Disclaimer: I own nothing

Warning: None

It wasn't the words that startled Kagome out of her wistfulness but the groaning of the rusted hinges. The superintendent didn't really care much about the roof door and the other inhabitants never visited the place so it was abandoned to the elements. The neglect while not desired turned a hardly visited place into a desolate one. Which suited her mood just fine.

"We were knocking on your door but you didn't open. We got worried so we went around the building checking all the windows but there was no light. While turning back we saw you…" sitting on the ledge "Mind if I join?" Angeal asked in a soothing tone typically reserved for the skittish animals or shell shocked SOLDIERs returning from the first battle.

Smearing the few tears in a futile attempt to hide she was crying Kagome spine tensed while she delivered with a hitch in her voice "Last time I checked it was still a free country."

Shuffling ahead while Genesis followed like a shadow, Angeal sat with more grace than his bulky physique should allow. "How are you holding up?"

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be on a mission with Sephiroth?" Kagome angrily spat out covering up the vulnerable moment she was not prepared for.

"The command prefers to spread us over territory and time so the Wutai forces never relax."

Oh. Cheeks heating Kagome's eyes escaped the scrutiny. It's not his fault. He doesn't deserve my ire. "It's the uncertainty that's get to me. Like an adolescent girl that plucks daisy's petals chanting love-not love, one moment I think he will be fine, the other that he will be not."

"He is the strongest there is. He will be back and he will be fine although... he will certainly need of a solid scrub and a direct IV line to the chicken broth."

Snorting Kagome's mouth twisted in a crooked smile "Don't I know it. It's like he purposefully rolls in mud or something before he comes here. You won't believe the mess he leaves in the bathroom! Atrocious. But it's not even half as bad as the one time he was so tired he stumbled into bed without a shower, leaving dirty footsteps all over the place. Not the mention the bedsheets had to be thrown away….but…" her animated gesticulation winded down "I'll really miss him if something happens. Even the strongest can have a bad day. It only takes one shot, one bad strike, a slash... And puff, that's it, you're gone. It would be easier if I knew what was happening. If someone told me that he is fine."

"He is fine."

"Yes, you keep repeating that." She waved dismissively turning somber eyes his way "While I appreciate your concern and assurances it's not the same as knowing."

Taking her face into a cradle he repeated "He is fine."

Oh… Ah. Angeal would know being a fellow SOLDIER and all that. Eyes widening she gently slid his hands down and joyously laughed. Of course. Feeling utterly silly Kagome stood up regarding both men"What would you say to a cup of hot chocolate."

Pulling her strongly by the hand Genesis exhaled "Yes. Anything to take you away from this suicide ledge."

"Wait? What?!" She turned staring between them incomprehensibly "No! I like the quiet. I close my eyes and imagine the stars, clean and unhidden by the pollution, the same stars he must be looking at. The wind and lack of ground at my feet make me feel untethered like I could just rise and fly towards him using the calamity star* at my right as a guide.

"Even so. I'd rather that you come downstairs with us never returning here again. I can't imagine what Sephiroth would do if he arrived back only to find out that you slipped and broke you tiny neck in the process." He could venture a guess though and it was nothing beautiful. Sephiroth leveled cities driven by the bland idea of duty. Who knows what would happen if he was goaded by the loss-fueled rage and anguish. Cringing he let Kagome lead the way.

"How is it that you came to the worst possible conclusion? Are you acrophobic?" She pierced him with a gaze at the nearest turn. "Oh my god. You are! How are you even allowed to be in SOLDIER? Aren't you supposed to be uber human? 20/20 vision, super strength, MP through the roof etc."

Tips of his ears colouring he grunted "Just a little afraid."

Angeal, the pacifist at heart, offered an explanation "It is an apprehension that diminishes the higher he is. To jump from an airplane he simply needs a shove while leaps from a second story buildings are almost impossible. You caught him at the worst environment. The command decided it is a minor difficulty considering his other talents."

"Still it must be quite difficult" Tilting her head the twin slits appraised with unexpected cunning "I used to be afraid of heights."

"Used to?" Genesis perked up in interest.

"Yes" she pushed the door open, switching the light on and scratching Kirara behind the ears.

"How did you get rid of it?" he bounced foot to foot with an ill hidden excitement.

A sadistic glint flashing in her eyes she sweetly delivered "by frequent and often unexpected exposure. Leaping, jumping, falling, being thrown and caught. Name it, I've done it."

"Why would do something like that to yourself?" he exclaimed shocked.

Pointing the roof that was visible through the window she asked instead "Would you jump from that if your life depended on it?"

Gulping he said in wavering voice "Yes."

"So did I."

Visage darkening Angeal joined the conversation "Has someone tried to kill you?"

"Not recently, no." she chuckled flippantly but noting his displeasure she hurried with an explanation "I used to live in the wilderness. There is plenty of things that want you dead there but it was literal ages ago. There is nothing to worry about except helping Genesis letting go of his fear." Rubbing her hands together she smirked "I might have just the thing."

As if Sephiroth never left they still visited regularly. Actually scratch that. They came more often than before. One game night started to be accompanied by the movie night that was extended to the weekend's escapades a day after Angeal departed to the parts unknown.

If it was bothersome or hindering in any way, Kagome never complained and even if Angeal or Genesis found it taxing they were as silent as she was.

Steadily and surely their budding camaraderie turned in a span of few weeks into friendship.

A/N – when I wrote the previous A/N I never thought that sporadic updates will turn into over a year absence! Fear not – I never abandon my stories … but I might take longer than anticipated to write them. As always R&R

* Calamity star – Jenova was called calamity from the skies. She/it fell in the terrain that was later named the north crater. Considering that her/it fall caused a massive catastrophe it is no wonder that the star that is pointing always north was re-named at some point the Calamity star