Fandom One-Winged Angel (AccioProphecy x redletalis)

redletalis · Aug 15, 2017

Yet another rejection.

Sephiroth stalked out of the meeting room, leaving behind Hojo, Presiden Shinra, Rufus Shinra and all the other department heads. He pretended not to hear Hojo trying to call him back, and instead of heading to the elevators he took the stairs down a couple of floors. Entering his office and ignoring his worried secretary, he stalked into the inner office and closed the door a bit more harshly than he had wanted to. The wood cracked, but held. He would have to replace it.

Sinking into his chair and picking up the first piece of paper waiting for his attention, Sephiroth couldn’t make himself focus on the words. All he could see was Hojo’s face as the doctor denied him once again to search for his touchstone.

“A perfect thing like you doesn’t need a weakling like that to drag you down.” The doctor had sneered. “Lesser beings may need a crouch, but I didn’t create you to be a lesser being. So no, I won’t allow you to ally yourself with a whore.”

He could feel the mako in his veins. It was rushing around like mad, trying to tear through his skin and making his eyes glow even more than normal. It gave him a spectacular headache, making it feel like a band was playing the Shinra anthem during one of those horrible processions that the president insisted on during festival days.

Focusing on paperwork was hellish when all he wanted to do was rip it apart, and then rip apart the people who generated it. He wanted to rend, to tear limb from limb. He wanted to slice them open, dice them into such fine pieces that no one would notice they had once been human. He wanted to burn them with a Fira, heal them and then burn them once more. He wanted to unleash hell on earth. It would be so very easy. None of the people here could stand against him, and those that could were of an alike opinion so he needn’t worry. All he had to do was grab the masamune, and go out the door. The walls would be stained red and-

Sephiroth took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he leaned back in his chair. Control. He needed to control himself otherwise he really was going to lose it. The mako in his blood was being utterly vicious today, and calming it down was going to take more than just will. That irritated him. The fact that all this could have been avoided if he just had a touchstone of his own irritated him even more.

This wasn’t working at all. If he stayed here for even one moment longer he would do something truly stupid. He needed to be moving about, doing some katas to calm himself down and let the mako settle once more. One of the training grounds, then, but not the most used ones. He needed to be alone right now.

Leaving the office – and once more ignoring his secretary – Sephiroth headed towards the training grounds on the other side of the compound. They were hidden behind some warehouses, and were only used for target practice. It was too late now for that, night was approaching fast, threatening clouds were building up to a storm, and light was already fading. The training grounds would be abandoned and he would be alone.

It was going to be the first good thing that happened today.

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Everyone with a brain knew that whenever Hojo joined one of the executives’ meetings it would end up in a furious silver-haired general. Everyone knew to keep away from Sephiroth at that point, and even if there was a major emergency they knew to approach Angeal or Genesis first. But what they didn’t know was that there was one thing so far that was guaranteed to help Sephiroth calm down, and that was a Banora White apple pie. It was something they had stumbled across accidentally years ago, that their favourite foods helped them calm down, and it was the closest guarded secret that the three of them had.

“Go and get it ready. I’ll deal with this.” Angeal said as he nodded towards the gaggle of people starting to appear in front of their shared office. “Seph’s going to need all the help he can get. If you start the pie now you can probably have it ready before the meeting is over.”

“Thanks.” Genesis hadn’t needed telling twice. He had clapped Angeal on the shoulder and wished the man luck with dealing with the following headache, and had headed out. Using backstairs and corridors, Genesis made his way down to the Shinra parking lot. Grabbing the keys for one of the motorcycles, he sped out of the structure as fast as the machine could go, heading out into Midgar.

Genesis hated mingling with the common people any more than he absolutely had to. He hated to be touched as people brushed by him in a throng. He hated it with all his being. But he didn’t have a touchstone either, he could understand Sephiroth’s fury and pain to be denied a touchstone over and over again. Because of that and because Sephiroth was one of his best friends – one of his only true friends – because of that and that only would Genesis put himself in a situation where he had to face and suffer through all the things he hated just to get the ingredients to make a stupid pie.

It took time to get to Sector 3 under the Plate. That was the only place where one could reliably buy Banora White apples, but it was also dangerous – as all things were under the Plate. Genesis wasn’t worried even if he had to get off his motorcycle and leave it behind. It could easily get stolen down here, but someone would have to be a total fool to attempt it. It was emblazoned with the Shinra mark, and Genesis was known down here. They knew what he would do to anyone who attempted to steal it.

He headed deeper into the sector, heading straight for the marketplace. There was a vendor there who usually had Banora White’s, or at least knew where Genesis could get them.

Genesis plastered on a mask, a slight smile at his lips.

Ugh. There were people all around him.

AccioProphecy · Aug 15, 2017

Cloud couldn't even remember how long it'd been since he arrived here with hopes of being a SOLDIER. To him it felt like an eternity, when really, it hadn't been close to a month or two. Not making the cut to be a real SOLDIER was one thing, it was another to not really know your purpose around here.

He'd been trained, but rather than being trained like a warrior he was trained how to handle a warrior. What exactly did he lack? Sword skills? Wit? Passion? Determination? Why was he handed the task of taking care of someone else instead?

The one good thing out of everything that had happened lately was that he was able to catch a glimpse of Sephiroth. THE Sephiroth. Way back when Cloud first tried for SOLDIER, the silver-haired legend had been there. Then he was there again when Cloud was transferred to the touchstone division.

Twice. That was the most Cloud had seen the man and never again. Possibly because Cloud took to sulking in his room, after getting injected with that bit of mako and not getting any matches with any SOLDIERs. Perhaps the only time he was out was when he felt the need to train and eat. Even then, touchstones weren't really encouraged to train. He was told their purpose was to make their SOLDIERs feel at ease, not on edge, and training didn't exactly help that.

Other than that there was-- "CLOUD!" There was that. Cloud groaned inwardly. He didn't feel like training today but he knew what the girl wanted. "Helloooooo Cllllouuuuuudddd." Cloud lurched himself forward from his bed and pressed the button that slid the mechanical door to his room open. There stood a bright eyed, cheery looking lady. Her auburn, shoulder length hair pulled back into a ponytail like it always was. She wore the same thing that Cloud did, infantrymen uniform. Touchstones didn't have uniforms, they were told that they shouldn't stand out, and so they tried to blend them with the infantrymen.

"Sel, there's a thing called knocking." Cloud said dryly, to which the girl waved a hand at. "Let's go, training!" Cloud always wondered what was the matter with her. You rarely saw ladies trying out for SOLDIER, sure there were a few but they were largely outnumbered. That, and she could barely handle a sword, even a child could see that she wouldn't pass SOLDIER standards.

"Again? Last time our spar ended with you dropping your sword on your foot." Sel huffed but beamed back at the chocobo haired man. She pulled the cloak uniform away from her body to reveal a pistol tucked into her pants. Cloud stared. They were not allowed anything except a sword--a puny one at that--, at least touchstones weren't. He doubted that SOLDIERs themselves could choose their own weapons either, unless they were first class.

"Where did you get that?" She crossed her arms proudly. "The infantrymen! It's unfair how they have access to these. Now come on, let's get going." Cloud says nothing as Sel drags him along to the elevators. The Shinra Headquarters was no joke, if you were unfamiliar you might get lost in it for years with the amount of floors it had. Seloria seemed to know her way though, and Cloud noticed that this wasn't their usual training grounds.

"Sel, I don't think we're supposed to use these training grounds." Plus it was turning to be too dark. "This is one of the places for target practice, don't be silly, no one told us we weren't allowed here." Sel continued, taking them behind the warehouses, still in Shinra premises. "I don't think you would've listened even if--" Cloud was cut short. They'd arrived at the training grounds, there was some light that illuminated the grounds and as soon as Sel and him stepped into the grounds, Sel picked the pistol from her side and aimed it at a dummy target.

She fired five consecutive rounds. Each bullet going through the red, innermost circle until there was only a hole left in the middle. Cloud was surprised. Whereas Cloud was definitely more than capable of handling a sword, she had sucked at it, and perhaps now he understood why. "That was way too loud." was the only thing that Cloud said.

"Wanna try?" Sel handed the gun to him, he merely shook his head but he did unsheath his sword. Perhaps seeing Sel aim so perfectly sparked the competitiveness in Cloud. Sel shrugged, understanding her friends' language and placed the pistol back on her hip, unsheathing her own sword. "Gosh they're so heavy. I can never understand these things."

"....Wasn't your father a blacksmith?" Amidst their talking and bickering they didn't pay attention to their surroundings... nor to the sounds of approaching footsteps.

redletalis · Aug 16, 2017

As soon as he was out of the regular corridors of Shinra and away from most people, Sephiroth allowed the frown to appear on his face. Just this small way of expressing his dislike of the situation was enough to keep him from exploding in fury as he stalked quickly across the compound. A couple of the higher-ranked SOLDIERs spotted him, a pair of men he had worked with several times, and they knew better than to approach him when he was like this. He was certain that he spotted a few Turks following him for a moment, but they left him alone as soon as they knew where he was going. They were probably going to spend the next few hours trying to keep people away from his general direction, both for Sephiroth’s privacy and public image as well as the safety of everyone else.

Five gunshots brought him out of his stewing thoughts. It served only to make him more tense and stoked the fires of anger inside him. Someone else had already arrived at the training grounds. Sephiroth grit his teeth, mako literally boiling under his skin. If someone touched him now they would think that he was seriously, dangerously ill with the heat his skin was giving off.

For a moment he debated on going somewhere else, but then decided not to. Firstly because there was nowhere else to go, and secondly, he was the damn general! He could order anyone and everyone else to fuck off, and for once he intended to do just that, hurt feelings or hurt image notwithstanding.

He rounded the corner of the last warehouse between him and the training grounds, fully intent on stalking over to whoever was stupid enough to be there, and tear them a new one. But he found himself slowing down when he spotted who was actually there. A young woman with auburn hair pulled back in a ponytail and a young man with the spikiest blond hair Sephiroth had ever seen. Even Angeal’s student Zack nor the young Turk - Reno or whatever his name was – could hold a candle to this hair-do.

Not only was the hairdo eye-catching, but so was their swordplay. Or, rather, the lack thereof. Because that wasn’t swordplay at all. That was… actually, Sephiroth wasn’t certain what that was. It looked more likely to hurt the two rather than hurt any possible enemies. It was cringe worthy.

Their lack of weapons training and the spark of mako he could sense in them both told him all that he needed to know about them. Touchstones. Of course he would manage to stumble across a pair of touchstones when the last thing he wanted was to be reminded of the meeting. Scowling at the thought Sephiroth retreated around the corner. Touchstones were jittery enough without him being a bastard to them. He could use the empty warehouse to train in instead. The door was locked but he simply twisted the lock until it broke and dropped it.

Not bothering to turn on the lights since he could see perfectly well in the darkness and the small amount of light that came in through the small windows high up under the ceiling, Sephiroth removed his coat. Then he drew the masamune, feeling the heavy weight of the long sword settle in his hand. In the next moment he slashed it through the air, then he turned with it and slashed again.

Going through katas was like dancing. He could do all these movements faster than most people could blink, but that wasn’t the point here. He needed to center himself again, to cool and settle the mako in his blood. As he slowly moved through the deadly dance that was as natural as breathing to him, he could feel it working. Little by little and very slowly, but it was working. It would never be as good or as complete as it would have been had he had a touchstone to help him and-

And there the fury came back. He had thought of touchstones again and ruined all progress, his movements becoming quick and sharp again.

Sephiroth grumbled to himself as he forced himself to slow the katas down and to start from the top.

AccioProphecy · Aug 16, 2017

Cloud was certain that Sel was already tired, that, or her sword had a mind of its own. Well, he shouldn't have been so surprised, it wasn't as if that was the first time they sparred. Mid-parry Cloud had felt a shift of energy. No... it wasn't as if he could actually detect other people's presence. It was more of something... that stirred inside him.

As if something deep in the innards of his stomach, lurched forward, travelled upwards and sent a tiny zap of electricity that spread across his chest. It was warm, but at the same time, calming. His head snapped towards the side, just in time to see familiar silver hair disappear into a warehouse.

Cloud's hold on his sword loosened, a slight clang bringing him out of his stupor, his sword slipping away from his hands and dropped on the floor. "Hey whaddyou know I actually did it!" Sel didn't hide her surprise, she laughed triumphantly while Cloud gave her a musing look.

Seloria sheathed her sword. There was the faint sound of wind, a blowing sound sharp and quick. She tilted her head in wonder... That wasn't wind... The sounds were abrupt, quick slashes. The sound akin to that of a whip not meeting its target. She wandered closer to the sound, ignoring Cloud who had asked where she was going--she'd always been impulsive like that--.

She turned a corner. There was an empty warehouse, and someone was using it. It had been locked before but now the knob was just a useless piece of iron on the ground. Only a bit of light illuminated the warehouse, she had to squint to figure out if someone was in there. For some reason she didn't dare step into the warehouse itself, that would be the wrong idea, someone had obviously twisted the lock open and she didn't want to be in the same space as said person.

Cloud took his place next to her. He'd noticed it too. Aside from the light peeking in from the tiny windows, there were flashes of silver and glints of metal. Cloud had noted that it was a long sword, a very long one in fact he swore he'd seen it before... Sel gasped next to him, "Is that who I think it is?" She squeaked out. It's not that she was afraid of the man, but damn he could handle a sword. It's like the sword was part of him and not an equipment.

Instinctively Sel pushed Cloud towards the warehouse "Go and check!" and Cloud now questioned how he got into these kinds of situations. He stumbled a few steps forward and would probably have gone unnoticed, except that his foot accidentally kicked the broken lock on the ground and sent it spinning into the warehouse. "Eep!" Even Sel knew that wasn't a good thing, she took three steps back and debated whether or not to leave her friend to death or stand there and face death with him.

redletalis · Aug 16, 2017

Slow. Slow. Slow movements. So slow that they were made difficult. He slid through the katas one by one, starting once more with the very basics of the basics and carefully moving up in difficulty. It was an exercise for his body, but also for his mind. Muscle memory wanted him to move faster, to slash harder, to stab quicker, and with the mako rushing through him like a wild beast he had to work hard at keeping things slow.

He hated it. This feeling of losing control, of being on the edge of snapping. Sephiroth knew his own skills and power, and it scared him to think of what he might do while caught in a mako-fuelled rage. It also scared him that he was even willing to go that far. He was merciless in battle, that was what he had to be as a general, but this… this wasn’t battle. This wasn’t war. There was no call to be so heartless.

And yet in a mako-rage he was just that. He would have brought the Meteor down on their heads in a heartbeat, and he wasn’t certain he would have regretted it either. That was what scared him the most, and why he wanted a touchstone. Angeal and Genesis were doing their best, but it was never enough. Not only that but it also seemed to be less and less effective. The three of them were the most stressed out individuals in all of Shrina, with the most mako in their bodies, and still they weren’t allowed the one thing that could help them.

That. Pissed. Him. Off!

Sephiroth twirled around in a flash of silver and metal, the Masamune’s tip coming to a stop an inch from Cloud’s throat. The second one – the woman – was out of his reach, but one twitch from her and she would be clobbered by the Masamune’s metal sheath.

He stood there like that for a few heartbeats, panting harshly and trying to control the mako. It had flared up again, refusing the settle down. He knew that his eyes were glowing unnaturally, slit pupils like a cat’s. Again, for the third time this day, he was on the very edge of giving in to the fury. It would be so easy to make a quick movement, slice a slender, unprotected neck in one move, and then a second neck in the next. They wouldn’t even see it coming, let alone have any chance of defending themselves. And after these two careless touchstones he would start on Shinra itself, from the lowest cleaning person to the president himself. One by one they would all-

Sephiroth forced his arm to lower. To remove the temptation of using Masamune he sheathed the sword. Finding himself gripping it tightly, imagining using it as a clobbering weapon, he went one step further and walked over to where he had dropped his coat, gently laying the Masamune there on top of the clothes.

Once that was done he turned back to the two touchstones. He managed not to glare or scowl at them, but that left his face as painfully, carefully blank. Which could be just as bad according to Zack Fair.

“I apologise.” Sephiroth at least had control over his tone of voice, even if it was just as blank as his face. “You startled me. Were you hurt?”

AccioProphecy · Aug 16, 2017

Cloud noticed. It wasn't very difficult to. Touchstone training allowed him to point out the signs of distress, anxiety and discomfort, but even without that, it was very easy to see that the man was bothered. From the glow in his eyes, the fury in his face, the stance that he took and even the more subtle signs, how tightly he gripped his sword, Cloud noticed it all. Not to mention that the said sword was pointed at his neck.

But that was perhaps the strangest part of it all. One flick of Sephiroth's wrist and Cloud could have easily been a corpse and yet, he didn't feel one bit of fear. The thing that he felt was remorse. He wasn't sure if it was the training that made him this way, or was it something deep down that told him he had to reach out. The sensation was like opening an unexpected gift. You didn't know what was in it, you didn't know what to expect nor who it was from but there was a level of suspense, a hint of excitement. At the same time, you wanted to handle the package carefully, trying to keep the wrapping paper intact and in one piece. Deep down, he felt as if the silver-haired man was that gift.

He was a very dignified looking man. More so up close. His hair... was extraordinarily mesmerizing and the way he moved was with confidence. Cloud had been very relaxed through it all, sword on his neck and everything. His brain disregarded the man's question on whether or not he was hurt and Cloud answered with his own question "Are you alright?"

Seloria on the other hand, was in a different world. One where she constantly inwardly asked herself if this was how she was going to die. By the hands of Sephiroth, because she was too darn careless with her actions. It was nice knowing you Cloud.

Compared to her companion, it was apparent that she was only rooted to the spot out of fear. It was a wonder to her how Cloud could think of Sephiroth's feelings at that moment. Maybe she didn't pay attention to training enough... but she genuinely felt nothing but an itch to get out of there ASAP.

Her companion clearly had other plans.

redletalis · Aug 17, 2017

He was surrounded by bigots and idiots, and it was a daily battle to keep them from driving the company to crash and burn. He couldn’t remember when he last went to bed at a reasonable hour, and Hojo was trying to demand more and more of his time, dragging him into more and more freaky experiments that Sephiroth wanted nothing to do with.

More and more often the mako in his veins was acting up, giving him nightmares of blood and body parts flying as he ripped everyone in Midgar apart. It was something that left him grinning in delight, and every time when he woke up he was shivering in fear and terror at just how easy it would be to do just that. Disgust would well up within him and Sephiroth wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep for the rest of the night.

Then there was the never-ending fucking paperwork, half of which Sephiroth was convinced was completely useless, and it all had to be done on time. And on top of all this the brass were denying him the one thing that could have made his life easier.

So no, he wasn’t fine. He hadn’t been fine in a long time, he was exhausted, tired, fed up, scared and there was nothing he could do about it. He was the general, the hero, he wasn’t supposed to show weakness ever, and that also meant not having a touchstone apparently.

“I’m fine, thank you.” The answer was clipped and cold, and it was so far away from what he actually wanted to say that it was almost ridiculous. He had to consciously relax his hands to keep from turning them into tight fists. Or grab onto the blond’s slender neck and squeeze.

“You should…” Sephiroth hesitated for a moment, eyes flickering to Cloud’s hair and how it flashed in the light that came in through the windows. He wanted to tell the young touchstone to keep on moving, to fuck off and to go back to doing what he was doing before Sephiroth did something they would all regret, but he couldn’t make himself do it. His tongue froze in his mouth and wouldn’t obey any commands.

“You…” he tried again, but with the same result. The mako was practically ripping through his body with the way it was acting, and it hurt, but still all Sephiroth could see was the blond hair and those oh so very blue eyes.

Outside the warehouse the Turks were getting a bit antsy, and one of them carefully approached the open doorway. They didn’t want to become a threat, none of them stood a chance against the Silver General and they knew it, but they had to know the situation. So as silently as she could the redhead Cissnei crept to the open warehouse doors and peeked in.

She stepped in just far enough to come up behind the ponytailed female touchstone, and gently put a hand on her shoulder. “We need to get out of here.” She said quietly, calmly, eyes staying on Sephiroth and Cloud. “You don’t want to be nearby when a SOLDIER and touchstone bond, they could consider it a threat. Come on, let’s get out of here. Slow movements and careful steps. Come.”

AccioProphecy · Aug 17, 2017

Cloud watched carefully. Sephiroth's voice betrayed him and so did his gestures. The taller man's eyes travelled from Cloud's neck, to his eyes, his hair. They were told and trained to pay attention. Every single movement was a clue to how close a SOLDIER was to breaking point. The phrase that was hammered into their heads was "As long as the touchstone stayed calm, the SOLDIER would calm down."

Hold on... Touchstone...? Cloud felt goosebumps creep up to his neck and spread through his forearms. He couldn't be Sephiroth's, could he? Infamous for not having his own touchstone, almost everyone knew that. Well, he didn't feel the slightest bit intimidated, surprised yes, but... it didn't feel wrong at all. In fact it was as if his mind was clearer now, just a moment ago he had been laying on his bed feeling as if he had no real purpose around here. Rejected from SOLDIER, trained to be a sort of life line for them instead.

It wasn't until that moment that it dawned on Cloud how important of a task this would be. Sure their trainers talked about unstable SOLDIERs, chaotic mako and violent responses but it was the eyes. Those windows that he was staring at where he could see the internal battle raging on inside of Sephiroth. Perhaps he could feel the connection too, with the way he hesitated with his words and stopped short.

Cloud hadn't noticed the Turks at all. Focus should be on the SOLDIER and no one else. Keep calm. Understanding. Slow and steady. Gentle. No sudden movements. He went through the mental checklist of do's and dont's there were frankly too many things to remember.

"I should...?" Cloud trailed off, wondering exactly what the man wanted to say. He took one step forward with no hesitation, his eyes trained carefully on the general, but he didn't take any more steps just for caution. Cloud knew himself, and he wasn't very good at comforting people, specially not someone he just met and someone he so highly admired. But he would learn. He was willing to do this.

Perhaps he should say something more meaningful "...Sorry to have disturbed your training..." His arm automatically found the back of his neck, scratching the side of it out of impulse. "...You're really good at it..." His eyes momentarily flickered towards the masamune, and back to silver-hair.

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Sel had already been a few steps away. She didn't even look back, as per the Turk's orders. Touchstone? Cloud and Sephiroth? She was both dumbfounded and worried. Such an immense presence, even though her back was towards them and even if they were gaining distance from the pair, she could still somewhat feel the general's presence.

"...Do touchstones ever get killed? They do, don't they?" She blurted out towards the redhead. It may have been mentioned in one of their training sessions, in fact she was sure of the answer, she just wanted to hear it from someone else's mouth, the threat of this job.

They walked towards the Shinra building in a steady pace now, leaving behind the two to their own devices. So many thoughts were lining up in her head, one after the other. What if my SOLDIER kills me? Is this really how I want to die? Am I allowed to break the touchstone contract and run away? Who is my SOLDIER? Is Cloud gunna be okay?

She forced the thoughts down, one at a time, telling herself all these answers couldn't be found in one go. At this rate it was her who would need a touchstone.

redletalis · Aug 17, 2017

Cissnei’s voice garnered a quick look from luminescent, mako-green eyes. They flashed in the relative darkness of the warehouse as Sephiroth gauged the level of danger that the female Turk represented. In the end, though, he turned his gaze back on the blond. Cloud’s voice was surprisingly calm, and it drew Sephiroth’s attention like nothing had before.

And the eyes. Those beautiful eyes.

He had never seen eyes that blue. They were like a summer sky – far away from Midgar that is. The big city’s pollution ruined the sky as well as the land surrounding it. Or perhaps they were more like the azure seas surrounding southern Wutai? Ever changing in colours but always so very intense and blue.

He was starting to sound like Genesis.

Sephiroth let one hand curl into a fist, nails biting into his skin so hard that it hurt. The pain was enough to bring him back to focusing on the important thing here: getting the touchstone away from himself before Sephiroth hurt him.

“Thank you.” He said, nodding in thanks. Sephiroth had to keep himself from stepping forwards towards Cloud. He wanted to be near the young man – so slender, so delicate, so easy to break – and that scared him, too.

“You should…. Go.” It had taken a lot to get that one single word out, and Sephiroth frowned.

What was wrong with him?

-----------

“Rarely, but yes. Touchstones do get killed. Unfortunately.” Cissnei replied as she cast a look behind them. She hadn’t dared to try to close the door of the warehouse. She had been pushing her luck enough by simply entering, she didn’t want to try it any further. It was amazing that Sephiroth had barely reacted to her presence. Amazing and a blessing, for if the Silver General had actually found her a threat?

Well. Not even the Turks would have been able to put her together.

“The way those two looked I doubt you need to fear for your friend.” She added after a moment, turning to the younger woman. The poor girl looked utterly terrified. “Sephiroth was the one who formed the touchstones, he was the one who championed the rules for your protection. It’s doubtful that he would ever harm one of you, no matter if you were his touchstone or not.”

Cissnei sighed and led the way over to other Turks who stood in the shadows. She spent very little time with them, updating them on the situation and advising them on what to do – or not to do in some cases. Once that was done she turned to the female touchstone.

“Would you mind coming with me? We need to question you in order to write up a report about this situation.” She gestured towards the main Shinra building. “Both your friend and the general will be called in later on for an interview as well, but we’ll have to see how long it takes for their bond to settle. Until then we only have your account to work off of.”

She wasn’t actually asking, but, well, it paid to be polite to people.

AccioProphecy · Aug 17, 2017

Cloud held his place. For someone who knew how touchstones worked, the general wasn't very welcoming huh? It reminded him of a childhood memory. One where he and Tifa were playing some sort of mundane game like tag, and Tifa had gotten angry, accusing Cloud of cheating. "I don't wanna play with you anymore." She had said at that time, brows furrowed, child-like face upset. "Go away." He was having none of it. Real friends stick together and he knew that it was just one of her moods.

Was it the same for a SOLDIER though? Was this just one of his moods? Was it one of those situations where Cloud should be stubborn and stay put? Either way he didn't budge, not when he could see that Sephiroth was having trouble with himself. He stayed persistent "...Are you sure?" It was almost like a challenge, in his mind a switch went off and a flurry of words barraged out from his mouth "I mean I'm not questioning you I'm pretty sure you know what you want and its not my problem--" he cut himself short before embarrassing himself any further.

There was a brief moment of silence as he contemplated on what he should say. In that moment he admired the gaze that Sephiroth had on him. He had such an intense look on him, and, without breaking eye contact, Cloud decided to start from the top "We can walk back together?"

He'd meant to say it as a statement, but decided to let Sephiroth have the final say. Cloud already wished that he would say yes, completely giving in to the pull he felt towards the man. It wasn't the same admiration that he felt all that time for the famed SOLDIER, how Cloud wanted to be just like him. This time it was pure companionship he thought about.

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Seloria almost scoffed at the Turk's statement. Sephiroth may have piloted the touchstone program, but it didn't make a difference to her. Everyone was capable of killing anyone. That's just how the world worked, even back home.

When the Shinra building came into view she visibly relaxed, shoulders slumping down, only to tense up again at Cissnei's request to interview her. Well crap. The whole thing was her fault and only hers. It was her idea to train, it was her idea to go to a different training ground, it was her who had a gun strapped on her body and it was her who pushed Cloud towards the warehouse.

"A report... for what?" Hey, maybe when they found out that they had a troublesome touchstone in their hands that they would cancel her duties and let her go. At the same time she felt uneasy at how much of a big deal they made out of the whole thing. "...can I maybe do it tomorrow? I'm tired."

She feigned sleepy eyes. It wasn't exactly a lie. The events leading up to right now were a tad bit stressful but she couldn't imagine herself sleeping right away after what she just witnessed. It was mesmerizing and scary at the same time, a touchstone bond. She could only wonder what hers would feel like and if it would be as suspenseful as that one was.

redletalis · Aug 17, 2017

Go back? Leave the warehouse? And then go their separate ways? That sounded like a very good thing, that was what he had wanted to happen after all. He should be urging the blond to go away, do anything to keep the kid from getting hurt.

And yet…

The thought of this slender blond out there where anyone could get at him, stopped Sephiroth up short. A million horrible possibilities ran through his head – from crime bosses, to monsters, to assassins, to Wutai sympathisers, to worse things like Hojo getting his hands on Cloud – all ran through his head in an instant. It was enough to make Sephiroth react, and before he could stop himself he reached out for Cloud to keep him in place.

A spark of something ran through him when his hand touched Cloud. It was powerful, and impossible to ignore. It ran from his fingers, up his arm, to his toes, to the tips of his hair and then settled back somewhere in the vicinity of his heart.

Sephiroth’s heart was racing. He felt like he should be gasping for breath, like he was both hot and cold at the same time. The mako was practically dancing through his veins. It was no longer trying to break out through his skin, but rushing in delight all through his body. It made him ache, it made him dizzy and it also made him aroused.

His hand was still holding on to Cloud, but all that Sephiroth could make himself do was to relax the grip a little bit. He couldn’t let go of the blond at all, nor did he want to. His eyes were still glowing and they were wide as they stared into blue.

“What is this?”

The hoarse whisper left him before he could think twice about it.

-----------------

“Whenever a SOLDIER and a touchstone match up we make a file on them. Both to better understand what exactly makes two people fit each other, but also in order to know who to contact if either one of the partners gets hurt. Or if anything else happens.” Cissnei replied. “We need to get your first impressions of the situation, while everything is still fresh. Usually a SOLDIER meets their touchstone under strict rules and with several people observing, so writing a report wouldn’t be difficult. But on the occasions when they meet on accident? We have to act fast for everyone’s protection.”

The Shinra headquarters was enormous. The entire place took up an entire sector of Midgar, and it took time to cross from one side to another. Not to mention that the main building itself was the tallest one in Midgar if not on the entire planet. There were dozens of entrances, car parks, train stations. You had to know where you were going to get anywhere on time.

Cissnei led the way past the barracks and towards one of the entrances mostly used by SOLDIERs and recruits and Turks. She walked down the corridors and to one of the elevators, pressing the button and waiting only a short while before the elevator arrived. The doors slid open and Cissnei only blinked in surprise upon seeing Genesis inside.

His arms were loaded with bags, he looked irritated and was trying to read Loveless while balancing the backs in his arms. At the moment the door opened he was having trouble trying to turn a page in the book without dropping anything.

“Pardon us, Genesis.” Cissnei said as she ushered the girl inside. “We need to get to the 45th floor.”

“Yes, certain-“ Genesis looked up and froze. His eyes were wide and wholly focused on Seloria, and he wasn’t looking away even as the book fell out of his hands.

“Oh no.” Cessnei muttered as the doors closed, catching the three of them in the elevator. She pressed herself against the door, fingers pressing the button that would open the door and when that didn’t work, she pressed the numbers of the first floor the elevator could stop on next. At the same time she was trying to make herself as unnoticeable as possible, while praying for things to go well.

AccioProphecy · Aug 18, 2017

Cloud made ready to say something, but he saw Sephiroth's hand move towards him. Before the man's fingers even brushed his arm he could already feel the tingling feeling. Perhaps if anyone looked closely they would see actual electricity shoot out from the man's fingers. His hand made contact with his bare arm and the tingling sensation changed into a bursting warmth. The kind of warmth you would feel next to a fireplace on a cold day, not the scorching one that a Fira would warrant.

His words got caught in his throat. For a second his world moved in slow motion, intensifying the slight shudder that he felt throughout his body, and then--he hadn't even realized that he was holding his breath--he breathed in slowly, trying to calm the gallop of his heart. Sephiroth. Was. Touching. Him. And. He. Liked. It.

He ignored the man's query. Cloud was certain that once the initial confusion had settled down that Sephiroth would know what was going on. Was he allowed to touch him? Cloud was hesitant, but ended up patting the general's hand in reassurance, a small smile forming on his lips. "...I don't think I introduced myself."

His hand settled on top of Sephiroth's lightly "Cloud Strife." and as soon as he'd said his name he retracted his hand away, feeling slightly bashful. He could still feel the sparks running up and down his arm.

"We should go, it's getting late... I'll walk with you." Cloud took the initiative to slowly step away, forcing his arm to shy away from his touch. He feared that if none of them moved, they'd stand there till morning, searching each other's eyes.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Oh, okay, I see..." Seloria replied with half a sigh of relief. So all they needed to know was what happened between Cloud and Sephiroth... perhaps she could 'accidentally' forget about the gun she still had with her. Who was she kidding though? They probably already knew she had a prohibited weapon on her, with how things worked here, strict security plus seasoned soldiers.

Seloria stared in wonder at the tall building in front of her as they moved closer to it. So many floors, so little time, not to mention some floors were restricted floors. Touchstones were usually designated on the two floors below the SOLDIER floor, her room was on the 47th. Though she guessed that sometimes it was empty around there cause touchstones spent whatever time they had with their SOLDIERs before they were sent out on missions again. It wasn't uncommon for touchstones to "spend the night" in a SOLDIERs room either.

When they reached the elevators and were greeted by what Seloria could only describe as someone who loved their groceries, she had already stopped worrying about Cloud. He'd be fine. “Pardon us, Genesis.” Behind those bags she couldn't really see his face, but if she could, she would have instantly recognized him. How could she not? Genesis had a reputable fan club, in fact he had two, unlike Sephiroth and Angeal who only had one.

The book falling and thudding on the elevator floor took Sel's attention away from Cissnei and Genesis. She immediately picked it up, straightened back up and inspected the beautiful, white cover of the book. The second thing she noticed was the slight wear and tear of the book. It wasn't worn out in a bad way, in fact Seloria could tell that the book was loved. It had most likely been read so much that it had frayed here and there.

"Loveless. Here." She nonchalantly handed the book back to Genesis with her usual smile on her face but instantly took it back. "Wow, okay, too much on your hands." Without thinking about it she grabbed one of the bags, and switched it with the book. She hadn't felt intimidated at all, Genesis wasn't in a hostile mood like Sephiroth was.

Sel momentarily looked at Cissnei, who was suddenly acting weird. The turk had pressed the 40th floor and 45th, it was one of those express elevators that skipped a couple of floors. Sel shrugged and turned back to Genesis, still oblivious to the man's gaze. "Which floor are you going to?" She had wanted to ask about the groceries, but decided not to be creepy about it....... yet.

redletalis · Aug 19, 2017

It was a small touch, a mere pat on the hand, but it still felt like boulders of heat had fallen on him and now their warmth was spreading through him. The mako was helpfully spreading the heat into every vein, every capillary, and every single cell in his body. If he had been burning with anger before, now he was still burning but instead of destructive it felt calming, gentle and peaceful. Like sinking into a hot both after a long day trekking through snow, or after a gruelling fight.

The young blond stepping away shook him out of the delicious warmth. The cold came back the second he lost contact with Cloud’s body, and Sephiroth shuddered, suddenly feeling like he had been frozen to the bone.

“You-“ he broke off. His voice was hoarse and dry, and it sounded nothing like him at all. Sephiroth cleared his throat and tried again. “You… are a touchstone? My touchstone?”

It was a bit sad that the man who had started the entire touchstone institution was so surprised and shocked when he met his own touchstone. After years of being told no from everyone else, it had managed to sink in.

--------------------------------

Genesis put the book in a pocket, removed his glove with his teeth and reached out. He gently grabbed her chin, shivering in delight as sparks of electricity spread from the point of contact and throughout his body. It was euphoric, it was beautiful and it was beyond wonderful. It invigorated him and at made him relaxed all at the same time, it felt so very good that he feared he would embarrass himself right there where he stood, and it also had the potential to tear him apart and destroy him.

He was hooked on it from the very start.

“Touchstones are truly amazing,” Genesis said quietly, voice full of awe as he lifted her head up so that their eyes could meet properly. Their noses were nearly touching, and his red hair was mixing with her brown locks.

“I have heard about your magic and what happens when you bond with a SOLDIER, but I never expected to experience it for myself.” He ran his thumb across her cheek, then switched to running callused fingers along the features of her face. Genesis was utterly fascinated with the feel of her skin, and the way the mako reacted when they were touching.

There was no way he was giving this up.

“Tell me, what is your name?” he smiled slightly at her. “And why exactly a touchstone felt the need to walk around with a firearm?”

AccioProphecy · Aug 19, 2017

Cloud yet again looked at him carefully. The confusion in Sephiroth's voice and eyes somewhat worried him. It was as if the man couldn't quite have a grasp of reality. Had Cloud been doing it wrong? He didn't recall that he had to introduce himself as a touchstone, training said it would be felt.

Or maybe... that wasn't enough?

Cloud turned back towards Sephiroth with a small sigh, a tiny smile playing on his lips. One step and he was in arms reach once again, two and he was face to face with the man. Cloud had to tilt his head up slightly, to look into the general's eyes. He was taller and Cloud liked that.

He wondered if Sephiroth could hear the drumming in his chest as he slid his hands around Sephiroth's middle in a gentle embrace. Oh if anyone could see them now, what a sight it would have been. It was a feminine thing to do and Cloud instantly felt heat creeping up his neck, he averted his gaze from the general and whispered in a low voice "...Does that answer your question?"

He was certain they could both feel the spikes of magic dancing on their skin and penetrating their bodies. To be this close was explosive. He let himself savour the moment and only then did Cloud realize that Sephiroth didn't have his coat on. It laid a few steps away from them, under his masamune.

Cloud dropped his arms away from Sephiroth after a few seconds, but they were still close to each other. "...If you have a hard time believing it... I suppose there's a lot of time to prove it." Although he himself was dumbstruck that it ended up being Sephiroth, he wasn't going to deny himself--or the other man--the pleasure and companionship of a Touchstone bond.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time Seloria came to her sense Genesis was already asking her name. What just happened? Throughout the process she managed to drop the bag of groceries out of surprise, embarrassment and what she could only describe as a subtle delight.

"I--" Her chestnut eyes met his with a shy uncertainty. She was rarely caught off-guard with things, so she took a few seconds to collect her thoughts. "Seloria Qwinhild." She answered under her breath. The way he examined her was quite... exciting. As if he had seen an extinct species come to life. She herself could feel a strange bubbling sensation inside her, spreading throughout her body.

Is this what it felt like to be connected through a touchstone bond? It was a peculiar feeling at first, like you've known the person for ages and had reunited with them after a long period of loss. A type of relief that constantly washed over you. Her lips formed into a thin line though, when he asked about the firearm.

"J-just for... practice." Then she frowned slightly, "I swear I didn't kill anyone!" The elevator was still moving, the presence of Cissnei forgotten.

redletalis · Aug 22, 2017

His brain kept on insisting that it was an attack. A simple flick of a dagger and his spine could be damaged beyond repair. Or his spleen. Or any other number of vital organs. Hell, forget the organs. Important arteries and tendons could be slashed. He could bleed out in minutes, or he would need several weeks before severed tendons would work properly again. It was a dangerous thing to accept

To accept…

Sephiroth breathed deeply and nearly choked on the air, before letting it out in a big whoosh. This was the first time someone hugged him. This was the first time anyone had dared to touch him so innocently. There wasn’t an ounce of overt seduction or the mad desire for science in Cloud’s gentle hold. In fact, the blond pulled back far too quickly for Sephiroth’s taste, and he had to hold himself back from reaching out and demanding more.

And that was nothing on the reaction his body had to Cloud touching him like this. Perhaps he should have been embarrassed by being so aroused, perhaps he should have been trying to hide the tenting in his trousers, but with the way he had grown up shyness about his body was not anything that he had ever developed.

Instead he let the shivers run over him, let the mako run amok in a far different way than it usually did, and he reveled in the feelings it all created in him. The anger and frustration was long gone, and it was completely replaced with the desire for more.

“Cloud Strife. My touchstone.” The way he said it was almost reverent. “We have all the time in the world to get to know each other.” He reached out to gently run his fingers through Cloud’s spiky hair, humming at how soft it proved to be. “Thank you.”

The words slipped out before he could stop them, or think about them, but they felt right.

------------------------------------

He ignored the hard-won Banora White apples that rolled around the floor of the elevator. He even ignored it when the elevator stopped, Cissnei rushing out as soon as the doors opened far enough for her to slip through. On the outside she pushed the button to close the doors and only when the elevator was once more on its way did the female Turk take a deep breath and relax.

She leaned against the wall for a few seconds, trying to come to grips with what had just happened, and then pulled out her cell phone. A few rings later and her boss picked up. “Yeah, Tseng, you’re not going to believe what just happened here.”

Genesis ignored all that even though his ears could barely pick up Cissnei’s words. The elevator went further and further up, skipping several floors at the time between stops. Whenever the doors opened and someone was about to enter, Genesis glared at them until they thought better or suddenly remembered something else they had to do before going home. The one person stupid enough to try to enter despite Genesis’s glare – a minor department leader who thought far too much about himself – was persuaded otherwise by suddenly finding a rapier resting against his throat.

As soon as the doors closed after that the rapier disappeared back into its sheath, and Genesis turned his attention back to Seloria.

“Seloria Qwinhild.” He repeated, sounding out the words like a purr. “It fits you, my dear, as unusual and special as you are. I am Genesis Rhapsodos. And if you so wish to learn how to handle a weapon, I shall teach you myself. My touchstone shall want for nothing.”

AccioProphecy · Aug 24, 2017

Cloud definitely felt goosebumps creep up his neck at Sephiroth's touch, his long fingers brushing through his golden hair made him feel like he was floating. A tingling feeling radiated around his scalp and he welcomed it. He shook his head slightly when Sephiroth said thank you, as if saying that this was what he was and wanted to do, a thank you was unnecesarry.

For a brief, passing moment Cloud's eyes travelled lower, and he abruptly turned away, having a split second glimpse of Sephiroth's arousal. Cloud's mind was slightly haywire. "Uh-umm..." How was he even supposed to feel about that? With his back still turned away from Sephiroth, his hand reached behind him and went in the general direction of Sephiroth's arm.

Cloud's hand came into contact with the other man's wrist and he tugged on him, "We should really go..." He was truthfully getting a little tired, but he still didn't mind spending the rest of the hours with this newfound companion. In fact he felt as if he could go sleepless for months as long as they basked in each others presence.

He half pulled Sephiroth and half dragged himself to move forward as well, towards the general direction of the Shinra headquarters. Perhaps they'd have more privacy in there. In one of the rooms. What. Cloud stopped himself short with his line of thinking. He didn't know where that came from. "H-How is work these days?" He had blurted it out just to overthrow the previous thoughts running in his mind. "You seemed upset earlier." Of course he hadn't known what it was really about, Sephiroth's stress and disappointment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Seloria hardly noticed the apples rolling out of the bag but she did notice the death stares Genesis gave and definitely had a mini heart-attack when he pulled out his rapier. She wasn't certain what to do but by the end of all his threats and attempts to keep them alone she had found it mildly amusing.

A small snicker escaped her lips, her shoulders shuddering a little at the held back laughter. She was about to jokingly reprimand him for being so on edge but she figured this was what a bond did, seeing as Sephiroth almost had the same reaction, albeit directed to his touchstone.

Her desire to say something disappeared at the sound of him saying her full name. A shiver ran down her spine, the way his tongue rolled over the syllables of her name was oddly satisfying. When other people used her full name, it just meant she was in trouble. But this...She was safe here.

He was still touching her face, she wasn't sure how much heat had crept up to her cheeks at the thought of their position. "Uh... I'm good." She replied shortly at his offer to teach her how to handle a weapon, that was important then, but whatever reason she had to be interested in weapons was overshadowed by her want to get to know this man a bit more... or a lot more.

She didn't know how far up they were now, but she was sure that she'd never even been up so high before. In fact, she didn't even have to look at the floor indicator to know that. "I don't think I've ever been to this part of the building...." She was still lost in his eyes, "....Am I.... even allowed on these floors?" Not that she cared really, she didn't care about the gun either.

redletalis · Aug 31, 2017

“Please wait a moment.” He stopped the younger blonde in his tracks easily, standing still just long enough for Cloud to do the same. With one last quick look towards the open door of the warehouse to make sure that there were no enemies waiting out there, Sephiroth left Cloud’s side. He walked over to where his coat and the Masamune were placed, carefully places the sword to the side and pulled on the leather coat.

It was quick work to do the straps and belts that held it in place, and his eyes kept flickering from the open doorway to Cloud and back again as he worked. Once he was done he picked up the long sword, and finally he joined Cloud again. He felt far more ready to face the outside world now, feeling more secure about letting Cloud exit the relative safety of the warehouse.

Still, Sephiroth tensed when they left the warehouse, eyes flickering from shadow to shadow. He also stepped much closer to Cloud than the blond was perhaps comfortable with, but he simply couldn’t help himself. The need to be close to the young man, hide him, protect him, shelter him, worship him was fa beyond anything Sephiroth could have resisted.

“Work is… work.” Sephiroth replied as diplomatically as he could, glowing green eyes flickering to rest on Cloud’s face and the smaller one’s blue eyes. The tension from before added to his slight paranoia, and he tightened his grip on the Masamune’s sheath. The desire to run the long blade through a couple of dozen of Shinra’s managers and department heads, was returning.

The fact that such an act would protect Cloud from said people’s machinations and politicking only made the desire stronger, and Sephiroth eyed the large Shinra building as the mako started to rush through him once more. For once he welcomed the rush and his muscles tightened in anticipation of battle.

---------------------------------

Genesis almost laughed at the thought of people trying to stop her from going where she wanted. He managed to keep the laugh down, but he did smirk and leaned in even closer until his forehead was nearly resting against hers. His eyes were riveted to hers, observing every single change of light and colour in them.

“I would like to see them try to stop you. You are mine now,” he purred, “that means that you have the same clearance levels as I do. You can go wherever you want, make use of whatever you want, and no one can tell you otherwise. If they give you trouble, please, don’t hesitate to let me know. I would love to teach them a few… lessons.”

He finally stopped touching her face and trancing her features, and instead let his fingers trail along her jaw before he ran them down her neck. When he reached her collar bones, Genesis ran his fingers back up again, and then he repeated the cycle over and over again. It was fascinating to see just how big his hand was compared to her neck.

“I suppose though,” Genesis continued once he could tear his eyes away from her slender neck, and returned them to her face, “that it begets the question: where do you wish to stay? Do you wish to continue staying in the touchstone floors? Or do you want to stay with me in my private apartments?”

It was different from touchstone to touchstone, and though he really wanted to simply take Seloria with him, locking her away in his rooms, he knew that it was a bad idea. Not only would Angeal be on his case, but it could actually drive her away. And that was the last thing he wanted or could allow to happen.

She was his now. Fully and wholly. Body, mind, spirit, soul. All of it. Just his.

AccioProphecy · Sep 1, 2017

The reply was curt and short as always. Cloud now came to know that if given a choice, Sephiroth would most likely answer in the most straightforward and non long-winded way. Cloud appreciated that in some ways, but he felt the need to reach in a little more for him.

It was clear to him that whatever it was the general was anxious about was something that kept hitting Sephiroth's mind. They were close enough together for Cloud to feel that he was yet again distressed. He didn't even have to look to know it, but when he did, he memorized his body language. Who would've thought the training sessions actually stuck to his head?

Cloud noted Sephiroth's grip on his masamune. He himself didn't like the way Sephiroth seemed to be distressed. Cloud slightly shifted, making their arms touch on purpose. They walked a few more paces, the Shinra building getting bigger by each step. He furthered the contact by yet again touching the other man's wrist, careful not to be so sudden with his actions.

He was tempted to pry Sephiroth's fingers away from his masamune but he merely steadied his touch on his wrist. Another few paces forward and Cloud's hand settled on the wrist, the way one would suddenly hold a friend's wrist while crossing the road, out of concern and to make sure that they were safely following behind.

He stopped short a few feet away from the building entrance, he could barely hear the hustle and bustle inside the building. Cloud looked sideways at Sephiroth with slight concern. "Everything okay?" He asked, right to the point. They were taught to always ask, just to check and just in case. It wasn't uncommon for SOLDIERs to suddenly burst in anger or, just like everyone else, bottle up everything until it couldn't be contained anymore. They were taught to ask, but to never pry.

Though in Cloud's case, it came naturally to him. It wasn't because he was taught to; it was because he was honestly concerned, not just for Sephiroth but for himself and others' well-being. It only hit him now that a person of Sephiroth's rank and popularity must have a lot on their shoulders, and that meant a lot more expectations, demands and stress coming from left and right. Cloud sympathized with that, though he didn't know exactly how it felt.

His mind reels back to the feel of Sephiroth's hand brushing through his hair............... He spaces out for a few seconds, reliving the sensation and as he slowly comes back to the real world, finds himself staring at Sephiroth's long, silver, locks. Instinct and pure curiousness takes over as his hand releases the wrist and instead start to sift through the ends of the silky threads of silver. Cloud had styled his hair before, Sephiroth's was nothing like his, or at least he thought so. Sephiroth's hair was somewhat the opposite of his strong, outer demeanor. It was like it melted in Cloud's hands, the way his long locks gathered around his palm.
______________________________

Could he feel the goosebumps he was giving her? A shiver threatened to run up her spine again but she successfully held off. The caress of his hand was comforting and gentle, yet there was a firmness to it that reminded her again and again that she was safe and would always be as long as he was around.

Seloria couldn't quite make sense of the feelings rushing through her. She wasn't one to be so confused easily. Her confusion stemmed from the fact that she so wanted to take Genesis up on his offer to stay in his "private apartment", she was an inch close to blurting out 'Yes!'

"....I'll take a look..." Hesitation was apparent in her voice, her subconsciousness was telling her that if given the chance, she may not step out of his private quarters again. But she promised herself that she would only take a look, she was genuinely curious how a 1st class SOLDIER lived and how this particular one went around his life.

When she finally broke her gaze from him out of unusual shyness, she focused on the Banora Whites still rolling around. She picked them up; hand, apple, bag. The process of it calming her. Once all was in place she picked the bag up and could finally muster enough sense to smile at him, her usual, toothy smile. She felt the elevator come to a stop, still having no idea what floor they were in. "Whatever you had planned today, seems yummy!" She nudged the bag a little, "and if its yummy I'm always down to help!"

At the back of her mind, she asked herself. 'Does yummy equal to the Banora Whites? Or the man standing in front of her?' The secret thought tugged on the edges of her lips.

redletalis · Sep 6, 2017

People usually reacted to such a happening by fleeing. Sephiroth had heard all the excuses – from sick grandmothers to goldfishes that needed to be taken for a walk – so he automatically expected something similar from Cloud. Because that was just what people did when he was angry, it was an ingrained response in both him and in everyone else.

So when Cloud didn’t run it took a moment or two before the general actually realised that the blond had stayed.

He looked down on his wrist. Cloud’s hand was resting there, relaxed and calm and without a hint of worry. It was as if the younger man had forgotten just how dangerous Sephiroth could be, as if he wasn’t even worried about being within an arm’s reach of the silver-haired man. And then he went and surprised Sephiroth even more by touching his hair. The touch was completely different from what fans usually did, there was no pulling in hopes of gaining a few silver strands, there was no attempt to change his hair into a different style, no questions about whether or not he used an entire bottle of shampoo every time he washed his hair. It was just a gentle touch.

But it seemed like so much more.

Sephiroth had stopped walking and found himself more than content simply to stand there and let Cloud have his way. It was as if Cloud’s fingers were magical, dragging all worries and concerns from Sephiroth’s brain and out through his hair until they simply fell off at the end and disappeared. Little by little Sephiroth relaxed where he stood, and his grip on the Masamune’s sheath loosened.

What was it that the blond had asked? If everything was alright?

“I am beginning to think that it will be.” He admitted quietly, lifting one hand to gently touch Cloud’s own hair. “If you will have patience with me, I really do think it just might be alright. In the end.”

---------------------------

"I had planned to make a pie for a friend. He has been quite stressed lately." Genesis replied. The reminder of Sephiroth's troubles was an unwelcome one. No matter how much he was willing to do for his friend, he was slowly finding that giving up precious time with his touchstone was very much not one of those things. Even the thought of Seloria making something for someone else was enough to make him want to stab the person. Even if that person was Sephiroth.

"I don't wish to let him eat anything made by you. I want to be the only one to eat anything you make." He wanted to crowd her up agains the door but the elevator slid to a stop and finally the doors opened on Gensis's floor. Instead of crowding Seloria against the door, he urged her to exit to elevator. He felt no need to check the floor for enemies, knowing that there were only four people of any danger up here, himself being one of them. Angeal and Zack were probably busy training, and Sephiroth was either doing paperwork or blowing off some steam. They were alone up here from what Genesis could hear.

He led the way to his door, marked only by a simple '02' and nothing else. It was short work to unlock the door and open it, allowing her into what he usually considered his sanctuary. He stepped back to let her enter first. "Please, go ahead.”

His apartment was quite large, larger than what the average SOLDIER got and far larger than what touchstones had, but it was mostly bare. There was a kitchen in the corner, a couch in front of the large windows, a coffee table full of paperwork, and at the far end there was a large bed. There was one low shelf along one wall stuffed with books, and a single door that led to the bathroom. Other than that the space was bare and the ceiling was high.

“Pardon the lack of, well, everything.” Genesis muttered as he dropped the bag in his arms on the kitchen counter, feeling ridiculous that he needed to apologise for the bareness of his apartment.

AccioProphecy · Sep 8, 2017

Cloud held back another shiver at Sephiroth's touch. Such gentleness from such a strong man astonished him. He watched curiously and mulled silently for a few seconds over Sephiroth's words. "...It will be alright... if we work together." He reassured the taller man, picking his head up to look back into his eyes.

Cloud's other hand still played with Sephiroth's hair, but that hand dropped towards Sephiroth's hand, the one gripping the masamune. He definitely had had a rough day, Cloud could guess. "There's no need for this today..." He was referring to his weapon, his other free hand slowly travelling upwards towards the general's face.

"Don't you think..." Cloud's hand touched Sephiroth's collarbone, something inside him was stirring, he could feel a tiny spur, as if the mako injected in him was reacting. "...that you would rather spend your time..." Cloud fingers moved upward from the collarbone, grazed Sephiroth's neck and rested on his jaw, half cupping his face. "...helping me make things alright?"

Cloud's voice came out as a whisper, his previous worry about people seeing them like this melted away. Surely this was alright? Surely people understood a touchstone bond? It was as if it was only the two of them right now in Cloud's world. Anything else and everything else was irrelevant. It was strange how he could find nothing wrong with the man in front of him.
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Seloria suddenly wished she had learned how to make sweets and pies of the sorts, but that wasn't her thing. She only ever helped in the kitchen, and by that, she meant that she helped devour the food. "I don't wish to let him eat anything made by you. I want to be the only one to eat anything you make." Seloria had watched his expression change from intrigued to stoic.

She had this kind of effect on her SOLDIER, she understood now. She stared at him in wonder for a few seconds before she realized that she was being beckoned out of the elevator already. She tore her gaze away from him and followed silently behind. She was still trying to grasp the whole situation...The feeling was nice, yet strange. It had been a while since... she felt that someone relied on or cared about her existence.

Sel took note of the 02 on the door, and was surprised to see the largeness of his personal space. That, and how minimalistic it was. It was simple and not cluttered at all. Her room was hardly the tidiest one, he seemed a lot tidier than she was. But oh, the best part of it was his bed. His large bed, whereas she had a single one. She wasn't complaining about her room, it was good enough, but his was definitely leagues more comfortable.

She pried her eyes away from the bed, lest she would get beckoned by it and just fall asleep the moment her body hit that mattress. She wasn't sure what he was apologizing for, but followed suit and placed the only grocery bag she had next to his. "No. I like it, thank you." She replied. The large window caught her eye, it was a nice view, and she wondered if making herself at home on the couch was too much.

redletalis · Sep 11, 2017

He almost let go completely of the Masamune when Cloud’s hand touched his. Only the fear that the young blond wouldn’t be able to hold the heavy sword at all hindered him. But the rage was bleeding out of him completely, the mako was quieting and all of Spehiroth’s considerable focus honed in on Cloud.

The hand gently cupping his face was so light and careful that it felt alright. He didn’t feel forced to accept the touch just to save his image, but he accepted it because he wanted to. And even if Cloud barely had any mako in his system, his blue eyes were still glowing. Not a lot and to a normal human it wouldn’t be noticeable, but to Sephiroth it was painfully obvious. He knew that he would be able to pick out Cloud’s eyes in a room full of blue-eyed blonds, and it had nothing to do with the odd hairstyle.

“You-” Sephiroth cut off as his cell phone rang. He let it ring, ignoring it as much as he could, hoping that the hint would be taken and that the caller would stop. Sephiroth just wanted to spend some more time with Cloud, in this odd bubble that was their private world and where nothing else existed. But whoever it was they were incredibly persistent, and in the end the silver-haired general was the one giving in.

“Excuse me.” He muttered as he pulled the device out from an inner pocket of his coat and flipped it open. His stance was painfully straight once more and his voice was more biting than before when he answered. “Yes?”

“I’m sorry for disturbing you,” Tseng spoke up from the other side, “but a situation has arisen. We’ve called in Genesis and Angeal as well.”

“If you have called in them, then you hardly need me.” Sephiroth’s voice was clipped.

“I know you are bonding with your touchstone, general, but this needs all three of you.” Tseng’s voice was apologetic in a rare show of emotion. “We have reports of the Bane of Gaia.”

Sephiroth stopped short and then sighed heavily. His eyes landed on Cloud and worry shot through him. “You are certain?”

“Yes. It has been spotted just outside Midgard. We have to leave as soon as possible.” For a moment Tseng hesitated before he added, “You should bring your touchstone with you. They ought to get used to this sort of life and this sort of danger. And you will probably need them afterwards to calm down.”

“I doubt I would be able to bear leaving them behind.” Sephiroth replied, feeling slightly defeated as he snapped the phone shut and focused wholly on Cloud. The poor blond had no idea what he was getting into at all.

---------------------------

Army diligence and training kicked in and Genesis couldn’t make himself just leave the bags of produce on the counter. He had to put everything away neatly before he could finally relax. The apples went into a big bowl for later – or whenever he got around to it – and the other ingredients went into the cupboards or the fridge. The bags were thrown away in the thrash underneath the sink, and only then did he turn back to her.

Seloria. His touchstone.

Who would have expected him to find his touchstone like this? Just a random meeting in an elevator that pulled the rug out from under him and changed his entire world view. She was nothing truly special, not when compared to the women that sometimes threw themselves at him, but as he watched her stand there in his apartment, looking around in her issued clothing, Genesis could only come to one conclusion.

Genesis removed his rapier and placed it in the rack hanging on the wall, making sure that it wouldn’t fall off. Then he removed his long red coat and his gloves, and placed it all on the hooks next to the door. The gloves landed on the kitchen counter, and the door to the apartment was finally closed. For a moment he had no idea what to do, but then he approached her.

He stopped in front of her, and simply stood there staring at her for a few more moments before he spoke.

“You are… beautiful.” He said. “Far more beautiful than anything I have ever seen before. I must be truly favoured by the Goddess for her to bless me with you.”

His phone rang and completely ruined the mood. Genesis pulled it out and glared at it, contemplating whether or not he should just throw it against the wall and be done with its wailing.

AccioProphecy · Sep 12, 2017

Cloud hid a slight grin at Sephiroth's apparent frustration. He didn't find it funny although it was mildly amusing how he seemed to want to destroy the world just because of his phone ringing. He stepped back and away from the general to give him some space, lest he distract him from the conversation that was obviously important, seeing as the person on the other line didn't give up so easily.

“If you have called in them, then you hardly need me.” Clearly the silver-haired man wanted no part of it. The blonde just patiently waited but to his surprise Sephiroth seemed to succumbed to the information relayed to him. Yet again he was silent as Sephiroth ended the call with a remark on how he wouldn't be able to bear leaving them, or someone, behind. Cloud had no clue at all.

The taller man's gaze was piercing, but not painfully so. "Is--" Cloud stopped himself. What was he going to say now? "Is everything okay?" "Is everything alright?" He couldn't even count anymore how many times he had said that today, he should've known by now that not "everything" was okay and he wasn't sure if it would be with his SOLDIER.

"Are you needed somewhere?" He instead asked, opting to rub the back of his neck with slight sheepishness. He suddenly felt shy, with his gaze on him like that and the moment being ruined so abruptly. His peripheral vision caught sight of red hair. It was striking because not a lot of people had that hue covering their head. A safe distance away from them, near the Shinra building was a young man Cloud didn't recognize. He had blazing red hair, and the man standing beside him was tall, with a very shiny head.

Reno stood still at his place and mumbled under his breath to Rude, "We shouldn't approach. Why are we sent to fetch him?" Rude stood as still as his partner. "...They like giving us suicide missions." the bald man answered simply. "We aren't going a step further, he looks just about ready to kill everyone." Reno remarked, to which Rude answered. "Wait for him here."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seloria was still staring out the window when Genesis started fixing his groceries. The rustle of the bags was actually a welcome sound, for it was becoming too silent for Seloria to stand. By that time the sky was already dark, and you could see the vast lights spread across the city. From up here everything seemed like ants. The slight flicker of the lights calmed her.

As Genesis stepped in front of her, the view of the window was blocked and she was forced to look up at his face. She instantly realized that he had taken off articles of his clothing and looked infinitely more relaxed without everything covering him and restricting his movements. Seloria liked the way the fabric of his clothes clung to him, though she wouldn't say that out loud.

“You are… beautiful.” She blinked at his statement. Once, twice and a third time before it sank in that he was praising her for no reason at all. Either he genuinely meant it or he was a sweet-talker. Seloria wasn't sure herself but if she had to guess, he had probably meant it genuinely. The touchstone bond was a weird one, it made other people look at her ordinary self in an extraordinary way.

"Th-thanks!" Her attempt to sound enthusiastic got killed by her sudden bashfulness. She wasn't used to the attention at all, but something told her that she wouldn't be out of his sight for a while. The phone started ringing then, and it rang for a long while before Seloria urged the man to answer. "It might be really important, you should get it. I'll wait." She smiled reassuringly and finally made the choice to sit at the couch in front of the large window. Truth be told, she really was starting to feel tired, it had been a long day, and meeting her SOLDIER took things to a whole new level.

redletalis · Sep 14, 2017

Reno and Rude weren’t as subtle as they thought they were. Or maybe they simply weren’t trying because Sephiroth knew they were coming a long ways off, their footsteps easy to detect with his enhanced hearing. He had hoped that they were simply a couple of Shinra grunts that would pass by and leave them alone, but with Tseng’s phone call he hadn’t been surprised when they simply stopped off to the side and waited.

“Something has come up. The Bane of Gaia has been seen outside the city. It is a giant worm that digs its way through the earth. We’ve been trying to get rid of it for years now before it can ruin everything.” Sephiroth tightened his grip on the Masamune. “The fights are… difficult. We always have trouble to calm down afterwards.”

He hated admitting that, hated that he lost control of himself like that, but it was the truth. The three of them – Sephiroth, Genesis and Angeal – were always pushed to the outmost whenever they went after the Bane of Gaia. That sent the mako in them rushing, rumbling and refusing to calm down after the battle was done and the worm chased away. There was no way to calm down from that; the mako was always too powerful. The only thing that worked was fighting each other until they collapsed in exhaustion. Angeal had a theory about sex being equally as good to calm them down, but none of them had tested it. None of them had significant others and they were far too paranoid to just pick someone up off the street. So fighting it was even if it left a bad taste in their mouths and left them beyond exhausted. Half the canyons out there in the badlands were caused by the three of them fighting each other, the other half by the Bane of Gaia itself.

Glowing, mako-green eyes flickered over Cloud’s face.

“Would you mind accompanying us? I’m hoping that your presence will help us – especially help me – to come down from the battle high quicker. You will stay at a safe distance until after the battle, of course.” He added just in case. There was no way he was going to let Cloud near the Bane of Gaia.

Hopefully the blond would agree to come. Sephiroth didn’t want to spend hours fighting Angeal and Genesis. And, well, he kind of felt a small wish to show off a bit for Cloud. Just a little bit.

-----------------------------

Genesis resisted for a moment more, glaring at the tiny screen on the front panel of the phone as it continued to light up and display the name and number of the person calling him. Oh, how he wished that he could simply throw the damn thing away and ignore it! In the end, though, he gave in with a heavy sigh.

“What is it, Tseng?”

The leader of the Turks sighed on the other side, mumbling about SOLDIERs and touchstones. Then he gave Genesis the same talk that he had given to Sephiroth barely a moment earlier. Genesis’s lips pressed together into a tight line and he headed towards the hooks where he had hung his coat and where his rapier was placed in its special place.

“You’re absolutely certain about this?” he demanded as he pulled the coat down.

“Of course. Cissnei will lead you to the helipad.” Tseng wisely cut off before he could be chewed out by an irritated First Class SOLDIER, and the line on the phone went dead.

Genesis grumbled darkly as he snapped the phone shut and put it back into its pocket. Then he pulled the coat back on, grumbling about how he had just recently removed it damn it. Next he pulled his gloves on and then he grabbed his rapier off its rack and fastened it on his belt. Once that was done he finally turned to look at Seloria.

She looked so perfectly at home where she sat on his couch. She seemed to just fit in his life and in his space. Far more than Angeal or Sephiroth, or even the furniture itself. It ought to have been odd to have someone so new and unknown walking around his apartment, but instead it was just comforting. The conundrum was almost enough to give him a headache.

Genesis sighed again. “I apologise, my goddess, but I have to leave. An old enemy’s outside the gates and we have to deal with them. You are welcome to join us, I will most likely need your help afterwards. Fighting that creature always leaves me in a violent mindset. I understand if you don’t want to be near me when I’m like that though, don’t feel pressured to come with me just because you are my touchstone.”

AccioProphecy · Sep 15, 2017

Cloud could hear the words coming out from the generals mouth but he wasn't sure if he was hearing things right. Perhaps he should have expected it, being asked to accompany his SOLDIER this early on. But he had somewhat of what he could call a sense of responsibility towards Sephiroth and also a desire to help him.

He wanted to be the one to help him and deep down he could already feel himself taking pride in it. But could he really do it? What was there to do in the first place? He knew the procedures in theory, but not in application.

There was no hesitation in his voice when he answered "I'll go." With a nod and an offer to fight with him at the tip of his tongue, but he thought otherwise. If three generals had trouble with the Bane of Gaia he doubted he could do much to help. He wondered if he could ask for a weapon, just for self defense, and just in case, but held off on the question as well. Sephiroth seemed set on the idea not to let him anywhere near the danger zone... though things could still happen sometimes.

"Ready when you are." Cloud said with a slight grin on his face, he noted that the two men were still standing a few feet from them, but one of them, the red head, signalled at them in a sort of, weird, forced manner, as if pointing yet half waving. "This way to the helipad." Was what Reno wanted to convey but kept on thinking that he didn't want the general to think that they were trying to rush them.

--------------------------

She dared to think that the disappointment she felt when he said that he had to go was heavier than that of when she was told she couldn't make it into SOLDIER. That knocked her straight awake because she had to stop and think for a while if she was really feeling that way. She stood from the couch and turned away from the view, facing him. Seeing him back in his full gear allowed worry to creep up on her slowly. It must have been serious, he had looked just about ready to relax a few seconds ago.

It wasn't pressure she felt but curiosity to what it was they were supposed to face, or what he was supposed to face. She still had the gun on her and she would keep it that way unless told to get rid of it. He didn't seem like he minded it. She walked on over towards and past him over to the door leading out, she turned back to him and said "Let's go!" Although tired, she was ready for an adventure, she hadn't been out in a while, though maybe she was underestimating the severity of things. Somehow though, she didn't feel very threatened with him around.

Cissnei had been waiting on their floor, just by the elevator doors. Just like Reno and Rude, she wouldn't dare interrupt them. Tseng was lucky that he had to deliver the news through a phone, otherwise there would be two pissed SOLDIERs in front of him.

redletalis · Sep 26, 2017

“The Bane of Gaia is the best kept secret of Shinra.” Sephiroth said as they followed Reno and Rude. “It’s a giant worm the likes of which I have never seen before. As far as the scientists can figure it’s some sort of very mutated, very old Heg. It is enormous and dangerous. It lays dormant for years on end before something suddenly wakes it up. The worst thing is that it eats the earth. There isn’t enough meat on Gaia to keep it going, so it has started to eat Gaia itself. We fear that some parts of the earth’s crust will collapse soon if it keeps going.”

Usually they would have taken the helicopter from the pad at the top of the Shrinra building. It was closest to the three generals’ quarters. But this time, Reno and Rude led them towards the helipad closest to the recruit barracks instead. A chopper was already waiting for them, with a Turk in the driving seat and Angeal holding the door open for them. Sephiroth urged Cloud inside first before entering himself. Reno and Rude got in too – Reno in the front as a second pilot, and Rude shut the door tight after himself.

“No puppy?” Sephiroth asked as he carefully kept watch on Cloud from the corner of his eye to make sure that the little blond had put on the provided seatbelt.

“Not for this.” Angeal shook his head. “Zack isn’t ready. Besides, I think he had a date. A girl from under the Plate. Let him be a happy puppy for a while yet. Now, who’s this young man?” Angeal smiled at Cloud.

“Cloud Strife. My touchstone.” There was definitely a note of pride in Sephiroth’s voice when he said that. He couldn’t keep it under control, not with the way warmth and a delightful prickly feeling was spreading from his heart and rushing down his spine.

Angeal’s smile became wider and more honest. “Congratulations to you both, and I’m sorry that you were dragged out to something like this right away, Mr Strife. I’m Angeal Hewley.” He offered a hand for a shake.

-------------------------------------------

“Hang on.” Cissnei said once they were all inside. She pulled out her Turk identification card, swiped it in a groove next to the buttons, and pressed certain buttons. Returning the card in its holder, she took a deep breath and just barely managed to avoid yelping when the elevator shuddered and then jerked into motion.

The elevator ride to the top of the Shinra building went faster than ever before. It was possible to feel the G-forces pulling at one’s bones. Cissnei held on tightly to the handhold all around the elevator cabin, closing her eyes and pressing her lips together tightly. She hated this part. Especially when Genesis stood next to her and didn’t seem to notice the pull of the world at all. His eyes were carefully trained on Seloria.

At the top Cissnei took a deep, grateful breath of fresh air as she urged Genesis and Seloria towards the waiting chopper. Tseng was in this helicopter and he and Cissnei were in the front, flying the machine. As soon as everyone was inside and the door closed, the chopped’s blades started rotating. Quicker and quicker until they could lift the machine, and Tseng pointed them in the right direction.

“Sephiroth and Angeal are in the other chopper.” Cissnei’s voice came over the headsets. “You can see them to our left. ETA should be in five minutes, so don’t get too comfortable back there.”

She really felt that the warning was necessary. Because one never knew what newly bonded SOLDIERs who were going into deadly situations with their touchstones might come up with. Several times SOLDIERs and their poor touchstones had been caught in the middle of very private acts when they arrived at their destination faster than their orgasms arrived. It was awkward as all hell, and Cissnei didn’t want to be horrified. Again. She still had to get revenge on Reno and Rude for making her open that door. Bastards.

Genesis rolled his eyes and instead focused on Seloria. “Are you certain that you want to do this? I will not think any less of you if you decide to want to go back.”

Fandom One-Winged Angel (AccioProphecy x redletalis)

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