Two weeks, its been two weeks now since I brought him here. Set him free from the cage Shinra trapped him in. I've done a lot of research on my new flat mate since then. The more I learn, the more questions I have. How? Why? I'm standing just inside the apartment, Yazoo is on the couch, the same spot I seem to always find him, his headphones on, listening to which ever CD has caught his fancy today. While he was comatose Shinra ran a large series of tests on him, and some of the result are baffling. From reports of his skills, he should rank somewhere around a Second Class SOLDIER, if not First, yet he lacks the Jenova cells all SOLDIERS have. Then, they think thats the only thing holding Sephiroth back, he can't use an incomplete host, and without Jenova, Yazoo will always be "incomplete", but its for the better. I love my dear friend, but his mind is far too shattered for even me to try and help him. One of the other mysteries is simply his blindness, his body healed just as fast as any SOLDIER, if not faster, also aided by materia and a small store of Mako, while there isn't a scar on his body from the explosion, he still remains blind. Then the night terrors, while he hasn't suffered any since that first night, I partially attribute it to me sleeping beside him every night. I reviewed videos Tseng provided of some of his first "episodes" and they are much like the one I witnessed, except as Yazoo said, He never tried to kill him before. A million thought running through my mind, and I find myself just staring at him. Long starlight tresses framing a thin long face, the way the denim of his jeans cling to his long legs, everything about him is... Stop it! I look away, I won't deny I was attracted to my dear friend, but I cannot place these same desires on this boy. He has been through enough trauma, I would not want to inflict more.

Shaking myself from deep thought I walk through the living area, trying to avoid looking at him, he is still oblivious to my return. I enter my room and remove my sword, materia, and gloves. I look into the mirror over the dresser and stare at my reflection.

"Why do you do this to yourself Genesis..." I look down at the ID badge lying beside my gloves, I work for the WRO, special projects is my area, in reality I hunt monsters and investigate "special cases" namely anything that could do with rogue experiments that would threaten our world. Thats where I first saw Yazoo, he was a case I was working, word had leaked that one of the remnants had survived and it was insisted I see to what was being done with him. In truth I had wanted to turn and run Tseng through the first time I saw Yazoo. I spoke with Reeve about the case and my disgust with how the boy was being kept, it is his words that set everything in motion, "There isn't much else anyone can do, unless you want to take him home with you." It was meant as a joke, but it set my mind in motion, and when I told Reeve later thats exactly what I was going to do, I thought he was about to fall out of his chair. Now the man finds my small office to be an escape from the rest of his duties, just to discuss "progress" and anything he might be able to help with, including loaning Cait Sith to me. I warned him that his furry little robot would probably be in pieces before the next morning. I can barely tolerate the overly chipper fuzz ball when I am in Reeve's office, I don't think I could handle it being in my apartment.

I run my hand through my hair before returning to the living room. He is still oblivious, his thumbs tapping the top of the cd player in time to the music. I walk past him and sit down on the couch. Instantly he is attentive. His milky green eyes dart up and then dash back and forth in random patterns, a habit I attribute to him subconsciously trying to focus on something. He reaches up and pulls down the headphones.

"How long have you been home?"

"A few minutes."

"Oh."

"What are you listening to?" I lean in close to him to hear the music, sweet goddess his smell is wonderful. I recognize the music as a rock album he frequently listens to.

"You like that one a lot don't you?"

He nods, pressing the pause button on the CD player. I smile and then relax against the couch, running a hand through my hair.

"I don't want to cook dinner..."

"Should I call the restaurant?"

I stop and think, then I get a great idea and my face breaks into a devilish grin.

"I have a better idea, lets go out for dinner."

"What?"

"You and me, go out for dinner. You haven't left this apartment in two weeks Yazoo, you need to get out once in a while."

"But Genesis...people...people know my face...what if they..."

"Let me tell you something about upper Midgar, people here are snobbish and prudes, they don't pay attention to things that happen down in Edge, they only care about things that happen on their front door steps. Your more likely to be mistaken as Sephiroth, and not in a bad way might I add, then to find many people who recognize you from the scene a year ago."

He looks down and traces his fingers around the edge of the silver electronic.

"Are you sure? I don't want to cause trouble."

I reach over and push his chin up with two fingers, a gesture I have gotten used to doing instead of constantly saying 'Keep your head up'

"Promise."

I have no idea as to why he is so intent on going out to dinner, these last two weeks he has cooked or ordered food in. I don't feel comfortable going out in the public's eye, he has been so good to me I would hate for anyone to become upset at him for having me with him. I've learned a lot about Genesis Rhapsdos in my two weeks living with him, he used to be a powerful and respected man, just like Sephiroth, and people still recognize him. What of a positive reputation he may have left I would hate to ruin.

"Go get your shoes on."

I oblige, setting down my CD player and getting up and going to my room to fetch my shoes. I sit on the edge of my bed putting on my shoes I can hear him talking to me from the living room.

"There is a wonderful Wutai place about 3 blocks from here. I haven't eaten there in months."

I finish and come back to the living room I hear him near the front door, I think he is getting something out of the front closet.

"Come on, put your coat on."

I walk to him and he puts a coat in my hands, I slip the medium-weight garment on and hear him open the door.

We leave the building and we take a cab, I've since learned thats what the type of vehicle is called. We are only in it for about 5 minutes before it stops and Genesis helps me out of the car, this part of town seems much louder, I hear people talking, along with the hum of multiple vehicles all around us. He takes my hand and put it around his arm. We walk for a few steps before I hear the jingling of bells and he opens a door. Inside the smells and sounds are so different from outside, I still hear voices, but they are lower and creating a low rumble, I also hear running water.

"Two tonight?" a female voice asks.

"Yes mam."

"Right this way."

He continues to lead me, we pass the source of the sound of water, maybe some type of fountain? After a short walk we stop and Genesis lets my hand go from his arm and puts his hands on my shoulder.

"Let me get your coat."

I let him help me shrug out of it before he gently guides me to a chair. I feel him drape the coat across the back before walking to the opposite side of me. My hands are resting on the table and I feel something set down beside me. I put one hand on it and trace the edge, a book?

"What can I get you to drink?"

Before I can think or respond, Genesis answers, "Two green teas please."

He reaches and pats my hand, "You'll like it." I try to flash him a smile, he hasn't given me anything yet that I didn't enjoy a little. He pulls his hand away and I hear the sound of pages turning.

"If its ok, I'll order for us both."

I nod, I wouldn't know what anything they served here was anyway. It took Genesis close to an hour to explain to me what even a small portion of the food on the take out menu was at home. I hear a clink to my other side.

"You normally dine alone Mr. Rhapsdos."

I hear Genesis chuckle.

"This Yazoo, he lives with me."

"Pleasure to meet you." This is a different woman, she has a slight Wutai accent. I just kind of nod my head.

He still seems nervous, and strangely it almost amuses me to see him like this. The waitress arrived with our tea, a beautiful young lady whom I know from the restaurant. She looks almost offended when Yazoo doesn't look at her or say hello. I call her attention with my hand and make a gesture and mouth the words 'Can't see' to her. She immediately straightens up and shakes her head.

"So do we know what we are having this evening?" She flashes one of her adorable smiles.

"I think so." I proceed to list off a long series of things, and she has no qualms or confusion in me ordering such a large amount. She is actually a very bright young woman, she had sat down one evening months ago and spoke with me about my "eating habits" and how I ate so much yet remained so well in shape. She was actually genuinely interested in me and my stories about SOLDIER physical differences. Once she walks away I lift up one of the tea cups and set it down in front of Yazoo and one in front of myself.

"Be careful, its hot and it doesn't have a handle."

I watch him carefully move his hands to find the small tea cup and watch as his fingers trace the contours of it. I've become used to his small rituals, we take our sight for granted really, I see a tea cup, he feels a smooth round object thats only about a hands width tall. He lifts the cup and blows on it before taking a sip. He pauses, then takes another, I can tell he is thinking.

"So?"

"Its different, good, but different."

The young woman returns once again, this time with soup. She sets it down in front of each of us and smiles again. "Enjoy"

Each new course brings a contemplative face from Yazoo, from soup, to seaweed salad, sushi, curry, and all the other things I ordered. He doesn't turn a single thing down, each new flavor bringing a face that I can't help but smile at. Just like Sephiroth, each new experience is a new world opened to him. When Angeal and I met Sephiroth the first time, he had no sense of humor, and things we thought were simple or normal baffled him, many of these same things happen with Yazoo.

After a wonderful dinner we leave the restaurant, the sun had already set across Midgar and the neon lights were glowing all about. I stretch my arms over my head and look around.

"Its a perfect night. Lets walk home."

"Uh. Ok."

I put his hand in the crook of my arm again to keep him from getting lost or running into anything. The sidewalk is fairly empty, and a few cars pass down the road.

"Uh Genesis, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"What was it like in SOLDIER?"

I smile, is he trying to make conversation with me?

"How about this, you ask me a question, then I'll ask you one, we can go back and forth. Get to know each other better."

"Um..ok..."

"SOLDIER, those were the glory days, at least they were when we were naïve to the lies. Back when it was all about sparring and killing monsters. Seeing who was better at magic and sword fighting." I smile looking to the night sky. "Days of fighting and training, nights of goofing off and drinking. Then it all changed, we learned the truth, well Angeal and I learned the truth. Its like the day you realize your paradise was just a dream." I sigh, then I tap the hand on my arm, "So tell me about your brothers, Kadaj and Loz." He wanted to ask deep personal questions, so I was going to pry on him too. I feel him tense up then relax.

"Kadaj was our leader. The one with the plan, he was the loud one, never let me get a word in. Always so determined." I see a smile creeping across his face, "Loz was a cry baby, always upset about the stupidest things. Kadaj always made him cry by saying the simplest things, but he was so strong, he...protected me..." I feel a small shake go through him, I pat his hand.

"I know you miss them both. I know what its like to loose people you love." He moves closer to me as we walk, he finds solace in my company I suspect, in truth I too find solace with him, a strange sort of peace long missing in my life.

"Where were you born?"

"That I am not 100% sure about. I'm adopted but I was raised in a little piece of heaven called Banora."

"Why don't you know?"

"Thats two question, but I digress. Later in my life I found out I am similar to Sephiroth in the fact that I was created by Shinra. I'm actually older than Sephiroth, but..." I have to pause, "I was deemed a failure and sent away. I didn't know any of this though when I went to join SOLDIER, I just wanted to be a hero." I stop and try to think of another question, I think of one and take a deep breath, how to word it carefully. "Huh, how to put this right...What do you remember about how or when you were born, or created? Do you remember anything before the north crater?"

I feel him pause for a moment, I watch his face, studying his features, I might have touched a sore spot.

"No...I remember opening my eyes and I knew what I was to do. I just knew, I knew who Kadaj and Loz were, knew how to fight, and knew I had to find Mother...it was that simple...Find Mother, it played over and over in my mind, I knew I had to have her. I needed to be whole, and without her I would never be..."

"Your a lot like Sephiroth, in ways you may not understand."

"Tell me about him, the Sephiroth you knew, the Hero."

"I was hoping you would ask." There is a park across the street from where we are, I change our direction, and when given the chance we cross the street.

"Where to begin, a man of so much and so little. Lets sit down, its a wonderful evening." We sit on a nearby park bench, I lean back and look to the sky.

"When we first met, Angeal and I had just joined SOLDIER, he seemed so stand-offish, arrogant. In truth he didn't know how to socialize with normal people, he had been raised by scientists. He was vastly intelligent but lacked, how to say, street smarts? Everything was scientific and logical, didn't know how to loosen up and have fun. Angeal and I changed that, first time I saw him smile it almost scared me. He was dependable friend, and the best man to have at your side in a fight." I look over to Yazoo, he is leaning slightly forward, his elbows on his knees, hands crossed, I can tell he is listening very intently.

"He lacked a true sense of humor, but he could throw words back and forth like no one else I have ever known. We would have long drawn out wars of words, Angeal would just sit back and laugh at us both. But when it came to company business you would see a totally different side of him, all business, strong stoic appearance that could intimidate anyone. Cold, calcuating, on the battle field he truly was a god amongst men."

"Thats the person I know, the one I feel inside me..."

I put a hand on his back, "Have you ever tried to stand up to him? He was a man who respected someone who would stand toe to toe with him and not back down. Thats why the three of us got along, we weren't afraid of him, in truth I always tried to beat him, it was my goal, to be better than the great General Sephiroth."

"Did you ever win?"

"I tried, but one time something went wrong, I got hurt...and the wound wouldn't heal. Sephiroth blamed himself for it, and worse, he hated that he couldn't help me. I needed a blood transfusion, but he wasn't compatible, it tore him up. After that we never really faced off like we had used to..." I move my hand from his back and place it across his folded hands, "He was a caring man, he loved us dearly, just like you love your brothers."

"I couldn't help them...I couldn't protect them..."

"Neither could he..."

He sits up looking in my direction, "After I left Shinra he couldn't come after me, he couldn't bring himself to be the one to strike me down, same with Angeal, he knew we wouldn't go back and he wouldn't hurt us, but then he couldn't protect us either. He was torn between what his duty was and what his heart told him to do." I don't let go of his hands, "You knew what would happen once you had Jenova, but you didn't want to loose them either. You were torn between two parts of yourself." He starts shaking, I sigh, I didn't mean to upset him, me and my mouth, always getting me into trouble. I let go of his hands and wrap one arm around his shoulder pulling him close to me. He tenses up under my arm and then relaxes, he lays his head on my shoulder.

"Thank you Genesis...I feel like now I know at least part of who I am."