There might have been a time previously, where just Mordecai's tone --that condescending adult speak-- would have done little more than have Sephiroth promptly turn tail and refuse to continue a conversation. No one ever had the balls to talk to him in such a way and he for one shouldn't have the consideration to grant them.

But things were different now. Sephiroth's insecurity was wont to flaring up at the slightest provocation and as the Barkeep continued that all too familiar knot started turning around in his gut. Anxiety about himself as a whole hadn't been buried too far beneath the surface following that night, or rather, he'd tried to bury it deeper but it didn't want to give up. He was an expert at distracting himself, by now.

As voice was lowered, the silver haired mans hearing sharpened and what Mordecai had to say next seemed just as loud as if he might have shouted it from atop a hill, for all to hear. Sephiroth's tight setting of his jaw betrayed how he felt about this man -now obviously- knowing things that he'd rather he didn't.

"What about it-" Dull, deep tones were equally low in volume. Sephiroth even took half a step closer to Mordecai just to accentuate the need for some measure of discretion.

"-you know what those files contain, as much as anyone else does."