Soon enough they were in a comfortable routine. For the most part the issues that had caused tension between them have rubbed away to smoothe edges. They were so comfortable that they learned to read the other without having said anything.
Whenever Sephiroth had rough days, Cloud would offer him massages. He learned as he worked, and he supposed this was how he learned to read Sephiroth deeper. Strangely he could never make a knot go away under the right shoulder.
When it was Cloud who had a bad day, Sephiroth ordered his favorite food. He very quickly learned that food was the fastest to improve Cloud's mood. And so Sephiroth was readily handing him snacks between classes, in breaks during training when he was visibly irritated.
Zack was caught off guard the first time he seen this exchange.
"Did he just? Give you a snack bar?" He tilted his head.
"Yeah. Why?" Cloud asked as he chewed.
"That's your secret? Just hand you food and it makes you nicer? You know, if I had known this in your recruit days I would have given you a whole damn meal before class." Zack crossed his arms.
Cloud wordlessly devoured the rest of the bar. Zack shook his head. Then he ran a hand through his hair. He opened his eyes to the most adorable face he had ever seen and couldn't help a smile.
"What?" The blond blinked.
"Nothing. Just glad you're here." Zack patted his shoulder.
Cloud was briefly confused, but Sephiroth motioned that break time was over. So he bounded his way over. He felt better already after a snack break.
With the improvements, Sephiroth began to take him on more missions. And with each successful mission Cloud's popularity grew. With his ability to read the general more, he could relay to the others if they were in a group. When it was just the two of them then the mission went smoother.
And before anyone knew it four months have passed since Fenrir was revealed to the world. During the later two months, Genesis and Angeal were scarce. Even Zack was pulled for long missions for the front lines a few times.
Angeal was the first to return. Zack followed a few days later. Genesis remained at the front lines. He was to stay there until Sephiroth relieves him. Which will be any day now.
For the first time Cloud was a ball of anxiety. The dreams never showed him he was ever in the war. He only barely remembered training and then Shinra being torn in half when one of their own went AWOL, taking a majority of Soldiers with him.
"You'll be fine, Spike. You'll be next to Sephiroth." Zack assured.
"What's it like out there?" Cloud asked.
"Let's just say I would rather fight monsters. But lately they've been sending in monsters to fight for them. Where they're getting them from I have no idea. But they're endless." Zack sighed.
"Monsters? Like they tame them or something?" Cloud tilted his head.
"No. It's like they trap them then send them at us as frontal assault. Then their army swarms after."
He had to admit, that was one way to fight a war. Unconventional. And saves lives from the real front lines. But Shinra was putting too much faith into their super human Soldiers.
Finally the day came for their deployment. Zack waved him goodbye, offering a hug for good luck. He even brought a flower. Cloud stared at it.
"Where did you get that?" The blond recognized it.
"My girl. Maybe I should have you guys meet. She's a little shy, though. You doing okay? You look like you seen a ghost." Zack caught on, remembering the journal. "Were these the flowers in your dreams?"
Cloud turned away. Sephiroth, who was a little distance away overseeing the preparations, overheard the conversation. He turned as the blond made his way closer. He knew with the way he nibbled his lip, the dark color of his eyes that he was upset.
"I'm not crazy." Cloud said more to himself.
Sephiroth glared at Zack, who was debating whether to approach or not. At the glare the lieutenant decided he shouldn't. It was warning enough.
The general couldn't help but think Zack did that on purpose. A means to encourage Cloud to come back. But he didn't think of the negative impact. The blond would most likely rush in and try to get everything done just to go home.
The whole flight Cloud was silent. Usually during long travel he would attempt small talks. It didn't matter if it was with Sephiroth or another Soldier.
The general let him be. When they finally landed for the current location where they holed up for the front lines, Sephiroth was too busy with his usual duties. Cloud and the other Soldiers were left to find their tents and report for duty.
The blond wondered if Sephiroth did this knowingly. They were to share a tent. By themselves.
He tried wandering around to stretch his legs.
"Wish you had wings now, don't you?" Genesis' voice startled Cloud.
"Why are you asking me that?" The blond narrowed his eyes.
"I can tell you don't like it here. None of us do. Once you have a taste of the war then you really will wonder what's the point? Why drag this along after so many deaths on both sides? It all seems pointless, really."
"Why mention wings then?" Cloud asked.
Finally those pale eyes met his gaze. They held a knowing light in them. Teasing. A small tug from the corner of his lips in a smirk.
"...The price of freedom is steep."
Cloud tensed. That couldn't be. What brought this? Something was off. He seemed perfectly healthy. No pain, no suffering, no anger that couldn't be quenched.
Genesis raised a finger to his lips.
The blond ran. He ran until he reached his tent. Luckily Sephiroth was still busy, so this saved him from unwanted questions.
When the general finally turned in, he was already exhausted. And all he done was get up to date with the front lines and hearing accounts from Genesis and other high ranking Soldiers.
"What's it look like?" Cloud asked, still unsure what to think of earlier with Genesis.
"More of our men are missing than actual deaths after each battle fought. That or we can't locate their bodies. We cannot properly search with the way they throw their monsters upon us."
Cloud wondered if these problems could be connected somehow. But he didn't see how. That night he laid awake well into the night.
He was the first to notice strange sounds.
"Sir?" He gently shook Sephiroth awake. His eyes opened and glared.
"Listen." Cloud whispered.
And so they did. Sephiroth tensed at the sound of soft footsteps. Footsteps that wasn't boots. And there were a lot of them. Quickly Sephiroth reached for Masamune, Cloud raced to his own sword.
Together they barged out of their tent to see a bunch of strange men in dark clothes, sneaking through the camp. They wore black all over, even covering the faces. Only the eyes can be seen.
"Intruders!" Sephiroth yelled, an in an instant the men who were asleep scrambled out of their tents. Some of them didn't even have boots like Sephiroth. Cloud had rushed to put his on before joining the general.
And then there was fighting.
Cloud tried his best to stay by Sephiroth's side. That became difficult when more men in black clothing swarmed into the camp.
In the fray he caught sight of Genesis. He wasn't scheduled to fly back home until the morning with some men. Cloud tried to make his way to him.
"Gen - "
Someone grabbed him. The commander turned just in time as two men grabbed Cloud. Genesis tried to give chase, but he was intervend by more numbers of the enemy.
After cutting some down Genesis tried to search for blond hair. To his horror he saw no sign of Cloud. Genesis was forced to fight more of these strange men.
Then all of a sudden they retreated. Back into the night. Genesis glanced around, noticing their numbers seemed drastically reduced.
"Strife? Strife!" Genesis called out.
"What's going on?" Sephiroth approached.
"I saw him being taken! We need to do a head count!" Genesis ordered.
"Line up!" Sephiroth knew this was serious.
They did a head count. They were missing nine men. That didn't count the watching sentries found dead. Sephiroth frantically searched the entire camp. Genesis warily approached. When he noticed the state Sephiroth was in he placed his hand on his shoulder.
Sephiroth turned. There was a brief surprise in them. Usually Angeal did this to be assuring. This was the first time for Genesis to do this.
"I'll stay longer. If you will let me, I will search on my own."
"By yourself? Do you not understand how much hell Lazard will raise? Or Angeal if I lose you too?"
"Allow me a chance. I'll even talk to Lazard in the morning to negotiate. I got a few tricks up my sleeve."
For the rest of the night Sephiroth couldn't sleep. As dawn approached he searched for Genesis. He didn't have to search very far. The commander was arguing on the phone. Presumably Lazard.
"If you could see the state he's in you would let me do this!" Genesis snapped.
"I'm perfectly fine." Sephiroth dead panned. This earned a snort and the commander rolled his eyes.
"You look like shit. Even a greenhorn who has never worked with you can tell you look like shit. Did you sleep at all?" Genesis raised an eyebrow.
"No." Sephiroth sighed.
Genesis put the director on speaker.
"How are you, general?"
"Do you want the actual answer or the professional one?"
"Damn it. Okay, what do you think of this plan Genesis has conjured. He claims he can find Cloud and the other missing men. But he wants to do this alone. I can't on good consciousness agree to this unless you agree with him."
Genesis motioned for him to follow after he handed his PHS over. Sephiroth silently followed as Lazard continued. The commander lead him to behind the biggest tent. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching.
Then he extends his left arm out. And with a whoosh a black wing stretched out. Sephiroth stared. And it was just as Cloud described.
The black feathers were dark as night. The wingspan huge, bigger than Genesis own height in comparison. Even the odd shape, the angle of the main bones that gave the wing its shape.
Sephiroth felt his right shoulder ache.
"See why I have to be alone?" Genesis whispered so the director couldn't hear.
Sephiroth seriously considered. He was wary that there was truth to the dreams. However Genesis is willing to help, not cause chaos.
"I agree to send him alone." Sephiroth found his voice.
"...Excuse me?" Lazard was caught off guard. "General, this isn't just because of Cloud."
"No. We have more men missing. We need to learn what it is they're doing. I trust in Genesis pulling this off." The general knew he was putting too much faith in Genesis.
But he couldn't let this opportunity slip.
Lazard sighed. A long drawn out sigh.
"...Fine. But he's got two weeks. If he fails I want him to return. And understand that I won't intervene whatever lectures Angeal or Zack will hand to you both."
"I'll accept it all upon our return. In the meantime I will be staying here while Genesis is on his secret mission." Sephiroth wasn't going to head home when there's even a chance to see Cloud come back.
"Fine. I believe you can handle the front lines. At on point I will send either Angeal or Zack your way if things get too crazy."
Sephiroth hung up. He studied the wing now that he can give it full attention.
"You don't seem surprised by this." Genesis noticed. The wing moved to stretch a little. It had been folded during the conversation.
"Cloud has dreams. Very specific dreams. How did you learn of this?" Sephiroth inquired.
"I had dreams of flying. After one hard battle here, I lost all of my men. Some of them I've known for a long while. We couldn't retreat, and we were forced to fight. I was the last one left. I released all my turmoil and then I felt a pressure from my shoulder. I extend my arm and with it, this stretched out."
"I remember that mission. You came back different. Not even Angeal could comfort you." Sephiroth remembered this. This was barely a month before Fenrir's capture.
"I thought about leaving then. Just...fly off. Never to be seen again. But then I thought of the men who sacrificed themselves for me. And that would be a cowards way to repay them while the war waged."
"So that's all you do, extend your arm out?" Sephiroth tried.
Nothing.
"He dreamed you had one too?"
"Supposed to be years later. Maybe. I'm not sure. He seems confused on what events are supposed to take place first."
"I'll bring him back. And the others if I can. I get the feeling they will know who he is, and keep him as some sort of bargaining tool." Genesis promised.
He turned to take flight. The massive wing stretched out fully. Sephiroth admired it once more.
"...Genesis. If you ever leave after you bring him back, I won't hold it against you."
If it was meant to be then so be it.
Genesis turned his head. But only enough that his hair hid his eyes. He was surprised at this.
"I could kiss you. But you would reject me. That little bird caught your heart. Let's hope I can return him in one piece."
With a whoosh Genesis took flight. Sephiroth watched until he was a spec in the sky. Then he was gone. He felt an ache in his chest.
A black feather floated gently down.