Sober

ONE YEAR LATER


After my rescue mission for Valentine, I found myself working for Reeve again. I traveled all the way to Gaia’s Cliffs in order to treat wounded WRO soldiers, wearing enough protective snow-gear that no one could recognize me. After that, I made a trip to Costa del Sol to treat a gravely injured Cloud Strife. He was none too pleased to see me, but he allowed me to treat him.

I didn’t mind acting in my capacity as a physician. For years I’d dealt with a curtailing of my other abilities, due to Shin-Ra’s attempt at cleaning up their act. Bored, I’d studied for two more medical degrees. Reeve’s missions gave me a chance to keep fresh in the field, and to travel. He’d insisted upon paying for that, if I wouldn’t let him pay for anything else. I kept two cell phones now. One for Shin-Ra and one for the WRO. I found it all terribly funny.

But, I couldn’t stop thinking about Vincent Valentine.

I knew he’d reunited with my ex-wife. News of her miraculous escape from her mako crystal prison went all over the world in a single day. She was a hero, after all. After the obstruction of Omega, she was free.

Free.

Free to come back to Shin-Ra and work in botany research, her first academic love. I never saw her. I took no great pains not to see her. The complex was big enough that I didn’t have to.

I achieved a miracle all my own. I resurrected my son.

Sephiroth was unsurprised to awaken and find me hanging over him. Always the clever one, he understood I’d yanked him here, understood I was the only one capable of bringing him back. He’d come out of the containment tube and stood over me, dripping the mako and nutrient solution I’d grown his body in. I’d waited for him to kill me, which is all I could have expected.

He didn’t kill me.

This was a new, emotionally open Sephiroth.

I sat with him in my office, drinking strong coffee and eating take-out. In the last month I’d let him eat whatever he pleased, foregone the scientifically balanced diet I’d insisted upon years ago.

“It’s very odd,” he said as he picked up his chopsticks to tackle a third container of lo-mein. “Mother enjoys my visits, I can tell, but she always looks so relieved when I announce I’m leaving.”

I sighed inwardly. “Do you frighten her?”

Sephiroth frowned slightly. “Yes, I believe I do. I frighten everyone except you.”

“Don’t let it bother you, Sephiroth,” I said, pouring water for us. “She’ll get over her fears. Lucrecia is a good woman, far better than I deserved I’m sure.”

My son slid me a look I couldn’t decipher. “What’s happened to you? You aren’t nearly as crazy as you used to be.”

“I’m not?” I smiled. “How can you tell?”

“You don’t talk about yourself in the third person anymore, you don’t laugh at nothing, and you haven’t pushed me into any crackpot medical procedures,” he listed.

“You aren’t interested in being a great general,” I countered.

“I’m still trying to figure out what to do with my third chance at life,” he defended, green eyes flashing fire. “So, tell me what happened to you.”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m old enough now that some of my brain cracks have self-healed.” I passed the container of sushi and the soy sauce. “Are you going to work for Tuesti, or have you decided to take Baby Shinra’s offer?”

Sephiroth heaved a large sigh. “Those leftover Deepground people are a problem. I’ll probably join Tuesti, if he’ll take me.”

I grinned at him. “You honestly think Reeve Tuesti will pass at a chance to have you fighting for him?”

He grinned back. “No. Maybe you should introduce us. I know you work for him on the sly, father.”

I loved hearing him call me that.

“It isn’t very sly,” I said. “Rufus isn’t like his father; he isn’t interested in world domination anymore. I don’t think he’d much care if he found out I did jobs for Reeve.”

Sephiroth nodded. “How did that all start, anyway?”

I told him the tale, minus the part about having sex with Vincent Valentine. I’d promised the Turk, after all.

Sephiroth listened attentively, his intelligent eyes taking in my body language while his ears absorbed the audile data. “That was good of you, father,” he said, and his praise made me feel warm. “You didn’t owe Valentine anything but another bullet.”

I chuckled. “My boy, it takes two people to ruin a marriage. I drove Lucrecia away bit by bit, and she never loved me so much as she admired my brain. Valentine apparently cared for her the way she needed.” I paused to reflect upon the Turk’s cock. “Plus, you know how I have a weakness for beautiful things.”

“Yes, you always have.” Sephiroth smiled again. “And Vincent Valentine is very handsome.”

“Just so.”

We finished eating. Sephiroth dumped our garbage and stretched out on my couch. “Where is Cloud Strife these days?” he asked casually.

“He’s still in Costa del Sol Area, fighting the growing Deepground organization.” I watched my son absorb this information, struggling against a smile. He’d always found the clone fascinating. “He’s still unattached. I believe his one-time girlfriend linked up with one of Zaghan’s old pupils.”

Sephiroth nodded approvingly. “She’s too good for Cloud.”

“Oh?” I threw him a teasing smile. “But, you aren’t?”

My son scowled at me. “It’s narcissism for me to be interested in Strife; he’s my clone.”

“He’s a separate person and entirely legal to pursue,” I argued. “He’d look exactly like you if he was a full clone, wouldn’t he? He has none of your actual genetics, Sephiroth. I’m sorry you never brought this up to me before, as that wrongful notion has apparently kept you from putting him under you.”

Sephiroth closed his eyes. “It wouldn’t have mattered. He loathes me.”

“He worshipped you. You could get that back if you only applied yourself.” I put a glass of port in his hand and sat back down at my desk. “I’ll call Reeve tonight.”

******************************************************************************************************************


Sephiroth’s reintroduction to the world caused a ruckus that superseded any previous excitement. He abandoned his small hotel flat to live with me in my Shin-Ra appointed digs, and hid for weeks. I should have expected it, but when Lucrecia and Vincent Valentine showed up at my door, I was flabbergasted.

Yes, he’d have to come with her. He’d be afraid I’d hurt her. She’d insisted upon seeing her son, and he’d been unable to refuse her that.

“Come in,” I told them, stepping back.

Lucrecia, who knew me well enough to not truly fear me, breezed inside immediately. I met Valentine’s red, warning stare. I held that gaze just long enough to show him I wasn’t afraid, then lowered my eyes to show I acquiesced to his display of dominance. He came inside and I shut the door.

“I’ve come to see Sephiroth,” Lucrecia said, her eyes moving over me curiously. “You look fairly well, Kanaye. I see you must have been correct about the anti-aging effect of combining J-Cells and mako. You look the same age as when we met.”

“We’ll see how long it lasts,” I joked, and her eyes widened at hearing that old, shared phrase. “Have a seat Lucrecia, Valentine,” I bade them. “Sephiroth is in the kitchen, like always.” My son ate enough for three people.

“I’ll just go to him,” she offered as her lover leaned against a wall, refusing my hospitality.

“That’s fine. Would you remind him we’re having company tonight? He wanted to plan the menu himself.” I opened the kitchen door for her.

She paused to look at me closely. “Company?”

“WRO people, but don’t spread it around.” Another joke. Lucrecia could hold a confidence until it killed her.

Incredibly, my ex-wife spared me a smile. “Good for you, Kanaye,” she said warmly. “Is this a new development?”

I grinned at her playing back with another old joke between us. That last sentence we’d bandied back and forth so often we grew tired of it. “Sephiroth isn’t interested in Shin-Ra anymore,” I answered without really answering. “He’ll be more than happy to talk to you about it. I think he wants your approval.”

Smiling happily, Lucrecia entered the kitchen. I shut the door and went back to my place at the coffee table. I’d tried for weeks to fold an origami rose, with little success. There were a million folds and I tended to become impatient. It was my nature.

Valentine continued to hover close to the entry door, but I felt his red eyes upon me.

Time ticked by.

“I don’t buy your benevolent act, Hojo,” he growled suddenly. “You aren’t capable of goodness.”

“I really don’t give a flying fuck what you believe,” I said placidly, making another, perfect fold. I’d worked on this rose for hours this morning, and my hands threatened to cramp.

More silence.

“Why did you resurrect Sephiroth?” he asked.

“He’s my son and I love him,” I answered.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

“You can’t work for the WRO and for Shin-Ra at the same time.” Valentine crossed his arms again.

I made another fold. Three more and I’d be finished. This time, I had a perfect rose. “I didn’t say I worked for the WRO. Sephiroth is the one focused on ridding the world of Deepground operatives.” I made the last crease in the paper. “If you don’t believe me, ask Tuesti if I work for him.”

“I will,” he promised.

“Good.”

Lucrecia floated back into the room. “I’m ready,” she said brightly to her brooding bodyguard.

I stood and offered her the origami rose. “It’s good to see you on your feet and busy,” I told her. “Congratulations on finally working the field you desired from the very beginning.”

Lucrecia gave me a warm, pleased smile as she accepted the rose, and I knew from Valentine’s expression that my gift would meet with an ‘accidental’ end. “Thank you, Kanaye,” she said sincerely. “It’s good to see you so…” she paused. “Well adjusted.”

I grinned as they left, noticing Valentine shooting my gift terrible looks. Surely he didn’t think she’d go back to me? I wouldn’t have her. Once a cheater always a cheater. He’d find that out about my lovely ex soon enough. She wasn’t a one-man woman.

“You gave her the rose you were working on?” Sephiroth asked. I didn’t know he’d entered in enough time to see the exchange.

“Yes.”

“Good. I’m glad you get along with Mother.” He sat down and picked up my origami book.

“I’ve gotten along with both your mothers,” I reminded him.