I've run out of things to type out in this space… Any questions?
Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII nor its characters. I also don't own the ideas taken from Love Monster.
"Are you trying to get him found out?" Genesis practically blew up at Sephiroth as soon as the five of them were back in the confines of Sephiroth's apartment.
Cloud had seated himself on the couch looking somewhat thoughtful over the whole situation while Angeal and Zack stood off slightly to the side lines, watching the other two.
"I figured it would be a good opportunity for Cloud to learn any skills that we can't teach him." Sephiroth replied.
"And what is there that we can't teach him?"
"Like the layout of Shinra. What places have cameras and which don't. Especially things like how to disarm and erase contents of cameras if they ever catch him. Those things that we've never had to do because the Turks did them for us. It's not like we're going to tell them what Cloud really is."
"You know the more exposure he gets, the more likely he is to get found out."
"You know even if he did get found out, I doubt Tseng or Reno would do anything about it." Zack cut into their argument. The wolf had to fight the urge to whimper when Genesis turned his glare onto him. "I mean, Tseng already knows about Aerith and he hasn't done anything bad to her."
"And the weasel?" Genesis shot back.
"Reno will probably be a little hurt at the beginning, but I doubt he'll do anything to betray me like that." Cloud was the one that cut in this time.
"Just because you were room-mates, doesn't mean that he won't try something for his own benefit." Genesis growled out.
"It's because we were room-mates that I know he won't sell me out." Cloud shot back. "Reno has his own morals. He won't go back on them just because of me keeping something like this a secret, and if he does find out, I'm sure he would eventually understand why I would keep it a secret. It's not like he's stupid."
"Then why haven't you told him already?" Genesis questioned.
"Because the less people that know, the better. When I can stand up for myself, when I'm stronger and you don't have to worry about me, then I don't care if the president announces it over the loud speaker all over Midgar, but at this point, I'm weak despite my magic ability and I can't take the risk of all of you plus the Turks knowing at this point. I mean I know you all won't tell anyone, but the Turks go all around the world. There's always a chance of them accidentally informing someone without meaning to."
"Then you understand why I don't want you working with the Turks. They're far too observant for their own good and they're bound to find out that something isn't adding up."
"You know, now that I think about it, I'm surprised that they don't already think that something is off." Zack brought up. "Rufus used to go with me to the training rooms to watch Cloud train, so I'm sure he would have been surprised to find out that you fainted from just summoning Shiva twice."
"If anyone other than us read that report that you handed in they would have all thought that there was something wrong with it. You should be glad that we don't have to describe every little detail of these kinds of military incidences. Especially when they involve a monster out of the lab." Sephiroth pointed out.
"And this is why I don't want Cloud anywhere near the Turks." Genesis ground out again. "How do you know that they aren't already suspicious of him?"
"I know where you're coming from General Rh…" Cloud stopped when he noticed the pointed looks everyone was giving him. "… Genesis." He sighed and the looks all stopped. "But in the long run, I can also see where Ge… Sephiroth is coming from."
A grin appeared on Sephiroth's face at that.
"I don't have the skills to hide if need be or to even pick a lock if I'm locked in a cage, If the Turks can teach me that, then I think those would be good sills to have if I'm ever captured for whatever reason."
"If I may, you do know that working in both SOLDIER and with the Turks means that you're going to be put in the spotlight. No one has ever worked in both departments before." Angeal finally spoke up.
Cloud looked slightly unsure for a moment. "Isn't that what you were aiming for?" Cloud directed his question at Sephiroth. "If I'm in the spotlight that makes it harder for me to just disappear."
Sephiroth nodded. "The more exposure you get, the more everyone will be watching you. Of course it means that you have to be a bit more careful, but if anyone like Hojo finds out about you, then it means that it will be harder for them to get their hands on you."
"And you think that will be safer?" Genesis questioned.
"He needs to be able to protect himself in all kinds of situations. You of all people should know that fireworks and brute strength can't get you out of all situations." Sephiroth shot back.
"He wouldn't even be put into any of those kinds of situations if he just stays with us." Genesis pointed out.
"He can't be with us all the time Genesis." Sephiroth reminded the red haired general. "Favouritism is against Shinra policy."
"Since when did you care about Shinra policy?" Genesis questioned. "We're about to rig Cloud's SOLDIER exam. I'm pretty sure that that's against Shinra policy too."
"If someone reports us as favouring Cloud within our own squads, that's entirely different from something that no one else but us and the higher ups will see. You already know all of this Genesis." Sephiroth pointed out.
"It can all be on my head then."
"Genesis you're being unreasonable." Sephiroth tried to convince the other crow to reconsider.
"I am not handing him over to the Turks."
"Genesis" Cloud finally spoke up and the red haired General settled down slightly at the call of his name. "I'm grateful that you want to protect me and everything, but I think at this point, Sephiroth is right."
Genesis' face screwed up a little at those words.
"As hard as it is to believe, you won't be able to watch me all the time and at least I'll have Reno or Tseng with me while I'm out on missions, so they can both keep an eye on me." Cloud pointed out. "I'm sure it'll be fine… And I can finally learn how Reno managed to get the lock on my suitcase open when we were just cadets." Cloud attempted to lighten the whole situation with a bit of humour in his tone.
At this point Genesis was glaring hard at the white crow, but the smaller monster didn't seem to be backing down anytime soon. "If I feel even a small rise in your magic levels signalling that your real wings are going to come out, then I'm pulling you out of there with or without Sephiroth's permission."
Cloud sighed somewhat in relief. "I will try my best to not put myself in a situation where I have to do so." He replied.
Zack chuckled a little at the exchange and Genesis turned his glare onto him. "What's so funny puppy?"
"Nothing." Zack shook his head with the smile still firmly set on his face though. "I just never thought that I'd see you and Cloud get along so well that you're mothering him almost as badly as Angeal does for the rest of us."
Genesis rolled his eyes. "I'm not mothering him."
Zack snorted at that.
"Sure you're not."