Chapter Text
Cloud woke up gasping, his lungs burning like he'd been drowning. He heaved himself onto his hands and knees, coughing up something slick and glowing. His body ached with phantom pain, Mako still thrumming under his skin. His fingers dug into damp dirt, and he struggled to push himself up
The world around him was eerily silent save for the soft trickle of water. He was in a cavern-no, a Mako pool, its sickly glow casting shadows on the jagged walls.The Mako clung to his skin, seeping into the crevices of his gloves, his boots-his very being. Even without looking, he knew his eyes had taken on that unnatural glow again
The air was thick with the acrid stench of raw Mako. It coated his throat, turning every breath into a reminder that he had survived something he shouldn’t have. He staggered to his feet, boots squelching in the residue, and forced himself to move. He had to get out of here-wherever here was
The climb was grueling, every muscle in his body screaming in protest, He certainly doesn’t appreciate being unceremoniously dumped into another Mako pool by the lifestream, forced to haul Fenrir out of the foul-smelling liquid with a thoroughly unwanted, surprise Mako bath. No amount of shouting at the pool, demanding answers from the life stream for doing what it did that Cloud get an answer and he gave up after screaming himself hoarse and leaving the side of the pool. Eventually, he found an exit. The moment he stepped outside, he searched his surroundings for anything that might give him a clue about where he was.
Only the wide canvas of the graying sky can be seen for miles from where he is standing. The sky has always been a murky grey. Ever since then.
Cloud squinted his eyes hard enough to see any signs of mountains that he can hopefully get to. Eventually, he sees one after getting to a higher ground.
He made his way down the dirt path, moving on instinct. The terrain felt known but distant, like an old memory half-forgotten.
How many times does he have to go through this shit?
Goddess. Tifa is going to be pissed when she finds out the goods she fought for with bloodied fists are now a mush of shattered glass and Mako-soaked debris in Fenrir’s compartment. She can blame the planet for kidnapping him unannounced mid-transit and dumping him goddess-knows-where.
Disoriented, with his PHS fried and having no other possible way to contact anyone, It took nearly a week to find civilization. and the other half trying to scrape the Mako residue out of every crevice of Fenrir. Who knew that bike had so many damn tight spots for that shit to settle? Even now, he couldn't get rid of it all.
His rations were gone, and his body ached from trudging through unfamiliar terrain. His gear was in shambles, and the Mako exposure had left him with bouts of dizziness that refused to fade. But at last, against the horizon, he saw the familiar silhouette of Kalm.
Relief warred with unease as he approached the town. Something was off. The road signs looked newer, the buildings freshly painted. He dismissed it at first- Maybe the mayor had finally begun renovating the streets of Kalm, giving the town a fresher look than Cloud remembered.. But then came the people. Their stares lingered too long, their expressions unreadable. A creeping sense of wrongness settled in his gut.
A agingvendor called out to him as he passed. Bushy brows covering his sight as he attempts to get Cloud over.
"Traveler! Need a ride? Take a Chocobo! They’re Good for the road."
Cloud ignored him, but not before catching a flash of yellow near the old man-a chocobo with its handler adjusting a saddle. One of the birds lifted its head, staring right at him.
It fluffed its crest as if it met a challenger, making itself look bigger. Does it think Cloud is-
The man scowled and walked faster. Keeping his head down and ears open, after a while catching snippets of conversation as he passed through the marketplace. and what he heard made his steps falter as familiar words bustle through the street as if its a normal, everyday occurence. A merchant grumbled about a Shinra recruitment drive in Midgar. Another spoke of Wutai’s latest counterattack.
Cloud frowned. Shinra? Counterattack? The war should have been over. Shinra, disbanded and groveling at the world’s feet for forgiveness for fucking up their lives. He could feel Tension coiled in his spine, a warning he couldn’t ignore. He needed more information. The streets were busier, what he’s hearing wasn’t right, and-was that a digital billboard?
Cloud narrowed his eyes, stepping closer to a group of people gathered near a storefront. They were chattering excitedly, pointing at something posted on the window.
A common newspaper.
His stomach twisted as he approached, eyes scanning the page for the date. He doesnt know how many days, or even weeks he stayed floating in the mako pool. Its already a miracle that he woke up on his own at all, with no Tifa dragging his ass back out of the poison to gain consciousness.
When he found it, his breath hitched-feeling his blood freezinf as he read the words. Cloud rubbed his eyes, knuckles grinding hard to the point of hurt as he tried scrubbing away the lies convinced it was some aftereffect of his Mako dip or a bad hallucination. But there it was, the unmistakable letters and numbers .
The date was wrong. Decades wrong.
His pulse skittered. His grip tightened on the paper, crinkling the edges. This wasn’t just a small jump. This was something else entirely that he never experienced before. and he's pretty sure he experienced alot in his lifetime to know
His gaze flicked lower, heart pounding hard in his chest. That couldn’t be right. That wasn’t possible. His fingers curled around the edge of the newspaper, gripping it tighter as he forced himself to reread the date and the words over and over again. He swallowed hard, a sick feeling settling in his gut. This had to be a mistake. Or maybe he was dreaming. Maybe-
An ad.
A recruitment ad.
For SOLDIER.
And there, printed in bold letters beneath the Shinra insignia, was a face that made him want to tear the blasted paper to shreds.
SEPHIROTH.
Cloud’s world tilted. He took a step back, heart hammering against his ribs. The letters swam in his vision, the familiar sharp strokes of the name digging into his skull. His breath came out shallow, uneven.
No. No, this wasn’t happening. He had burned this name from his world. Had ripped it out, buried it to the deepest part of his mind. This has to be a nightmare. It had to be. Maybe he hadnt woke up from his mako dip after all. Maybe he’s trapped in his own mind, playing tricks, like what happened before.
But the weight of the newspaper was solid in his hands. The air in his lungs was real. The voices around him-excited, hopeful-drilled into his ears. And the date. The date. If it was real, if all of this was real-
Cloud inhaled sharply, staggering away from the crowd. His vision blurred at the edges, but he forced himself to focus. He needed to think. To prove that this wasn’t real. That this was some elaborate trick. But every breath, every sound, every sensation screamed otherwise.
He could feel his grip on reality was slipping, but if there was one thing he knew-one thing he could cling to-it was that the world didn’t want him to rest. Not yet.
And if this was real, then he needed to find out why.
A muffled conversation drifted from a group of men nearby as they passed.
"…-ra’s rolling out another batch of recruits. Got a cousin trying to get in."
"Think he’ll make it?"
"Who knows. They’re pickier now, even with the war dragging. Only the strong get to be SOLDIERs"
Cloud pushed the curdling emotion aside. The Vendor of the newspaper is starting to look impatient as he placed an expectand hand over the counter for a payment. The people around him begun whispering and pointing at him, at his eyes. Cloud avoided their imploring gaze. He doesn’t want to risk having military officers on his ass for being suspicious and so bid a curt nod towards the man, took out a gil to pay for the crumpled paper and retreated to a more secluded area.
The world around him faded. the newspaper clenched so tight between his fingers that that it crumpled upon its abuse. Cloud ducking into an alley where the noise of the crowd faded into the background. His hands clenched and unclenched as he steadied his breathing. If this was a trick, he’d find the cracks. If this was real… he’d have to deal with it.
He needed information. If Shinra was still standing, if Sephiroth was alive and well, that meant he had been thrown back in time
Cloud’s throat tightened.
It wasn’t the first time he’d lost control of his fate. But this time, it felt… different.
His fingers brushed against the newspape, smoothing out to see Sephiroth’s facv taunting him. If he was here, if this world still hadn’t unraveled into ruin, then maybe-
No. No maybes. He couldn’t afford to hope. He had a job to do.
And the first step? Figuring out what the hell is going on.
Cloud exhaled sharply and straightened. If he was to survive this, he needed to move. He needed to observe. And most importantly, he needed to keep his head down-at least until he understood what kind of game fate had thrown him into this time.
With one last glance at the crowded street, he slipped into the shadows, already planning his next move.
If this was time travel, then Aerith…
Aerith.
If this was the past-if the Lifestream had truly thrown him back…
Then Aerith was alive. Right?
The realization sent a shudder through him, chasing away the fog of confusion. His course was set. He had to find her. He had to see her with his own eyes.
And then… he'd figure out what the hell he was going to do next.
The shock and adrenaline wore off within an hour of drifting through the crowd and observing the environment around him. CLoud still couldn’t believe that this was happening. He was still skeptical. Believing it to be a nightmare induced by Mako Poisoning. Unless he saw and spoke with Aerith himself, then he might partially believe that this wasn’t one of his crazy mind’s fault.
Cloud moved with purpose, though every step felt like treading through fog. His mind out of its usual calm and control, mechanically dissecting possibilities, but none seemed to settled right. Time travel? Some cosmic joke? The Planet’s will? It didn’t matter. What mattered was understanding where-when-he was.
His boots hit cobblestone with a steady rhythm as he moved through Kalm’s streets. The sights, the smells-they felt wrong. Not in the way of a dream, not distorted or surreal, but just... off. People walked with lighter steps, their faces unburdened by the weight of war. The buildings, though familiar, gleamed with a cleanliness he didn’t remember. Shinra’s presence wasn’t oppressive. It was welcomed.
Cloud gritted his teeth.
He looked around
The massive billboard loomed overhead, a familiar figure plastered across it, posing like a goddamn runway model.
Sephiroth.
Jessie would have lost her mind over this. Barret would shoot it full of holes with his gun. Yuffie would probably steal it in broad daylight and light it on fire in honor of her ancestor.
Hell, Cloud almost drew his Fusion Sword instinctively, his hand twitching, itching to shred the damn thing. It's been years since he saw Sephiroth’s face, and it was just as repulsive as ever. To suddenly see it plastered everywhere after years of not seeing his face? If it wasn’t for the revelation earlier, he would’ve believed that he stumbled into some kind of cult hideout for Sephiroth fanatics. This part of Kalm wasn’t that crazy over Sephiroth. Something wasn’t right. Cloud would've remembered Sephiroth doing a photo shoot like this.
He would've pinned it to the wall for motivation during his teenage years, or whatever.
Jenova’s little soldier had no business posing like that. Gloved hand outstretched toward the camera, soft eyes-likely some lighting trick or photo-editing bullshit. Masamune limply lowered to the ground, rising smoke, and destroyed Wutai properties in the background completing the whole ridiculous ensemble. The title on the ad read, "Awakening the True Vision."
It’s absurd. And yet, Cloud can’t deny the truth in it. Sephiroth was the vision-the distorted, twisted image Cloud had been fighting against for years. But the caption beneath it nagged something within him:
“The time is now. Complete the vision and take your place among the chosen.”
Cloud snorts derisively. Typical Shinra stunt. Recruitment. They’re just trying to get more ignorant country bumpkins to join their twisted SOLDIER ranks. Using Sephiroth as the damn poster boy, nothing unusual. But the thought of Shinra still existing, still scheming, had him fuming. He can't believe that He was one of these Country Bumpkins that believed them. He has been blind.
Done with this nonsense, Cloud snatched another newspaper from a nearby wary vendor and gave him a handful of gil .When he got yanked over by the Lifestream, he didn’t expect any of this crap. Shaking his head, he had to force himself not to get bitter over it. The Lifestream had a sense of humor, didn’t it? He glanced at whatever this world had in store for him in the piece of paper in his hands-and nearly ripped it to shreds when he got an eyeful of that smug smirk and catty green eyes.
He barely stopped himself from snarling when he saw the smaller version of Sephiroth’s irritating face between his hands. Flowing silverlocks swaying in the wind like a paid actor, Gloved hands outstretched as if waiting for the viewer to take it. Who the hell thought it was wise to put that stupid face on the front of a newspaper? Shouldn’t there be important, world-concerning news first? Some Creepy corrupted officials getting busted?
Cloud rolled his eyes at the absurdity of it all.
Turning to the page he was looking for, Cloud's eyes landed on the date. His brows furrowed. Since the Wutai War was still ongoing. He was pretty sure his younger self-still back in Nibelheim-was probably idolizing and fawning over Sephiroth like a *gagged* fanboy. His memory of the war was fuzzy. It had been years since Cloud had heard anything about it, but the way it had dragged on felt so far removed from his life. Wutai had been a place he barely thought about back then, just another war in the distance. He knew Yuffie had been just a child when it started, growing up right in the middle of all of it, but Cloud never saw how it might’ve affected the rest of the world. To him, it felt like Shinra was still sending troops to put down a rebellion.
Then the Nibelheim Incident happened and the rosy tinted glasses were ruthlessly removed from his eyes by Sephiroth and Shinra.
Cloud Grumbled as a wisp of air managed to go through his cracked goggles. He maneuvered Fenrir through the outskirts of Midgar, the roar of the engine cutting through the eerie silence of the wasteland. The darkened sky hung low, suffocating and murky, as if it threatened rain but never quite delivered. The city loomed in the distance, a fortress of steel and corruption, but his destination was not Midgar itself-it was the Sector 5 slums.
Aerith.
His mind was still tangled in the mess of time travel, of the inexplicable reality he found himself thrust into. But if there was one person he trusted-one person whose mere presence might steady his shaken world-it was her. Even if she didn’t know him yet. Even if he was a stranger to her in this world.
Cloud adjusted his grip on the handles, eyes scanning the landscape. His instincts, sharp as ever, prickled with unease. Something was wrong.
Then he saw it-a flash of red and black in the distance, clashing steel, and the unmistakable ripple of materia being cast.
A fight.
And at the center of it, an unknown swordsman in a crimson coat, wielding a slender rapier against a monstrous chimera.
He twisted Fenrir’s handles, accelerating toward the battlefield.
Cloud barely had time to process what’s happening before the massive beast lunged at the man in red, catching him off guard. The man turned, blade raised, but there was a moment of hesitation
Then their eyes met.
Before his eyes, the sky suddenly shifted.
The swordsman in red faltered as if he felt the same thing Cloud felt. His blade lowered, a sharp inhale escaping him as he stared ib Cloud's direction. Clearly stunned at the sudden change as well.
And the chimera struck at the opportunity. The Man barely had time to block the hit with his rapier before he went flying in a good distance and landed hard on a Rock with a groan. The man could barely stand before the chimera is on him with another attack, its snarling face seemingly intent on pounding the man into the earth with all its might
The man will be Dead before Cloud can reach him in his state.
Cloud reacted before he could think. The World blurred into a slowmo, his vision turning a fainted tinge of Blue as he went into Limit Break.
At the last possible second, he leapt from the bike, flipping through the air as he unsheathed his buster sword in one fluid motion. A blur of steel met flesh, and the chimera let out a guttural shriek as Cloud’s blade sliced through its side, forcing it back.
The red-coated warrior, momentarily stunned, staggered backward. “You…”
Cloud didn’t respond. He moved on instinct, positioning himself between the beast and the man. The chimera growled, baring its fangs, before lunging again. This time, Cloud was ready. A well-timed dodge, his blade splitting into two to create a precise slash in its weakest point, the creature roared in pain, already weakened by the other man from before and making a desperate swipe at them with its tail. Cloud Blocked it with a grunt, his twin sword once again forming into one. The blond then leapt at the creature’s head and plunged the sword directly to its brain and the creature collapsed with a final, wet gurgle.
Silence.
Cloud blinked back the sting in his eyes, the sudden brightness of the previously muted color around him left him stunned. He stared at the beast, the dripping red gushing out of its wound, dripping out of his fusion sword.
The sky stretched endlessly above him, an achingly shade of blue. The earth beneath his boots doesn't seem as ashy and dead as he remembers it to be. It felt... sharper. Brighter. The weight of the world seemed different.
Cloud clenched his fists. This wasn’t right. Even after Meteorfall, after the Remnants, the sky hasn’t been this bright. The planet was still recovering from the destruction brought upon it by Jenova. by Shinra. Sephiroth. The Remnants.
Cloud exhaled, lowering his blade. Flicking the gore out of it and slinging it at his back. He can slot them back in fenrir once he’s done here. He turned to the swordsman, whose wide-eyed stare hadn’t wavered on his person one bit. The intensity in those eyes made him uncomfortable. It felt familiar but he is too distracted by everything to recall the specific.
The man took a step forward. “You… just now-” He cut himself off, eyes darting toward the sky, then back to Cloud. “The sky.”
Cloud frowned. “What about it?”
The man inhaled sharply, as if steadying himself. His voice was quieter when he spoke again, but no less intense as his teal eyes that bore through CLoud's soul. “It’s blue.”
Cloud stared at him. “…And?”
The man blinked and let out a breathless chuckle. “You don’t understand.”
“No, I don’t,” Cloud said flatly. “And I don’t care.”
The swordsman looked like he wanted to say more, making half aborted movements as if wanting to follow after him. But why? Cloud turned away, eager to get out of here and away from whatever that is. He had already wasted too much time here. If the guy was capable of standing and talking in riddles, he was clearly fine.
“I’m leaving,” He look at the man from his shoulders, seeing a conflicted look on those face that Cloud does not have time to deal with. “You can handle yourself.”
He started toward Fenrir, but the man suddenly called out sharply. “Wait.”
Cloud didn’t stop, forcing his body to move naturally even if his body automatically felt like obeying at the familiar tone. Its been a while since anyone tried commanding him like that, the last being in his Shinra days as a Trooper and getting talked a by the trainer.
“I’m injured.”
That made him pause.
Cloud turned just enough to glance back. The red-coated man was leaning against his sword, his stance slightly off-balance. Cloud’s sharp eyes caught the awkward angle of his foot. Ankle, probably sprained or worse.
“And my Cure materia broke,” the man added, expression carefully neutral.
Cloud narrowed his eyes. “Convenient.”
The swordsman spread his hands, a picture of innocence even as those eyes screamed mischief that Cloud was not inclined to find out. “I was ambushed.”
Cloud sighed. He wasn’t heartless. and Tifa would be looking at him in dissapointment if she knew that he left a wounded (suspicious) stranger in the wild. Groaning under his breath, he walked back and knelt beside the man, who had no time to react as he activated a Curara spell. The familiar green glow enveloped the injury, sealing the damage within seconds with a loud crack as the bones set into place, leaving the redhead grunting a curse of his own as he steadied on his feet. He look at his not swollen ankle and stared at back at him with unreadable eyes.
“…What?” Cloud asked, exasperated. What more does he want? and not even a thank you?
The man slowly tilted his head. “You have fully mastered materia.”
Cloud’s jaw clenched. “So?”
The man gave him an odd look but said nothing. Instead, he exhaled and straightened, rolling his foot experimentally. “I still need a ride back to Midgar.”
Cloud stared at him. “You can walk.”
Without missing a beat, the man clutched his side dramatically. “Ah, but my injuries-” Forgetting that he was fully healed even besides his ankle.
Cloud turned back toward Fenrir. Done with the bullshit.
The man panicked. “Wait! I do need transport. My ride was ambushed and I have no way of contacting for rescue. Besides-" He look at cloud with a raised eyebrow "You’re heading toward Midgar anyway.”
Cloud tensed. He had not planned on bringing a Shinra looking-affiliated stranger anywhere near his intended destination. The swordsman seemed to sense his hesitation and, for once, dropped the theatrics. “Just drop me at the entrance gate at Midgar That’s all.”
Cloud exhaled through his nose. Every instinct screamed at him to say no, but he also knew that leaving him alone out here, after everything, didn’t sit right with him either.
“…Fine.”
The man brightened-too much-but Cloud chose to ignore how he could feel the other's litereal satisfaction oozing out of him in waves , motioning toward Fenrir with a defeated voice. “Get on. and what should i call you anyway?” Cloud can't keep calling the guy Red Man in his mind. Mom would be dissapointed.
Instead of complying and answering like a normal person, the red-clad swordsman smirked and tilted his head just so- like he was posing for a damn portrait. “Genesis Rhapsodos, First Class SOLDIER.” He said it like an introduction that should mean something.
Cloud gave him a flat look. “…Okay?” Skillfully hiding his shock, He knew pretty much that the man is strong and would've easily handled his enemy before getting distracted by...whatever that is that happened earlier. The name did sound vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t be bothered to place it. His memory of the previous First Class had been muddled(thank you, Hojo.) . And the one he really knew was Zack and Sephiroth.
The now named Genesis’s smirk faltered. “…Okay?”
Cloud turned away, climbing onto Fenrir without further acknowledgment. hearing the man mumbling something like 'Unbelievable' under his breath.
Genesis, however, was clearly not done. Recovering quickly, He leaned in, resting an elbow against the bike like he had all the time in the world and lookig at Cloud expectantly.
“And you are?”
Cloud exhaled. “Cloud.”
There was a pause. “Just Cloud?”
Cloud gritted his teeth. “Get on the bike.”
But Genesis wasn’t moving. “That’s hardly fair,” he drawled. “I give you my full name, and all I get is a single syllable?”
Cloud flexed his fingers against the handles. He didn’t have the patience for this. “Get. On.”
Genesis was still watching him, eyes sharp with amusement. “Cloud,” he murmured, testing the name like it was something to be savored.
Cloud ignored him. professionally.
“ Cloud .” This time, it was lower. Smoother. something in it that curled teasingly and making him feel unfamaliar sensation. His grip on the handle twitched.
Genesis caught it. Of course he caught it.
The bastard hummed, all smug satisfaction. “Suits you.”
Cloud inhaled slowly through his nose. If he let himself react, he gets the feeling that Genesis would never let it go. “Are you getting on, or am I leaving you here?”
A beat of silence. Then a chuckle. “You’re a terrible conversationalist.”
Cloud revved Fenrir’s engine in response, the deep growl cutting off whatever Genesis had been planning to say next.
Smart move.
But when Genesis finally swung himself onto the seat behind him, Cloud could still feel the smirk against his shoulder blades.
Genesis Rhapsodos had always believed in soulmates.
How could he not? It was woven into the very fabric of their existence- the undeniable truth that some souls were meant to intertwine, that fate would pull them together, no matter how long it took.
And yet…
He had spent years believing their bond was already complete. That he, Angeal, Sephiroth, and Zack were whole as they were. Their missing piece had never appeared, and eventually, Genesis had resigned himself to the idea that perhaps they never would. That the last thread of their connection had frayed before it could even take form. It was fine. He was content. More than that, he was happy.
Until now.
Until the moment he had locked eyes with the blond warrior- the stranger who had descended like some relentless storm, cutting through the battlefield like he had always belonged there.
The sky was blue.
The realization hit Genesis harder than any battle ever had.
For the first time in his life, the dull grays and muted shadows of his world burst into vibrant color. It was overwhelming, a rush of sensation that made his breath catch in his throat. He had thought he knew color- Sephiroth’s silver and green, Zack’s gold, Angeal’s deep earthen hues- but this was something else.
And the man before him- golden-haired, sharp-eyed, radiating strength- was the reason.
Maybe it was the adrenaline, maybe it was the intoxicating euphoria of finally seeing the sky, of finally feeling something shift into place after years of waiting, but Genesis could hardly tear his eyes away. His soulmate. Their soulmate.
His soulmate had arrived.
And he was magnificent.
Genesis could hardly breathe.
His soulmate.
And he didn’t even realize it.
Then when he turned away, utterly uninterested, Genesis panicked.
No. No, No, NO!
He needed to keep this man close. Needed to understand. Needed more.
And he didn’t even know his whole name yet
Cloud. Just Cloud.
Genesis clenched his jaw, frustration curling beneath his ribs. It was too fitting, too poetic to be real. Like something straight out of a Loveless verse- an errant cloud breaking free from the heavens, descending upon the battlefield to change fate itself. A storm that appeared in his darkest moment, scattering the gray and flooding his world with color.
Was it an alias? Some name borrowed from the wind? It gnawed at him, the not knowing.
The thought sent something sharp and unyielding through his chest. It didn’t matter. He would learn it soon enough. Because one thing was certain- Genesis had waited too long for this moment to let it slip away.
So he lied. Took advantage of the man’s broody kindness. even if Cloud look begruding in doing what he requested.
And now, as he rode behind the man on the most ridiculous but undeniably cool machine he had ever seen, Genesis couldn’t help but think back to the moment before.
The battle. The near miss. The way fate had intervened in the form of a golden-haired warrior wielding a sword like it was an extension of his very soul.
A shiver ghosted down his spine. If he hadn’t appeared when he did… would Genesis have survived that fight?
Maybe.
He liked to believe he would have clawed his way to victory, because Genesis Rhapsodos was nothing if not persistent. But would he have won at the cost of never meeting him ?
Would he have traded survival for never locking eyes with the man who had, in a single moment, colored his entire world?
Genesis tightened his grip against the stranger’s waist- not that the other seemed to notice, too focused on the road ahead.
If he hadn’t faltered at the last second, if he had held steady instead of being struck breathless by the shift in his vision… would the man have stopped at all? Would he have just ridden past, nothing more than a blur of motion on that absurdly powerful bike?
The thought was unbearable.
Genesis wasn’t one to thank destiny, but for once, he felt like he owed it something.
Because no matter how the battle might have ended- victory, defeat, or some grueling stalemate- nothing could compare to the moment he had seen.
And this man- his soulmate, their final missing piece- had been the one to make it happen.
Genesis prided himself on being a man of many passions. Literature, battle, beauty-all things that made life worth living. But never, never had he thought he would experience something as utterly ridiculous as falling in love at first sight. And yet, here he was, gripping the back of the ridiculously cool machine known as Fenrir, utterly smitten with the blond disaster driving it.
The wind whipped past them as they sped through the wasteland, and Genesis found himself enchanted despite the discomfort of their close quarters. He had seen motorbikes before, obviously, but nothing quite like this. This wasn’t some standard-issue Shinra transport; no, this was a machine of war and purpose, its design sleek and powerful, its engine growling beneath them like a beast barely restrained.
Genesis hadn’t expected something this from soulmate. Fenrir wasn’t just a motorcycle- it was a beast of war, sleek and precise, built for speed and maneuverability beyond anything standard-issue. Even across uneven terrain, the bike handled effortlessly, as if it answered only to its rider.
His lips parted slightly. How fitting. It was a foolish thought, but he could not shake it. His mind, ever drawn to poetic imagery, reached instinctively for the words.
"My friend, the fates are cruel…"
It was almost fitting, wasn’t it? The lone soldier with his burdens, carrying his broken sword in pieces, reforging it when needed- much like himself. And those compartments, folding open and closed like the slow beat of flight…
Genesis tilted his head, watching the way his little blonde maneuvered Fenrir like a warbird diving through the air, and thought, rather absently-
"…The hero must wander, ever alone."
His lips curled, just slightly. "Tell me, Cloud ," he mused over the roar of the engine, leaning in, "was it always your intention to ride a steel-winged beast into battle, or is that just a happy accident?"
Cloud barely flicked a glance back. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Genesis chuckled. "Oh, nothing," he said smoothly. "Just admiring your ride. Though I must say, that sword of yours deserves better poetry."
It was brilliant. It reminded him of Angeal's. But Aesthetically pleasing in the eyes even.
Genesis leaned back slightly, letting the wind tousled his hair as he gave Cloud a look dangerously close to admiration. “You are full of surprises, Cloud.”
Cloud made a noise of faint irritation, but Genesis didn’t miss the way his shoulders curled just slightly, like he wasn’t sure how to take the compliment.
Cloud, his dearest soulmate was a vision.
His golden hair, wild and windswept, shimmered in the light, an untamed halo of sharp edges and soft defiance. His stance was effortless, every movement precise, honed by experience. Genesis had seen many warriors in his time, but none who moved like Cloud. There was something almost unshakable about him, as if battle itself bowed to his will.
And his clothes- Goddess, his clothes.
Dark, sleek, and practical, his coat swept behind him with every motion, secured by thick belts and reinforced with armor that only enhanced his already imposing presence. The high collar framed his sharp jawline perfectly, while the single pauldron gleamed under the light, adding to the effortless warrior aesthetic. He looked like he had stepped straight out of legend, a storm rolling in, untouchable yet impossible to ignore.
And his name- such a perfect name for a soulmate who colored the sky.
Genesis vowed to find Cloud’s mother and kneel in respect and adoration for birthing such a perfect man. He had fought tooth and nail to get that name out of Cloud’s stubbornly pretty mouth, and he thought- without regret- that it had been worth it. Even if it meant risking a boot to the ribs.
And those eyes-
Mako green, bright and piercing, brimming with a quiet intensity that spoke of power restrained. Genesis had always considered his own eyes remarkable, but Cloud’s? They were mesmerizing.
And Cloud had no idea what he had just done.
Genesis glanced up at the sky, at the brilliant blue that had been nothing but gray mere moments ago. The world had changed the moment he met Cloud’s gaze, and with it, his entire life. He was still reeling, fingers twitching with the need to do something about it.
So, naturally, he started snitching.
With careful movements, he retrieved his PHS, shielding it from Cloud’s view. He sent the lone message that will surely make their day chaotic
Genesis: [The sky’s looking especially vibrant today. Almost breathtaking.]
Then, privately, to Angeal.
[Tell Sephiroth he owes me 50 gil. Found our Last piece. Also, he's gorgeous.]
Cloud suddenly spoke, jarring Genesis from his silent meltdown.
"Stop fidgeting back there."
Genesis blinked, caught. "I wasn’t fidgeting."
"You were moving," Cloud said flatly. heartlessly adding "If you fall off, I’m not stopping."
Genesis smirked. "So cold."
Cloud sighed heavily, clearly regretting his life choices.
Genesis found it adorable.
But he needed more. He needed to know everything about this man, about the soulmate who had unknowingly upended his entire existence. And if that meant prying information out of Cloud’s stubborn little head, so be it. He braced himself for the inevitable chaos. Any minute now, his PHS would start vibrating like a bomb about to go off. Most will probably come from the Puppy. But They can wait and meet their Soulmate later. For now, Genesis want to savor the moment with his soulmate, the last piece of their precious bond.
He has always been selfish
It won’t change, atleast for now
The wind roared past them as Fenrir tore down the road, the engine’s deep growl rumbling beneath them. Genesis gripped Cloud’s sides- not just for balance, but for the excuse. The sheer speed of the bike sent gusts whipping through his hair, his coat flaring behind him like a crimson banner. The rush of air made it nearly impossible for an ordinary person to speak, but they weren’t ordinary.
“You really like going fast, don’t you?” Genesis mused, his voice carrying despite the wind.
Cloud didn’t glance back. “It’s efficient.”
Genesis smirked. “Efficient at making people cling to you, maybe.” His grip tightened, fingers pressing into Cloud’s waist a little too enthusiastically. Not that he’d ever admit it.
Cloud huffed, but didn’t shake him off. “You’d rather walk?”
“Hah. Never.” Genesis glanced at the blur of scenery around them, then back to the man keeping them steady at such reckless speeds. “I suppose you’re used to this kind of thing.”
Cloud Responded with a Grunt.
"Where exactly are you going. What's your business in Midgar?" Genesis asked, shifting slightly to lean closer.
Cloud stiffened. " None of your Business."
Genesis narrowed his eyes. Pushing "For what?"
Cloud was silent for a while, contemplating if he can just ignore the man and not respond. But he just knows that the man would be persistent enough and would be hella annoying the whole ride just to get the answers he want. "I need to talk to someone."
Something about the way he said it made Genesis bristle. "Someone?"
"Yes."
Genesis’ grip tightened on the seat. "Not much of an answer."
Cloud shot him a brief, irritated glance. "Not much of your business."
Genesis hummed, displeased. The thought of Cloud seeking someone else, speaking about someone else-it stirred something possessive and entirely unfair in his chest. He barely knew Cloud, and yet the idea of another person holding his attention sent a spark of irrational jealousy through him.
"A woman?" Genesis guessed, watching for a reaction.
Cloud hesitated, just for a second. But Genesis caught it. Damn it.
Genesis turned his gaze toward the horizon, lips pressing into a thin line. "I see."
Cloud glanced at him again, brow furrowed. "You see what?"
Genesis shrugged, voice carefully neutral. "Nothing. Just trying to understand you."
Cloud scoffed. "Good luck with that."
Genesis would understand him. He would make sure of it.
Then a thought occurred to him-one that should have come much sooner. Cloud’s reaction earlier, his complete lack of understanding when Genesis had first spoken about the sky-
Genesis frowned, watching Cloud carefully. "You’re awfully calm about all of this."
Cloud didn’t react. "About what?"
Genesis gestured vaguely, as if that explained everything. "The sky, the-" he caught himself before blurting us like some lovestruck idiot. "-change. Doesn’t it mean anything to you?"
Cloud exhaled through his nose, as if patience was something he barely had to spare. "You’re the one acting like the sky is some kind of miracle."
Genesis felt like it was. The entire world had shifted, but Cloud was acting like it was just another day. His irritation twisted into something closer to confusion.
"Doesn’t it feel different? The world?" Genesis asked, voice quieter now, almost uncertain.
Cloud’s expression remained unreadable. "No."
Genesis frowned. That wasn’t right. This was monumental-life-changing! He tried another angle. "The sky. It’s blue. Do you really have nothing to say about that?"
Cloud exhaled sharply. "Why are you so obsessed with the sky?"
Genesis’ fingers twitched. He hadn’t expected to be the only one shaken by this. He had assumed-of course he had assumed-that Cloud had felt something too. But the more they spoke, the more uneasy Genesis felt.
"It doesn’t mean anything to you?" Genesis asked, voice quieter now, almost uncertain.
Cloud’s jaw tensed. "What are you talking about?"
Genesis studied him, something uncomfortable curling in his chest. "You really don’t-" He stopped himself. No, that didn’t make sense. Cloud had to know. He was just… pretending? Dismissing it?
Genesis didn’t understand. Why wasn’t Cloud reacting?
Cloud shifted his grip on the handles. "Look, whatever you’re trying to get at, I don’t care. Just sit tight and don’t fall off."
Genesis’ stomach twisted with something foreign. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.
And yet, it was becoming increasingly, painfully clear-
Cloud had no idea.
Genesis let out a quiet, disbelieving laugh. "Unbelievable. You’re in the dark."
Cloud didn’t respond, but that was answer enough.
Genesis grinned, slow and delighted. Oh, this was interesting. His soulmate-his gorgeous, powerful, clueless soulmate-had no idea what they were to each other.
Which meant Genesis had all the time in the world to make him understand.
And then, as if the Planet itself willed it, Cloud muttered under his breath, "So falls the fool."
Genesis nearly choked on air. His head snapped to Cloud so fast it was a miracle he didn’t get whiplash. "That was Loveless!"
Cloud frowned. "What?"
"You just-you quoted Loveless-!" Genesis was practically vibrating. "Cloud, you poetic enigma, say it again!"
Genesis had always considered himself a connoisseur of words. Whether in battle, in conversation, or in the throes of passion, the right words had power-an art he had mastered. And yet, for all his poetic inclinations, nothing could have prepared him for the sheer delight of hearing Cloud unknowingly quote Loveless back at him.
It had started as yet another attempt to pry some sort of reaction out of Cloud, who remained maddeningly indifferent to their supposed fate. Genesis had leaned in close, voice lilting with theatrical mischief, and mused, "For what is a man without a past but a leaf adrift upon the winds of fate?"
Cloud, without thinking, muttered, "Then let him carve his own path, lest he be lost to the current."
Silence.
Genesis blinked.
Cloud blinked back, brow furrowing at the sudden shift in atmosphere. "What?"
Genesis grinned.
A slow, delighted thing that spread across his face like he had just unearthed the most delicious secret in the world.
Cloud frowned harder. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You-" Genesis let out a breathless laugh. "You just quoted Loveless."
Cloud’s face went blank. "I did not."
"Oh, but you did." Genesis’ eyes shone with the kind of unholy amusement that made Cloud instantly regret ever speaking. "Tell me, Cloud-are you secretly a scholar of the classics? A devotee of the greatest literary work to grace our world?"
Cloud scowled. "I don’t even know what you’re talking about."
Genesis placed a hand over his heart as if wounded. "Blasphemy." Then his smirk turned downright wicked. "Or perhaps it is destiny? A connection so deep that even the words of the past bind us-"
Cloud cut him off with a long-suffering sigh. "Drop it."
"Never."
Cloud turned away, clearly deciding that pretending Genesis didn’t exist was his best course of action. It did nothing to deter him.
If anything, Genesis took it as a challenge.
He spent the next half-hour casually slipping in Loveless quotes into their conversation, watching with great interest as Cloud unconsciously responded with paraphrased lines. It was fascinating. He wasn’t even sure Cloud realized he was doing it.
The best part? The increasing look of suspicion on Cloud’s face every time Genesis reacted with barely-contained glee.
"You’re up to something," Cloud finally said, eyes narrowing.
Genesis smiled, all innocent charm. "Me? I am merely enjoying our conversation."
Cloud didn’t buy it for a second. "You’re being weird."
"I am always like this."
Cloud made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a groan. "I regret letting you on my bike."
Genesis sighed dreamily. "Ah, but fate has woven our paths together. There is no escape now, dear Cloudy."
Cloud visibly winced. "That’s it. You’re walking next time."
Genesis just laughed.
Oh, he was going to enjoy this.
Genesis leaned back slightly, the wind pulling at his coat as Fenrir sped across the wasteland. His mind was alight with possibilities, questions stacking atop each other in an endless spiral.
Cloud had no idea.
It was incredible.
Genesis had spent his entire life believing that meeting his soulmate would be an earth-shattering event. And it had been-for him. The moment their eyes met, the world had burst into color, the drab grays of Midgar giving way to endless hues, sharp and vibrant. But Cloud? Cloud had just stared blankly at him, as if nothing had changed at all.
It defied all logic.
Genesis had assumed Cloud simply had a strange way of processing things. Some people were quiet in the face of overwhelming revelations. But the more they spoke, the more unsettling it became.
Cloud didn’t know.
Didn’t realize.
And now that Genesis was sure of it, he had absolutely no idea what to do with this information.
He eyed the back of Cloud’s head, watching the way strands of blond hair whipped in the wind. He could feel the warmth of him, solid and steady beneath his hands where they rested on the seat. There was a tension in Cloud’s shoulders now, subtle but present-he’d noticed Genesis staring.
Good.
“You’re unusually quiet,” Cloud muttered, his voice barely audible over the roar of the engine.
Genesis smirked. “I’m thinking.”
“That’s never good.”
Genesis huffed a soft laugh but didn’t deny it. Cloud had no idea how much trouble he was in.
For a while, they rode in silence, the rhythmic hum of the bike filling the space between them. Then Genesis shifted forward just a little, enough that Cloud would feel him there. “Tell me something.”
Cloud tensed. “What.”
“Why don’t you care?”
Cloud’s grip tightened ever so slightly on the handlebars. “About what.”
Genesis hummed, tilting his head. “Everything. The sky, the colors-” He hesitated, then added deliberately, “Me.”
That earned him a reaction. Cloud exhaled through his nose, irritated, and Genesis knew he was getting under his skin.
“Don’t start,” Cloud warned.
“Oh, but I must.” Genesis leaned closer, voice dropping into something almost conspiratorial. “It’s just so fascinating. Most people-well, all people, really-would be reacting quite differently. And yet, here you are, acting as though none of this is significant.”
Cloud didn’t answer immediately, but Genesis didn’t miss the slight shift in his posture, the way his fingers flexed before settling again. It was subtle, but it was there.
“You’re overthinking it,” Cloud said at last.
Genesis scoffed. “I never overthink.”
Cloud gave him a look over his shoulder that was somehow both unimpressed and vaguely exasperated.
Genesis grinned. “Alright, perhaps I do. But in this case, I’m entirely justified. I know what I felt. What I saw. And you…” He trailed off, eyes narrowing. “You’re acting like it never even happened.”
Cloud didn’t deny it. Didn’t confirm it, either. He just turned his attention back to the road, silent in a way that felt heavier than before.
Genesis watched him, gears turning in his mind. This wasn’t simple ignorance-Cloud wasn’t pretending not to understand. He genuinely didn’t.
And that begged the question: why?
Genesis had a terrible, wonderful feeling he was going to enjoy finding out.
Genesis had always loved uncovering secrets. The hidden meanings in poetry, the nuances in battle, the way a well-placed word could shift an entire conversation. And now, he had a mystery sitting right in front of him, gripping the handles of Fenrir with all the stubbornness of a man pretending he wasn’t out of his depth.
Cloud didn’t know about soulmates. His soulmate had no idea.
Genesis leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing as he studied the set of Cloud’s shoulders. Tension coiled there, buried beneath feigned indifference. So, he thought, not only unaware, but also unwilling to entertain the conversation. Interesting. It made Genesis itch to push, to pry, to dig his fingers into the carefully built walls and see what was beneath them.
"So tell me something, Cloud," Genesis drawled, his tone as casual as he could make it. "Have you always been this emotionally constipated, or is it just a special treat for me?"
Cloud sighed through his nose. "I can stop this bike and leave you here."
"You could," Genesis allowed. "But you won’t."
Cloud didn’t answer, which meant Genesis was right.
A grin curled at Genesis’ lips. "You’re a hard man to impress, Cloud. I’ve seen men weep at the sight of a blue sky, and yet here you are, utterly unmoved. It’s almost insulting."
Cloud’s grip on the handlebars tightened. "It’s just the sky."
"Oh, but it’s not," Genesis countered smoothly. "It’s proof."
That got a reaction. A brief flicker, a barely-there shift in Cloud’s posture. Genesis pounced on it.
"It changed the moment we met eyes," he continued, voice dropping just slightly. "A world without color, suddenly vivid. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?"
Cloud’s jaw tensed. "I don’t see how it matters."
Genesis tilted his head. "No? Then let’s say-hypothetically, of course-that the entire world had just proven something to you. Something undeniable, something that changed everything you thought you knew. Would you still dismiss it?"
Cloud’s fingers twitched. "I don’t have time for hypotheticals."
Genesis chuckled, delighted. "Ah, but you see, this isn’t hypothetical. It’s very real, and you’re standing in the middle of it."
Cloud’s silence stretched between them, heavy and unyielding. Genesis could almost hear the thoughts whirring in that stubborn blond head. He didn’t know whether Cloud was refusing to understand or genuinely clueless, but either way, it made his pulse quicken with intrigue.
"You do know about soulmates, don’t you?" Genesis pressed, voice softer now, testing.
Cloud didn’t answer immediately. And that-that was interesting.
Genesis arched a brow. "Wait. You do know what soulmates are, right?"
Cloud exhaled sharply. "I know what the stories say."
"Stories," Genesis repeated, incredulous. "Oh, Cloud. That’s adorable."
Cloud gave him a warning look, but Genesis only grinned wider. Fascinating. Cloud wasn’t just unaware-he had dismissed the entire concept. Brushed it off as legend, as fantasy. Which meant he had never expected this to happen. He had never even considered it a possibility.
And that made Genesis want to prove it to him all the more.
He leaned forward, voice lowering, just enough to send a shiver down the spine if Cloud were the type to react. "Well then. If it’s all just stories, you won’t mind if I test a theory or two, will you?"
Cloud shot him a deeply unimpressed look. "If you try anything, you’re walking to Midgar."
Genesis laughed, rich and warm. "Oh, Cloud. You make it sound like I’d actually need to try."
-
Genesis had expected resistance. He had anticipated stubbornness, denial, and that adorable little scowl Cloud wore whenever he was deeply, soul-crushingly done with everything around him.
What he had not expected was for Cloud to still be completely, utterly oblivious.
They had been riding for miles now, the hum of Fenrir’s engine the only constant sound between them. Genesis had given Cloud time-ample time-to process, to come to his own conclusions, to at least acknowledge that something had changed. But Cloud? Cloud remained stubbornly silent, his shoulders squared with determination, gaze fixed firmly on the road ahead.
Genesis, quite frankly, was beginning to suffer.
“So,” Genesis began, casual, leaning just a little closer so his words ghosted against Cloud’s ear. “You truly feel nothing different?”
Cloud exhaled sharply. “We’re not talking about this.”
Genesis smirked. “Oh, but we are. We must! This is the single most important revelation of my life, and you-” He gestured dramatically, despite the fact that Cloud couldn’t see him. “-are behaving as if the sky itself didn’t just open up and reveal its splendor!”
Cloud’s fingers tightened on the handlebars. “You’re being dramatic.”
“Am I?” Genesis let his smirk widen. “Or are you simply too afraid to face the truth?”
Cloud’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t rise to the bait.
Genesis hummed. “Perhaps you require a different approach.” His voice dropped to something smoother, something more lyrical. “‘My friend, the fates are cruel. There are no dreams, no honor remains-’”
Cloud twitched violently. “Stop that.”
Genesis grinned, victorious. “Ah, but you do know it.”
Cloud scowled. “Of course, I do. Everyone does.”
Genesis clasped a hand over his chest, as if struck by the weight of destiny itself. “Then you understand the gravity of this moment! This is fate, Cloud. The kind sung of in epics, whispered in legends.”
Cloud groaned. “I regret everything.”
“Too late for that.” Genesis leaned forward again, tone dropping to something softer, something more serious. “Tell me, Cloud. What color were your eyes before?”
Cloud stiffened. “What?”
Genesis exhaled, glancing upward. “The sky,” he murmured. “I had never seen it before today. Not truly. I envied those who had. Those who found their soulmates and gazed upon a world so much more vibrant than the one they had known.”
Cloud remained silent, but Genesis could feel the tension in the air shift.
“I wondered,” Genesis continued, quieter now, “if yours were blue. Before the mako.”
Cloud hesitated. “…They were.”
Genesis closed his eyes for a moment, letting the weight of that sink in. When he opened them, his expression was uncharacteristically gentle. “Then they must have been breathtaking.”
Cloud made a strangled sound. “Can you not?”
Genesis only smirked. “I fear I cannot help it.”
Cloud groaned again, but Genesis caught the faintest flush on his ears. Interesting.
Yes. He would very much enjoy this.
But he had to be careful. Cloud was already resisting, pushing back against the edges of understanding. If Genesis pushed too hard, Cloud would shut down completely. No, this needed to unfold at just the right pace.
Even now, he rejected the very concept of soulmates, as though he could be an exception to the rules of this world.
He wasn’t.
And that fact filled Genesis with a gnawing, insidious panic he hadn’t felt in years.
Because Cloud wasn’t staying.
Cloud was going to drop him off at the Shinra outpost, and then he was going to leave. Just like that. Gone, disappeared into the wilds of the world, and Genesis would never see him again.
Worse, none of them would.
Zack, Angeal, Sephiroth- they hadn’t even seen their soulmate yet. They didn’t even know he existed. And if Genesis let this opportunity slip away, they never would.
Cloud would vanish, and he’d take the colors of the sky and the ocean with him.
Genesis could already see it in his mind’s eye: Cloud, determined, distant, walking away without a second thought. No hesitation, no looking back. Whatever mission he had, whatever person he was so damn set on reaching, it was enough to make him cast Genesis aside like a stranger on the side of the road.
That thought alone made Genesis’s heart pound.
He had to act fast.
If he wanted to keep Cloud within reach, he needed leverage, an anchor- anything. And, well. Cloud had given him a perfect one.
Whoever this girl was, the one Cloud was so intent on finding, she had a hold on him stronger than anything else in this world.
Genesis would find out why.
If this woman was important enough for Cloud to move heaven and earth to get to, then she was important enough for Genesis to meet.
And he would.
Because there was no damn way he was letting Cloud disappear before Zack, Angeal, and Sephiroth even got the chance to lay eyes on their soulmate. For Cloud not even meeting them first to see how wonderful they will be together, as a completed soulmate meant to be together, as dictated by the Goddess. Genesis exhaled sharply, adjusting his grip as Fenrir rumbled beneath them. “Tell me something, Cloud,” he began, voice softer now. “What color is the sky?”
Cloud blinked, thrown by the question. “…Blue?”
Genesis made a sound like he was waiting for more.
Cloud frowned. He hadn’t been paying attention. The sky was blue. It had always been blue. What kind of question was that?
Genesis hummed, tilting his head up. “I’d say it’s closer to azure right now,” he mused. “With hints of cobalt near the horizon. It’s richer than I remember. Deeper.” He glanced at Cloud, eyes sharp with meaning. “And you?”
Cloud kept his eyes on the road, jaw tightening. He didn’t want to acknowledge it. Didn’t want to admit that-
That it was different.
The sky had always been blue, but this blue was something else. It was crisp, vivid, almost too intense to look at. The muted haze he had grown used to was gone.
The realization settled uncomfortably in his chest.
Genesis smirked, seeing something in Cloud’s expression. “I thought so.”
Cloud exhaled through his nose. “It’s just the atmosphere,” he muttered. “Mako exposure messes with perception.”
Genesis outright laughed at that. “Oh, Cloud, that is the most pathetic excuse I’ve ever heard.”
Cloud scowled, but Genesis continued before he could argue.
“You’ve been seeing the world through a filter, haven’t you?” His voice dropped, tone almost sympathetic. “Muted. Dimmed. You thought that was normal.”
Cloud’s grip on the handlebars tightened.
It was normal.
Or at least- it had been.
Genesis leaned in again, voice coaxing. “Tell me, Cloud. What color is my coat?”
Cloud didn’t answer.
He didn’t have to.
It was red.
Not just any red- the kind of red that burned at the edges of his vision, impossibly rich, impossibly real. He hadn’t seen red like this in years. Not since-
Cloud inhaled sharply.
Not since before the Planet begun to die when a certain ex-general and a certain electric corporation begun fucking it up..
His world had never been grayscale. He had never been colorblind. He can still distinguish colors But somewhere along the way, he had stopped seeing this.
Genesis was watching him closely now, like a scientist observing an experiment. “Fascinating,” he murmured. “You truly hadn’t noticed?”
Cloud swallowed.
No.
No, he hadn’t.
Because he had been focused. Because there had always been something more important, something that demanded his attention, something that wasn’t this.
But now, in the wake of Genesis’s words, he couldn’t unsee it.
The sky. The dirt road. The fire in the distance.
The Auburn color of his Hair
It had been dull before. Everything had been dull before. Not before their eyes met.
Genesis huffed, leaning forward so his chin nearly rested on Cloud’s shoulder. The golden-haired man tensed slightly at the contact but didn’t shake him off.
Progress.
Still, Genesis was getting desperate. They were nearing whatever town Cloud had been heading toward, and once they arrived, Genesis had no guarantee that Cloud wouldn’t just leave him behind.
He couldn’t let that happen.
Cloud was a keepsake in his hands, precious and fleeting, and Genesis didn’t intend to let him slip away.
His name suited him, Genesis realized.
Clouds drifted, yes, but this one was more than that. Cloud was an errant cloud, unbound by the natural order of things, refusing to settle, refusing to obey the world’s rules. Even now, he seemed to outright reject the concept of soulmates, as though he were an exception.
He wasn’t.
Did Cloud even know who he was? How important he was?
People would kill to be in Genesis’s position. They would sacrifice anything to be his soulmate, to become part of them. and here Cloud was, utterly oblivious to the weight of it.
Genesis exhaled slowly, trying to keep his frustration in check. "Cloud."
A grunt.
"You do realize what this means, don’t you?"
Genesis had been waiting for this moment. Watching Cloud struggle, watching him try so valiantly to avoid reacting to his poetry-oh, it had been delightful. But now, it was time to lay down the truth, to see just how much he could shake up Cloud's worldview.
“Cloud,” Genesis began, voice steady, dramatic as ever. “Do you know what it means to meet your soulmate?”
Cloud made a vague noise of disinterest, keeping his eyes ahead on the road. The terrain was uneven, and he had no intention of giving Genesis any more reason to mock him for poor driving skills. “Some kind of fairytale nonsense?” he muttered. “People meeting and suddenly knowing they’re meant for each other?”
Genesis hummed. “More than that. Much more.” He turned slightly, letting the wind ruffle through his hair, clearly relishing the way he was about to completely ruin Cloud’s day. “Meeting your soulmate allows you to see the colors of the world for the first time.”
Cloud furrowed his brows but didn’t look at him. “...What?”
Genesis smirked. “Before meeting your soulmate, the world is colorless. Just shades of grey, an empty canvas waiting to be painted. And the moment you meet them- bam.” He snapped his fingers. “Color floods into your world.”
Cloud’s grip on the handlebars tightened. That was- no, that was insane. People weren’t colorblind before meeting their soulmate. That wasn’t how it worked. That wasn’t how anything worked.
Genesis, clearly seeing the doubt on his face, continued smoothly. “And then there are those who have multiple soulmates,” he said. “Not just one, but two, three… or more. Their colors come in pieces, gradually, each soulmate adding a little more vibrancy, a little more depth.”
Cloud made a face. “That sounds complicated.”
Genesis laughed. “Oh, extremely. But think of it this way- someone with only one soulmate, their world is suddenly bright, fully painted the moment they meet. But someone with multiple? It’s like a slow sunrise, piece by piece, bit by bit, getting brighter, richer, more real as each soulmate enters their life.”
Cloud kept his gaze stubbornly forward. He hadn’t ever thought about polyamory in that sense, not in terms of how it could literally alter the way someone saw the world. It was a weirdly poetic way to put it.
Genesis, for his part, had gone silent. Waiting. Expecting.
Cloud’s frown deepened. “What?”
Genesis let out a long, suffering sigh, rubbing his temple as if he were dealing with a particularly dense student. “Cloud,” he said, voice slow, patient, as if speaking to a particularly slow chocobo. “Do you not see what this means?”
Cloud blinked. “...What?”
A long pause. Genesis looked like he was debating whether to strangle him or shake him. Then, very deliberately, he said, “We’re soulmates, Cloud.”
The motorcycle nearly swerved off the road.
“WOAH, CLOUD- ” Genesis had to grip Cloud’s shoulders to keep them from flying into a rock. Cloud’s mind was in absolute chaos. He forced the bike back under control, heart hammering, brain screaming WHAT?!
Fenrir skidded to a halt, the tires kicking up dirt as they jerked to a stop at the roadside. Cloud barely registered Genesis letting go, stepping off the bike with a slow, deliberate movement, his coat settling around him in the lingering breeze.
Genesis leaned casually against Fenrir, one knee bent, weight balanced effortlessly. The way the wind toyed with his hair, catching in loose strands, the way his mako-bright eyes studied Cloud with an intensity that sent something crawling up his spine- Cloud almost hated how ridiculously good he looked just standing there.
“That’s not- ” He felt his stomach twist, the realization pressing against his ribs. “That’s not possible.”
Genesis snorted. “Oh, but it is.”
Cloud’s breathing was sharp, shallow. He tried to deny it, tried to push away the implications, but he couldn’t ignore the fact that the world around him had been dull before he met Genesis. The ocean, the sky, the fire in the distance-
The red of Genesis’s coat.
It wasn’t just red. It was crimson, layered in shades of deep wine and bright scarlet. The leather caught the light, shifting hues with every movement, each fold and crease suddenly visible.
And Genesis himself-
His cheeks were flushed, either from the wind or from the way he was looking at Cloud, gaze locked onto him like he was truly seeing him for the first time.
His mind latched onto that, desperate for an explanation. Maybe he had just never noticed color before. Maybe it had always been there, and he just… hadn’t paid attention? But that didn’t make sense. He remembered Midgar, the bleak greys and muted browns. He remembered looking at the sky and never thinking twice about its color- because there hadn’t been any.
He swallowed thickly. “This… this world…” He shook his head, fingers clenched against the handles. “This world isn’t my world.”
Genesis tilted his head. “Of course it is.”
Cloud’s stomach twisted further. There were no soulmates in his world. No being colorblind until meeting someone destined for you. Soulmates were a concept in fantasy novels, in romance books-
And yet here he was.
Genesis watched the conflict on his face with something between amusement and curiosity. “You’re in disbelief.”
“Damn right I am,” Cloud muttered. His grip tightened further. His mind was a hurricane of thoughts, memories, and unwanted realizations. Because if Genesis was his soulmate, then that meant-
Cloud’s thoughts stuttered, looping back to Genesis’s words from earlier.
"And then there are those who have multiple soulmates. Not just one, but two, three… or more. Their colors come in pieces, gradually, each soulmate adding a little more vibrancy, a little more depth."
Cloud’s stomach twisted.
He glanced at Genesis out of the corner of his eye, gaze tracing over him with something uneasy and searching. The red of his coat was impossibly vivid, almost blinding in its richness- but what about everything else? The world had shifted, yes, but there were gaps. Some colors weren’t as sharp as they should be, weren’t as saturated as the rest.
There was something missing.
Cloud clenched his jaw.
It couldn’t be.
It shouldn’t be.
But the thought lodged itself in his mind, unwanted and relentless.
The ocean. The sky. The fire. The sun.
They weren’t all red.
They weren’t all Genesis.
Cloud’s gaze flickered to the man beside him- his striking crimson coat, the cascade of auburn hair, the sharp angles of his face. And his eyes- blue , but not like the sky Genesis had so poetically admired. No, his were deeper, richer, a shade of cerulean with edges that bled into teal, like the depths of a sea Cloud had never seen.
And yet, the world hadn’t fully shifted. The colors weren’t complete. Some pieces were still missing.
Cloud barely resisted the urge to groan. “I need a drink.”
Genesis laughed, far too delighted. “Oh, Cloudy, we’re just getting started.”
Then, with the kind of smug satisfaction that made Cloud want to drive Fenrir straight into a ditch, Genesis continued, “If this is how you react after finding me, I can’t wait to see what you’ll do when you meet the others.” He leaned in just enough for Cloud to feel the heat of his presence, his voice a low purr. “Do you think you’ll short-circuit on the spot? Or will you simply flee?”
Cloud exhaled through his nose, jaw tight. “I hate everything about this conversation.”
Genesis grinned, utterly unbothered.
And then, voice dripping with satisfaction, he added—
“And you haven’t even met all of us yet.”