Chapter 14

"I have good news and I have extremely weird, what-the-hell-is-this news!" Zack announced the next day. The three Firsts in the room simultaneously raised their eyebrows and gave him the Look. Zack broke out in sweat but pushed his discomfort aside. "No, but seriously. You'll be kinda happy and kinda freaked. No wait. I take that back. You'll be kinda happy and really freaked."

"Just get on with it, puppy. What did Cloud tell you?" Genesis demanded. Zack had asked Cloud a few questions about his relationship with the Cetra girl, Aerith, and Genesis wanted to know what he had said, dammit!

"Well, his like for her is just that of uh… it's just like." Genesis grinned and squeezed Sephiroth's arm.

"You said there was something else, Zack?" Angeal prodded.

"Uh yeah. This is the mind-fuckery thing. This is a huge secret, though. As in like the if-Hojo-or-anyone-else-gets-wind-of-this-Cloud-is-screwed kind of secret." Sephiroth frowned. Anything to do with Hojo couldn't be good. "Okay, so the thing is… CloudisanAncient!" Zack rushed in a low voice.

"… Can you repeat that, Lieutenant?" Sephiroth asked politely.

"Aw hell. Cloud said that he's Aerith's long lost distant cousin!" The room was silent for a minute. Then, another minute.

"Can you repeat tha-"

"I'm serious, Genesis! Cloud didn't want to tell me why he was so interested in her so I bothered the hell out of him until Cloud caved and that's what he told me!" Zack cried. Sephiroth was frozen for a moment. Suddenly, he came back to life and flipped open his PHS.

"Reno! I need what you gathered on Cadet Strife immediately!" he barked. Sephiroth was silent for a long time, listening to Reno's report. When he finally closed his PHS, Angeal and Genesis turned to him.

"Well? Is Zack on drugs or is he right?" Genesis demanded.

"…. It appears that we have found another Cetra. He was treated as an outcast in his village because of it and his mother was the one who provided the genes. Unfortunately, she seems to be MIA."

"….."

"What the fuck?" Sephiroth frowned slightly at his lover's choice of words but they summed up his feelings exactly. Cloud decided to enter (*cough-break in-cough*) Zack's room at that moment.

"Zack? Can I borrow your detergent? I ran ou- Oh I'm sorry for interrupting," Cloud apologized to the four Firsts.

"Just the one I wanted to see. May we talk, lovely one?" Genesis asked courteously. Cloud blushed and looked down at the name but nodded. "Are you a Cetra?" the redheaded Commander blurted out.

"…. Zack?"

"Yes, Cloud?" He wisely decided that now was not the time to call Cloud his little Chocobo.

"….. I'm burning your chocolate stash and dying all of your clothes pink. I'm never going to tell you any of my secrets, either."

"What? You know, they would have found out anyways! Reno and Rude were already asking around in Nibelheim so I just shortened the process a little! And I think they should know before they ask you out, ya know? Oops! Forget that last bit! Erase it! Bleach your brain right now!" Zack was interrupted when Angeal smacked the side of the puppy's head for his rambling.

"I'm sorry for digging around in your past but we were curious. I apologize if we offended you in any way. Please don't punish the idiot for telling us. I'm sure Sephiroth would have pulled rank, anyways," Angeal pleaded. Cloud looked angry and defeated but quickly pulled back his mask.

"I guess it's my fault, too. I should have known better to share the information." Zack flinched and whimpered.

"I'm so sorry, Cl-"

"It's fine, Zack. I don't blame you. I knew that it always turned out like this but I told you anyways. I apologize for wasting your time and effort, sirs. I'll go pack my bags." Cloud whispered.

"Wait, what?" Genesis interrupted. "Why would you leave?"

"… I was under the impression that most abnormal people were not accepted by society. I wouldn't blame you, sirs, for kicking me out." Genesis pulled away from Sephiroth and rushed forward to pull Cloud into a hug. Cloud froze and glanced around with a panicked expression; his hands settled uncomfortably at his sides.

Genesis was hit with the realization that Cloud had not been hugged in a long time and therefore, didn't know how to react. He pulled the cadet even closer and murmured in his ear, "Don't you ever think something like that! It doesn't matter if you're a Cetra or a freaking Chocobo! I know this is sudden but I love you, Cloud Strife. Sephiroth feels the same and nothing would change that."

Cloud stood there with a shocked look on his face. Then, he broke down and, for the first time in 11 years, Cloud Strife cried his heart out. Sephiroth moved forward and pulled the pair into his arms.

"Shhh, sh….. It's all right, Cloud," he purred. Cloud hiccupped and looked up at the Silver General with teary eyes (Awwwww). Sephiroth smiled gently and pulled closer until their lips met.

The kiss was soft and chaste. Cloud's lips were warm and soft, teasing Sephiroth's control. When they parted, Genesis looked up.

"So….. I'm guessing you accept?" Genesis quipped. Cloud laughed at the Commander and nodded.

"… I'm still dying Zack's clothes pink, though," he added. Zack froze and gaped at the cadet. Shaking his head, Angeal gathered his puppy and went into the bedroom to give them some privacy (although this was Angeal and Zack's room).

"I love you, Cloud," Sephiroth whispered. Cloud blushed and smiled gently.

"I think I may love you both, as well…"