A/N: Basically a bunch of scrabbles. Forgive my spelling/grammar mistakes, I'm just in my "I don't care enough to Beta" phase.

There were many advantages to living with Vincent, especially compared to the claustrophobic cell in the labs that has been his home for 13 years. Sephiroth had the privacy of his own room, with no cameras, no scientists coming to poke him with needles in the middle of the night. There was no screaming from the nearby cells - it was usually quiet, since Vincent was that kind of person, who created very little noise, or nothing at all if wished to go unnoticed. Vincent offered him a reasonable amount of freedom, enough for Hojo to grab on his oily hair and pull with frustration. Sephiroth could actually decide what he wanted to eat, which was a very strange concept at first and he was utterly confused by the many choices. Beside making sure he was keeping up with the class and making his homework, Vincent did not pry and allowed him to manage his time without interference.

But currently there was a major downside to living with Vincent. Sephiroth stood over his bed at the barracks, where he slept during the week days, and sniffed. Someone pissed in his bed. Again. And he had no more clean sheets to replace the urine-soaked ones. Since Vincent did the laundry, there was no chance of hiding the soiled sheets, and Sephiroth just could not stand the thought of it. Vincent never really said anything, but he gave Sephiroth that dark stare that meant he knew exactly what happened. And it humiliated Sephiroth to the point of tears. Not that he ever really cried, it was just...so fucking embarrassing and frustrating and uggggh...

Sephiroth resisted the urge to punch the wall, dismissing it as a sign of weakness, knowing they were always watching him, always waiting for him to crack. He smelled his pillow, and it passed his inspection, so he took it and marched to the common room. It was already locked in those hours, but he knew the code combination and so he entered it and let himself drop on his favorite couch. It was not as comfortable as a bed, but it was certainly better than a bed that was pissed on. That trick was really getting old but Kanaye and his minions were far from bright. Sephiroth drafted to sleep, comforted by the thought of having to endure only one more year.


Kami glared at her timetable with obvious distaste. She had six courses and three labs, the later scheduled to ungodly hours, which provided nerve-wrecking workload. She tried to remember what led her to take advanced physics and Materia 4, but whatever it was it did not seem convincing at that moment. As god-awful as her schedule was, it was not entirely responsible for her foul mood. It could definitely be ascribed to the fact that it was early morning, and her brother's gang was making a ruckus. They were laughing obnoxiously loud about their latest stunt. Apparently they pissed, again, in some poor guy's bed. Kami began to feel slightly nauseous but perhaps it could be assigned to the excitement of starting her first year in the academy.

Kami attended the Shinra school, enrolling in an accelerated program offered by the science department, allowing her to take her finals early and learn a few basic bachelor-level courses while still in high-school. She had never been on the academy campus before, except for visiting her brother, and this was her first year as a regular student. Her brother dragged her along with him to the cafeteria, sitting her next to him so he could keep an eye on her. Kanaye was always like that, the overbearing big brother, and she foresaw many hours wasted in the company of his dull friends.

Hopefully his hectic SOLDIER training would allow her enough freedom to explore and meet new people.

"Hi, Okama!" Her brother yelled, and the offensive term drew Kami away from her thoughts. "How did you sleep tonight?"

His friends joined the bashing, yelling other crude names, but they receive no response. A tall boy, perhaps a bit lanky, passed them by with stoic expression. His hair was long and brilliantly silver, and his face was still the face of a boy, and could be mislabeled as effeminate. Kami felt her stomach turn, was that the boy her brother was bullying for so long?


Sephiroth usually ate alone, since he had no friends among the cadets, mostly due to Kanaye's forced exclusion. He was also quite socially-awkward, which did not benefit his situation. He lifted his eyes from the food when he heard someone nearing his table, and not a moment later Angeal Hewley sat beside him. Angeal was already a Second Class Soldier, but when he had to teach a morning class, he would usually eat in the cadet's cafeteria that was the closest to the classes.

"They pissed in your bed again?" Angeal inquired lightly, chewing on a apple.

Sephiroth simply nodded.

"You have sword practice in fifth hour, so you can unleash all your pent up anger." Angeal said with a smile.

Sephiroth shrugged.

"Are you certain you don't want to move in with Genesis?" Angeal asked, "Since you'll be in SOLDIER in less than a year, I'm sure nobody would mind."

Sephiroth shook his head. "This would scream favoritism. I am already treated differently as it is."

Angeal gave Sephiroth a thoughtful gaze. They ate in silence and parted their ways when the classes began. Sephiroth walked somewhat lighthearted to his first class, knowing that Kanaye and his army of morons were not attending it since they did not have the required preliminaries. The class was fairly empty and so he choose his seat in the left side of the third row, which was the safest spot to daydream in class without being caught by the lecturer (it was empirically tested). A young girl, too young to be taking an academy course, entered the classroom, taking a seat in the middle of the second row. Sephiroth narrowed his eyes at her, recognizing her as the girl who sat with Kanaye at breakfast. He arched an eyebrow arrogantly, wondering how any of Kanaye's companions was smart enough to attend this course.

Some of Sephiroth's curiosity were satisfied when the lecturer checked attendance. The petite light-haired girl answered to the name 'Kami Takahashi', which meant she was related to Kanaye by blood, and with their identical hair color, she could easily be his sister. Since it was the first lecture and as such, it was of no real significance, Sephiroth allowed himself to tune out the professor. Instead he watched the female Takahashi with keenness of a predator, chuckling inaudibly at her colorful set of markers and pens and the artistic use she made of all of them to document every word coming from the professor's mouth. Who would believe Kanaye had such geeky relatives?

Two hours of advanced physics passed with the speed of light, and Sephiroth was quite pleased with his own joke. The next two hours were battle tactics 2 and Sephiroth was hardly looking forward to it. Most of it was painfully obvious, and the more remarkable moves he had already read about when he was approximately 10. But he knew attendance was mandatory and so he would have to pretend to listen, while dodging gums that were thrown at him, aiming for his hair. He was quick enough to secure a seat in the last row, giving him a sufficient view of his enemies at all times, and passed the lesson by counting the minutes until his sword practice and glancing at Kanaye. The resemblance to the girl from his advanced physics class was quite obvious now, although Kanaye had an air of ruthlessness about him, while the female Takahashi was rather...cute. Sephiroth immediately frowned at himself for that trail of thought, he was hardly interested in girls, and the last one that would draw his attention was a relative of the biggest nuisance in his life.


Kami rubbed her eyes tiredly. It was slightly before midnight, in her Mako practical class, and she was supposed to measure the Mako levels of a few substances and finish her lab report. She forced her eyes open and continued to work silently, taking great care in following the instructions. The class was soon to end, and her brother was supposed to wait for her in the lobby of the science center, so she would not walk to her dormitories alone. The lab was adjoined to professor Hojo's main lab, and Kami had caught a glimpse of him a few times, trying to draw an impression of the man they were taught to admire. The professor seemed to be in a constantly bad mood, with very short intervals of what appeared to be madness mixed with gloating. Kami was slightly unnerved by the notion that she might work under him once she finishes her degree.

When she left her class, it was not Hojo she spotted leaving the main labs, but the silver-haired cadet her brother loved to torture. He seemed exhausted and sick, and he gazed at her with empty eyes that did not recognize her presence. The scent he brought with him was unmistakable, he was given a high concentration Mako shower. Kami furrowed her brows, it was way too early for the cadets to be getting their Mako showers, but it seemed as if the pale boy was almost used to it. He was definitely weak, but he did not suffer from the disorientation that usually followed the treatment and he slowly, but surely, started to make his way out of the building. Kami walked in a safe distance behind him, praying that the cadet would not encounter her brother on his way back, as he was in no shape to defend himself. Kami was certain her brother would take advantage of such situation, sighing deeply, sadly, at her brother's unusual cruelty. From what she had seen so far, the silver-haired cadet was quiet, so aloof it was often mistaken as inattentiveness, but he never failed to answer a question when the lecturers challenged him.

Her brother arrived to the lobby several minutes later, yawning and looking utterly sleep-deprived. Kami felt slightly guilty for wasting her brother's few hours of sleep. "You don't have to do it, onii-san. I can walk to my dorms alone."

Kanaye shook his head. "No. Shinra can be a dangerous place for little girls at night."

"I am nearly seventeen. I am not a little girl." Kami glared at him.

Kanaye's expression darkened. "All the more reasons to worry."

Kami huffed in response and silently followed her brother until they reached her dorms. She did not remember falling asleep and suddenly the alarm clock filled the bedroom with an annoying buzz. Kami slammed it down with frustration. She was so miserably tired. And half an hour later she was so miserably bored, breakfasting with her brother and his goons. Kami tuned them out until a certain name redirected her attention to their conversation.

"-he's so full of himself. We need to wipe his arrogant expression off his face." A ginger boy, she vaguely remembered as Davis, stated angrily. The rest seemed to agree.

"On Thursday we have to hand over our battle maps for tactics 2. Perhaps our little prodigy would not feel so high and mighty if he fails to hand over the assignment." Her brother suggested cruelly.

Kami was silently seething, but kept her expression uninterested. She was already uncomfortable for passively participating in their bullying, for she never dared to confront her brother for his behavior, but this was too much. Kami needed to find a way to warn the cadet, without revealing her identity, something that would prove to be quite difficult. Kami was so distracted by it that she hardly listened in her Materia 4 class, and constantly stole glances at the boy she decided to protect. He was nameless at first, and her brother would call him Valentine when he bothered to use a name and not a profanity, but from now on he would be Sephiroth for her, as he was called by those who cared for him.


Kami was studying in the library, or at least staring with frustration at her Calculus 3 homework, hoping that if she glared at it long enough, the question would solve itself. Her eyes darted across the library, lingering on a young man with auburn hair. He was clad in Third class Soldier uniform, and the red coat he wore over it was a blunt violation of the Soldier dressing code. Momentarily, he lifted his eyes from the book he was reading, and gave her a bored stare. She huffed, and raised her pen with renewed determination when someone interrupted her.

"You Kami, right?" Asked a red-haired boy with a pointy face,

"Who is asking?" Kami replied cautiously.

"Reno Sinclair, future Turk." He introduced himself cockily, offering her his hand.

Kami took it, noticing the rough texture of his skin. "How can I help you, Reno?"

"I heard from reliable sources that you took Biochemistry 2 last semester and that your lecture summaries are the best." Reno stated, smirking. "So, can I borrow your BC2 notes?"

Kami gladly shared her notes with whoever needed them and she was about to tell Reno that he can borrow the notes, but she halted her tongue. It occurred to her that she could use the skills of a future Turk with her current situation. "You May borrow them. But in return, I ask for a favor."

Reno seemed intrigued. "I'm all ears."

"I wish...to surprise my brother. He's a Soldier cadet, you see, and I don't know the password to the barracks." Kami said, fiddling her fingers nervously.

Reno grinned widely. "Meet me here tomorrow, same time. Bring the notes, I will have your password." They sealed the deal with another hand shake, and Reno was off, seemingly delighted both with the promised notes and the challenge.

Kami gave herself a mental pat on the shoulder for the impressive improvisation, and returned to her dreadful homework. She started writing a solution a few times, then erased it, balling the paper with annoyance. She was furiously paging through her lecture notes when she felt a presence looming over her. The auburn haired Soldier was looking at her homework with obvious distaste.

"You need to use Cauchy–Schwarz inequality for that one." He spoke after a long moment.

Kami gawked at him for a moment. She then turned to read the question again, and quickly checked her notes. Her lips curved upwards. "Thank you, sir."

The Soldier simply nodded, and walked away, allowing Kami to quickly scribble down her solution.


Sephiroth placed his pen carefully on the table and examined his work, with obvious satisfaction. He spent long hours on his Tactics homework, and finally he was done with it. Collecting his belonging and shoving it to his bag, he carefully folded the maps and went to his locker, where he intended to keep them until the due date. If he kept it in his room, Kanaye and the league of stupidity might piss on it too. Thinking about the nasty bunch, Sephiroth's lips tightened to a thin line, and he decided he could use some steam-blowing in the cadet's gym.

There were some cadets in the weight lifting area, so he opted for the treadmills, which were unoccupied in that time of the night. He ran until all he could hear was his breathing and heartbeat, and all he could feel was the strain in his muscles and the rushing blood in his veins. All the names he was called in, all the insults, all the legs that tried to trip him and the intentional elbowing whenever they got close enough to him. Sephiroth blocked it all.

He noticed he was running faster than usual, and it had little effect on him, if any. Despite how much he hated the Mako showers, he could not deny their contribution to his increasing abilities. By now, he could keep in pace with any Second class Soldier, although his strength was still inferior to theirs. Hojo said it has something to do with puberty, and that soon Sephiroth will experience a dramatic improvement. Sephiroth was so engrossed in running that he only noticed the janitor's attempts to catch his attention when the man stood in front of his treadmill and waved his hands.

"The gym is closed." The man said impatiently.

Sephiroth nodded and stopped the machine, grabbing his towel and heading for the barracks. By the time he arrived most cadets were sleeping, and it was a relief. He searched his kitbag for clean clothes when he noticed a neatly folded note. Curious, he opened it, reading the elegantly written words.

"You-know-who and his marry gang of morons are planning to sabotage your homework for tactics 2. Tenshi."

Sephiroth's eyebrows rose so high, they nearly disappeared into his hairline. A sudden mix of suspicion, rage and distress replaced the serenity he gained in the gym, and he tore the note into tiny shreds, and shoved it deep into the trash bin. Grabbing his clothes, he marched to the showers, his mind working in overdrive. Sephiroth was reluctant to believe there was someone out there, willing to help him.


Sephiroth was not a huge fan of Materia use, and so the Materia practice was one of his least favorite classes. In sword practices he could easily stand his ground, since everyone were so scared to face him, knowing he would cause as much damage as he can, given the opportunity. But they never Casted Materia at each other, always using dummy targets, and the lack of immediate threat freed the tongues of many. Kanaye on his right, and his goon Davis on his left, put Sephiroth's composure into test.

"Adopting the surname Valentine won't help, you know." Kanaye said quietly, loud enough for Sephiroth to hear, but the instructor did not notice the exchange. "You're still a lab rat, bred by Hojo from Gaia knows what."

Sephiroth tried to concentrate on his next Cast and Kanaye continued. "I'd just kill myself if I were you. Death is better than life as a failed experiment."

"I am not a failure." Sephiroth said through clenched teeth, and released a powerful fire attack, torching the target to ashes.

"Your Materia Casting is pathetic." Kanaye remarked snidely, and issued the same attack, with better execution.

Sephiroth frowned. Kanaye was indeed very skilled with Materia, but he had an unfair advantage."Your armlet increases your attacks."

Kanaye sneered at Sephiroth's cheap, Shinra-made bracelet. "What, you can't afford a decent one?"

"I believe it is better to practice with the most basic equipment. You might find yourself without your precious armlet, and then what would you do?" Sephiroth taunted, in a way that was very much unlike him. "If I wanted I could get one, just as good as yours."

Kanaye snorted. "Sure you do." Davis laughed cruelly in the background.

Sephiroth inhaled deeply, blocking out any further taunting. He focused on his casting, trying to improve his attacks, redirecting his rage to the targets. Truth to be told, it could have been much worse. Well, it usually was. Degrading him for his odd appearance, calling him monster and lab rat, making jokes about his origins, those were the least offending remarks. It was the other vile names he was called, like Okama and Uke, references to his sexuality, and the dirty looks he got in the showers that disturbed him the most. He was not sure himself about his sexual orientation, and he was slightly insecure about his lack of experience in that area. He was certain though, that he did not want to "open up his pretty ass" to any of Kanaye's moronic friends, nor did he want to get down on his knees to suck their cocks. But that time Genesis kissed him, after learning he had never been kissed, was actually nice. Sephiroth found all of it very confusing and despised the fact that his sexuality became a public affair.


On Thursday morning Kami was feeling more than a little nauseous. Kanaye and his friends were speaking in hushed voices over breakfast, reciting over and over how they stole Sephiroth's mid-term assignment and burned it to ashes. Perhaps he did not get her note, or simply chose the ignore it, but whatever it was, Kami felt an overwhelming sense of failure. Afraid of losing her temper, Kami excused herself from the table, and began to walk to her class. Before she left the cafeteria She spotted Sephiroth eating alone, his eyes glued to his plate. Kami could almost hear her own heart breaking.

Introduction to EMS was fascinating enough to distract Kami from the morning events. The material was engrossing itself, but Kami favored that class mostly due to the lecturer. Dr. Otsuki was promising young researcher, and she was Hojo's only apprentice since he loathed sharing his knowledge with anyone. Kami intended to be just like her when she grew up, and was devotedly writing every word that came out of Dr. Otsuki's mouth. Following, were two torturous hours of Calculus, which swiftly reverted Kami's mood to morbid. She reluctantly dragged her legs to meet her brother for lunch, mentally preparing herself to hear some more gloating. Kami told herself she must not seek Sephiroth, because seeing him defeated and down would certainly make her smack her brother with her Calculus book. It was 400 pages or so, with hard cover.

Surprisingly, her brother and his gang seemed grim, a striking opposite to their high spirits in the morning. Her brother was talking in a low voice, nearly a hiss, his expression brooding. "He knew. This is not a coincidence."

Kami was frightened for a moment, but quickly convinced herself there is no way her brother would suspect her. She was a girl, which meant he automatically underestimated her, even if she was is beloved sister, and she knew he thought her too plain and naive for these kind of things.

"You saw his smug expression when he pulled out the maps from his bag?" A boy named Cori said, "I wish I could punch away his glee."

"Perhaps that's what we should do." Davis suggested, and her brother nodded, stabbing his food a little more violently than needed.

Sephiroth entered the dining hall then, and many eyes were turned to him. He walked with grace and pride, as if the hostile glares he was getting had no effect on him, as if he did not even notice them. At that moment, Kami realized she found him attractive, more for the silent power he radiated and his mental strength, than his exotic features. She fought to keep her expression neutral, overwhelmed by the rewarding feeling she was experiencing. It was set in stone then, that she would continue to be his Tenshi.


Kanaye and Kami were making their way home for the weekend. Classes mostly ended at noontime on e Friday, allowing the cadets to get to their homes before nightfall. Their mother was a Shinra employee, and would come home late at night, often exhausted and somber. But on the weekend she was more lively and Kami was looking forward to spending time with her. She was pondering in the train, when Kanaye, on the seat opposite to hers, interrupted her.

"I don't like that red-haired punk that's been sniffing around you lately." Kanaye said in his authoritative, older-brother voice.

"Reno? He only uses my notes." Kami replied calmly.

"He uses the notes to get into your pants, I have seen how he looks at you." Kanaye stated angrily. "And you should not be socializing with Sector 5 scum anyway, especially not Turk trainees."

"I think we had that conversation, when I tell you that you have no right to order me around." Kami remarked in a measured tone.

"If dad was here-" Kanaye started but could not finish his sentence.

"-He's gone, so it doesn't matter. And don't you try to take his place." Kami cut him, sounding much more assertive than Kanaye expected her. It put him into a long silence, that lasted until they got home. They quietly separated, each into his own room, and Kami decided to do her homework while her mother was still at work.

Kami helped her mother with dinner once she arrived home, and spent it listening to Kanaye talk about his week, and mainly badmouth Sephiroth. Most of his sentences included the phrase "That freak Valentine", and he was smacked on his head by their mother when replacing "freak" with "cocksucker".

"I will pull you out of the program if you keep cursing." Their mom threatened, and Kami silently wished she would keep her word. Kanaye apologized and continued to devour his food, and once he was done he got up and returned to his room.

"Pig." Kami muttered, while helping her mother clear the table.

"I heard that." her mom said with a smile.

"Well, it's true." Kami frowned.

Her mother sighed. "I did notice a negative change in Kanaye's behavior. I suppose I can only relate it to the company he has and to the violent nature of the training."

"I have seen Soldiers and they are not like that at all." Kami argued.

Her mother smiled knowingly. "So what are they like?"

Kami shrugged. "They have morals. Honor. One of them even helped me with my homework when I was in the library."

Her mother's smile widened. "And did you see him again?"

"He comes to read in the library every now and then, but I never actually talked to him." Kami admitted.

"Why not?" Her mother pressed.

"Because...It would just be weird." Kami moved uneasily from feet to feet. "I have nothing to say to him."

"Is he handsome?" Her mother asked with a wink.

Kami blushed. "I suppose he is. But something about him, is just too dramatic and bold."

"So you prefer the shy, quiet ones?" Her mom finished the dishes and came to sit by the table.

Kami tried to imagine how Sephiroth would behave in person. She had only seen him from afar, or when her brother was bullying him. "I...I am not quite certain about my preferences."

There was a moment of silent and Kami asked. "Do you know Sephiroth, the boy Kanaye despises so?"

Her mother's eyes flashed with something that Kami could not name. Her expression visibly darkened. "I knew his mother. She was beautiful and brilliant." Her mother shared, staring at her tea mug. "She fell in love with Hojo, while working under his supervision."

"Professor Hojo?" Kami shrinked.

Her mother laughed softly. "Well, back in the day...he was never handsome, but he was better looking than he is today. And he was considered to be Shinra's brightest scientist." She explained. "Her pregnancy was somewhat of a mystery. The father's identity was unknown and there are many conspiracies as to nature of parturition."

"What do you mean?" Kami asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

"The boy, I have seen him. His looks...are odd. Almost inhuman. Some people believe that he was genetically modified, still in his mother's womb." Her mother revealed with growing discomfort. "I do not know if there is truth in those assumptions."

"The other cadets call him by cruel names. Monster, lab rat, freak..." Kami said sadly.

Her mother seemed disgusted, and her eyes darted towards the stairways, where Kanaye's room was. "What do you think of him?"

"I think he's brave." Kami said without hesitation.

"Yes, he must be." He mother agreed, and then she had that faraway expression on her face, the one she wears when she had seen dreadful things at work, and Kami knew the conversation was over.


Sephiroth was flipping through his advanced physics book, trying to find an answer to one of his homework questions. The book did not cover all of the topics the lecturer mentioned in class and Sephiroth suddenly regretted he was not devotedly taking notes like Kami did. He used to think about her as the female Kanaye, but she was so very different from her brother and so Sephiroth decided that at least in his mind, he could refer to her by her name. He wished, for a moment, that he lived in an utopian world where he could simply ask her to borrow her notes. Sighing deeply, he closed the book, lying down in his bed.

A knock on the door was heard and Sephiroth said, "Come in."

Vincent walked inside with a pile of clean, ironed and pleasant smelling laundry. He carefully divided the pile, placing the clothes on Sephiroth's bed, and putting the bed sheets inside the closet. Vincent then turned to Sephiroth, giving him a crocked smile. "So, what caused you to finally stop soiling the bed?"

Sephiroth covered his face with his palm, blushing furiously under it. "Do we really have to talk about it?"

"No. I just want you to know, if it gets to far I will put a stop to it." Vincent said coolly, his expression dark.

Sephiroth assumed that being a Turk, especially one who is responsible for him and cares for his well being, Vincent probably knew all the details about the ongoing bullying. "Please, I want to deal with it myself. I need to do it myself. No more cuddling."

Vincent snorted. "You have no idea what cuddling is, Sephiroth." He said, and his voice was soaked with sadness. "I will not act against you will."

"Thank you." Sephiroth said, relieved.

"However, I want to know how are you fairing. A honest answer." Vincent stated, taking a seat on Sephiroth's bed.

"I...Well, it's quite a nuisance but...lately..." Sephiroth was unsure of how to phrase his feelings. He rarely tried to. He was also unsure of how much he wanted Vincent to know. Considering his options for a moment, he continued to speak. "I believe I made an alley recently, although I don't know who it is."

Vincent's eyebrows rose. "Explain."

"I started getting notes, warning me from...certain events. But there is no name on them, and I have not seen anyone delivering them." Sephiroth revealed, musing. "Some of them were placed in my bag at the barracks, so I would assume it is someone who has access. Probably another cadet."

Vincent pondered for a moment. "Not necessarily. The barracks password is hardly a tightly kept secret. I could look into it, if you wish."

Sephiroth shook his head. "I would like to crack this mystery myself."

Vincent nodded and stood up. "Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes. I noticed you skipped lunch so no excuses this time."

Sephiroth chuckled as Vincent left his room, closing the door behind him. It was entertaining to see a Turk, ruthless and powerful and deadly, acting so motherly.


Kami was running, and since she hardly had any physical training, she was breathing hard and her legs felt impossibly heavy. Kanaye and the gang found out the Sephiroth was getting his Mako shower that night, and planned to ambush him on his way back. Kami only became aware of their plan that morning and had no means of informing Sephiroth. Thus she had to prevent it herself, and she spent significant amount of the day planning. First, she had to find them. Then, she better pull a very good act. Kami was quite concerned about both sages of her plans.

Finding them turned out to be fairly easy, by simply running towards the barracks she noticed the taunting voices of Kanaye's friends. They were surrounding Sephiroth, attacking him from the back, and cursing him. From what she could see, he managed to defend himself so far, but the gang was just playing. Things would get much more violent soon. Kami resumed her dashing towards the cadets, and somewhere not far away from them, threw herself to the ground, intentionally scratching her knee. She let out a cry of pain.

"Who is it?" She heard Kanaye's voice, the only one who noticed her presence. She counted on his keen senses.

"Kanaye? Brother?" Kami said in a pitiful voice, playing on his protective tendencies.

"Kami?" Kanaye started running towards her, which caused his bullies to avert their attention from Sephiroth to her borther.

Kami sobbed a little, letting a few tears run down her cheeks, wearing her most miserable expression. Kanaye dropped to his knees beside her. "Are you alright?"

"I hurt my knee." Kami pointed at her bruised leg.

Kanaye examined the scratch. "What were doing here so late? I told you not to wonder alone!"

"I lost my cellphone, and wanted to search for it but I did not want to go without you, so I ran to the barracks to get you..." Kami said quietly, her eyes lowered to the ground.

"You could have called me from someone else's phone!" Her brother rebuked her.

"I could not remember your number! Mom would be so mad at me, I panicked and...I'm so sorry!" Kami sobbed, shaking with tears.

Kanaye embraced her in a hug, letting her cry into his shoulder. "Calm down, mom loves you more than me. She would not mind. And maybe we can find it anyway."

over her brother's shoulder, Kami peeked at Sephiroth, who stood there watching the scenario with utter puzzlement. She was silently thankful that he was clever enough to take his leave while everyone gathered around her. A few moments later, Kanaye pulled her up, letting her lean on him, and led her to the labs, where she supposedly forgot her phone. conveniently, Kami found it there. Nobody needed to know it was in her pocket all that time.


It was customary to bring cake to class on the day of your birthday, although Sephiroth had skipped that tradition. Not many knew the date of his birth, and he refused to celebrate it, but reluctantly accepted gifts from his few friends and from Vincent. But that morning, Kami arrived into their advanced physics class just before it started, escorted by her peers, a cake in one hand and colorful balloons tied in a ribbon in the other. She was always kind to everyone and willing to help, so it did not surprise him that people wished to celebrate her birthday, but he never imagined she was so well-liked. By the look on her face, Kami never imagined it as well.

She was practically glowing, a few delicate braids in her light hair, and her eyes sparking with laughter. Instead of her usually dark skirts, she was wearing a white dress, simple but elegant. Sephiroth sighed inwardly, rebuking himself again for giving her too much thought, and at the same time admitting to himself that he found her very pretty. Not the kind of allure that would turn the heads of men as she walked by, but something much more subtle, almost ambiguous. The more he looked at her, the more he discovered new ways in which she was beautiful to him. Sephiroth halted that dangerous trail of thought, already tasting the bitter flavor of rejection without even making a single move. He knew he would have no part in her life, not even in that little celebration.

Everyone took their seat, and the lecturer allowed Kami to pass between the students and hand out the cake. Sephiroth frowned, looking at anywhere but her, expecting her to skip his table. She would not be the first to exclude him, and he was not going to give her the satisfaction of seeing him hurt. Even though in other occasions he could not care less, Sephiroth knew this time it was going to cut deep. His surprise was beyond words when she stopped in front of his desk, her bright expression forcing him to glance at her.

"I know Soldier cadets are supposed to eat healthy, but it's really delicious." Kami said with a shy smile, offering him a piece of the cake.

Sephiroth honestly intended to decline, as coldly as possible, but her gray eyes were impossibly warm, and he found himself reaching for the cake and letting out a very choked "Happy birthday."

They both blushed. Sephiroth, because he was suddenly really embarrassed by the exchange and his voice came out funny. Kami managed a soft "Thank you" before she turning to the next student.

Kami was true to her word, Sephiroth mused as he gingerly took a small bit from the cake, and found it rich with flavor that had just the right amount of sweetness to it. Needless to say, he paid very little attention to the class, as his eyes and mind constantly wandered to the birthday girl. She was kind to him, and it sparked hope that lit his usually dark soul. He could not exactly describe what he hoped for, and perhaps he preferred to keep the idea as abstract as possible, so that the disappointment would be lesser. His high spirits did not last long though, and when he returned to the barracks to fetch his gear for sword practice, he received a very cold welcome. It is not like anyone was ever happy to see him, but the moment he set his foot in the barracks, it was like walking into a thick, suffocating fog of hatred and accusation.

Curious, Sephiroth cocked an eyebrow, staring coolly at the many chiding eyes. Naturally, the ones burning with the hottest hostility belonged to Kanaye. Although Sephiroth did not ask for the reason to this little display of disapproval, Kanaye seemed eager to supply the information. "Someone stole my Materia armlet."

Sephiroth shrugged, and began to gather his gear. "You said you can get one just like mine, Valentine." Kanaye said harshly, "You stole it."

Sephiroth, insulted and shocked, turned to look at him with a blank expression. "I did not."

"A thief and a liar, exactly what you can expect from a monster." Said a boy Sephiroth barely recognized, and was not usually part of Kanaye's crowd.

Sephiroth took one step forward, his composure wavering, his eyes blazing. "Don't forget, I'm also a killer." Sephiroth said through clenched teeth, his hand gripping his sword. Nobody dared to speak, move or breath for a few moment, and so Sephiroth turned around and left the building. His unrest was evident during the training, and he sent two cadets to the infirmary before Angeal called for Genesis to spar with him. After two hours of intensive blow exchanging, Sephiroth asked for a break, collapsing in the tree's shade.

"What got you so pissed?" Genesis inquired, taking a seat beside him.

Sephiroth shook his head, reluctant to speak at first, but then the anger was still bubbling inside him and consuming him. He spoke after a long silence. "I was accused of stealing."

Genesis narrowed his eyes. "That's ridiculous."

Sephiroth sighed. "I guess it is rather believable since cadets who are not associated with Kanaye seem to think me guilty."

Genesis placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're going to have a few rough days and then everyone is going to forget about it." Genesis promised. "You are always welcomed at my place, if the tension in the barracks becomes unbearable."

Sephiroth gave Genesis a weak smile, his expression darkening immediately. The cadets' opinions of him were always far from positive, and he was used to being an outcast, but now the was a new element in the equation. Kanaye was surely going to tell Kami about it. His nostrils flared.

"You are never that bothered, Sephiroth. Is there something else?" Genesis asked, curious and caring.

Sephiroth hesitated for a moment. "There is... a person I am fond of. I am afraid this might effect their opinion of me."

Genesis chuckled. "So you have a crush, finally! If she's worth your time, she won't pay any attention to malicious gossip."

Sephiroth tensed. "How do you know it's a she?"

Genesis smirked cunningly. "I have my sources. Apparently you are not a discrete as you think, stealing glances at a certain cute geeky girl."

"You think she's cute?" Sephiroth asked, with mixed emotions. He was relieved to know that his taste was not bizarre, but he also feared of having Genesis as competition. Genesis was already a Second class Soldier, and had much success with women and men alike.

"I see her at the library from time to time. She is quite adorable when she is frustrated with her homework." Genesis laughed. "However, she is far too young and inexperienced for me."

Sephiroth wondered if his relief was visible. "She is Kanaye's little sister." He whispered, sounding defeated.

"Does she seem hostile?" Genesis did not give up yet.

"We don't really talk..." Sephiroth admitted, lowering his eyes. "Today is her birthday, and she offered me a piece of her cake."

Genesis let out a hearty laugh. "Certainly, it means she is in love with you." He teased.

"Fuck you." Sephiroth mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Gladly, Seph. Someone has to pop your cherry already." Genesis teased.


Kami was certain beyond any doubt that Sephiroth did not steal her brother's armlet. It was only a question of where her brother hid it, and how to clear Sephiroth from guilt without exposing herself. Of course, she could not go and snoop around in the barracks, since the cadets were far more alert since the alleged theft. They changed the password, managing to kept it a secret for the first time, and also shared guard duties. Kami was fairly sure her brother was smart enough not to hide it in the barracks anyway, and her best guess was that he left it at home, where it would surely not be found.

If she waited for the weekend, her brother would return as well, and she would have no chance to search his room. Even though he kept his expression mostly blank, Kami could tell he was bothered. He completely ignored her presence, averting his eyes every time she glanced at him, his face contracting with something between anger and frustration, when he was much more amiable towards her just a few days before. If she wanted to fix the injustice, it had to be done now. Before everyone forgot what Sephiroth was accused for, and remembered only his blame.

Making excuses became a second nature to her, and so she told Kanaye some mild lies and took the train home that afternoon. Her mother was surprised to see her, and slightly concerned, so Kami decided to be honest with her. She could definitely use her mother's support and advice at the moment.

"Kanaye accused Sephiroth of stealing his Materia armlet." Kami explained simply.

"And you think Sephiroth is innocent?" Her mother inquired.

Kami nodded. "I think...I think Kanaye only wants to slander his name." Kami said, and it took all of her courage to say it out loud.

Her mother frowned. "Let's go search his room." She said firmly, and Kami followed, filled with worry. Somewhere in her heart, she hoped her brother was a better person. After a few moments of intensive searching, that left her mentally scarred after discovering her brother's porn collection, her mother found the armlet.

"I am going to have a very serious chat with your brother." Her mother said, fuming.

"No, no, no!" Kami cried out. "This would ruin my relationship with Kanaye, and I would not be able to aid Sephiroth anymore!"

Her mother gave her a thoughtful look. "You really care for that boy, huh?" Kami stared at her shoes awkwardly. "Well, tomorrow at breakfast return the armlet to Kanaye. Tell him I found it when I was cleaning his room."

Kami nodded happily, grateful for her mother's cooperation. She went to sleep lighthearted, and she arrived at breakfast a bit late, as she planned, making her entrance noticeable. When she handed her brother the armlet, she had to admit she was amused by the way his face changed colors. Immediately, murmurs were heard all over the cafeteria, and Kami allowed herself to steal one glance at Sephiroth. She hoped he knew how she felt about that ordeal, but then she hoped he did not.

Kanaye lost some of the cadets that joined him when Sephiroth was framed for stealing, but he still had enough obnoxious followers and much more motivation to retaliate. So between her busy schedule and tremendous amount of homework, Kami still had to take the time to sabotage her brother's plans. She had Reno to help her, and that was much, but it was still exhausting. It was midnight and instead of sleeping, Reno and her sneaked to the cadets' facility, frantically looking for the distribution board of the common showers. Kanaye and his bullies planned to ambush Sephiroth in the showers once he returned from his Mako treatment, and once again, Kami had no time to inform him. When Reno finally found the switch, turning the electricity down, Kami let out a sigh of relief, and then they had to get out as fast as they could without being caught. This was an adventure Kami was happily to never experience again but Reno was delighted.

"So, what's the deal?" Reno asked, while walking her back to her dorms. Not for the first time, a group of infantry soldiers yelled crudely when they passed them by. Reno's rod convinced them to keep a safe distance.

"There's no deal." Kami replied flatly.

"Come on, you're talking to a Turk, girlie. How are you protecting?" Reno pressed.

"You're not a Turk yet." Kami smirked at him. "And I have no idea what you are hinting at. I simply felt adventurous tonight."

"Just like you did two weeks ago?" Reno inquired.

"Yes." Kami confirmed.

"You sure are secretive." Reno let out an appreciative whistle. "Yo, maybe I should recommend you to the Turks."

Kami gave him a murderous glare. "Don't you dare, slums-rat."

Reno chuckled and Kami let out a smile. Those escapades surely added spice to her college life.


Kanaye was late. He was never late to pick her up from her late lab class and Kami was getting worried. It was half past midnight and he still did not show up. He was not answering his phone either, and Kami decided she would not wait for him any longer. She walked towards the barracks, hoping to find him or one of his useless friends, an ominous feeling in the pit of her stomach. Kami could swear she heard noises behind her, but her eyes could see little in the dark and she quickened her step. When she rounded the grove she nearly bumped into two infantry men. They leering faces were familiar, they were the same ones who cat-called her when she was walking with Reno, but Reno's electric rod kept them at bay. This time she was alone.

Three other soldiers appeared from behind her, and Kami could feel her palms sweating. She searched with her eyes for an escape but they were rounding her.

"What a pretty thing like you doing outside in this hour?" One of them asked, his voice taunting.

"I'm meeting my brother." Kami replied firmly, hoping it would discourage them.

"I don't buy it." He said coldly. "We have another plan for you in mind." He stated slyly.

Kami was about to scream her lungs out, when one of the men from behind covered her mouth with his palm, pressing against her back with his body. Kami bit hard on his hand, and elbowed him in the ribs, managing to escape his grip, but she stood no chance against the five of them.

"You bitch!" The man hissed, his hand bleeding, and he backhanded her with his other hand, sending her to the ground. Kami hurriedly jumped to her feet but on of them tripped her.

"Stay on your knees." He said cruelly, his hand reaching for his pant to unbuckle them. Kami felt tears pooling in her eyes at the inevitable, cursing her own stupidity for leaving the lab on her own. Kami slapped his hand away when he tried to touch her, causing one of them to grab her from behind and restrain her. Kami tried to break loose of his grip, but it was in vain.

"I'm going to have so much fun with you." The man she bit said, holding her face roughly.

"Leave her alone." She heard a familiar voice, nearly certain she was hallucinating.

"Get lost, kid." answered one of her attackers.

She heard the sound of heavy boots getting closer and her heart began to pound loudly. "So you wanna get your ass kicked, boy? Or do you want to get it thoroughly fucked, instead of the girl?"

The next thing she heard, was a cry of pain, and the grip on her immediately loosened. She used to opportunity to yank herself out of the restrainer's hold, and took a few steps away from him, turning to watch the fight. So it was not her imagination playing tricks on her. Sephiroth stood there, glowering, radiating power and fierceness there petrified her. The infantry man was on the ground, moaning in pain. A second later, then other four attacked Sephiroth simultaneously, and Kami watched helpless, knowing the best thing she could do was not interfere. Sephiroth stood his ground admirably, considering he was outnumbered, but when one of the soldiers picked up a metal rod and hit Sephiroth forcefully in the lower back, Kami let out a shriek.

And then there were the rushed footsteps of someone running and Kami was never happier to see her brother. Quickly catching up what was going on, Kanaye joined the fight, sending kicks and blows left and right with wrath that was positively frightening. He straddled one of the men, punching his face into a bloody plump. "Don't. Ever. Mess. With. My. Sister!" Kanaye hissed with each blow.

Kanaye got up and peeled a third guy off Sephiroth's back, giving him a similar treatment while Sephiroth finished off the other two infantry men. Sephiroth was on his knees, slamming the soldier's face into the ground with great concentration, when he finally let the body drop, leaning back on his ankles. Kami, throwing caution to the wind, rushed to his side, kneeling beside him. He had a nasty cut on his cheek, and a black eye was beginning to form around neon green iris, and surely he suffered from many injured that were covered by his uniform. Kami quickly pulled Materia from her bag, putting everything she felt for him into a healing cast. He glowed in green for a moment, and then his face was clear from wounds but full of confusion.

Hesitatingly, she raised her hand, touching his cheek gently. "Thank you." She said softly.

Sephiroth blushed and gave her a shy smile, and she pulled her hand away. "Thanks for healing me."

It was Kami's turn to blush. "You should still go the infirmary." Kami told him, biting her lower lip nervously, and Sephiroth was completely fixated on her pink lips for a moment.

Her brother cleared her throat behind them. Sephiroth rose to his feet, gently pulling Kami up as well. He gave Kanaye a severe look. "I am going to write down an event report. Will you testify?"

"Sure." Kanaye confirmed, putting his hand over Kami in a comforting way. She leaned into him, deeply shaken by the incident and grateful for his support. He walked her to her dormitories, and he never rebuked her for leaving the labs alone. Kami assumed that he knew it was partially his own fault, but he also seemed deep in thought, trying to figure out what the hell happened. Knowing how protective Kanaye was, it must mean the world to him that Sephiroth defended her. Kami fought not to smirk.


Sephiroth watched Kami and Kanaye leave, feeling his jaw again, surprised to find it in place and painless. Kami was indeed outstanding with healing Materia. He glanced at the five men unconscious on the ground, and collected their ID cards. He noticed a piece of paper on the ground, and for some reason he decided to pick it, and read it. He nearly gasped, recognizing the neat hand-writing he was by now so familiar with. It was another warning for him, sent to him by his Tenshi. Surely it was not a coincidence that he found it right were Kami was...no way. But it had to be. Sephiroth was so gloriously overjoyed that he nearly skipped all the way to the barracks.

The day after he had Materia 4 with Kami, and he constantly glanced at her notebook, making sure that the handwriting fit. It did. He waited until the class ended before he walked to her seat, while everyone was busy with packing their belongings and dropped the note on her desk. Her eyes grew wide with realization and she gave him one frightened look before she grabbed her bag and sprinted out of the class room. Sephiroth took a moment to react, before deciding he was going after her. Naturally, he was much faster than she was, but she had a good head start over him, and the corridors were crowded, slowing him down. He caught up with her near the labs, and she turned around to face him once she realized she had no escape.

Her cheeks were pinkish, both from running and from embarrassment and his heart skipped in his chest. "Please don't tell my brother." She whispered before he managed to say anything.

"I never intended to tell." Sephiroth said honestly. "I wanted to thank you, not to get you in trouble."

"Well, it was him that made your life miserable so you have nothing to thank me for." Kami lowered her head in shame.

"My life was never miserable," Sephiroth said quietly, closing the space between them. He caressed her cheek, feeling quite awkward. "And it's been much better since I have you as my Tenshi."

Kami looked at him coyly, giving him a small smile. It made his stomach do somersaults, and he knew that he had to see her smile again at him. Completely unsure of what possessed him to do so, Sephiroth found himself leaning down towards her, lightly pressing his lips to hers. He was astounded by his own boldness, but her lips were sweet and soft and he felt not even an ounce of regret. He pulled away, and she gazed at him with eyes wide with confusion, her cheeks burning up in brighter pink than before. Kami touched her lips with wonder, looking quite lost when she stared at him, before letting out a squeak, and pushing past him as she ran away. Sephiroth himself was too puzzled to move.


Kami had been blushing through the whole day, and too many people had asked her if she was feeling well, suggesting she had a fever. The reason to her reddened face was quite different, but Kami did not intend to correct all of those who addressed her in the matter. Partially because it was a private matter, and she was a private person, but mostly, because she was unable to phrase a coherent sentence since THAT moment. His eyes were so deep and beautiful, and he smelled nice too. Kami melted, again, at the gentleness in which he touched her face. Of course she had to mess it up like the moron she was. Shaking her head, she pretended to pay attention in her last class, counting the seconds until the day was over, and she could go to her room and daydream freely.

In the day left until the weekend she did not see Sephiroth, except for a swift glance in the cafeteria. To her relief, he did not seem angry, only very much confused, and considerably embarrassed, as the pink taint in his cheeks indicated. To her greater relief, the change in Kanaye was immediate. He ceased talking about Sephiroth, and glared at his friends silently when they brought up the topic. The rumors of the fight had spread, and people talked about how Sephiroth and Kanaye fought together against ten infantry men and came out without a scratch. Kami snickered at the exaggeration, and assumed that by next week it would turn into an entire squad.

There was an unspoken agreement between Kanaye and Kami, that they would not tell their mother about the incident. Kami came out unharmed, even if narrowly avoiding a horrible faith, and there was no good worrying their mother, since it was never going to happen again. Kanaye had gotten Kami an electric shocker, small enough to hide in her pocket, and made her swear she would carry it at all times. Kami did not require much convincing.

Kami returned to the hectic schedule of pre-finals period, spending most of her free time in the library, tutoring Reno and getting much appreciated help from unexpected sources. The Second class Soldier with the red coat that was often reading in the library, introduced himself as Genesis, and mysteriously suggested they had mutual friends. Kami was a bit puzzled by his vague statement, but soon she adapted to his dramatic, riddled speech and found him to be quite helpful. Kami barely had time to let her thoughts drift to Sephiroth, and only allowed herself to replay that sweet kiss in her mind before she fell asleep.

It midnight, and she left her lab to meet Kanaye at the lobby, hoping he would arrive on time because she was terribly tired. To her utmost surprise, Sephiroth was standing in the lobby, shifting his weight from leg to leg with growing discomfort. Kami searched for Kanaye with her eyes, but he was not there, and so she gazed at Sephiroth questioningly.

"Your brother was called to replace his sick friend in guard duty." Sephiroth informed her. "He asked me to escort you to your dorms."

Kami gaped at him for a long moment. Her brother asked Sephiroth for a favor? Kanaye trusted Sephiroth with his sister? It must have been some parallel universe. But after THAT night, perhaps it did make sense.

"Thank you." Kami said quietly, bowing her head slightly, before she started to walk, waiting for him to fall in step with her.

The walk was, well, awkward to say the least. They stole glances at each other, but looked away when their eyes met, and when Sephiroth's hand accidentally brushed against hers, she nearly jumped two feet in the air. Finally, they reached her room, and halted, facing each other. It seemed both of them wanted to say something, but the silence was thick.

Sephiroth was the first to break it. "I apologize if I was too forward." He said sincerely, locking his eyes with her for a brief moment, enough so she could tell he meant it. "It's just that...from the beginning of the year, I really lik-...I mean, I thought you were, ughh, cool..."

Kami chuckled. "Me?cool?"

Sephiroth scratched his neck, smiling shyly. "Well, you're really smart, and you were always kind to me. And I find you...really pretty." Sephiroth finished in a voice that was hardly above a whispered, his face all pink.

Kami could not help but smile at his gawkiness. "You're just as awkward as I imagined." She said laughingly.

Sephiroth looked at her alarmed, perhaps offended, and for a moment Kami was worried he would turned away and leave. She reached for his hand, lacing their fingers and took one step closer to him. "Would you like to be my boyfriend, Sephiroth?"

His eyes grew wide, and he stared at her for a long moment as if he did not comprehend her question. But then his expression morphed into a mischievous grin. "Does that mean I can kiss you?"

Kami nodded. "But I'm the only one you can kiss."

"Fair enough." Sephiroth said seriously, and Kami suspected he was going to offer her to shake hands to seal their deal. But Sephiroth, as inexperienced as he was, knew better than that, and seized the opportunity to kiss her again, like he had been craving for nearly a week. it was gentle at first, but then he applied some more pressure and tried to recall what Genesis taught him, with very little success. It was sloppy, and their noses collided when their teeth did not clank, but since both of them were hard-working people who believed that perfection is achieved through practice, they treated it as a challenge.

Inwardly, each of them decided they would have to re-plan their pre-finals schedules. There was a lot to learn about each other.