A/N: HEY ALL! I am so excited to start writing this story. I have been wanting to write this story for years! And with the remake that came out, I just had to start writing. This story will not be a canon story. I have altered the timeline also, example: Zack is not dead when 5 years go by. Yazoo, Kadaj and Loz are in the story. The store is a yaoi (guyXguy)
WARNING: DO NOT READY IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH AND FIND OFFENSE WITH VULGAR LANGUAGE. CHARACTERS WILL TEND TO BE OOC (out of character for good reasons) AND FOR GAY SMUT.
DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING BELONGING TO FINAL FANTASY 7. ALL CREDIT GOES TO SQUARE ENIX EXCEPT FOR MY OCS (original character)
Please enjoy. I have high hopes for this story. Be sure to follow because I will update randomly. Again, if you FEEL OFFENDED, just click the back button. *shurgs*
ENJOY!
Chapter One
Sephiroth/Angeal/Unknown
Blood… There's so much blood…
The halls are endless. The search for an exit seems exhausting. A trail of blood is left on the floor as a hooded man staggers in the hallway. The halls take in the sound of his left foot dragging against the steel floor. A fresh paint of blood is left smeared on the black and white steel wall of the hallway he's in by his left side using it as a guide for him to not crash to the ground. Uncanny bright blue eyes glimmer with weakness as they begin to blink multiple times from the flashing red lights. A siren goes off as the man stumbles forward. The hallway seems to be growing longer the more he inches near the door ahead.
I hear it… The clawing in my stomach… I feel so hollow inside… It hurts… The agony! Ooh! GOD! THE AGONY!
His weary eyes begin to give out on him. A huge weight sticks to his feet when everything seems to darken his vision. The overbearing pain of his stomach starts to impale him. So empty inside! So hungry! The pain is excruciating!
Blood spews out of his mouth like a clogged pipeline being flushed with thick murky mud coming out. What was once red blood is now black blood sprayed on the floor ahead of him. The force of the blood spewing from his mouth causes him to fall forward with uncontrollable momentum. The loud impact can be heard from miles and miles as the side of his face gets bashed by the floor. The anguish is genuine with blood being coughed up from his mouth. His bottom lip gets drowned by the black blood as the sirens begin to get distorted. The red flashing lights grow darker and darker as his eyelids grow heavy. I don't know how much longer I can take this! The pain! KILL ME! SOMEBODY KILL ME!
…Sephiroth…
Red flashing lights and sirens go off as Sephiroth walks down a hallway. The SOLDIER walks in a brooding manner with his weapon. It's a rare sight, especially with him walking in a black tank top and leather pants with no socks or shoes on. It is only a dream and a yearning fantasy that he can catch a decent night of sleep. The exasperation shows in his face as he curses under his breath. The SOLDIER is extremely patient and serious all the time until he is woken up from a deep sleep. His knuckles turn white as he grips his Masamune angrily. Sleep is fucking hard to get in this fucking place. Other SOLDIERs run past Sephiroth with their curious eyes staring at him in amazement. They look at him as the badass with no shoes on while carrying his weapon. To him, in his head, he just wants to shove his title down their throats just so they can have what he doesn't want.
"Did he just wake up or something? He looks pissed," a SOLDIER speaks quickly when sprinting past Sephiroth with another SOLDIER.
I just want to fucking sleep!
Sephiroth turns into an empty corridor when the sirens grow louder. No one knows for sure what is happening. It's just basic protocol when the sirens and lights go off. The sirens are loud enough to wake up the entire city of Midgar. The people below are fortunate… They live normal lives… Even if they can't afford much… They still live normal lives…
Sephiroth starts to slow down with his infuriated walking with huge steps when he starts to notice something up ahead of him. The red lights flashing makes the splattered blood on the walls and floor more noticeable. There's not a sound or any bodies. His eyes scan the left side of the wall as he slowly walks down the corridor to notice blood smeared on it. For a moment, he blocks out the sirens and becomes cautious. It's always a good sign when he doesn't see any bodies. Thankfully.
"Hey! Sephiroth! Hey! It's Benni!"
Sephiroth turns his head around to watch Genesis's assistant run to him from behind. The man is an idiot. All employees are trained on protocols. Sephiroth just stares down at the redhead who seems puny compared to him. He practically towers the young man. Benni's neck looks like it's about to snap from how high looks up to admire the first-class SOLDIER in his presence. It's a treat and an admirable sight for the employee. Sephiroth is certain that Genesis trained him well. Their excitement to see me will get them killed.
"You are aware what this emergency is? Right?" he asks in a deep resonating voice that creates a twinkle in Benni's widened eyes.
"Yes! Someone broke out of the laboratory,"
Sephiroth keeps his composure when turning away from him with words full of wonder and quietness, "when the lights flash red with sirens, it means that something escaped from the labs. What are you doing here? You are supposed to follow protocol by evacuating from the building. Only SOLDIERs are to be on the floor."
"I got lost. It is only my second day. Please forgive me. I am fortunate enough have ran into you. I was working late when this all happ—"
The assistant is cut off by Sephiroth when he raises his hand behind him for him to stop talking. Something's around the corner.
"What is it?"
Shut up!
Sephiroth ignores the man when he presses his back against the blood splattered wall. This is odd. The blood is damp still. It's fresh. He moves his pointer fingertip over it to see how unusual the blood is. Black? Sephiroth's eyes move up to the edge of the wall when he begins to hear uncanny sounds that make him a bit bewildered. The sounds are peculiar. They sound like someone is snapping their bones from the inside of their body. The crunching of bones makes him feel like it's an animal. It's expected. Hollander…
"What's that sound?" the assistant asks with a whisper.
I got to get this idiot to safety…
Sephiroth's sword moves beside him, grabbing Benni's attention. His eyes stare at it in a hypnotic state while it reflects through his eyes from the red flashing lights. He sticks enough of it into the hallway to get a glimpse of what's near them. His green eyes lower to the blade of his sword to see the red lights flashing. Every time they flash, he catches a glimpse of a black figure on the floor. With every light that flashes, eerie chills travel through his body when he watches as the thing begins to warp on the floor. He pulls the blade of his sword away instantly when seeing a head snapping backwards.
"Benni," unless it becomes hostile, I must exterminate it, "come with me."
Sephiroth moves away from the wall. He heads to the direction he came from, grabbing Benni in the process. He's been a SOLDIER with lots of special training to be rational and smart. In order to capture whatever the fuck is on the floor, he must safely get Benni away from the sight. The last thing he needs is for a fucking idiot to get himself killed because he doesn't pay attention. The people that are hired in this company are a joke. Although he needs to be trained some more, Sephiroth will do whatever it takes to guarantee the safety of everyone, including the dimwit who is with him. The dimwit does resemble Genesis in many ways that he thought he was staring at his good friend for a moment.
"Is everything okay?"
Just stop talking, "don't speak."
Sephiroth remains calm and rational while turning into another hallway. They are on the 49th floor. The best thing for him to do is to bring the man to the training room. It would be reckless of him to attempt to get the situation under control if there is a potential threat towards an employee. Safety comes first before anything if a fight can be avoided. With more training, Sephiroth knows that Benni will learn. He is a dimwit, sure but, he looks young. Relief is felt when he doesn't speak again. Sephiroth acts as if nothing is happening while turning into another corridor where the training room is. Once he's safe, I will subdue whatever the hell is near us.
"Sephiroth?" why do you keep talking? Stay quiet, "I'm sorry. I will stop talking," Benni finishes.
Sephiroth acknowledges his words when remaining calm, even when hearing the ceiling behind them making sounds. He stays calm still after realizing that what he saw could possibly be in the ventilation system. Benni begins to pull against him when he hears it too.
"How old are you?" Sephiroth asks randomly.
"Huh? Uuhm… nineteen," huh… You're young…
"Nineteen huh? I'm twenty. How did you get into this company?"
Sephiroth glances behind him to look down at him momentarily when he speaks with a shocking answer, "Angeal got me the job here."
"Angeal Hewely? How do you know him?" it's a bit shocking.
"You would make fun of me if I told you how I met him," Sephiroth chuckles quietly before looking straight ahead of him again, "I won't," he speaks quickly.
"He's a good guy. I owe him. I was jumped in the streets of sector 7. He helped me. He connected me with Genesis who was desperate for an assistant. He told me that he's a hothead and can't keep assistants, so I took on the job."
That's so Genesis…
"You're a good man," Sephiroth begins while being aware of the sounds in the vents getting closer and closer, "you're brave for working for a hothead."
"Do you know him? He's a first-class SOLDIER," ooh…
"I do," Sephiroth replies instantly.
The training room comes into his view when Benni talks, catching him off guard, "I am not scared. You do not have to distract me. Thank you, Sephiroth."
Sephiroth doesn't speak a word. All he wants is to get the man to safety before he's caught in the middle of an unwanted fight. If it ever comes down to that. They are yards away from the training room when a huge crash is heard from behind. They both stop walking abruptly and turn around to see part of the ceiling and metal walls of the vents on the floor. Sephiroth moves in front of Benni while watching a metal sheet slides out of the gaping hole to the floor. Rapid sounds of something skittering over the floor begins to confuse him. The sound seems to be coming from everywhere…
It's fast…
Sephiroth is in shock that he can't fathom what's happening. It's unlike him to feel bewildered. He turns his head to the side when hearing it behind them. The moment he turned his head, it moves. It moves constantly. I can't pinpoint where it's coming from. Sephiroth turns around when feeling Benni's hand yanking on his arm. Blood drips over Benni's hand.
"Is this blood?" Benni asks confusingly.
No… Did I not notice it…?
Sephiroth starts to raise his head until he feels an stounding amount of pressure forcing its way into his side. The insane amount of strength and power is enough to send him a few feet to the side. He loses grip of his sword when he impacts into the steel wall within seconds. The impact was so violent and brutal that it dents with the back of his head cracking hard into it. His body slides to the floor with a huge thud. His hair falls all around him as his eyes widen when witnessing a horrific sight. The reflection in the blade of his sword witnesses the brutal killing of Benni as his head is pulled off his body. Blood splatters across the wall in a straight line. Sephiroth is stunned from the sudden attack while watching as his spine is pulled out of his body. Benni's decapitated body falls to the side when something looking like a man under a hood exposes serrated sharp teeth. The teeth bite down into the head of Benni.
I can't move…
A trail of blood starts to trickle down Sephiroth's forehead while he looks at the man as the red flashing lights expose something sinister. The sirens become distorted when he witnesses something bizarre. The man has blond hair that sticks out from his hood. His skin is pure white. The man's eyes are an electric blue color. It's too uncanny and creepy. The man wears black pants and a shirt with a hooded jacket on. His face can't be seen or made out clearly. He drops the head of Benni to the floor. The man falls backwards and begins to freak out.
"I can't control it," I can't move still, "it hurts."
Sephiroth tries to move his body but feels agonizing pain in his neck. Grunts escape through his lips as he is forced to remain still. His eyes become sorrowful when staring at the man who begins to rock himself back and forth. The sympathy the man demonstrates is mortifying.
"I'm so sorry. The pain. THE PAIN!"
The scene becomes traumatizing. Sephiroth has seen shit that's fucked up and beyond crazy. What he witnesses will never be forgotten. Whoever the man is, he starts to bash his head against the wall repeatedly. When that doesn't satisfy him, he begins to wail like a banshee. The pain in Sephiroth's ears becomes unbearable but he is unable to move. A tear trickles down his face from the corner of his right eye. The pain he is feeling is honest. I can't move.
The man hunches his body over for tattered devilish wings to rip through his clothing from behind. The wings he sprouts are terrifying with pieces of his torn jacket from behind falling beside him. The claws from his wings are massive enough to pierce through the steel walls on each side of him. Sephiroth witnesses the immense power and strength the man possesses when he slices through the walls. The moment their eyes meet, he becomes full of dread and melancholy. He may not be able to make out his face clearly, but his eyes are bright enough to be seen under his shadowy hood. Nothing can be done while he watches the man rise to his feet. It happens quickly when he turns around and takes off running. Sephiroth attempts to move forward but can't. Glass shatters when the man jumps through the window. The sight of the man taking flight into the sky will forever be a memory in his head. His eyes lower to the floor to stare at Benni's decapitated body. A blood puddle is already forming around it and his head.
How is this possible…? I was overpowered somehow… How…? How…? I failed… I failed you…
…5 Years Later…
…Angeal…
Angeal Hewely stands outside of the Shinra building in the back while watching a black helicopter land. The wind from the blades is powerful as they make him feel refreshed. A smile forms on his face when the door slides open for a person to emerge through the darkness. Sephiroth steps out of the helicopter with his black duffle bag around his torso. To see his best friend walking away from the helicopter unscathed and in good health is always a good sight to witness. The man will always be the tallest. There will never be a day where Angeal can stand against him and tower the SOLDIER. The mission was a success. The hardest thing for him to do lately when he looks at his good friend is to smile without forcing it. The pretending gets old. The pretending started when the melancholy met Sephiroth. The SOLDIER who is the hero who doesn't genuinely smile anymore. the SOLDIER who avoids people if he can.
"You're up early," Sephiroth speaks with a deep powerful voice when walking up to Angeal.
Angeal sighs in relief when he gets rid of his smile. It's tiresome sometimes, "I wanted to greet you for when you arrived here. Genesis is driving me crazy. I should warn you that he's going to bash your kneecaps if you do not talk to him."
Angeal isn't shocked. There's no emotion at all in Sephiroth's face when he walks past him as if he wasn't speaking. He turns around and follows his friend inside the building. Sephiroth changed over the years. The smile he once had and the communication he developed over the years with other SOLDIERs and people disappeared. They never talk about what happened five years ago. No one saw what Sephiroth saw. Angeal never brings it up. As much as he wants to, he knows it will bring the dread and anguish back into Sephiroth's face.
"You know that he will fight you if you do not agree to get out of here for a while. It's only for a few hours. You do not have a life outside of this place. You were gone for two weeks. You can spare a few hours of your day to breathe some fresh air," Angeal speaks quickly.
It takes a lot of convincing for his friend. No matter what he says, the hero never wants to experience fun. All he wants to do is to dedicate his entire life to being Shinra's SOLDIER.
"No. I'm exhausted. The investigation lasted longer than I assumed it would," Sephiroth replies in time.
Angeal rolls his eyes and sighs in aggravation while speed walking in front of the stubborn bastard, "you need to get out for a little bit. Genesis is not going to take no for an answer. You're not exhausted. You're just making up excuses like you always do. Why don't you try having fun for once," Angeal smiles jovially while slamming his hand up against the wall to prevent the fucker from walking any further.
"I do not drink," Sephiroth mutters.
"You don't have to drink to have a good time. Remember back in the old days when we used to do karaoke and act like we are in our own band? I will pull you by your hair! I mean it! Sephiroth! I mean—" he stops talking suddenly when the stubborn ass moves around his other side.
"We were teenagers."
You are impossible…
"Yeah? And? We snuck out and had fun underneath the plates," Angeal exclaims when turning around to look at his friend.
"Lighten up, Angeal. I just got back from Nibelheim. The first thing that I am going to do is to shower. Maybe I will crash afterwards," why are you like this?!
"You know what he is going to tell you," Angeal and Sephiroth speak the same exact words at the same time, "You never used to be so boring, you gloomy fuck."
The two men laugh that only lasts for a few seconds. Angeal becomes quiet as he follows his good friend to the cafeteria. They walk beside each other while going up the steps. People greet and smile at them as they head for the vending machines. Angeal stands a few feet away from him while he gets a water. It's the same routine every time he gets back from a mission. You never want to do anything anymore… Your dedication to this company is outstanding… Yet, you look so miserable and depressed… It gets worse every time I see you…
"Can you at least talk to him? I feel like you guys are going to fight."
People look at them. They both ignore the stares. Angeal watches as Sephiroth chugs the entire bottle of water. Sometimes he wonders if he even eats and drinks when he's on his solo missions.
"Where is he? Is he sleeping still? The chances of him being up at six am are slim," Sephiroth crushes the bottle then throws it in the wastebasket. He makes it again…
"Go see for yourself. You avoided him for two weeks before you left on the helicopter."
"A few nights ago, I wake up in the middle of the night. Do you want to know what I was doing?" Angeal crosses his arms since he has an idea, "I was reciting LOVELESS. Angeal, LOVELESS. I'm going to morph into that book before you know it. Get off my back."
Uugh…
"Did you at least eat breakfast?" he asks in a way that it's too forced.
Angeal looks away from Sephiroth to glance out the window when he replies, "Yeah. I need to shower. I will talk to you later."
Angeal looks back at the stubborn asshole when he walks away from him, "what about Genesis?"
Sephiroth turns around while throwing his arms up in the air dramatically with an annoyed look, "I will talk to him. I just want to shower," Angeal watch as he turns around while muttering under his breath, "you never used to nag me like this. So annoying."
He can't help but to smile with amusement when he heads down the steps. One thing's for certain, even when he pretends to be okay, their eccentric conversations never fail to make him laugh in the inside.
…Sephiroth…
Nine o'clock comes quickly. Sephiroth leans against the wall in front of a door while he knocks repeatedly until it opens. His eyes are met with Genesis's. He isn't surprised to see him shirtless with his hair all messed up. Lines are indented in his skin from his abnormal sleeping positions. Sephiroth's bed is calling his name. He stands beside the door wearing a black shirt and leather pants since his presence around the redhead won't be long.
"What?" is all Genesis mutters.
Sephiroth is silent while he watches the hothead rub his weary eyes. The sight of him shifting his balls in front of him isn't shocking. If anything, he's upset when smelling cigarette smoke.
"You're not supposed to be smoking in here."
Sephiroth puts his head against the wall when Genesis rubs his eyes again. He thinks he's clever. Sephiroth will never get off his case about him smoking, "I fell asleep waiting for you. I didn't think that you would come see me. It's that damn hair of yours."
You aren't wrong about that…
"How was the mission?" I don't think you want to know…
Sephiroth walks past him to take in the intolerable scent of cigarettes. It's a miracle that he hasn't been caught yet. The president already warned him twice.
"It didn't have a happy ending. Have you been sleeping better?"
Judging by the mess in his apartment, it could use some major TLC. Sephiroth sits down on a chair when watching the secondhand tick on the clock above the fridge.
"Have you?" touché…
"Very seldomly. I'm about to crash soon. I couldn't sleep in the helicopter," Sephiroth replies in a quiet voice.
Genesis joins him. The two men sit in silence for a minute almost. Sephiroth will never comprehend why he keeps his apartment freezing cold. They both look exhausted and ready to call it a day. It hasn't even begun yet.
"You look like shit," Genesis mutters without amusement in his face.
Sephiroth looks over at him with unsympathetic eyes, "I'm tired."
"You could have gone to bed. I told Angeal not to say anything to you till you rested. If you don't want to go out tonight, I get it."
This is unusual… This is where we argue…
"Can't you guys think of something else to do for fun other than going to the bar? Wait," Sephiroth looks up at his ceiling to correct himself, "if it were up to Angeal, he would rather shovel shit than to go to the bar with you again."
Genesis chuckles from the amusing tone in Sephiroth's voice, "he's a piss poor babysitter. He would go anywhere if it involved you having fun for once," he replies.
You're not wrong about that…
"How about you choose where to go. It doesn't have to be a bar. Just get out for once! Have hot raunchy sex and commit raunchy sins."
Sephiroth throws back his head without being able to hold back the laughter. Hell! I can't even remember the last time I got laid!
"I don't if you haven't noticed, it's hard for me to talk to women when all they do is stare at me with drool dribbling out of their mouths," the murmuring only worsens when Genesis sneers.
"If I were you, I would fuck every single girl in this facility. Spread the word of your ginormous cock and choke them with it."
Sephiroth sets his hand on his friend's shoulder to admire his honesty. If he didn't have Genesis or Angeal, he wouldn't know what he would do. They are the world to him. They are open and honest with him. With the three of them together, they can be themselves. With his words running through his head, he raises his right eyebrow then tilts his head down to the redhead.
"Genesis," he speaks in an overly serious voice as if something horrific is about to happen, "how do you know that I have a huge dick? You faggot."
The small living room that could use more TLC and some cleaning becomes the witness of the obnoxious laughter of Genesis. Sephiroth pushes his face away with his hand while turning his head to the side to prevent the redhead from seeing the obvious enjoyment in his eyes. Even with all the sorrow and chaos they have all been through, it's a delightful feeling to have Genesis's living room filled with high spirits.
"I will go on one condition," Genesis snaps his head so fast that Sephiroth was sure he would witness it break like a feeble twig, "are you fucking serious!"
Genesis leans forward off the couch in amazement, "name the condition already you fuck! Don't keep a pretty boy waiting in agonizing torture."
Sephiroth leans back into the couch while spreading his legs to unwind. Now that he thinks about it, his couch is fucking comfortable, "do not start singing."
"DONE! I'm going to drown my face in pussy tonight," Genesis claps his hands together before whipping out his phone to call Angeal.
You crude motherfucker… I fucking love you…
…Later…
Sephiroth stands under a street light while watching Genesis and Angeal conversing by the entrance to 7th Heaven. For years now, he told the asshole that smoking is going to kill him. He never listens. Sephiroth's breathing is quiet as his green eyes begin to twinkle underneath the flickering street light. It isn't very often that he visits Sector Seven to enjoy the dismal sight of a bar. They both motion for him to get out of the shadows to do something spontaneous for once in his life. He's having his doubts and regrets for allowing Genesis's intriguing ways of talking him into doing reckless shit.
I can't believe I am here…
It's late at night and he's still tired. Maybe he's tired of all the bullshit and obligations. Maybe he just wants to pack up and leave for a few weeks without telling anyone of his whereabouts. This doesn't feel right. His thoughts have been rather melancholic lately. It forces him to feel distraught sometimes. Whenever he looks at the two most important people in his life laughing and conversing while waiting for him, he begins to blame himself. They stand there with smiles on their faces. Their jovialness doesn't bring light to his dull and unfortunate eyes. What once use to glow and give off the vibrant light of optimism is now gone. There's nothing left for him to give.
"Yo! Dickwad! Get over here before I march over to you and beat the shit out of you!" Genesis calls out to him.
Sephiroth leans his head against the wooden pole to the streetlight before he makes an important decision. It's agony for him when he walks forward to join his friends.
"About fucking time. I thought you were going to bail on us. Can you try to act like you are having a good time. Stop being so serious. You live inside the company," Genesis speaks normally while he ascends the wooden steps.
Sephiroth glances over at Angeal as they walk up the steps behind him. The bar seems tacky. The wooden steps creak as they walk on them. They are warped and feeble underneath their feet. Sephiroth's face remains impassive as they enter inside the bar. There aren't very many people inside the bar. He's shocked that they chose to come to 7th Heaven since it isn't a five-star bar. Is there such a thing? People look up at them when they walk to a table. All Sephiroth feels is an uneasy twinging pain in his gut that's urging him to turn around. The bar isn't much but it does seem cozy. Bars are not his thing. Honestly, he can't remember the last time he had a wild night with the fuckers. For his entire life, all his dedication went towards the company. It's not shocking when noticing how people recognize him.
"It's small but doable," Genesis goes on while pulling out a chair to sit down, "it's a lot better than hearing loud music blaring and being packed with people."
"I'm not babysitting you," Angeal mutters.
Sephiroth chooses to remain silent as he sits across from the two. The bar is sort of depressing. His eyes look past Angeal to see the bartender making a drink for a customer. She's cute. Her skin is fair with hair black as the night sky. Her bust is big for a woman with a small physique. My gut tells me that Genesis is going to try and hook up with her, no doubt. The faint movement of the corner of his lips forming a slight grin is noticed by Angeal who smiles.
"Well," Angeal raises his head to stare at the dim lighting that gives off a warm and TLC vibe, "this isn't so bad. And you can babysit yourself. I'm not cleaning up your vomit again. Luckily, we took the train here. Last time you threw up in my car, it reeked of your bad decisions for weeks."
"Do you know what you could do for me," already? You're full of energy tonight, Genesis, "take my left nut and suck it. Chillax," Angeal looks at the redhead like he's unsure of how to respond to his words.
Sephiroth can't keep a straight face anymore. He shakes his head, feeling slightly embarrassed by how he speaks. The way he spoke towards the end makes him question if he got pre-drunk before leaving for the bar.
"Please don't say chillax again. You sound like an idiot," Angeal retorts back finally.
They both argue with whispers until the bartender walks over to the table. Sephiroth sighs with relief when her sweet and refreshing voice brings the ravishing personality out of Genesis, "hi. This is a rare sight. Three first-class SOLDIERs sitting in my bar."
They all look at her without speaking momentarily. Sephiroth is glad that she didn't speak his name.
"What do you all want?"
Here we go…
"A beer for me," Genesis is quick to answer first with Angeal speaking shortly after, "the same for me to."
The woman looks down at Sephiroth once she gets their orders, "and you?"
"Ice water will do," he responds in a deep voice that's quiet.
Genesis looks at him with disappointment. Sephiroth can respect how he avoids being crude if people are near, especially a lady, "really?" deal with it.
"Two beers and an ice water, got it. My name's Tifa. I'll be back in a jiffy," they all watch as she walks away.
Sephiroth watches Genesis from the corner of his eye as he stares at the back of her thighs.
"How come we have to take your crudeness when people aren't near, but you act like a gentleman when a lady is near?" Angeal asks amusingly.
Sephiroth watches the redhead's face turn a beat red color. Genesis is all talk but in reality, he doesn't know how to approach a pretty woman once his nerves kick in. The alcohol helps him.
"I have morals."
YEA!
"Sure," is all Angeal mutters before being playfully shoved to the side by Genesis.
Sephiroth decides to sit and kickback when their drinks come. As they drink their beers, he sips on his water while watching them bonding. They always have a good time together. Just like he guessed, Genesis is taken over by the alcohol consumption when he begins humming in a deep voice. Soon enough, he drifts off into the environment around him. Time passes by slowly. More and more people show up in the bar, but not to where it feels crowded and loud. The bar is shockingly a place that's relaxing to sit in. His eyes glance at the people who sit at the tables. The table shakes as his eyes land on a mysterious person who sits alone in a shadowy corner. The person has been there for quite some time. The face is hidden. The person wears a black leather coat with the hood up. All he can notice about the person is blond hair showing from the hood.
He hasn't moved an inch…
"What do you mean that you lost your virginity when you were fifteen?"
Sephiroth moves his eyes away from the man and at Angeal when Genesis speaks rather loudly, "I don't believe that."
"You have no room to talk," Sephiroth starts with an amused smirk on his face now, "you say that you were thirteen. Is that a lie?"
Genesis is quieted instantly. They both stare at him when he sucks down his seventh beer. Sephiroth's smirk fades slowly when seeing how calm and different he becomes. For once ever since he started downing his beers and shots, he speaks in a mature voice, "it's not a pleasant story," is all he says.
You don't remember explaining to me how it happened… I still have a hard time believing you, but every time it is brought up by you, you seem saddened…
"It's okay. This isn't a night for cheerless conversations. Just get another shot. If you feel like you need to step outside, at least warn me first. It will be ridiculous of you to wonder off. Let's not play tag tonight," Angeal gulps the last of his beer after speaking with a slurred speech,
"The infamous game of tag," Sephiroth speaks quietly when becoming content.
He doesn't want to admit it to them, but it feels nice for once to sit down and hang. What he thought would be a wild and dangerous night ended up turning out to be a relaxing night. Genesis's true side shows when he drinks. It's astonishing to witness him speak without being crude and disrespectful.
We are SOLDIERs… We have respect… Especially Angeal… He's the big brother in the trio…
Sephiroth sits with his head resting on the wooden wall while watching Genesis who is about to tap out. Angeal shakes him when he rests his head on the table next to the empty beer bottles. He's a champ. He even downs the foam.
"Hey, Sephiroth, I think he passed out on us."
"Let him sleep for a bit," Sephiroth responds in a quiet voice to not disturb his little nap.
The two men stare at their friends with amusement. They both know him so well. Sephiroth looks away from them and at the clock. It's one already. Damn.
His gaze shifts from Angeal to a group of women enjoying beers a few tables down from them. They stare at him with excitement. They are dressed like hussies with their hungry eyes begging him for his attention. The world is going downhill. His personality will never change. If only people knew his humiliating secret. Not even his friends know the one secret that's too embarrassing and sad to talk about. His eyes shift away from the women without interest. Women dressed in scanty clothes with no morals is repulsive to him.
"Shall we draw sticks to see who will carry him to the train station?" Angeal speaks while poking the redhead in the face.
"He's out like a rock."
Sephiroth looks away from them then decides that he had enough. He rises to his feet as people watch. He's tall and well built. Genesis is convinced that he was sculpted from iron. He walks over to the bar where Tifa dries glasses. As he approaches her, a little girl pops her head out from behind the counter. The little girl is a puny thing compared to him. If he were to pick her up, she would feel like she's flying. Her deep brown eyes twinkle as they stare up at him with astonishment.
"Why are you so tall?" the little girl asks with a sweet innocent baby voice.
"Marlene! What are you doing down here? Why are you out of bed? Where's your dad?"
Tifa pulls the little girl away. Sephiroth's eyes meet hers when she looks up at him with redness in her cheeks, "I'm sorry," is all she says while pushing the little girl out from the bar.
Sephiroth looks away from them with jovialness while setting down a generous amount of gil for a tip. He meets up with Angeal who is already in the process of carrying the passed out Genesis out of the bar.
This bar is strange… But relaxing…
…Morning…
The day has a dismal overcast that makes it colorless. Sephiroth sits on the edge of the Shinra rooftop while looking up at the sky that brings much melancholy to them. The day has no color or the signs of cheerfulness. The sun refuses to show itself. The day makes him want to float in the ocean and go into heavy thinking about life and his choices. He wears his SOLDIER uniform and is ready for the day. His tranquility is interrupted by the jingle of his ancient flip-phone going off. It's Angeal.
"Hello?" his voice is resonating with his eyes fixated on the tragic sky.
"Hey, Sephiroth," Angeal hints that the sound of his quiet voice will not be met with good news, "there's a mission for you and me. Lazard did not assign Genesis because he's vomiting everywhere. Are you busy right now?"
Sephiroth sighs low enough that Angeal wouldn't be able to hear him over the phone, "yes," he speaks bluntly without his eyes moving from the sky.
"Sure. You're up on the rooftop again."
Sephiroth moves his phone away from his ear while lowering his head finally. The winds are amazing as it makes his hair twist in the air around him as he looks down at the ground. Standing not far from the building is Angeal who has his phone against his ear while looking directly up at him.
"For five years now, you always wake up before the morning sun to sit on the roof. You never miss a morning unless you're on missions. Get down here. The mission won't take long. Maybe two hours tops."
Sephiroth hangs up the phone then disappears out of his sight. When they rendezvous at the elevator inside the immense building, they make their way to Lazard's office. Sephiroth keeps his body leaned up against the wall of the elevator while staring at the floor. He wonders what kind of mission it is if it will only take two hours. He decides to not ask what the mission is because he's a man who likes anticipation.
"Now that I think about it, I don't think that I've never seen you drink a sip of alcohol," the randomness from Angeal makes Sephiroth turn his head lazily to him.
"Nope. It makes you do stupid shit," he responds quickly.
"Is it okay if I call you a saint? Ha-ha," yeah… No…
"You can call me anything but that," Sephiroth chuckles as the door to the elevator slides open.
They both walk out into a lobby to meet with the director. Lazard opens his door to greet them with a quick flash of light crossing the lenses of his glasses, "that was quick. I'm sure you told him that the mission wouldn't take long, right?"
Just get on with it…
"Did you tell him yet?" Lazard asks with fixated eyes on Angeal.
"Not yet. I figured you would," Angeal replies swiftly while motioning to Sephiroth.
Tell me what…?
"We have a lead on the eco-terrorist group known as AVALANCHE. A soldier was visiting the Leaf Orphanage in Sector Five Slums to check in on the little boy he saved two years ago. He overheard a man talking on the phone about bombs. He mentioned the word 'AVALANCHE'. The man on the phone overheard a group of people talking about the mako reactors. We think that AVALANCHE intends to destroy the mako reactors by blowing them up."
Is that so…
"Did he follow the man?" Sephiroth asks instantly.
Lazard clears his throat while using his finger to push up his glasses, "unfortunately no. The SOLDIER reported back to HQ after. You two are to scout the Sector Five Slums and report any unusual behavior."
Sephiroth takes a step forward with confusion when speaking, "once we go there, people will surround us. Why send us?"
He isn't retarded or simple. Sephiroth is smart and cunning. He's just bewildered as to why Lazard would send two top notch elite first-class super SOLDIERs to the Sector Five slums.
"You will scout from afar. I need two experienced lead officers to do this mission. You are to bring someone with you on this mission. Even if Genesis wasn't suffering from a massive hangover, I still wouldn't ask him to accompany you guys. And," Lazard turns to the side while staring through his huge window to get a pleasant view of the sorrows outside, "because I am sending someone else with you. He is very valuable and sufficient enough."
Angeal and Sephiroth glance at each other with their conversation becoming more bizarre by the minute, "who?" they both speak at the same time when they look over at the director.
"His name is Kadaj. He is your guy to send on the ground to assess information. Although he's not a SOLDIER, he's intelligent and very observant. It could be nothing. We won't know for sure until we investigate it. We can't ignore it even if the SOLDIER may have heard wrong. We need to know for sure."
Lazard sits behind his desk when the door behind them opens. They both turn around to watch a man enter the office. The man reminds Sephiroth of himself with the same hair color. He looks young with shoulder length silver hair and emerald green eyes. It's a spitting image of himself when he was younger. It's a bit uncanny in a way. A black strap crosses his torso from a duffle bag as he walks up to the SOLDIERs.
"Sorry for being late. The name's Kadaj. I will be joining you guys for the mission," he speaks quickly like he's out of breath.
Sephiroth and Angeal look at each other in disbelief but they do not show their shock, "when do we head out?" Angeal asks.
Lazard glances at the clock above his door before speaking, "right now. It shouldn't take long. If you become suspicious, you know what to do."
The three of them head out without speaking a word. Kadaj is more on the nerdy side when they both notice his gadgets.
This mission doesn't make sense… None of it does… The protocol here seems wrong…
This will be the second time in Sephiroth's years as a SOLDIER and an asset to Shinra that he suspects that there are secrets that need to be exposed.
The company I grew up in, trained with and work for makes me question them every day… I am also observant… Lazard…
…Sephiroth…
Sephiroth sits on the edge of a flimsy rooftop while looking through binoculars. Angeal stands a few feet away from him while using binoculars as well. The sounds of Kadaj going through his duffle bag distracts the praised hero. He lowers his binoculars and looks down at him with emptiness when seeing him putting on a black cap. The man seems odd and a bit off when he stands up with a wire hidden under his shirt.
"I never thought I would meet you like this," Kadaj breaks the awkward silence.
Sephiroth stays true to himself when looking away with a faint grin on his face, "how old are you?"
The curiosity is getting to him. His answer throws him into a raging wave of denial, "seventeen."
You must be important…
"You have the fame and popularity all around Midgar. Is it sad that I do not know your age? I'm not good at keeping up with basic analyzation with SOLDIERs that I do not know."
Angeal listens but remains quiet when Sephiroth becomes amused by the teenager, "aren't you supposed to be observant?" it's amazing how friendly Sephiroth is with new faces even if he wishes he was somewhere else.
Kadaj approaches the edge of the rooftop to start descending down to the ground. Angeal shrugs his shoulders towards Sephiroth when their eyes meet momentarily. Kadaj's words make Sephiroth feel more at ease since he seems to know wat the hell he is doing, "maybe I am lying just so I can observe you both right now. That's the whole point of being observant."
Ooh… You are clever…
"What a relief," Angeal looks over his friends with curiousness as Kadaj walks off in the distance, "what?" he asks. Sephiroth sighs refreshingly while watching the teenager disappear around the corner, "he doesn't bombard me with questions or acts excited and overly joyed in my presence. He gets it."
Angeal smirks when looking away from him. Why can't everyone be more like this kid…?
"It reeks down here," Kadaj speaks through their earpieces.
"It's from the mako reactors. That's why it's smoggy underneath the plates. To them, it's home," Angeal speaks nonchalantly while looking ahead through the binoculars.
"I've never been underneath the plates before. It's an experience for me."
Sephiroth moves the binoculars away from his eyes when he finally has alone time with his friend. Angeal suspects that something is tearing him from the inside. Sephiroth's gut is telling him that something is off.
"Are you okay?" you are thinking it too…
"I'm just thinking about the devastation that could happen if a mako reactor was bombed. Our security is very meticulous. Why would they send us to do a job like this?"
The two SOLDIERs are proven to be quick-witted and one step ahead when they both muted their earpieces before speaking. The last thing Sephiroth needs is to have Kadaj run to the President and tell him that they are second guessing their company. Well, Sephiroth mainly.
"I knew you thought the same about the same thing," Angeal proves that he's on the same level as the war hero.
They both keep their words to themselves and unmute their earpieces when Kadaj speaks again, "I passed the Leaf Orphanage. There's nothing suspicious so far."
All that goes through Sephiroth's mind is that they could be in the wrong place at the wrong time. What if we're not looking in the right place?
They both become distracted when hearing a little girl scream. Sephiroth rises to his feet immediately when looking over to his left to see a little girl running around on the ground. The girl looks extremely familiar. That's when he realized that it's Marlene. Three boys looking a few years older than her pursue her meters behind.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"Stop running! You scaredy cat!"
Are you fucking kidding me…?
"What is it?" Angeal asks quickly.
"I am not seeing anything still."
Sephiroth ignores Kadaj when stepping to the other side of the metal roof made out of scraps, "that's the little girl from the bar last night. She lives there or something."
"When you see someone that needs help, you're always the one to step up. I can see that you want to catch up to them but if that little girl recognizes you, the mission will be jeopardized. We can't risk her going around and telling people that the war hero is in the slums while Kadaj is down there."
Yeah… Right…
"Ooh, I hate bullying," Sephiroth mutters while returning to his position.
"You're fortunate. You should meet Zack."
Who…?
"Zack? Who's that?" he asks with interest.
"He's a third-class SOLDIER that I started to mentor a week ago. He's an overly hyperactive guy that is willing to prove himself. He told me when he was younger, he was bullied just because kids can be assholes. That little girl will grow up someday and make those boys tremble with fear."
Sephiroth wants to bust out of laughter manically, but he restrains himself from blowing their cover. Whoever Zack is, he would like to meet him. The amusement in his face soon diminishes when he thinks about the little girl named Marlene. The girl is obviously important to the bartender. She seemed to be caring and diligent with the little girl. Bullying is the one thing I hate most in the world. Well, aside from disloyal people and shady shit.
"Go ahead. I got it from here. Just keep your earpiece muted." That's unusual…
"Angeal, when do I ever jeopardize a mission?"
Angeal cleverly replies instantly with a smirk on his face, "this isn't a mission. It's a game of hide and seek. I'm sure that no one will notice you if you stay hidden. I would say that this mission is a waste of time, but if there is potential talk about bombing a mako reactor, I guess it can't be overlooked and ignored. You look like you'd rather lament on the rooftop anyway. We all know that it's impossible to infiltrate the company."
No…
"This isn't like you. A mission is a mission."
You are seeing it… Aren't you… I'm growing weary of this world… I don't know how much longer I can take this excruciating pain in my heart… Angeal… I don't know how to tell you that I don't want to be SOLDIER anymore…