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Chapter Text

Sephiroth was fully able to admit that some changes had their uses even if he hated the idea of altering his routines. Moving in with Vincent had been a change after all, and it had been beyond worth it. Leaving his original life behind and finally tasting some sense of normal had been exhilarating in the beginning, even if his anxiety had been nearly crippling for months. 

Knowing true freedom for the first time had left him strangely terrified, but Vincent’s personality never changed. He’d never wavered in his responsibilities towards them and for the last two years had been the father Sephiroth had always dreamed of but never dared to hope for. 

A new normal had been built, and a safe environment for his younger brother Riku had been obtained. Riku had even been calling Vincent dad in the privacy of their own home. 

That didn’t change Sephiroth’s mind on cringing away from certain modifications to his life. Change meant the unknown and Sephiroth didn’t like having to plan for the unknown. He had so much knowledge in his head and much of it was useless but that didn’t mean he enjoyed planning for dozens of mysterious scenarios. 

His therapist insisted that was the anxiety talking. That he didn’t need to plan for heartbreak around every corner but because his therapist was of the psychic designation, she knew he was holding back on much of his trauma. He wasn’t going to incriminate himself though, no matter what she swore was confidential. 

If he wanted to plan around his anxiety, he would. Vincent called it being prepared and it had always eased a knot in Sephiroth’s chest that Vincent didn’t rush him with the whole..healing… experience. 

He was only mildly betrayed when Vincent had instigated the following changes in his life. The summer before he started his senior year of high school, Vincent decided they would be moving. They didn’t go far, only a single district over in a new home that was twenty minutes away but it was enough to throw Sephiroth off balance. 

Vincent’s arguments were sound, which gave Sephiroth no straws to grasp. His new father figure wanted them to leave that neighborhood behind, so Sephiroth could forget about the house down the street where Hojo had lived and died. 

The new house would also give Sephiroth and Riku their own rooms so they would no longer have to share what used to be a guest room. Sephiroth wasn’t a fan of that either. Riku was six and getting older but Sephiroth liked being able to keep an eye on him. There was safety in numbers even if his biggest threat was already six feet under. 

His brother on the other hand had been thrilled. He was excited about their new house and his new room and as long as they stayed together, that’s all that mattered to him. Sephiroth tried to emulate his little brother in that way but he still loathed change. 

Now in a new district, on his first day of his senior year, he was also attending a new high school. He hated it. He didn’t know the hallways, the classrooms, the teachers or a single familiar face. He’d need to start over, and decided being nonverbal was how he would handle it until people stopped asking stupid questions. 

Yes, it was still warm outside. Yes, he was wearing gloves and a jacket. Yes, his hair was actually silver and no, no one could touch it. He was under the impression that teenagers thought they were mature, but that was rarely ever the case. In his darker moments he fantasized about creeping into certain people’s minds and temporarily shutting them off. 

He’d told his therapist as much once but even she didn’t realize he had the power to actually do it and claimed the thoughts were fairly normal for high school. 

Sephiroth sat through his morning classes and lamented over needing to go to his locker so often. There was little to no work on the first day. At least nothing more than surveys or pop quizzes to gauge how knowledgeable the class was. The longer he stayed in these cramped hallways the longer he thought about testing out early just so he no longer had to deal with suffocating space. 

He was supposed to be the one setting an example for Riku though, and now that his brother was entering first grade, he was going to start dealing with the mind numbing questions too. 

It wasn’t his fault he stuck out. His growth spurt meant he was tall and looking over the heads of nearly every other student in school. He kept his shoulder length hair braided in an attempt to keep people from touching it and it worked for the most part, but it didn’t stop people from asking about it. 

The first half of the day dragged on, but he blamed that on Hojo forcing advanced materials on him when he was a child. It was learn or face unreasonable consequences for not being able to learn fast enough. It meant he’d already read most of the books on his reading lists and have been doing college level math since he was eleven. 

Intelligence was the trade for awkwardness, and while he knew his school lessons, he didn’t know what to do in school other than be bored out of his mind. Even now he was halfway through the book Vincent had given him that morning for just this reason. 

He’d ignored the lunch lines and sat at an empty table that had a broken seat on the end as one more deterrent to be left alone while he read. He could trust that at least the lunch hour would go by at a normal speed while the last few hours of the day would be a standstill before he needed to go pick Riku up from school. 

Vincent had offered to do it and Riku had claimed he could still ride the bus but Sephiroth wanted to do it. He needed to make sure Riku was alright and could do that faster by picking him up himself. It helped that his school hours were an hour earlier than Riku’s. Being on time wasn’t an issue, being conscious was if school bored him anymore. 

“Three friends go into battle.” A lunch tray was dropped onto his table with a thud, a redhead sitting down directly across from him. 

Sephiroth blinked, the words both startling him and sparking reluctant interest. 

“What he means is, hello, nice to meet you.” A dark haired teen sat down next to the redhead with his own lunch. 

“That’s what I said.” 

“It was not,” The dark haired teen chuckled. He turned to Sephiroth with a gentle smile and an unusual calm swept across the table. “Anyway, my name is Angeal, and this is my friend Genesis.” 

Genesis dropped two novels and a notebook on the table beside his lunch tray with what amounted to uncommon chaos from someone that looked so put together. His earrings dangled and his hair was styled. He had more effort placed into his charm than his friend who seemed more casual and polite at a glance. 

“You’re late,” Genesis commented. 

“How can I be late when I don't know you?” Sephiroth asked, speaking possibly for the first time that day. 

Genesis grabbed his notebook and started flipping through it. It was filled with both messy and neat handwriting, and was brimming with other papers. Bookmarks, post-it notes, color coded tabs, ribbons… He opened up to a page and turned the notebook around for Sephiroth to read more easily and pointed at a line with a finger nail polished in red. 

New. New. New. Friend. Soul. Old soul, new friend. A companion that makes three. Heartache. Loneliness. Same. You’re the same. Trust will come with time. Take opportunities, Silver, don’t miss them. 

The words were nearly scribbled, many of the words repeating over again. It also offered the date, the time, and the lunch table with the broken seat. 

Underneath in a much more elegant hand were the words ‘Three friends go into battle’. 

“I wrote this two years ago,” Genesis said simply. “So we’ve been waiting. Today's the day!” 

Sephiroth’s confusion ramped up but the eerie calm around the table never wavered. It wasn’t the usual pressure, but Sephiroth’s eyes shifted to Angeal suspiciously. 

“Do not touch my mind.” 

Angeal offered a sheepish smile. “Uh, I can't do that.” 

“I feel it.” 

“Oh contraire,” Genesis said lightly. “Angeal wouldn’t even if he could. He’s empathic and does the whole aura reading thing. Bit unfair but the world is cruel. I am clairvoyant."

“Loudly clairvoyant,” Angeal chimed in but Genesis continued as if he hadn’t. 

“And I get sucked into automatic writing from time to time,” He patted his notebook. “Got a whole list of prophecies, and you…” He paused. “Didn’t introduce yourself, but you were in my literature class. Sephiroth, isn’t it?” 

“Yes…” 

“Right, you, if I had to guess,” Genesis was focused on his gloved hands. “Psychometry or clairtangency?” 

The entire conversation was daunting and left Sephiroth feeling especially winded. Hojo had made sure he never spoke about his abilities outside of the house. The threats of being labeled a freak and a monster loomed over him dangerously for years. From Vincent he learned that was far from the case. There were all kinds of people just like them. Being careful was important, but it wasn’t as deadly as Hojo had made it sound. 

“It’s a lot, huh?” Angeal offered, voice low. He cut Genesis off with a hand signal before continuing. “It’s gotta be kinda crazy. Two people showing up out of nowhere and just talking about this kind of stuff. I promise this isn’t a prank or anything. You don’t have to be so wary.” 

This was new, and he didn’t really like new things. With a sigh however, he had to admit meeting people similar to him out in the wild was a novel experience. 

“Both,” He finally muttered, eyes flitting back to Genesis. “Psychometry and clairtangency are fundamentally similar, and differ by depth and range. I can do it all. A broad understanding of a reading, or an in depth exploration of details. Objects. People. Anything.” 

Genesis whistled, his flicker of pity lasting only a second. “No wonder you’re bundled up. All it takes is skin contact?” 

“Generally,” Sephiroth muttered. “I am at the stage where I can push the thoughts away fairly easily. The gloves are a training tool, not a lifestyle. It’s just easier sometimes.” 

Angeal hummed his agreement, finally starting to eat his lunch. “And the first day of school is stressful all by itself. It’s probably smart to have them.” 

“Impressive. You must have been training that ability for years,” Genesis added, unscrewing the lid of his juice.

“Something like that.” 

“Are you not going to eat?” Angeal asked. 

Sephiroth shook his head. “I don’t do lines…” 

Genesis huffed out a friendly laugh. “Oh, do I agree with that sentiment. We should compare schedules and see what other classes we have together.” 

“I’ll grab you something tomorrow,” Angeal said in that kind of way that said he wasn’t merely offering, he was stating a fact. He’d reeled in his empathy but Sephiroth could still just barely feel those hints of ‘calm’ right around the edges of his psyche. 

“Oh, um,” 

“Did you just move?” Genesis asked right after. “You didn’t go here last year, I mean.”

“Yes,” Sephiroth muttered, not used to conversing outside of his home. Most of his time was spent with Vincent and Riku but sometimes Veld and Linda came to dinner. This was different from that in a multitude of ways. “Same area, different house. Changed districts.” 

“This is an excellent school. I mean, as far as schools go,” Genesis snorted as if finding his own comment funny. 

“Which is code for, this school is fine but Genesis can bitch about anything,” Angeal added and instead of disagreeing, Genesis shrugged. 

“If they didn’t want the suggestion box to be used, they shouldn’t have one.” 

Sephiroth found himself smiling despite the absurdity of this entire conversation. He set his book down, resigned to not reading more for the rest of the lunch hour but he had history next and could read then. 

“Oh! The Lies of Tomorrow. May I?” Genesis asked, eyes nearly sparkling when he saw Sephiroth’s book. He held out a hand and normally Sephiroth wouldn’t have handed over his books to anyone but well… worst case scenario, he’d make Genesis give it back. 

He held the book carefully and flipped through it, reading a few pages without disturbing Sephiroth’s bookmark. 

Angeal laughed at the sight. “Genesis has been obsessed with books forever, the older and prettier the better. He made me take a class with him one time on book binding just so he could try to give his own books leather covers.” 

Sephiroth actually thought that sounded interesting. He didn’t really… need his books to be bound in leather but it was probably fun anyway. 

Angeal grinned at him, “Glad that meets your approval, you can go with him next time.” 

Ah, empathy was going to be a pain. 

“This is a first edition!” Genesis gasped. “A first edition book of prophecies!” 

“Is it?” Sephiroth blinked. “They aren’t really prophecies. It was just written by a man with foresight. Not unlike your own notebook.” 

“Eh?!” Genesis went red, eyes dropping to his own notebook and then back to the volume he held. 

“Now you’ve done it,” Angeal laughed. “Compliments really go to his head. He already takes his automatic writing and reworks them into something more poetic.” 

“My own book of prophecies…” Genesis muttered. He jerked his attention back to Sephiroth. “May I read this when you are finished? Where did it come from? It’s not from the library.” 

“It’s probably fine. My dad just gave it to me this morning so I'd have something to read today.” 

“Just handed you a three hundred year old book of prophecies…” Genesis stared. “That’s awesome!” 

“Um..” Sephiroth had never been in a situation like this before. People usually steered clear of him, not whatever this was. “I’ll ask him, but I doubt he’ll care if you borrow it.” 

“I will take very good care of it!” Genesis insisted. 

“And probably have it back to you in a day with as fast as he reads,” Angeal added, glancing up when a warning bell sounded that lunch would be ending in a few minutes. He and Genesis really started to eat then while Sephiroth just took his book back. 

“So,” Genesis continued. “Your schedule?” He brought that up again, so Sephiroth pulled out his class schedule for them to compare with their own. 

Maybe this would end up being one of those good changes.

Chapter Text

Sephiroth had spent twenty minutes hiding in the bathroom before he’d risked slipping out into the hallways that were blessedly vacant. High school was full of inconveniences as far as he was concerned and today even more so. 

Spirit week had arrived, and while the name of it implied something infinitely interesting, the definition of spirit proved to be the emotional kind and not the supernatural kind. It was the frivolous kind of enjoyment that led up to the Homecoming dance and sports games. Neither of which Sephiroth was interested in. 

He’d wanted to stay home if he wasn’t even going to be in class but Vincent had cited that it would be an experience he should have. The fact that he’d had to deal with it in previous years didn’t count for some reason. 

Sephiroth moved down the hall, his shoulder dragging against the lockers as he did so. His head throbbed from the noise of that morning. Nearly the entire school was outside while a football game was in motion and Sephiroth couldn’t think of anything that would be a bigger waste of his time. 

He was thirsty, his eyes ached, his hair hurt… He knew he was headed towards over-stimulation and if it got any worse he’d have to call Vincent to pick Riku up from school for him. His one saving grace was that with everyone at the game, he was alone in the hallway and his plans of sitting alone in a stairwell wouldn’t be disturbed. 

Honestly, he thought about just leaving school early. It wasn’t like anyone was paying attention to the parking lot. No one would notice. He could go home and rest his eyes and be away from so many teenagers gathered in one place. 

His eyes watered from his headache, and he wanted to take his gloves off but he didn’t dare while still in the building. With a sigh, he stopped at the water fountain but it didn’t help much. The hallways were bright and his mind felt like it was doing flips even without any immediate mental stimulation. 

“There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you. Couldn’t imagine you went to that boorish game outside.” 

Sephiroth winced, his shoulders hunching at the noise. Genesis being so light on his feet was a gift and a threat to mankind. He should have known the red head would seek him out. It had only been a handful of weeks since school began but Genesis and Angeal were his lunch companions. They’d even gone as far as to move their seats in classes they shared to sit beside him. 

Vincent seemed thrilled he was making friends but Sephiroth wasn’t sure how he’d made anything. 

Genesis stopped in front of him, his eyes out of focus only briefly as he looked at Sephiroth and his expression became one of instant sympathy. “Apologies,” he said, his words softening considerably. “I should have realized all the noise would bother you too. Angeal isn’t fond of the heightened emotions either. A few people at a time is one thing but several hundred students enthusiastically cheering for tedious sports play gives him quite the headache too.” 

Sephiroth felt an odd relief that he’d understood immediately, “I didn’t want to come.”

“Nor did we, my friend. Come, we’ve carved out a little corner for ourselves and if you don’t mind lukewarm quesadilla’s, Angeal brought some.” 

“Umm…” 

With little prompting, Genesis dug through his messenger bag hanging just off his shoulder. With a quick search he pulled out a pair of red leather gloves that fit his hands perfectly. It left Sephiroth confused for only a moment before Genesis held his hand out for his inspection. 

“Do you think these will be okay?” 

“For?” Sephiroth asked slowly. 

“Taking your hand.” 

Nevermind, he was still confused. He was wearing his own gloves, Genesis didn’t need to put his own on. Of course if he was implying that he was going to touch him then he appreciated the notice. 

Genesis reached out and took Sephiroth’s gloved hand into his own and led him through the hallway. “Let’s get somewhere more comfortable, shall we?” 

He couldn’t take his eyes off their laced fingers. The only one that had ever worn gloves for his sake had been Vincent. It had been thoughtful and respectful and suddenly had Sephiroth wondering what kinds of things he’d see if his fingers did touch Genesis’ without the gloves between them. 

Genesis guided him to the second floor, to one of the classrooms placed inside the inner perimeter of the school. It had no windows and with the door shut, it allowed for little noise to enter the room. 

“Found him,” Genesis said in a soft sing-song tone. “Enduring this suffering blight like the rest of us.” 

“Oh, Seph,” Angeal greeted with a gentle note of commiseration in his voice. He couldn’t always turn off his empathy completely and Sephiroth just hoped he wouldn’t begin to feel sick because Sephiroth did. “Don’t worry about feeling crappy today. We all do.” 

That empathy was working just fine. 

“Heey, we finally get to meet, yo.” 

Genesis sat Sephiroth down at one of the empty desks and took a seat beside him. “Behave.” 

“We’re perfect angels, Red.” 

There were two others in the room, a second red head being the one to greet them. Sephiroth didn’t think he shared any classes with him, but the quiet blond beside him did. 

“Ha,” Genesis rolled his eyes. “Sephiroth, this is Reno and Rufus. I suppose you could call them members of our little psyche collective.” 

“Nice to meet you and all that, Silver.” Reno repeated with a grin. “Noise too much for you?” 

Sephiroth grunted an affirmative and was relieved they only had on one set of the lights above them. 

“You’re looking ill over there,” Rufus said. “Your colors are all muddy.” 

“Colors?” 

Angeal was the one to get up and search through a plastic bag he held. “Rufus sees auras. Handy little thing.” He slid up to Sephiroth’s seat with the bag open. “I have water, juice and a couple soda’s. Take your pick. It’ll help you feel better.” 

Had Sephiroth not been used to Angeal’s lunchtime mothering he’d have been surprised. As he’d had time to accept it, he reached into the bag without a fuss to pull out a juice with a quiet ‘thank you’. 

When he turned back to the pair, he found them both still observing him. Logically he knew he should try to continue the conversation, but he was well aware that volunteering information was a handicap. “Auras.” he repeated while unscrewing the cap to his juice. 

“Yes,” Rufus said. “Might not be a strong ability, but it is a useful one. Yours is usually a shade of green I've never seen before.” 

“Usually?” Genesis asked, his fingers twitching. He didn't even seem to notice the spasms. 

Rufus hummed, “Like i said, he’s darker and muddy today. Not a fan of crowds?” 

“No. Too loud,” Sephiroth muttered, sipping the juice and feeling a little better with the aid of sugar.

“What’s your deal?” Reno asked. It was a rude question asked in a friendly tone which left Sephiroth grasping for how to respond. 

“Psychometry,” Angeal said, grabbing his backpack. It didn’t hold a single textbook or any school supplies but instead a large food container. “They’re still warm but there’s a microwave in here if you want them hotter.” 

“Sweet!” Reno cheered, forgetting that he was questioning Sephiroth almost immediately. Sephiroth would have to thank Angeal for that later. 

The container was filled with quesadillas just like Genesis had promised and the very moment Angeal took the lid off, one of the pieces lifted up and shot into Reno’s waiting grasp. 

“Telekinetic…” Sephiroth blinked. That was an extremely rare skill for all it was so well known. 

Beside him, Genesis groaned. “Yes. Certainly the Goddess had her mind on other things when such an ability was handed out to Reno of all people.” 

“Don’t be jealous,” Reno snickered, taking a bite. 

Angeal rolled his eyes. “I was going to heat them up.” 

“Why is their a microwave in here?” Rufus asked, brows crinkled. “Never had a class in here.” 

“Mr. Oliver takes his lunch in here all the time. He’s got one in the cabinet.” 

Reno was already eating. “Still good.” 

Genesis shook his head and glanced at Sephiroth. “Feeling a little better, dear?” 

“A bit,” he admitted. Sure it wasn’t the alone time he was seeking but it was acceptable with such a small amount of people. “Should you pull out your notebook to write?” 

“Hn?” 

Sephiroth nodded to Genesis’ twitching hand and Genesis looked vaguely surprised. “Oh, suppose I should.” Sephiroth had seen his automatic writing a few times now and it struck him as useful and interesting. Watching Genesis write while zoning out or holding a conversation was riveting for some reason. 

While Genesis went about writing and Angeal was heating up food one paper plate at a time, Rufus’ attention returned to Sephiroth. “Psychometry, mm? Must be something if you have to wear gloves.” 

“A headache,” Sephiroth said, and if the way Rufus’ lips twitched were any indication, he believed him. He didn’t realize there were so many students here like him. He didn’t think there were any at his old school. 

Rufus looked like he sympathized for all of a second but was distracted when the door flew open and five more teens walked in. It nearly had Sephiroth cringing in his seat. 

“Hi everyone!”

“Zack, there are at least three headaches in this room. Kindly shut up,” Genesis said absently.The teen, Zack, laughed but he did lower his volume. 

“Got it. My bad,” He said, nearly skipping into the classroom right up to Angeal. He was swinging a chain in his hand absently. “I could smell you heating up food from the hall.” 

“Like a bloodhound.” Another said, one with light brown hair and dark sunglasses. It reminded Sephiroth of Vincent on the rare occasion he was hung over. “Make it four headaches in the room now.” 

“Awe, poor dude.” Reno snickered. 

There were two more blondes, and a brunette, one of them being a girl who came in last and shut the door behind her.

“Started eating without us?” She asked. 

“It was just too good.” 

“Who would miss out on this?” Zack chuckled, turning his attention onto Sephiroth. The chain he swung was a pendulum. That was fairly interesting. “New guy!” 

“Zack,” Genesis said with something akin to malice as he scribbled in his notebook over and over. 

“Right. Headaches right.” Zack said, moving closer to Sephiroth. “Hi, i’m Zack. Nice to finally get to meet you. Angeal has had nothing but super nice things to say about you. Even Genesis only says nice things which is nuts.” 

“Hello,” Sephiroth said slowly. Not sure what was happening. Reno looked amused and Rufus stared on in shared condolences.  

It did nothing to deter Zack though, and his chatter continued. “I never get to see you guys, it’s totally not fair. I’m a grade below you so we don’t share any classes. Kunsel too.” He gestured to his friend who was wearing the sunglasses and looking exhausted.  

Kunsel held up two fingers in a lazy salute. 

“Oh, oh!” Have you met the other three yet?” He continued before Sephiroth even answered. “Elena, Cloud and Squall are a year below me. All three are super nice, if quiet.” 

“Zack, I love you and all, but you’re loud enough for all of us,” Cloud said. He’d taken a seat and had his head resting on Squall’s shoulder. He’d never seen two people who looked like they were cuddling at school desks before. The amount of contact between them looked causal and excessive, but he wasn't often bothered by things that didn't involve him and this was one of those things.

Rufus frowned though, “You alright?” 

“Thought we’d take a look at the rally before coming here and it was a mistake. I’m so tired,” Cloud complained. 

“School band was playing. That was impressive at least.” Squall said, holding Cloud’s hand in his. 

“Rufus and Cloud are brothers,” Angeal said, setting down a paper plate in front of Sephiroth and handing the second to Zack who cheered with excitement but he remembered to use his indoor voice this time. 

“Ah,” Sephiroth nodded, noting the resemblance now that he knew to look for one. He wondered if Cloud could see aura’s too. 

Elena moved to take a seat next to Rufus, “Nice to meet you, Sephiroth. Hard for us to miss when Angeal and Genesis are interested in someone.” 

Angeal sputtered, “Elena, that’s…” 

“Not wrong,” Genesis smiled, finally looking up from his automatic writing with a smile. 

“Genesis…” 

“What? We are three, the writing said so.” 

Reno and Elena both laughed and Sephiroth was surprised at how friendly it sounded. He wasn’t terribly used to friendly laughter that didn’t come from Riku. 

Out of curiosity, he glanced at Genesis’ notebook, most of the words scribbled and over lapping at least a dozen times or more. 

The child cries. The child cries. The child cries. Too loud. Confused. Confused. Loud spirits. Too many spirits. Take the advice. Find the Library. Heal. Heal. Heal the cries.

Genesis blinked at the words for a long moment before he wrote a prettier, poetic line underneath it in his usual polished handwriting.

‘She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting’

This one didn’t have a time stamp next to it. One of these days, Sephiroth would have to ask Genesis how many of his own prophecies he was able to figure out. 

Genesis turned to Sephiroth, “Everyone in here has some kind of ability so don’t feel like you have to hide unless you want to.” 

“Not hiding, just being considerate,” Kunsel muttered from his seat. At some point, he’d taken a warm quarter of the quesadilla like Reno had. “Either way, nice to put a face to your name.” 

“As if you hadn’t spied him already,” Zack snickered. “Kunsel knows everything so if you ever need some hot gossip, just ask him.” 

“What’s the plan?” Cloud asked. Sephiroth got the feeling he was cutting off a much longer conversation between Zack and Kunsel. “Eat and go home? Can that be the plan?” 

“Could be,” Rufus shrugged. 

“This is the plan. Ignore sitting on the bleachers with a few hundred others. It’s a great plan,” Squall said, catching the soda Angeal tossed him. It somehow reminded Sephiroth that he had food in front of him and he finally took a bite. He was surprised how good it was considering it was reheated. Angeal had brought food from home before and it was always delicious. 

He thought about telling him, but the embarrassed look Angeal wore now likely meant he knew already. Empathy was an odd one. How did he direct it or control it? If he hadn’t been able to control his abilities to some degree, Hojo… 

Kunsel started coughing, nearly choking on the bite he’d just taken. Zack slapped him on the back and the teen slowly calmed. 

“I need a nap,” Kunsel grumbled, a hand running down his face. Sephiroth certain what his ability was but he was clearly exhausted. That didn't have to be a direct cause from what he could do but it did make Sephiroth wonder. 

Elena leaned in her seat to pat his hair, “Take one?” Kunsel leaned into her touch but neither seemed to read into that too deeply. 

“Might.” 

Zack smiled a little and went back to eating. “Cloudy, Squally, eat before it’s gone.” 

“Don’t call me Squally.” 

Cloud tilted his head just enough to kiss Squall’s jaw. “That’s a losing battle, lion.” 

The conversation danced around little things, all of them participating or jumping in when they had something to say. Sephiroth particularly liked the bit where all of them kept their voices to a reasonable volume and even Zack did his best to contain his energy.  

Come to think of it, he was actively using his pendulum as a fidget toy. The thought had Sephiroth nodding to himself. He was doing his best. 

“You could rest too,” Genesis offered, nodding to where Kunsel had his eyes shut to explain what he meant. 

Sephiroth nodded again. “I am doing better than I expected.” He missed it being just the three of them, but this was fine. All of the newcomers had tossed him glances but they were actively keeping out of his personal space while he adjusted. He could appreciate that. 

“Good,” Genesis said, shoving his desk closer to Sephiroth’s and taking his hand again. He still wore his red gloves and it was strange how Sephiroth wanted to touch them. He wanted the imprint from the red leather in his mind which wasn’t something he experienced often. He didn’t usually enjoy the thought of touching anything.

Now he stared down at his fingers laced with Genesis' while Reno, Zack, and Elena carried on a conversation. Cloud. Squall and Rufus were all observing in their own way, but Rufus in particular seemed to be over seeing everyone younger than him. 

“You want more to eat?” Angeal asked, standing in front of him and Genesis. “I have plenty.” He set some down in front of Genesis who’d yet to eat. He pulled off the glove not holding onto Sephiroth’s hand with his teeth so he wouldn’t get it messy while he ate. 

“Okay,” Sephiroth muttered, always shaken by the care Angeal showed others, especially him. 

Angeal reached out and squeezed his shoulder with a bright smile before heading back to his container of food. He checked the clock in the corner of the classroom, surprised at how much time had gone by already. 

Had he been alone, time would have moved agonizingly slow. 

This was… probably a good thing. Getting to know people. People who didn’t judge him. Sephiroth shifted his attention back to Genesis who just gave him a small smile in return. This was good…

Chapter Text

Sephiroth never imagined he’d be able to block out the constant noise and chatter of the cafeteria, especially when he walked in with a mild headache but there was a certain amount of comfort knowing the people around him would know and act accordingly. 

Angeal predictably got him water and a light lunch that he’d packed himself. He had certain standards when it came to food and only bought from the cafeteria maybe twice a week. The rest of the time he brought food he made from home and kept in his locker before grabbing it for lunch. Today he was grateful for the small container of grapes that he could eat merely to have something in his stomach. 

Genesis had taken a different approach after Sephiroth had sat down at their usual table. He pulled out a wide tooth comb from his bag and after receiving permission from Sephiroth, stood behind him to pull the comb through his silver locks. 

He’d thought his head would be too sensitive from the growing headache but Genesis’ gentle touch had him relaxing in his seat. His eyes had slid shut and he focused on the feel of Genesis’ leather gloves that occasionally touched his neck. 

“You’re looking much better than when you came in,” Angeal said, speaking in such a reasonable volume that Sephiroth nearly sagged. People spoke so loudly in a crowd and he couldn’t help the way he recoiled from the noise. It was one of many things the pair had noticed about him and adjusted to. “Not so pale.” 

“I’m feeling better,” Sephiroth admitted. “Have you researched sensory issues?” 

“A little,” Angeal mused while Genesis just hummed which could have meant anything. “I have a bit of an unfair advantage with people, for all I don't try to use it often.” Empathy could be tricky, but there was a lot to be said just for keeping people around him calm. It somehow didn’t feel like such a breach of privacy, but Sephiroth couldn’t believe Angeal’s intentions were anything but good. 

His heart was soft and his intentions towards those around him were so noble. Sephiroth didn’t think he was like that. He didn’t think Genesis was like that either, though that didn’t make him malicious. Genesis just had more bark to go along with his bite. Not for the first time, Sephiroth found himself wondering what they’d think of him if they knew what kind of person he could be if pushed. If they knew that freedom came with a price and he’d paid it. 

He’d do it again if he ever had to. Would his new friends understand? Or would he just be a monster in their eyes. 

“I think people all have their limits,” Genesis mused. “They don’t even have to be as sensitive as we can be. It’s just the appropriate thing to do to find out what those limits are when you care about someone.”

“When you care…” Sephiroth repeated. 

“Yes, my dear. For the record, Angeal and I care about you very much. Just in case that needed to be stated.” Genesis mused and Sephiroth felt everything in his head come to a halt. Angeal must have gotten a sense of his confusion given the way he smiled. 

The comb continued to slide through his hair and Sephiroth breathed out a quiet sigh. “I really don’t know anything about other people’s limits.” 

“Maybe, but you respect them quickly once you learn them,” Angeal said. “I’ve seen that first hand. It’s an admirable quality.” 

Genesis hummed again, “Yes, a simple matter but some people just can’t master it. Is your head feeling better?” 

“Much,” Sephiroth agreed. “Thank you, Genesis.” 

“Of course, darling. I don’t doubt that you or Angeal would do the same for me on a bad day.” 

Sephiroth didn’t think that was true but the sentiment was nice. If he even suspected one of his friends wasn’t feeling well one day his first inclination would have likely been to leave them alone so they could recover in peace. 

“But since you are feeling better I had something I wanted to discuss with you.” 

He immediately didn’t like the sound of that, but nodded for Genesis to continue. “Yes?” 

Genesis smiled a little, playing with one of his dangly earrings. “We have our assignment on the Door to Darkness, yes? The paper can be done in teams and I thought we could do it together.” 

The Door to Darkness was a classic even if it wasn’t one of Sephiroth’s favorites. He’d first read it at ten and again at fourteen. He was already halfway through it again, brushing up on it’s symbolism before he attempted to start his paper. 

“I’m not very good at group work.” 

“Ah, only because groups are often incompetent. You and I are not. We can turn in something meaningful and score a little extra credit in the process,” Genesis was smiling, clearly enamoured with the idea. It was no secret how he enjoyed being leagues ahead of everyone else in their literature class. 

Sephiroth grunted, “I suppose.” 

“Wonderful, then my ask is this, working on it outside of school hours,” Genesis continued before Sephiroth could take his words back. “I understand visiting my home or even Angeal’s would be unnecessarily stressful for you. So many things to accidentally touch. Anyway, I wished to propose us working on it together at your house.” 

“Mine…” Sephiroth blinked, feeling uncertainty bloom. “I don’t know. I’ve never invited anyone over before.” 

Angeal frowned a little, “Do you think it would cause you trouble?” They’d been hinting around his home life for some time now. Their questions were usually more along the lines of gentle prodding and fishing for information. This was altogether new. 

Sephiroth bit his lip briefly and shook his head. “Probably…not?” 

“We don’t wish to intrude. Perhaps asking for permission is required?" 

It was a little odd to Sephiroth that while the project would be done by the two of them, it was clear that Angeal intended on tagging along. Was this a normal friend thing? He’d never really paid attention to it before. 

“I could…” Sephiroth said and slowly pulled his phone from his pocket with both giving him expectant, borderline hopeful looks. “When?” 

“We’re free today,” Angeal offered. “But we could come another day if that’s better.” 

Sephiroth blinked. “I have an errand after school today.” 

“Will it take long?” 

“Probably not…” Was this a friend thing? He needed more reading materials on these kinds of things. With a soft sigh, he pulled up Vincent’s number and sent him a quick text. 

-Am I allowed to invite two friends over for school work this evening? 

Angeal gave him a sympathetic look. “Are we confusing you? You seem more confused than reluctant.” 

Sephiroth shrugged once. “As I said, I've never invited someone over before. It is new territory for me.” 

Genesis was tapping his fingers against the table, “My home is an option of course, I just thought your own space would allow you to be more comfortable.” 

It would… and he appreciated their thoughtfulness, even if it was weird. 

A text reply came almost instantly. 

-Of course. 

“Ah,” Sephiroth blinked at his phone. “It seems I am allowed.” 

“Wonderful,” Genesis nearly purred. “We can follow you after school? Angeal carpooled with me today.” 

Sephiroth’s thoughts short circuited briefly. He needed to pick Riku up first and then he promised Riku a treat because… he was finally able to spoil his brother a little. “Do you know Gainsborough’s? The bakery on fifth street?” 

Angeal was already pulling out his phone to check, “Oh yeah. I know where that is.” 

“I have a quick errand after school, and then I will be going to that bakery. I can meet you there and then you can follow me to my home from there.” 

“Fair,” Genesis agreed quickly, wincing when the bell rang to signal their lunch period was over. Sephiroth sympathized, loathing the sound and Angeal gave them both soft looks. “We will wait for you there after school then.” 

Sephiroth nodded helplessly, not know what else to do as he gathered up his things to return to class. Were their friendship milestones? Was this one of them? 

He’d been speaking with a few of the other psychic teens he’d met through Angeal and Genesis a little more but he didn’t think he was particularly ready to have all of them knowing where he lived. Angeal and Genesis were fine though.

“Okay… Good?” 

~

Sephiroth sat in the pick up line, fingers nervously tapping the steering wheel as he waited for the teacher to lead out Riku’s group of kids who weren’t waiting for the buses. 

Was this a bad idea? He liked Genesis and Angeal as people which hardly ever happened with him but bringing them back to his home was something else altogether. It could be dangerous. Who knew what emotions Angeal would feel or what bits of information Genesis’ clairvoyance would pick up.  

What had Vincent been thinking just approving this? What had he been thinking even asking? This was not how he kept his family safe. 

Sephiroth had been so stuck in his own thoughts that he jumped when the backdoor popped open and Riku climbed in, settling himself into his booster seat. “Hi Seph!” 

“Hello Riku,” Sephiroth muttered, waiting until his brother was buckled in before pulling off. “How was school?” 

“Good. I hafta read for fifteen minutes tonight.” 

“That’s easy enough,” Sephiroth mused, trying to keep his attention on his brother. 

Riku nodded along and pulled his water bottle out of his lunchbox to sip from. “There’s a girl in my class who's suddenly jealous cause I get to wear gloves all the time.” 

“Oh? Is that new?” 

“Uh huh. It’s cause it’s cold after recess,” Riku said. 

Sephiroth glanced at him in the mirror. “Is your classroom warm?” 

“Uh huh, it just takes a minute to warm up after recess and we take our coats off and stuff,” Riku explained. “But I'm the only one that gets to keep my gloves on cause I have a doctor's note.” 

“I see.” 

“Uh huh. Another kid said she just likes to whine and I guess she does,” Riku said. 

“Does it bother you?” Sephiroth asked, wondering if he dealt with kids like that when he was Riku’s age. He remembered the funny looks but not the jealousy. Granted, at Riku’s age he ate, slept, and breathed in fear when it came to living under Hojo’s roof. There was nothing pleasant about that time, not even his mother. 

Strictly speaking, he couldn’t even really remember his mother despite the fact that he’d been ten or eleven when she’d died. Maybe he’d blocked those memories himself. 

“No,” Riku said, swinging wildly into a new conversation. “Are we still going to Elmyra’s bakery? You promised this morning.” 

“Yes,” Sephiroth said curtly. “Do you know what you want?” 

“Yes.” 

His excitement for something so small put a smile on Sephiroth’s face. “We’ll get something for Vincent too. Think about what you want to bring him.” 

“Okay!” Riku lit up at the request.  

Sephiroth regretted nothing he’d done when it meant Riku could smile like that. He drove to the bakery, sure his friends were likely already there while he let Riku chatter on about his day. It seemed all of his fears about Riku starting school were pointless since his first few months had been painless. 

“And then we got to hang our artwork up in the hall outside the classroom.”

“I can’t wait to see it when you bring it home,” Sephiroth felt like he was just echoing Riku’s thoughts, too worried about how this meeting would go. 

“You’ll like it,” Riku said confidently, perking up when Sephiroth turned to park and he could see the bakery. “I’m hungry…” 

“I’ll bet you are,” Sephiroth said, getting out first and opening Riku’s door for him. “Hand.” 

Riku wasn’t yet at the age where he argued the hold, and placed his gloved hand into his brothers as they crossed the parking lot and entered the bakery. 

There were only a handful of people inside, but Genesis and Angeal were among them, browsing the baked goods. Sephiroth knew the moment he was spotted when they turned in his direction, their eyes going wide. 

Sephiroth was all but yanked forward when Riku dragged him to the front counter, nearly bouncing in place. 

“Hello Riku! Hello Sephiroth.” Elmyra greeted with a friendly smile. 

“Hi Miss Elmyra. Do you have chocolate croissants?” Riku asked immediately. 

“Oh, you know I can always find one for you.” Elmyra mused. “Is that what you’re getting today?”  

“Yep.” 

“Anything else?” 

Riku looked through the display case and pointed. “Sephiroth wants a cream horn.”

Elmyra’s eyes were crinkled with amusement. “Does he?” 

“Two of each.” Sephiroth said softly. 

Riku whipped around with wide eyes. “I can have two croissants!?” 

“One for tomorrow,” Sephiroth said with a nod. “We’re you going to pick something out for dad?” 

“Oh! Yes,” Riku said, looking down the display case again when Elmyra shared an amused look with Sephiroth. This was fairly common when they visited and Elmyra often complimented on what a sweet child Riku was. 

“That one. The white and black one.” Riku said when he couldn’t read the name tag. “He likes that one.” 

“The napoleon,” Sephiroth said. “Two of those two please.” 

“You got it,” Elmyra said, letting Riku pick out exactly which two of each he wanted. 

Sephiroth knew when Genesis and Angeal approached and he felt the familiar ‘calm’ around the edges of his mind that Angeal projected nearly on accident. 

“I knew you wouldn’t stand us up. We were starting to wonder,” Genesis said, a twist of humor in his tone. “Color me surprised though.” 

Sephiroth just grunted, not sure what to say to that one. 

“I’d ask you how long you’ve had a son but I can do math,” Genesis continued. “Little brother?” 

“Do we look that alike?” Sephiroth asked in surprise. No one had ever mistaken Riku for his son before. 

“You do,” Angeal confirmed but he just looked pleased. 

When Riku finally noticed them as Sephiroth moved to pay for the purchase, he grew more intimidated. Hiding behind Sephiroth and clinging to his side. 

“It’s okay, Riku,” Sephiroth said. “I know them.” 

Riku peered out from around him, looking up at the teens so much taller than he was. “Are you Seph’s friends?” 

“Yes,” Genesis said immediately. “Yes, we are. My name is Genesis. Your name is Riku?”

“Uh huh.”  

“And my name is Angeal,” Angeal said, kneeling down so he was closer to Riku’s height. “Genesis and I were going to buy some treats too. Is there anything you’d recommend?” 

Riku slowly looked up to Sephiroth to check if it was okay, and at his brother’s nod decided he could pick out more things. “Okay!” He hopped the two steps back to the counter. “The cannoli’s are really good. My dad like those ones too. They’re um, nutty.” 

“Oh, the baklava,” Angeal hummed in appreciation. “Those do look good.” 

“Uh huh. The strudels and turnovers are good too. And a bunch of them got fruit inside.” 

“Fruit? What kinds?” Genesis asked. 

Riku bit his lip and Sephiroth could tell he was trying to read the bigger words on the little signs but chances were good he was going off his own memories of what he’d had before. “There’s cherry ones and lemon ones and apple ones.” 

“Oh,” Genesis brightened. “Apple turnover for me then.” 

Elmyra just chuckled. “He’s a little salesman for sure. One baklava and one apple turnover?” 

“Yes, ma’am.” Angeal said. “Thank you for the help, Riku.” 

Even the small amount of praise had Riku smiling and shyly clinging to Sephiroth’s side again. 

“Oh goddess, he’s too precious,” Genesis muttered, handing his card over to Elmyra to pay. 

When all of them were finished at the counter, Riku waved goodbye to Elmyra and promised to come again in a week. It wasn’t until they were back outside that he seemed confused by the older boys again. 

“We’ll follow you?” Angeal asked. 

“Yes.” 

“Are you coming to our house?” Riku asked and looked at Sephiroth. “Is that allowed?” 

Sephiroth shrugged, “He said it was fine.” 

“Oh, good then.” 

“We made sure to ask for permission,” Angeal offered to appease the child but Riku nodded a touch too seriously. 

“It wasn’t allowed before but it’s okay now,” Riku said and he didn’t seem to note the confusion and mild alarm on his friends faces. 

Genesis raised a brow at Sephiroth but he didn’t say anything. 

“Hand,” Sephiroth demanded and Riku placed his hand in Sephiroth’s while they crossed the street. “Our house isn’t far from here.” 

“No worries. We won’t get left behind,” Angeal mused, breaking off with Genesis by his side to head back to their own car. Sephiroth got Riku settled again and let him hold the bag of pastries triumphantly. 

Riku stayed quiet until Sephiroth was putting on his own seatbelt. “Are they real friends, or fake friends?” 

Sephiroth exhaled hard. “I think they’re real friends. They’ve been very nice to me.” 

“Good. I’m glad. They seemed nice but dad always says to be careful with strangers.” 

“It’s a very good lesson to remember,” Sephiroth agreed. “I’ve known them since school started. They’ve been trustworthy so far.” 

Riku was quiet for a moment, “I’m glad,” He repeated, “Can you turn the radio up?” 

Sephiroth huffed out his laughter and nodded. “Of course, Riku.” 

~ 

They were home in less than ten minutes and Riku was excited purely because he wanted to eat his croissant. He only struggled to get out of the car briefly but he let Sephiroth help him gather his backpack, lunchbox, and the bag of pastries he insisted on carrying himself. He took off towards the door, taking the steps carefully and nearly slamming into the unlocked front door. 

“He’s precious,” Genesis said again, shutting the door to his car after having grabbed his own messenger bag. “You never told us you had a brother.” 

“I’m told I guard him like a bear guards their young,” Sephiroth offered, but that seemed to satisfy his friends somewhat. 

“Does he also have psychometry?” Genesis asked. “I noticed he keeps his hands covered too.” 

Sephiroth nodded. 

“What a strong little boy,” Angeal mused, knowing how difficult the ability could be to live with. 

Sephiroth nodded again, relaxing a little under the weight of the knowledge that they understood. “Yes.”

“This is a nice neighborhood. You just moved here, right?” Angeal asked, moving the conversation on before Sephiroth could get stuck in it. 

“Yes. During the summer,” Sephiroth said, reluctantly turning towards his house since he knew this wasn’t something he could prolong. “I’ve never had people over before. I may not be very good at it.” 

“My dear, this isn’t a test. It’s just hanging out like we do at lunch, and discussing a somewhat controversial book,” Genesis promised. 

“And we’ve already got snacks.” Angeal held up their bag of pastries, looking amused. “We’ll be fine.” 

With a small acknowledging sound, and a ridiculous knot in his stomach, Sephiroth led them inside. Each of them paused to hang their coats by the door and Sephiroth continued on towards the kitchen where he could hear Riku chattering away. “This one is for you. You like these, right?” 

“For me too? Good memory,” Vincent praised. “Thank you.” 

“And Sephiroth brought people home,” Riku said like he was informing Vincent of something important. 

“Yes, I thought he might.” Vincent said, looking up as Sephiroth walked in with Genesis and Angeal. Sephiroth could tell by looking at him that he didn’t have any side work tonight. He was dressed too casually and didn't currently have a gun on his person. Even his hair was only half pulled back. 

“Hi dad,” Sephiroth greeted, noting that Riku had pulled all of the pastries out of the bag. He’d have to put the extra’s back in it for tomorrow. 

“Hello Sephiroth,” Vincent responded just as smoothly. “Riku, remember to wash your hands before you eat, please.”

Riku was already pulling his gloves off and dashing out of the kitchen. “Yep!” 

With the small child out of the room, Vincent honed onto his friends more easily. Sephiroth could feel them both nearly stiffen. 

Sephiroth cleared his throat, deciding that the introductions should be up to him. “This is Vincent, my dad. Dad, this is Genesis and Angeal.” He gestured to both of them. “Genesis is clairvoyant and Angeal is empathic.” 

Both shot Sephiroth a look but Vincent just hummed. 

“Ah.” 

As quick as that Angeal inhaled, staring at Vincent with wide eyes. “You’re gone. How are you just gone?” 

Vincent snagged a paper towel and picked up one of the napoleons they’d brought him. “Oh? Never been around anyone that could do that? It’s better for you to not have to linger around my emotions. I can block others from feeling them.” 

“What?” Angeal sounded winded. 

Sephiroth pouted, gaining a look from Genesis. “Teach me.” 

“We can try,” Vincent agreed easily. “It’s nice to meet you boys.”

Genesis just gestured several times to each of them before he could force any words out. That was rather odd for him. “What the fuck? You are way, way, way too young to be Sephiroth’s dad and what was that?” He looked at Sephiroth. “Just telling him about us like that?” 

Sephiroth winced at the accusation. “I’m sorry,” He said immediately. “I figured it was better he knew so things would be more comfortable for you.” 

“For us?” Angeal asked, and there was still a slight wheeze to his voice. 

Vincent laughed softly before taking a bite of the treat brought to him. “My main skill is retrocognition. I dabble in a few other areas. Your abilities are quite safe here.” 

“Are we allowed to talk about the pictures?” Riku asked as he came back in and made a beeline for his chocolate croissant. Sephiroth put the extras in the bag before Riku could run off with his second one. 

“Pictures?” Genesis asked. 

“It’s what he calls the visions,” Sephiroth muttered. “Because we can see whole scenes laid out before us when we touch things.”

Riku looked up at Genesis. “Do you see pictures?”  

There was a moment where Genesis nearly faltered but he inhaled and answered rather gently. “Not like you do. Sometimes answers just pop into my head when I look at things. It’s close but really different too.” 

“That’s neat,” Riku said immediately and he meant it. 

Vincent smiled a little. “It’s good you’ve found some people that can understand you.” 

It was Angeal’s turn to look flustered. “Wait, can we back up for a second? How did you block my empathy? I know I can block myself from reading it but I've never met someone who could block themselves from me.” 

“It’s not all that different from mediums blocking their minds. Would you like to learn.” 

“Yes.”

“Yes.” Genesis echoed Sephiroth and gave Angeal a helpless shrug when he gave him a look. “My dearest, I’m happy feeling you on the edge of my emotions but there are other empath’s out there. Learning to block them out would be a handy bit of knowledge.” 

“Agreed,” Sephiroth said. 

Riku looked up at Vincent after swallowing a bite of his croissant, “What’s empathy?” 

“Instead of seeing pictures about other people, Angeal is able to feel their emotions. If you’re happy, he’ll feel that you're happy. If you’re sad, he’ll feel that you're sad.” It was a very basic explanation but Riku seemed to give it some thought and wrapped his mind around it fairly well. 

“Thats neat too.” 

Vincent smiled and nudged Riku to follow him into the livingroom. “We’ll let Sephiroth hang out with his friends. Tell me about your day. Did you learn something you didn’t know before?” 

“Kinda. We had a lesson on how to tell time with the old ticking clocks but you already showed me how to do that,” Riku began as Vincent led him away. 

Barely a moment had passed before Genesis was whirling around on Sephiroth. “What the fuck?!” He was both shouting and whispering which was impressive. “Why is your dad hot!? How is he your dad?” 

“Genesis…” Angeal sighed but the red head was already riled up. 

“Oh,” Sephiroth's lips twitched in amusement. “I’m adopted. Riku and I are adopted.” 

Genesis nearly sagged into one of the kitchen chairs. “Okay. Okay. That makes way more sense then whatever my brain was trying to come up with. So he’s actually just young and hasn’t found a fountain of youth.” 

“Vincent is twentyfive,” Sephiroth confirmed. 

Angeal took a seat next to Genesis and pulled out their own pastries, likely just to have something to do with his hands. “And you call him dad? Not that I'm questioning your dynamic or anything.” 

Sephiroth shrugged, “I wanted a dad and Vincent offered. He’d been taking care of me and Riku even before our bio dad kicked it. He’s been an incredible dad to Riku and that’s what matters.” 

“We had no idea you were adopted…” Angeal said slowly. “And I won't pry deeper since your feelings towards your bio dad are… apathetic at best.” 

“It’s okay,” Sephiroth muttered, reaching for the cream horn Riku had picked out for him. He pulled off his gloves which didn’t go unnoticed. “You can go ahead and say it. I’m relieved he’s dead and that baffles you.” 

“Not if he was a shitty person,” Genesis said. “Alright darling, cards on the table. We were worried about you. Sometimes you say something or just…have a teeny trait of someone that has been…mishandled.” 

“Abused,” Sephiroth corrected, but Genesis trying to show an ounce of tact was almost endearing. 

“Yeah…” Angeal said. “We just wanted to make sure you were okay at home.” 

They could have just said that from the beginning but it was…sweet? Kind? Sephiroth wasn’t sure but he did know no one else in his life had ever cared before. It was an overwhelming thought that affected him more then he would have guessed hours earlier. His well being mattered to them and they'd decided to take a truthful approach. Maybe he should do the same. “Well, in the name of transparency, I go to therapy. I’ve lived with Vincent for two years and we are happy and safe here.” He stared at them. “I also killed my father though it was labeled a suicide.” 

He’d never said it before. It had been a closely guarded secret but it hardly mattered. Even if Genesis and Angeal wanted nothing to do with him because of the crime, they still couldn’t prove he’d done any wrong doing. It was insanity, but he wanted to know sooner rather than later if he was going to lose his friends. 

Genesis’ attention shot to Angeal who just nodded, likely confirming that if nothing else Sephiroth was feeling honest. 

“Okay,” Genesis said slowly. “Why?” 

“To keep Riku safe. To prevent the abuse from continuing,” Sephiroth muttered. 

“Oh, is that all?” Genesis just looked relieved and took a bite from his apple turnover. “Oh, this is good.” 

“Genesis. Really?” Angeal gave him a look. 

Genesis just waved off his concern, “Come now dearest, we know Sephiroth. If he felt that cornered then it was probably more self defense, am I right? I’m not going to weep over some dead abusive man.” 

Angeal actually snorted, “So eloquently put.” He looked at Sephiroth and managed a smile. “No wonder you close yourself off so much. Are you really okay?” 

Sephiroth looked between them, feeling his throat start to close as more emotions set in. They didn’t have any details on what happened, but they were taking his side and asking if he was alright? He’d been afraid of losing them once the truth came out to them, and he’d always assumed it would. 

Throwing the truth at them had been spontaneous and stupid but he wanted it to be over with quickly. 

“My dear,” Genesis reached to place his hand over Sephiroth’s but stopped when he remembered he wasn’t wearing his gloves. Instead, Sephiroth offered his hand palm side up and Genesis carefully laid his hand on top of Sephiroths. 

Apples. Books. Tree Swings. Pianos. Red Ribbons. Genesis tracing his fingers over his favorite writing notebook. 

Sephiroth inhaled shakily, blindly offering Angeal his other hand. It took longer than it had with Genesis but he finally felt Angeal place his hand in his. 

Plants. Soil. Seeds. Cooking. Knives. Vegetables. Swimming. Angeal fiddling with a bracelet made of yarn that Genesis had made for him. 

They liked him. They both liked him. Their concern about his home life had been real and suffocating. They were worried and now they’re relieved. Their attachment to him wasn't done on a whim and though it may have started because of Genesis' prophecy, that wasn't why it lasted. Their combined bond strengthened every moment they spent together. They liked him despite how awkward he could be. Those little strange traits didn't mean anything to them because he was the one important to them.

Through Genesis's clairvoyance he could feel their fates twisting together, stitched by their own hands. Through Angeal's empathy he could touch the remnants of their combined feelings for each other and for him. There was so much love. 

When it all stopped, Sephiroth inhaled, Vincent’s gloved hands holding his wrists up in the air to break the contact with the other two. 

“Really?” Vincent raised a brow. Sephiroth worried he’d be disappointed at his recklessness but he was just amused. “Your Talk did not include tactile over sensitivity and now I see it should have.” 

“Dad!” Sephiroth looked scandalized, but at least Angeal was also red in the face. Genesis was, of course, laughing in absolute delight. This was… his family.