Disclaimer: The characters of Final Fantasy belong to Square Enix and the author has not infringed on any copy rights as far as she knows.

A/N: More drabbles, sort of. They're a bit more serious. Please review if you so chose. Thanks to those that have. Enjoy.

"Shut up Hojo," Cass said, with an eye roll. Sephiroth barely managed to keep his face neutral. Ever since he'd thrown up, which he still felt guilty for doing, Cass had made sure to add her own little insults when she dropped off Sephiroth. It made mornings more interesting.

"Hard-nosed bitch," Hojo muttered.

"I heard that asshole," she said sneaking a wink at Sephiroth. "Have a good day sweetie," she said softly. Sephiroth saw Hojo twitch with irritation at that and felt extremely amused. He wondered what Hojo would do if he heard what Cass really called him in private. He signed a quick goodbye so Hojo wouldn't see, not that he would know what it was. Cass curled in her middle and ring fingers in their newest sign and Sephiroth's current favorite: I love you. He didn't have time to return it before Hojo turned his attention towards Sephiroth.

Hojo grumbled something against Cass that Sephiroth ignored completely. Something else caught his attention. There was a man in a blue suit watching them. The same one who had come into the apartment when Sephiroth was sick. He watched Sephiroth for a moment before looking past Sephrioth. At Cass.

Sephiroth felt sudden concern. What did he want with Cass? Why was he watching them? It hadn't been the first time he had seen him. What was he doing?

"She is doing nothing out of the ordinary, sir," Veld said calmly. The president expected nothing less. He'd only done this secret observation to appease Hojo. Durmont was not informed of it like the others. It was so far past the observation period that no ordinary person would have expected it.

"Are you certain?" ShinRa asked, more out of habit than that he doubted it was true.

Hell no, Veld thought. "I sent my best man out, sir," Veld said, "he found nothing peculiar." ShinRa nodded and gave a wave to dismiss Veld. Tseng was waiting.

"Keep up the observation," Veld said, "but make no reports. I want this off the books." Tseng nodded silently. "Are you certain she knew you were there?"

"Yes," Tseng said, succinct as usual.

"Try not to get caught again," Veld said, "I want to test her, see how paranoid she is. The kid likes her?"

"Yes," Tseng said.

"That could be useful," Veld said, "Try to see how close they really are, but don't get caught." Tseng nodded. He turned a corner and was gone.

He'd heard that word before, but had trouble thinking of where and when. It was a long, long time ago. Maybe before Mom had come, which was practically an eternity now.

He tried so hard to brush it off, but it kept taking away all of his concentration. He couldn't not think about it.

Maybe it was because Hojo seemed very interested in it. If Hojo wanted it then it couldn't be good. He payed more attention to what Hojo was doing and it was out of the ordinary. He wasn't watching Sephiroth's training. He had even started a different kata, which was just as easy as the previous one. When he normally would have felt relieved, he felt concerned.

He made a special note to ask Cass what Cetra meant. She'd know what to do.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for ignoring your advice earlier. You were right. I am an idiot."

"What blew up?" Cass asked.

"What? Oh," the man scratched his head sheepishly, "one of the engines."

"Nobody got hurt?" Cass asked.

"No," he said, "the plane is gone though."

"If a video of this just happens to find it's way to me...let's just say that I'd find room in my heart to love you again," Cass said, "Have we learned our lesson for today?"

"Yes," he said, "you are a genius and I am but a lowly servant."

"Very good my loyal servant," Cass said, "Use my numbers next time. I'm here for a reason you know."

"I know and I'm sorry," the man said.

"I know," Cass said, "Don't do it again. Now get out of my office. I have things to derive." He stood up and walked out. Cass scribbled for a few minutes before pausing.

"If I jerked my door open suddenly, would you fall in?" she asked.

Outside Tseng stood up and backed away a bit.

"Very creepy, twerp," Cass said, "very creepy." Tseng felt himself grinning again, but wasn't sure exactly how this was humorous. He left her alone to try again later.

"What's the matter Sephiroth?"'

"Hmm?"

"Don't 'hmm' me. You've got your pouty face on. What's the matter?"

"I don't have a pouty face."

"Sure you don't. You just put on an old man's face for fun."

"...I don't want to talk about it here."

"Okay."

"...Mom?"

"What is it?"

"There's a man. He's got black hair and a suit."

"Is he bothering you?"

"No. I just see him a lot. I think he's following you."

"Don't worry about it so much. He's not doing anything to me. I think he just wants to see what I'm up to. Both of us know that it's nothing, so there's nothing to worry about."

"Are you sure?"

"Not really, but I thought that might make you worry less. We've have had this conversation, have we not?"

"Yeah, I can't help it."

"It's okay. It's kind of nice to have someone who worries about me."

"You worry about me too right?"

"Every day."

"Good. I thought I was the only one."

"He looks up to her," Tseng said, "He goes to her for advice and information."

"Interesting," Veld said, "though I'll admit I'm glad he doesn't go to Hojo for that. Durmont seems...saner. Home life is healthy?"

"Yes," Tseng said, "He's well provided for. He doesn't appear to like being separated from her."

"Considering the alternative, I can't say I blame him," Veld said, "How close would you say they are?"

"...I'm not certain," Tseng lied. He wasn't sure why he did so. Veld didn't notice.

"He comes off as cold to me," Veld said instead, "Her too. It would be hard to guess. What about her ah...?"

"She caught me every time," Tseng said.

"...Holy shit," Veld said, "every time?"

"Seven times to be more precise," Tseng offered.

"Damn," Veld said, "What I wouldn't give to have her on my payroll. Was she upset?"

"She mostly commented on how creepy it was," Tseng said, "She did tell me not to let Sephiroth notice me if we planned to continue this."

"He caught you?" Veld asked.

"I let him," Tseng said, "to see what would happen."

"And..."

"He told her," Tseng said, "she brushed it off."

"Damn," Veld said, "Just damn. How did I let something like that slip past me?"

"That seems to be how she lives," Tseng said, "just slipping by. Do you want me to continue?"

"...Later," Veld said after a moment, "lull her into a false sense of security and see if that works. Damn..."

Sephiroth twirled his noodles with his fork. He liked spaghetti, but he was still worried.

"Are you going to tell me what's the matter?" Cass asked. How could she know? She said he put on an old man's face when he was worried, but he could never tell the difference. Neither did anyone else. She had to read his mind.

"Hojo," Sephiroth said.

"I could guess," Cass said, "What about Hojo?" He twirled his fork again, not sure if this was the right time.

"We're alone here," Cass said, "you can say anything." Sephiroth sighed.

"What's a Cetra?" he asked quietly. Cass was quiet.

"A Cetra is a line of Ancient people who could listen to the Lifestream," Cass said.

"Hojo is looking for one," Sephiroth said, "I think that's a bad thing." Cass nodded.

"It is a bad thing," she said. He looked up at her. She seemed troubled.

"Eat your spaghetti," Cass said, "Can't go saving the world if you can't finish your dinner."

"Yes Mom."

They had him drawing some sort of layout. One of the trainers called it tactics, but Sephiroth didn't quite know what that meant. It was supposed to be an idea of how to move people. Apparently he was good at it, because his trainers kept telling him so. He thought it was rather obvious what the answers should be. He just couldn't put them with the proper terms. He didn't think he should ask Cass about it either. Cass knew many things, but this was something he had to figure out on his own, like the kata.

He liked tactics better than the kata. It was more interesting and he felt more comfortable showing Cass that. Cass was always polite about it. He had a feeling it was kind of like Cass showing him math. He was proud she could do it, but would rather just have her do it.

He was bored during one lesson. He pretended to be practicing as they explained the same thing over again, but he wasn't. He didn't really understand what he was doing. He drew the real thing on the other side to pretend it didn't happen. Somehow it followed him home.

"Sephiroth, what's this?" Cass asked. He looked at it and swallowed.

"Nothing," he said.

"Is this a picture of me?" she asked, "of us?"

"...Yes."

"It's pretty good," she said, "Can I keep it."

"Why do you want to keep it?" Sephiroth asked.

"Because I like it," she said, "It's us in the park isn't it. There's me with the super long hair and there's you with the shorter hair and the bread crumbs. There's some birds by the pond. It's really good. Can I keep it?"

"Okay?"

"Can I put it on the fridge, in a place of honor?"

"I guess," Sephiroth said.

"You guess? Do you not want me to keep it?"

"I don't know why I drew it," Sephiroth admitted.

"You drew it because you wanted to," Cass said, "It's something I used to do when I was your age, draw random pictures. Everyone does it. I'm sure Aeris will draw something and give it to Ifalna one day." Aeris was her example for what normal kids did. Sephiroth wasn't expected to follow it, he just wanted to know. It was easier thinking of a real person doing these things, since he never had.

Suddenly something clicked in Sephiroth's brain.

"Is Ifalna a Cetra?" he asked.

"Yes she is," Cass said.

"Then...so is Aeris?" Sephiroth said.

"Half of one," Cass corrected.

"So Hojo is looking for them."

"Yes he is."

"I don't want him to find them," Sephiroth said.

"Neither do I," Cass said, "but we'll do what we can to make sure that doesn't happen." Sephiroth nodded.

"You did a good thing telling me, Sephiroth," Cass said, "You've helped them a lot. You've given them time if they need to hide." He nodded again.

"Could I draw them a picture?" he asked.

"Absolutely," Cass said, "It can be on the fridge too until we can give it to them."

"It's been quite some time twerp."

"...Tseng."

"Excuse me?"

"It's Tseng."

"Eh. I was close. Tseng, twerp...what do you want since you're talking to me now?"

"The Investigative Division is interested in you."

"I couldn't tell. Now that I think about it there was this short dude following me everywhere for a week."

"You aren't that much taller than me."

"Ah, but I am taller than you. What interest do the Turks have in the ole math freak?"

"That's classified."

"That's bullshit. You wouldn't be here if it was, spill it."

"...Veld likes you for a possible candidate."

"Candidate for what?"

"..."

"You know, being vague is just as annoying as...that other thing."

"For a Turk."

"Except I have a job. Kind of a problem, you see."

"He realizes this."

"And following me solves this how?"

"It doesn't."

"So...why are you still following me. You haven't...you aren't my stalker or something?"

"No."

"So why are you here?"

"Do you love him?"

"Love who?"

"..."

"Yes, I love him. I wouldn't have taken him in otherwise."

"And he loves you."

"That's what he tells me."

"You realize the dangers of that."

"Of course I do. I'm not stupid. You should know that."

"So why take the risk?"

"That's what you came here to ask?"

"..."

"You're fucking annoying, you know that? I don't know why I took that risk, but I know that I'm glad I did."

"I see."

"You see? That all you wanted?"

"...Why did you thank me?"

"For...bringing the sweater? Because it was the polite thing to do."

"...Polite?"

"Don't you start judging me. You did not know my mother. Holy Fuck...was that...a smile? You have a sense of humor?"

"No."

"Whatever twerp."

"No one else knows the extent of your relationship with Sephiroth."

"Woah, woah woah. What?"

"I am the only one who has observed you and Sephiroth. I know how attached he is to you. I plan on keeping it that way."

"Okay, but...why?"

"...I don't know."

"Thanks, I guess."

"You're welcome."

"Later, Tseng."

"Goodbye, Cassiopia."

"God, I hate that name."