I can still remember that day, for all that it was so many years ago. I was barely the President then, still so young, so naive. Doing the one part of the job I had been dreading for so long. My Father and my Turks had been terrifying me with horror stories of the labs since I was young enough to talk, young enough to pose even the slightest problem. When I was about eight or so, the power those stories had had dwindled, I never believed them possible anymore, although my fear and disgust with the head scientist never disappeared. He was always a reptilian monster, whispering in my father's ear, offering ways to make me better, less troublesome, if only he would consign me to the labs for a few days in his tender care. I don't understand why, and never will I suppose, but my Father always rejected those enquiries. i suppose he thought some things were too harsh even for me, the son he viewed with such disdain.
I had known I would have to inspect the labs eventually, particularly as I was inspecting every department before allocating its budget or making any necessary changes, and although I hated doing it, I was reluctantly forced to admit that in spite of my hatred for the oily chief scientist, ShinRa did need the support of its science department, not least for the continued development of the SOLDIER program.
The chopper landed, and Tseng ordered Rude to stay in the copter with Reno - he would accompany me on his own. Reno's grin has been etched in my memory so comprehensively that it barely takes any effort at all to picture it. I knew perfectly well what they would be doing in the chopper while I was inside the building, and I didn't want to think about it, or I would not have been able to use the chopper to get home for the mental images I would have been furnished with.
True to form he came bustling out to meet me, in that grimy labcoat, his skin greasy, his hair oily, like his manner. No leers now, he didn't dare, no comments about my physique, which had filled out nicely, no, nothing like that. I was beyond his reach now and he knew it, was trying to pretend all those horrible childhood memories were imaginative ephemera. For me they did not disappear so easily, but I was willing to play along.
He ushered the two of us, me and Tseng, into the building, equipping us with white coats and beginning the tour. We walked past that door - oh I know you didn't really see it from the outside, but it was bolted heavily, and appeared threatening, and yet, somehow sad - and it grabbed my attention, like a magnet. Hojo looked most displeased with this turn of events and ushered us through to meet his current little prodigies, the Sephiroth clones, the super-SOLDIER which had been eating up my father's budget and yet were kept in such poor conditions, were so badly looked after. I have never been a particularly 'child-friendly' person, but I was not happy about the way the boy was treated, and issued some orders for them to be properly cared for, though I doubted they woudl be obeyed. Hojo was the master of feigned obeisance.
It was then that I excused myself to go to the bathroom, Tseng, naturally accompanied me. I had no plans whatsoever to use the convenience, the lure of that door was too strong, and so I went back. After a few seconds wasted puzzling over the locks, the door finally opened, swinging inwards. That shaft of light from the now-opened door fell on the most beautiful and most terrified creature I had ever seen. I was just approaching you when Hojo came up, raging and ranting, I have never seen a man so crazed, eyes shining and spittle at the corners of his mouth. I know what you were to him, what he was afraid of losing. I think I can safely say now that what he lost was nothing compared to who I gained that day when I rescued you.
"What is it, love?" your voice interrupts my reverie, as you rest in your chair in the corner of my office, playing with your gun and waiting with infinite patience for me to finish my paperwork. I put down my pen and smile.
"I was just remembering the best day of my life..." I reply, and, although you know what's coming, we must have had this conversation a thousand times, you cock your head to the side a little, hair falling over your eyes, you brush it out of your face with barely a hint of annoyance, and pause, waiting for me to elaborate.
A silly grin crosses my face, the sort no-one other than yourself and Tseng has ever seen me wear, and that most people would never believe from 'the man who no-one has seen bleed, or cry' which is a nuisance, as we both know. You have seen me do both on occasion, and I you, although the former only briefly. I get up and cross the room to you, taking your hands and pulling you up to stand with me, holding those hands carefully, one so warm compared to the other.
"Why, the day I met you, silly..."
You smile shyly, and so do I, and our lips meet in a soft kiss. My hand goes up to cup the back of your head, fingers tangling in those ebony silk strands of hair.
We're both safe now, from the nightmares of our pasts. I'm your President, and your mine, my precious, gorgeous, perfect Valentine.