In the middle of the night, Eudora started crying. Zack sleepily got up and walked into the room and tuned on the light. He sleepily picked Eudora up and cradled her, trying to calm her down.
"What's wrong, Eudora?" Zack asked sleepily as he changed her diaper. It was clean.
Zack gave her attention. It didn't work either. Zack then fed her and she quieted down. Zack sighed as he held the bottle as she nursed. She did look really cute as she nursed from the bottle. He smiled as Cloud sleepily came out of his room.
"I forgot to tell you about that," Cloud said as he rubbed his eyes.
"What?" Zack replied.
"Sephiroth told me that yesterday night, she woke up at the same time and wanted food," Cloud said as Zack nodded.
"I'll have to remember that. Maybe we should take turns caring for her at night?" Zack suggested.
"I think that's fair. Tomorrow morning, we'll move her crib into the living room," Cloud said sleepily as he yawned and Eudora burped. Zack rocked her to sleep before going back to bed himself.
The next morning, Zack and Cloud moved Eudora's crib into the living and texted Angeal, Genesis, and Sephiroth about it. It was agreed that it was better and easier to access Eudora at night and during the day. Cloud went to class as Zack hung out with Eudora all day. When he came back, Zack was passed out on the couch with Eudora sleeping on his chest. Cloud chuckled and took a picture and sent it to Angeal, Genesis, and Sephiroth. The reaction was laughter from Genesis, a satisfactory compliment from Angeal, and silence from Sephiroth. Eudora started whimpering and made a face and almost broke into a cry when Cloud picked her up. She looked at Cloud with surprise but smiled and reached toward him. He heard her stomach grumble and laughed.
"Hungry Eudora?" Cloud asked as Eudora replied with baby talk.
Cloud brought her into the kitchen and set her in her high chair as he looked through the baby food. He pulled out a pear one and opened and got a little spoon. He fed her the pear baby food and she smiled in appreciation. Cloud chuckled and Eudora held his hand as he brought the spoon to her mouth.
"I'm your uncle Eudora and so is Zack and Genesis," Cloud said softly as Zack walked into the kitchen with a yawn and stretched.
"And Aerith and Tifa are your aunts," Zack added as he got a bottle of water from the fridge.
"And she has Angeal's mother as a grandmother and Genesis's parents might consider her their grandchild, too," Cloud said as he wiped her mouth and helped her burp.
"Yeah, not a big family but it's better than nothing," Zack said. "Though she started as an experiment, I think we all grew attached to her without fully realizing it."
"I don't mind that," Cloud said with a smile. Weeks passed and Zack and Cloud went into a schedule with Eudora. Tifa watched Eudora when they couldn't and enjoyed her. She often commented how cute and lovable she was.
Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis were close to completing their mission, Only a few more days and they would be done. They were investigating a factory that was used for creating Anti-Shinra monsters and were ordered to destroy the factory and anyone inside and out. They were at the edge of the borders of the factory and hidden waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. The opportunity came up and they attacked, discarding Wutai troops and monsters left and right. They destroyed the factory and made sure no one was left. They breathed relief as dawn broke into the sky.
"We can go home," Sephiroth said as Genesis fell on the ground, sprawled.
"Finally," Genesis said as Sephiroth and Angeal laughed. "I can't wait to see Eudora."
"I hear you on that, Genesis. Let's go," Angeal said as he helped Genesis up.
"I need sleep," Genesis said.
"You can sleep when we get home. Late tonight, we will get there," Sephiroth said as Genesis groaned as they headed back to Shinra.
That night, they got back and reported to Lazard before checking their desks and quickly did paperwork before going up to the apartment and were given a week of leave to rest up. As they entered the apartment, it was well around midnight. They silently entered, careful not to wake Eudora or anyone else and each took showers.
"I love being clean," Genesis said as he hugged himself as he came out of the bathroom in his pajamas.
"And sleeping," Sephiroth added as Eudora started crying. Angeal picked her up. "She is hungry."
"I want to feed her," Genesis said as he took Eudora from Angeal and set her in her high chair. Genesis made some formula and had Eudora nurse. After she was fed and burped, she looked at the three men with a wide eyes before letting out a excited noise as she bounced in her chair. "We missed you, too, sweetie."
"Welcome home," Zack said with a big smile. You guys beat me to her midnight feeding."
"Slowpoke," Genesis mumbled as he hugged Eudora as if afraid Zack would take her from him.
"Before you suffocate her," Angeal said as he gently took her from Genesis and held her. Sephiroth chuckled and rubbed Eudora's head. Eudora held his hand and smiled and made a happy noise.
"Since you guys have it under control, I'm going back to bed," Zack said as he turned to leave.
"Thank you, Zack, for caring for Eudora while we were gone," Angeal said.
"Anytime, it was a pleasure. Cloud and I had fun taking care of her. Night," Zack said before he returned to his room.
Eudora dozed as she lay in Angeal's arms. Genesis kissed her cheek softly before Angeal gave her to Sephiroth. Sephiroth smiled before placing her in her crib and kissed her forehead. Genesis chuckled.
"Good night," Sephiroth whispered before turning his attention on Genesis.
"Just remembering when you first held Eudora. You didn't know what to do," Genesis whispered with laughter.
"Things change," Sephiroth mumbled.
"Let's get some sleep," Angeal said with a chuckle.
Angeal woke up at 10am to the sound of Eudora crying. He went into the living room and picked her up and tended to her needs. Everyone was still sleeping as he needed coffee and opened the cabinet to see an abundance of baby food. Zack and Cloud bought a lot of baby food but he knew it was so Eudora could get her nutrients. Angeal checked the fridge to see if any baby food was opened and saw that there were three, apple, banana, and a combination of chicken, sweet potato, and spinach. Eudora whimpered and Angeal grabbed the banana.
Eudora laughed and clapped her hands and reached toward Angeal. Angeal chuckled as he opened the small jar and got a small spoon. He fed Eudora as Genesis walked out of his room with a yawn. Genesis stretched and removed the eye mask he had pushed up. He looked at the coffee maker and turned it on before going into the bathroom. Zack was the next to appear. Bolting through his bedroom with tons of energy like the puppy Angeal claimed him to be.
"Morning, Angeal," Zack said with a big grin across his face as he jumped in place.
"Morning, puppy," Angeal said as Eudora just stared at Zack.
"Good morning, my little niece," Zack said as he rubbed Eudora head.
Genesis came out of the bathroom with a groan. "It's too early, Zack." Genesis grumbled as he walked over to the coffee maker which had finish brewing.
"It's never too early for my enthusiasm," Zack said as Cloud walked out of his room rubbed his eyes sleepily.
"Zack needs a mute button," Cloud said as he sat at the table.
"He has one," Genesis said with a smirk.
Angeal watched as Genesis jabbed a finger in Zack's sides before Zack yelped and collapsed to the floor. Eudora tilted her head before looking at Angeal's face and feeling his face. Angeal smiled as he kissed her small hands. Eudora laughed as Genesis kissed Eudora's cheek and handed Cloud a mug. Zack popped up from the floor and glared at Genesis.
"That hurt, Gen," Zack exclaimed as Genesis smirked and chuckled.
"I hope you learned your lesson, puppy," Genesis replied with a smirk as he sat at the table. Cloud sighed as Zack and Genesis bickered.
"Enough," Sephiroth said with authority and an icy voice.
Zack and Genesis looked at the general with a mix of fear and shock. Eudora whimpered and tried melting into Angeal to hide. Angeal soothed Eudora as Cloud got up with his coffee and stood next to Angeal. Sephiroth lectured both. His glare matched his tone; the temperature seemed to drop as the lecture continued as Zack and Genesis shook. Eudora began crying. She wasn't use to this side of Sephiroth and it scared her. Sephiroth stopped and looked at Eudora, he softened and took Eudora from Angeal.
"Don't do it again, understood?" Sephiroth warned as both, Zack and Genesis nodded profusely.
Sephiroth looked at Eudora and the corner of his lips turned up. Eudora quieted and touched his face as she had done to Angeal. It was a way for her to get to know them. Eudora smiled as Sephiroth kisses her small fingers with a soft smile. "You have nothing to fear. You don't need t be afraid of me."