Author's Note: One of my readers almost had a fit with how I ended the last chapter so I'd better let you all have the next installment. Glad that people are enjoying the story so much and I'm extra excited to see new names popping up on the list of those who have favorited this work. Thank you all for your support!

Being my first time writing anything like this or for public reading, I wasn't sure how well it would go (especially because of how most people turn away when they see an OC as the main character) but I have been so surprised by the love and feedback I've received. Every message makes me smile, each review brightens my day, and I love finding out what emotions I was able to inspire with the words I've written.

You all make this worth it and I can't wait to write more for you all including some side stories of the SOLDIERs and their more interesting exploits together. I promise to keep you posted on those when I get around to them, but till then, let me know the story prompts you would like to see me write about. I've kept a log of the ones I'm planning, but I will never turn down more ideas.

Marken: Talin needs a little spoiling now and then (as we all do) but those lovers of his also know how to push his buttons for sure. As to this dark, mysterious figure... well you won't have to wait long to figure it out. Enjoy. :)

Beta Readers: Pixie, Kiza, and Discord.

I do not own FF7 or any of its characters. Talin, Unit 28, and some other side characters are mine.

Enjoy and please R&R.

Chapter 38

Curling and twisting, the shadow gained shape at what felt like a snail's pace, but Talin watched on in almost a trance. The long legs were now encased in boots, the hands in gloves, and the arms in tight-fitting sleeves. All cast in deep ebony darker than the surrounding abyss of the void, but not by choice. The shadowed forms of aura users were all that way.

A figure carved from obsidian; every detail in black. All but the eyes... The lone thought crossed the Cadet's mind as he stood in numb silence, unable to pull his gaze from the sight before him. Eye color among SOLDIERs was as unique as a fingerprint and the colored glow was even more obvious in the darkness of the void.

"The eyes will always be your first clue," Angeal had said, "Don't recognize the color? Put up your shields..." Talin had taken those words to heart. He'd expected that anyone he'd meet here would be as keen to keep an eye on him as he was on them, but this familiar feeling shadow had yet to open his. Had yet to confirm what Talin's hindbrain was all but screaming at him as he watched a flare of black solidify into a long coat.

The silky fall of hair as it cascaded over the man's shoulders and back drew the teen's attention up just as the obscuring veil of ashen mist finally cleared. Eyes of burning crystal green opened to lock with iridescent jade and Talin's mind skittered to a halt.

A pulse of power, the sense of a question being asked, but the Cadet couldn't gather his thoughts enough to respond. His shadowed form flickered as his control faltered. The question came again, and the General's emotionless mask cracked slightly, brows pinching together in the smallest show of concern. Using a little more power, the SOLDIER pushed a thought to the frozen teen. ~I'm only here to talk~ The request slid through Talin's mind like a whisper but had the effect of a scream.

…

Genesis heard the muffled half yell and dropped everything. Bounding out of his office, the 1st ignored the stairs and leaped to the second-floor balcony, landing with a quiet thud before charging into the bedroom. There was no intruder, no signs of a fight, but the air was full of tension. The smallest whimper from the bed drew him and his originally careful movements lost all stealth as he quickly crawled to the center.

Talin's jaw was clenched shut, hands in white-knuckled fists, his arms and legs were curled so tightly to his body that it looked painful. A nightmare? Knowing he was risking being attacked, Genesis called his name, then placed a hand on his tense back, then shook him... still nothing. A sense of dread filled the Commander as he called out louder and shook harder, but the teen wouldn't or couldn't respond.

A rapid fluttering behind the closed eyelids gave the SOLDIER the hint he needed and a moment later he was in the Void. He reached for Talin's mind... and found nothing. Just because he was next to the teen in real life didn't always mean their minds would be in a similar position, but he should be able to find him regardless.

Trying again, he reached further, felt the smallest echo of recent activity, and followed it. As he sped to what he hoped was Talin's correct location, Genesis cut loose a small section of his shadow. Even as it separated from him, the mist formed into a bird and shot off into the darkness on a quest of its own.

Seconds after the 'birds' departure, Gen felt another, very familiar, aura in the same direction as Talin's and went faster. A light appeared from the grim blackness, drawing him like a beacon to the sky-blue shields and the man who was standing beside them. Worry turned to irritation and the 1st let his charging shadow collide with Sephiroth's.

Unable as he was to keep a truly solid form in the Void, his shadow hit the General and exploded rather spectacularly into a dense cloud. The impact wasn't as satisfying as Gen always hoped it would be but Sephiroth still stumbled back a step allowing enough space for the Commander to reform between the silver SOLDIER and the shielded Cadet. The rough push of Genesis' thoughts was loud and clear. Leave.

~I just came to talk. I didn't-~ Gen cut him off with a rapid-fire string of emotions as he glanced over his shoulder at Talin's encased form. Fear. Panic. Then the sense of something being locked away. The first two Seph could understand, though he wished otherwise, but the last was startling. ~Locked? His shields?!~

Genesis' nod sent a cold spike through the General's chest but he quickly took two steps back, his form starting to disintegrate as he sent one last thought to his lover. ~I don't wish to push him further away, but if you need me... just call.~ Gen winced at the offer but knew, if he couldn't get Talin to come out on his own, he may have to accept the help.

…

Within the blinding walls of his shields, Talin was shaking, his mind racing from the panic that had overwhelmed him. He came to me, that's a good thing, right? But I couldn't... The Cadet's thoughts slipped from his grasp and he scrambled to pick up the pieces again. T-too close... and I heard him... but he didn't form a link. Is that possible? Or did he and I didn't notice?

The tumble of words sped and slowed as he tried to figure out what had happened. It was becoming more and more difficult to keep ahold of his thoughts. He was constantly stumbling as they disappeared or twisted from his grasp.

Why did I panic? He said he only wanted to talk but... Talin considered for the hundredth time dropping the shield, going back out to talk, but how could he now? He'd retreated. Fled like a scared rabbit back to a hiding place.

Maybe the General wasn't even out there anymore... but what if he was? The teen's throat tightened and a new wave of tremors coursed through him. Cursing, he curled up tighter as the train of thought sheared off again. I'm safe in the shield. I'm safe. I'm safe...

…

Gen circled the glowing blue construct trying to see if there was any possible flaw he could tap against to get Talin's attention and found none. Damn it, Angeal. Why did you have to be such a perfectionist and teach him perfect shielding? Not able to find even the smallest crack or badly formed spot, the Commander turned his attention to the 'bird' he'd sent out.

It was still tracking Angeal and, if the track was taking this long, the other 1st was probably not in the tower. Genesis circled again as he considered his options and neither were good by any stretch of the imagination. One would probably not work, and the other... Heaving a deep sigh, he pulled back from the Void momentarily and looked down at Talin's tense form.

"Best try the least traumatic option first," He said as he laid next to Talin and wrapped himself around the teen's rigid form. Holding firmly to the Cadet, Genesis closed his eyes and was again looking down at the colorful sphere. After a silent prayer that this would work, he forced his shadowed form to evaporate, spreading the resulting cloud around Talin's masterwork shield.

It felt wrong, using this skill against someone he cared for, but he needed to do something fast. Once he'd fully surrounded the orb, Gen grit his teeth and commanded the cloud to solidify. Anyone looking from the outside would see only a matt black sphere, no light, no movement, no thought as if it wasn't even a living entity.

As soon as the shell hardened around them, the SOLDIER locked it shut and dropped out of the Void. Talin's shocked gasp for air was followed by a vain attempt to shake himself loose of the restraining mind and arms. Gen held on, changing his position for better control and hooking his legs with the teen's to keep them from flailing.

"C'mon Talin," He whispered. "Please, don't make me get Seph involved..." The struggling continued, decreasing in strength by the minute, but the mind within the shields remained silent and unmoving.

Grip secure on Talin, the Red Commander focused his thoughts on constricting the shell. Another gasp, this time of pain, came from the redhead in his arms. I'm sorry Love. Gen didn't slow down but pushed harder, twisting the restricting black sphere tighter around the shield. Please, just let it crack...

Almost at the limit of his abilities, the 1st heard the tell tail 'crunch' as one of the linking structures of the shield displaced. A scream tore through the Gen's ears both mental and physical but he didn't have time to stop. With one last push, he found the crack he'd made and solidified a chunk of shadow in it to keep it open.

"Talin!" The Cadet was clawing at his throat and at the Commander's arms in turn. The whispers of thought Genesis caught from the crack were confused, frantic, hurting, scared. That, he could deal with. "It's ok, Little Bird. You're ok, I have you. Breathe. You can breathe. Your mind just thinks you can't."

He kept up the stream of reassuring words, relaxing his tight grip slowly as Talin began to calm, and breathed a sigh of relief himself when the chest beneath his arm rose in a deep inhale at last. It took a long while before the thoughts coming from within the shields were coherent enough to pick apart. Even the short amount of time that Talin had been locked in was obviously enough to cause mild shock.

When a formless question reached him, Gen nuzzled the back of Talin's head before responding. "You're ok, Love, you just had a bit of a mishap is all." He would have to explain later just how serious this had been, but for now, he needed to get that blasted shield down. "Are you feeling a bit better?" A fuzzy affirmative answered him. "Good. Why don't you drop this shield for me? It'll help you recover faster."

The forceful negative had Gen rolling his eyes and wanting to smack Sephiroth over the head. I love you, you silver fool, but you do make some of the most difficult situations worse sometimes. Keeping the irritation for his lover out of his voice, the Commander tried again. "He's gone, Talin, and he couldn't get to you even if he were here. The pressure you felt, like you couldn't breathe? That's because I've got you tucked away. None can get to you so long as I keep you wrapped up, Little Bird, so drop this shield now and come out of the Void." Genesis could feel the hesitation and unease as the Cadet shifted within the glowing walls, but, finally, the light wavered and flickered out.

Jade eyes opened and Talin instantly felt the aches of his prolonged wrestling with the 1st who was still holding him. The memory was fuzzy, like a half-remembered dream, but the bruises were more than real enough. With a groan, he shifted into a more comfortable position, untangling arms and legs from Gen's.

The SOLDIER accommodated the change but didn't let him go far. His back was still pressed firmly against the strong chest when he finally settled and relaxed once more. Talin's muddled brain was slowly pulling together what had happened but was struggling with some parts. The room remained quiet, only the sound of their breathing disturbed the stillness till he finally gave in and asked for the information he couldn't seem to gather.

"I don't know all of it," Gen said quietly, "When I arrived, Seph was standing a bit away from you and you'd locked your shields." Talin heard the smallest hint of disapproval but couldn't tell if it had been from the General's presence or his own actions. "He said he'd come to talk to you... Did you?"

The teen's sigh answered that question well enough. "I wanted to, but I- I guess I... panicked." Silently, Talin called himself every name in the book for that lack of control. If he'd just been able to face him, maybe this could have been settled by now.

The memory of hearing the General's voice clicked into place and he turned slightly to look over his shoulder at Genesis. "Can you speak to others in the Void without linking to them? Or... can he?" The 1st looked surprised before understanding lit his eyes. So that's what spooked you...

"I can't, but I know Angeal and, yes, Sephiroth can speak to anyone across a short distance in the Void without forming a link. I don't know the specifics, but you have to be both well trained and powerful, and those two are as strong as it gets." He could feel Talin relaxing at his words but then tensed slightly at the last.

Genesis felt a twinge of regret for giving the teen something else to worry about, but he wouldn't hide that information, even if it wasn't the full truth. While Angeal had been instrumental in studying and developing the training for SOLDIERs with auras and was a very strong aura user, Sephiroth was the true master of the ability. The Commander would have to relay that tidbit of information eventually, but for now, he needed to get this exhausted redhead back to sleep.

Gen raised his free hand and started massaging Talin's temple, knowing the Cadet must have a good headache going by now. A quiet groan escaped the teen as the pressure eased some of the ache that had been growing. The pain receded some, and he found himself speaking his thoughts aloud instead of just in his head. "I should have just talked to him. I shouldn't have run..."

The fingers paused for a heartbeat before resuming their task. "You're allowed to run, Talin," Genesis said softly into the hair at the back of the Cadet's head.

The teen shifted, burying his head a bit more into the pillow. "But he came to me. You said he would, and he did, and I ran," Talin was all but whispering and the words held the burn of irritation and shame.

Irritation was allowed in Gen's book, but shame... he wasn't about to let that happen. With great care, he knocked his forehead into the back of Talin's head, giving him an extra light bump that wouldn't aggravate his headache. "Yes, I said he would and, yes, he did, but you," and he repeated the light tap of his head, "You have to be ready to talk to him. If you're not, then you don't have to till you are. Take all the time you need and, if you want, one, or all of us, can be with you or nearby. It's up to you Love."

The quiet sound of rain against the window as a storm rolled in was all either heard while Talin processed the advice. In the back of his mind, he wondered if Genesis knew what to tell him based on knowledge of his lovers, or if it was accumulated from firsthand experience. A small smile curled the teen's lip as he rather thought the latter option was the most likely.

Talin had closed his eyes, enjoying the relaxation that was spreading through him as Gen continued massaging his head and neck. He was tired, from the encounter with the General and the run earlier, but he could feel his mind's unwillingness to fall into the sleep his body longed for. A slow brightening of light beyond his closed eyelids made him blink them open to see a light pinkish glow coming from near his head.

With a burst of movement more instinctual than rational, Talin seized the glowing hand, holding it in a bruising grip by the wrist, and wrenched it away from his head. "What...?!" The exclamation was more of a gasp than an actual word as he fought to control the impulse to bolt from the room. In a flash, the Cadet realized that the other hand, not glowing as the right had been, was still holding his own and he quickly took it in a similar hold. "What were you-"

Genesis had frozen the moment he realized his mistake, letting the glow of magic fade from his fingers instantly and not objecting to near crushing grasp on his wrists. "It was a basic spell, one to help you sleep," He kept his tone soft and spoke slowly, trying to reassure the once again spooked teen. "I'm sorry, Talin, I should have asked first." The apology caused the pressure to ease some on his captured wrists but there was no reply, so he kept talking. "I knew you weren't going to be able to fall asleep, so I thought to help make sure you did."

"No..." The voice was hoarse, as if he'd been yelling. "I can fall asleep on my own. I don't... I don't want that." The muscles of Talin's arms had relaxed some and, very slowly, Gen lowered his trapped wrists to the bed. The grip tightened fractionally but the Commander was able to lay his arms down, palms flat on the sheets. Keeping every other part of himself still, the 1st nuzzled Talin's ear and was relieved to feel the body against his loose more of its tension.

"Is it because of what that woman did in the lab? Because they put you to sleep?" A shiver raced down the teen's spine and Genesis heard him swallow hard against the flutter of remembered panic. It took Talin a long moment to reign in and suppress the memory. Less than a minute of time, but it'd left its mark.

Gen nuzzled him again. "You trust me, don't you, Love? Trust that I would never hurt you or let harm come to you?" Knowing the man meant real harm and not the... whatever it was he'd done earlier to crack his shield, Talin took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "I am sorry that I didn't ask, that I didn't give you the choice," A light kiss was pressed behind the Cadet's ear, a request for forgiveness before he continued. "If I give you that choice now, would you let me help you get to sleep?"

Talin stiffened but Genesis cut him off before he could outright refuse. "I can weaken the spell and it'd be just enough to get you to sleep. You'd only be under it till you fell into REM, after that you could wake from anything that would normally rouse you." The redhead didn't answer right away, and the SOLDIER had to stop himself from chuckling as he could almost hear the gears turning in the teen's head.

Talin was hesitant. While his gut churned at the thought of being knocked out, the thought of it being done by Gen and that it would only be to get him to sleep, instead of keeping him unconscious, sounded almost tempting. His body ached for sleep, wanted nothing more than for the Commander to curl up with him for the next twelve hours, but the buzz in his head was too loud for true rest.

Patience was something every SOLDIER learned early on and, as bad as he was at it sometimes, Genesis was content to wait for Talin's decision. When he felt the fingers around his wrists slacken and then release entirely, he smiled and rolled his hand to hook his fingers with the Cadet's. The flinch was minor, but Gen took note and reminded himself to go slow.

"You'll stay? After I'm asleep?" The 1st's smile grew at the question and the acceptance it signaled.

"Of course, Love, physically and mentally if you wish." Talin had forgotten about the current location of his shadow and took a moment to look around himself in the Void. It was difficult to see from both sets of eyes, slightly disorienting between light and darkness, but there wasn't much to see. Raising a shadowed hand, he ran his fingers down the curved walls that surrounded him and, although he was trapped, he didn't feel afraid. Because it's Gen.

The man watched the motion, knew when Talin's hand touched the encircling sphere his mind had become, but felt nothing. Sometimes he wished he could feel like the others did when their shadows touched, but it was no great loss. "Do you want me to keep you wrapped up for now?"

Talin released the control of his mental figure and nodded. "Ya, just for now if that's ok." Remembering to keep his actions small and obvious, the Commander ran his thumb over the teen's fingers where they were hooked together.

"Does your head still hurt?" Another small affirmative dip of his head, "Here then, let's do this." Pulling himself gently from their cuddling, Gen got Talin to roll onto his back and then straddled his hips. Hands landed on his thighs, giving a slightly startled squeeze when the 1st leaned forward, hands held out in front of him. "I can give you a massage like I was before. It will ease your headache and I can use the spell when you've relaxed a bit. Does that sound ok?"

Talin's eyes, originally focused on the outstretched hands, slid up to meet the SOLDIER's. "Uh, ya that's fine..." He flinched when those long fingers touched the sides of his head, pressing back into the pillow as they made their first soft caress. However, when they started to rub along the pressure points in his temples, down past his ears, and up the back of his neck, his resistance faded.

"Do you want to tell me when to cast it?" The affectionate smile that had spread across Genesis' face put Talin even more at ease than his question. The man was far too charming when he smiled like that.

"You pick when, just tell me before you do." Half the words were spoken on a happy sigh while the talented fingers dug deeper into the back of his neck to work a stubbornly tight muscle.

"As you wish." Gen leaned down, giving him a feather-light kiss before resting their foreheads together. "Close your eyes Talin, enjoy my touch, and know that I will keep the promises I've made you." One heartbeat, then two passed before jade green eyes slid closed.

Sitting up once more, the Red Commander kept working as his mind swam with satisfaction. I hope you two make up soon, Seph. You can't have known what you were doing to have thrown away such a gift as this little phoenix's trust...

Talin's mind was fighting a losing battle. It wanted to be afraid, wanted him to worry, but he refused. Gen was safe. Safer than almost any other human being, and he would be lying if he did anything but sing the praises of the man's ability to give the best massages.

Hands that gripped the 1st's thighs had fallen to lay limp on the strong legs several minutes before. The only tension in the body beneath him was the push of Talin's head against the pressing fingers when they hit just the right spots. Genesis pitched his voice low, almost a purr, "Ok, Love. Let me help you get some sleep."

Groggy eyes snapped open to meet his and he gave a quiet shushing sound while tunneling his fingers through red hair. "Easy, Talin. Be easy, Love. It doesn't hurt and I will be here when you wake." His voice was comforting, and he felt Talin relax once more but the teen didn't close his eyes again. "Ready?"

A shaky nod, "Ya." At the first sign of glow from his hands, a spark of nervousness flashed in the eyes that had locked with his, and Gen continued his previous quiet reassurances. The jade irises started to glow slightly but then became unfocused and the hands on his legs clamped down as if to a lifeline. "Gen?"

The whisper was confused, slightly pleading but neither knew for what. "It's ok, Little Bird. Let the spell do its work. Rest, I'm here." The Commander spoke softer and softer while his hands worked through the silky hair.

Eyelids fluttered over Talin's unfocused gaze, "Gen..." He felt his head gently pulled one way, then the next, as fingers rubbed along his scalp. "Genn..." For some reason, he couldn't stop saying the man's name as lassitude spread through him. "G- enn..."

At last, the spell pulled the Cadet fully under and his head lolled to one side to be caught by a still glowing hand. "Sleep well, Little Bird." Genesis continued the spell, letting it pull Talin deeper into unconsciousness while he listened for the slowing heartbeat to even out.

A ping against his mind told him that his homing pigeon was back and that it had brought the one it sought. The hiss of his apartment door was followed by the heavy fall of boots. "Gen?!" Angeal had come at full speed, startling the hell out of several tower workers, and had caused a small explosion of messages on his phone. SOLDIERs only ran when there was a problem.

Glad that the spell was still active, Genesis called back, "Up here, 'Geal." The other first leaped up the steps from landing to landing and came to a skidding halt upon seeing Talin under his friend.

"Wha-"

"It's ok, he's fine." Gen cut him off before he could dive into the million questions he would otherwise have asked. "Give me a few more moments to get him fully asleep and I'll explain." The dark-haired first had moved to the bedside and, needing to reassure himself that everything was ok, took Talin's limp hand in his own and rested his other on the back of Gen's neck.

"You'd better explain. It's been a long time since I've been tracked by one of your pigeons and last time..." The last time had been in Wutai... Shaking his head free of the thought, Angeal shifted to kneel on the bed and pulled the redheaded 1st into a kiss. A sharp nip on his lip after a moment made him pull back, but he didn't apologize. Instead, he lay his head on the other's shoulder and waited for the reasoning behind using one of Gen's few birds.