the whole day. Brian, on the other hand, is in the infirmary.
There was only one more number left and he stared at it.
"What is it?" Angeal inquired when he saw the look in his puppy's eyes.
"Think you can ask the human Sephiroth to get the chicabo down?" Angeal was treated to the full power of Zack's puppy dog eyes complete with tears and wobbling lower lip.
Angeal sighed and opened his own phone to dial one of his bestfriends.
"That is if Sephiroth is not busy," Angeal told his student who nodded eagerly. He rdturned his attention to the phone when he heard the General's drawl answer, "I need your help with something if you're not too busy."
He could hear Sephiroth think his words over before he answered him, "I am not busy with anything for the rest of the day. What is it that you need my assistance with Angeal?"
"It's not with the mission but something personal." He waited for the sound that will allow him to go on, when he heard it he continued his explanation. "My puppy and I have sort of adopted someone under our wings. He's been experiencing some unwanted attention from his fellow cadets so I suggested that he relax in the garden which is forbidden from cadets unless given permission which I gave him. Unfortunately, he's… Stuck up on a tree because we've asked him to take care of our pet cat. The cat apparently climbed the tree and he climbed after it and now… He's stuck."
He heard Sephiroth being pushed away and the loud growl that came from the General until another voice answered him.
"You had a pet cat, Geal? How dare you not tell me! You knew I'm a cat person!" Genesis Rhapsodos practically yelled in the phone.
Thankfully, knowing that either his childhood friend was there or not, Angeal had already prepared himself for his more dramatic friend. He returned the earpiece back near his ear knowing that Genesis could yell at anytime soon.
"Because you will probably steal the cat." Angeal dryly said, "can you return the phone back to Sephiroth so that he can answer my question?"
"Of course we will, Geal! If the cadet is cute too we'll help him too. Now come on Seph!" He heard the clicking of the phone signalling Genesis cut the call on him.
He rolled his eyes in fond exasperation and returned his look at Zack who looked at him expectantly.
"You should call Cloud. Help is going to be arriving soon." Angeal said, lips twitching in amusement.
"That was Gen right? He'll definitely help Cloud. He's such a cute guy after all." Zack happily said as he dialed Cloud's phone again and cheered his friend up by saying that help is on the way.
"Who's going to help me, Zack?" Cloud asked, curiosity dripping from his very words.
"That's a secret!~" Zack said with a singsong tune before stopping the call again before Cloud could ask anymore questions and turned his phone off. "Now I'm really interested on how those three will react to their first meeting."
Angeal snorted and smirked.
"Knowing Genesis and Sephiroth mixed along with Cloud's dreadful luck, it would probably be something completely memorable." Angeal said.
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Cloud sighed as he stared up at the green stormy looking clouds that never left Midgar. He had been sitting here in this branch for the past hour waiting for help. Zack had finally told him that help was arriving but the ass dropped the call before he could ask Zack more questions on who'll see this embarassing scene of a cadet hoping to be a SOLDIER who can't even climb down trees.
"How wonderful." Cloud sighed as he flicked Seph's ear and smiled when the cat didn't even stir save for his ear twitching.
He flicked it again and finally Seph woke up, opening his eyes and glaring up at his owner. This time, Cloud couldn't stop the giggle.
Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess
We seek it thus, and take to the sky
Cloud paused from the familiar words. How can he not know the next words when he'd been up reading that book countless times for the past few weeks? The next words automatically flowed from his lips as it recited the poem that had been engraved in his heart and mind.
Ripples form on the water's surface
The wandering soul knows no rest.
He paused and murmured, "Loveless, act one."
There was a girly shriek and he looked down from his perch (he still felt light headed at the height but he's slowly getting over it) and gasped when he saw two of his heroes staring back up at him.
Genesis Rhapsodos, wearing that infamous red leather cloak was clutching the General's arm and staring up at him with a mad look in his eyes. Frankly, it frightened him a bit and he didn't know what he did to put that look there.
Sephiroth looked as graceful as always. His long shining silver hair swung from Genesis' shaking of his arm and his glowing green eyes were filled with irritation as it stared at the red haired man next to him.
"Can I keep him, Seph? Can I? Can I?!" Genesis whined like a child that wanted a new toy.
To be honest, that was how it really is.
"The day I allow you to keep a cadet is the day I can burn Hojo and President Shinra." Sephiroth dryly said as he returned his gaze back to the boy who was still staring down at them, completely frozen. "Cadet, what is your name?"
Cloud snapped back from his daze and stuttered out his answer.
"C-Cloud Strife, sir!" Cloud was about to salute but then his body seemed to have realized he was still up the tree and decided to remind him of his fear.
Sephiroth gazed up at the cadet on the tree with a slightly concerned look. His observant eyes took note of the way the boy's face completely paled when he was about to salute him, the way the boy's hands completely wrapped around the branch tightly and the way the cat stared down at them with eerily similar eyes such as his while twisting its tail around the cadet's alarmingly thin wrists.
"You! What do you think of Loveless?" Genesis separated himself from Sephiroth and pointed accusingly at Cloud who gave him a chocobo in headlights look. His bright blue eyes were wide in surprise at being addressed by the red wearing Commander and at the question.
"I… I think that the poem itself has a lot of interpretations depending on the person who reads it. I find it a fascinating read, sir. Ever since I had seen it in an antique shop, I bought one for my own copy." Cloud shyly said, his cheeks flushing a fetching red that looks absolutely adorable for the little blond.
Sephiroth mentally sighed when he saw the growing glee in his friend's eyes. It looks like the man has found a new target of obsession for the month.
"Cadet Strife, if you would please jump down so that either one of us can catch you," Sephiroth said, cutting off Genesis before he could go on another spiel about LOVELESS.
The cadet shook his head and held tighter on to the furball that was perfectly happy in the boy's lap.
"But Seph would be frightened if I jumped with him!" Cloud exclaimed before snapping his mouth shut.
The two First Class SOLDIERs raised an eyebrow at the furiously blushing cadet.
"Seph?" Genesis repeated, his brows rising further when Cloud buried his hot face on the fur of his cat.
"'S the name of the cat…" If they were not SOLDIERs, they wouldn't have heard the mutter without their sensitive ears.
A smirk rose up on Genesis' face as he looked between the cat and Sephiroth who plastered on a blank look.
"You named your cat after Mr. Stiff here?" Genesis grinned wickedly and Sephiroth rolled his eyes at his attempt of teasing.
Cloud made a whining noise in his throat and raised his head to train slightly teary eyes upon his two idols.
"He has similar eyes to the General and he's also pretty smart too! Zack also said that the name fits him cause Seph acts like the General in private and Angeal didn't deny it!" Cloud defended himself and his cat's name.
It's not like there weren't people out there who called their pets names after famous people. It's just that none of those people also called their pets those names in front of those famous people too.
'And since Sephiroth isn't such a common name, it's so obvious that I called Seph after him. I can't even make the same excuse of the other people who does it!' Cloud mentally groaned at the unfairness of life and fate.
Genesis didn't know if he should pout or be amused at the name of the cat. Of course, Sephiroth always got the cuties since he's the oh so famous General.
'Oh well, at least the cutie has a great sense for literature unlike that uncultured swine puppy.' Genesis thought optimistically.
Sephiroth pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. He doesn't really mind the fact that somebody had named their pet after him. It wasn't like it would affect his life or reputation. However, what he did mind is the loud mouth of Angeal's puppy who's blurting out his private personality to just anyone he grows completely attached too.
"It's alright. I don't mind it, cadet." Sephiroth said, his mind formulating a way to get the boy and his cat down. "Genesis, would you mind catching Strife when he jumps down?"
The look on Genesis' face was anything but innocent as he practically purred his answer, "Why, of course I will."
Sephiroth gave him an unamused look. The red haired man held up his hands in the universal sign of defense.
"I promise I'll behave." Genesis said.
While Sephiroth did not believe his friend, he was not about to continue wasting time in here when he could be called anytime for important business no matter how interesting and pretty the blond cadet is. He looked back up at the younger man who peered down at him with wide blue eyes that are impressively bright even when its owner was not enhanced with mako.
"Strife, jump down here and Genesis will catch you. Leave your cat there and I will climb up to get him." The General ordered as he began to climb the tree.
Cloud stood petrified on the branch, his eyes snapping down and up to look at the now looking vaguely concerned Genesis.
"Come on cadet. I'm sure that you're afraid of heights but you did get over it to save your beloved cat right?" Genesis said as Cloud hesitantly nodded, "there are times when you have to get over your fears to get somewhere. There was a time when I was fully afraid of fire."
The sudden confession snapped Cloud out of his fright and he looked at Genesis in shock and awe. Genesis was infamous throughout Shinra for his fondness of setting things on fire and making cadets dance to his Firaga.
"You were?" Cloud asked in awe, his blue eyes brightening further.
'It's so damn pretty,' Genesis thought to himself before he continued.
"Yeah, but I overcame that fear when I first summoned Phoenix so that he could save Angeal and I from a very powerful enemy in our first mission we encountered as a First. I often avoided using Fire materia because I was nearly burned when I was a child due to an accident in the kitchens." Genesis said, looking up at the blond who was staring at him with great respect. "Even if you're afraid, trust me. Trust me to know that when you fall I'll catch you. But before I can catch you, you'll have to be the one to make the first step in facing your fear."
He watched Cloud battle with himself before the cadet nodded, his eyes burning brightly with determination and stubborness that would either get him killed or bring him to succeed in whatever he will put his mind into in the future.
Cloud wrestled with himself as he mulled over the words that the crimson haired commander had given him. He knew that he hadn't been the brightest or strongest in the cadets. But if there was one thing that he never lost even if he was scared of so many things, it was his stubborness to see things through. He can do this. He will not disappoint anybody who was counting on him. He was not going to allow his fears to keep him down or in this situation, up.
He placed Seph beside him carefully and gave the cat that was watching him silently a scratch underneath his chin before bracing himself.
"I-I'm going to jump now." Cloud's voice wavered as he stared down at Genesis who held his arms up to show that he was ready.
"Jump on the count of three." Genesis said, "one… Two… Three!"
Cloud closed his eyes and took a leap of faith.
Oh god! He was falling! He was falling! He's going to end up breaking his ne-
He felt a pair of strong arms catch him with ease and pulling him into a firm chest. His face was buried into smooth silk and his nose caught the scent of… Apples?
His eyes snapped open and a squeak escaped his lips when dark blue eyes stared down at him with amusement.
"I told you I'll catch you right?" That was the last thing he heard before he fainted.
Genesis watched the little cadet jump down when the number three was called out. His eyes carefully watched the descent as he held out his arms and caught his prey. He watched with amusement when Cloud buried his face in his chest before getting his wits back and snapping his eyes open to look up at his superior.
His amusement and fascination grew when he watched Cloud grow as red as his coat.
"I told you I'll catch you right?" He said before the poor cadet couldn't take it anymore and fainted.
A lecherous grin grew on his face as he carried Cloud in his arms bridal style and one of his hands went down a tad bit lower…
"Angeal will kill you if you molest one of his charges." Sephiroth's deadpan voice brought Genesis out of his dirty fantasies.
Genesis looked up from the angel in his arms to see his silver haired lover carrying the cat in his own arms. The cat itself was purring rather loudly while Sephiroth scratched the cat behind one of its ears absently.
"What he doesn't know, won't hurt him." Genesis declared, "what do you think of this little sweetheart, Seph?"
The cat perked up at the name but noticing that it wasn't him being called, he returned to purring in content in the silver man's arms.
"He does seem rather… Cute," Sephiroth admitted, "but that does not mean that you can molest him."
"Oh come on Seph!" Genesis whined.
"No," the man curtly said, "he is only sixteen, Genesis. He is just a minor."
Genesis sighed in disappointment but then he gained a determined glint.
"Then you and I will wait for him to turn seventeen." Genesis' eyes gained a wicked gleam. "I'm sure that'll make a very memorable coming of age birthday."
"Me? What makes you think that I will join you?" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at his mischievous lover.
"Because I know that you've been looking at his records when you think I'm not looking or the fact that you've been observing most of his combat classes." Genesis raised an eyebrow at Sephiroth who gained a guilty face. "You're lucky he's cute and loves Loveless like I do or you'll have gained a Firaga down your pants."
"I thought I was going to lose interest but it grew bigger instead of smaller." Sephiroth admitted.
Genesis rolled his eyes but he softened and walked up to his lover. Sephiroth watched him with a wary look but all he did was peck the taller man on the lips.
"It's alright, Seph." Genesis said in an uncharacteristically soft voice, "as long as you didn't sleep with him or anything like that behind my back then it's fine. Now that I know and like him then I'll help you ease him into our relationship."
"Not until he's legal." Sephiroth stubbornly said.
"Not until he's legal," Genesis agreed, "I'm not an idiot. Shinra'll give a fuss if we made a scandal for taking advantage of a minor. Besides, it'll be easier to get to know him so that we'll know if he's really compatible with us."
The soft moment was ruined when Genesis' phone rang. Both sighed at the interruption.
"I'll get it." Sephiroth said when Genesis made to get it at the risk of waking the unconscious cadet up, "Hello Angeal."
"Hello Seph," he heard the worried tone coming from their honorable friend, "have you helped Cloud?"
"Yes, but Genesis' advances ended up making Cloud faint." Sephiroth smoothly said.
"Seph!" Genesis exclaimed before lowering his voice when Cloud stirred, "you bastard—!"
Sephiroth smirked at his lover when they felt Angeal getting ready to lecture Genesis.
"I'm going to get you for this!" Genesis hissed as he finally faced his childhood friend's rants on being dishonorable with tje puppy in the background claiming how he and Seph corrupted his chicabo.
Sephiroth continued petting the content cat and finally led Genesis away to bring the cadet to their rooms.
'This will be an interesting year,' Sephiroth thought as he glanced one more time at the unconscious Cloud Strife.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Bonus!
0-0-0-0-0-0
Cloud smiled down brightly at the notice he had received.
Congratulations for making Third Class SOLDIER!
He was in the room of Genesis and Sephiroth after Zack had chased him out of their rooms. He merely shoved a gift box claiming that it was from Reno and him with a card and shooed him away before snapping the lock on the rooms so that Cloud couldn't enter. Becoming close with Sephiroth and Genesis, he was also given a key card to their room;telling him that if Zack got too unbearable, he could always bunk in with them.
After a year filled with training and bonding with new friends, Cloud had grown strong enough to pass the SOLDIER exams with flying colors. Ever since that fateful day in the gardens where Gen and Seph (the human one not his pet) saved him from being stuck in a tree, the two First Class SOLDIERs decided to get to know him better.
They had been some of the people who encouraged him to take the SOLDIER exams again and helped him with preparing for it. He got to know the two beyond Shinra propaganda and realized that while some of the stories and rumors were true, Sephiroth and Genesis was far better than the picture that media and Shinra painted them out to be.
While Sephiroth was still cold and quiet just like how he portrayed himself towards the public, in private company he was awkward with social activities and lacks tact. It mixes beautifully and explosively with Genesis' short temper and his easily offended ego. The silver haired man was also fond of the cat that shared his name and it wasn't rare to see the two lounging on the couch while the human watched his beloved cheesy soaps while the cat purred contently under the absent affections laid on him.
Genesis on the other hand was as short tempered and dramatic as the public saw him. However, he is also intelligent—which he has to be or he wouldn't have survived being a First if he wasn't—and has a fondnes for having philosophical talks with Sephiroth and Cloud when they were relaxing. The man is also fiercely protective and possessive of those that he cares for which was proven when his bullies tried their shit on him again only to prove that the rumors of Genesis making unruly cadets dance tk his Firaga was true.
Ever since then, the bullies stayed clear of Cloud's way which was a huge relief for the blond cadet. He showed his gratitude to Genesis by baking him a delicious Banoran Apple Pie which was heaven on gaia in Genesis' tongue.
Unfortunately, while Seph loved his namesake, he and Genesis had a love-hate relationship that amused the others. Cloud knew that the two liked each other though. They didn't notice once when he came inside the room to see Seph curling up against Genesis who was napping on the couch after his monthly mako session.
Spending time with the two also increased his respect and his crush on them. He knew that they only looked at him as a friend and he didn't want to ruin their friendship so he kept his feelings hidden. When he confessed to Zack that he liked the two more than a friend, his best friend rolled his eyes at him.
"Duh, it's so obvious." Zack bluntly said making Cloud flush a deeper color of red. "You should tell them how you feel Spiky."
"No," Cloud sadly said as his spiky hair actually drooped to reflect his mood, "it's obvious that they love each other. I'd never be anything to them."
Although he didn't know it then, Zack had given Angeal who was subtly listening in to their quiet conversation a 'can-you-believe-this-shit' look. Angeal sent him a look and Zack proceeded to comfort his friend.
"Look, let's make a bet. If those two doesn't pounce on you to confess their love and make hot sex with you on your seventeenth birthday then I'll bring you to the bar and we can get wasted with all the beer that you want. My treat." Zack said.
The look Angeal had given him was frightening.
Now it was his birthday and he just got one of the best gifts that he wanted in the whole world. He finally became a SOLDIER!
If only…
He shook his head and took the card that Zack and Reno left for him earlier. When he opened the card two photographs dropped from it. The picture it depicted was of a Genesis and Sephiroth who were in a suggestive pose in their individual photos.
Genesis was surrounded with roses on a big bed with his red hair mussed up from its normally neat look. His eyes were burning with lust and a seductive smirk was on his lips. The white dress shirt he was wearing in the picture was unbuttoned to reveal a firm broad chest. The black silk pants clung to the man's legs like sin.
Sephiroth doesn't look any different from normal aside from the man sitting on a black leather couch, his legs spread wide and the heavy gaze that he trained upon the camera. He was holding his wine glass with one hand while the other was spread on the back of the couch. The man was exuding a predatory air in the whole picture and it was highly arousing.
"Gah…" Cloud weakly groaned as he dragged his gaze away from the two pictures and looked at the message of the card.
Happy Legal Birthday Cloud!
You're no longer jailbait our dear friend! We hope you have a very nice and unforgettable birthday!
Love,
Zack and Reno
PS Geal said if you can still stand up later that we'll have a party in our room!
PS We're babysitting Sephy the cat for your special day today! He says hi~
PS Use protection kiddo! -R.
Cloud blinked at the message before shrugging and looking inside the box that was left with the card and pictures. He blushed furiously when he saw the things inside there and he fished out a huge bottle of lube.
He was so busy staring at the bottle with a horrified and traumatized look that he didn't notice the door opening.
Genesis and Sephiroth had been awfully impatient to finish their work the whole day. It wasn't just any day for them. It was finally the day they take their little chicabo for themselves. After a year of getting to know the blond, they had grown deeper into love with the oblivious Cloud.
Genesis enjoyed the moments they would just sit beside each other and read their books or discuss what they think is the true interpretation of Loveless. Sephiroth enjoyed the times when he and Cloud would bake things together or when Cloud would be studying while he was watching his soaps and Cloud's cat would be inbetween them asking for attention. Those peaceful moments brought into light some of the more endearing qualities in the blond such as his tendency to care for them when they would return from a mission tired and weary of the world.
They would find their favorite deserts in their table whenever they got home from a tiring mission with a little note telling them that he's glad they are home. It never failed to raise their spirits and remind them during their battles that they have something to fight and go back home for.
Cloud became the balancing element in their relationship even if he didn't know it. Genesis lost most of his bitterness and jealousy of Sephiroth's fame. Sephiroth warmed up and opened up even further to his loved ones ever since Cloud entered their lives. They didn't fight or argue that much anymore. Before they met Cloud, it was often that they would snap at each other and say hurtful things but with Cloud… It was like they had opened their eyes and the things that aggravated them so much bout the other was actually so stupid and meaningless to fight over.
But that wasn't the only reason why they fell in love with Cloud. They fell in love with Cloud because underneath all those fears and that shyness and awkwardness, they see a bright, stubborn, strong, kind and loving young man that they knew would never hurt them.
When they finally reached their rooms—knowing that Cloud was in there because Zack tipped them off—they didn't expect Cloud to be holding a huge bottle of lube and the two rare pictures of them in the floor. The bright flush on their prey's face and the small tent on Cloud's pants were tempting pictures.
"How perfect," Genesis purred out as they stepped inside their room, "our prey is completely ready for us."
Sephiroth didn't say anything but he turned a burning look on Cloud who gave them a deer caught in headlights look.
"I-I—" Cloud stammered out but then yelped in surprise when Genesis pounced on him.
The sight of Genesis straddling Cloud and Cloud's dazed look with a pretty flush on his cheeks nearly drove Sephiroth crazy.
"How about we give you your birthday gift now?" Sephiroth joined the two on the floor.
Cloud could only give them a whimper as the two demons descended upon him wearing hungry looks on their faces.
"Bon appétit!~" Genesis gleefully said as they started their devouring.
0-0-0-0-0-0
At the end of the day, Cloud couldn't get up to celebrate his birthday with Zack and the others nor could he even walk right for the next three days.
Genesis and Sephiroth had that cat got the canary gleam in their eyes everytime they see Cloud or they see him limping in the hallways.