#and sephiroth is here too i guess

[computerram]

learned vincents backstory tonight

[gomacave]

clinging to corpses

[calamitysshatteredson]

(ง'̀-'́)ง!!!

The idea of "normalcy" was always a foreign one. Had to be, for any number of reasons, but increasingly over time the idea was a joke at best. Unrealistic. Undefinable. A word without meaning.

Seeing someone for the first time in a while was often likely to be a joyous event, wasn't it? Depending. Someone who you had no particular ill will toward, at least. Seeing that someone for the first time in a while with their fist raised and looking very much like they intended to use it immediately was another thing.

Survival instinct was reasonably good. Surprisingly, for the most part, but that didn't mean reflexes were up to par. Sephiroth's hand came up before the fist could make any decent effort to come toward him, stepping forward and then--

The rest was a jumble. Unclear. He didn't have the muscle strength he used to, but it was relatively easy to unbalance a structure of tall, lithe muscle that was already shifting, hauling back to hit, and the combined effort and likely momentary panic on both of their parts sent them both tumbling to the floor in a pile of tangled limbs and confusion.

Well. He supposed he'd more or less gotten used to... whatever passed for "normalcy" in his life. As much as one could when the definition was impossible to pin down.

[perfectlysanexd]

I haven't done one of these kind of posts in a while, but the expressions in Rebirth were top notch, and I wanted to talk a bit about and analyze Sephiroth's different smiles, both pre and post Nibelheim.

Nibelheim itself is difficult to gauge, because SOLDIER Cloud is actually Zack, and furthermore, some of it is definitely his own wishful thinking. But one thing you can say for sure, is that they portray that Sephiroth, despite being so emotionally weary, still summons up the energy to smile at his friend.

As soon as he turns away from Zack, his smile falls, and he doesn't give one to the Mayor at all.

However, when he turns back to inform the men that they're free until sundown, he summons up another smile for them. I don't think that he's just attempting to keep their morale up, he genuinely has affection for Zack, and cares for the others. He respects them for their service, putting their lives on the line for what they think is a good cause, and Sephiroth—as we saw in Ever Crisis—learned to be a compassionate person, who cares about the lives of others, even enemies.

Of course, he's deeply distressed during this time, the despair is eating him alive. Even Cloud acknowledges(despite having not known Sephiroth on a personal level) that he just wasn't himself once they arrived. But I'm not going to talk about my theories on all the Jenova stuff right now, that's not the focus here. Even at the window, you can tell he's feeling off, but when he turns to Zack, he attempts to smile again.

Sephiroth has never enjoyed his fame, and as we learned in Ever Crisis, he didn't choose it; Shinra made up bogus achievements and declared him to be a hero before even his first field assignment, as part of their recruitment campaign. Can't argue with results, I guess—it certainly got Cloud to join up out of hero worship, right? In EC, Sephiroth admits that all he ever wanted was to be normal, something that he knows he can never have. How sad...

So when this man wants to take his picture, it's no wonder that he's over it by then, and tells him no. And rather politely, too, all things considered. But even before that, he smiles and tells Zack that as long as he does his job, their young tourguide will be safe.

But as soon as he turns his back and walks away? Yeah, that smile immediately fades.

Which certainly doesn't change when the guy takes his picture. But of course, when Zack asks Sephiroth to pose for one, he just can't say no, even though he's not super happy about it. Anyway, he continues to smile at Zack for the duration of their journey up Mt. Nibel, making an effort to talk and even cracking a couple jokes, just trying to be a good leader and keep them in good spirits.

And of course, there's the very sad bridge part, where you can tell that he's genuinely upset that he failed to save the other infantryman that got washed away. He searches for him, but comes up empty-handed. Still, he smiles for Zack and teases him about a performance assessment, since their morale is quite low now, but they need to keep going.

Honestly, the Nibelheim part of Rebirth really did an excellent job of portraying Sephiroth's inner struggle. For reference, there are only 3 points in Remake, I think, when Sephiroth drops his ever-present, sometimes affectionate(towards Cloud) and often unhinged, smile: First, it's replaced with sheer rage as he kills President Shinra.

Second time, is when Aerith has a Cetra moment and suggests that his entire existence is "wrong".

And the third time is when he holds out his hand to Cloud at the Edge of Creation, and is rejected by him.

Anyway, back to Rebirth. Ignoring the bizarre smiles he showed us as Nibelheim was burning, as if he was in a trance and just not all there(that's a subject for a different chat), post-Nibelheim Sephiroth's smiles are interesting, too, if we consider what kind they are, depending on who he's dealing with.

For people he hates, like Tseng, it's much more unhinged looking, and very cold. You can tell there's a certain measure of satisfaction from shanking him, haha...

For someone like Aerith, who...I wouldn't exactly say that he hates her, but she's definitely in the way. I would almost say that he considers her to be actively preventing Cloud from recovering his true memories, leading him to remain as merely Sephiroth's "puppet", but that's a theory for another day. He looks at her coldly, as well, but it's a bit different. There's a bit more respect there than there was for Tseng.

And then there's Zack. Actual Zack. I feel like, deep down, he still cares about him, and has no intention of killing him. I almost sense a little...regret? Maybe? Hm. It's definitely a bit warmer of a smile. And of course, although he had many opportunities to get rid of Zack, he doesn't. Instead, he sends him off into the space between worlds safely.

And of course, last but certainly not least, is the way he smiles at Cloud. I know, I know. "But Sane, you like sefikura, so you're biased!" Look, I won't deny that. However, when you really look at it and compare his smiles, which is what this is all about, his truest smiles are always saved for Cloud. He has 2 different "flavors": pure affection and cruel affection. (There are also a few pity smiles, I think.) The former is used most of the time, whenever Cloud is in his sight, and the latter is used during moments when he's trying to control/influence him. I would almost say that he's...satisfied, yet regretful at the same time?? Like these:

And now, let's contrast that with his more genuine, affectionate smiles for Cloud... (The first shot here ⬇ can be contrasted with the shot 2 up from the bottom there ⬆, as the one above is when he's calling Cloud his puppet, and the one below is when Cloud goes to attack him and he opens his arms wider for the incoming uh...embrace.)

Remake had many interesting smiles from him, too, but that will have to be a different post, as this already has 30 screenshots. Anywho, you're free to draw your own conclusions, and not everyone reads faces in the same way, so maybe I'm nuts. Who knows? Either way, I hope you enjoyed this random, indulgent, very long post, haha. If you made it to the end, you're awesome. 💕

All screenshots were taken by me on my PS5. I won't ask for credit on them, since literally anyone can take an identical shot if they pause at the right second. (The exception are the 3 Remake shots, which were taken on PC with mods and the freecam. For those, I would appreciate credit if you use them anywhere, since I don't watermark them.)

[altocat]

FIRST SOLDIER EPISODE 2 CHAPTER 2

Ready for tonight's recap? I gotcha covered! I'm VERY excited to see where the plot goes from here! Let's goooo!

So when we last left off, Seph, Angeal, and cameraman Bachman were in some Wutai ruins (Robio), where they met the mysterious swordsman Masamune and the even MORE mysterious Alissa Goldie. Miniroth has mommy issues. Angeal can't make friends with him because he's being edgy. Bachman wants a paycheck. Let's see how this unfolds...

We open on the gang in their camp. There's some other allied soldiers there as well. Guess everyone regrouped. Alissa (SUS) immediately wants to continue her investigation into Robio. Bachman remarks that Alissa seems to have immediately won Sephiroth over...WONDER WHY 💀

Sephiroth is trying out replacements for his damaged sword. Alissa approaches him and Sephiroth is rather nonchalant about having standard Shinra-issued swords. He just...had a feeling about Masamune though.

Alissa keeps praising Sephiroth as a legend and a hero. She's acting all upbeat about everything. It's coming off as genuinely unsettling. She keeps fawning over him.

The group catches eye of a PURPLE SUS orb and Angeal and Seph handle a monster. Alissa can't help because her arm is supposedly hurt. She says that Angeal must have a sixth sense for sensing fiends. EXCEPT NOT THE ONE THAT'S CLEARLY RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM.

Angeal and Seph are alone. Angeal asks why Sephiroth is acting differently around Alissa. Sephiroth is silent. When Angeal presses more, Sephiroth claims he's trying out the allies thing. Sorta. They take out another monster together as a team.

Bachman praises their efforts. Angeal still insists that he and Seph will come together in time. He's being his usual friendly self, but Seph STILL blows him off and walks off, noticeably when Bachman attempts to film him.

Bachman says that Alissa is more of an "Angeal type" because of her friendliness. He says that Sephiroth just ignores everyone and is solely focused on becoming a killing machine (OUCH).

Alissa gets attacked by another monster and Sephiroth protectively rushes over to help. I SEE WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THIS SQUARE ASDFGHGFDS

Bachman asks Alissa if she thinks a soldier should be a lone wolf like Seph or more friendly like Angeal. Alissa just shrugs. She says that she's here to provide support.

We finally set out again to investigate Robio. Entering the Igara Forbidden Zone. Angeal wants to take a break but Seph insists he doesn't need one. He takes the lead, albeit at a slower pace when he sees Alissa struggling.

They come across a weird rock formation. Powerful fire magic was used in the area. Alissa talks about how two thousand years ago, the Ancients arrived and named this area Igara. SUS SUS SUS. Igara was a paradise until a fearsome beast invaded the region. VERY SUSSSSSSSS. The land got scorched because a bunch of heroes showed up to defeat the foe, using fire magic to destroy it. Supposedly.

The survivors of the fire were the ones who went on to form the country of Wutai! Really cool lore shit!!!!

The group comes across a spooky trail with a LOT of fog. Alissa claims to have left markers on the ground. Sephiroth clears the fog with his sword.

Alissa asks Angeal about the sword on his back. Oh boy here we go...Angeal says it's his good luck charm but doesn't elaborate. Alissa tells Seph that HE needs an impressive sword too! After all, he's a hero! He needs something exceptional! Sephiroth remembers the Masamune and shows interest in claiming it for himself.

There's a bunch of weird purple shit on the ground. More fog too. Really digging the spooky background music. Sets the mood.

Sephiroth asks Alissa if she's an active model soldier. Alissa says that yes, she's modified with special cells! Bachman says that the cells were grown from something they scraped off a meteorite. Alissa says that's only a stupid rumor. Jenova bullet dodged for Seph.

We fight some weird owl-looking monsters native to the area. They've finally entered Robio in full. They start up the investigation. More lore dump time!

500 years ago, after the warriors killed the beast, Robio was a ghost town until settlers came to try their luck. They were also Ancients. Their numbers were smaller by then but they tried to revive the area like the did with Igara. It became a village, Robio. Alissa wants to know why someplace that was revived died again. They're going to inspect the ruins of the major buildings.

Big stones in the road. The people of Wutai placed them around Igara as a sort of barrier...to keep something from getting OUT.

PURPLE LIGHTS SUDDENLY! We see the ghosts of villagers. Illusions of the past. They disappear quickly. The group has no idea what to think about it. They just have to keep exploring.

Burn marks cover the whole village. Angeal wonders if something erupted nearby. More bright purple flashes. Most ghosts and ghost-flames. They see the figure of Masamune cutting villagers down! Sephiroth doesn't know why they sealed this place away. Are they trying to conceal an uncomfortable truth by erasing the past? He says he'd never let that happen to him (irony).

Bachman's camera has footage of the ghosts, where they see Masamune. They have to unravel this mystery.

A statue now. But they can't see what it is. Sephiroth remarks that there has to be an incredible power lurking here. More ghosts. Masamune cutting more villagers down, being called a fiend. Sephiroth says that this has to be the source of the destruction. Wutai sealed this village off because it was fucked and harboring a monster. But they were fucked up in turn for abandoning the villagers to their fate.

Sephiroth doing some more projecting. "Anything different isn't human". Which includes Soldiers. He's de-humanizing himself again. Angeal privately swears that the world isn't bad, people aren't bad. Someday, he'll make Sephiroth see that.

They enter the center of Robio where the villagers would gather to share stories and celebrations. More ghosts. Masamune again. Robio's tools and weapons were the responsibility of a single smith. One day, as if possessed, he took up his hammer and dumped everything into crafting a remarkable blade. AKA the Masamune sword. The villagers started fighting to claim the sword as their own, even trying to steal it. Masamune slaughtered them as a result and set the area aflame. He slayed every villager one by one. The villagers' greed prevented them from working together to take the sword from him. And thus, they each perished individually. And started killing even each other until there was nothing left.

Angeal wonders how the hell Alissa knows all this. Suddenly Masamune jumps down right in front of them! Another fight with the old man! He's got to be at least be hundreds of years old by now. He's very clearly some sort of cursed demon or something.

Alissa tells them that she gathered all that info because the scenes just CAME to her. Like they were her own memories...

Sephiroth says that the Masamune is calling to him. It yearns to become his own. A loud bell chimes somewhere and they race over to investigate.

The sound is coming from a biiiig ruined monument. It feels like something is calling to them. Sephiroth can sense the power. He insists that the sword is meant to be in his hands. Angeal thinks he's acting strange and says that they should leave--this is getting too fucking spooky. Sephiroth is going in. He WANTS that blade "back". Angeal doesn't know what he means by "back".

Angeal manages to talk him into camping out for the night and explore the building tomorrow.

CHAPTER FINISHED! But wait! There's some extra content like last time!

Back at camp, Angeal tells Bachman to rest. Early day tomorrow. But Bachman wants to check his footage. He recaps all the lore for us. He says that Sephiroth seems to have some kinship to the people who once lived here. The sword seems to have given him a new sense of purpose.

Next segment. Oh fuck. Sephiroth is dreaming about his mother again. He's with her in a flowery field. Lucrecia (still labeled "Jenova" is being all sugary sweet and loving towards her son. Lucrecia remarks about the sun and flowers. They've been travelling together in this dream. Sephiroth can't believe it. He rarely leaves headquarters. Lucrecia tells him they go on trips together all the time! Sephiroth wants so bad to spend more time with her. Lucrecia tells him he's a hero. He DESERVES this reward. She's so proud of him. I'M GONNA CRY AGAIN. Him having her by his side gives him strength. Another hug. FUCK.

Obviously I know what they're doing here. These "dreams" are officially a Jenova/other evil entity manipulation. Or SOME sort of shit designed to fuck with Sephiroth's head. This could explain his attachment to Alissa and why he's starting to act strange. These dreams are somehow playing with his mind and grooming him to come to some sort of conclusion, maybe directly tied to him wanting Masamune so much.

Angeal segment to cap us off! So I was wrong before. The last one wasn't a flashback. These are idealized dream sequences. My apologies! Angeal is dreaming about when he left his village for Midgar. Everyone is celebrating and supporting him before sending him off. Sephiroth desired his mother. Angeal desired a happy life where he's appreciated and respected. The entire dream is everyone fawning over him. He gets his uniform and the Buster Sword. His dad gives him the dreams and honor speech. So we know on some level that his oath came from his dad! That's neat! Angeal vows to fight for his parents and for people who are struggling.

And that's it! This was a BIG chapter lore-wise!

[rottenpumpkin13]

ACGSZ (as kids) board the Polar Express. What happens?

Sephiroth:

First time outside the lab. Clutching his standard, white lab pajamas like a security blanket.

He takes a seat and keeps looking around the train with suspicion, "The physics of this locomotive are impossible. Also, why is no one concerned about a strange man collecting children at night?"

Refuses the hot chocolate at first because "Professor Hojo warned me about sugar and foreign substances." Ends up trying it out of peer pressure and immediately falls in love. His eyes widen at the first sip—it's his first taste of chocolate.

Tells the other kids he never got presents, not even for his birthday. Genesis looks horrified.

Accidentally ends up on the roof and has a philosophical conversation with the hobo about the meaning of life.

Genesis:

Bounces onto the train in festive red pajamas and a little robe, all big smiles and boundless energy. He's missing one front tooth and can't stop grinning because his mom isn't here to worry about appearances and tell him to close his mouth.

He gulped down his hot chocolate eagerly, then began theorizing how he could replicate the recipe. "I bet it has nutmeg! Angeal, do you think it has nutmeg?"

"Genesis, sit down," Angeal groans, tugging him back into his seat for the third time.

Gets into a heated debate with the conductor about the train being a metaphor for "the journey of life."

Is a walking mini dictionary/ encyclopedia combo, is eager to tell everyone all about the fun facts he knows, and tells other children stories.

Horrified to learn Sephiroth doesn't believe in Santa. Spends the rest of the ride trying to convince him and tells him all about how Christmas is magical.

Angeal:

Only here because Genesis dragged him along. Begrudgingly sits down but ends up lecturing the other kids about train safety. "Hold the rail, Genesis. Don't hang your head out the window, Zack. Cloud, are you feeling okay? You're looking pale."

Keeps pulling Genesis back into his seat, which becomes a full-time job.

Lowkey guilty about enjoying the hot chocolate because his parents don't get to try it. "They'd love this." Feels even guiltier when he accepts a second cup.

Tries to help the staff maintain order, which the conductor finds both helpful and annoying. The conductor repeatedly tells him to "take a break, kid."

Gets emotional over the broken toys in the back of the train.

Zack:

Becomes best friends with every kid on the train in under five minutes. "What's your name? That's a cool name! Wanna play a game? What's your favorite Christmas carol?"

Organizes a "Guess That Christmas Carol" competition. Ends up singing too loudly, which makes Sephiroth laugh for the first time.

"GUYS, WE'RE ON ICE! WHY ARE WE DRIFTING? THIS IS AWESOME!"

Convinces the conductor to let him touch the controls and to drive the train.

Cloud:

Cloud is the last child to board, running through the snow with his little scarf trailing behind him. He almost missed the train, but the other four pulled the emergency brake.

Shyly accepts Zack's excited ushering and sits in the corner. Gets motion sick almost immediately.

Slowly warms up to the group, tells them he doesn't receive much presents because his mother can't afford them, Sephiroth nods in solidarity and the two bond over their lukewarm feelings about Christmas.

Tries the hot chocolate but drinks it too slowly and it gets cold. Zack swaps cups with him. In fact, Zack has made it his mission to make sure Cloud has the best time ever.

At the North Pole

When Santa arrives, Sephiroth is picked to receive the first gift. Everyone else cheers, while Sephiroth looks very out of place.

Santa asks him what he wants. Sephiroth thinks of asking for his mother back but pauses. He looks at Genesis excitedly ranting about Santa, Angeal trying to stop Zack from terrorizing an elf, and Cloud shyly smiling and giving him a thumbs up.

"I… I want our paths to cross again someday," he says instead, looking at his newfound friends.

Santa smiles knowingly. "Consider it done."

None of them remember the night when they wake up. But when they meet again years later, it feels like fate.

[ajalholland]

Wingman (Sephiroth x reader)

WARNINGS: Alcohol and Swearing.

Scenario: Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis go get a few drinks to unwhine, and Sephiroth is quite smitten with (Y/n)

Sephiroth's heart raced as he caught sight of the woman across the room. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her. The way her hair was styled, the curve of her hips, the swell of her breasts beneath her shirt - it all sent a rush of unfamiliar feelings through his body.

His palms grew sweaty and his breath quickened. Sephiroth had never experienced anything like this before. As the woman turned and their eyes met, he felt a jolt of electricity shoot through him. She smiled and he quickly looked away, his cheeks flushing red. "She's so beautiful," Sephiroth thought to himself, pulse pounding in his ears.

Angeal and Genesis sat together, watching Sephiroth.

Genesis smirked, "Looks like Sephiroth's discovered a new interest."

Angeal chuckled, "Maybe our boy has finally become a man."

Sephiroth's ears burned as he overheard Angeal and Genesis' discussion. He tried to act nonchalant, but he couldn't deny the fact that he was completely captivated by the woman. "Keep your voices down," Sephiroth hissed under his breath.

Genesis snickered, leaning back in his chair, "Oh come on, Sephiroth. It's obvious you're practically drooling over her."

Genesis called out to the girl, catching her attention. "Hey, miss," he said with a smirk, "my friend over here is really digging those curves of yours."

Sephiroth's face turned beet red as Genesis shouted out across the room. The woman looked over at him, a look of curiousity on her face.

"Genesis!" Sephiroth snapped, shooting Genesis a glare.

Genesis just smirked and elbowed Sephiroth, who grumbled quietly. "He just needs to grow some balls." Genesis adds, giving (Y/n) a wink.

Sephiroth groaned in embarrassment, hiding his face in his hands. "Knock it off, Genesis," he growled. "Let me just handle this myself. Please."

Angeal was trying desperately to bite back a laugh, hiding his face in his beer mug.

(Y/n) rolled her eyes, a little peeved at the attention. "If he can't approach me himself, I'm guessing his balls are as small as his dick." she spoke sarcastically. She crossed her arms, not amused by Genesis's antics. 

Sephiroth's head whipped around to look at her again, his eyes widening. He was not expecting that kind of response, especially coming from her. Genesis and Angeal both burst out laughing. Sephiroth shot a glare at them before turning back to the woman, a look of sheepishness in his eyes.

"Ignore them," he called out, his voice slightly shaky. "Please."

(Y/n) watched the three men exchange looks and whispers, clearly discussing something. Sephiroth in particular looked like he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole. (Y/n) almost chuckled, but kept her expression neutral and stoic with a bit of annoyance, still a bit bothered.

She shifted her weight, arms still crossed, while waiting to see what the men would do.

Genesis and Angeal had quieted down, wearing grins on their faces. They were enjoying this far too much. Sephiroth, meanwhile, was practically sweating bullets. He was completely out of his element, unused to interactions like this.

He cleared his throat, trying to maintain his composure. "I apologize for my friends," he said as he moved over to (Y/n). "They can be a bit... much sometimes."

(Y/n) looked over at Genesis again briefly before returning her gaze back to Sephiroth. A slight softening in her expression as she nodded slightly, appreciating the man's apology.

"It's fine," she said dryly, "that one seems like the type to speak before thinking." She gestured at Genesis.

She then have him an apologetic smile, "And I'm sorry for saying your dick was small..."

Sephiroth felt his face heat up even more, if that was possible. He wasn't expecting to be apologized to, especially not about... that. He chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's alright," he said after a moment. "Genesis is... well, he's a character. And I get the comment was more directed at him."

Angeal and Genesis were still watching from their booth, clearly eavesdropping. A hint of amusement still danced in their eyes.

(Y/n) bit back a chuckle as she saw Sephiroth's face flush with embarrassment. Clearly, she had struck a nerve. But she also respected him for handling the situation quite well and not getting defensive or angry. "It was just a sarcastic comment," she spoke softly, hoping to reassure him, "and like you said, I was aiming it at Genesis."

Sephiroth nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"I know," he said. "It's fine, really."

There was a moment of silence between them as Sephiroth struggled to find the right words. The butterflies in his stomach seemed to multiply the closer he inched to her. Why was he so nervous? He was a First Class SOLDIER, damn it. He had defeated monsters and won battles. He could handle a woman.

Right?

Sephiroth took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. “May I buy you a drink?” he blurted out suddenly, surprising himself. 

Angeal and Genesis were both watching him intently now, clearly invested.

(Y/n) found herself smiling back, feeling her heart flutter at his nervousness. She almost couldn't believe that the Sephiroth, wanted to buy her a drink.

"Thank you, I would love a drink," she said her voice gentle and pleasant to hear.

Sephiroth couldn't help but feel a rush of relief at her acceptance. He flashed her a small, nervous smile before gesturing to the bar.

"What's your poison?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Genesis and Angeal shared a look, silently impressed with Sephiroth's progress.

(Y/n)'s eyes flickered towards Angeal and Genesis before turning back to Sephiroth. She smiled again, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. "Hmm," she thought for a moment, her head tilted to the side as she looked up at the ceiling.

"How about a lemon drop?" she suggested, tilting her head back down to look at him.

Sephiroth nodded, turning to signal the bartender who immediately started preparing the drink.

He looked at (Y/n), noting the blush on her cheeks. His own face seemed to grow warm as he realized she was blushing at him. It made his heart skip a beat.

"So," he said, trying to fill the silence, "What brings you here tonight?"

(Y/n) leaned against the bar, resting her elbow on it and her chin on her palm. Her gaze lingered on Sephiroth for a moment before a soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Just wanted to have a quiet drink and relax, really," she replied. "I could ask you the same thing," she said, a hint of playfulness in her voice.

Sephiroth's heart leapt at her banter, the hint of playfulness in her voice making him want to say something witty. But his brain seemed to be malfunctioning now that he was so close to her. He swallowed hard, trying to find the words.

"I- um..." he started, but trailed off, glancing over at Genesis and Angeal, who were still unabashedly watching the exchange. "Just.. hanging out with some friends."

(Y/n)'s smile widened, enjoying watching Sephiroth stumble over his words. She followed his gaze over to Genesis and Angeal, who were still watching them intently. She couldn't help but wonder what they thought. But she quickly turned her attention back to Sephiroth, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Ah, so am I stealing you from them?" she teased.

Sephiroth's cheeks grew a little pinker, but he maintained his composure. "They'll survive," he said, his voice gaining a bit more confidence. "They're used to being ditched."

The bartender placed (Y/n)'s drink on the counter, and Sephiroth picked it up, holding it out to her.

(Y/n) took the drink from Sephiroth with a smile and a quiet 'thank you'. She took a sip, savoring the burning sensation of the alcohol. "So, do you do this often?" she asked, setting the glass down on the bar. "Picking up girls in bars", she added with a hint of playfully sarcastic tone.

Sephiroth chuckled, a small but pleased smile playing on his lips. "No, actually," he admitted, a hint of shyness in his voice. "This is... the first time I've ever..." He hesitated, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks again. "...attempted to talk to a girl in a bar."

Genesis and Angeal were pretending to have conversations among themselves, but still listening intently.

(Y/n)'s eyebrow quirked up, her smile growing wider at his admission. "Oh really? I find that hard to believe," she said, leaning a bit closer, her voice slightly coy, her eyes fixed on his. "I'm (Y/n), by the way."

Sephiroth's heart skipped a beat as (Y/n) leaned closer, her voice sending a shiver down his spine. He was starting to feel a bit lightheaded.

"Nice to meet you," he managed to get out, smiling. "I'm Sephiroth."

He almost facepalmed himself. Of course she knew his name. Everyone knew his name. He took a sip of his beer, trying to hide his momentary lapse in common sense.

(Y/n) couldn't help but chuckle softly, her smile turning into a smirk. She took another sip of her drink, her eyes never leaving his. "Yes, I know," she said, her tone still playful. "You're kind of famous. But it's nice to formally introduce ourselves." She leaned back slightly, tilting her head to the side, studying him in a way that made his heart flutter.

Sephiroth shrugged nonchalantly, hoping to come across as cool and collected. But his heart was racing, and he could feel his palms growing sweaty."I guess I am, yeah." he said, taking another sip of beer.

He had no idea what to do with his hands. He fiddled with the glass in his hands, trying to find something to distract himself. His eyes flickered over to Genesis and Angeal, who were quietly snickering over their own drinks.

(Y/n)'s eyes followed Sephiroth's gaze to Genesis and Angeal. She raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile playing on her lips, before turning her attention back to Sephiroth. She could tell he was nervous and was finding it impossibly endearing. She leaned back against the bar, sipping her drink. "So, Sephiroth, what's their deal?" she teased, jerking her head in the direction of the other two First Class SOLDIERS.

Sephiroth's cheeks flushed once again. He was definitely being too obvious about sneaking glances at the other two SOLDIERs. He quickly looked back at (Y/n), attempting to look indifferent.

"Genesis is... well, he's a show off," he said, trying to sound nonchalant. "And Angeal is more reserved, but he's a bit of a jokester when he wants to be."

(Y/n) chuckled, her amused expression making it clear she thought Sephiroth was adorable. "I see," she said, her tone still playful. "So, let me guess... Genesis is like your wingman?"

Sephiroth chuckled, trying to play it cool, but the flush on his cheeks didn't go away. "More like a pain in my ass," he said, taking a sip of his beer. "He constantly tries to get on my nerves. But, in a way, yes. He's trying to be my wingman. Unsuccessfully, I might add."

(Y/n)'s smile widened at Sephiroth's words, finding the whole situation amusing. "Aww, poor Sephiroth," she teased, her tone teasing but laced with mock sympathy. "Your friend just wants you to have a love life like the rest of us."

Sephiroth grumbled, his face getting even warmer. "I don't need help in that area. I'm... I can handle myself just fine," he said defensively, but the pink hue of his cheeks said otherwise. The last thing he needed tonight was for (Y/n) to think he was some inexperienced shy boy who needed his friends to help him flirt.

(Y/n) bit her lip, trying to hold back a laugh, at his defensive tone. She raised an eyebrow, her expression both amused and skeptical. "Oh really?" she challenged, a hint of a smile on her lips. "Is that so? How many girls' numbers have you gotten?"

Sephiroth looked like a deer in headlights at the question. He opened his mouth to answer, but the number didn't come out. The fact of the matter was, Sephiroth had absolutely zero game when it came to women. He fumbled with his words every time he even tried to flirt. Not that he's been interested in that many girls.

"Uh..." he started, looking down at his beer glass. "None."

"None?" (Y/n) repeated, her voice dripping with surprise. She couldn't hide her amusement as she studied him. Sephiroth, the SOLDIER First Class, who was renowned for his strength and skill, was suddenly a blushing, shy mess. "I find that hard to believe," she said, it was quite shocking. "You're telling me no girl has ever given you their number?"

Sephiroth's cheeks burned again, his face feeling a bit flushed from the alcohol and the conversation. He fiddled with the beer glass, not making eye contact. "Well..." he said, hesitating for a moment. "There were... a few girls who were interested. But I..."

He paused, his words dying out in his throat. The truth was, Sephiroth hadn’t been interested back. It hadn’t been the lack of opportunities, it was the lack of interest on his part.

(Y/n) noticed the way Sephiroth's cheeks burned and how he avoided eye contact. She could tell he was struggling with what to say. She leaned in slightly, sipping her drink, her tone a little softer now. "You didn't feel the same way?" she asked, already suspecting the answer.

Sephiroth's shoulders slumped a little, his eyes still fixed on the now half empty glass. He took a deep breath, preparing himself to admit the truth. "Yeah," he mumbled, scratching the side of his face. "I guess I just... didn't feel the same way." He chanced a look at (Y/n), feeling his heart beat a little faster when their eyes met. She was beautiful, there was no denying it.

(Y/n)'s gaze softened as she listened to Sephiroth. She could see the mixture of embarrassment and vulnerability in his expression. It was endearing to see this confident SOLDIER First Class, suddenly so unsure.

When their eyes met, (Y/n)'s breath caught in her throat momentarily. His cyan gaze made her heart skip a beat, and she found herself feeling a strange sense of warmth. "And... what about me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, a hint of shyness in her tone.

Sephiroth's heart skipped a beat, his breath hitching in his throat. He could feel the heat in his cheeks getting stronger as she posed that question.

His hands fidgeted with the beer glass, his palms were sweaty. But his eyes never left hers. "You're..." he started, his voice slightly rough. "You're different."

(Y/n)'s heart fluttered at Sephiroth's response, the heat in her own cheeks rising to match his. She felt a rush of nerves mixed with an odd sense of relief. "Different, huh?" she said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Care to elaborate on that?" She raised an eyebrow, sipping her drink, her eyes never leaving his.

Sephiroth's mind fumbled for an explanation, trying to find the right words to convey how she made him feel.

All he could conjure was a quiet, "There's something about you... that... captivates me." but the words sounded too simple. They didn't even begin to describe how she made him feel. He swallowed, his eyes flickering between her eyes and her lips before he looked away, his cheeks burning hotter.

(Y/n)'s heart leaped at Sephiroth's words, his honest and raw expression filled her with an unfamiliar warmth. She noticed the way his eyes darted from her eyes down to her lips and back up, and a shiver ran through her body. She took a deep breath, her voice slightly shaky. "Does that mean I can have your number?" she asked, her own eyes dropping down to his lips for a brief moment, unable to keep her gaze from wandering. Damn he had pretty lips.

Sephiroth almost dropped his glass at the question. She actually wanted his number? Was this really happening? He swallowed, his heart pounding against his chest like a war drum. He fumbled for his phone. "Y-yeah," he stuttered, almost shoving the phone into her hands. "Here."

(Y/n) took Sephiroth's phone, her fingers brushed against his for a moment, sending an electric current rippling through her. She could hardly believe this was happening. She had teased him, expecting him to give some witty, arrogant comment, or at least attempt to flirt... but instead, he was blushing like a school boy, and his hand was shaking when he handed her the phone.

She couldn't help but find it impossibly endearing - and she loved it.

Sephiroth's heart raced as she took his phone, the brief touch of their fingers sending a jolt of electricity through his body. The way her fingers brushed against his made him dizzy.

He tried to maintain his composure, he really did, but (Y/n)'s gaze was making his heart pound like a drum. The way she was looking at him, her eyes studying him, her words and her touch, it was too much. He swallowed, his throat suddenly going dry as she typed in her number.

(Y/n)'s hands trembled slightly as she typed in her number, trying not to seem too eager. But her pulse was racing, and she couldn't stop herself from sneaking looks at Sephiroth's face. She wanted to say something casual and cool, to play it off like it was no big deal, but her mind was scrambled. She couldn't think straight with his cyan gaze on her. So she settled for the simple and direct approach. "There," she said, handing him back his phone. "Now you've got my number. Remember to give me a cute contact name."

Sephiroth's heart leaped as she handed the phone back to him, his eyes flickering down to the screen to confirm that the number was indeed there, real. He swallowed, the weight of the moment settling heavily on his shoulders. She had given him her number. He looked back up at her, and her words sunk in. He blinked, his mind racing. What kind of cute name could he give her?

Sephiroth's eyes focused on the screen of his phone, scrolling through various options. (Y/n), Cutie, Gorgeous, Beautiful... None of those seemed suitable. He wanted something that would impress her, something that would highlight their connection.

His eyes flickered back up to her face. She was looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to give her a cute contact name.

In his head, he repeated her words. Something cute, something cute.

His eyes widened in realization. He knew the perfect name.

A small, satisfied smile tugged at the corners of Sephiroth's lips as he scrolled back up and typed something on his phone. It was a gamble, and a very bold move, but it was the only thing that felt right. He held the phone tightly in his hand and held her gaze as he finally spoke. "What if I called you... Doll?"

(Y/n)'s breath hitched in her chest at Sephiroth's words, her heart skipping a beat. "Doll?" she repeated, trying to seem composed even though her insides were suddenly on fire. "You don't think that's a bit... cheesy?" She teased. He was too cute.

Sephiroth's gaze darkened as he saw her reaction to the nickname. The hint of a smile played on his lips.

"It's not cheesy," he said, his voice low and confident. "It's fitting. You're so damn cute, all pretty and perfect." He shrugged, feigning nonchalance, the corners of his mouth curving into a sly smile. "Doll."

(Y/n)'s face erupted into a million shades of red at Sephiroth's direct, confident reply. Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. Being called cute made her heart flutter, but her cheeks felt like they were on fire. "You're... you're..." she mumbled, too flustered to continue. She didn't think she'd be the one at a loss for words, but here she was.

Sephiroth reveled in her flustered state, it was endearing and somewhat satisfying to see her so affected by his words. "Doll is the perfect contact name for you." he said, a hint of a smirk on his lips, as he sent her a quick text.

(Y/n)'s phone buzzed, the notification from Sephiroth making her heart flutter even more. She quickly saved his number, almost dropping her phone in process. She gave a mock huff, trying to regain her composure, but her face was still flushed. "Fine, Doll it is." She tried to sound unimpressed, but a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "But yours is going to be Bug-a-boo."

Sephiroth's eyebrows shot up in mild surprise. Bug-a-boo? He wasn't sure if he should be amused or offended. But the way she said it, with that hint of a smile on her face, he had to admit it was kind of endearing. "Bug-a-boo?" he repeated, testing the word on his tongue. "You think I'm cute like a little bug?"

(Y/n) smiled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, you bet." She couldn't help but tease him a little, loving the way his cheeks seemed to redden slightly at the nickname. "You're cute, but it's also revenge for calling me doll," she said with a little smirk. "Hence, Bug-a-boo."

Sephiroth grumbled a little, feigning annoyance at her playful teasing. But secretly, he didn't mind at all. "Revenge?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Is that why you're giving me the Bug-a-boo name? It seems a bit... juvenile."

"Fine, fine." (Y/n) replied, her voice laced with mock innocence. "Maybe... angel boy instead?"

She stifled a giggle at the look on Sephiroth's face. His feigned annoyance was so cute, it only made her want to tease him more. "Choose. Bug-a-boo or Angel boy." she gave him the options, a playful grin on her face.

Sephiroth's expression turned to full surprise, his cheeks heating up even more at the new option. Angel boy? did she see him as an angel? he thought for a moment, weighing the options, before finally giving in. "Angel boy," he said with a resigned sigh. "If I have to choose, then I pick that one."

He couldn't help but roll his eyes, but underneath it all, he secretly liked the cutesy name. It was the lesser evil of the two options.

(Y/n)'s eyes lit up with amusement and excitement as Sephiroth agreed to her nickname. She let out a soft laugh. She could tell he was trying to act annoyed, but she could see through it. It was too cute watching his cheeks turn slightly redder.

"Okay, Angel boy it is then." she said, her tone playful and teasing, as she typed it as his contact name.

"Sephiroth, we need to head out." Angeal interrupted, with Genesis slumped against him.

Sephiroth couldn't help but roll his eyes at Genesis and Angeal. Genesis was clearly very drunk, and Angeal was struggling to keep him upright. He glanced at (Y/n), giving her an apologetic look before turning his attention to Angeal and Genesis. "Seriously, guys?" Sephiroth said as he rose to his feet, an exasperated sigh escaping his lips. "You had too much to drink again, Genesis?"

"Hey, come on now." Genesis chuckled, his words slurred, a cocky smile on his lips, "Can't a guy have some fun, now and then?"

Sephiroth rolled his eyes again. "You can have fun without getting drunk." 

Angeal sighed, "we better get going. Before Genesis embarrasses himself." he said, shifting Genesis's weight to help keep him balanced.

(Y/n) couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Genesis, slumped against Angeal, his words slurred with alcohol. It was clear that he had indulged in a bit too much. She glanced at Sephiroth, noticing his exasperated expression, and her heart fluttered again. As the SOLDIERs prepared to leave, she decided to chime in, "Looks like you've got your hands full, Angel boy."

Sephiroth's heart skipped a beat at the sound of (Y/n)'s voice, and the nickname. It made his stomach backflip. He gave her a half-exasperated, half-amused look, "Tell me about it." he said, rolling his eyes. He sighed, "I need to help Angeal get him home."

(Y/n) nodded, her expression turning slightly sympathetic as she noted Sephiroth's predicament. "Alright, goodbye, Angel boy." she said, enjoying the way the nickname rolled off her tongue. "You guys be careful on your way back."

Sephiroth watched as she said her goodbye, his heart fluttering at her words again.He gave her a small, wry smile. "Yeah... we'll try." He turned back to Genesis and Angeal, who were both stumbling a bit, and shook his head. "Come on, you two. Let's get going," he grumbled. 

He started to walk away, but before he could go too far, he glanced back at (Y/n) over his shoulder, giving her a small wave. 

Then he was gone.

[sephirthoughts]

crisis core but if cloud was aware of his cuteness:

zack: hey, tseng, i forgot my wallet at the office. can i borrow ten gil for lunch?

tseng: you being irresponsible with your things is not my problem. i hope going hungry teaches you a valuable lesson

cloud: tseng-gege, can i—

tseng: here's my wallet take whatever you need

zack:

later on the helicopter to modeoheim:

cloud pouting and rubbing his ass: ow this seat is so hard

zack still mad about lunch: why don't you sit on tseng-gege's lap

tseng: wouldn't be any better

zack:

zack: OH GOD GROSS

after they crash in modeo ravine:

zack: fuck! my leg's broken!

tseng: you SOLDIERs are supposed to be tough. use a cure materia and walk it off

cloud leans against tseng: sorry, tseng-gege. i'm a little dizzy

tseng scoops him up like a princess: i better carry you. can't take any chances with your health

zack: what about his rifle and gear?

tseng: good thinking. make sure you grab those. and pick up the pace, will you?

zack: a̵g̴s̸h̴f̷l̸a̶g̶s̴h̸f̶g̷a̵k̷

later outside the mako extraction facility:

cloud shivers: wow it's pretty cold up here

tseng: zack you can handle a few hundred enemies on your own, right?

zack: well not—

tseng: excellent. take care of this and meet us in town afterward. we'll be at the hot spring baths

zack: COME ON, MAN

years later in nibelheim:

tifa: not goin' too fast for you, am i?

zack: of course not. we're just trying to pace ourselves

cloud: actually, my feet kind of hurt

sephiroth turns around: your feet hurt? you are a shinra trooper. when we are in the field, you represent all of us. you should—

cloud: -takes off his helmet-

sephiroth: —be looked after with the utmost care, like the precious treasure you are. as such, i am duty bound to carry you the rest of the way up the mountain.

zack: IT'S ALL HAPPENING AGAIN

tifa: cloud…?

later in the shinra basement library:

zack visibly twitching: hey, sephiroth. what you got, there?

sephiroth reading a book to cloud, who is sitting in his lap: oh, zack, it's you. you'll never believe this. i'm not even human. turns out i was created in a lab, from the dna of an ancient creature they dug out of a sedimentary rock layer. isn't that cool?

zack: HOW IS THAT COOL? AREN'T YOU DEVASTATED??

cloud snuggling up to sephiroth: i think it's cool, sephi-chan

sephiroth: see? cloud thinks it's cool. i guess you just don't get it. actually, you'd better leave. you're kind of killing the vibe

zack: i̴̘̥̕ ̷̨͗͝å̶̱̝ḿ̴̡̕ ̶̰͋̕b̸̢͚́u̴̘̯͊͂r̸̼̭̐n̵̢̿ȋ̵̜n̴͙̠͒͘ģ̷́́ ̶̦̀t̵̼̗͑h̸̠̺̾͒i̷͚̗̿s̴̡̥͐ ̶̤͝f̵̤͐u̴̖͖͌c̷̱̲͑͗k̸͔̃̾i̵̮̥̊n̴͕̆̓g̸̨̒͝ ̴͎̈́t̵̼̞́̍ṏ̸͚w̷̡͗̃ń̸̫̈́ ̵̟̎t̸̞̓o̶̼̎ ̶̢͔̈́ẗ̸̼̩ḧ̵̳̮́e̴͚̋ ̵͎͚́̅g̴̗͒̈́r̸͉̓̕o̴̗͌̕u̶̹̓n̷̛̘̹d̴̙̑

[flowerwiththemachinegun]

One of the cutest things I’ve seen written is the reader who loves to cook and a thought that helps me get through meals that feel like they take centuries long to finish. anyways, I guess here’s this little thought.

———————————————————————

During their last exam Hojo couldn’t help but notice something a bit different about Sephiroth, but after taking his weight he finally put his finger on it. “Are you eating more? Your weight typically doesn’t fluctuate.” More so stating than asking Sephiroth looks down on himself almost self consciously.

Of course he’s still his usual muscular self, but I guess you could says he’s bulked up. He has been eating more but that’s because you love to cook. Making random dishes you come across, or dishes you’ve grown up with and want him to taste. Sephiroth relishes in this considering he’s grown up off of military rations, given he would have some of Angeal’s cooking from time to time, he’s never been too spoiled to home cooked meals.

Hell this man would rarely eat anything, usually eating just once throughout the day. Staring at you in confusion the first time you asked him if he ate for the day. Of course he hadn’t, he doesn’t have the time to feed himself. Somehow you still make time to do so though, making enough for him as well. Never too sure how much he eats, you usually make him a larger serving, considering he finishes the food every time you never saw it as a problem either. Taking pride in the fact that he would pout the days you didn’t have time to make him lunch, practically getting him out of the habit of eating company meals all together.

Later that day while eating dinner together he’ll mention that maybe you’re feeding too much. Joking that Hojo is worried about him losing his figure. He definitely doesn’t want you to stop, every meal that you make him warms his heart.

———————————————————————

After thought?

The thought also stems from crisis core and I’m a bit addicted to feeding my bf. That scene where Angeal comments on Sephiroth’s weight also has stuck in my mind quite a bit. It would be so devastating to watch him go from eating anything you make him to barely eating so much he drops in weight. Imagine if something happens to you? He may never eat again.

[strayheartless]

Okay, I’m just sounding ideas here and don’t come at me from behind with a baseball bat or anything…

But do we maybe think that Angeal made the situation in the training room worse? Now I’m not saying Angeal’s to blame and I wanna caveat this entire ramble with the admission that I’m not even sure about this take. However, I was thinking about the actual situation like I was breaking down frames of a film (👋🏻 yoohoo! Film degree!) and when you look at it this:

(Credit for clip: Shirrako on YouTube)

It’s Angeal’s sword that breaks. Now, again, not blaming Angeal, Genesis was being Genesis and the whole thing wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t challenged sephiroth. But there is a line of thinking that suggests that it is Angeal’s lack of trust in his friends that exacerbates the situation.

Fanon aside, there is nothing actually in text that suggests that Genesis and Sephiroth have ever actually taken it too far. Actually apart from that one e-mail from Kunsel:

"It seems every SOLDIER 1st Class has a quirkor three, but I think Angeal has a lot ofcommon sense and is a trustworthy fellow.Let's face it: Genesis never found groupactivities appealing, so Angeal is, in fact,the spiritual leader of SOLDIER.I've got a lot of respect for him, too.And I envy you for getting to work with himso often."

(Source: Fandom Wiki, Final Fantasy Wiki: Mail (crisis Core))

there is nothing at all about Genesis' personality before the accident and degredation at all. We can make general guesses based on what we see of Genesis before that innitial wound, but over all, we do not know. So, why does Angeal stop them?

The obvious answer to this is because Genesis and Sephiroth are literally destroying the training room, he even says "You'll destroy this place," but they've done this before according to Sephiroth and theres no point at shich either of them actually manage to hurt the other. Even when Genesis encases Seph in a ball of fire, he doesn't hurt him, and their swords never aim for flesh.

it would be very easy for Sephiroth to exploit Genesis' weakness' and aim for his vulnrablites.

(credit for clip: Shirrako on YouTube)

As we can see in the above frame, Genesis leaves his left side virtually unguarded. His body is turned to favor his right side, he is quite clearly teligraphing a weakness that Sephiroth does not exploit once. Why? perhaps its hubris, perhaps its trust; who is to say, but what is clear is that, despite the destruction, neither are going to hurt each other.

The problem arises, then, when Genesis allows himself to grow overconfident. He legitimately blasts Angeal out of the fight and goes to defeat Sephiroth himself. Angeal is perhaps alerted to the fact that Genesis has lost some sort of control, but concidering there is not a scratch on either of them, he possibly didn't need to.

What I like about this line of thought is that it works hand in hand with the actual story itself. at the crux of everything it is not just Genesis and Sephiroth to blame for how events unfold, Angeals actions have a greater impact on everything.

When Angeal chooses to get in between the two he is the deciding blow that hurts Genesis, yet it is Sephiroth who is blamed for Genesis' sickness.

When Genesis storms the Shinra building it is Angeal who has left Sephiroth in the dark without answers; yet it is Sephiroth and Zack who have to pick up the pieces after it ends.

in Banora it is Angeals inaction that places Zack in danger and ends with the distruction of his home.

and the most obvious, Angeals death is not just defining for Zack but for Sephiroth too. While it is not talked about in text, Angeals death leaves Sephiroth vulnrable to Genesis' ire, and his own relationship to honour and monstrosity that affects Sephiroth's perseption of himself.

Angeal's decision to not allow Genesis and Sephiroth to come to their natural conclusion creates a consistant feeling of unfinished business. The ultimate question here is, would either Genesis or Sephiroth truly hurt each other. Had Angeal not intervened with his flimsy Shinra issue Claymore (possibly representative of his own morality and honour) Would Genesis have been wounded and would he have felt robbed of the title of hero?

This is all just conjecture and shaky soundboarding. If you have any opinions please feel free to share!

As always be kind and please don't yell or be mean (I am only a little critter I will cry!)

[silvergreenseraphim]

Angeal and Sephiroth (And Genesis?)—Dissidia Opera Omnia—Part One

Alright, so this chapter was a lot, and it opened with Weiss quoting “Loveless” for a reason, it seems.

“When the war of the beasts brings about the world’s end, the goddess descends from the sky! Wings of light and dark spread afar, she guides us to bliss…her gift everlasting!”

Weiss becomes our voice for Genesis, or his “brother,” in this chapter. When Seymour questions his quote, Weiss replies,

“It was a passage from a story our brother loved. He used to quote it for his best friend. That friend was Sephiroth, the hero and friend of the other “brother,” Angeal as well.”

This part was hard to translate into English, but Weiss essentially explains that Genesis used to quote Loveless for his close friend, Sephiroth, the hero, and Angeal was right there with them as the third friend in the trio.

Seymour is shocked and gasps, “Sephiroth and Angeal were best friends??”

Weiss replies, “It’s hard to believe of the now-evil “hero” that never reveals his heart. And yet, the exemplary First Class soldier that is a role model for everyone was his friend.”

I am on the fence about the translation of this part and may change it once my friend gets back to me, but for now, it seems like Weiss is pondering the friendship of Sephiroth and Angeal and how differently they turned out, because Seymour does make a comment like, “I suppose if you have dreams and honor, you can’t go wrong.”

But there is potentially more here that Weiss is saying about his own relationship to Sephiroth and Angeal—perhaps suggesting he is not their friend and doesn’t quite understand their past relationship himself. I will have to keep researching.

We cut to Sephiroth again, who is confused about his memory returning. He says he didn’t expect any memories to return from the Lifestream, but shakes his head and denial. He claims these memories Angeal brought back are unnecessary and that he most remove Angeal from the picture immediately. His motives are set.

Meanwhile, Zack and Angeal are talking about how Sephiroth changed. I translated this on Altocat’s blog and here is what they say:

Zack says,

“Angeal, I know you’re surprised…I can’t believe that Sephiroth changed like that…

Angeal replies,

“So, you were taken aback as well…”

Zack says,

“It was out of nowhere. We went to investigate Cloud and Tifa’s village…and I guess he discovered his origins. He killed everyone and burned down the village. He had always been the hero I strived to be…”

Zack and Angeal are both very crestfallen here, lamenting this knowledge. Angeal pulls himself together and says,

“I know…I’m disappointed too. Everything changed while I was gone, I guess.

Angeal further laments that he wasn’t there, and Zack reassures him that even though Angeal disappeared at the time and pushed everyone away, Zack would have stayed by his side and helped. Zack would have left Shinra, and he says he is sure Sephiroth felt the same way.

Angeal thanks his student but says that it was his choice and lonely path at the time—he had to carry the responsibility as a First Class soldier. Zack chastises him saying he shouldn’t think that way—after all, Zack is a First Class as well, and has enough experience. He could have helped Angeal. Angeal begins to reply, saying, “Zack…” but then they are interrupted by the others.

They say it’s time to make a decision about Sephiroth, and Cloud explains that the silver boi is planning to turn the world into an empty vessel that he may sail the cosmos with in order to find another world. An Advent Children reference, of course.

Rufus mentions that this goal is very similar to the desire of Jenova. He has to then explain what Jenova is to the other characters, as well as the Reunion theory.

This makes a lightbulb go off in Angeal’s head and he gasps, “So basically…Sephiroth is Jenova?”

He puts it together that Reunion implies that Jenova’s cells must be drawn back to their source, and since that source is currently Sephiroth, they must be the same.

However, the others simply say that Sephiroth/Jenova must be eliminated, and agree to hunt him down. Everyone nods and moves forward except Angeal, who lingers with hesitation.

In the next part, they are in the process of tracking Sephiroth, but the group notices Angeal’s troubled demeanor. They ask him if he’s okay and Kadaj says that he heard about Sephiroth being Angeal’s good friend. He says that it must be disheartening to see Sephiroth in his current state, since nothing is like it used to be.

Angeal notes Kadaj’s own tone of disappointment and Kadaj explains how Sephiroth used him as a puppet to find Jenova’s remains, which horrifies Kadaj because if Sephiroth and Jenova are the same, then his own “mother” used and betrayed him in such a way.

Angeal encourages Kadaj and gives him one of his classic pep talks, appealing to his usual “dreams and honor” code. Tifa notes that Zack often spoke the same way, prompting Angeal to recall teaching Zack all those things.

In response to Kadaj, he then says he was indeed surprised by hearing what Sephiroth did, but he says that,

“Sephiroth had his honor once too…and he has a tendency to hold onto things, so even if I am surprised, I can’t abandon him…”

The others say that they aren’t sure if Angeal’s words can reach Sephiroth, who was cruel enough to destroy Tifa and Cloud’s village. Tifa agrees as she recalls how she begged Sephiroth to explain why he did what he did, but she does say to Angeal that she believes he could have a better chance.

She kindly compliments him on how his “dreams and honor” philosophy had helped her as well. :,)

She encourages Angeal, saying that his words will surely be a beacon and that he should try to speak with Sephiroth again. Angeal hangs his head sorrowfully and agrees, saying,

“I don’t want to give up on him….so I’ll try as hard as I can…”

—

This is a good place to stop because the next chapters are where everything gets chaotic, but for now, we have some build-up for what Angeal wants to do, and for Weiss being a stand-in for Genesis later.

—

Some little notes:

The Zack and Angeal scenes were very sweet, as Zack wants to convince his old mentor to stop shouldering everything alone. Angeal’s absolute refusal to give up on Seph tugs at the heartstrings too, and I find it so sweet that Tifa actually encouraged him.

The “Sephiroth is Jenova” point is fascinating, but I believe we will soon find that Seph’s own will is blended into Jenova’s, as they are aligned, and this might be what reveals to Angeal that there may not be much hope for his old friend. :(

I am struggling with the Weiss and Seymour discussion, and this has been one of the parts that has slowed me down, because the context is hard to decipher, but I suspect that Weiss is comparing Sephiroth and Angeal to the figures in Loveless, which also becomes relevant later. I will update as soon as I can get an explanation from my Japanese friend. I am not skilled enough to decipher everything yet on my own, you see. 😅

But enjoy this for now, and I will be back with more soon! <3

[xxwitchylanexx]

Smooth Sailing... Or Maybe Not Cloud x Reader *NEW SCENE AT THE END*

Rebirth Retold Chapter 8

All aboard the Shinra-8.

No major plot spoilers

Chapter 9

Masterlist

*~*

“Guys, Y/n isn’t here yet.” Aerith said as the ramp to the hold folded back into the dock.

Cloud swiveled around immediately to scan the surrounding docks for any sign of you, his ribs restricted around his ribs as he searched proved futile. He felt compelled to act, to do something, besides stare out at the empty berth as it grew smaller and smaller. He should have asked you how you planned to board when he saw you in the street, but he was too hung up on the energy that thrummed between you. Gods, how he wanted to impress you with the parade routine, and now he’ll never know if you enjoyed it.

Now he was just angry, frustrated, and disappointed. It wasn’t for that ninja your group would’ve been safe from Shinra’s forces. He could’ve met you, and everyone else, at the docks and board together. He knew deep down he should've looked for you in the first place instead of running around in the chaos and fending for himself. He just thought if he drew the attention to himself everyone else would have had an easier time to sneak on. Instead, he's standing on the tail end of the boat watching as Junon became a shadow, and then melting into the sea. “Shit.” Guess that’s that then.

“We could go back.” Tifa said, even though she knew going back wasn't an option. Her knit brows and downcast eyes mirrored the storm brewing inside.

“No, they’ll be looking for us. It’d be better for her if we just moved on.” He turned, proverbaly putting how he felt about you in the past, and started for the open door. Aerith opened her mouth to argue, but he cut her off. It was done. There was no going back. “No use standing around. Let’s go.” His hands clenched at his sides as his two friends shared a look of concern with one another, the duo adding fuel on the fire. He’s sick of everyone trying to poke their noses where they didn’t belong.

It's not like he didn’t want to go back, cause he did, but doing so would be a suicide mission for them, and as if right now you weren’t connected to them. Going back would probably put you on their radar. They could wait in Costa Del Sol, but every minute he wasted gave Sephiroth the chance to hurt more people, fuck, hurt the planet.

“Damn shame.” Barret says as he pushed one of the shipment crates to the side. “That girl had skill. I tell ya, we were clear on the otha side of the crowd ‘n she came running in, grabbed my arm, and shot that damn throwing star. Saved Shinra’s slimy ass.”

“Wow,” Aerith whispered under her breath, “That’s impressive.” Her usual mirthful personally now dejected despite her attempt to ease the bleak vibe in their team. “I guess we’ll have to rely on you for all our sharp shooting needs now.” Generally, Cloud took more delight in the jabs directed at Barret, mostly cause they weren’t at himself, but he just didn’t have it in him to see the amusement.

“Hey!” Barret yelled in objection as Aerith smiled sadly to herself. You’d have chimed in too. Any opportunity you had you’d take to give the big guy hell. Another thing he’ll miss.

“I sure hope she’s alright.” Tifa spoke quietly to herself, from Cloud’s side. You would be. He didn’t doubt that your skills were almost on par with a soldier.

“You should be more worried about us.” Cloud said firmly as he shot them with a sharp glare. “Now focus.” It was better this way; is what he told himself. He could finally concentrate in battle without the overwhelming urge to watch you fight. He wouldn't have to figure out the barrage of new sensations that came along with being near you, or brave through the vulnerability that he’d, no doubt, one day share with you.

Once again that small bleek voice in his head whispered from the depths of his soul: If it was better why do I feel so empty?

*~*

The sticky humid sea air smacked Cloud immediately the moment he emerged from the cool air conditioning of the second class cabins onto the balcony that oversaw the entertainment hall. The open design to allow easy access to the deck was nice for people that wanted to meander between shade and the sun, but that also meant the temperature wasn’t control and the irrepressible pungentness of fish and brine couldn’t be eliminated. Junon had reeked of it too, however there were restaurants, cars, and pollution to mask the smell.

The overhead sound system trumpeted through every speaker installed on the ship. Some tournament, for the new card game that everyone was raving about, was announced. The people around him must have felt the spark of excitement: bouncing on their heels, loud voices, even an occasional squeal could be heard. Cloud passed through hoards of vacationers in their tacky palm shirts and beach wear, as he pushed through to the information center, among other services, in the center of the room to reconvene with the rest of his friends.

To be honest everything just felt so far away. The faces he passed, the conversations around him that weren't very private, everything just blurred into his surroundings. His usually sharp mind and pristine attention to detail were glued on the last moments he’d shared with you. Every single second that he wasn’t focused on his current task his attention would wander back to the brush of your fingers on his neck to the hushed warnings you had said to keep him safe. In true frustrating fashion he couldn't seem to push you from his head. It was done. You were gone.

His fists clenched at his sides, the near silent crinkle of his gloves faintly reaching his senses, when the back corner finally entered his line of sight. They were all, except for Red who remained below deck for now, huddled into a corner near the largest archway that led to the open deck. They hunched over the tall round bar table to keep their discussion as private as possible. Tifa leaned over the wood with her elbows resting on the surface facing Aerith who stood as close to the table as possible. Barret being taller than the both of them just leaned his head down slightly to participate in this impromptu meeting.

He knew it was about him. It always was. Whenever he did something that felt more extreme to them than it did him. Every time he had a degradation episode they’d shy away and give him space. Meanwhile having a hush hush discussion on whether he was up to the task or not thinking that he couldn’t hear them with his enhanced senses. And this time they probably think him a robot for not expressing the shitshow of emotions going inside him. Like, fuck he missed you and it hasn’t even been a day. And it's none of their business.

The words died Tifa’s lips as she caught a sight of him, her hands retreating back her body before she gave herself an awkward hug. Barret didn't catch the hint as he slammed his palms against the word. Aerith elbowed him between the ribs to get him to shut up before he made it within earshot.

The air was tense, and his current frustration and irritation sat just beneath his skin like an itch he couldn't scratch. Tifa’s peering gaze felt invasive as she searched for any sign that he’d heard them, and he had half a mind to tell them off. They were supposed to be his friends and the idea that they were talking about him behind his back had him on edge. “What’s up?”

“Oh, just talking about Queen’s Blood.” Tifa answered, though from the way she refused to look at him told Cloud everything he needed to know.

“You going to enter, Cloud?” Aerith asked. Another diversion.

“Not interested.” He replied flatly.

“Oh come on!” Aerith insisted.

“It’ll be fun!” Tifa said in unison.

He scoffed. “Whatever.”

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’” Barret went to plant a meaty hand on his shoulder like always however this time knocked his hand away before he could touch him. He found himself yielding to their pressure despite wanting to be by himself. If participating got them off his back he suppose it'd be worth it and Odin knows he could use a distraction.

So he followed them to the line where they waited to register for the tournament. In the momentary moment of clarity he scanned the area like he always did, looking for exits, and security among other things. It was nearly his turn, just one pudgy balding man in front of him, when a faint blur of pale blue streaked across his peripheral. Faster than he could process his feet were chasing after the phantom of you, his heart thrashing against his ribs with every step closer, his eyes unmoving from his target, and please repeating through the only part of his brain that was operating.

He faintly acknowledged his friends shouting after him, asking what was wrong, before ultimately leaving the line themselves to follow him through every weave in and out of the masses. Nothing mattered except the possibility that you were here. Twenty feet, ten, five. His gloved hand reached out to touch the lithe woman not even a foot away from him, yet, he hesitated at last second. His hand froze in the space between you two as the moment seemed to stretch on. What if it wasn’t you? He could turn back right now, walk away and continue on his path, but… What if it was you? His hand reached out on its own, ghosting along the bare skin along your shoulder blade before settling firmly on your upper arm. “Hey.” His voice lower, more raw, than he’d intended.

The second felt like an eternity, his thoughts moving a thousand miles a minute as the woman turned. He could feel the rush of his blood pulse through his neck with every heartbeat, and could hear each breath echoing in his ears as he let your beauty pull him under like the tide. He was shocked into awe like that very first day only this time you were dressed like a gods damned goddess. His hands were clammy and his throat constricted around the lump in his throat. He felt unworthy to even stand near you. Each strand of hair was glowing under the slowly sinking sun as the locks slid over your shoulder and gathered in the dip of your spine. The slow brightening of your e/c irises as they met his made a thrill run down his spine. The curve of your lips parting ever so slightly as the edges spread short circuited his brain.

And all at once your gentle roar of laughter brought him back to gaia. You were laughing at him, he knew, but the little snort you made when trying to breath was so endearing that he didn’t care. Aerith and Tifa could tease him right in front of you and he wouldn't care cause you're here and safe where you belong. The other huddled behind him, cheering and pushing past him to hug you.

“Took you long enough.” You flicked him in the middle of his forehead. “I was starting to worry you guys didn’t make it.” You were like the Woodlands, he decided. Your voice was an easing wind like a cool night breeze rustling through the trees. A sensation he could only associate with you dancing along with hundreds of lightning bugs in the moonlight as it illuminated your hair much like the sunset did now.

As much as he was elated that you were not left behind, something was off about you. You looked a little faint, your natural s/c tinged with a faint green, and if you had been waiting for them why haven't you come looking? Why hadn’t you seen the four of them at the desk? You were only fifty feet away at the most. You were sharper than this.

“How the hell’d you get on this boat!” Barret's voice thundered over the questions in his head. Aerith brushed a few strands of your hair over your ear as she too searched your face for something afoot.

“I have a ticket.” You said blankly, you eyes blinking slowly at him. Barret huffed, unsatisfied with your answer. “Well, it’s more of a travel pass. I can board whenever I need to.” You closed your eyes, and pinched the bridge of your nose as you inhaled deeply. “Excuse me.” Cloud’s brow furrowed as a frown pulled at his lips. You pulled away from the girls, ignoring their pestering, and leaned over the railing. He nearly grabbed you to pull you closer again until the telltale sounds of miserable retching ensued over the side. Were you sick?

“Y/n, you okay?” Tifa asked as she rubbed your back.

You straightened back up, wiped your mouth with the back of your hand, and turned back to the conversation. “I, unfortunately, get severely seasick. So now that we all reunited, I’m going to find a room.” He sympathized with you. Before he became a soldier he too got all kinds of motion sickness: car, boat, plane- you name it he had it. “You guys should go enjoy yourselves.”

“And leave you all alone?” Aerith objected.

“Trust me. You don’t want to sit around and watch me barf for the next three days.” You paused, and swallowed thickly as you fought a wave of nausea. Your arm dropped to your stomach before pushing past them, and paused before turning with a forced smile that didn’t reach your eyes. “Have fun.” Your eyes lingered on him for a moment longer than needed then turned and blended in with the crowd to isolate yourself for the three day journey. He doubted anyone else caught the corners of your mouth slanting downwards. Who were you trying to shield by suffering the weight of your feelings? Him, or yourself?

“Shall we, then?” Aerith asked a bit hesitant. Knowing her she'll probably track you down to keep you company later, after you've had some time to settle in. Tifa nodded along, nudging her shoulder into Aerith softly before the two of them wandered away to find a match for the tournament.

“Snap outta it, soldier boy.” Barret smacked his back with a reverberating thump. “Plenty o’ time to stare at ‘er later.”

Cloud huffed as the bulky man's loud boots eventually faded. He crossed his arms over his chest feeling a bit exposed. He has carefully crafted walls around himself over the years that kept his true thoughts, feelings, and insecurities guarded from the world. It felt unnatural to have everyone suddenly understanding him, especially since he wasn't sure he understood himself anymore. He shook his head and searched out the reception desk once more. Maybe a card game wouldn’t be as bad as he thought.

Perhaps if your absence hadn't left him in a dreary haze he would’ve noticed the cold calculated brown eyes that invaded the heartwarming reunion. The harsh eyes honing in on you, in particular, with a wicked grin that could ensnare even the mightiest of heroes.

*~*

The crowd went wild as Cloud laid down the final card that secured his victory in the third round. He'd overcome Wize 3.0, Aerith, and now… her. Pride ran wild in his veins and a grin that was crafted from her own pompousness as she threw herself against her chair in faux distresses, the loose shoulder of her kimono slipping down another half inch to reveal her clavicle. He despised this woman. Wall Market dripped with shady lowlife and predators and as one of the Don’s top three, Madam M towered around casting stones to line her pockets. Her teasing, the smooth innuendos, her cold and uncaring demeanor; it made him sick. Luckily, or perhaps not, she’d taken a interest in him, otherwise they may not have had the chance to save Tifa, but only because she also profited off their deal.

“Fine. You win, Cloud.” She fanned lazily at her face, the black of her perfectly polished fingernails wrapped delicately around the accessory. “I have to hand it to you, though, that performance certainly hit all the right spots.” Her words were as thick as honey that oozed with lasciviousness. He’d roll his eyes if it wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of getting under his skin. Instead he stood from his chair and secured his sword to his back.

He had nothing to say to her and as thus he planned to move on to the fourth round contestant. That was until she snatched his forearm and yanked him backwards towards herself. “That girl you spoke with earlier- the h/c girl in the dreadfully bland blue dress. How is it you know her?”

He yanked his arm free, the feeling of her fingertips on his skin making his skin crawl, and hit her with one of his sharp stares that normally left the cocky assholes shaking in their boots. Naturally, it had no effect on her since she was so used to getting her way, but the twinkle on her dark orbs made him instantly regret responding at all. Hed fallen for the bait she so generously dangled in front of him. “What’s it to you?”

“Now, now, no need to be so hostile. I just believe I know her.” She brought her dainty hand up to her face to observe her manicure as if she hadn't already threatened the technician to redo them. “I raised a girl that looked identical to her.” His entire body went rigid. She has said some outlandish things in the past, but he'd never believed this woman capable of being a caretaker. The entire admission was outlandish. It had to be a joke. “Though that girl, was trouble. Ruthless. Soulless.” She looked up at him over the bent knuckles of her fingers, her direct eye contact making him uneasy. “It’s probably just a coincidence, of course, since she died. But, I’d keep an eye on her lest you wake up with a knife to your pretty throat.” She ran a finger across her throat to demonstrate her warning.

He took off towards the cabins. He had to ask you if her claim had any merit. It could just be another way to mess with his head, though Madam M has never just downright lied to him before. She spoke in maddening riddles, but if he solved the puzzle in time her warnings have proven to be true on occasion. He froze halfway up the second staircase leading to the cabins, and took a deep breath to settle the rising urgency. What was he going to do, barge in and interrogate you when you’ve given him no reason to doubt you? He ran palm through his hair before exhaling the built up stress in a groan.

You hadn't done a single thing to make him think you were a threat to them. You’ve put yourself in danger for each of them over the past weeks simply because you’d agree to accompany them to the saucer, and he doesnt think they'd have gotten out of Junon that smoothly if it hadn't been for you. He could go up there and make an ass of himself to cure his inner turmoil or he could mind his own business. Everyone had a past and it's not like he was an open book.

His name was called over the intercom, calling him to start the next match. He slowly peddled back down to the competition, and waited for the next match to begin.

*~*

Cloud stared up at the ceiling counting each plank that lined the top, taking note where some line up perfectly while others were cit asymmetrically to fit the space, while the rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock slowly, but surely sapped his sanity. He thought this night would go by the fastest, being the final night and all, but sleep continued to slip through his grasp. Every tiny noise, whether it be inside his room or just outside his door, pulled him back from the cusp of slumber.

He’d spent most of the past two days inside these four walls, only leaving to eat,shower, and check in with the others, filling the time with targeted exercise to keep his body in shape. They probably won't get another rest like this for sometime so he tried to enjoy the monotony of it all, but really he’s been trying to avoid the obsessive need to check on you.

The conversation he had with Madam M has been running rampant in his head. Was Madam M your mother? Aerith once told him you’d grown up in Midgar, and at the time he said he didn’t care though now he silently thanked her it brought him one piece closer to solving the puzzle. However, she failed to confirm if you lived in the slums, or above the plate. You didn’t look alike at all, you didn't even sound alike, the only thing that was similar was a behavior. Casually diverting a conversation from something neither of you wanted to participate in and your ability to get information from someone- Reno. He didn't hear what you said, but the image was burned to the back of his eyelids. You looked like pure sin, plush lips parted and glossy, hand trailing lightly over his arm, and your smooth leg on show through the slit in your dress. His jaw clenched and teeth ground together almost painfully just thinking about it, but the tactics seemed to be the same as the smooth innuendos Madam M spouted about. He imagined most men might find it appealing, and he feared he would too, if it was you.

>He’d been conned into work before by Madam M, but it was different. Hed needed something from her, and as payment he was sent to face the atrocities in the colosseum. Which had him thinking: were you forced to learn how to fight, because that she witch wanted the profit, or did she have an ulterior motive? She did warn him that you were a threat so she had to be aware of the depths of your unique skills. You were hesitant to say anything about it, that much was clear.

He knew he could never just come out and ask you about any of it. You were too guarded. Any questions you've been asked you were quick to answer with a vague comment and then swiftly changing the topic to someone else. Whatever your childhood entailed was probably a horror you didn’t want to relive.

One moment stood out the most in his mind. It bothered him then, but the moment was so brief he chalked it up to his imagination. Just last week, as everyone was traveling to Crow’s Nest the topic of mothers came up. Barret was going on about his bullshit and prying into his he’d seen something, a flicker across your face. Your nostrils flared, eyes darkened and grown cold, and your body went rigid. Your hands were clenched into fist, the tops nearly gone white with the force, at your sides. And then it was gone, your expression returning to its normal resting position, your hands relaxing and swinging as you walked, but your eyes stayed empty. It hadn’t made much sense then, but now he’s starting to understand.

Should he be worried? Probably, it wasn't like him to dismiss potential dangers so easily. He couldn't explain it, but there was a feeling in his gut that just told him to trust you. You’ve been kind from the start, a bit snarky but kind. The adoration you held for chocobos, your reassurance to Barret of being a good father, the late nights watching fireflies. Those weren’t things that made someone dangerous, but backing you into a corner by confrontation you might, and he’s almost positive that was Madam M’s plan.

His bottled up frustration ripped from his throat in a loud groan. Sleep will be off the table as long as he keeps thinking about this. He swung his legs over the side of the mattress, abandoning the tangled warmth of the bed.

Were you asleep? You must be miserable. He’s heard from the girls that you've been sick the whole time. They’ve been taking turns to bring you beverages and some ginger candies. They tried anything they could think of to help you improve, but mostly they were trying to distract you from the unwavering nausea.

He hauled himself to his feet and gathered hardedge from its place against the wall. He treaded over to the desk where he’d left his supplies and pulled an orb of sleep materia from it, tucked it into his pocket, and exited the confines of his bunk.

The stairwells and hallways were dim, only being illuminated by the flickering candle sconces along the walls. This floor didn't have any windows since it was near the sea level. If he was being honest, the sound of the waves crashing against the sides of the boat and the creaking of the floorboards were making him a tad sea sick too.

He rapped his knuckles against the door twice. He shifted from one foot to the other as he waited, one hand snaking back to rub at the nape of his neck. He was about to leave, suddenly feeling a bit silly thinking that you would be awake so late into the early morning, but then tell tale sound of vomiting reached his ears from inside the room.

He knocked one more time before cracking the door open and calling your name.

“Cloud?” He gritted his teeth and the raspiness of your voice as he stumbled in awkwardly before shutting the door behind him. “I’m in here.” You called out to him weekly from the cracked door of the bathroom. He leaned his bulky sword up against the wall behind him before taking in the room. It looked like his, an identical queen bed up against the left wall, white walls with blue footboards decorated with mounted fiches and large anchors, and that boring ass plank ceiling. The bed was pristine. Have you been sleeping at all? His fingers slipped from the plush blankets as he made his way to the bathroom, knocking his shoulder against the door to open it all the way.

You were hunched over the toilet your head nearly in the bowl as another wave of nausea overtook you. Off to your left was bunch of towels spread out in a makeshift bed, more like a nest, where you must've been dosing in between each session. He felt useless, knowing for himself firsthand that there wasn’t much that could be done for motion sickness, and fiercely protective. He had a deep seated desire to settle on the floor beside you and rub small circles onto your back like his mom had once done for him, but inside of doing something so bold he chose to lean against the door frame instead.

When the moment passed you wiped your mouth with the bottom of your shirt, exposing the smooth bit of skin above your waistband, and laid your head sideways on the your arms perched on top of the rim. Your skin was ashen, the normal tinge of color on your cheeks missing from your complexion, you had puffy purple bags under your eyes, and your lips were dry and cracked. Your hair spilled from the messy bun that sat atop your head and fell all around your face, some pieces dried along your hairline from sweat or dried tears, he hoped for the former.

You cracked one exhausted eye open to watch him as he watched you before opening the other, a groan pushing past your lips. “You look like shit.” He said trying to at least bring a smile to your face.

You glared at him, with no real heat in the pointed stare. “It’s almost like prolonged dry heaving doesn’t work for beauty anymore.” You swiveled over the bowl, nearly missing it altogether, as your body convulsed again. Once done you rested your forehead on the porcelain. “I should call to complain.”

He chuckled, and pulled out the orb of materia from his pocket. “I brought this.” The sphere rolled from his palm to his fingertips. “Sleep was the only thing that helped me when I got sick. Before the mako.”

Your irises flicked over it, the silent war flashing like lightning on the horizon. “Can’t.” You put your face in the bowl, your words bounced off the smoothness of its interior. “Too dangerous,” you retched, “if someone attacked.”

He squatted next to you, his hand coming up to brush a lock behind your ear. “I’ll stand guard.”

Your determination to be self sufficient was a thorn in his side, and for a moment he really thought you'd turn his idea down, but the small flicker of hope, of even the littlest bit of relief, won. “You promise?” He felt heated under your stare. Your very presence was like a warm pool of honey hed fallen into and now he wasn't sure he wanted to escape its depths.

He nodded, making a silent promise that as long as he was around you’d always be safe. He looked down to the orb in his gloved hand. The dim sphere slowly grew brighter until the entire material glowed bright green. He looked back to you as he gave the spell his command. The effect wasn't instant, but within a couple minutes your eyes grew heavy first, opening less and less until they stayed closed as you began to slump over. He gathered you in his arms, one arm wrapped around your back the other secured under your legs, and ambled through the door to your bed. He feared the wild thumping of his heart would wake you as you nuzzled your sleepy face into the planes of his chest, taking a deep breath in when you seemed satisfied with your nose pressed into his shirt.

You whimpered at the loss of his body heat as he laid you down gently in the center of the mattress. He grabbed the soft sherpa blanket at the end of the bed and wrapped it over you so no cold air could sneak in before sitting on the edge next to you. You turned on you side and curled into a crescent, your hand stretching out searching for him, and mumbled something in your sleep. Curiosity got the better of him, leaning in closer to hear the soft syllables. The breath in his lungs escaped his body in a sharp exhale and a warmth flooded from the tips of his fingers down to his toes. “Why is….so hard….not to…’ove you…”

A scream echoed from the hall, like the planet just couldn’t give him this one moment, before the door swung open. Tifa stood in the doorway winded from the all the obstacles and attacks to get here. “Cloud. It’s the robes.” He swiftly moved off the bed to grab his sword from the wall nudged himself into the hallway. Red was to the right fighting off a few fiends that resembled the ones from the Shinra lab in Midgar, and Aerith standing on the other side casting magic for support. The overhead speakers blared overhead calling for all military personnel to report to duty. “Red.”

“Yes?” He asked, he came to his call all four legs ready to leap at any moment.

“Not one fiend goes in this door. Understand?” The ominous feeling in his gut screamed Sephiroth’s involvement, the timing almost too perfect to ruin yet another thing in his life.

[pinkgy]

Belphegor Theory

Ok, so I might and might have not spent about two hours doing some research about Belphegor because that "Halo" of his has me questioning a lot of things, and this is what I came up with, but extremely summarized.

I'm most definitely no expert on the topics I'm about to talk about, I just dug a bit too deep into the internet and got some interesting things, I would like to know if I'm wrong and I would love to read opinions about this.

I got the information from looooots of sources, and credit to all of them.

So, we know that What in Hell is Bad is heavily inspired by biblical concepts, the Seven Deadly Sins are from Christianity, the Seraphims are mentioned in Christian, Islamic, and Jewish Literature, and pretty much all of the nobles are from the Ars Goetia, and many of them are associated with Christian Demonology.

The game also has many references to other religions and beliefs, but if I were to make a list of all those references, I'd be here writing for days.

Let's dig a bit into who is Belphegor outside the game.

Belphegor is referenced in both Jewish and Christian traditions, he originates from the Moabites, a very ancient tribe that habited the region of Moab, an ancient Levantine kingdom. Belphegor is originally the Moabite god Baal-Peor, who was associated with fertility, sexual power, and orgies, then he was absorbed into Hebrew mythology and later into Christian demonology.

In Christian Demonology, Belphegor is one of the seven princes of hell, and he represents the deadly sin of Sloth. He is also associated with laziness, apathy, and negligence and his name means "Lord of the Opening"

Belphegor is physically described in many ways, a very interesting fact is that in the Dictionnaire Infernal, a book written by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy that summed up, is an illustrated version of the demonology, he is described as always having his mouth open, and the hand placement he has in the banner that Prettybusy recently released could be making a reference to that.

(Another interesting fact is that he's said to be hard to conjure because his sacrificial offering is excrement, but I prefer to ignore that)

Belphegor is also referenced in the Kabbalah, which is like a philosophy, or to be more precise, an esoteric method, discipline, and school of thought in Jewish mysticism that deals with the essence of God and the universe (I just copy&pasted this, it's a bit hard to explain, srry)

In the Kabbalah, guess what Belphegor is.

A fallen angel.

To be more precise, he was an angel in the order of the principalities.

Belphegor is known to be an enemy to the sixth sephiroth and the archdemon (or the leader) of the Togarini, they are the demonic counterparts to the angels that rule over the 10 Sephirot of the Tree of Life.

For context, the Sephirot are the ten emanations or attributes of God in Kabbalah.

I also read that some demons under the Togarini are Lilith, Samael, and Thaumiel, but there's very little information about that so I'm not going to use this as a fact.

The reason why he fell from grace is not explicitly mentioned, but it's somewhat implied that it was related to his association with the sixth Sephirah "Beauty" and the fact that he is depicted as a demon who tempts individuals with ingenious inventions, wealth, and discoveries (I also copy&pasted this)

It's also said that he rules over seduction, promiscuous men, and MISOGYNY.

I'm not sure if there are references from the Kabbalah in What in Hell is Bad, but if there were, it would be super interesting, as I said in the beginning, the game has a lot of references from various religions and beliefs, I would love to make a separate post about that just because I may have way too much free time to investigate that.

Or maybe I just spent 2 whole hours writing almost 700 words about a ton shit of things I barely know anything about and creating a theory just because of a black circle above a fictional character's head that it's probably just a horn just like @thrones-of-buer said on a post.

(I still have some doubts about that because it seems like in the new illustration that pb released of him today he has a unicorn horn just like Beelzebub, but I could be wrong)

This is just a theory tho, I'm most likely wrong, but I thought it would be interesting to share this with y'all :D

Sorry if there are any typos, I'm reaaally sleepy right now.

[ariseur]

AHHH CONGRATS ON 500 FOLLOWERS IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!! I know I’m so late but I’m here now! Your prompt list is so cute I had to join ♡ Zack with the prompt- “this is my partner, aren’t they beautiful?” You always have the option to skip over this! Remember to take your time, pace yourself, drink lots of water, and EAT YOUR MEALS!!!! Have a wonderful day! (Also this is my first time submitting a request!)

-emotional support anon🫀

zack is referred to as a lot of things. a SOLDIER, a puppy — lots of things, really. but one thing zack loves to be called is your boyfriend.

so when he sees you in nibelheim, perched under the water tower as you talk with the town guide as people gawk at the crew of SOLDIERs and the shinra-wutai war hero sephiroth’s emergence into the small village, he’s ecstatic. his smile only grows brighter as a young girl comes up to greet him and the silver-haired man, all the while, the only sight he can let his eyes rest on was you. the way your legs swing as you sat on the wooden fence bordering the tower.

you haven’t changed since he had last seen you, he smiles at that.

he doesn’t listen much to the town guide after she introduced herself with her name, tifa lockhart — he wonders if you know her. he wonders how you’ve been, how you style your hair now, if anything unnoticeable has changed about you. all he can think about is you, which is why after the guide exclaims that she’ll give them a tour tomorrow morning, his first thought is to go with you.

“you’re awfully focused, zack,” sephiroth playfully chides, making the boy choke back a sound of surprise at the sudden hand on his shoulder. he tips his head up with a confident smile, gazing up the tall SOLDIER who’s face was drowned with shadows as the sun beamed down behind him.

zack gives a hearty chuckle before scratching the back of his neck as he apologizes. “sorry about that, guess i’m still excited about the whole traveling thing.”

“i wouldn’t say it’s that exciting when you’re constantly on business.”

“still,” the darker-haired man huffs as he looks away; he looks away at you. sephiroth quirks a brow before his smile remains placid on his face, ever so slightly twitching with amusement. “are you sure it has nothing to do with that person over there?”

“h—wha-? what person?” his eyes find sephiroth once again as the first class SOLDIER chuckles at his reaction.

zack watched as his superior takes a few steps closer, clearly observing you as well — you’re still on the fence, trying to sneak a few glances at the few SOLDIERs that had tagged along. zack smiles and wonders hopefully if you’re looking for him.

“i take it you know them, then?” sephiroth inquires.

the younger man laughs and shakes his head, although the former knows that he only means it as a way of dismissing his antics. he knows that he knows you, and zack knows that he knows that he knows you; so he can’t help but let his legs move ahead of him as they make their way towards you, sword clanking against the pieces of armor that hug on his body.

he waits for you to notice him, possibly dragging his feet against the soft, brown dirt that covers the village of nibelheim — and his grin only furthers once you turn your head to the dark figure emerging in your peripheral. he blinks away the crystals that glaze over his eyes at the sight of your smile too. he can’t cry when he knows sephiroth’s watching, you know?

but he does envelop you in his arms, tightening around your midriff as he internally promises that he’ll never let you go. his nose stays buried deep in your hair whilst his fingers grip the fabric of your clothes. all those letters, you think back to, all of his promises came true. every letter in the mail you looked forward to and look where you’re at now, zack fair, resting in your arms once again.

but his eyes fly open once he hears a familiar person clearing their throat, a low hum emerging from sephiroth as he eyes you carefully. zack lets go and straightens his posture, keeping his eyes forward rather than lingering on sephiroth.

you look up at the SOLDIER with glassy eyes and try to do the same, putting on a tough face even though he can clearly see your bottom lip quiver a bit at the sudden emotions. however, both of your worries are melted away when the silver-haired man laughs and extends a gloved hand out to you. “it is nice to meet you,” his low voice rumbles — an unspoken affirmation to put his subordinate at ease.

so he does just that. zack grasps your shoulder and looks between you and sephiroth. “ah, this is my partner,” he says. for the first time in what feels like forever, he’s face to face with you, taking in all of the small details that lie in your face, almost like they hold the secrets that’ll only be revealed at the end of the world.

azure eyes flit along the bridge of your nose and the lining of your jaw, seeing the way you nervously swallow at the sight of sephiroth before zack squeezes your arm in assurance.

he grins once more. “aren’t they beautiful?”

𐙚 dottie’s 500 event — 🍡 ( dialogue ) prompts !!

𐙚 taglist ; @ch3rryfiles

𐙚 non-500 requests are closed — august twenty-sixth, 2024

[altocat]

FIRST SOLDIER EPISODE 2: CHAPTER 1

It's finally time! We were waiting FOREVER. I know you guys are very excited for Babygeal and Miniroth's first adventure together. So I'm recapping what you might have missed if you weren't able to see the chapter! Let's go!!!!

We open on the mysterious woods, a hooded figure staggering around wheezing and gasping. He's in some sort of ruins location. He drops a video camera cutting to images of sephiroth in fire and flashing forward to glimpses of scenes we'll see later in the story. We see Sephiroth, Angeal, and a Lucrecia-looking character named ALISSA. A new soldier ally? But she looks a LOT like Lucrecia so it's weird. A new friend? Or something...else?

Alissa is shown to be mentioning something about Sephiroth taking a magic sword (Masamune) and how it will empower him. Or, as she puts it, CHANGE THE WORLD. More clips from the trailer.

We cut to the present with Miniroth sleeping on the helicopter. Angeal disturbs his sleep like we saw before. It's still 1992 btw so not too much later than the Rhadore mission.

Miniroth is grumpy. Camera guy is here too--his name is Bachman.

Angeal is SIXTEEN also btw if you're wondering. Seph is prob 14 or 15.

Angeal keeps yapping and LMAO he's already talking about dumbapples. Miniroth is super annoyed and keeps blowing him off.

Angeal guesses that Seph has ever been lectured before and Miniroth FLASHES BACK TO GLENN. I'm already sad.

Bachman is reminiscing like this is a documentary he's looking back on. Angeal and Sephiroth land in September of 1992 into the ruins of Robio, on the southern tip of Wutai. Their objective is to find a bunch of missing soldiers.

Bachman is with the Shinra Records and Archives division. Sephiroth already hates being filmed. Bachman is basically there for propaganda reasons. Sephiroth WILL NOT humor his questions and is getting increasingly pissy.

Angeal is determined to find the missing soldiers no matter what. Four missing soldiers.

A monster appears! Sephiroth doesn't want to fight with the cameras rolling so Angeal steps in to fight for him. Angeal asks why Sephiroth didn't fight, Sephiroth says that Angeal had it handled. Bachman keeps hassling them for PR footage. Sephiroth was not informed about being filmed and is sulking. The guy is DONE.

They enter the Igara Forbidden Zone. It's a spooky place. Shinra thinks they're hiding something there. This is where the soldiers went missing. Angeal guesses there's some evil sort of entity in the area. Sephiroth is checked out.

Angeal tries to get Seph to cut loose. There's tension between them. Seph won't open up. The incident with Glenn really hurt him. He doesn't trust anyone.

Angeal spots something. It's a soldier and he's dead. Angeal is sad. He knew this guy and he was one of his friends. Angeal says they'll bring the body back later. They have to find the others.

They trek deeper into the Forbidden Zone. Angeal leads the way. ANOTHER body! That's 2/4 soldiers found.

Bachman brings up the Rhadore mission. Sephiroth flashes back again to the FS trio being kind to him. Sephiroth lies about how close he was to them, pretending he never got emotionally involved. But even then, Sephiroth is upset af when they are called traitors to Shinra. It's weighing on him.

Sephiroth tells Angeal that he's a special soldier. He's the only one who can speak freely to Professor Hojo. He warns Angeal THEY'LL NEVER BE FRIENDS (lol). Hojo must have done some shit to Seph before this mission, since he's so closed off. Angeal muses that being around Hojo must have fucked up Sephiroth's personality.

A third dead soldier found. Sephiroth still doesn't want to fight when monsters show up. Peak Grumpyroth. Only one more soldier left to find.

Sephiroth says that the wound on the body was made with a blade, the same as the other bodies. A PERSON killed the soldiers, not monsters. Angeal wants Seph to help him out and share intel. Sephiroth is not being agreeable.

They take a short break. Bachman brings up being friends with soldiers and says that Seph keeps to himself. Angeal lectures on TEAMWORK. Seph blows him off again. Sephiroth brute forces his way through without teamwork.

Angeal says he always wanted to work with Seph. He says if they can't be friends then at least comrades? Sephiroth keeps depersonalizing himself. He keeps calling himself just a "weapon" or a "machine". Angeal is DETERMINED to be his friend no matter what. They can get stronger through bonds. But Sephiroth is still depressed and checked out.

Lol they talk about ninjas. Angeal has fought them in simulations.

FUCKING HOJO JUMPSCARE. Seph flashback of fighting in simulations with Hojo overlooking his training. Angeal's data was included to test how Sephiroth operates with a team. Huh. Angeal was apparently partners with Seph in those simulations due to rankings. LOL GEN NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO PLACE I GUESS.

Angeal senses something's not right about this place (NO YOU THINK?). They talk about Soldier Intuition. Camera man is literally just there for Angeal to talk to since Seph won't talk to him lol.

Seph says they're being watched. Sephiroth just senses it while blowing off the whole intuition thing. We see a spooky purple presence tailing them.

Another body! The final one! And they're alive! But suddenly an old man with an INCREDIBLE AMAZING SWORD shows up. Sephiroth says that the geezer is unworthy to hold such a beautiful weapon. It's the Masamune btw. In case that isn't obvious. And the old man's name is Swordsmith Masamune.

NAMELESS (Sephiroth's old sword) breaks during the clash (rip). The old man says that he's the master swordsmith of Robio. He brags about how COOL AND AWESOME HIS SWORD IS. And how no matter how long he's waited, no one has come to claim the sword as their own (lol till now). He then runs off.

The injured soldier stirs and removes their helmet. It's that Lucrecia-looking chick Alissa. Sephiroth IMMEDIATELY panics because SHE LOOKS LIKE HIS MOTHER SADRFGHJGFD

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON ASEDRFGHFDS She asks if she looks like Sephiroth's sweetheart...or his MOTHER. AND THEN THE CHAPTER ENDS!!!!

But wait there's apparently extra content? Little glimpses. Hm...

Snippet 1: Angeal tells Bachman to take Alissa to safety while they gather their fallen allies. Sephiroth is still freaked out by Alissa. The mission wraps up. Bachman muses that there is no other soldier like Sephiroth. But the second he lost his sword...there were cracks in his psyche. Hm...

Snippet 2: Sephiroth is having a dream. It's his mother's voice and HOLY SHIT he's dreaming about seeing her im going to pass away. I'm going to die FUCK he's dreaming of having her with him and being in her life and hersdfdsdfs she makes him dinner and it's PUMPKIN SOUP AND I'M DYING HOLY SHIT HOLY FUCK ASEDRFGHJGFDSADFGHGFDSDSFGHFDS it's a fantasy in his head AND HE AND AND SHE ASDFGHFDSA I'm sobbing SHE HUGS HIM AND I'M ASDFGDSFD

Snippet 3: Angeal is thinking back to a memory with his father. It's Gillian's birthday. We see young Angeal with his dad and they're bringing out food for his mother enjoying a nice picnic. Angeal says he wants to do more cooking. Just some cute Banora lore mostly. Angeal is talking about enlisting. The extra wages will help his family. They toast in honor of sending him off. Angeal reflects on doing meaningful stuff with his life by joining SOLDIER.

END chapter. Whew. Holy cow. Super intriguing stuff. Who is Alissa? Why does she look like Sephiroth's mom? What's with the Masamune? Will Sephiroth EVER trust Angeal? ALSO HOLY SHIT WE GOT A CANON MOMMY ISSUES SCENE WITH Seph and Lucrecia I'm going to die.

[rottenpumpkin13]

Out of Context Shit Heard on the SOLDIER floor #4

A portion of these were sent in/inspired by an ask sent by @strawberrysnortshake

Zack: Ironically this isn't the first time I've accidentally eaten chalk.

Angeal: Attention everyone we're now taking votes. Raise your hand if you would sleep with Sephi—I DIDN'T FINISH SAYING HIS NAME PUT YOUR HANDS DOWN.

Kunsel: We're all out of duct tape. Angeal used the last of it to tape Genesis to the ceiling.

Sephiroth: Are you satisfied with your fish sticks, Zackary?

Genesis: Why does it smell like mommy issues in here—oh hi, Sephiroth.

Zack: I'm officially 23% goat milk.

Genesis: Well well well if it isn't my old nemesis, Heterosexuality.

Zack: Aww! 🥰 You're the antichrist!

Cloud: Yeah you're a SOLDIER alright, a sold your ass.

Zack: Where are we supposed to put this giant clown statue?

Lazard: WHY do you have a giant clown statue?

Sephiroth walking towards Genesis's office with a flamethrower: The goddess has had it good for far too long.

Essai: If we all chip in, we can finally buy Kunsel a face.

Genesis: I guess this means that the box labeled used illegal knick-knacks is off limits?

Roche: let's all dance maniacally and pretend we're gay!

Lazard: ANGEAL THAT ELEVATOR IS COMING OUT OF YOUR PAYCHECK!

Sephiroth: Are you, as the kids say, flexing on 'em?

Zack: Does anyone know what happened to my Sephiroth scented candle?

Sephiroth: I'll add murder supplies and can of whipped cream to the shopping list.

Luxiere: Let me guess, nobody cared about your light up sneakers?

Zack: 🎶 We take the pain out of paint 🎶

Roche: Have a slutty, slutty evening, director.

Angeal: Gen, can you let me have a cup of coffee before you start divulging your theories on why Cloud Strife is a time traveler?

Zack: I am going to default dance my way through hell!

Cloud: Cool trick! I'm a wizard now.

Genesis: I will start rumors about your sex life.

Lazard: Sephiroth I can't fire you, but I can mysteriously make sure you go bald.

Kunsel: This is a cave. Nothing really matters.

Sephiroth: how does one acquire a leprechaun? Can you order one online?

Roche: Commander Rhapsodos is so pretty. He reminds me of a prostitute.

Sephiroth: Genesis got me a journal for my birthday. I think I'm supposed to write down my feelings but I don't have enough pages for that.

Kunsel: when will we be free from the chains of foot pictures?

Genesis: If I find drugs in this office I'm confiscating it for my own personal use.

Lazard: Would anyone care to explain why there was a condom filled with grape jelly in the break room?

Zack(drunk): Good evening, my esteemed bastards.

Angeal: Bullying is only allowed on the SOLDIER floor if it makes Genesis cry.

Sephiroth: Mental healthn't.

Kunsel: is anyone here familiar with the concept of witchcraft? we're hexing Commander Rhapsodos at dawn.

Luxiere: Here kitty kitt—Oh that is a huuuge cat—OH IT'S GENERAL SEPHIROTH.

Angeal: Why did you spell salmonella as Sal Minella???? Who's Sal???

Sephiroth, while walking towards his office with an entire pie and a fork: Do not presume to question my actions.

Lazard: If we suffer any more budget cuts we're going to use Zack's hair as a broom.

Sephiroth: Which one of you locked Director Lazard in the Janitor's closet?

Cloud, watching Genesis recite LOVELESS: The evil gay red man is at it again.