He's The One
Summary: Cloud is not like other cadets and that causes trouble, but nobody cared until the big guys upstairs paid a visit and Genesis found something he wasn't looking for. A puppy of his own.
THIS IS SLASH! You have been warned.
A/N: I own nothing.
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Cloud did not have many nervous habits, most of them had been drilled out of him so that they could not give him away when under pressure, but the ones he had kept were rather innocuous. This, of course, meant that they were ones that annoyed the crap out of Genesis.
"Cloud, can you please stop swinging your legs? You're about to take out the coffee table."
Cloud rolled his eyes and swung his legs onto the couch, examining his nails due to the lack of anything else to do. Genesis was splayed out over his armchair, his phone resting innocently on the armrests, waiting for the email with Cloud's results.
Cloud had imagined that in this moment, he would feel a mix of emotions. Anxiety, doubt, and the slow crawl of time, were just a few that he was correct in experiencing. Boredom had never made it onto the list. Cloud supposed it was because he could not imagine ever being bored when about to find out whether he had trained hard enough. Whether he was strong enough, skilled enough, and talented enough. Whether everyone's hopes and expectations had been placed on the right kid, or whether he was a disappointed to his family name and the people who had imparted their knowledge and skill to him. Against all odds, he was incredibly bored.
Genesis seemed perfectly willing to just sit and wait, while Cloud was not sure there would be enough of his brain left by the time the email came through. He could feel his mind melting out his ears in an attempt to escape his motionless body and do something.
The blonde was almost tempted to go grab his sketchbook, hidden so cautiously under his mattress. He had been a little surprised to find it among his things that first night at Zack's, even more surprised that Hiro had been the one to clue Zack in on it's existence. The Wutainian cadet had taken a firm apathetic standing from the very first day on everything to do with ShinRa, including the bullying that had taken place within the barracks. It took no small amount of skill and courage to have no intrest in anything of your future career but still pass exams. Cloud wondered if Hiro had indeed passed or if he had allowed his apathetic nature to carry him into the infantry. Shame, if he did, the Turks would have been able to use someone like Hiro.
Genesis had never seen Cloud's etchings and some of them Cloud doubted he ever would. There were a mix of private drawings, faces and places that Cloud kept close to him, and there were a mix of designs. Weapons, vehicles, and schematics were just a few of them. However, there was one design that Cloud had been itching to get back to. He had started it before exams and now with his fate being casually delayed by the ShinRa server, his fingers were begging to grip a pencil and scratch out some new parts.
The buzzing of Genesis' PHS vibrating on the armrest roused Cloud from his mental schematics that he was designing to later put into sketch form. The screen of the slim black phone light up, proudly declaring that Genesis had mail. Cloud could not stop himself from bolting upright from his relaxed position.
Genesis eyed the cadet sharply and smirked at the blonde. "Cloud, as excited as you may be, if you clamber all over me for your result, I will put you outside. If you act like the Puppy, I will treat you the same."
Cloud stilled on the couch. Genesis idly picked up the phone and checked the message; his blue eyes scanned quickly over the message and rose to meet his protégé's over the top of the PHS.
"Sephiroth has invited us all to dinner tonight, dependent the release of your result is the venue. He'll pay at a place of your choosing if you make Third."
Cloud deflated and went back to picking at his nails. The wait really was going to kill him.
"Us all?" The blonde questioned, not looking up from his nails. There came an impatient knocking on the door and less than a second later, Zack was barrelling into the apartment and flopping down on the couch. Angeal followed at more sedate pace, per usual.
"We're not late, we didn't miss the big reveal, did we?"
Zack leant into Cloud, staring him down and trying to determine whether he knew his results or not. With an amused look, Cloud threw the raven-haired First over to the other side of the couch and held him over there with a sturdy foot placed on the other's leg. Zack grinned at Cloud and petted his sock covered foot.
"The only thing you've missed is Genesis torturing me by making me wait here, he won't even let me go to the kitchen," Cloud complained with a pointed look thrown at his mentor, who only grinned and shifted in his chair.
"You're abominable," Cloud said to Genesis, a telltale-teasing glint in his eyes. Genesis snorted delicately, a feat that only someone like Genesis can accomplish.
"My dear Cloud, by the end of our time together, abominable will be the least thing you've called me."
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Sephiroth was the last to arrive to Genesis' apartment. It was pre-agreed upon arrangement that Seph was not allowed to be there more than three minutes before the results were emailed. Genesis was nervous enough for his protégé without the one person who already knew the results sitting there looking smug, as Sephiroth was wont to do.
Nervous. Since Cloud, many emotions that Genesis did not like had surfaced in connection to the blonde. Being nervous on his behalf was new but something Genesis almost felt pride in.
Cloud was laughing at Zack, the both of them enjoying a temperate conversation with Angeal that Zack was, no doubt, making interesting in a whole different way. The blonde seemed happier and a good deal more stable than before. Genesis may not have been the greatest mentor ever and he was fairly certain he never would be, he had eventually had no choice but to become aware of his own faults, but he had been good for Cloud.
Genesis glared at his phone, because he had no cause to glare at anyone else, as his thoughts took a dark turn as they followed along this line. With his new feelings towards his cadet, could he continue to be? Now, that everything is beginning to change between them. Cloud would make Third Class and have less training with Genesis one on one and begin to go on missions, while Genesis would have less power over Cloud's life, less control, and less ability to protect Cloud. There would be less time for the blonde to trust him as Genesis wished he would…there would be more time to get past these desires or for them to grow stronger, a thought that created a storm of mixed feelings.
Perhaps his timing for this self-inspection was not ideal.
His phone vibrated. The email had come through. He opened it but refused to read it, he would not take the moment from Cloud. Aside from Sephiroth and the smug twinkling going on in his green eyes, Cloud would be the first in the room to know his result.
Genesis handed the phone off to his cadet, letting his fingers trail across Cloud's as he withdrew. The only sign of support he could give at the moment.
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Cloud's eyes flicked from Genesis', to Zack's, to Angeal's. Sephiroth was studying his PHS intently, probably playing Junon Run again. He glanced down at the email, the words blurring and twisting together. There was tension picking up in the air and Cloud could feel the intensity of Genesis' gaze, his, more than anyone else's, made him realise the disappointment he would be if he did not make Third.
Clenching the PHS in his hand, he stood and walked towards the hallway. He felt the eyes follow him as he left, but they let him go. He stepped into the hall, wandering far enough down to be out of sight and leant against the wall. He held up the PHS and breathed deeply. This had been his goal for the last seven years, to get into Soldier. Whatever way he could. To train with the help of Genesis had been a privilege, a pleasure, and put him a better position to complete his mission. He had to get in.
A choked breath was all he could let out when he read the email. A dark shadow fell over the hallway and Cloud looked up from the phone. Genesis stood at the end of hallway, smirking like Cloud had seen him do everyday they had been together.
"Are you going to hide from us till Zack combusts? I have no wish to clean Puppy entrails from my leather couch. What is the verdict?"
Cloud rubbed a hand through his hair and pushed off the wall. He walked over to Genesis, idly playing with the PHS. He glanced at the ground and back up to Genesis. His mentor was eyeing him intently but the pressure Cloud had felt before abated a little. The blue eyes of his mentor were concerned, crackling with nervous energy, but proud. Cloud had not told him his result, Genesis had not checked. Genesis did not care. Cloud smiled and let out a small, choked laugh.
"I got in. I'm a Soldier Third."
A rare smile broke out on his mentor's face and the pride in Genesis' eyes drowned out the nervousness. Cloud could not control himself, not seeing Genesis look at him like that, and he flung himself at Genesis. His arms wrapped around the redhead's sides and he squeezed just a little.
"Thank you."
The last time someone had looked at Cloud like that was before he came to ShinRa and it had only been in fleeting moments that Cloud still was not sure even happened.
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"Where are we going for dinner, Cloud?"
Sephiroth had shared few moments with Genesis' cadet. They had met, they had sparred, but there was little substance to their relationship. It had been the same with Zack until he had made Second, but Cloud had caused a much bigger stir and Genesis did not try to quell the rumours as Angeal had. Sephiroth knew with Genesis and Cloud's relationship and Zack too, he had no choice but to be around the boy. At least, he did not have the boundless energy that Zack was famous for.
Cloud looked a little startled at Sephiroth addressing the question to him, though the blonde was already aware that it was his choice. Sephiroth tried to employ some of the social skills that Angeal and Genesis had tried to impart to him. He smiled, rather smirked but it was a close as he got, at the newly minted Third.
Cloud's eyes widened and he shook his head with a small smile of his own. "Don't, don't do that."
Genesis snorted from his resumed position in the armchair and Angeal chuckled deeply.
"I'm starving, Spiky. Where're we going?"
Zack rolled over on the couch and snuggled his face against Cloud's leg. Cloud patted Zack's head like he was dog, laughing at Zack's pout and put out look.
"You act like a dog, he'll treat you like one," Genesis said, lips curling at the two.
Zack stuck his tongue out at Genesis, not in the least surprised when he got the middle finger in return. Cloud's eyes were sparkling; it felt good to get what he wanted and to be with friends. It felt good to have friends and he had started at ShinRa with none.
"You know, I heard about this Wutainian grill place that sounds nice. Expensive, too," Cloud remarked, throwing a wink Sephiroth's way.
Sephiroth allowed himself to laugh quietly at Cloud's audacity and opened the door for them all. "Lead the way then, Soldier Third Class, Cloud Strife."
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The Wutainian grill was actually called 'The Silver Turtle' and it was an expensive place. The Vice President of ShinRa and his Turks were known to frequent it often, to give an idea of its clientele. The tables were arranged in a circular fashion around the edge of the glass-panelled building, with a large grill and barbeque, kitchen area at the centre where one could watch the chefs at work. The General got them a spacious and well-positioned table with no trouble.
Cloud spied only one other group of celebrating ShinRa members within the restaurant. There was a table of Turks over the other side of the room, easily spotted by Reno's obnoxious hair colour, and their only recruit of the latest batch. Their presence gave Cloud an idea.
Cloud enjoyed his meal, enjoyed making Sephiroth pay for everything, and enjoyed the company of people he was sure he could consider to be friends. He did not miss the way Zack tended to look at him, like he was waiting for Cloud's next move, but in some way's Zack had always looked at him like that – looked at everyone like that – and Cloud reasoned that it had never stood in his way before. Zack was unequivocally and unquestionably on his side.
Cloud excused himself from the table and wandered towards the bathroom. Closing the door, he leant casually against the sink countertop. The door opened and shut, admitting someone else to the room. The click of the lock echoed off the tiles.
"Tseng thinks very highly of you. No wonder, you've done well for yourself these last months."
Cloud smirked. "As have you."
Hiro returned the smirk. He leant against the countertop next to Cloud. "We never got along, you and I."
"You never tried."
Hiro laughed and nodded. His dark eyes were for once alight and his apathetic nature was lessened by his transition into Turk trainee. Cloud guessed he had found his calling.
"Perhaps, it is time I did. I don't know why, but I can take a hint when I need to."
Cloud stood and moved to stand closer to the door. "You don't need to know why, it's not part of your job description."
"True."
Hiro held out a hand, the suit jacket he had donned for the occasion perfectly fitted to rest just above his wrists.
"I think we can be good friends, Strife."
Cloud took his hand and gripped it as he had been taught years ago. As Hiro had been taught earlier, probably by Reno.
"If nothing else, we can be obliging associates."
They released their hands and Hiro turned to exit past Cloud but paused, his dark eyes laughing.
"Forming inter-program connections on the first day, Tseng would be proud."
Cloud nodded with a half-smile. He watched Hiro unlock the door and leave. The blonde had no set idea just how much Hiro would be included in the end game, if he was included at all, but Cloud had clearly heard the meaning behind those parting words.
"Of both of us."
Cloud had no doubt that Hiro would be useful. He need never know the full capacity of their actions, not until the end game.
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Yay, new chapter.
Tawnyeyes.