Ah, thanks again for all the support, I really appreciate it! See y'all next week ~

Chapter Ten

Cloud grumbled to himself as he rolled out of bed, awoken by the sound of someone knocking on his door before his alarm had even gone off...He almost missed the days when he didn't have enhanced hearing, knowing he would've slept through it without a problem back then. By the time he answered the door he was still in a sleepy haze, confused to find another Third Class SOLDIER standing there—the man had a helmet on his head, but unlike Kunsel, there was no hint of a smile below the visor.

"You were supposed to meet me in the gym 30 minutes ago—you're off to a bad start, Strife," the SOLDIER told him, shaking his head sternly. "The general chose me personally to oversee your training, and I'm not going to let you slack off already!"

"Wait, what?" The blond had to do a double take, rubbing some of the sleep out of his eyes as he tried to figure out what was happening—last he checked, Genesis had been very clear…

"Meet me in my office at 0900 hours—we'll discuss your training regime then."

Granted, he had been pretty exhausted from his first consecutive materia uses ever when they'd made those arrangements…There was no way he'd dreamed up the whole thing. Not in such vivid detail—he could even remember the involuntary smile on his own face when the general offered him one last smirk on the way out.

"I guess I can't blame you—you have been training with Zack, and Seconds aren't the most reliable," the SOLDIER rambled, most of his words going completely over Cloud's head. "That's something we can fix though. In Third, we're not as—"

"Who are you?" Cloud interjected, suddenly feeling much more awake—he wasn't entirely sure what this guy was talking about, but he wasn't about to let someone show up at his door and talk about his best friend.

"I'm your mentor," the older man responded, and while he didn't outright say duh, it was obvious in his tone. "Aaron Evans—the best healer Third Class has to offer!"

"There's been some kind of mistake."

"There's no mistake. Don't worry about it, if you just fess up to oversleeping, I'll let it slide since it's our first day. I know you had a meeting with the general yesterday, and I know he told you about me," the SOLDIER asserted, his offer more than reasonable—except that he was completely wrong. "And I also know he told you to meet me in the gym this morning."

"No, he told me that he was going to be training me," Cloud insisted adamantly, ignoring the snort he got in response. "I'm sure if we just go talk to him—"

"You're better off just admitting you overslept, kid," Evans responded with a loud chuckle. "The general doesn't like to repeat himself."

"Too bad," he practically snapped, growing fed up with this already. "If that's what he said, he's going to have to say it again."

"Okay. If you want to go up and ask him to tell you the same thing twice, be my guest—I'll go with you and wait outside the office. I'm adding at least one extra lap for every minute you spend wasting our time though."

Cloud just raised an eyebrow—maybe when he was in the infantry he would've taken a threat like that seriously, but as a SOLDIER it was hardly an issue. "I'm going to get in my uniform first," he said, trying to calm back down and be as polite as possible despite the rocky start to their conversation.

Whatever was happening, it probably wasn't this guy's fault.

"PT clothes," the other SOLDIER corrected, raising a finger and shaking it at Cloud like a warning.

"Okay," the blond agreed, not seeing the point in arguing any further—whether he was right or wrong, he'd still probably be doing physical training first thing. He shifted awkwardly in the doorway, forcing himself to continue his attempt at being polite. "Did you want to…come in and wait?"

"I don't mind waiting out here. Time's ticking!"

"Okay," he muttered, waiting until Evans stepped back to close the door.

He ran a hand through his messy hair on the way back to his bedroom, groaning as he shut off the alarm—a reminder that he could have spent the last five minutes comfortably in bed instead of dealing with…whatever it was he was dealing with right now. When the beeping stopped, he had to stop too, just to remind himself how sure he was about this—how sure he was about Genesis' proclamation the previous day.

Now that he was really processing it though…it was hard to shake the possibility that Evans really would be his mentor, and that he'd really just made the worst first impression imaginable. What if this was another prime example of the many ups and downs of Genesis Rhapsodos? If their past conversations were any indication, the man may have changed his mind entirely by now—or worse, maybe he'd claim Cloud just misinterpreted his words again.

The thought slowed him down as he changed, dampening his mood further as he slid his running shoes on and returned to the door.

Evans was still waiting, leaning comfortably against the wall outside the door. "Are you sure you don't wanna just head to the gym? Offer still stands, we can forget all this if you just come clean."

"I really need to talk to him," Cloud replied—regardless of what was happening, that much was true.

Evans gave him a nod, biting back any other remarks as they got into the elevator and headed up to the office floor. His 'mentor' gave him one last opportunity to turn back as they stood outside Genesis' office door, but he respectfully declined before knocking on the door with determination.

If this ended up being just another weird twist or game, he was ready to put his foot down about it.

A familiar buzzing noise hit his ears, and he tried to ignore how unsteady his hand had become as he opened the door—no matter what, he was going to get through this without showing any nerves and without having any stray thoughts.

"You're early," Genesis noted, eyes not leaving his computer as he spoke. He continued working for a moment, typing out a few lines before turning the full brunt of his stare on Cloud. "And...in PT gear. I know I said your shorts were adorable, but I would have thought it obvious I meant for you to be in your standard uniform. This is just a meeting—unless you intend to run laps around my office while we talk?"

"Why did someone named Aaron Evans show up at my door fifteen minutes ago and accuse me of being late for physical training?" Cloud shot back, proud of himself for getting the question out almost as firmly as he intended. He stood in front of his usual seat, meeting the general's eyes evenly. "He says he's my mentor."

"Ah, yes," the redhead muttered, his eyes flickering with amusement as the blond finally took a seat. "Well, he was the man I intended to appoint as your mentor before I decided to take you on as a student myself."

"And you…forgot to tell him?" Cloud guessed…or maybe hoped—it was hard to tell exactly how he was supposed to feel about this.

"No. I forgot to give you the option," Genesis corrected, folding his hands on the desk. "I am simultaneously the best and worst option you have as a mentor. Aaron is something in the middle—he won't be as suited to your particular skillset, but he will have more time to devote to you."

"It doesn't matter how much time he has—he won't understand it the way you do," Cloud said insistently, shaking his head with every word. "It has to be you."

"No, it doesn't—you used magic freely just yesterday. The technical aspects may be a bit difficult to—"

"A bit? I don't understand any of it still! Maybe I used it, but none of it makes sense—why can't I just cast like everyone else?"

"I could answer that for you and send you on your way," Genesis told him carefully.

Cloud opened his mouth, but closed it promptly as he fixated his stare on the pen-holder on Genesis' desk. It had always been there…but it had never been quite so mesmerizing. "Are you trying to back out of this?"

"No. I already attempted to keep my distance—I already tried to let you work it out on your own and with other SOLDIERs. Clearly I'm the most suitable mentor for you at this point."

His eyes snapped back up, filled with confusion. "Then there's really no option—it has to be you," he repeated firmly.

"The choice is yours nonetheless."

"…You decided on a whim yesterday, didn't you?" Cloud accused, narrowing his eyes just slightly as Genesis blinked innocently. "You showed up planning to tell me you'd picked someone, and you changed your mind. Then you forgot to tell him."

"And why would I change my mind on a whim?"

"I was hoping you'd tell me."

"You're very observant, aren't you?" the redhead said with a drawn out sigh, a smile betraying his otherwise serious expression. "Working with you may be more fun than I'd originally anticipated. But really—giving you the option does seem fair, even if you'd be insane not to pick me."

"He's waiting outside the office, you know," Cloud informed him, smiling back when Genesis chuckled softly. "He thinks you're lecturing me."

"I can do that."

"Or you can tell him that I wasn't lying about you choosing me," he suggested, trying his best not to scowl.

Genesis seemed to consider it. "I suppose I'll have to tell him either way."

"I hope so—he says I have to run an extra lap per minute I'm in here otherwise."

The redhead's eyes swept him up and down briefly, still thoroughly entertained by the whole situation. "Perhaps you should—you're in your PT gear anyway. Why don't you go and do whatever your usual fitness routine is while I speak with him and take care of some work? You really are earlier than I expected, and believe it or not, your training isn't particularly high on my to-do list today."

Cloud frowned at that, but rose to his feet without protest. It wasn't like he was in a position to disagree—and really, this was what he had chosen. Apparently. "I'll send him in."

"Don't forget to shower before returning—it's not just sweaty cadets I don't allow into my office," Genesis warned, winking when Cloud shot him a perturbed glance.

He turned his face toward the door quickly, hoping the redhead hadn't caught the blush spreading on his face.

Evans was waiting as expected, a surprisingly good natured smile already on his face. "So?"

"He wants to talk to you," Cloud replied, smiling back as Evans' mouth hung open slightly. "It sounds like there was some kind of miscommunication."

The other Third seemed baffled, but stepped inside the office before Cloud allowed the door to close. He didn't waste any time getting back to the elevator, hoping to be long gone before that conversation ended—hoping that he'd be out of the gym fast too, in case Evans happened to turn up. Something told him his would-be-mentor would have questions for him, and he didn't really have any answers yet.

Genesis had really intended to place him with someone else.

Maybe the redhead hadn't officially admitted it, but he may as well have—the thought alone was disheartening, and Cloud quickly began stretching out for his run in an attempt to distract himself from it. Whatever Genesis had intended…he obviously changed his mind, so it didn't matter.

It wasn't until Cloud was midway through his third lap that the questions started piling up too high, weighing him down until he came to a complete halt.

Why had he changed his mind?

Cloud still wasn't exactly sure how long Genesis had been standing there while he was talking with Zack and Kunsel the previous day, but nothing about that conversation stood out. Sure, the general had been a bit put off by the thought of him working with a Second, but…what did that have to do with his mentor selection? Placing him with any Third would have solved that 'problem', probably a lot more easily too.

There wasn't even a single hypothetical answer that came to mind, and as two SOLDIERs ran past him, he realized standing around wouldn't help. He continued his run, knowing full well that while he hadn't been given a time limit, he'd still be hearing about it if he took too long to complete his workout.

…Was this the first time Genesis had changed his mind about this on a whim?

He tried to shrug it off as he continued his workout, sliding on an extra ten pounds more than usual before laying down on the bench press—he wanted to add more, but technically he was supposed to have a spotter for this. Zack had set him up with a strenuous routine, and joined him most mornings...but they hadn't made plans this time since Cloud was supposed to be meeting with Genesis.

There were plenty of other SOLDIERs around anyway, if he happened to need a hand. The questions on his mind were more important than his workout for now—he couldn't shake the feeling this wasn't the first time Genesis had up and changed his mind about this. About him.

That day…His mind drifted back to the day he'd officially been accepted into SOLDIER—to Genesis' words about trying a new approach and personally overseeing his training. A week and a half later that suddenly meant reading the reports Kunsel would have to file rather than actually being involved in any way.

What had gone wrong then…but was different now?

By the time he was done with his workout, he still didn't have any solid answers—only more questions, really. And he intended to ask them too…if he couldn't work up the nerve to get it all out today, it sounded like it wouldn't be his last opportunity to find out more.

He took a quick shower after returning to his room, changing into his uniform with the same speed he had the first day Genesis had brought him up to the office floor—this time he remembered his gloves though, and quickly pocketed his own fire materia. Something told him that today would be different…that they would either talk or get into a real lesson…but either way he preferred to have his own with him.

This time his knock on the office door was more hesitant than the first, though the door was buzzed open much faster. A single deep breath carried him inside, his eyes skittering across the floor before trailing up the desk and meeting…his mentor's?

Something about thinking of Genesis as such was oddly exhilarating, solidifying the sometimes odd tensions between them into something…definable. Even if he never truly understood the man or learned the answers to any of his questions, at least he knew that much.

Barring another sudden mind changing.

"Is this…a bad time still?" Cloud asked tentatively, noticing the way Genesis was continually glancing over at his computer.

"Well, since you're already aware of how sudden this arrangement is…truthfully, I have quite a lot of catching up to do today. I'm convinced it's a conspiracy—nearly half my men are due for performance evaluations this month!" Genesis said, scoffing at the very idea of it.

"Why would that be a conspiracy?"

The redhead narrowed his eyes at his computer screen. "I've been doing this for years—I've never had more than a handful of men pop up for evaluation in a single month. This is clearly Sephiroth's doing—he tried to tell me it was all at Lazard's request, but I assume it's his way of getting back at me for a few overdue mission reports. Really…if he thinks this will get me to do them any faster, he's in for a rude awakening."

Cloud just blinked, not exactly sure how to react to that—it was obvious how serious Genesis was being, but it all sounded so new. Genesis had never spoken so…casually to him before. Between that thought and the man's words, he couldn't help laughing quietly in his seat.

"Are you laughing at me?" Genesis asked, his tone almost too sharp as his eyes snapped back to Cloud's. The words didn't startle the blond nearly as much as usual, and he was unable to wipe the smile off his face—but he did manage to bite back any further laughter. "I was thinking it would take at least a week before you lightened up enough to laugh around me—longer to laugh at me. I suppose that means we're off to a good start, Blondie."

"…But we haven't started anything," Cloud replied, that same smile shifting into a small frown. "You said we were going to talk about—"

"Yes, your training regime. I suppose we'll do the standard things—materia lessons will take up the bulk of our mornings I suspect, but we should be able to fit in some sword training later in the afternoon. I'll schedule time in the VR on days when I don't have meetings," Genesis said, nodding at his own list. His eyes were already back on the computer, typing away as he continued, "The tricky part will be keeping you busy while I'm away. I'll still be in the rotation for missions, of course."

He slumped a little in his seat, not quite sure about that list. "Um…you basically just ran down the same schedule I've already been doing, and that routine didn't—"

"You can actually use materia when I'm with you, yes?" the redhead asked, arching an eyebrow as he looked to Cloud. He nodded his head slowly. "Then our sessions will be different—you'll actually be productive during them. Once you can cast regularly, it won't just be a matter of using materia or practicing with different types—you need to learn to guide your spells, gauge their size and potency. A firaga can appear as contained as a simple fire spell if it's cast appropriately."

His eyes grew wide, filling with interest—that was something he'd never considered. "Really?"

"Of course," the general responded simply. "I imagine it will only take a few days to truly get you past this mental block you seem to have fallen into—then a few more to start increasing your efficiency to an appropriate level per cast. Then we can get into the specifics."

"When do I get my own sword?" he inquired, remembering Kunsel mentioning that as well—all his practice with Zack had been with a training sword rather than anything was actually his. Supposedly the company would put out for his first sword though…after that any care, upgrade, or replacement costs would come from his own pocket.

"I'll put in the requisition order once we've determined what suits you best."

"…Does it have to be a one handed sword?"

"I use a single handed sword," Genesis answered shortly. "As do most Thirds. There are different types of single handed swords though."

"Oh," Cloud mumbled, trying not to frown. It didn't seem like the right time to press this particular issue—instead he focused more on their discussion. On what was going to happen next. "What about PT?"

Genesis hummed thoughtfully. "Do you feel like you've settled into a good routine?"

He nodded. "Zack started me on the same routine Angeal had him on after joining SOLDIER."

"I'll set you up on a new routine," the redhead decided quickly, "and then let you continue to do that alone most mornings. I could use the time to catch up on whatever ridiculous paperwork Sephiroth throws in my direction next."

"Okay," Cloud agreed, the frown finally settling onto his face.

"Don't look so disappointed—I'll check in on you when you hit a plateau and get you started on a new regime as needed."

"I'm not disappointed."

Genesis fixed the blond with his full attention, staring pointedly for a long moment before speaking. "I can see the way you dropped your gaze—the way you shifted in your chair. Not to mention the look on your face. We're going to be spending a lot of time together—it only makes sense to make it as painless as possible. Speak up while you can."

"…I've been trying to add on more muscle, but when I'm in the gym alone…I can't up my lifting limit because I don't have a spotter," he explained quickly.

Genesis just nodded his head at that. "I can see to it that you have a spotter on mornings when I can't be there."

"I only really need someone on days when Zack's out of town."

"I'll take care of it—don't worry about whatever routine he had you on," the redhead reiterated, resuming his typing.

Again Cloud frowned, grateful the man was looking away this time. "Um…Genesis?"

"Hm?"

Speak up while you can…He felt compelled to heed those words, too many questions still on his mind. "Why'd you change your mind about mentoring me?"

"I've never had a student before," the general revealed quietly, his quick key strokes tapering off into slow taps. "I've never wanted one either. I prefer to think I have better things to do—on most days I actually do."

"You didn't answer the question," Cloud noted, his heart sinking rapidly.

"No, I suppose I didn't." Genesis stopped working entirely, his eyes shifting over to meet Cloud's. "The truth is, as frustrating as it may be to deal with you on occasion, I still find myself intrigued by what happened to you—it's only natural that I'd be curious to see how you progress as well."

"So it's nothing to do with…me. Just what I did?"

"I would argue that it's one in the same. What you did wasn't something anyone would have been able to manage—most men would have died in your place, materia in hand."

"But…I thought everyone has some mana, even if they don't know how to access it."

"And your point?"

"Wouldn't they have done the same thing as me if they were…in that situation?" he asked, trying his best to make the words sound removed…it still didn't quite feel that way, but he didn't want to dwell on that right now.

"No. They may have tried, but I sincerely doubt anything would have happened," Genesis told him. "The specifics of that will be a part of our lessons though."

"Starting…today?" he asked hopefully, perking up in his chair again.

"Tomorrow," the redhead answered with a small frown, deflating Cloud's growing enthusiasm with ease. "I have three meetings, and—" A knock on the door cut the general off promptly, his face almost apologetic as he looked into the blond's eyes once more. "I have men stopping by for their evaluations. Why don't we meet in the Third Class training hall around 0900 hours tomorrow? That should give you time to do your physical training beforehand."

"You just said you wanted to start me on a new routine."

"I suppose one more day on your current plan won't be an issue," Genesis said with a short sigh. "Now, I don't intend to be rude, but I do need to ask you to leave. I'll make sure I have plenty of time for a proper lesson tomorrow."

Cloud nodded his head, trying to keep his expression neutral as he stood up. It wasn't like this was the first time he'd wasted a day without training—what was one more? A big disappointment, but...

"Blondie." He spun around midway to the door, Genesis' stare piercing him where he stood. "Last chance—it's not too late to assign you to someone else, but it will be if you leave now without asking."

"I want you," Cloud said very clearly. His own words made his eyes go wide, a blush creeping back to his face as the general quirked an eyebrow. "You're the only one who understands," he clarified, dropping his gaze again.

"Yes, I suppose I am." He looked back up in time to catch the smile forming on Genesis' face before it faded entirely. "Why don't you swing back around lunch time?"

"…I thought we weren't training today?"

"No, but I assume you plan to eat at some point," Genesis remarked, a finger tapping on his desk as he eyed Cloud. He would have thought the man was growing impatient, but nothing about his demeanor indicated it. "It may be a good opportunity for us to talk more, since our time was cut short this morning."

"About training?" Cloud pressed, confused by the thought—what else was there to say about training before they actually did any?

"No," Genesis responded, the smirk creeping back onto his face. "You don't get invited to lunch often, do you?"

His eyes went wide at the question, but he tried not to show how startled he was otherwise. "…How'd you guess?"

Judging by the way Genesis raised both brows, the question hadn't come out quite as casually as he'd hoped. "Because you are terrible at accepting," the redhead informed him, tsking as Cloud's mouth hung open just slightly. "If we're doing this, we're going to be spending a lot of time together—as I already told you, it only makes sense to make it as painless as possible. I'd like to get to know my student better—it would be beneficial for our lessons."

"That makes sense," Cloud agreed, relatively sure that didn't come out as casually as he'd hoped either—he tried to contain his rapidly growing smile at least.

"If you go now, I should be done with this nonsense in time for a late lunch—I'll let you know when to return."

"Let me know?"

"Did you think your PHS had a private number?"

"No, but—"

"Hold the door open for whoever it is that's waiting outside," Genesis told him, his smirk softening as Cloud frowned. "I'll let you know when to come back."

He didn't bother trying to say anything this time—just another nod as he turned and gratefully hid his red face from his mentor.

xxxxx

How long had he been a SOLDIER? Cloud considered the question as he anxiously made his way back to Genesis' office, having spent the last several hours trying to think about anything other than his lunch plans—Zack wasn't around, and he finally realized that…it had basically been a month since boot camp ended, and he hadn't really made any other SOLDIER friends yet. He'd have to try to be nicer the next time someone pounded on his door first thing in the morning.

At least his new apartment had a TV, and with his new funds he'd been able to buy some stuff to keep himself busy—movies and games mostly. And he definitely had plenty of reading to do…including the book Genesis had lent him.

None of that had really helped keep his impending lunch plans off his mind though.

It was one of the rare few times he wished he could be more social—he'd have to try to be nicer the next time someone pounded on his door first thing in the morning. Granted, he sincerely doubted anyone would have been able to keep him distracted from his worries and thoughts. Maybe not even Zack. The thought of going to spend time with Genesis…unofficial time that had nothing specifically to do with training or SOLDIER? It was exciting and terrifying all at once.

What if he said the wrong thing? One wrong word could easily set them back on the wrong track...He tried to push that thought aside, knocking on the office door with a shaky hand. When that thought was off his mind though, another popped up in its place.

What if he had nothing to say? It wasn't like he was the best conversationalist. What did Genesis even mean, get to know my student better? There really wasn't much to know. Life prior to SOLDIER had been pretty uneventful, and the bits that weren't…well, they weren't worth discussing.

Cloud shifted anxiously outside the door, sure that he hadn't heard the buzzing sound from the keycard panel yet. The general had definitely messaged him twenty minutes ago and said to be here at this time. There was no way his knock would have gone unheard either, so he was hesitant to knock again...

Before he could reach into his pocket to check his PHS, the door swung open slowly, a Third he didn't recognize smiling grimly at him. "Good luck with your eval," the man said, holding the door open for Cloud to step inside.

The blond raised an eyebrow, but quickly muttered a thanks as he stepped inside the office. Genesis shot him a meaningful glance when his mouth opened, so he bit back the question as the door closed behind him. Instead he just approached his usual seat in front of the desk, smiling awkwardly as his mentor watched his every step.

"He's a particularly chatty SOLDIER," the redhead said after a minute, a small smile emerging on his face as well. "I may have indicated that we needed to wrap up our conversation because I had another SOLDIER stopping by for an evaluation as well."

"Oh," Cloud muttered, for some reason not shocked at all. "I was beginning to think you were right—if I was due for an evaluation too, it definitely would've been a conspiracy."

"Are you implying that you think I'm wrong?" Genesis countered, arching an eyebrow. The blond's eyes went wide, sinking back in his chair a bit—they hadn't even started eating yet and he'd already said the wrong thing. He opened his mouth, trying to ready a response, but not wanting to make it worse either. "Relax," the general told him, gently this time, "I was only teasing. If you want to be sarcastic, I think it's only fair that I have some fun in return."

"I wasn't trying to be sarcastic, I just—"

The redhead just waved the explanation off, a small smile tugging at one side of his mouth as he rose to his feet. "Do you like Wutain? I forgot to ask you this morning."

"Yeah," he replied, nodding his head—it was strange, but what they would be eating was probably the only question that hadn't crossed his mind when he was thinking about this lunch meeting.

"Good. Wait here," Genesis said, taking several long steps toward the office door.

Cloud didn't dare turn until he heard the door open and close, spinning in his chair curiously as it shut. He was alone in Genesis' office. The thought alone was bizarre and nerve-wracking for some reason, his heart picking up the pace again as he looked around the room—he tried to focus on what was inside the space, like he was seeing it all for the first time again. That was better than stopping to stress about what they would talk about and how terribly this could still go—how there was still a chance he could annoy the man and end up assigned to someone else.

Thankfully, Genesis wasn't gone for long—the blond heard the same buzzing noise from the keycard panel as the general let himself back into the office, a large paper bag in hand as he made his way back to his desk. It only took him a minute to clear some space, taking out several take out containers and placing them on the desk.

"I was supposed to have lunch with Angeal and Sephiroth today—I had them order extra when we made plans instead," Genesis explained, sitting back down. "You can pull the chair up closer—I'd rather not get food all over the carpet. There's basically a little of everything here, so take whatever you like."

"You cancelled plans with them for me?" Cloud asked, not hiding his disbelief.

"It's not as if I don't see them often enough," the redhead responded shortly. "And I'm sure they appreciate the occasional break from me. In fact, Sephiroth probably owes you a thank you for this—all these evaluations put me in a foul mood."

Cloud chose not to react to that statement, not wanting to say the wrong thing again—as far as he could tell, the general wasn't in a foul mood at all. At least not in the way he'd come to expect from time to time. He didn't want to come across like he was complaining either, so he just scooted his chair in closer to the desk as suggested. It was a lot easier to focus on the variety of food in front of him than it was to meet any of the repeated glances Genesis was sending in his direction as he did the same.

"So," the redhead began, starting in on his meal, "tell me about yourself. What is the most interesting thing to know about Cloud Strife?"

"Um…" He took a bite of his own food, trying to hide his frown at the broad question. "You already know the most interesting thing about me."

"I'm inclined to disagree—what happened to you is interesting strictly from an academic standpoint," the general said, eyeing him intently. "I could tell you what I find interesting about you, if you'd like."

Cloud blinked at that, wishing he hadn't looked up so quickly and locked onto the man's intense gaze. "Oh?"

"You are incredibly stubborn." Genesis paused, not looking away for a second as he let his words sink in—it was undoubtedly true. "Something tells me it's not just on the issue of materia either. I'm curious about the root of this behavior."

"I don't really know," Cloud admitted with a small, apologetic shrug. It felt like a weird topic, but maybe this was what the general had meant when he said talking would be beneficial for their training. "I've always been that way, I guess. Sometimes I just can't let things go."

"I didn't say it was a bad thing," the redhead responded slowly. "I suppose we'll have plenty of time together for me to figure it out for myself."

Cloud nodded again, finally able to tear his gaze away when Genesis began poking at his food again. Plenty of time. It sounded like the general really was serious about all this—about being his mentor. The thought helped settle the remainder of his nerves, which was good—judging by the look on Genesis' face the next time their eyes met, he wasn't done with his questions just yet.