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The Silver General had yet to find an enemy he was unable to overcome even during the war, and Wutai had tried with man and monster alike. It was almost tedious to cut through the ranks, rarely challenged unless he got into their elites - ranks that were split as Genesis and Angeal swept their own paths through the island. They simply didn’t have the forces to keep up with the three elite of SOLDIER, no one did.
It figured that the only thing that could possibly present a real stopping point was the Planet itself.
Not that he’d say, of course not, but war was waged despite the season and fall was an ugly mess of rain, wind and mud. In the mountainous regions, you could add in an unpleasant chill. Not normally a problem, it turned out to be enough eventually that they had to turn back for the sake of the unenhanced troops with them. He did scout ahead a bit despite the weather, coming back to the tent he was currently sharing with his two friends so thoroughly soaked that even his bangs lay flat.
“You are a mess,” Genesis informed him, as if he didn’t know. “Go get a shower.”
“I fail to see how being any more wet will help,” Sephiroth said, sniffing firmly as the temperature change began to hit, frowning as he started to shiver slightly.
Angeal noticed - he always noticed, on particular alert for how sensitive Genesis was to the cold. “Let’s at least get you dried off. The showers are outside, that’s not really going to help unless we got back to the fort.”
Sephiroth nodded, blinking slowly. He could feel a faint, ominous tingling starting in his sinuses, and ended up ducking away when Angeal brought a towel over. “esschih!”
The older SOLDIER blinked, surprised, then frowned as a harsher ‘ESSCHHU’ snapped him forward. “… gods bless, you okay?”
“Fine, likely the sharp change in temperature.” He could think of no other plausible reason for the way that same tingling sensation was lingering, making his nostrils flare slightly in irritation. “It does the same to Genesis.”
“I’ve never heard it affect you,” Genesis pointed out. It was a matter that had caused him much annoyance, in fact, and he was getting some amusement from watching Sephiroth’s expression turning uncertain again, green eyes a little hazy. “Again?”
Sephiroth held a hand up, breath hitching lightly as his other hand rose to hover in a loose curl below his nose. “essh! esshih! ehh… ESHHI-CHIH!”
“Bless you,” Angeal said, surprised. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“Just irritation,” he insisted, recovering with a single sniff and reaching for a towel to get his hair squeezed dry and wrapped up. It made an immediate difference in the chills, but they still made him shiver. He stripped down without hesitation, they’d seen each other in various states of undress far too often to bother with modesty, only to have to pause again, nose wrinkling uneasily. His breath hitched softly, then a little sharper. “Ehh… ESSCHIH!”
“That sounds a little strong for ‘just irritation’ Seph,” Angeal said, frowning. “Are you sure-”
“I’m fine,” Sephiroth insisted, sniffing firmly and giving him an annoyed look. “Quit fussing.”
“I’m not fussing,” Angeal said. “But I’m concerned, you never sneeze like this.”
“He’s got a point,” Genesis agreed, watching him. “You’re- going to again, aren’t you?”
Sephiroth rolled his eyes, exasperated, but he couldn’t fight off the urge that was making his lashes flutter, turning aside a little with a sudden sharp breath, “h’hhh… h’nKGSH!”
“Oh don’t stifle,“ Genesis said, sighing. “Idiot. Get dressed and come lay down.”
“I’m -”
“Fine, yes, we know.” Genesis waved his protest off, setting his book aside and getting up. “Get dressed. I’ll make you a hot drink.”
Sephiroth huffed, setting off a chain of uneasy sniffles but fortunately not rousing the urge to sneeze again yet. “Fine.”
A hot drink sounded good, at least. He was a little cold.
But he was fine.