It was nearing the late afternoon by the time she returned home with barren feet and wild hair. Stray strands tickled her face as the breeze from the door swept past her, enticing her with the aroma of what could only be stew from inside. She eased through the doorway, noticing someone had returned her heels for her.
"Cloud?" Her mother poked her head around the corner, wiping her hands on a dish rag. "There you are, Sweetheart. Go and wash up, dinner should be finished by the time you get out." The woman went back to the kitchen.
The blonde passed through the living area- Sephiroth and Hojo could be seen at the dining table in the room beyond- and went into the room she and her mother used to share. She searched the dresser and found that the meager assortment of clothing she had were still there. Cloud grabbed one of the less tattered pairs and headed into the shower.
The water was refreshing, her skin turning a dull red as with the downpour of overly warm droplets. She leaned her head back and relished the feel of the water flowing through her hair and down her back. It almost made her forget of Sephiroth and the trouble he seemed to be bringing her. Almost.
She tilted her head down, staring at her toes and wiggled them. 'I'm not ready to marry yet. Isn't there a way to avoid this?' Despite asking herself this, she knew deep in her mind that there was no escaping this. President Shinra always got what he wanted; those were the perks of being at the top of the world. With a defeated sigh, Cloud turned off the water and stepped out, wrapping herself in a towel as steam enveloped her skin in its attempt to rush past her into the cooler air.
Dinner was uneventful; Hojo and Ms. Strife talked about the marriage. The older woman occasionally prompted Sephiroth into talking more about himself but soon learned that he wouldn't be giving more information than was necessary. Cloud spent the entirety of it playing with her food, hunger forgotten with the edge in the air she felt within Sephiroth's company.
After dinner the two Shinra males excused themselves, having to return to the company. Before they left, an agreement was forced upon the newly engaged party. Both of them were required to wear a ring,- supplied by President Shinra himself- to signify that they were spoken for. They were also persuaded into exchanging PHS numbers, Hojo having informed them that President Shinra expected an update on their relationship progression. That encouraged Ms. Strife to set a schedule for them to go on a weekly date and spend more time together until the wedding, which was scheduled three months out, to Cloud's horror.
Cloud hadn't had the chance to meet her new dorm mates before she returned home. She was supposed to have received them weeks beforehand, but there had been a rooming complication. They had finally assigned her a room the day of her leave. She had only had the time to deposit her belongings in the room before heading out, her roommates had been out training at the time. This brought her to where she was now, hesitating with her hand poised over the door knob.
She was nervous about being in a small, enclosed room with a bunch of boys. Back at the barracks the beds had been spaced out decently and no one questioned her when she took her bag to the showering stalls with her because everyone had done so. Here in the dorms, she would be expected to leave the bag near her bed. That left the problem of how she was going to hide her feminine products from the others, and that left her feeling dreadful.
'Maybe I can get away with showering when they're sleeping.' She reasoned with herself, encouraging her hand to open the door. The knob twisted and swung open ever so slowly. She peered in and was relieved to find it momentarily empty. Releasing a sigh she didn't know she was holding, Cloud stepped into her new room, closing the door behind her.
On either side of the room was a bunk bed, a desk, and a dresser. The desk closest to the door was littered with books and papers, whereas the one closer to the attached bathroom looked untouched. Two of the beds had personal items scattered on them, the third one had the covers tangled at the bottom of the bed. Cloud went over to the fourth bed, which was clear of any belongings; it was a bottom bunk, positioned across from the bathroom- and laid her bag on it. She sat beside the bag and looked anxiously around the room again, not wanting to unpack.
She reached down to nervously play with her engagement ring, realizing she had forgotten to take it off when she changed into her uniform. The ring was simple yet pretty, a diamond centered on a silver band with Cloud carved in elegant cursive on the inside. She wondered if Sephiroth's had his name as well. With a detached sigh, she slipped the ring off and put it in one of the smaller pouches in her bag. The blonde wasn't scheduled to go back to training until later that day so she kicked off her shoes and laid back on her bed, twiddling with her phone.
Somewhere in an office on a higher level floor, a PHS phone trilled in the silence. Three pairs of glowing eyes moved to stare at the intruding device as it rang out.
duh duh duh dun dun dun duh-ta-dun.
A hand lifted the electronic up and flipped it open, green eyes narrowing as he read the message.
:If we're going to do this, we're going to have to learn at least the basics about each other. -Cloud:
Sephiroth glared at the screen, not wanting to deal with the blonde. He snapped it shut and put it back on the table.
"Who was that?" Sephiroth turned to look at the man who had spoke to him. Angeal was staring curiously at him, Genesis had returned to his book. The general ignored the First's question and went back to his paperwork.
duh duh duh dun dun dun duh-ta-dun.
He flipped it open with annoyance and scanned the contents of the new message.
:It wouldn't do if someone asks me what your favorite color is and I can't even answer. They would know it was a sham for sure. I for one don't want my "uncle" breathing down my neck about it. -Cloud:
He quickly typed a response before dropping the object next to a neat stack of papers.
:I ask that you not bother me at work. -Sephiroth:
The room had returned to silence minus the scratching of pens and the rustling of papers. Angeal had resumed his paperwork as well. A few minutes ticked by before Genesis laid his book down. "We should go to the training room." The russet haired man declared, breaking the silence.
"I think there's a class there right now." Angeal replied, not looking up from his papers. "Why do you want to go there so suddenly?"
"I feel like sparring. Today is as good as any to defeat Sephiroth." Genesis was smirking to himself.
Sephiroth snorted at the cockiness of his friend. "You honestly think today will be different than all the others?" The general challenged.
"Of course-" The russet haired First was stopped short of reciting Loveless by another trilling sound.
duh duh duh dun dun dun duh-ta-dun.
A short click was heard as Sephiroth opened his PHS again.
:This is as good a time as any. You're always at work. -Cloud:
The two blue eyed Firsts watched as their silver haired friend tapped out a reply on the device, noting that he never sent messages, not even to them.
:I do not have one. -Sephiroth:
The two shared a look as the PHS went off again.
duh duh duh dun dun dun duh-ta-dun.
"Uh, Sephiroth who are you messaging?" Angeal asked, curiosity getting the better of them as Genesis sat back down and stared at the strange sight in front of them.
:Huh? -Cloud:
Sephiroth ignored them for a moment as he tapped his next response before turning his attention to his friends.
:I do not have a favorite color. -Sephiroth:
The general cleared his throat, meeting each set of eyes with his own. Genesis ended up losing his patience. "Well, who was it? Don't tell me you have a girlfriend." Genesis chuckled at his own joke, knowing his friend would never willingly get close enough to another person to have such a relationship.
"That was my fiancée." Sephiroth's face remained impassive while the other two appeared to be choking on air, shocked at his response.
"Fiancee!?" They questioned in unison.
"Who is she?"
"Where did you meet her?"
Sephiroth chose not to answer either of their questions right away.
duh duh duh dun dun dun duh-ta-dun.
:How can you not have a favorite color?! Mine's green, by the way. -Cloud:
The silver haired First didn't reply to any further messages from the blonde, choosing to acknowledge his friends instead. "She is President Shinra's niece. He has arranged for us to marry in three months time." He told them stoically.
"President Shinra's niece? What's her name?" Genesis queried, his ever inquisitive mind besting him yet again as he found himself pulled out of his dreaded boredom. It wasn't every day you learned the president had a previously unheard of niece, and that that very same niece was marrying the most unaffectionate man probably known to Gaia.
"Cloud Strife."
"That's an odd name." Angeal noted. From there they were unable to get any more information out of the general about his marriage. Both Angeal and Genesis were shocked, they never imagined him getting married before now; it was a strange notion all together.