Shinra's Midwife Prologue

[goddessofroyalty]

The bag Cloud has on his back is fairly light. He hadn’t brought much to Midgar, he doesn’t need much to go back home.

He’s grateful for the winter chill setting in meaning he can get away with the heavy coat he’s wearing. And the fact they had managed to convince Shinra not to publicise their relationship. The last thing he needs is word to get back before he can make it out of the city’s borders.

“Wait- is that?” There’s a murmur that goes through the crowd and Cloud tries to ignore it.  Hopefully it’s just the Turks passing by for whatever secret business they’re up to. Or some SOLDIERS going to fight some monsters in the slums.

“What’s the General doing here?”

Fuck.

Cloud twists his head to confirm that, yes, it’s Sephiroth. How did he even know Cloud was leaving today?

Zack.

The traitor.

See if Cloud ever tells him anything again.

“Cloud,” Sephiroth says, the crowd suitably parting for their Great General. And there goes any hopes of keeping the relationship a secret to prevent Cloud, or the child, becoming a target. “Are you really so determined to do this?”

“Yes.” He wouldn’t have packed a bag and gotten all the way down to the train-station while 7 months pregnant if he wasn’t.

“Why?”

“Hojo.”

“Do you really fear my father that much?”

“Sephiroth, I would rather return home, where people will talk, to give birth in my mother’s house with only her support than have Hojo anywhere near me or my child.”

Sephiroth contemplates the words and Cloud can only hope that they beat-out whatever loyalty he has to Hojo.

“Do you really doubt my ability to protect you both?” Sephiroth asks, his hand slipping beneath Cloud’s coat to rest against his stomach. Cloud can feel their child shift at it. And he doesn’t want to leave and have them so far away from his mate and his friends.

“No.” He would be a fool to think Sephiroth unable to fend off any threat to either of them. “I just doubt his motives more.”

There had just been too many comments from Hojo to make Cloud feel comfortable with the idea of him having any access.

“And if he wasn’t in the picture?” Sephiroth asks after a moment.

“What?” He didn’t mean?

“Give me a week,” Sephiroth says, “and if Hojo is still a concern after that I will let you go.”

“What are you planning?”

“A week Cloud,” Sephiroth says. His voice firm.

“Okay.” Cloud can give that. But if Hojo was still around after a week he would go back home.