Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, scenery, or towns; Square Enix does.


44 – Lateral Thoughts

Sephiroth sat on a rock with his gaze alternatively traveling between the ocean and the city. Junon. Though he was a few miles out, he could see workers scurrying about on the nearly finished Mako Cannon. Like rats on cheese, he thought, popping the last cube of cheddar into his mouth with a smirk. Picking up his canteen he stood and took a drink while peering at the horizon. He figured he had an hour, perhaps a bit under, before the sun completely set. He'd made better time than he'd thought he would, especially considering he'd stopped twice to eat and rest.

The SSC stooped and repacked the empty container that had held the cheese cubes. His remaining supplies consisted of a few slices of bread, one granola bar, and a few swigs of water. Perhaps I should restock while the chopper is being prepared. Once he'd obtained a helicopter the journey back to the hut shouldn't take long, however getting out of Junon might be another story. Even under normal circumstances SOLDIERs required more caloric intake than the average person, let alone when they traveled hundreds of miles in just over six hours. Combine that with the fact that he wasn't certain when he would be able to sleep and resupplying seemed like a pretty good idea.

With one final glance at the sky, Sephiroth shouldered his pack and headed into the city. The inhabitants of Lower Junon were either ignoring him or merely avoiding him due to his reputation. Most simply continued their heated discussions on Shinra's presence, the state of the fishing industry, and pollution, although a few did stop to eye him as he passed. He was within 10 feet of the elevator to Upper Junon before anyone spoke to him however, and even then it wasn't a resident of the city, rather it was a Shinra guard.

"Halt. This area is off limits to anyone other than Shinra personnel."

The silver stopped and raised an eyebrow at the two guards before him. It was unusual for anyone, let alone Shinra employees, to not recognize him on sight but it wasn't unheard of. Both guards had drawn their rifles but neither was pointing in his direction. Perhaps they aren't entirely incompetent.

"Are you trying to get us killed you idiot?" the second guard whispered, leaning toward his partner. "That's Sephiroth."

"Are you crazy? What the hell would he be doing here of all places?"

"How the hell should I know? If you wanna know so bad ask him."

"Alright I will. Probably just some damned look alike anyway. You know how those friggin' fanboys are."

"If you two keep muttering I'm going to turn you into chum." Both guards immediately stopped speaking and stared at him with blank looks. "My presence is none of your concern, however I will produce my credentials if you wish." At that the pair snapped to attention with salutes and crisp 'sirs'. The movement caused the first guards rifle strap to get hooked on his arm and now the weapon hung loosely from his bent elbow. He considered teaching the man the downsides to sloppiness, but refrained, having more important matters to attend to.

"N-no need for credentials. G-go right on ahead Sir," said the second guard.

"Sorry for the inconvenience Sir."

"Thank you," Sephiroth replied, quickly passing the men and opening the door to the elevator. The door clicked shut as he stepped onto the platform and pressed the button. Within seconds the guard's chatter resumed.

"Holy shit that was Sephiroth!" exclaimed the first guard.

"I told you! Pay more attention will ya? Next time he might knock us off just for being in his way!"

"You really think he'd do that?"

"Maybe, maybe not, but why take the chance? Besides, just because he might not doesn't mean others won't! Look before you snap at people!"

The elevator ride was halfway through before Sephiroth was finally free of the guards rambling. He found the grinding machinery noise and rocking motion of the lift to be pleasant, like soothing white noise. Unfortunately it didn't last since as soon as the platform reached its destination the doors opened, letting in the racket of a bustling city. Stepping off the elevator, he closed his eyes and blocked out as much of it as he could before continuing. As a child he learned that if he focused on himself the noises around him would lessen. The trick wasn't perfect but it certainly helped reduce the cacophony and chaos that was created by people going about their everyday lives. Lucky for them they didn't have Mako enhanced senses that magnified their clatter. He wondered if they did, would the world be a much quieter place? Probably.

Minutes after stepping off the lift Sephiroth made his way onto the airfield. As he approached the Controller offices located directly underneath the control tower, the door opened and a tall man in a dark suit exited. The man held the door and seconds later a blond in a white suit gracefully strode through the archway. Without hesitation the blond altered his course and headed straight toward him with his tall companion trailing a few steps behind.

"SOLDIER Second Class Sephiroth," the blond said, stopping less than 10 paces from the SSC.

"Vice President Shinra," Sephiroth replied with a slight nod. "Rude," he added. The big Turk looked momentarily surprised, probably because most treated bodyguards like hired help, something that shouldn't be acknowledged. His recent experiences with the Turks, and especially Reno, drove in the point that they were people too. As such it seemed wrong to ignore them. After a pause the bald man gave a faint nod.

"The helicopter you requested is ready to go."

"Thank you, Sir."

"You're not the least bit surprised or concerned, are you?" asked Rufus, unable to detect any emotion whatsoever in the silver's expression.

"No."

"You don't consider Tseng speaking to me to be a betrayal?"

"No."

"I see," Rufus replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "Care to explain why?"

"Less than a month ago you both risked everything for the Turks and there is no indication that that has changed."

"That's true, however the current situation doesn't involve the Turks, rather their adversaries within the company, SOLDIER."

"Incorrect. Reno is involved."

"I could order him to scrub his assignment and return to Midgar."

"You could but you won't because you know that he won't listen."

"You think we would risk an entire department for one man?"

"I do no think, I know."

Rufus was unable to stop the grin that twisted his lips. "I'll be honest, you're not what I expected you to be."

"What did you expect?" Sephiroth replied, arching an eyebrow.

"I'm not entirely sure. I suppose I expected you to be more like my father."

"I believe I've all but told you I despise your father."

"True, but often people that are too much alike can't stand each other. I thought perhaps that was the reason behind your comment but I was incorrect. You're actually a lot like Tseng," replied the blond, visibly relaxing.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Rufus nodded, lifting his eyes to an approaching airship. "Come on," he said, turning. "I'll walk you to your bird." The silver fell in beside him. After a few steps he said, "You know, I'm not entirely in the loop with what's going on."

"What do you know?"

"Very little actually. Unfortunately Tseng's being rather tight lipped. Basically all I know is that you, Reno, and Rhapsodos are hiding out because you're all in danger. From Shinra no less."

"An accurate, if lacking, summation, however at the moment I'm in no particular danger. Depending on how events play out that could change though."

Rufus nodded. "Which forces me to ponder your involvement. You appear to be jeopardizing quite a bit yet at least one of your companions you barely know and is a member of a rival group. What about the other?"

"Pardon?"

"What exactly is your relationship with Genesis Rhapsodos?"

"We're dating," replied Sephiroth without the slightest hesitation.

"Wait, what?" Rude said, stopping dead in his tracks. Rufus and Sephiroth halted with him. "I thought Reno was dating Genesis."

"He is."

"Are you," Rude paused, wiggling his tie and collecting his thoughts before continuing. "Are you saying what I think you're saying? That you're a threesome?"

"Yes."

"I knew it!" Rufus yelped, grinning from ear to ear and once again heading toward the chopper. Sephiroth and Rude quickly followed suit.

"I asked Reno about this right before we dropped him off with you and he said it wasn't like that," Rude said.

"At that time it wasn't."

Rude's eyes widened behind his trademark shades but he said nothing. He didn't know what to say. He'd dropped his partner off with Sephiroth perhaps a week ago and now they were dating? Kid moves fast. Reno seemed to be changing quite a bit these days. The redhead had gone from avoiding serious relationships to being in two, simultaneously, in the blink of an eye. In all honesty the revelation didn't bother him though. Given what Reno had been through he deserved a little happiness and so long as it didn't interfere with his job he didn't care what the man did in his personal life.

"I'm assuming you three were friends before this situation?" Rufus asked. The silver nodded in response. "I see. So what it basically boils down to is that you got involved because of friendship."

"Correct."

"Then I don't have to go through the spiel about how important Reno is to me, right?"

"Right."

"Very good then. Keep in mind that goes for professional and personal."

"In other words if I don't keep him physically safe you'll be pissed and if I cause him emotional stress you'll also be pissed."

"Correct," Rufus smiled, stopping next to a matte black helicopter with the Shinra logo painted on its side. "Here we are."

"This will do nicely. Thank you," Sephiroth replied, eyeing the modified Blackhawk helicopter. It had been outfitted with several armaments, including two turret guns and two missile launchers. In addition, he suspected its fuel capacity had been upgraded.

"Vice President Shinra has already taken care of the paperwork and the equipment you requested is onboard, off the books of course. Also, she's fully fueled but according to records she's only carrying a little over half," Rude said, sliding open a cargo door. "Harder to trace where you've been if they don't know how far you could've gone."

Sephiroth nodded and sat his rucksack inside the bird, where two large blue containers caught his eye. "What's in the coolers?"

"Your dinner is in one. The other is empty but it might come in handy later," replied the bald Turk.

"Thank you, especially for the food. It saves me a resupply trip farther into town."

"The foods are simple but travel well. There are four different kinds of sandwiches, a whole chicken, three different types of salads, and a fruit and cheese platter," Rufus said.

"Simple is good."

"You going to be alright alone? Technically this is a two pilot chopper," stated Rude as the silver hopped into the cargo hold.

"I will be fine, thank you."

"Rude, can you leave us alone for a moment?" The Turk hesitated before nodding faintly and jogging out of earshot. Turning back toward the silver his aquamarine orbs locked with the man's celadon. "I've already admitted I don't fully understand what is going on here and frankly that really pisses me off. Unfortunately my ignorance extends beyond the current situation. When things have settled I would appreciate it if you would come to my apartment in Junon for a little discussion."

"About what?"

"Many things, but mainly the SOLDIER program."

"I see. What makes you think I know more than you? You are the Vice President of Shinra Electric after all."

"Call it a hunch."

After a pause Sephiroth asked, "Is this a request or a command?"

"A request. Look, I know you don't particularly trust me but please believe me when I say I'm not trying to set you up or anything. It's just, some things have recently been brought to my attention and I think you may be able to make some sense out of them."

"You say I don't trust you yet that's obviously not true. I am putting my life as well as that of my friends in your hands after all."

"True, but you and I both know that we're operating under a forced trust. Right now you have to trust me and vice versa. I'd like to change that. Reno and Genesis can even accompany you if you'd like." At the silver's scowl he added, "I'm not implying that you can't take care of yourself. I merely thought that having them around would make you more comfortable."

"I will think about your offer."

"Alright. If nothing else think about coming over for dinner at least. I understand trust is earned, not freely given and honestly it's lonely here. I wouldn't mind seeing Reno and speaking with Genesis. I'm not certain but I believe he and I are still on shaky ground," Rufus replied, pulling something out of his pocket and handing it to the silver. "Don't forget the scrambler and tell Reno to stay out of trouble. Finding and training a new Assistant Director would be such a hassle." With a final nod, he slid the cargo door shut and joined Rude. As they watched, the SSC powered up the chopper and the blades began to spin slowly, gaining speed by the second. Within moments the bird left the ground and rapidly ascended. He watched for a moment, then turned and headed back to his apartment with Rude in tow.

Once Sephiroth reached altitude, he set a westerly course as the last dregs of light faded from the sky. If it weren't for his enhanced vision he would have set the bird down and waited until dawn. There was no shortage of nocturnal aerial enemies, making night flight risky business, especially when flying solo. With any luck he wouldn't have to put his ability to pilot the helicopter while simultaneously manning the weapon system to the test.

"Shinra 521, leaving Junon Airspace, squawk 1200, radar service terminated, frequency change approved."

"Roger Junon. Shinra 521, changing frequencies," Sephiroth replied to the controller before yanking his headset off, setting the bird on autopilot, and heading into the cargo hold. Once there he opened the cooler and removed the chicken Rufus had mentioned. The bird weighed somewhere between 10 to 15 pounds and was packaged in a large pan with a lid, signifying it had been baked. While he wasn't exceptionally hungry, ever since the VP had mentioned food he'd begun craving protein, specifically meat. He popped the lid, pulled off both legs, grabbed a napkin, and headed back toward the cockpit.

Hands full, the silver managed to wiggle though the narrow doorway and hop into the pilot seat without dropping anything. After checking the radar and scanning the skyline for fiends, he tore into the first chicken leg. Whoever had cooked it had done a good job. The meat was tender and juicy, but not greasy and had a nice, robust natural flavor. Better enjoy it before Reno gets his hands on it. A brief smile flashed across his face before he took another bite. Once the legs had been reduced to bone Sephiroth quickly opened the door and tossed the remains outside to plummet into the dark waters below.

Twenty minutes later Sephiroth felt he was far enough away from Junon to change courses. He switched the autopilot off and plotted a new course to the northeast. If his calculations were correct, and he had no reason to doubt them, he'd be landing a few hours to the south of the hut. Although it was tempting to land closer to his destination he didn't want to risk it, even with the scrambling device.

Minutes ticked by and the silver began to squirm. As soon as he noticed it, he forced himself to still but it didn't last long. It was unusual because he could normally remain motionless for hours. That knowledge made it even harder to sit still and he scowled, wondering what was wrong with him. Almost immediately he thought he knew the answer. I'm lonely. For a moment the idea seemed absolutely preposterous. How on Gaia could he be lonely? He'd been alone nearly all of his life and while it hadn't been by choice, he'd learned to adapt. No, I didn't. For the first time he realized, or perhaps admitted, that he hadn't adapted at all, he'd merely accepted. On the heels of that revelation came another; that this wasn't the first time he'd felt this way.

Although it wasn't common knowledge Sephiroth had been raised within the walls of Shinra Electric Power Company. In fact the secret was so well kept that few within SEPC itself were even aware of it. As a result, until the age of 11 he'd mostly been confined to a room located within a highly restricted area of the Science Department. Most that were aware of his existence either pretended that he didn't exist or treated him like he had a highly contagious, deadly disease. Yet one person had been different: Professor Gast Faremis.

By the time he was two Sephiroth had already become extremely leery of anyone entering his room. Regardless of circumstance he had minimal contact with anyone. His meals and anything else he required were delivered via a clear pass-through that had one door inside his room and one door outside. There was even a bathroom complete with a sink, toilet, and shower stall inside his room. Simply put no one entered unless they had to. That meant whoever came in usually wanted to take a sample or give an injection. Hell, even when someone simply came to take his vital signs it hurt, because often the staff wore too much perfume or cologne. It made his nose and mouth burn and his eyes water. Regardless of how brave he tried to be Sephiroth cowered whenever his door slid open, knowing pain was imminent; it was just a question of what form it would take.

Being the child that he was the silver used to hide under his bed or within a cabinet but after a few times of having to drag him out kicking, screaming, clawing, and biting, both were replaced. The bed was chained and bolted to the wall so the legs could be removed and the cabinet had been replaced with a bookcase. Yet though he knew it was futile, when someone came into his room he still tried to get away. He'd run around, frantically seeking someplace to hide until he'd finally give up and curl into a tight ball in a corner. Such was the way Professor Gast found him one day when he was two and a half.

To this day Sephiroth still remembered panting and crying in his chosen corner as the man approached. Each tap of his shoes had sent waves of fear and panic rushing though his system, yet to his surprise the footfalls stopped well away from his position. Eventually he mustered enough courage to turn his tear stained face outward and found the man sitting cross-legged in the middle of the floor. They made eye contact and he panicked, whipping his head back around and once again trying to disappear. Several minutes later he heard the man rise and the hated footsteps resumed, however to his astonishment they moved away from him. Seconds later the door whooshed open and he knew without looking that he was once again alone. To his even greater surprise he detected no trace of cologne, only the man's natural scent.

Two more such visits followed until finally, on the fourth visit, the man started to ask him questions, such as his name and how old he was. Sephiroth had been though this many times so he replied in a dry voice without looking at the stranger. Then the man began to ask strange questions, like what his favorite color was and what was his favorite animal. These were questions that Sephiroth couldn't answer so he simply said he didn't have any favorites. It didn't look like the man believed him but he let it go, which he also found strange because usually people expected more of him than a basic non-answer.

On the sixth visit, the man, now known to be Professor Gast, brought him a big box of colorful wax sticks and paper. He told him the wax sticks were crayons and that he could use them to draw pictures, color, and write on the paper. Even though his curiosity nearly killed him Sephiroth refused to touch the odd items until Professor Gast had left. When he finally did he spent hours rubbing the crayons against the paper and admiring the vivid colors the wax produced. Once he'd grown tired of that he'd pulled a book off his bookshelf of the alphabet and began trying to mimic the formation of the letters on paper. He stayed up most of the night with his crayons and paper, even after lights out. When he finally did fall asleep, it was with a crayon in his hand.

From that point on Professor Gast visited every day. Sometimes he would bring something new for him to play with, like tiny cars and airships, but other times he'd just sit and talk with him. Gast never poked or prodded him and over time Sephiroth began to like and trust the Professor. Three months after his first visit Professor Gast said he wanted to take him outside. At first the silver resisted and the staff threw a fit, but Gast won out and took him outside. They only went to a courtyard located on the ground floor of Shinra Tower but to Sephiroth it was a whole new world. He knew what the sky was, and grass, and trees, but he'd never seen them. Never smelled them. For the first time in his life he was free of his sterilized room with three clear walls and nowhere to hide. The next time they visited the courtyard there was even a play set with a slide and swings! It was nothing short of amazing and he had Professor Gast to thank.

Over the next several months Sephiroth became increasingly attached to Professor Gast. The man explained to him that he was special and that's why he had to be kept in a special room. He told him he constantly had to be monitored, both on the outside and in, and that's why he had to endure so many tests and shots. The Professor was always patient and answered his questions as best he could, and that more than anything really made him trust him. Usually when he asked someone something they'd just brush him off. It was nice not to be ignored and to have a tiny clue about what was going on around him.

One day when the Professor came for his visit he carried two backpacks with him. He told Sephiroth they were going on a special trip and without hesitation Sephiroth followed. They took a vehicle from the Science Department and after what seemed like forever they arrived at the hut. The same one he was currently heading to. Sephiroth immediately fell in love with the place. He spent hours playing in the ocean, building castles in the sand, and swimming in the hot tub. After their initial visit the pair went to the hut every other weekend and the silver had never been happier. Unfortunately the happiness wasn't to last.

Three years after his first visit Professor Gast came to Sephiroth in the middle of the night. He told him that it would be his last visit and that their special hut was now his. For the first time in all their years together Gast refused to answer his pleading questions. He merely turned and left without a word. For weeks after Sephiroth still expected him to return, but after two months he gave up hope. He completely shut down, refusing to speak or even eat. Disgusted by his behavior Professor Hojo shoved a feeding tube down his throat and when he yanked it back out, Hojo sedated him and chained him to his bed. For two weeks straight he stayed that way until eventually Hojo became so enraged by his refusal to cooperate that he placed a metal collar around his neck. Every time he refused to do something, whether it be sit up, answer a question, eat, perform a test, or train, Hojo pressed a button, causing the collar to flood his system with electricity that brought him to his knees, or in some cases, left him prone on the floor.

Five months after Professor Gast had left, no, abandoned, him, something inside Sephiroth finally snapped. Life with the cursed collar had become intolerable and seeing no other solution he once again started doing whatever Hojo wished him to do. He still didn't care about anything but instead of a huge, crushing, aching, weight in his chest he felt nothing. His emotions fled, leaving behind nothing but a void. He was all of six years old.

Since then Sephiroth had been careful not to let anyone in, which hadn't been particularly difficult since no one wanted in. At least until now. Now, in less than a month not one but two persistent redhead's had been unfazed by his coldness and had refused to leave him be. In that very short amount of time both had somehow managed to circumvent his defense mechanisms and he'd started to open up again.

Only now, while he was actively thinking things through, did Sephiroth realize there had never been a void within him. He'd just placed all of his emotions into a chest, locked it, and thrown away the key. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Genesis and Reno knew how to pick locks. Somehow the pair had circumvented his defense mechanisms, in some cases without him even realizing it. Sephiroth was finally able to realize that during all those years he really hadn't adapted, rather he'd simply accepted his lot because he saw no way to change it. And now I do? No, perhaps not, but for the first time since Professor Gast had abandoned him he felt alive. It was something that even his relative freedom hadn't been able to achieve.

As his thoughts turned to his friends the silver became still. In a flash he understood his jumpiness wasn't merely the result of loneliness, it was also caused by fear. The emotion was so foreign to him that he hadn't been able to recognize it, but his musings hadn't simply made him remember events, they'd also made him remember how he felt at the time. His trepidation of the scientists was irrelevant, however his fear of letting Professor Gast down was not. Regardless of what the man had asked him to do he'd always given it his all, not because Gast had demanded it, rather because he'd wanted to please him. He hadn't wanted to let the Professor down.

In regards to Genesis and Reno, it wasn't simply a matter of not wishing to let them down. In this case any blunder could lead to disaster. That was something he'd never experienced before. It was an odd feeling since he wasn't a stranger to death. Whether directly or indirectly he'd been the instrument of many people's demise, however he had never cared. Why should he care about an enemy on the battlefield or some nameless dead citizen who'd gotten in the way? He hadn't, but the two redheads' weren't his enemies nor were they nameless strangers. They were his friends, his lovers. For the first time he felt the weight of possible failure and could whole-heartedly say it was incredibly unpleasant. No, it's terrifying. Even so a smile curved his lips upward. After all, no one said being normal, being human, was all fun and games. I've always liked a good challenge, he thought, facing forward in more ways than one. The future was no longer just about where SEPC would be, it was about where he would be. If nothing else, he was content with the knowledge that he wasn't alone and he'd go to great lengths to keep it that way.


"Reno?... Reno?... Reno?... For the love of Gaia do you intend to sleep all day?"

"It's night yo," the redhead mumbled into a pillow.

"Ugh! How can you even sleep at a time like this?"

"Seems a good a time as any ta me."

"Are you serious?"

"Relax Gen," Reno replied, rolling onto his back and stretching from head to toe. His muscles complained slightly but that was a small price to pay for the marathon sex session with Genesis.

"How can you tell me to relax? Aren't you even the slightest bit worried?"

"No, not really yo."

"Reno!"

"What? It's Sephiroth for Planet's Sake. The man's glare alone can probably make an enraged Duel Horn tuck tail and run."

"That's all well and good expect he's not dealing with some stupid monster. He's dealing with Shinra."

"True, but anyone who's a threat to him is on our side or ain't in Junon so what's ta be worried about?"

"I suppose that's true," Genesis sighed, pacing at the foot of the bed. His eyes landed on Reno and he quickly looked away.

"Ain't had yer fill yet? I can fix that ya know."

Genesis spun and scowled down at the naked Turk. "Gods do you have to look so... yummy?"

"Did ya just call me yummy yo?"

"I did," the auburn replied, scowl morphing into a grin. "Stop trying to distract me damnit."

"'Fraid yer distracting yourself nushi," Reno chuckled, propping himself up on his elbows. "I ain't doing a thing."

"I know," Genesis sighed. "Which makes it even worse. I really am a nympho."

"My very own nympho. I like it."

"You would. You're such a hornball!"

"Eh, who's gettin' distracted by whose nakedness again?"

"Smartass," Genesis grinned.

"By the way, Seph sent me a text awhile ago. Everything went fine and he's on his way."

"When was this?"

"'bout a half hour ago when you went to take a shower."

"You're just now telling me because…"

"'Cause it's fun to watch you stew."

"Please tell me you aren't serious," Genesis growled.

"Well sorta. Actually it's 'cause I drifted back to sleep and then because you started flipping out. You need to believe in him more Gen."

"Godsdamnit Reno!"

"Sorry, I really am. I jus-"

"It's alright," sighed the auburn.

"No, it's not. First Tseng, now you. Guess I'm lettin' everyone down."

"Don't be so hard on yourself Reno. Besides, you're right. I need to give him more credit," Genesis replied. In truth, he was pissed but being angry and fighting wouldn't change anything. "I need to give you both more credit for that matter. Anyway, did you tell him we're okay?"

"No. I didn't set up a response protocol remember? A reply might spook him."

"It seems wrong not to answer."

"I'll keep that in mind fer future reference."

"See to it that you do," the auburn grinned as the last of his irritation faded. "So what now?"

"We wait."

"That's it?"

"Pretty much yo."

"What about packing?"

"Guess we can go ahead and pack anything nonperishable."

"I'll pack, you go take a shower."

"I'm hungry."

"Gaia you sound like a child," Genesis chuckled. "Alright, I'll pack, you find something to eat."

"Works fer me," replied Reno, scooting toward the end of the bed. Legs dangling over the edge he started to push himself to his feet when something smacked him in the face.

"Sanitation and hygiene are important, even in the middle of nowhere."

"Pfft, you just want it covered 'cause ya can't stop lookin'," Reno chuckled, peeling the pants off his face and jamming his legs into them.

"I'd deny that but it would be a lie."

Chuckling, the redhead made his way into the kitchen and yanked open the refrigerator door. Sephiroth had done a good job stocking the place and they still had plenty of food. He thought for a moment and then began gathering vegetables. Some were refrigerated and some were hanging in baskets scattered around the kitchen. Before long he had a decent sized pile in the center of the kitchen table.

"What on Gaia are you doing?" Genesis asked, watching as the Turk retrieved a knife.

"Makin' vegetable soup."

"Do we have time for that?"

"It won't get completely cooked but we can put it in the big stock pot and take it with us."

"Oh. Good thinking," the auburn replied. "Soup is easy to heat and it will keep the veggies from going bad."

"Yep. Plus the herbs and spices will have plenty a time ta mingle so it'll be extra good yo."

"Where did you learn how to cook anyway?" Genesis asked, folding what clothes he could. During breaks in their lovemaking, they'd done laundry and some of it was still drying on a line out back.

"Learned the basics when I was a kid and had ta fend for myself. Also picked up some things when I was a waiter. The rest I learned from Tseng."

"You two are pretty close aren't you?"

"Yeah." There was a long pause before he spoke again. "Gen?"

"Yes?"

"I, eh, want you to know I lied… about sleeping with Tseng. I wanted to tell you sooner but the right time never came up. Not that now's much better bu-"

"I understand Reno, don't worry about it," Genesis said, cutting the Turk off. The man froze and stared at him with an unreadable expression. "It's okay, really."

"You're not mad?"

"No. I had my suspicions."

"You did?" The auburn nodded. "Since when?"

"I'm not sure exactly but remember when you told me that while you'd slept with guys there was only one that you'd actually wanted to?"

"Yeah."

"My first thought was that it was Tseng."

"What about after the confrontation with Cissnei? I mean, that was after I told you that."

"Honestly I don't remember a lot about what happened that night but from what I do remember, I think you would have told her whatever she wanted to hear if you thought it would have gotten her to back off. Since she was already accusing you of sleeping your way to the top admitting you two had slept together would have made matters worse, not better." The redhead nodded, slicing a celery stalk. "Did you ever tell her the truth?"

"Yeah, a few days later."

"I'm assuming she didn't try to kill you."

"Nah, she was cool with it. We're not exactly best buds or anything but at least we're not at each other's throats yo."

"Which I'm sure Tseng appreciates."

"No doubt," Reno chuckled, grabbing another celery stick to chop.

"So, how was it?"

"How was what yo?"

"Tseng. Something about him screams 'I'm good in bed'. Is he?"

"Shit," the Turk yelped, nearly cutting his finger. He gently laid the knife down and then turned toward the auburn. "Are you serious? What would you say if I asked you about your past encounters?"

"I guess it would depend on the kind of conversation we're having and whether I thought you were asking out of curiosity or jealousy."

"Type of conversation?" asked Reno, blinking in confusion.

"Yes. If we're just talking, like gossiping, I'd probably answer the question but if we're fighting I wouldn't."

"Interesting. What would you do if I got pissed at you and told someone what you said about them?"

"You wouldn't do that."

"I wouldn't?"

"No," Genesis replied with absolutely zero uncertainly in his tone. "Even if we fought and you hated me you'd never take it out on someone else."

"You're right," the redhead sighed. "But be careful who you gossip with."

"I'm not stupid Reno."

"Didn't say you were," Reno replied, retrieving the knife and finishing the celery before moving onto carrots. "Do you gossip with Angeal?"

"Pfft no. He's too much of a stiff. Truth be told I don't have a gossip buddy. Do you?"

"Not really. Tseng and Rude don't gossip. Elena and Cissnei like ta mess with me but we ain't that close. Closest thing I have is Rufus."

"See, this is why we should gossip with each other!"

"Alright fine," Reno replied, pushing aside the chopped carrots and grabbing an onion to dice. "Who taught you how to suck dick? Yer ass might have been a virgin before me but there's no way yer mouth was." The STC blinked at him and he grinned. "See, you don't like those kinds of questions anymore than I do."

"It's not the question, rather the way you put it and the answer is 'Geal. He didn't teach me per say but I practiced on him quite a bit."

"I thought you two weren't in a relationship yo."

"We weren't. Just two boys with too much free time who decided to experiment."

"Heh, so that's what ya do in the country."

"It is if you put two horny boys together and at least one of them happens to be gay."

"You tellin' me Hewley's a swinger or that he's straight?"

"Honestly I don't know what Angeal is. Not sure he does either."

Reno nodded and eyed the vegetable pile. He'd managed to chop, dice, and slice he way though over half of it. "Stress relief."

"What?"

"Me and Tseng were on the run from Shinra during the first part of the Turk Desertion. We were stressed out and one thing led to another yo."

"Did it work?"

"You could say that," Reno chuckled.

"So I was right? He's good in bed?"

"You were right."

"I knew it!" Genesis replied, clapping his hands and giggling.

The Turk couldn't help but smile and laugh at the auburn's enthusiasm, even if it was a bit weird. What a weird thing ta be excited about, he thought, stretching his back. The lights went out and he froze. It took a few heartbeats for him to realize Genesis had shut them off. His movements had simply been to fast for him to follow. "Wha-"

"Ssshhh, I hear something," Genesis whispered, cutting the Turk off. In less than two heartbeats he was standing in the middle of the small hut with a sword pointed toward the door. "Have you seen anyone since you've been here?"

"No," Reno breathed, wondering if the message he'd received earlier was fake. Was it possible that Shinra had caught Sephiroth and broken him in such a short amount of time? He couldn't completely rule it out but thought it was incredibly unlikely. His thoughts came to a screeching halt at the sound of metal on metal.

"Sephiroth?"

"Genesis? Why are you attacking me?"

"How was I supposed to know it was you?" replied the auburn. He lowered his sword as the silver turned on the lights. "Are you alright? How'd you get back so fast?"

"I am fine and I had a good tailwind. Are you two okay?"

"We're fine," Reno called, willing his pulse to slow. "Remind me to create a reconnect protocol next time yo."

"That would have been helpful," chuckled Genesis.

"Making something?" Sephiroth asked, dropping his rucksack on the bed and eyeing the vegetable ridden kitchen table.

"Soup to take with us."

"Good plan. Vice President Shinra sends his regards."

"You saw Rufus?"

"Yes. Tseng notified him I was coming. He and your partner had a helicopter waiting for me when I arrived. He also said to 'tell Reno to stay out of trouble. Finding and training a new Assistant Director would be such a hassle.'"

"Oh that's nice," commented Genesis.

"Typical Rufus," the redhead chuckled. "Where's the bird yo?"

"A few hours south of here by foot, give or take. I landed as close to the mountain as I could so it would be harder to locate. I assumed we would leave a little after dawn."

"So did we," Genesis replied. "Dawn is only a few hours away. I've already taken a shower so why don't you two go get cleaned up? I can finish up in here."

"Are you sure?" the silver asked uncertainly.

"Yep!"

"Very well." Sephiroth nodded before disappearing out the door.

"Only thing left ta do is thrown it in a pot and add water and spices."

"Got it," the auburn chirped, grabbing the Turk's wrists and pulling him out of his chair.

"What's the rush yo?"

"No rush, but it will be easier to finish up in here without you both underfoot."

"Gen…"

"Reno it's okay, really. You and I have had almost the entire day together while Sephiroth's been traipsing the continent, for me nonetheless," Genesis replied, understanding the redhead's reluctance.

"Us. For us."

"Be that as it may, although I love you dearly I could use a little alone time and I think Sephiroth wants some company, so it evens out."

"Does it?" Reno asked, rooting his legs to the ground and resisting the auburn's efforts to pull him to the door.

"It does."

After a lengthy pause the redhead asked, "You're not tryin' to get away from me are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe it's just me, but ya seem to be pushin' me and Seph together. I don't mind… unless yer tryin' to distance yourself from me that is."

"I'm not."

"You swear?"

"I do. Whether Sephiroth shows it or not I think all of this may be a little overwhelming for him Reno and I think he's taken more of a liking to you, that's all."

"That's all? You say that so casually but ta me that statement's anything but yo."

"You're reading to much into it. You have to understand something; neither Sephiroth nor I are used to opening up and expressing our emotions. Being close to someone isn't second nature to us and in fact it's quite difficult."

"Not that easy for me either."

"Perhaps, but you've had more practice so you're much, much, better at it than either of us."

"How do you figure that yo?"

"Simply put, you've had a lot more social interaction than either of us. Sure I have 'Geal but that's pretty much the extent of it. Sephiroth has no one."

"Ge-"

Genesis pressed a finger to the redhead's lips, cutting him off. "This is hard for me to say so please let me finish. I'll be quick." Reno nodded and he continued. "None of us had a good upbringing, far from it in fact, however, unlike us, you rose above it. Instead of shunning the world you went into it. Even before joining Shinra you held down a job, sometimes more than one at a time. After joining Shinra, you bonded with the Turks to such an extent that you now consider them your family. Sephiroth and I aren't like that. We were, and in some ways still are, outcasts. We were taught how to go through to motions but that's it. You can teach someone how to act but not how to feel. Do you understand?" the auburn finished, removing his finger.

"Yeah, but that doesn't really explain why he'd bond with me more than you. Going by what you just said you two should be closer."

"Right now it's hard for us to get past our defenses and really start to bond. That will take time. You, on the other hand, are a charmer. Whether naturally or not, intentionally or not, you put people at ease and make them want to open up, regardless of their tendencies. Make no mistake Reno, you are and will likely continue to be the glue that holds us all together."

"Talk about pressure yo."

"I- I hadn't thought about that."

The auburn's tone held a trace of distress and Reno pulled him close and wrapped his arms around him. "No worries. I work well under pressure. Better than normal actually."

"Reno…"

"It's yer turn to listen. I never claimed to understand what's going on between the three of us and if you want the truth, I don't care. What matters is that I love you and that I'm definitely getting attached to Seph. So long as both of you want this and I don't lose you, I'm fine with continuing in the direction we're heading. After all, most relationships aren't all fun and games. They require time and effort to strengthen them and make them last. Our little threesome ain't any different yo."

"I love you too," replied the auburn. "You're too good for me."

"Funny, I was thinkin' the same about you."

"If it gets to be to much say something okay?"

"I will. Same goes fer you." Genesis smiled and nodded. "Guess I'll go join Seph. If anything happens you'll come get us, right?"

"Of course," the auburn replied. Reno gave him a squeeze then disappeared out the door and he sighed.

As great as it sounded to leave his friends behind and try to take care of things on his own Genesis knew better. Not only was he likely to fail and get recaptured or worse, neither Reno nor Sephiroth would back down. They'd end up getting involved anyway, consequences be damned. It was both a blessing and a curse but he could live with it. After all, whether professionally or personally, he hadn't come this far only to back down now. No, I didn't, he thought, sliding the prepared vegetables into a large stockpot sitting on the stove. As he began filling the pot with water, he swore that someday Hojo would pay, not only for what he'd done to him, but because he'd even remotely placed people he cared about in danger. That, more than anything, was beyond unforgiveable.