takes place before DA2 while he was still alone on the run
Amazing fan made video recreation of this short story in DA toolset and you can still watch it on youtube :)
and here is David's actual story:
****
The hunters were after him again.
Truth be told, he’d known for several days. He’d seen it in the eyes of the innkeeper, the way the fat man guiltily glanced away and refused to meet his gaze.
He’d seen it in the pitying look of the whore that stood on the corner, and the way she covered it up with a smile. The patrons in that squalid tavern where he went to buy his meals grew quiet when he entered now, and it was not the uncomfortable silence of human townsfolk being confronted with a strange elf covered in strange skin markings and carrying a large sword—rather it was the silence of men who knew trouble had just walked through the door and were now doing their best to pretend it didn’t exist. Fenris knew the difference very well.
He’d been lazy. Despite the fact that he’d known, still part of him refused to admit that it was so. He’d hoped against hope that he was wrong, that the signs were simply a fugitive’s paranoia. His stay in the last three towns had been longer and longer, his efforts to cover up his distinctive markings almost nonexistent. He told himself that this was a challenge. Let them come. Let them try and take him back, if they dared. Deep down, however, he wondered if he hadn’t simply grown weary of the chase.
Now was the time. He’d already cleaned his few meager possessions out of his room at the inn and jumped out the window. It led to a dark alley in the back, with enough ledges below that a quick descent was easily accomplished. That was why Fenris had chosen the room after an inspection that had the innkeeper staring at him in worry. He almost had to wonder how long it would take the fat man before curiosity, or a lack of payment, would lead him to check and find Fenris gone. A week, perhaps less if the innkeeper was the one who’d sold him out.
There was nothing in the alley save for a few lone rats and an elven vagrant asleep against a garbage heap. Fenris paused and stared at the man in disgust. He’d thought to blend in more once he’d escaped the Imperium. In a land where elves were free, certainly one more elf would go unnoticed? He’d been a fool, of course. How was he to know that so many of his people would squander their freedom living like frightened cattle? If his only choices were to either dress as meekly as the local humans expected their elves to be, run off to find the wandering clans that grubbed in the dirt for whatever scraps the human kingdoms threw them, or to fight… then his choice was clear.
The vagrant stirred awake as Fenris drew the greatsword from his back. The elf squealed in sudden terror but Fenris ignored him. There were others coming now, cloaked in the alley’s shadows—at least two on either side and… one above? He listened, and heard the faintest scraping on the clay tiles up above. Yes, no doubt a crossbowman. They thought they had him pinned.
Fenris launched himself towards the end of the alley that led away from the main street. Here it led into a maze of twisty courtyards, sewage and lines of hung laundry… but it would be darker there, easier for him to run without stirring the town guard. Why the hunters never tried bribing the guard to help their hunt he couldn’t say. Regardless, he’d run amiss of the guard in another town and they’d impeded his efforts to escape as much as they impeded the hunters. It wasn’t worth the risk.
The vagrant shouted in fear and drunkenly scrambled to his feet, but Fenris was already past him. Two long figures approached, barely visible but moving fast now as they realized their quarry was aware of the chase. Fenris caught a glimpse of maroon. Tevinter soldiers, then. Good, that would make this easier. Not that he wouldn’t have killed mercenaries just as easily, but it was less pleasant than slaughtering dogs like these.
A wide arc of his blade knocked the first hunter aside as he parried. The second rushed forward, hoping to take advantage of an opening—only to meet Fenris’s fist. The markings on his skin flashed brightly, the lyrium within them sending magic crawling through his flesh, and his fist phased through the man’s helmet and directly into his head. He lurched to a halt, stunned with terror.
So they weren’t warned. Fools.
The lyrium markings flashed again as Fenris partially solidified his fist. The hunter jolted back, blood gushing forth from his mouth and his ears. By now the first hunter was already recovered and swinging his blade. Fenris expertly hauled the second around by his head, putting him into the path of the swing. The sword chopped deeply into the man’s shoulder, and with a kick he sent both of them flying together into the brick wall. His fist was covered in dark red gore.
He would have stayed to finish them off, but the other hunters were already figuring things out. A crossbow bolt flew by Fenris’s head, barely nicking one of his ears, and he could hear the booted feet of more soldiers rushing his way. He ran into the alleyway, leaping over the hunter who struggled to push off his dead comrade, and sped into the maze. Dark doorways flew by as he raced. He cut down clotheslines and tossed over barrels to present obstacles behind him. They were definitely giving chase—he could hear them swearing in Tevinter, and the crossbowman above scrambling to get into position.
The first pair of open shutters he saw and Fenris dived through. He landed in a kitchen filled with the smell of baking bread, and a human woman screamed as he rolled to his feet. No doubt the sight of an elf in skintight armor, carrying a blade almost as large as himself, wasn’t a welcome sight. He got to his feet and noticed the surprisingly comely woman, dressed in a nightgown that revealed more of her cleavage than she no doubt expected, pressing against the wall.
He grinned at her, and she screamed again. So he grabbed a freshly-baked loaf off the counter and raced for the front door of the hovel. Already a soldier was climbing through the window, causing the woman to scream once more and faint dead away. The others would be coming around to the front, so he had to get out before…
…he stopped cold. He knew the man who stood at the doorway: maroon cloak and jet-black hair barely covering those soulless eyes. Not to mention a scar on his neck, one that Fenris had put there. Damned healing potions and their foul magic. Why couldn’t anyone stay dead?
“Avanna, Fenris. Good to see you again.” The hunter’s voice was a cold purr as he raised his crossbow and pointed the bolt at Fenris’s chest. The one on the roof, then. Clever.
“Considering what happened last time, I’m surprised you decided to try again.”
“It’s not just about the coin any longer, slave.” Oh, how Fenris loved it when they said that. “Not afraid you’ll lose your head for good?”
“Not when we have the drop on you. You’ve become careless. Time to give yourself up.” The other hunter had made it through the window, and he could hear others shouting in the street. He supposed that he really had only two choices: give up and hope for a chance to escape later… or take his chances.
It wasn’t really a choice. He tightened his grip on the hilt of his blade and smiled at the hunter, slow and deadly.
NOT because it's an "opposites attract" situation. I actually don't really think they're "opposites attract" all that much. They're fitting because FENRIS IS ALSO HILARIOUS.
Sometimes Fenris gets watered down to this "brooding grump" who doesn't want to be here, and his interactions with Hawke sound like every sentence out of their mouth winds up with him rolling his eyes. And while he probably does roll his eyes from time to time it ignores the fundamental fact that HE IS SO FUCKING FUNNY AS WELL.
Fenris does, and has always, cracked jokes and it's something way too many people ignore.
His dry humour is my favourite thing about him. Because it feels like a man who has finally be able to feel safe enough to actually crack jokes and find his sense of humour again. His interactions with Isabela, Aveline, Varric, and yes even Hawke, are filled with him being sarcastic or witty or even silly. SILLY! He's SO silly!
Him talking about Varric's beard falling to his chest because "all dwarves have them", so where's his? him coyly asking if Aveline will change patrols around his house with a smug "Eventually" when she says she knows he was going to ask. Him saying to Anders "I will happily sow your mouth shut" when they talk about Qunari customs in a sarcastic tone (tho how sarcastic he's really being is a matter for debate) him hilariously entertaining "fisting" because Isabela realised he'd make a great pickpocket.
And of course..."Hawke stepped in the poopy" line. THIS MAN IS SILLY AS FUCK.
And that moment during one of your first talks with him. You pick the purple hawke option and he just...smiles. no dialogue, no brooding comment, the camera just... pans to him smiling so genuinely I wonder if he didn't fall in love a little then.
Because he can't HELP but enjoy Hawke's humour. He can't help but smile. Can't help the awkward laugh he let's out when you first flirt with him, which was such a sharp contrast from the "I hate you all, I was a slave" first impression we get. And he can't help but joke in return.
He MATCHES Purple Hawke. And it feels like a secret little side story of a man who's known nothing but running, killing, and survival being able to just...exist in safety long enough he rekindles a personality he's not been allowed to show in a long time. When was the last time he had a group of friends to joke around with? The last time he met someone he trusted enough to just...smile and laugh with? Invite them over for wine to tell stories and be...happy?
Cause that's what he wants in the end. To be happy. Just for a little while. And in Kirkwall he got that.
I am 100% on board with Angeal/Sephiroth. One of my favorite Sephiroth ships. But also, there are a lot of context clues that argue for Genesis/Sephiroth too.
Aerith tells Sephiroth she wants to protect the planet because that's where everyone she cares about lives, and asks him, "you must've had someone like that, didn't you?"
Angeal is standing RIGHT there. There's no need for Sephiroth to think about him or wonder about him. This is his cue to look Angeal dead in the eye and say "nuh uh." Instead he pulls out the same line he gives Zack in Crisis Core when Zack assumes Sephiroth was really close with Genesis and Angeal.
"I wonder..."
Since Angeal is right there to be argued with, and since Angeal has clearly shown up to prove his loyalty, there's only one absent person he could still be wondering if he was ever really close to.
Going strictly off of Crisis Core, I always got the impression that Sephiroth was generally closer to Genesis than Angeal. They seemed to have a special dynamic, whether that's from rivalry or history or sexual tension or whatever. FS has definitely proved that Seph was probably equally close to both Genesis and Angeal in different ways. But I really wouldn't be surprised if Seph had an especially strong fixation with Genesis in particular. Genesis' story is generally tied more to Sephiroth than anything else, what with him wanting to share the apples and explicitly joining SOLDIER for the purpose of meeting Sephiroth. It makes sense if that connection fueled a kind of unique bond between them, hence why Seph got especially upset after Genesis hurt him at the reactor. And why mentions of Genesis REALLY piss him off in Opera Omnia.
Yes! At some point I'm going to double-check the translation for nuance, but wherever Angeal shows up he often refers to Sephiroth as his best friend or comrade or similar. After FS episode 2, I'd go as far as "brothers in arms," so he definitely both cares about Sephiroth a lot and feels responsible for fixing the things Sephiroth breaks. I wouldn't be shocked at all if it was eventually hinted in some game somewhere that they were something more and I love the ship, but the vibe I got from Genesis was always way more intense.
Sure, Genesis always seemed to be the one chasing after Sephiroth, but I got the impression Sephiroth was enamored with Genesis. Like those romantic comedies where the warrior princess declares she'll only ever marry a man who can best her in combat. Genesis is the only one who even comes close to being his equal, and that fight in the VR room damn near had Sephiroth looking giddy. That wasn't a man about to knock out a rival, that was a guy who was excited to get rough-and-tumble with one of his favorite people. That Loveless book was 300 pages at least, and Sephiroth had actively listened to Genesis go through it enough times to be able to identify the act he was reading from.
And he looked SO damn sad at being shut out after Genesis was injured. I'm pretty sure you don't get that down about not being able to donate blood to someone unless you A) know you're compatible and B) 100% expect to be the one requested to do so by that person.
Clomping around in my clown shoes over here, but I'm hoping so hard that they're going out of their way to mention Genesis as little as possible (including cutting Dirge of Cerberus into parts potentially to avoid his arrival at the end) because Square has something cooking and don't want to mention it because it's a while out.
"Sephiroth and Genesis have been together for a while—friends for three years, lovers for over a year. Fifteen months of delicious yet erratic encounters, both in frequency and flavor. Sometimes their meetings were hasty and rough: a quick tryst in a locker after training, a burst of violence and adrenaline that fed their well‑known competitive spirits. Other times the pace was slower: a chance encounter without Angeal, a pleasant afternoon around Midgar, a fancy restaurant here or there, and a long night to savor each other.
Regardless of the circumstances, Genesis always looked good at their meetings. More than good— flawless. The redhead enjoyed the game of crafting his allure, engaging all of its lovers' senses: glowing appearance, soft, scented skin, a backdrop of ambient music and the most expensive wine mingling with their kisses.
Not that night, though.
It was war, after all, and no surprise that the Soldier had lost his usual finesse. A few months of that hell were enough to dull even the most vain among them. Still, there was a urgency in the blue-mako eyes—a predatory sharpness—that weighed on Sephiroth when they met for debriefing.
i love star trek the motion picture. no one understands star trek the motion picture like i do. the terrible pacing and excruciatingly long pan shots of spaceships is part of the charm. you will sit here and look at the enterprise from different angles for 10 minutes straight and you will LIKE IT
Alone in his room as body and mind decay, Genesis hears someone at the door. A mirror of his pain - and of his pride. [ANGST]
"Hollander held up the syringe. The liquid inside glowed faintly.
“Do you understand me, Genesis?” His voice was calm, surgical. “You need this injection, or your body will deteriorate.”
Genesis didn't answer, didn’t move at all.
Hatred burned cold—an unfamiliar sensation after weeks of white-hot fury. There had been so many outbursts: fists slamming into anything solid until the pain burst, until blood smeared his shoulder, his knuckles, his teeth. Tears too—desperate, angry, useless.
And now, hearing those words, an eerie calm settled over him. Everything clicked into place, coalescing into a single, narrow truth.
This is just a place for me to shove a timeline of both the canon and my headcanons so when I think to myself 'wait how long was Zack a mentee' or 'How old was Sephiroth here' then I can just look here.
[headcanons in brackets]
1959 - Shinra discovers a way of manufacturing Materia.
1968 - The first mako reactor is created in Nibelheim.
1970 - Professor Gast becomes the head of Shinra’s Research & Development also known as the Science Department.
1972 - The second mako reactor is created in Midgar. This begins the construction of Midgar of the modern day.
1976
- Reactor Eight comes online and Shinra headquarters operations begin on June 24th.
- Grimoire Valentine begins to translate the Chaos/Omega tablets with his team. After requesting further help, a recent graduate in Biotechnology and former head of her class Lucrecia Crescent is recruited.
1977
- On an expedition to the Northern Crater, Gast discovers the body of what he believes to have been a Cetra. This body is given the name Jenova and brought to Reactor One. These are the Jenova Project experiments
- Grimoire Valentine is killed in a laboratory accident.
- September Upon realising this body still has viable material, a team is put together to study it and through genetic grafting, create the abilities that the Cetra had to manipulate the lifestream in Shinra’s private army. This leads to the creation of Project 0 SOLDIERs (SOLDIERs without enhancements that have been put through training to reach the height of their capabilities) while other SOLDIERs injected with Jenova cells and/or mako become monstrous mutations.
- Experimentation is done using unborn babies to see if they will develop with the gene grafting but there are no living results. One of the scientists, Gillian [Ohara], chooses to inject herself with the cells to dilute the J-cells and after promising initial tests, a sub project (Project Gillian also known as Project G) is set up. [The volunteer parents are their current Turk security Keris and Gast himself.]
- Vincent Valentine arrives as the new security for the project. He strikes up a romantic relationship with Lucrecia, unaware of the relationship she had with his father.
- [Once Project G successfully receives the initial J-cell infusions without issue, there is a party in the Shinra where a drunken rendezvous between Gillian and another scientist on Project G, Hollander, results in Gillian conceiving a child. After realising her pregnancy may be impacted by J-cell infusions she’s been taking, Gillian loops her own pregnancy in with Project G.]
1978
- Vincent proposes to Lucrecia, but she rejects his advances and instead, becomes involved with Professor Hojo.
- [May 17th] The first baby is born to Project G, named Genesis. [This is about six weeks premature due bodily mutations from the J-cell infusion, causing his biological mothers death before delivery.]
- Initial tests show that Genesis has a ‘unique’ factor but there are no visible signs he is anything other than human. However, the SOLDIER infirmary at Mako Reactor 0 (a secret underground facility known as Deepground) was turned into an experimentation facility using samples from Genesis.
- [June] Lucrecia realises she’s pregnant and both she and Hojo decide to use their child as the subject of their own project. Using the research from the initial work and the Project G work to refine their formula to accommodate a larger amount of J-cells, Project S begins.
- [August 25th] Gillian gives birth to Angeal and again, there are no obvious signs of Jenova in him.
- [December 21st] Sephiroth is born to Lucrecia and Hojo, though he is quickly taken from Lucrecia before she can hold him.
- [December 28th] In light of Sephiroth, Project G is put on ice.
- [December 31st] Gillian takes Angeal from Midgar and attempts to run with him.
1979
- [January] Once Gillian is retrieved, an arrangement is made: Banora, a village that had been set up on a Mideel island, would become their new home. All information would become classified other than the overseers of the town and they would be allowed to live out life quietly. Surveillance would be set up to observe them, but if nothing happened, they could be left alone. Shinra would also offer Gillian money to get set up as hush money, but she refused it and wanted nothing more to do with Shinra.
- [February] Feeling unsure of how to proceed or if he has made a mistake, Gast chooses to take a leave of absence to explore the Cetra. Although he would return periodically, he resigned his post as head of the department.
- Arrangements are made for Genesis to be fostered by a wealthy couple with Shinra ties who buy out the orchards on Banora. They’re told to report periodically to Shinra on him but otherwise, they’ll raise him as theirs.
1980-1983
- [On his fact finding mission, Gast meets a young woman named Ifalna who is the local Cetran expert at Icicle Inn.]
- Lucrecia continues to work at reactor one but her health deteriorates, much to the concern of Vincent.
- Sephiroth is raised largely by Hojo at the Shinra mansion. Although Lucrecia is at her laboratory in the same building, the two never cross paths. Gast visits periodically and Sephiroth grows an attachment to him.
- [Gast brings Ifalna to see the ancient body at Nibelheim and upon her horror, discovers that Jenova is not a Cetra but the alien virus that wiped them out. In revealing this, Ifalna also reveals she is the last Cetra left.]
- Gast and Ifalna leave Shinra and go on the run. Meeting with another former Shinra scientist, Bugenhagan, both he and Ifalna remain on the run rather than have her fall into Shinra’s hands. The two fall in love and eventually marry.
1984
- Concerned over Lucrecia, Vincent confronts Hojo about the project and Hojo shoots him. Not one to waste a body that can’t say no, Hojo uses Vincent’s body for further experimentation and this grants him the ability to transform into creatures and gives him a near invulnerable state.
- In an attempt to save Vincent’s life, Lucrecia’s last act before attempting to end her life is to embed Vincent with powerful proto-materia that contains the embodiment of the Chaos weapon that she and his father were researching. She records herself in the hopes he will be able to understand and disappears back to the Grotto where she and Grimoire did their research on stagnant lifestream but the Jenova cells in her body encase her in crystal stasis rather than letting her die.
- Hojo is made the head of Research and Development. Project S packs up and moves to Midgar.
- Vincent locks himself away to wallow in a coffin (perfectly reasonable response)
1985
- February 7th Having settled into Icicle Inn, Ifalna gives birth to a baby called Aerith.
- February 27th Hojo comes to Icicle Inn, murdering Gast and taking Ifalna back to Shinra with her daughter. Ifalna submits to the testing process to protect Aerith and they are largely careful with her as they don’t know yet if Aerith has inherited much from her mother.
- In Deepground, Genesis’s genetic material is used to create the first Deepground child known as Rosso. Genetically engineered to push the limits of SOLDIER abilities, Rosso is pushed to the harshest possible limits in order to collect information on what SOLDIER can be capable of.
- [May 17th] Genesis and Angeal meet for what they believe is the first time.
- [September 25th] Zack Fair is born in Gongaga.
1986
- August 11th Cloud Strife is born in Nibelheim.
- Using the research from Grimoire Valentine and Lucrecia Crescent’s project and Project Gillian, two Deepground scientists began injecting mako into unborn babies. The only survivor was named Weiss.
1987
– May 3rd Tifa Lockhart is born in Nibelheim
- The third child in the Deepground experiments is born. Nero was born to Weiss’s parents but was injected with stagnant lifestream which gave him the ability to open dark portals, swallowing his own mother in one when he was born. Though many other children were born in Deepground, the three original were orphaned and thus, pushed through a harder regime than anyone else based on their unique abilities.
1988 – Shinra security officer Glenn Lodbrok saves fellow officer Matt Winsord and both are later saved by Lucia Lin.
1989 - SOLDIER candidates - including Glenn, Matt and Lucia - are put through extensive training as part of Project 0. This is the beginning of the SOLDIER program.
1991 - November 20th Yuffie Kisaragi is born.
1992
- War breaks out between Wutai and Shinra.
- Used as a promotional tool for Shinra, Sephiroth is dispatched out under supervision.
- Upon realising that Aerith was coming into her abilities, Shinra begins to push her limits by using a variety of torturous techniques. Ifalna decides to escape but knowing they have a viable candidate in Aerith, their treatment of Ifalna becomes less careful and they only make it as far as the Train station at Sector 5 before Ifalna dies.
- Aerith is taken in by recently widowed Elmyra Gainsborough, the daughter in law of the construction company Shinra used and the Turks are sent after her. However, they do not bring her in and instead only observe her.
- Sephiroth meets Glenn, Matt and Lucia.
1994
- [July Genesis and Angeal enlist in SOLDIER. Although they are taken to basic training, it’s only a week before they’re taken in for SOLDIER enhancements through Hollander.]
- [August Sephiroth and Angeal meet and spar for the first time. Genesis and Sephiroth meet and Genesis throws a sword at his head. It’s how he shows affection, okay?
- [October First deployments for Genesis and Angeal]
- [December The Da Hoa mission]
1995
- [January - Genesis and Angeal promoted to Second Class]
- Tifa climbs Mount Nibel in grief over her mother and falls, ending up in a coma.
1996
- [Angeal is promoted to First Class.]
- [Genesis is promoted to First Class.]
- [Genesis and Angeal begin their romantic relationship]
1997 - Zack, determined to become a SOLDIER, runs away to Midgar.
1998
- [Zack becomes Angeal’s mentee.]
- [Sephiroth begins his physical relationship with Genesis and Angeal]
1999
- [Sephiroth/Genesis/Angeal becomes a thing]
2000
- [August Genesis is injured in a training room accident]
i must not get takeout. takeout is the wallet-killer. takeout is the little-death that brings total obliteration. i will face the kitchen, fridge, and pantry. i will make choices about what to cook and then execute them. when hunger is gone there will be nothing. only i will remain.
I know "60s housewives who invented slash fanfiction" has taken on a life of its own as a phrase, but Kirk/Spock didn't really exist until the 70s and THOSE WOMEN HAD JOBS. They were teachers and librarians and bookkeepers and scientists and they damn well spent their own money going to conventions, printing zines, buying fanart and making fandom happen. Put some respect on their names.
It was women with secretarial jobs doing a lot of the heavy lifting, if memory serves correctly.
They had training in type setting, could churn things out quickly, knew how to organise mailing lists, and had easy access to Expensive High Tech like photocopiers.
Boss make a dollar, she makes a dime. That's why she's printing Kirk X Spock zines on company time.
On Sephiroth's sixteenth birthday, Shinra hosts an extravagant gala—a nightmare of lights, noise, and fake smiles. Amidst the chaos, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to two young SOLDIERs.
"Sephiroth’s attention was immediately drawn to the pair of young SOLDIERs trailing behind him: Angeal and Genesis. Angeal smiled at him, nodding encouragingly from a distance. Since their mission together, the tall Second Class had shown nothing but kindness toward him. They even seemed like… friends. An odd concept, but it felt like an oasis amidst the sea of unfamiliar faces eager to shake his hand.
Next to Angeal stood Genesis. Sephiroth looked at him, but the handsome redhead met his gaze with a sharp, almost hostile stare. Genesis didn’t smile—he simply looked Sephiroth up and down before turning away. A rare reaction, especially on a day when all eyes were on him.
“What a peculiar boy…” Sephiroth thought, not for the first time.
The two SOLDIERs disappeared from view, swallowed by the crowd of uninteresting people surrounding Sephiroth. Suddenly, the young hero felt a strong urge to get closer to them— the only teens around his age. His body moved almost instinctively, drifting toward where the two boys once stood"
The 4th fanfic of my series, showcasing some emotional damage and the rough start of their relationship.
turnnoffyourmind
snowghoul
annaxmalina
izzy806
