Summary: Cloud had expected many things in his long repetitive life but being the adoptive father to three of the most dangerous individuals on the planet wasn't one of them. Still, he was going to raise them correctly or, well, as correctly as he could. Father!Cloud, Son!Septhiroth, Son!Genesis, Son!Angeal

Rating: T

A/N: I'm going to do these as a series of one-shots/drabbles except for the first couple chapters to get it started. That way, I can skip around. I'll put the dates and years on the chapter titles.

Chapter 1: Year 9 Day 106

Mornings was something Cloud loved and loathed, the two emotions all bundled up into one. The ones where he had to rise early, long before the sun could peak from the edges of the surrounding walls of Kalm, to make deliveries or tackle monsters for money were the ones he despised. But money was money and he needed all he could get to feed everyone in his little household. They weren't extremely tight, Cloud knew where to look and save, but there were days or weeks where they barely made it by. So to prevent such occurrences, Cloud took whatever job he could get when he spotted openings and despite his said hatred for said days, he did his part as the father.

His children knew and understood the situation, but that didn't mean they were happy about it and their complaints were never-ending. Still, they never got in his way, instead offering to come with him whenever possible.

If they couldn't go with him (because there were some jobs that were simply too dangerous), they tried to help somewhere else, taking little odd work here and there in the town to contribute. Cloud appreciated it, but rarely took his children's saved up money unless it was absolutely necessary and allowed them to spend it freely on whatever they wished. He wanted them to live a happy life without any complications, and he was going to do his damn best to provide it. That didn't mean he was always out for the next job. No, Cloud did his greatest to be home as often as possible, never taking jobs that would keep him away for more than two days (and that's if the kids couldn't join him). He didn't want any of his children to feel like he was abandoning them, never.

Anyway, today, however, was one of Cloud's lucky days. He didn't have anything to do until the afternoon, which was just a simple delivery to a neighbor on the far outskirts of town. Other than that, he was free. Free to do whatever he longed for...though, it ended up being whatever the kids wanted. Ah, the majestic life of parenthood.

As the morning sun peeked through the slightly cracked blinds of his left window, he mumbled a few words under his breath before lazily reaching out for his phone on the nightstand for the time. One bleary glowing blue eye peeked out from underneath the covers and stared dizzyingly at the excessively bright screen. Six in the morning, far too early to do anything. Still, he had gotten used to rising early for work regardless of his protesting body's desire for more sleep, the covers just perfectly warm and inviting. Huffing, he attempted to ignore his mind's automatic demand to rise by twisting away from the warm light and phone, rolling further underneath the blankets.

It was then that he bumped into a small body nestled beside him and sighed.

It seemed that one of his kids had snuck into his bed last night without his knowing.

Cloud almost rolled his eyes, instead scooting closer, and tugged the body against his own. The sheets folded at the change, being pulled by at his movements. As the blankets fell apart, it revealed the young near-teenage child underneath with luscious red hair that was sprayed along the pillow. It stood out vividly among the clash of whites and blues on the sheets, much like his blond hair did so.

The child shuffled at the movement, unconsciously reaching for something to grasp. He ended up gripping the front of Cloud's tank top, muttering a few unintelligible words under his breath before going still. As if realizing his newfound position, the red head shifted once more, snuggling up closer into the blond's space, and tangled their bodies together into a mess of limbs.

"Dad?" Tired blue-green eyes peeked open, fluttering as the last pulls of drowsiness tried to keep him buried. "Are you...leaving?" A yawn cut the child off mid-sentence as the red head stretched within the confined spaces of Cloud's arms that were wrapped tightly around his figure. The blond was resting on his side, tucking the child underneath his chin, feeling the tickles of hair brushing against his skin.

"Not today, Genesis. Later." Reaching up, his bare fingers ran through the soft red locks, comforting his little bed sneaker. "Go back to sleep. I'll still be home when you wake up." Cloud watched as those eyes slowly began to close once more, nuzzling against his chest for warmth now that Genesis had gotten the confirmation he desired. It was so adorable to see his eldest son act like this. Cloud continued his petting until he felt Genesis' breathing even out, fast asleep once more.

Genesis may be the oldest son amongst the three he had taken in (only by a few months really from the middle child and a year older from the youngest), but he often acted as the youngest: clingy and hanging off his every word. Some of the neighbors liked to joke and call Genesis 'daddy's little boy', much like a revision of 'daddy's little girl'. Cloud didn't mind and neither did Genesis, wholly enjoying the attention he received. There was also the back story of Genesis to take into consideration as well. Before Cloud had adopted him, he had basically been starved of all forms of love from his previous adopted parents. It was the reason why Genesis clung so hard to him in the first place, almost like he was afraid to let go of what happiness he had now.

Cloud observed the resting expression of his eldest, smiling softly at the sight before him. He almost snorted when a stray lock of auburn hair brushed along his nose before taking the initiative and burying his face into the softness. He could make out the gentle scent of apples, a brand of shampoo he had picked out for Genesis for his love of apples from Barona. Despite his eldest's grievances with the town, Barona still had some fond memories for the child, ones Cloud attempted to keep alive and well. Closing his eyes, he attempted to drift off back to sleep.

No luck. He was far too awake to do anything but lie there. Despite his frustration, he didn't dare move, too warm and content to bother. It wasn't often that he got this chance to simply enjoy his son's presence like this.

It was minutes later that his enhanced hearing picked up the sounds of a door on the other side of the hallway creaking open and the pitter-patter of footsteps. Cloud could hear the steps going back and forth in the hallway as if checking for something before finally making it to his closed bedroom door. Seconds later, he heard the sounds of his door handle being jostled. One of his other two sons was awake and Cloud suspected that it was the middle child.

"Dad?"

Cloud carefully rolled over onto his back to not stir his current bundle, glancing towards the bedroom door from the corner of his eyes. He could make out long silver hair and glowing green eyes. The blond gave a gentle smile, ignoring the sense of heat from the sun he had fallen into. "Morning, Sephiroth."

The child, the middle among the three, trotted forward, pushing against the edge of the bed. Sephiroth was an early riser, used to getting up due to his previous lifestyle and the constant traveling they had been forced to do until he had gotten old enough to stay at home on his own. That and Sephiroth sometimes demanded to follow Cloud wherever he went, despite whatever job his father had taken for the day. Sephiroth, upon seeing the intense ray of sun burning onto the blankets, jerked away from the mattress to close to curtain completely, blocking out all strands of light from the room before returning back to place. "Are you heading to work today?"

"No, not today. Later though, but it's a simple delivery, will probably only take me about an hour back and forth." He knew Sephiroth tried to get up early to join him in the morning, sometimes at least. It just simply depended on the type of job. Still, he knew the silver-haired boy could take care of himself even without him around. Cloud had made sure of that. He didn't want any of his children to be dependent on him. He wanted them to survive should anything ever happen to him (though Cloud highly doubted there was anything out there that could actually kill him).

Sephiroth brightened at the prospect of having his parent mostly home for the day, pushing up closer against the bed. He bore a small grin, fingers bundling up in the covers as he tugged. "Since you'll be free, can you teach me more swordsmanship? Please?" The child gave a small begging pout, knowing it would work to get his way. "And can we have a duel afterwards too? I want to see just how much stronger I'm getting."

Cloud awkwardly nodded his head from his place, unable to resist such a charming sight. Sephiroth had gotten really good at hitting the right buttons. "Of course. After breakfast though."

As Cloud had expected from past experiences, Sephiroth had taken a strong liking to swords. It was the same for his other two sons. Everyone had some sort of obsession over blades in this family, not that Cloud minded. He was actually openly allowing it.

When the child began motioning for his father to move back in bed to allow room, the blond smiled. "Are all of you planning on joining me in bed today?" Cloud joked, shuffling regardless. He had Genesis pressed close to the wall on the opposite side where the mattress ended, but the red head didn't mind, nor did he stir at the jostling.

"Maybe..." Sephiroth blinked once, pulling the covers back for him to slip inside.

"Well, if so, you might as well wake Angeal to see if he wants to join. Wouldn't be nice to leave him out, you know?"

The silver-haired child paused in his movements before nodding in agreement, spinning around to trot back down the hallway. Cloud could pick out the opening of another door and a faint whisper of words passed between two individuals. It was followed by a tumbling of footsteps and before he knew it, the last and youngest son appeared in his doorway behind Sephiroth. The black haired child was clearly still asleep, blue eyes slowly drifting closed despite standing up. He had yet to fully wake from his doze, using Sephiroth to steer him along.

Cloud felt the ends of his lips twitch at the sight. "Good morning, Angeal. Come join the rest of us in bed."

The black haired boy merely nodded, crawling in. He was on the far left, nestled up against Sephiroth, who had gone in first. He buried his face against the pillow before promptly falling back to sleep. Meanwhile, Sephiroth had settled in Cloud's left arm, using his father as his personal pillow, much like how Genesis was doing, and buried his face against the warm chest. Cloud didn't mind the fact that he was pressed so closely, content with having all three of his children within the same room as him. It wasn't that he wanted to keep a close eye on them or anything like that. He simply just wanted them there.

Cloud, obviously, couldn't fall back asleep now, not when there was this many bodies pressed against him. He didn't mind though, enjoying the warmth of all his children together. As the three serenely snoozed in the background, the blond carefully gave small rubs along Sephiroth and Genesis' backs, Angeal too far away to touch.

To see these will-be-men that had caused so much death and destruction in various timelines now as a child, sleeping so peacefully and acting so adorably, it was...different. Cloud had come from another time, traveling through various dimensions, over and over again. It didn't matter what happened, what he had changed, he would eventually have to start all over again. He had done it all, survived it all, and experienced it all. He had seen these three individuals rise and fall multiple times, sometimes saved and others left to rot to their fate.

Still, Cloud refused to allow the past experiences he had with the other versions affect him, especially Genesis and Sephiroth. Both parallel versions were different to those he had now. These versions are his adopted sons. And he was going to raise them right, or as right as Cloud could. Regardless of the memories he bore, he involuntarily found himself loving his children with all his unsteady heart, all three of his sons, and he was going to treat them as his own, not as some mere memory from the past.

And if they decided to take on their more vile counterparts, then it was Cloud's job as their father to put them in their place.

He would ensure it.

Eventually, it got late enough in the morning that Cloud had to reluctantly rise to start breakfast. He couldn't stay nestled in a pile of bodies forever. Planning his options to prevent most of his children from waking up, he carefully executed his ideas. The hardest one would obviously be Sephiroth, considering how much of a light-sleeper the boy was, too used to the hard life he had at the beginning of his years. It was better now, slowly easing into the safety Cloud and the other children provided. Sephiroth was completely different to how he was when had been four, first picked up.

With practiced movements, Cloud slid out of bed, managing to untangle himself from the sea of limbs and he stepped around the edge of the bed to observe at the adorable sight of all three of his children. Sometimes it was weird to see them all together like this, but Cloud would simply push it out of mind. He was happy, the happiest he had been for a long, long, time.

Pondering over the sight of his children, he stepped forward and carefully nudged his arms underneath Angeal's form. He lifted the sleeping child with one arm, never getting him to stir, and carefully deposited him into his previous spot between Genesis and Sephiroth. Immediately, the two snuggled up against the youngest, moving closer to the source of heat the brunet offered in Cloud's place.

Shaking his head at the sight, the blond silently slipped out of his bedroom and down the stairs to the first level of his house. His eyes glanced out the windows, looking out at the neighbors who were moving about their usual days. He could pick up the faint chattering of voices if he focused, listening to the gossip surrounding the streets. Eventually, he pulled back to focus on his current task: cooking breakfast for four hungry individuals.

Cooking had never been Cloud's strong point, but he had learned, and learned he had. He had many years to test it out, many variations of the worlds to continue practicing on. He had only really pulled it all out together, all the knowledge he had collected over the many dimensional and time traveling hops, now. He had three children to feed and he didn't want them to have something horrible tasting to remember their childhoods by.

It was funny considering how easily he had fallen into his newfound parental role.

As Cloud started to finish up something simple for breakfast, omelets, the first child came stumbling down the stairs. Genesis peeked around the corner of the kitchen before taking note of his adoptive father and smiled. "Dad."

"Morning, Genesis. Think you could get the table ready for me?"

The little red head nodded eagerly, getting to work, not that it took long. Once finished, he gathered up close to the blond, gripping onto the back of Cloud's clothes. The father didn't mind, taking it in stride. He had always known that Genesis was clingy, even when they had first met long ago, before they became father and son. Cloud actually enjoyed it, momentarily reaching down to pet Genesis on the head, messing with the shoulder-length strands of hair.

"Genesis," The red head peered up, pulling away from where he had been watching Cloud. "Sephiroth requested to learn more about swordplay today. Is that alright with you?"

"Yeah!" A toothy grin followed, eagerly agreeing. It was evidently a shared love among everyone. "Do you think if it's possible to bring out the metal ones this time?"

Cloud nodded. "Of course. You really enjoy that long sword I made for you, don't you?"

"Obviously!" The grin got wider, completely and utterly adorable when compared to the sinister smirk the red head had once given him long ago in a different timeline. "When I get older, I want to wield something really awesome."

"And I bet you want me to make it for you?"

"Yep! Because you're the best, Dad!"

Cloud smiled, unable to resist the motion.

There were still some things that would never change and they were normally preferences. Cloud didn't mind and actually encouraged it. He knew Sephiroth preferred katana-styled weapons, Angeal with wide broadswords, and Genesis with slender blades. However, since they were too young to actually wield anything like they had when older, Cloud had to set out in creating ones that matched their current profiles. It wasn't hard. He had created First Tsurugi with his bare hands, developing it to the way that would match his style, and the blond didn't mind the extra work, refurbishing the old weapons the boys could no longer use to sell. He just needed to consider that neither of the kids had mako treatments, except for Sephiroth, who already had some before Cloud had taken him away from the labs.

Focusing back on cooking breakfast, Cloud was momentarily pulled away from the conversation, flipping over the omelet. He could still feel Genesis clinging to his side, carefully maneuvering around the near-teen.

It didn't take long before Sephiroth and Angeal came next, the scent of food awakening their stomachs, and they headed straight to the kitchen table, settling into their usual seats. They, along with Genesis, were already digging in while Cloud simply shook his head and poured himself some orange juice before taking his seat. It was almost a routine of sorts that followed. Sephiroth and Genesis would argue over something minor, grumbling in the background, while Angeal would try to play peacekeeper. Cloud rarely had to intervene with any of them, knowing they could settle their own issues and they normally did. Halfway through breakfast, they quieted down, enough that Angeal glanced towards Cloud from across the table.

The youngest son looked nervous as he pondered over an idea, glancing between the two older siblings then back at his father. "Hey, Dad?"

"Hm?" Cloud glanced over, tilting his head. "What is it?"

The brunet paused for a moment, biting down on his bottom lip. He studied the older children once more before gathering the confidence he needed to speak up. "Your delivery today is going to be short, right?"

The father nodded his head, agreeing. "Yeah, that's right."

"Can I go with you?" Angeal shuffled slightly in his seat, nervous. "I mean, can I ride behind you on your bike?"

Cloud couldn't help the little chuckle that escaped from his lips. "Of course, you can." Reaching over, he gave a fond nestle on Angeal's hair. "You just need to ask. I'll probably have to stop by the store to grab some groceries though. Maybe pick up some dinner as well. Do you have any requests on where to stop?"

The youngest shook his head. "Not really. But I would like something on the spicy end."

"What about that Wutai restaurant in the southern part of town?" Sephiroth jumped in, his fork pausing just before his lips. "I know you like those curry puffs they have."

Angeal smiled, eagerly nodding his head. Apparently, that was indeed the place where he wanted to eat. He simply didn't want to say it. "Yes, those are delicious."

Genesis perked up. "I wouldn't mind those spicy fried noodles either. I like the way they give you that crunch when you bite in."

"Okay, boys. Enough." Cloud chuckled, rolling his eyes at the scene, not really scolding anyone. The three children quieted down regardless, focusing back on their breakfast before it grew cold. "Yes, we can stop there when we come back from my delivery. Next time, Angeal, just say that you want to eat there." He gave a small amused wink, earning a bright flush of redness in return.

Among the three, Angeal always had some uncertainty about his role in this little family. He was the only one that had a family member still alive, or well, that still loved him (Sephiroth didn't quite count considering his complex family issues). His mother back in Barona still wrote and called him every now and then, checking up on his progress and happiness. The only reason he had left the town, and his mother in turn, was because of an incident that himself and Genesis had caused in the past, earning some scorn from the townspeople. It had died down, but that insecurity remained.

It didn't help that Angeal was the most independent, requiring the least amount of attention. It was because of that, Cloud always made sure to check up on the boy, to ensure that he was never forgotten and always spoiled him whenever he got the chance. If the boy wanted something, Cloud would do his absolute best to give (as long as it was within reason and normally it was). Genesis never hesitated in asking, only tightening up on special occasions or if it seemed too much for what he deserved, but the red head would give out silent signals that Cloud could easily catch. He had more than enough time to spot the little flickers of emotions, reading the red head like an open book. Sephiroth, on the other hand, wouldn't verbally demand anything. Instead, he would simply stare at it wordlessly, the desire fluttering in those eyes, but never quite getting to the point to open his mouth and simply ask. It was interesting how very different each and every one of them were.

Cloud knew he was spoiling his kids, but considering their hard lifetime and what they might face in the future, especially in Genesis and Sephiroth's case, he had no intention of letting them down. He wanted them to have as many happy memories they could get before things turned for the worse. However, Cloud hoped that it would never happen. He would damn well make sure of it.

Still, it was just another day with his three adopted sons. Cloud smiled briefly at the mere thought of them and chuckled, watching them inhale their breakfast and crackle at each other. Shaking his head, he picked at his own meal.

Cloud had to admit, this timeline was the best one he had ever experienced so far. These three children were his and his only and he had no plans on giving them up anytime soon.

Current Ages:

Sephiroth - 12

Angeal - 11

Genesis - 12