Disclaimer: Final Fantasy is owned by Square Enix. The author is slowly starving to death because no profit is made by this work.
A/N: Look at me go guys! I've been able to stave off writer's block and homework pretty well. High fives all around. I love my readers, especially my reviewers. If you want more love you should review, otherwise it's your loss. I may not respond, but a still care. It's the reviews that get me out of writer's block. I read them when I want a pep talk. Seriously. Now enjoy.
Angeal's smirk came back when the food improved. Cass had kept to her promise and now the menu was once again edible, though still could use a lot of improvement. The petition signers all thanked Genesis, but Genesis merely brushed it off humbly. That was not like Genesis. The only explanation was that Genesis thought he didn't deserve the credit. Genesis was a meticulous follower of giving credit where credit was due, though sometimes he did it sloppily.
Angeal didn't mention his hypothesis much more, but the smirk said all. Genesis merely glared at him, daring him to say something.
Sephiroth appeared oblivious to the entire thing. Genesis used him shamelessly get the focus off his admiration for a certain Turk.
"Why didn't you tell us about your mom before?" Genesis asked. Okay, so he was doing it badly. Sephiroth looked over at him.
"None of you really talk about your parents," Sephiroth said, "I'm not sure I should be talking about her."
"Nonsense," Genesis said, "You should be bragging about her." Sephiroth cocked an eyebrow in question. Angeal nudged him.
"It's not my business," Angeal said pointedly, "but I do like your Mom. I'd defend you if someone teased."
"Why would I be teased?" Sephiroth asked. He understood the word and it's synonyms after a brief but informative lecture from Genesis.
"Because you visit your mother," Genesis said, "It's not something adults are seen as doing. You could be viewed as a baby."
"Which is ridiculous considering most of them would do the same thing if they were in your shoes," Angeal finished. Genesis nodded. Sephiroth thought it over.
"I'd say you've got nothing to be worried about," Angeal said, "You are what you are." Sephiroth nodded.
"Besides," Genesis said, "You got the cool Mom."
Genesis chided himself silently, but he couldn't shake his nervousness. He hadn't been looking forward to his next injection. Not at all. Suddenly, the day had come and here he was. He was sitting in the not-so-happy-looking labs watching as his peers were subjected to torture that he knew would be much worse for himself. He couldn't decide if the wait was making it better or worse. He didn't want it to happen, but he also wanted to just get it over with.
"Rhapsodos!" someone barked. Genesis stood up warily. A tech glanced at him, then waved a distracted hand to his left. "You're down the hall." Genesis frowned. No one else had gone down there. He obeyed anyway on high alert. There was only one open door in that direction and he pushed it open all the way. Then he stopped in his tracks.
"What...What are you doing here?" Genesis stammered out. Cass looked up from her file.
"Hello Genesis," she said, "I'm helping to give injections. What's it look like?" Genesis swallowed and stepped forward.
"Sorry," he said, "just-"
"Confused, nervous, and terrified?" Cass supplied, "I know. Have a seat." Genesis obeyed nervously. He willed his heart to slow down a little. There was no need for it to speed up all of a sudden.
"Now," Cass said, "I understand your reaction to your first injection was quite painful." Genesis nodded. "It's not uncommon, I can assure you, but it isn't ideal. The rest of the laboratory staff is far too concerned with getting all of you in and out so they can return to their research, but there is a small side project going on to see what can be done to help recruits like you.
"What I'm here to do is to run a little experiment. Right now, you and I are going to work through this and find a way to make this more bearable for you. Is that alright?"
"Yes," Genesis said. Cass nodded.
"Alright," Cass said, "the first thing I've done is to make a private setting. No one comes in or out, but you and me. Are you still alright with this?"
"Yes," Genesis said. He didn't want to throw up in front of everyone again. Cass nodded.
"I'm also not in any hurry," Cass said, "If you need time for mental preparation, that's perfectly fine."
"I'm okay," Genesis lied.
"Liar," Cass said, "but you're not the first one to tell me that one today. I'll forgive you. Is there anything you can think of that would make you feel more comfortable?" Genesis shook his head. "No? Unbutton your shirt a bit? Walk around a tad? Someone took off his shoes." Genesis hesitated.
"I'm not going to talk about what happens in here," Cass said offhandedly, "We can have a sort of Doctor-Patient confidentiality here." Genesis was not about to admit that the main cause for his stress was not gossip, but his current audience.
"Sephiroth likes to take off his uniform jacket and gloves," Cass said.
"You give Sephiroth his injection?" Genesis blurted. Cass shrugged.
"You've seen him after," Cass said, "It used to be worse before I started doing it. How do you think I landed this sweet job?" Genesis grinned despite himself. He let out a deep breath and undid his uniform, but didn't take it off. He let out a shiver and shook his arms. He felt a little more relaxed.
"Good?" Cass asked. Genesis nodded. "Alright then, we need a good distraction. Do you have one?" Genesis shook his head.
"Very well then," Cass said, "Loveless Act II. Go." Genesis stared at her for a long moment. She made a motion for him to get on with it. He inhaled.
"There is no hate, only joy. For you are beloved by the Goddess," Genesis began. He kept going as Cass laid out the dreaded needle. She took off the large head attachment and put on a thinner one. It was still scary looking, but not as terrifyingly huge. He trailed off as she picked it up.
"Keep going," Cass said, "Focus. I want to hear the whole Act." Genesis shook his head to clear it.
"Wings stripped away, the end is nigh," Genesis continued. He felt the needle slip in with remarkable efficiency. Cass knew what she was doing, compared to the last person to have done this to Genesis. It stung, but it didn't really hurt yet. Then he felt liquid fire start flowing into his arm. He faltered for a moment, then picked back up where he left off. He focused every thought in his head into finishing his recitation and it worked. He kept his mind off of the pain and it didn't seem to hurt as much. When he finished, the worst of it was passing and the after effects were creeping in.
"Very Good Genesis," Cass's voice said quietly, "You did great. Are you still okay?" Genesis nodded, remembering what talking did to his head last time.
"Good," Cass said, "I'm going to turn off the lights. I have one more person to give an injection to, but you can stay here until you feel better. I'll check on you when I'm done." He heard the door click shut and closed his eyes. In his weakened state, he admitted to himself that perhaps he could maybe have a small crush. He was too tired to fight with himself now.
Rufus ShinRa could honestly say he had never been pushed in his life. That's probably what surprised him so much when his bodyguard shoved him to the ground without a word. The sound of a gunshot and the sensation of a bullet moving past him put all annoyance out of his mind. Terror and shock moved in instead.
He registered both Cass and Tseng returning fire with their handguns. He didn't quite catch was they were shouting to each other. Then he felt a sharp tug on the back of his collar. When had Cass moved? He could see her mouth moving, but couldn't tell what she was saying.
"RUFUS!" she yelled. He caught that. "Snap out of it! We have to move!" She jerked him to his feet. She pushed him along until he remembered how to put one foot in front of the other. Then he was back on the ground again. When had that happened?
"Son of a bitch," Cass said. Then she pulled out the big gun. Rufus hadn't seen her use it before. He hadn't really noticed how elegantly she placed it upon her shoulder. It was like she and the gun became one. It was so unlike how she used the handgun. He noticed how she flowed with the shock of the gunfire. It was violent, but it had a certain grace to it as well. She lowered it and pulled Rufus back to his feet.
"Keep moving," she said. She placed herself to block him from view. Like she had when he had cried. Only now it wasn't only prying eyes she was protecting him from. Why hadn't it crossed his mind before? She was risking her life for him, like his mother had for his father.
"Tseng..." Rufus said. Where had Tseng gone?
"He's covering us until backup arrives," Cass said, "he's fine. Keep going." He obeyed, only to be jerked back to the ground again. He would have bruises later, but didn't care at the moment. He looked back up at Cass as she returned fire.
Angeal and Genesis were near Sephiroth when a blue suited individual approached him. They didn't hear all of the conversation, but the heard the part that made Sephiroth's expression darken.
"Assassins injured a few of us..." he said. Sephiroth clenched his jaw, but Angeal could see the blood draining from his face.
"I don't know who," the Turk finished, "but they are all alive this time." Neither Angeal nor Genesis felt a hint of jealousy as the Turk made up and excuse to take Sephiroth out of training for the day.
Sephiroth felt something crushing his chest, but continued to remind himself that at the very worst Mom was still alive. He hadn't quite felt this desperate since the day she had disappeared all those years ago. He felt the pressure release when he heard her voice.
"You've really never been shot before?" it said.
"No," Tseng said, "Your son is looking for you."
"Over here, Sephiroth," Cass called and waved her arm. He moved forward and wrapped his arms around her neck in relief. She rubbed his back assuringly. "I'm fine," she said, "Tseng here got the worst of it. Maybe you should give him a hug."
"Sephiroth, if you even dare, I will physically harm you," Tseng said.
"Don't threaten my kid!" Cass said. Sephiroth didn't move. Tseng laughed and then gripped his side.
"How 'bout some happy pills?" Cass said, "they've got good shit up here."
"That would be nice," Tseng said. Cass started attempting to hail a nurse. "Wait a moment," Tseng said, "Have you been shot before?"
"Twice," Cass said, "through and through. Just like you."
"When?" Tseng asked.
"Why haven't you called that number I gave you?" Cass asked, "I gave it for a reason."
"I respected your privacy," Tseng said, "Considering I was your stalker at the time."
"Oh yeah," Cass said, "You're still creepy twerp, but I guess I can write up your report this evening."
"I need to sign it," Tseng reminded her.
"I've been able to forge your signature since the first week Tseng," Cass said, "how else could I get access to the mainframe computer passwords?"
Rufus sat on the bed and tried to explain why he didn't want the cure. He could live with a few scrapes and bruises. He wasn't shot like Tseng was. They didn't hurt that much.
He kind of liked the pain too. He knew on some level it was wrong, but the dull ache also gave him a bit of satisfaction. He was still alive.
He watched as a head of silver came through the infirmary and wrapped it's arms around the person who had given him his bruises so he wouldn't suffer something worse. He felt a pricking behind his eyes, but held them back. He couldn't do that to his mother anymore.
Rufus suddenly realized he would have felt guilty had Cass been put in a hospital bed too. It was bad enough losing his own, but he would have been the one to take away someone else's mother. He'd never thought of that before. Now that he did, he realized that someone in navy blue had always been near him.
At that moment, Rufus looked up to the Turks more than he did to his own father.
"Hey," Angeal said. Sephiroth had just walked back into the barracks. "Is everything alright?"
"She's fine, Angeal," Sephiroth said.
"That's a relief," Genesis said as he came up. Sephiroth nodded.
"Does this happen a lot?" Angeal asked.
"It's been happening more since the war started," Sephiroth said. Angeal might have imagined the trace of sadness on his face, but he knew it had to be there somewhere.
Rufus swallowed as he waited for his bodyguard of the day. He knew they called it babysitting, but he knew he was being guarded now. She came in as if the day before had never happened. She cocked her head at him.
"Weren't you cured?" she asked. She was giving him attention that she should be giving to her son. Why had he ignored it before? Rufus shook his head.
"I want to keep them," he said.
"Suit yourself," she shrugged. Rufus swallowed again.
"I'm sorry," he said. Cass blinked.
"Sorry for what?" Cass asked.
"Yesterday," Rufus began, then his mouth went dry.
"Hey, no need to apologize," Cass said, "it's my job, remember?"
"No," Rufus said. Why couldn't he say it?
"Going into shock?" Cass tried, "It happens to most people when they get shot at." Why didn't she understand what he was trying to say?
"I'm sorry," he said again. I'm sorry my father makes you risk your life and tears our families apart. Cass crouched down.
"It's not your fault," she said. Rufus blinked in surprise, then nodded. She nodded back. He contemplated his request for her. His father would never allow it, but Rufus thought there might be ways to work around it.
"Could you...could you teach me," Rufus began, "could you teach me how to shoot a gun?" Cass frowned at him.
"Hold out your arms," she said. He obeyed. Her frown deepened.
"You're a little young for that," she said.
"I want to be able to defend myself," Rufus said. He wanted to be able to respect himself like he did the Turks.
"It's not as easy as it looks," Cass said.
"I want to learn," Rufus said, "please." Cass contemplated him for a few more minutes.
"Not today," Cass said, "but if you still want it in a few more years, I'll make the time." It was a maybe, Rufus decided. He would want it when she asked him again.
Cass had gotten a wee little mission as a courier today. It was more fun than being bored to say the least. She found herself wandering the SOLDIER floor, half hoping to at least see Sephiroth. His weekend pass had been revoked after he ditched training to check the infirmary. Stupid military regulations.
She was in luck when a familiar trio entered the hall. Genesis nudged Sephiroth who jerked up. He smiled. He approached her without shame and embraced her. She could feel confused eyes around them.
"You're causing a scene," she said playfully, returning the hug. She needed more of these, she was so spoiled.
"I don't care," Sephiroth said. His voice was changing and was rough around the edges. "I love you," he said. He gave her the customary kiss and broke apart. Back to the stupid regulations.
"Love you too," Cass said and started back to the Turk floor.
She needed to be a courier more often.