Warnings: Implied male/male sex, cross-dressing, humour.

Angeal focused on the mystery novel he was reading, and tried to ignore the various noises coming from the bathroom. Whatever his lover was doing in there, seemed to involve occasional banging sounds, and a few colourful curses, too.

Finally, his curiosity got the better of him. "Genesis?" he called out. "What are you doing?"

"Trying on my costume for next week's party," Genesis replied.

"Oh." The costume party was one of the events thrown by SOLDIER's Social & Recreation Committee. That was enough to make Angeal wary of it, as the committee's members included Zack and Kunsel, either of whom were capable of feats of alarming creativity. It also included Genesis, whose ideas of what constituted a good time couldn't be more opposed to that of the younger pair. Their arguments were legendary – or at least they were when related to him by Genesis, complete with colourful invectives, gestures and declarations of undying enmity. He wasn't really sure what to make of something they actually agreed on.

And a costume party was not his idea of a good time. He really needed to find something to wear that wasn't too undignified, before Genesis decided he wasn't even trying, and picked an outfit for him. And then he'd have to wear it, or deal with an offended redhead for however long it took him to get over his pique.

"Have you decided what you're wearing yet?"

"Uh, I was thinking of going as... a pirate!" Angeal blurted out the first thing that came to mind, and was just grateful it wasn't as bad as it could have been. "So what are you wearing?"

"This." Genesis stepped into the doorway and cocked one hip suggestively, a smirk on his lips. "What do you think?"

Angeal's jaw dropped.

Genesis' costume was a maid's outfit, although not one that would be seen in any respectable household. The black dress had a tightly fitted bodice and a very short, frilled skirt. A white, lacy apron matched the little white cap perched atop red hair. The whole outfit was finished off by sheer black stockings and dangerous-looking heels.

Genesis was pretty enough that he probably should have looked feminine, but something about the way the bodice clung to his torso, and the appearance of muscled thighs beneath black silk screamed otherwise. He looked delightfully... wrong.

Angeal swallowed, opened his mouth to speak, then swallowed again before he managed to get anything out. "You," he said, his voice husky, "are a freak and a pervert."

His lover's eyebrows shot up, then his smirk grew wider. Genesis walked towards the bed, the spiked heels adding extra stalk to his movements. He seemed to have no trouble balancing on them, and Angeal had a sneaking suspicion that he'd practised. It was the kind of thing Genesis would do, because he hated looking bad at anything. He stopped when he reached the edge of the mattress, raising a leg to place one heel firmly on the bed besides Angeal's thigh. "And you're the man who sleeps with this particular freak and pervert, so what does that make you?"

The move lifted the layers of skirt to reveal what was underneath: the stockings were attached to a garter belt, the black straps disappearing briefly beneath the lacy white panties Genesis was wearing. It wasn't really surprising that the pale little scrap of fabric matched the apron and cap; Genesis was good at details. And the way he filled them out left no doubt about his gender.

Damned lucky, Angeal thought as he licked his lips. "I never said I didn't like it." He placed the book he'd been reading aside. His attention was fully on the flesh that strained to be free, a drop of moisture already rendering the cloth semi-transparent, when a thought occurred to him. "You're wearing this to the party?"

"You said you liked it," Genesis pointed out.

"Well, yes, but... You are going to wear something more substantial beneath it, right?" There were times when Genesis showed a bit of an exhibitionist streak. Even if he didn't share that particular kink, Angeal didn't mind it when it was just him; but he wasn't interested in sharing his lover with the rest of SOLDIER, who would be sure to get an eyeful.

"But these match the rest of the outfit!" Laughing eyes widened in mock-innocence. "And I have nothing to be ashamed of. Still, maybe you can... persuade me."

At least, Angeal thought as he hooked an arm around Genesis' waist and tumbled him forward, if the outfit was ruined, Genesis would have to find something else to wear.

* * * *

A week later found Angeal standing in the Auxiliary Mess Hall, wearing a billowing shirt and tight pants. That didn't bother him so much, but he was wondering if Genesis had raided Sephiroth's closet for the ridiculously high boots that he wore, and his 'sword' was a comically unrealistic scimitar, tied to his waist with a bright red sash. It was probably just as well the thing was plastic; Angeal tended to forget it was there until he whacked it against something, and there was a strong possibility he would have cut his own leg off by now. He thought wistfully of his SOLDIER charcoals, and the harness with the heavy weight of a real sword against his back.

He was late, the result of having been too caught up in paperwork to notice the time until his PHS rang. It was Genesis, reminding him that he had a party to attend. He'd winced, prepared for the other man's temper at his forgetfulness, but Genesis had simply announced that he was leaving for it now, and would see him there. His parting comment was the one that had Angeal hurrying back to his apartment to change: "Don't worry, the dry-cleaners had no problem getting the maid outfit clean again. It's as good as new."

He looked about for Genesis, wondering if he should be worried that several of his subordinates appeared to be dressed as Honeybees. He decided he'd only worry if he received reports of the infamous brothel missing some laundry, although Angeal would be surprised if he did; it couldn't be easy to find such costumes to fit well-built men who were six feet tall or more. But the first person he actually found was Sephiroth, heading towards him with a glass of something unidentifiable in his hand. The general looked almost normal in his familiar black coat, Masamune's hilt showing over his shoulder.

"I should warn you," the general said, "Zack's working the bar."

Angeal looked over to see a figure dressed in tightly-wrapped black mixing drinks in combinations never before tasted. "Well, I guess it's safer than him demonstrating his amazing ninja powers."

"I'm sure he'll get to that before the evening is over," Sephiroth said drily.

"I'm surprised you dressed up for the occasion," Angeal said carefully.

"I was told that if I didn't at least attempt to participate, I would be letting the rest of SOLDIER down and adversely affecting morale."

"Zack?"

"Zack."

"So... what exactly are you?"

Sephiroth reached up to straighten the headband he wore, with two long, fluffy white ears attached. "I," he said solemnly, and only somebody who knew him would catch the flicker of humour in those strange green eyes, "am the most dangerous bunny rabbit you'll ever meet."

Angeal laughed. "I'm quite sure you are."

That was when he spotted Genesis, the other man having turned at the sound of his laughter. He hadn't been able to spot his red-headed lover before now because that trademark hair was hidden under a black wig. He wore the formal robes of a samurai, and it suited him. The samurai were warriors of Wutai's ruling class, and Genesis looked every inch the powerful noble.

The maid outfit was nowhere in sight.

"So," Genesis asked as he joined them, "do you like my costume?"

"It looks good on you," Angeal informed him.

"It's all right,"Genesis said, leaning close, even though that wouldn't be enough to keep SOLDIER ears from overhearing. "The other one is perfectly safe." He smirked. "After all, I wouldn't want it to get damaged when you liked it so much, would I?"