On the President's Order

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ON THE PRESIDENT’S ORDER

Summer was raging on Midgar when the President Shinra felt a spark of pity invading his being when he spotted his best agents melting under the heat. This, because of how crowded the building was despite the air conditioning being on 24/24. 

That’s when he decided to send the TURKS to a very special mission. His son, Rufus, was turning 25 and as a father, he wouldn’t miss this occasion to test the security of his dear system. This sole realization drove him to the idea of sending the black-dressed personal right to Costa del Sol. 

Not only to protect Rufus, but also to celebrate his birthday and… Organize it. The entire Shinra was holding the secret straight to not let it slip from one’s lips. 

This is how they all came to be reunited to one place. Mera’s house. Why ? Because what the President didn’t exactly precise, was the guidelines of the mission : therefore, the TURK decided to bring her 1st class friends along. 

Whether they liked it or not. 

“I don’t get why we should be here? He’s the Vice-President, not the President,” complained Genesis. 

“Your answer is contained in your question, dipshit,” answered Mera. 

“Language.” 

Both sighed. Two days, two atrociously long days, in which Angeal improvised himself as a mediator to avoid the ginger and the brunette to kill each other. To say Sephiroth was off gig, was a euphemism. Thanks to his status, the general avoided most tasks whose importance was more or less concerting, considering his lack of care. 

He was sipping a cocktail, laying on the floating buoy under the warm sun, feet diving in the water considering the length of his legs. This, exasperated the three, who could only gift him of a death stare every once in a while. 

“You could at least make the cocktails and bring them to the penthouse,” suggested Mera, with a disenchanted tone in her voice. 

“And do what? Get harassed in the street and hit on by groupies ? No, thanks, I’d better stay here.” 

“That’s not the worst gig you could be on!” shouted Mera, passing the double doors that led to the deck. 

The general sighed and gave her a smile as he swam, thanks to a hand gesture to bring him closer to the wood planks. “Yeah, I consider I’m off.” 

“Off, my ass,” sighed Genesis as he packed the snacks in the boxes that’d soon be delivered to their destination. “We’re getting paid for this.” 

Sephiroth chuckled as Mera turned her head quick on Angeal, begging for a saving. But the man shook his head negatively. No, he wouldn’t help her to get out of her lies. On his honour. 

“We’re getting paid for that, huh?” asked Genesis, pivoting his figure towards the short woman who just wanted to run away at this moment. Twirling her fingers together, the menacing stare of Genesis sent shivers down her spine. 

Even with the rising temperatures. 

“We’re getting paid, reassure me?”

“I can negotiate that…” 

He blinked twice, and she knew she was passing near death. One word not correctly placed, and it was her end. “Negotiate… Negotiate?! NEGOTIATE?! You mean, I’ve been carrying the whole buffet of a rich blond himbo for nothing?!” 

“Genesis, you’re rich too.” 

“I don’t live by the mean of my dad’s whole wealth, thank you,” defended the ginger with all his strength. 

He put the box on the ground, walking towards the brunette and leaning onwards, her figure as their forehead stuck onto each other. “Listen up, shortie. If you don’t get me a pay cheque that equals the effort, I swear on the Goddess that you won’t return to Midgar safely, got it?” 

“I’ll negotiate, promise.” 

“You better.” 

The redhead went back to his occupation as he stepped again in Mera’s family house. She placed her pink orbs on Sephiroth, a catatonic silence installing itself between the two. 

“They were right. Gingers have no souls.” 

“Genesis above every else” 

***

“Oh please, it isn’t like I really lied. He assumed he was getting paid,” she defended. 

“Still not honourable to lie to your friends?

“Me and him, friends?” she asked, a sense of disgust showing off and wrinkling her features. 

Angeal shook his head desperately. Yes, they were friends more than they actually admitted they were. That was settled. Otherwise, they wouldn’t willingly hang out together. Hewley knew them both too well to say he was wrong.

“I didn’t lie. For the last time.”

“If you want, yes.” 

She slammed her arms against her ribs, pissed off by his Stoic answer. 

***

The moon rose high on the penthouse rented by the TURKS graciously. Reno was already swallowing drinks after drinks, whilst Elena stayed by Tseng, who was guarding the whole party. Exceptionally, the TURKS were off their uniforms and god knows what they’d be doing in minutes. Mera was wearing a black dress accompanied of a thick belt around her thin waist. 

The three generals were wearing their tuxedos whilst Genesis was reading Loveless in a corner. Mera didn’t know what to think about the whole party : it was a big reunion between the wealthiest, and technically, they didn’t have anything to do here. Technically. 

In the official statements, the TURKS were actual guests, but the truth was they protected the President above anything else. Sephiroth, on his own, was surrounded by ladies whom the main occupation revolved of the SOLDIER’s fame and everything. 

And she… 

She was there.
Like, a decoration.

Yeah, a decoration. 

Like a plant. Standing there. Staying silent. But not for long, Angeal walked by her side. In his costume as well, and his plate of rank attached to it alongside his war decorations. Mera swallowed the drink of whisky she had in her hand. Her head was dizzy, barely staring at the 1st class. 

He then stopped, standing up straight and observing her. Her cheeks were reddened by the alcohol, and she didn’t have any jacket or even vest on. He wondered. She was from Costa del Sol, she knew how freezing the region could become throughout the night. 

“You seem to have a blast” he started sarcastically. 

“Yeah, you tell me. It ain’t my thing. All of this. I mean, who cares about what others possess ? Beside witnessing the Vice-President getting hit on by some rich girl or gold digger… I don’t see what fun I can find in these kinds of events. See?”

“Understandable. I guess tastes and colours can’t be discussed.” 

“Moreover, when it’s your boss. If he heard me, I could get fired on the spot by his dear dada.” 

Angeal frankly laughed, proposing Mera to sit down on the free chairs that remained in the corner of the penthouse. On the roof’s terrace. Once there, the SOLDIER removed his costume vest to lay it upon Mera’s thin shoulders as the latter gave him a questioning stare. 

“What’s that for ?”

“A man can’t be polite nowadays ? I’m a gentleman.” 

“C’mooooon, since when you do that.” she chuckled. 

“When I had my first girlfriend, I did that.” 

“You, a girlfriend ? I never knew that.” 

“Because I was seven, Mera.”

She sparkly laughed, gifting him of a sincere smile as she didn’t notice Reno’s stares upon Angeal and her. To say he was jealous, was an understatement. But he kept it all to himself. Well, until Tseng reached him out. The redhead turned around : his apple cheeks redder than his own mane. The Wutaian chuckled internally at the sight. He was pathetic.

“Don’t set yourself off the job. You don’t know what can happen.” 

“C’mon, boss ? Aside a strip-tease, what else could happen?” 

“A strip-tease could be enough of a disaster to intervene, Reno.” 

The TURK shrugged, disagreeing frankly with his boss if a woman was getting undressed in front of him. Tseng palmed his face with his left hand, realizing Reno was the disaster, in reality. He even wondered if it was a good idea to keep him around. Genesis, on his side, was dancing freely on funk music with a woman Mera and Angeal couldn’t exactly recognize the face off due to the heavy makeup she was wearing. 

“How bad is it when Gen’s drunk ?” 

“Bad. Like, real bad. Him dancing, is just the first step.” 

“Is he… moonwalking ?” 

“For the Gods’s sake…” murmured Angeal. 

Indeed, Genesis was walking backwards smoothly, imitating the presence of an invisible hat as the gazes differed from disgusted, hyped and unbothered. And then, you had Sephiroth, who was rapidly communicating mentally with Angeal in case an intervention was necessary. 

And apparently it was. Because, due to his back warded walk, Genesis had let himself fall into the pool that was unlighted of LEDs. Without a warning, Rude jumped into the water to secure the 1st Class SOLDIER. 

Rufus had never felt so ashamed in years. 

How did Genesis Rhapsodos dare RUINING his birthday party. 

“Get him out ! You four !” he commanded as Mera literally started to ran for her life at the direction of the SOLDIER under the gaze of Angeal Hewley. 

***

In the bedroom designated to Genesis, Mera sighed as she turned on the heater.  The SOLDIER’s face was now green-ish. To the point, the TURK wondered if he would throw up his entire meal and drinks on the flooring. 

Patting his back, the brunette attempted to comfort him as he muttered incomprehensible, no, intelligible words about his “moves” and how he could’ve “won” the attention of the girls compared to Sephiroth’s absent charisma.

“The price of honour can be steep,” she recited, thinking of Angeal as her words sounded almost bittersweet. In her mouth. 

Insanely expensive, even, she thought. How would she bare patronizing Genesis after that night ? All the Shinra employees would look at her. And the paparazzi… A shiver went down her spine. She didn’t even want to think about it. 

“D’ya think it’s worth it?” he asked, turning his face at her.” 

“What’s worth it ?” 

“Keeping it going. I mean, it looks like nobody could actually surpass Sephiroth.” 

Mera almost choked on her glass of water. Was he really confessing he was insecure ?! To her ? Sephiroth’s childhood friend ? 

“He doesn’t even care about that fame. It came with the whole “Wutai Veteran” package, but he never asked for it. If you told him that, instead of dissing and provoking him any second you can, I am certain he’d be open to having a discussion about it with you.” 

“I’m trying my best to keep up, you know. Just not to be a sidekick. To be… My own person.” 

She empathized for him. Sure, being involuntarily shadowed by your best friend mustn’t be easy, but Mera couldn’t bear witnessing Genesis being at loss of confidence because of a single experience… Yeah. Experience. That’s how she’ll call it from now on.

“Thank you for staying with me. You’re actually nice for a bitch.” 

She blinked once or twice before supporting his weight under her shoulder to get him to bed and help him undress. Then, she walked to the mini-fridge to get him a water bottle. 

“Counter-Uno.” 

“That’-... That’s-... not…” he took a pause. “How the-... Game works… “ 

Yeah, that sleep Materia had been really useful. She’d thank Tseng for that on the morrow. If she hasn’t been fired until. 

“Nighty-night. I’ll pick you up with Angeal tomorrow. Until then, no big moves.” 

“Than-... Mew-a…” 

…

Back to the rooftop, she proceeded to avoid the eyes of the guests as she rejoined her friends quickly after a quick whisper consisting of “target secured” to her boss in her hidden communicating device.

Sat between the gigantic figures of Sephiroth and Angeal again, none of them spoke up. Legs crossed, Mera kept glancing on an invisible spot that did seem to get a lot of her attention. 

“He’s asleep ?” 

“Like a baby chocobo.” 

“Good,” replied Sephiroth roughly. 

Sometimes, working on the President’s order… Was something.