A/N: I DIN'T RIGHT THIS

i. Rumors of a new boy wonder. Ah, the novelty of Shinra.

Wutai was Shinra's first war. Or, at least, it was the first to receive that prestigious title with a capital 'w', the first that would go down in the pages of history as a proper noun. There had, of course, been other smaller skirmishes. Wutai was not by any means the only or even the first to protest Shinra's audacity and interference. Rebellion had broken out in other nations whose names Midgar didn't find worth remembering, but each had been quickly quelled and the effort of those who had dared try to protect their land from corporate drills had in the end only served to aid Shinra by granting them a powerful reputation and by beginning the slow-spread of rumors, spoken in whispers of reverence, of an elite military force called SOLDIER. Wutai, however, was the first to pose a serious threat.

The first phase of the war lasted just over six months.

The Wutai were an ancient warrior nation, with an arrogance that was completely merited and an ego that had not in all its history been bruised. Shinra, though much younger, had by the time the war began achieved the same, or at least were under the impression that they had. They woefully underestimated their adversary and as such thousands of lives were lost in the beginning. The first two months ended with Shinra shamed and embarrassed, cowering beneath the confident laughter of the Wutai forces. At the start of the third month, SOLDIER arrived. It was at least a small turning point, as these elites gained Wutai's respect when nothing else yet had. Still, the match was not even. Wutai had the incredible advantage of turf. They knew their land far, far better than any foreign rat from Midgar, and that knowledge was an immense aid in subterfuge and strategy. There was also the fact that Wutai males (and even most females) were from childhood trained in combat. Their fighting skill was legendary, immense, and aged as fine wine. And, perhaps most powerful of all, the Wutai had a faith in, a passion, a love for their land that was so utterly profound and absolute that the idea of dying to protect it was nothing short of the highest honor a mortal could attain. Shinra was capable, yes, they had proven that. But that was irrelevant, for Wutai was sacred to the great Leviathan, and the people were completely confident. After all, no man could fell a God.

The fourth month, they met Sephiroth.

Within two weeks Wutai was staggering under the weight of their losses. The north eastern quarter of the continent had been taken by the prowess of a single man whose name had become synonymous with 'hero'. Two more generals, the only other ranked 1st Class arrived to speed the process. By the end of the first phase, these three had pushed Wutai troops so far back that a third of the country was in Shinra's hands, and Wutai was forced to call a cease fire, utterly disgraced.

It was mere days after that call that the three untouchable generals, the three best friends, awaiting orders in an overly-lavish inn situated in an overrun town, first had their curiosity piqued by the spikey-haired kid with a smile that outshone the sun, a three second attention span, and a mouth that almost always moved without thought, and who would in time become the light of their lives. At this point, all they came to know of him was his name.

-

They were lovers, the three of them. It was not so much a matter of kinky sex as it was a matter of mutual trust, respect, fondness and love. Though, they wouldn't deny that kinky sex wasn't lacking either.

For two of them, it wasn't surprising. Angeal and Genesis had known each other all their lives, had known each other intimately since Angeal's fifteenth birthday and their first taste of Banora Apple Cider with a twist and on the rocks. The addition of Sephiroth to their casual-but-not relationship, on the other hand, had been an unexpected turn of events. Genesis was a sensual creature by nature. He thrived on touch and attention, on deep connections of mind like those read in stories, everlasting love, eternal bliss, which in his case could only include lots, and lots, of love-making. Angeal was used to his touchy-feely tendencies, his flirting and his inescapable charm, having known the man all his life, and Sephiroth put up with it all surprisingly well. He hadn't always, of course. He'd obviously been unsettled at least a bit at first. Angeal had had a feeling then, that had later been confirmed, that the coveted General hadn't experienced much warmth in his life, had probably only ever been handled with clinical detachment. Naturally, Genesis had changed all that within twenty minutes of the three friends' first conversation, and though it hadn't been an intention to lead him to their bed, once Sephiroth became used to the constant touches and allowed them and even began to respond in kind, Angeal and Genesis had discovered that he was nothing less than completely addictive.

By the time of the Wutai war they had been together for nearly two years and had been separated for work for nearly two and a half months.. Needless to say, they hadn't often ventured outside the bedroom they were sharing at the inn as they awaited new orders.

Angeal was in bed reading, Genesis stretched across the foot of the bed dozing lazily, and Sephiroth (who had just returned from a quick sweep of the town) only half out of his armor when his handset rang. He left his coat partially unfastened to answer the call, and when he didn't resume undressing, Genesis sat up. Angeal rolled his eyes and smirked as his friend took it upon himself to aid Sephiroth in the removal of his clothes. Sephiroth allowed it, simply moving as Genesis guided, all fluid, feline grace as he switched his phone from one hand to the other when Genesis eased the heavy leather coat off his shoulder and he needed to pulls his arms from the sleeves. Genesis draped the coat over the back of a chair, and next unfastened the straps of the sheath that crossed Sephiroth's chest, his long, blunt fingernails grazing pale, flawless skin in a way that made green eyes darken with pleasure.

Angeal closed his book and set it on the nightstand, choosing instead to watch. He wasn't paying attention to Sephiroth's soft, periodic murmurs into the phone, instead appreciating the way that the General relaxed back into a strong chest as Genesis' arms came around his waist, crossing over slender hips. Genesis nuzzled sweetly at Sephiroth's neck, urging his lover to tilt his head back and to the side, so that the pale column of his throat was exposed. Soft, cupid-bow lips closed over his pulse point and a wicked pink tongue swiped over the throb of life beneath flesh. Sephiroth's eyes fluttered just barely, and he lifted a hand to thread his fingers in the golden silk of Genesis' hair. Genesis slid one hand up over Sephiroth's abs and over his chest, spread his palm flat to curve slightly around the other man's ribs so that he could thumb over a dark, tight nipple, which made Sephiroth's lips part just barely, beautifully, and his head tip back further onto Genesis' shoulder.

On the bed, Angeal shifted slightly, uncrossing his ankles in an attempt to ease the slow oncoming ache of his swelling erection. Genesis lifted his head a little so that their eyes could meet, and offered Angeal a slow smirk, those dark eyes full of promise.

Their gaze broke at the soft snap of Sephiroth closing his handset sharply and Genesis attention was demanded to be settled on narrow, lusty emerald eyes as Sephiroth pulled away enough to turn to him. "You," the General said stoically, "are shameless."

Genesis did not even attempt to look contrite, and instead offered a dazzling, sexy smile. "Utterly," he agreed, voice sultry low. His arms tightened around Sephiroth's waist and the two shared a slow kiss before Sephiroth broke it with a quiet sound, an evil smile, and a low murmur in Genesis ear that pulled a guttural moan from the other man. "On the bed, undressed, both of you. I want to see your sweet lips wrapped around him.

"Angeal?" his voice was louder so that their third could hear, and as authoritative as ever as he turned to meet the darker man's eyes.

"Yes Seph?"

"Strip and spread your legs so he can fit between them. It's come to my attention that General Rhapsodos is in dire need of your taste on his tongue."

The corners of Angeal's mouth quirked up. "Yes, sir."

Sephiroth smirked.

It worked, unsurprisingly, exactly as Sephiroth had planned it to. Angeal slid out of his loose sleeping pants as Genesis stepped out of his own, and their eyes met as the younger man strode, naked and erect and shameless, over to the bed. Angeal offered him a hand, which Genesis took. Their fingers threaded together, palm pressed to palm. Genesis crawled up onto the mattress and took a moment to appreciate the sight of his oldest friend's perfect, beautiful body before Angeal's hand settled on his hip and guided him down to stretch out over him. Their erections touched, drawing a low moan of appreciation from the elder and a gasp of pleasure from Genesis, who let his eyes flutter closed and sunk his teeth into the plush of his bottom lip, brow furrowing so sweetly as he rolled his hips down against his lover's. Angeal's large hand settled on the small of his back, guiding the movement, spreading his legs a little more to bend his knees just a little. Genesis squeezed his other hand gently, pressing it down into the pillow beside Angeal's shoulder. He was breathing heavier, nearly purring from the pleasure, precome coating their cocks now so the slide was easy-slick. He tilted his head up and caught Angeal's lips in a deep, slow-burning passionate kiss. And after a few moments of fucking Angeal's mouth slowly with his tongue, he broke away with a startled gasp that deteriorated into a carnal, amused moan as one slicked slender finger pressed into him. He hadn't even been able to feel Sephiroth climb up onto the bed behind him.

"Seph..." he murmured, the vowel drawn out, his voice thick with need. He moved back onto his knees in order to press back against the finger, wanting more, and ignored Angeal's breathless, amused chuckle.

Sephiroth smiled, just a bare lift at one corner of his mouth, and dipped his head to nip at Genesis' ear lobe. "Tell me what you want, sweet prince," he murmured, adding another finger and rubbing the pads of both over that spot deep inside the other man that had his lover swearing, gasping, moaning into Angeal's washboard abs.

"Fuck me," Genesis murmured, both a demand and a request, as he never gave one unless it was also the other, "I want you to fuck me as you damn well kn-ah!" Sephiroth had added another finger and pressed so sharply against that spot the word cut off without permission.

"He's always had a mouth destined to get him into trouble," Angeal drawled, eyes sparkling subtly amused as they met Sephiroth's.

The General grinned. "Best to keep it occupied, then." He tangled his fingers in Genesis hair and tugged gently until the other man complied and lifted his head from where it rested on Angeal's stomach.

From there, talking ceased, and the room was filled with only the slick sounds of sex and pleasured gasps, growls, and moans. Genesis worked his mouth over Angeal's aching erection perfectly, knowing just how his dearest friend liked to be touched, what could make him lose himself in ecstasy. He tongued over the slit at the tip, full lips wrapped around the head, and moaned when Sephiroth pressed into him from behind and a soft, skilled hand wrapped around him to stroke him in time with each slow-deep thrust against that spot. They lost themselves in each other, perfectly trusting, perfectly content to let go of everything in this moment of rare purity. Angeal's hand was in Genesis' hair, the other threaded with one of Sephiroth's as they kissed, lazily exploring each others mouths. Genesis had one hand on Angeal's inner thigh and the other wrapped around the base of his cock as his mouth worked lower over throbbing flesh until the head hit the back of his throat and he swallowed around him.

They came nearly together, Genesis first, overwhelmed from both sides, spilling over Sephiroth's hand and his own thighs, his tight body clenching tighter still around Sephiroth inside him, which brought the other man to completion as well. Angeal finished last, head tipped back and back arched, hand tightening in Genesis' hair, mouth open in a voiceless cry as he came into his lover's mouth.

Perfection.

It wasn't until after, once they had cleaned up a little with a warm washcloth that Sephiroth had retrieved, and they lay together in a tangle of limbs, sated and content, that they remembered the phone call. It was Genesis who thought of it as he lay on his side behind Sephiroth, spooned up against him and pressing gentle kisses to the back of his shoulder every once in awhile, his arm resting over both his lover's waists, fingers curled around Angeal's hip bone. The General was in turn pressed up against Angeal's side, his forehead touching Angeal's cheekbone and their hands laced over the older man's chest. Angeal's eyes were closed, but he wasn't asleep, and the way he was stroking the pads of his fingers up and down Genesis arm around his waist was making his younger lover want to yawn, which he was feeling much too lazy to do. "Did we get new orders?" he murmured instead.

Sephiroth could feel the words form against his shoulder. He didn't realize it when he smiled. It was stupid, he knew, to let anyone sink so deep into him, but somehow it had happened, and he couldn't bring himself to be regretful. "Oh," he murmured, memory catching up with him. "Yes. They're bringing us home for awhile, while they attempt to negotiate with Wutai. They want us available in case there are difficulties though, so we're not being reassigned anywhere. Temporary standby at base."

Angeal made a pleased rumble, and Genesis sighed happily, "I love it when good things happen."

Sephiroth smirked drowsily and let his eyes close. "We're not completely free. They want us to meet a new recruit."

A moment of curious silence followed the pronouncement. "Us?" Angeal asked finally, dryly, "All three of us?"

"Mm."

"I bet I know who it is," Genesis sing-songed, his voice like smooth caramel.

"Don't tease," Angeal chastised without any heat.

Genesis' grin was obvious in his voice, as was his curiosity, "I've heard some of the 2nds who arrived recently talking about new blood, a wonder child from some backwater town, the youngest recruit since Seph, only fifteen or so. He was apparently brought in straight to 2nd Class, and they say it wasn't 1st only because of his age. Shinra has another poster child to join the three of us already up there."

Angeal listened carefully, and against his will felt a sharp bite of intrigue. He frowned thoughtfully. "Is that who they want us to meet?" he asked Sephiroth.

"Mm," the other man affirmed.

"I bet they get us to babysit," Genesis said unhappily, or as unhappily as Genesis could make himself sound, anyway, when it was obvious he didn't much care. Genesis honestly didn't much care one way or another about most things. "And I bet he's a brat, all ego at being the new favorite." He sighed after a moment of thoughtful silence, "Oh well, we can show the child his place, teach him a thing or two, hm?"

Sephiroth made a soft sound of affirmation and Angeal snorted softly in agreement. They didn't realize, then, just how ironic a thought that was.

Genesis went on, "I can't remember the name, I was only partially paying attention. It's nothing nearly as good as any of ours. Something simple, not catching. It wouldn't be a good name for a character in a book. Though the surname is something...some sort of virtue. Patient or Honest or Just, or something like that."

"Fair," Sephiroth corrected, shifting a little so he could settle more comfortable between his lovers, who both listened carefully. "His name is Zack Fair."

ii. Issues of Legality

Ryo Sage was an old SOLDIER, one of the few who had lived long enough to retire from action and who knew too much to be allowed to retire for real. He'd been an infantryman in his prime, before SOLDIER had existed, but had spent his last ten years on active duty with a 1st Class rank, and now served as head of the training program. The three generals had known him for a long time, and though he was just as awed by them as everyone else was, he was nearly a decade their senior, and comfortable enough around them by now to drop the formalities.

"Well well well, boys. You win them a war, they give you one day off, and then they throw you to us lesser mortals. How's that for thanks?" he said by way of greeting when they filed into the Briefing Room right on time. Angeal and Sephiroth each took a seat at one of the long side tables, the former with an roll of his eyes and the latter a soft, noncommittal hum and a quiet upward quirk of his lips.

Genesis winked prettily and took the chair on Sage's other side. "Dearest Ryo, you know the three of us must show our appreciation to those lovely souls whose incompetence gifts us our superiority."

Sage raised an eyebrow. "Oh yes, of course, yer lordship. Forgive an old man his ignorance in your most awesome presence," he said dryly.

Genesis smiled diplomatically. "Indeed. Now where's our new recruit for 1st? Was he already promoted without us?"

"Don't get too excited, you're not meeting him yet. Lazard just wanted me to show you why it's worth your time to meet him," Sage grinned. He turned his swivel chair back around to face the computer in front of him. He pressed a few buttons, and they turned their attention to the large monitor mounted on the wall, where the electronic SOLDIER file for Zack Fair appeared.

The first page of all SOLDIER files had general physical stats:

Isaac Zachary Fair; Rank: SOLDIER – 2nd Class; Recruitment: 09/1988; Birthdate: 11/21/1974; Height: 185.4cm (6'1''); Weight: 75kg (165lbs)

"He's tall," Sephiroth observed.

"He is," Sage said with an enigmatic grin, "Tall and lean. But nearly done growing. I don't think he'll catch up to a one of you three in height, but I guess you never know."

"Why are you smiling like that?" Angeal asked the older man, frowning.

Sage laughed a little and leaned back in his chair. "Let's just say that however you're picturing the kid in your head now, it's not doing the real thing justice."

"Ryo," Genesis drawled, amused, "I was under the impression, as I'm sure was your lovely wife, that you walk the straight and narrow path."

"I do," Sage answered, "Doesn't mean I'm blind. And besides, half my time in the class of mine that he's in is spent trying to keep the attention off of him. I had to move him up front just so maybe the others could at least see the board as well while they stared at him."

"Oh come now," Genesis said, "surely he can't be…"

He trailed off as Sage tapped out a few more buttons, and a video file was brought up, stilled on a crystal clear full image of the kid in question.

None of the three generals had been quite sure what they'd expected Zack Fair to look like, but it certainly hadn't been the stunning reality. Even just watching him on a computer monitor, it was easy to see that there was just something about him, something unique and bright and alluring. This impression was, of course, on a mature, deeper level. In more shallow pools of thought, the kid wasn't lacking on the alluring scale either. He was young, exceptionally beautiful, with sweet, bright blue eyes and full lips that seemed naturally made to be stretched into a smile to swoon for.

"Oh my," Genesis finished, his eyes dark with intrigue and pleasant surprise, a slow, small smirk touching his features.

"Uh huh," Sage smirked.

"He's exquisite."

"And still a minor, Genesis, so at least pretend to keep your attention focused on his combat skill while we run through this."

Genesis smiled, glancing over at Angeal and Sephiroth, who were both staring at the monitor as well, but expressionless and unreadable, as usual.

Sage showed them a few recordings from Fair's training data, the final one a virtual reality program that was rather more advanced than what the usual programs new 2nd Classes used.

"He's well above the rest of the rooks for sure, and even no other 2nd Class can keep up with him, so he's been training mostly with the VR programs since we can adjust the difficulty levels with those," Sage was saying as they watched the kid on the monitor. "Now watch, watch this. See how he moves? Pure instinct. Kid'd never picked up a weapon before he got to Midgar, and has already come this far. He's a natural. Ambitious as hell, too, all big hero dreams."

Angeal felt the eyes of both Genesis and Sephiroth on him, and rolled his own, but couldn't deny that it was the sort of ambition that very much so appealed to him.

In the recording, some nasty looking beast managed to catch the boy off guard and sharp claws slashed straight through the armored fabric of his uniform shirt. Fair quickly and efficiently rectified his mistake and took the monster down, and then looked down at his torn shirt with a wince. His muttered "Aw, hell," was loud and clear over the speakers. He sheathed the sword into its place on his back and gloved fingers tugged up the ruined shirt presumably so that he could get a better look at the four gashes now etched into the center of his stomach that were just beginning to bleed, unwittingly revealing pale honey skin stretched over a slender, lean, muscled and perfectly toned torso. All eyes in the Briefing Room locked on a crimson bead of blood as it slid from the bottom most laceration near his navel and trailed down to slip beneath and soak into the waistband of the slightly-too-big pants that were slung over prominent hipbones.

There was a moment of absolute and heavy silence before Genesis said in a thick voice, "Oh, that can't be legal."

"It's not legal," Sage pointed out again, laughing. "He's oblivious about it, too. I mean, he knows he's got charisma and charm and knows how to use them, but he doesn't often, and he absolutely has no idea just how many people, instructors and fellow SOLDIERs, are after his ass."

"So he's naïve?" Sephiroth asked, frowning slightly.

"To a point, yeah. He's a sweet kid. Probably too sweet for this job, but I don't think he could be anywhere else and belong like he does here. He was made for this, like you three. Though, as you can see," he gestured to the screen, where the vid file had ended, "he's not yet near 1st. He will be, but he's got a few gaping flaws working against him that none of us can seem to help him with."

"He seems to have some trouble focusing," Angeal offered.

"Bingo," Sage sighed. "Kid's got a tendency to get distracted by just about everything. He's got no attention span whatsoever. At all. At all."

"He's a skilled fighter, though," Sephiroth pointed out fairly, "And his skill with magic shouldn't be nearly as high as it is."

At this, Sage scrubbed a hand over his face, laughing ruefully, and the Generals looked at him, all three with an eyebrow up this time. The older man grumbled something before answering clearly. "He's a little hell spawn with Materia. I didn't train you three, obviously, but I'd never seen anything like Zack before when it came to his first try out with Materia. He wields it like it's a part of him, and the magic favors him pretty strongly."

Angeal frowned. "And he abuses that?"

"Oh fuck no," Sage waved a dismissive hand, "he wouldn't even think to. It's just what made us pull him out of training with the others. The first time he tried out just a Fire spell, his partner suffered some pretty serious injuries because of how powerful it was. There were three of us in the gym with them at the time, but the entire class saw the kid go down screaming and then he was out cold. They, and Fair, thought he was dead at first. Zack felt terrible about it, even after we cured his partner and Kunsel told him himself that it was all fine. He's reluctant to use magic at all now, though he's gotten a little bit better. His mentor will hopefully be able to help him out with that."

"How's he doing in classes?" Genesis asked thoughtfully.

The SOLDIER program was, by all means, intense and demanding, but it also came equipped with incredible opportunity and perks. It was one of the few Shinra entities whose hierarchy was based solely on merit, and there were certain requirements and qualifications that had to be met to become a part of it. Education, for example, was expected to be attained through at least the seventeenth year. When on base, minors attended classes four days a week; on missions, it was the job of their assigned mentor to keep them up to date on their studies so that exams could be taken upon their return.

Most of the younger SOLDIERs generally disliked the rule, but the wise ones, or the ones who had come from backwater towns in the middle of nowhere and had been required to work after minimal schooling, took the free and well above average quality education for the gift that it was.

"He's good. Better than most. Like I said, the attention span thing gets in the way. He's easily the brightest in the class, but he gets bored. It's all really just a formality anyway. He caught the attention of even the President when he was recruited, so the kid's got more job security than you can shake a stick at. We're just trying to keep up with him without overshadowing the rest of the kids still in training, but I don't think it's going to be able to keep working like it is now. He deserves someone to himself, who can challenge him the way he needs to be. Which is where you come in."

Sephiroth regarded Sage with something like surprise on his face. "What? Lazard wants us to mentor him?"

"No, no. Not completely, not like that. He just would like for one or all of you to meet with him, maybe let him watch you spar or actually spar with him, once or twice, while you're here. Honestly he's pretty cocky, and he's merited that, since we can't find a challenge for him, but he needs to be taken down a notch if only to encourage him to work all the harder."

"Hn," Sephiroth said.

"When do we meet him?" Genesis was looking at the stilled shot on the monitor, the last frame of the data file, of Fair smiling wide at whoever had been putting him through the training off camera.

"Lazard's going to introduce you tomorrow morning at oh-seven-hundred. Zack's got a block scheduled in the Materia Room to get a rundown on the basics there that should end about then. You're just to meet Lazard in the hallway there, since Genesis' presence will piss all the researchers off…" he shot the man in question, who did not even attempt at innocence or contrition, a stern look, "…but you should be safe from adoring fans for the most part, as classes will be in session then, and the older SOLDIERs have been told to make themselves scarce."

The three Generals shared a look, and then Angeal sat back and nodded, speaking for all of them, "All right."

Genesis had long ago been banned from the Materia Room. The official reason was theft of Shinra SOLDIER Department property and unauthorized use of Shinra SOLDIER Department equipment. The actual reason...was summed up by the official one pretty accurately. Genesis' general theory on material items was that if it didn't belong to him, clearly it was meant to and, please, allow him to clear up the misunderstanding.

He had been sixteen, there had been Mako stones in the labeled cabinet (most of which he had been the one to find, as he would always point out), and the machine used to fuse Materia had been easy for him to figure out. The Researchers had nearly died of a collective heart attack when they'd returned to the room after their lunch break to find the SOLDIER tampering with their equipment. Genesis and Angeal (the latter of which who had been in the room not as an aid in the crime, but just in case Genesis needed his ass dragged to safety if something exploded) had then been taken to the Director's office and subjected to a long and passionate lecture on how very badly wrong things could have gone, how badly hurt he could have been due to his clear disregard for standard safety procedure, and what in the world did he think he was doing anyway, attempting to create Materia when he didn't have the required training or knowledge or skills to handle such a delicate task?

"Ah, of course," Genesis had replied complacently, "I am, sadly, lacking the many years of schooling needed to comprehend the exact science and proper etiquette of button-pushing. Forgive me my ineptitude." Here, for effect, he had raised the glass of water he'd been given, his coat sleeve slipping down enough to reveal the new, perfect Materia sphere he'd made without permission locked into the socket of the armored band around his wrist, and toasted them. "I am, as always, humbled and awed by your vast expanse of superior knowledge and intellectual prowess."

Needless to say, the researchers that ran the Materia Room were not overly fond of General Rhapsodos, even nearly eight years later. Shinra's scientists were, within the company, valued above nearly all other employees. They did not, however, hold a candle to Shinra's three SOLDIER 1st Class generals. Genesis had learned early on that nothing short of betrayal or desertion could endanger his job security. He enjoyed perhaps a little too much reminding others of that fact as well. He no longer required the use of the room, of course, as the machines that convert Make stones into new Materia were nothing compared to his own ability to create it himself through fusion, but he often stepped in with the excuse of showing the facilities to new recruits simply to watch the scientists send him dark, bitter looks and shift uncomfortably, powerless to enforce anything upon him.

Lazard had been wise to make a point that the generals were not to actually meet the new recruit in the room, but outside of it. The Director liked to keep the peace as much as possible. So the four men waited in the small sitting area on the SOLDIER floor for the kid to arrive. Fair was nearly twenty minutes late, however, and according to the researchers when Lazard had gone to enquire after him, he had failed to show up for his lesson on the process he couldn't possibly understand and the workings of the machines he wasn't allowed to use.

"Your new star appears to be lacking in the area of punctuality, Director," Genesis drawled, crossing his arms comfortably over his chest, a lazy smile pulling at his lips.

Angeal rolled his eyes inwardly and shifted his weight to settle more comfortable where he stood against the wall next to Sephiroth, who was watching the door of training room intently with mild curiosity for reasons known only to himself. Angeal wasn't curious enough yet to ask why. He tilted his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, relaxed, disapproving of the boy skipping any lesson, but understanding why he would have and unable to blame him.

"So it would seem," Lazard sighed, checking his watch. "I do apologize for this. It isn't like him. But he also wasn't informed of the reason he was asked to stay after his appointment this morning. I'm sure that-"

"-If he had known he would be meeting us, he wouldn't have blown off his lesson in favor of more...pleasurable...activities?" Sephiroth cut him off, his voice the exact same as it ever was, a bare hint of either amusement or annoyance tugging one corner of his mouth upward.

All three other men looked to him, confused, and then followed his line of sight to the door of the Training Room that had just opened, and the pair that had walked out: a tall kid in a 2nd Class uniform with gravity-defying black hair and a heart-throb smile, and a very attractive young woman in a lab coat with a Shinra Employee ID card pinned to it who was giggling like a school girl and staring up into that pretty face with hearts in her eyes.

Genesis laughed quietly, his eyes sparkling in utter delight at the kid's gall, while Lazard sighed in something like exasperation next to him.

The Director cleared his throat loudly to catch the couple's attention. Both looked over, and Fair's face absolutely blanched, that smile wiped away in an instant to be replaced with utter shock and horror at just what he'd done. With their enhanced hearing, his barely audible 'oh fuck' was clear.

Genesis liked him at once.

"Eliana," Lazard said kindly, addressing the girl, "Dr. Karsh tells me that your internship is going extraordinarily well, and he's very impressed. He will be arriving shortly, however, so perhaps it would be best to get back to work. I'm sure you will be able to catch up with Mr. Fair here later."

"O-oh. Yes sir, thank you. I'm sorry. I'll just…"

Lazard smiled, amused, and watched her shoot Zack a panicked look before turning around and darting back into the Training Room. Once she was gone, the Director spoke to the boy, who appeared to have lost his ability to move, or blink, or breathe. "Zack, it's good to see you. Join us over here, please?"

Zack finally tore his eyes away from the three celebrities that were staring at him, and managed a shaky, stumbling gait over to them. The generals watched him closely, unable to tear their gaze away. The boy was even more lovely in person. His eyes were hypnotic in their beauty, his flawless, narrow face almost too pretty, his full, plump lips the most alluring shade of skin-pink. And then there was the body, long and lithe, lean, sharp lines and smoothness, slender and perfect. Not one of the older men could deny that the kid was absolutely beautiful.

"Director, I'm," Zack started, voice weak, his nervous gaze flickering between Lazard and Sephiroth. "I'm so sorry. The other guys told me that the Materia Room thing was kind of…" he stopped, looking uncomfortable, and cleared his throat before continuing, "If I had….I never would have…Oh God life should have a rewind button."

Lazard couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped, and patted the boy comfortingly on the shoulder. "It's all right, Zack, I understand. I didn't give you any warning, and I certainly can't blame you for wanting to skip that particular lesson." He smiled as the boy seemed to relax slightly, and his mouth pulled into a weak, apologetic smile.

"Zack," the Director said, stepping aside to allow Zack closer to Sephiroth, Genesis, and Angeal, all of whom had pushed from the wall to stand up straight and who each had their intense and unrelenting gaze trained right on him. Lazard couldn't help but feel sorry for the kid, who was almost shaking. That would have been enough to make just about anyone pass out from nerves alone, SOLDIER or not. "May I introduce Generals Sephiroth, Hewley, and Rhapsodos. Gentlemen, this is the recruit you've been hearing about, Zack Fair."

"Hi," Zack said at once, after saluting and being granted ease. His nerves and his mouth obviously held a strong connection, "It's. I can't even. Shit, I mean," his eyes widened at the slip in propriety, and he went on more quickly, desperate to rectify his mistake. "I mean, it's an honor! To, y'know, to meet you. All. And...um...fuck. Oh, hell. Damn it!" He laughed, covered his eyes with his hand for a moment and then peeked through his spread fingers at them. He was no longer ashen faced. In fact, all of the blood in his body seemed to have rushed to his cheeks. "I think it would be best if I stopped talking now, sir," he mumbled weakly to Lazard, mortified.

All four of the other men were having a hard time keeping their faces straight, though all were also very good at not showing that. Genesis couldn't help but notice just how very, very nicely Fair's lips wrapped around the word 'fuck'. It was Angeal who finally took pity on the kid, though, snorting once in amusement before he stepped forward to shake his hand. "Don't worry about it. We've seen worse reactions, and have most definitely seen fouler mouths."

"Yeah?" Zack smiled, the kind of smile that lit up the entire planet and was completely unwittingly sexy, the kind of smile that commanded every drop of attention from everyone within sight, without meaning to.

Genesis made a soft sound, a small smile curling his own lips, his pretty eyes obviously hungry on the boy's face. "Goddess," he breathed, "what's the age of consent again?"

"Genesis," Sephiroth reprimanded, somewhere between sharp and lazy, unworldly green eyes not leaving the boy's face, either.

Zack looked at Genesis curiously, confused. "Consent for what?"

Angeal bit his tongue, while Lazard gave a long-suffering sigh, Genesis raised an amused eyebrow and smiled like a demon, and Sephiroth smirked with his eyes.

Fair shifted his weight from foot to foot, uncomfortable, and then they all seemed to see the light bulb go off in his head. He inhaled sharply, eyes widening comically as he stood up very straight, gaze locking on Genesis. "Oh!" He took a step back. "Dude."

Genesis laughed out loud.

They kept Zack for another half hour. Lazard did most of the talking, asking Zack questions about his classes and training so that the generals could get a better idea of just where he stood. By the time the kid left for his next class, he had grown much more comfortable than they had expected, and had, of course, seemed very enthusiastic about a chance to spar with them. From just that one conversation, Angeal could tell that the boy was very intelligent, very capable, and that he would most definitely one day become a SOLDIER 1st Class.

He had expected an over-confident brat of a kid, much like Genesis had, and had been pleasantly surprised to find that not at all the case. Zack was confident, yes, but not arrogant. His confidence was more of an asset than a burden. He was obviously very eager to learn all that he could, and was easily the most driven SOLDIER Angeal had met in quite some time, which was saying something. The kid lacked the ability to control his mouth, but Angeal figured that was at least better than Genesis, who had the ability and refused to use it. Focus would be an issue, but it was something that could be honed with time and patience.

To his complete surprise, Angeal found himself mentally preparing training schedules and lesson plans.

Angeal had always been the real leader of SOLDIER, even if Sephiroth held the official title. Genesis had little patience for those still training or, really, for anyone who was not Angeal or Sephiroth, and Sephiroth was so revered that any attempt at conversation with anyone, let alone those who regarded him their hero, was nearly impossible. But even so, Angeal had never taken on a protegé. He taught a hand-to-hand combat class when he was on base, as he always enjoyed aiding the younger SOLDIERs, but he had never had the desire to take on the responsibility of having one sole student of his own.

But Zack was something else, something above and beyond, and he deserved a chance to reach his potential.

"You said he hasn't been assigned a mentor?" Angeal asked Lazard, after Zack had disappeared around the corner.

The Director shook his head. "No, we're having trouble matching him with one. He's already better than most of the other 2nds who would be available. But we'll find someone at some point."

Angeal nodded, and said, firmly and casually, "I'll do it."

"What?" The word was a three-layered echo of distinctive voices.

He turned to look at the ones who had uttered it, his eyebrow cocked. "I'll do it," he repeated. "He has incredible potential, and he won't reach it fully without one of us. You two would both be terrible mentors, and you know that. The kid deserves this, and I want to see him succeed. So I'll train him."

And, hopefully, he would be able to keep his libido in check while he did.

On His Knees

Angeal woke up quite suddenly, which most likely had something to do with the weight that had settled, without warning, over his hips. That should probably have been alarming, but he was tired enough (and more than familiar enough with that particular weight) that, sensing no danger, his still-mostly-asleep mind was less than willing to tell his eyelids to lift.

"Angea-eal," a voice sing-songed sweetly, smooth, low and as beautiful and beloved as its owner.

Even so, Angeal's internal clock told him that it was too-damn-late o'clock and he stubbornly refused to respond. That is, until clever hands slid up his sides and an even more clever mouth found the throb of pulse at his neck and latched on, forcing, at the very least, his body to respond in a way that said stubborn refusal couldn't compete with.

It was enough to bring him fully awake, and with a soft breath of defeat he wrapped one arm around a slender waist, slid his other hand up to settle on the nape of his lover's neck, and opened his eyes just as Genesis lifted his head and looked down at him with a warm smirk.

"You're home," Angeal murmured, his voice sleep-thick and husky.

"And still dressed," Genesis answered with distaste. "Am I the only one present who sees the problem with this?"

Angeal tugged on the other man's pretty hair as though that might have a chance of pulling Genesis' mind from the gutter, and repeated himself. "You're home."

"I'm home," Genesis smiled more genuinely.

"Thought you said you'd be back sometime tomorrow evening."

"I lied," Genesis grinned impishly, pointedly rotating his hips over Angeal's. "Surprise."

Angeal blinked slowly, let himself full embrace wakefulness, if only because of the growing 'problem' that demanded it. He tried, ever the hard worker, to keep his thoughts on track.

"Sephiroth isn't with you?"

"No, sadly. He has been asked to stay in Wutai for another couple of weeks as negotiations begin again. He sends his love. He didn't say that, of course, but obviously. Now tell me how much you missed me lover, doll, honey, baby, swee-"

Angeal rolled his eyes and fisted his hand in Genesis' hair, pulling him down for a thorough kiss, cutting off the string of sly endearments they never used, and swallowing the pleased purr that worked through the other man.

It started out as a kiss to distract, but, as he'd known it would, it became something far more intimate and with far more depth. He pushed his tongue slowly past the seam of Genesis' lips, lapped at the roof of his mouth and the backs of his teeth. Genesis tasted like spice and magic dust, with a hint of the butterscotch candies he favored. He tasted like comfort and snark and slyness and home.

"Goddess," the younger man murmured, breaking the kiss to pull in air, his pretty eyes darker with lust and desire. They mirrored Angeal's own. "It's been too long since I've felt you."

Angeal's answering kiss, harder and more passionate, was a clear agreement. It had been over six months since they'd last seen each other, the longest they had ever been apart in all the time they'd known one another, and even though neither would speak the words aloud, they'd missed each other terribly for far more than just sex.

Genesis tugged the sheets down off of his lover, lifting himself up onto all fours so that he could force them to the foot of the bed. His hands immediately went to work on Angeal's loose sleeping pants, while Angeal's slid up under Genesis' tight shirt and pushed it up. Genesis had already ridded himself of his boots, socks, coat and armor, so undressing him was a simple matter of peeling off that skin-tight t-shirt and easing his pants down over strong thighs and calves until he could kick them off to join Angeal's on the floor.

They fit better together without the barrier of clothing between them.

"Angeal," Genesis said thickly, stretching out over him, rubbing against him slowly and deliberately, as though trying to draw out every ounce of sweet pleasure at the friction of Angeal's erection against his own. "Angeal, fuck, I can't wait, tonight. We can save the foreplay for round two, mm?"

"Yes," Angeal breathed, rolling his hips up once before shifting so that he could situate his thigh between both of Genesis'.

His lover gasped, eyes rolling back and closing, teeth sinking into his bottom lip at the firm pressure. Angeal's large hand settled at the small of his back, guiding his hips to move, to ride the hard muscle of Angeal's thigh. Genesis was only too willing. He tucked his face into Angeal's neck, his hands working between his lover and the mattress to clutch at Angeal's shoulder blades. He worked himself against soft skin and toned muscle, precome making the slide all the easier.

He was so lost in sensation that he didn't hear the quiet sound of a drawer opening, of the flip of a cap opened and then closed again. He didn't realize just how skilled Angeal was one handed until he felt the press of slick fingers along the cleft of his ass.

"Fuck, fuck! Angeal…"

"Here," Angeal said, ignoring Genesis protest when he moved to lower his thigh away. He settled flat again, and eased Genesis back so he had one leg on either side of Angeal's hips, and their leaking, aching erections were aligned once more. "Like this, now lie down like—Nngh, God...—like this," he said, words faltering slightly, much like his concentration.

He threaded his fingers through Genesis' hair and pulled him down, so that they were chest to chest and their lips could meet once more.

His palm slid down over Genesis' spine, over the swell of his ass, pausing there to feel the muscles move with each of Genesis' grinding thrusts against him, before he finally eased one thick, slick finger inside him. Genesis was scorching and tight around just his finger in a way that had anticipation thrumming through his veins with his blood. The younger man's soft cry of pleasure, quickly drowned out by a louder one when Angeal's hooked his finger to scrape his knuckle over Genesis' prostate, had all of that thrumming blood heading straight to his cock.

He watched his lover's face, the smooth features usually so carefully placed in blank arrogance, unguarded and open. Pleasure was a double-edged blade, where the price of enjoying it was a certain amount of vulnerability. It was one of the many parts of Genesis that only he and Sephiroth got to see.

"Angeal, Angeal, Angeal," Genesis whispered the name as though it were a prayer spilling past his lips, the closest to a plea that he would ever utter. Angeal reveled in it.

Genesis' patience lasted long enough for Angeal to work one more finger inside him, just long enough for a few solid moments of careful, hurried stretching before he lost all will to wait any longer to have Angeal inside him. The older man seemed to sense his need, or perhaps was feeling it himself in equal measures, because before Genesis could even begin to form words, Angeal was pressing the half-full bottle of thick oil into his palm.

Genesis moaned softly at the loss when Angeal withdrew his fingers. He touched the tip of his tongue to the roof of his mouth and made another soft sound. By the time he sat up, settling himself on Angeal's upper thighs, he was smiling, all demon sweetness.

Angeal regarded him with a characteristically cocked eyebrow, though it had less of an effect than normal, with his dark violet eyes glowing so overwhelmingly with desire.

Genesis merely offered a wink.

He made a show of preparing Angeal. He opened the bottle and tilted it over his hand, nearly filled his slightly-cupped palm with the iridescent oil before he flipped the cap shut again and let the vial drop to the mattress to become lost among the folds of blankets at the foot. His breathing was heavier, deeper, and his burning gaze was heavy-lidded and seductive. Angeal's eyes slid from that gaze to the pretty swell of his lover's kiss-bruised lips, and finally to Genesis' lovely, delicate hand. The viscous oil had begun to seep through his fingers and spill over the side of his palm, so that thick liquid beads were slowly trailing down over his wrist.

Angeal pulled in a shuddering breath and settled his hands on Genesis' hips, tilting his own upward in a silent plea that Genesis answered with a sexy smirk and, surprisingly, compliance. When that clever, familiar, knowing, warm-hot oil-slicked hand wrapped around his throbbing, achingly hard cock, Angeal couldn't have held back if he'd wanted to.

His back arched as his head fell back, eyes closing and lips parting just enough for a low, guttural moan to spill past them. The sound tapered off into a thick murmur as his hips bucked up into that touch, his lips and tongue wrapping perfect and carnal around his lover's name. "Genesis…"

The other man watched, riveted, intoxicated by the sight and sound, the splay of art and color and shadow and brilliance that was this man, his lover, his best friend, always so stoic and dignified and controlled, coming undone for him.

Angeal's features were softer, smoother, more defined. His face was flushed, his eyes closed, long lashes like fine paint brush bristles fanned out against his skin, ashy smudges where they touched his cheeks. His body was taut, muscles tight, pulled tense with desire. His pleasure was audible in the soft gasps he breathed and the way he breathed Genesis' name, and it was palpable in the way his thumbs pressed hard into the hollow just inside Genesis' hipbones, and in the way he pulsed in Genesis' hand from the rush of blood to his groin.

He was beautiful. So many spoke of Sephiroth and Genesis himself with the same reverence, as though they defined the word. But, Genesis knew, that if they could ever see Angeal like this, as he was now…

It was heady, this feeling, this power entrusted to him by one of the only ones who truly mattered. It was heady, and addictive, and loved and cherished as the precious gift it was.

"Angeal," he said, voice husky, "Angeal, open your eyes."

Angeal did, heavy lids lifting to half-mast, dark violet gone nearly onyx. His chest rose and fell in a deep breath. "Genesis," he answered. His hands slid back from Genesis' hips to cup the perfectly rounded curves of his ass, fingertips just brushing at the sensitive cleft on either side, if only to tease. "Genesis. Tell me what you want."

Genesis smiled, wide and uninhibited, undeniably sexy. "You know what I want, old friend. I want to fuck."

"No," Angeal replied, squeezing the firm flesh in his hands, pausing to give a pleased murmur when Genesis followed his guidance to settle further up, so that they were groin to groin once more. He watched Genesis' eyes fall closed, felt the easy rock of his hips. "Tell me what you want. Everything you want from me."

Genesis smiled again, soft, honest. His chin tipped up and his lips parted, glossy and swollen from where he'd bitten the bottom one, and even more from the passion of Angeal's earlier kisses. "You," he whispered.

He lifted himself slowly onto his knees, so that Angeal's hands slid over the swell of his ass and to the backs of his strong thighs, his thumbs teasing at the crease where they met. Genesis wrapped his hand around Angeal's weeping erection once again, taking his time to draw out his lover's pleasure. He palmed over the head, smoothed oil and precome down over the thick length from tip to root and back again.

Angeal moaned beneath him, rocked up into every touch, nearly growled (his own version of Genesis' usual purr) when Genesis thumbed at the head to collect the bead of hot-white forming there.

"I want you inside me," Genesis finally answered, taken by the ecstasy of the moment. His voice revealed that, low smooth tones, like if butterscotch were sound. "I want you so deep inside me I'll feel you for days. I want to ache from where you've been. I want to ride you until I come so hard I can barely breathe. I want to fall and I want to bring you with me."

As he spoke, he slid his hand down to wrap around the base of Angeal's cock, and positioned himself right over the tip. Angeal's hands were back on his hips, thumbs pressing soothing circles inside the hollows of the bones once more. Genesis moaned raggedly, murmured that prayer of Angeal's name as he teased them both by rubbing the slick head of Angeal's erection over his hole again and again, but with no pressure to ease it inside.

Their eyes met for an indecipherable amount of time, and then Genesis' pretty lips curled into a sweet smile, his eyes slid mostly closed, and he began to ease himself down onto his lover.

The breach alone had him gasping, moaning, sounds spilling past his lips that were so filthy they were obscene, and so very, very hot. Angeal felt each of them as though they tightened the already vice-like grip of Genesis' body around him, pulling him in, encasing him in impossible heat. Genesis took his time, sinking slowly down the full length of Angeal's cock until he was settled once more on his lap.

Once there, with Angeal completely inside him, they both stilled, needing a moment to catch their breath, to keep themselves from ending this far too soon. They had forgotten just how good this felt. It had been so long.

When Genesis finally began to move, it was in slow circles with his hips. Angeal had raised his knees somewhat, spread his legs a little more so that Genesis could take him even deeper, and Genesis leaned forward, braced with his hands on Angeal's broad chest. When he found that perfect angle where Angeal's cock throbbed against that spot deep inside him, he cried out, never one to hold back in bed, and certainly not after nearly six months without this man. "Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck…Nnn…Goddess…Angeal…Yes…"

He felt Angeal's hand slide along the sweat-dampened skin of his back, felt the other slide up his inner thigh. They were soothing touches, loving touches, the kind that tugged the corners of Genesis' mouth upward and tightened his chest wonderfully.

Angeal lifted his hand from Genesis' thigh to touch the pad of his thumb against that smile, to trace it from end to end and then press into its seam until Genesis parted his lips and pulled the tip inside, laved his tongue around it, his eyes sparkling with sex mischief. Angeal slid his other hand around his lover's side, thumbed at tight nipples until Genesis gasped. Then he ran his blunt fingernails down the lean torso, grazing every spot he knew was just ticklish enough.

Genesis growled softly, pushed himself off of Angeal's chest until he was sitting up once more. Their eyes met again, and Angeal rubbed his palms up and down Genesis' thighs. "Ride me," he commanded softly, a tiny, infinitely sexy smile quirking his lips as he rolled his hips up. "I want to feel how you're stretched around me."

The younger man obeyed, not out of a desire to follow orders but out of a desire to find more of this already incredible pleasure, but his brow furrowed in confusion and his eyes asked his question. Couldn't Angeal already feel how he was stretched around him? After all he was—

The thought was cut off sharply by sensation. The sensation of Angeal's hand easing between them when Genesis lifted himself nearly all of the way off, and of the pads of Angeal's index and middle fingers probing gently where their bodies connected, where Genesis' hole was stretched around Angeal's cock.

"Oh," he breathed, moaned, gasped, something entirely unlike him from sheer shock and overwhelming elation. "Oh…Angeal, God! Mmnngh…"

His teeth sunk hard enough into his bottom lip that skin broke, but the bite of pain only made the pleasure all the sharper. Angeal watched every emotion—surprise, curiosity, intrigue, want, lust, need, shock, pure animal instinct—shiver through Genesis' entire body. He slid his hand back to it's place on his lover's hip when the other man sunk back onto him completely, and didn't move it again, but just that little taste had been enough to take Genesis far beyond the realm of his own control to draw this out as much as he would have liked to. Angeal allowed a moment of smugness, quickly quelled when the body around him clenched tightly enough to take his breath away.

Genesis was lost in ecstasy, his movements slow and steady but not measured for anything more than urging them both closer and closer to the peak. Angeal wanted to keep his eyes open, to continue to take in the beautiful sight of Genesis riding him slowly, fucking himself on Angeal's cock, back arched and lips parted, eyes closed, skin damp with sweat. But it was impossible to keep his eyes opened in the face of such rapture as he was experiencing himself.

The other man was close, Angeal could feel it, hear it in the hitch of Genesis' breath and the feel it in the quicker pace Genesis set. It was a good thing, too, because Angeal wasn't sure he could last more than a few seconds himself.

He waited for just the right moment, that perfect moment when Genesis was just inches away from the edge, and his breath caught hard in his throat and the sound he made was the closest thing to a whimper that would ever pass his lips. Right when Genesis hit that point, Angeal bucked his hips up hard, pounding into his lover's prostate just as he closed his fist around Genesis leaking erection and stroked him firmly.

Genesis came with a raw, rough cry that broke the air like magic and beautiful. His head fell back and Angeal was just able to catch the sight of wet-hot-white spilling over his hand and stomach before that vice-like grip tightened impossibly and his own orgasm tore through him and took him straight into euphoria.

They rode through the crashing waves, movements erratic and jerky, the usual silence of this time of night filled with sounds neither would ever admit to making at any other time.

It seemed to both last for an eternity and to not last nearly long enough. Genesis felt as though he were made of liquid as he came down, his body trembling from exertion in a way it hadn't in a long, long time. His attempt to brace himself up with his hands on Angeal's chest, as he had before, failed miserably as his arms shook from shoulder to fingertips, and so he just let himself collapse forward onto his lover.

It was hot, and not the best way to catch one's breath, but it was close in a way they'd been missing, and even with the heat, Angeal's arms around him were, like Sephiroth's arms around him, moments to be treasured no matter the circumstances.

They lay that way for a long time, not moving voluntarily, shuddering with soft and ebbing aftershocks. Angeal had his arm wrapped securely around Genesis' waist, and was fingering idly at the tips of caramel satin hair. Their hearts began to slow from their furious pounding against one another. Genesis was entirely content, feline in his smugness, sated and nearly purring, ever present smirk touching his features, the corner pressing quietly against Angeal's shoulder.

His Mako-enhanced body wasn't nearly exhausted yet, but he didn't move for a long while nonetheless, not until the cool air from the ceiling fan spinning lazily above them chilled his sweat-dampened skin. Then he pushed himself up, slowly, pausing to catch Angeal's lips in a lazy, sloppy and satisfying kiss before he sat up completely.

Angeal gave a low groan, drowned out by Genesis', as he slipped from inside him when the younger man lifted himself off. He offered his friend and lover a rare smile and held one arm out to let Genesis press up against his side how he liked to.

"We should have recorded that," Genesis drawled with a firm smile. "Sephiroth would have liked to have seen it."

The elder huffed an amused breath and tugged on Genesis' hair hard enough to get a lazy protest. "We'll re-enact it for him. I'm sure he'd like to be a part of it even more than he'd like to see it."

"Mm," Genesis said. His eyes, which had been closed, opened suddenly, and the smile that stretched over his face was the kind that meant trouble, like the one naughty children wore, only far worse as the events it preceded had only grown more substantial with its owners age. "And maybe your sweet, restless puppy would like to join in, as well?"

"Genesis," Angeal shot him a look, nearly a glare. It didn't phase the other man, naturally.

"Still haven't bedded him? It's been nearly seven months."

"No, I haven't bedded him. I'm not going to bed him. He's my student."

"Tch!" Genesis lifted a hand dramatically into the air for the sole purpose of waving it around in a dismissive manner. "That doesn't matter at all. In fact, that only makes for a better story. Corruption of youth and innocence, enticing age difference, molding that young body as you do his mind with your honor and dreams and loyalty, watching those pretty eyes widen in realization as things grow slowly more intimate…teaching him what intimacy truly is, passing on the wisdo—hey!" Genesis laughed helplessly as Angeal's fingers dug into his ribs and the older man rolled over to pin him beneath his weight and carry on with his vicious hands.

Genesis hated very few things about himself. He was, unsurprisingly, under the impression that he was rather better in every aspect than nearly everyone else. One of those few things, however, was the fact that he was embarrassingly, impossibly ticklish.

Angeal didn't stop until Genesis was breathless under him, panting and swearing, foul mouth mussing up his usual eloquence so badly it was irreparable.

"Augh, Angeal, you're such a prick!" Genesis glared once he'd managed to wriggle away and was curled loosely and protectively on his side, narrowed eyes watching his friend for any sign of a second attack.

Angeal just chuckled, terribly pleased with himself, and rolled onto his back, pillowing his head on his crossed arms. "Language, Genesis. There's no need to be inappropriate."

"Fuck," Genesis made the last consonant sound sharp and hard and pointed. Like a sword. "That."

Angeal turned his head to the side to look at him, an eyebrow cocked and his smug smile still present. Genesis managed the glare for another few seconds before he grew bored of the entire thing and forgave his friend his treasonous, traitorous foul play. His one track mind (though that was a loose term, as Genesis mind was only one track when he chose for it to be that way, which was more often than not) found its lost rails again and he picked up the earlier conversation as though there had been nothing inbetween.

"When do I get to see him again? I'm sure there is much that we could discuss."

"Tomorrow, if you'd like. He has classes half the day and then…"

"Private lessons?" the younger man drawled, smile obvious in his voice. "I would love to join you."

"I'm terribly shocked."

"Mm. How is the mentor thing going, anyway?" Genesis asked, mildly curious.

"Better than I expected," Angeal answered honestly, taking a moment to consider the question. "Honestly, much better than I expected. He's an excellent student, picks things up very fast, very quick to master anything he tries his hand at. It's like Ryo said. He's a natural."

"He's lovely," Genesis added helpfully, sitting up to settle cross legged, leaning over Angeal.

Angeal rolled his eyes. And denied nothing.

"I bet he's even lovelier on his knees."

Angeal untucked one of his arms so that he could cuff the other man over the back of the head. "Beyond his beauty, Genesis," he chided. (He ignored Genesis' responding "And that perfect, cock-sucking mouth.") "He's a good kid. He keeps me on my toes."

"Oh, I can only imagine," Genesis smiled, "I'm sure that Zack Fair is just full of surprises."

Angeal sighed loudly.

This conversation, he decided, could lead nowhere safe. It was better to just stop talking all together.

Unfortunately, said conversation had already led to Zack on his knees.

Angeal tried to tell himself that these were normal, teacherly fond thoughts. The too clear picture of Zack on his knees in Angeal's head gained a scoreboard addition.

Libido: 114
Angeal: 0

He scrubbed a hand over his face.

Hell.

On His Knees (cont)

Zack had known he'd been attracted to Angeal the moment he'd seen him, when Director Lazard had caught him chatting up the research intern and he'd turned around, come face to face with The General himself, so beautiful that he almost hurt to look at, and General Genesis Rhapsodos, Shinra's other highly coveted pin-up poster beauty, and Zack hadn't been able to spare either of them more than a glance once General Angeal Hewley had stepped forward and offered his hand to shake.

It wasn't that he didn't find Sephiroth and Genesis both incredibly attractive as well. Hell, he'd have had to have been blind, deaf, and dumb not to appreciate that kind of transcendent perfection. Especially after the comment from Genesis about the age of consent. Zack wouldn't deny that Genesis and Sephiroth both often showed up in the sorts of dreams that left him writhing beneath his sheets, shaking from desire, so achingly turned on that he barely had time to get his hand completely around himself before he was coming shamelessly, moaning into the dark and comfortable silence of his small bedroom.

But Angeal. He had something…there was just something about him.

Zack had figured that, after a month under Angeal's tutelage, the attraction that he had felt since meeting his mentor had blossomed into something of a teenage crush. It was not as though he wasn't aware of his own age, or of how fickle he could be about things because of that, and frequent sexual fantasies about any of the three generals weren't exactly a novelty among the SOLDIER ranks. Zack was wise beyond his years, in some ways, far more mature than most of his friends and most of the other SOLDIERs he had met. He had known that what he was feeling would pass, that it was just hormones and his ever-present love for attention, his admiration and his respect for such an established, skilled warrior that was playing up the idea of being Angeal's lover. It was a natural, normal reaction, and would pass.

Except apparently someone had changed things up, and as time went on, there was no 'passing' happening. Not unless 'passing' meant 'becoming unbearably stronger, deeper, and more apparent'.

After seven months of working with, speaking with, simply being in the presence of Angeal for more than half of the day nearly every day, Zack was pretty damn certain that he was, as Kunsel liked to put it, stupid in love with his mentor.

It wasn't at all fair, really. He didn't want to feel like he did, because it could never happen, for all of the reasons he had given himself when he'd been so sure it had been a simple crush. He had, at least, finally turned sixteen five months into his apprenticeship, but sixteen held no better a reputation for an age where one could have a solid, honest grasp on how and with whom they wanted to spend the rest of their lives with than fifteen did.

It was slightly comforting that, as Zack had found out when he'd looked it up the day he'd met the generals, if nothing else, sixteen was the age of consent.

Still. Zack had dwelled on it for so long, had even managed to detach himself somewhat and try to approach his feelings objectively, and every time he tried to come up with a solution that wasn't that he was head over heels for Angeal, it had felt very much like a weak attempt at lying to himself, no matter how logical the argument.

What tipped him off, was that his fantasies about Angeal weren't sexual.

No, wait. That was absolutely unfair. He had, in fact, an overabundance of very, very sexual, often downright filthy fantasies about Angeal Hewley that would never, ever come to light lest he die of the embarrassment.

But. He had other sorts of fantasies too. Dreams, simple ones, where there wasn't even necessarily touching or even talking. There was just the knowledge that Angeal was his, and he was Angeal's.

It had been right after his sixteenth birthday that he'd had the first one of those. It was around that time that he'd started to notice the way his pulse quickened when Angeal touched him for any reason, and the way just the sight of the older man brought a completely involuntary, completely moronic and blinding smile to his face. It was around then that he realized that in the fantasies, the words he spoke weren't 'Angeal, I want you to fuck me,' like they were in the fantasies that starred Sephiroth or Genesis or anyone else, for that matter.

They were 'Angeal, I want you to love me.' And not in the cheesy bad movie 'make love to me' way, like it was another term for sex. But in the I-don't-even-care-if-we-never-have-sex-(though if given a choice I would like it known that this is not the preferred method)-because-it's-deeper-and-better-and-stronger-and-more-than-fucking-or-rutting-or-a-way-to-pass-the-time way. He wanted, both in and out of dreams, for Angeal to feel for Zack the way he felt for Angeal.

In a complete and utter panic (though a quiet, internal one. He was SOLDIER, after all), he had turned to his best friend for advice, unable to keep all of it inside anymore where it could tie him into worse knots than it already had.

Kunsel was four years older than him, and at the age of twenty, considered a complete and true adult, more than capable of making the 'who I want to spend the rest of my life with' decision. He was also one of the greatest friends anyone could have, because he paid attention, and he cared, and he was honest, whether it was a truth that someone wanted to hear or one that they didn't. He didn't sugarcoat, and he didn't lie. So when, after he'd listened to Zack ramble on for the better part of an hour, he'd looked over at him, gripped his shoulders, and said, firmly, "You. Are fuckin' stupid in love with him," Zack had figured that there really wasn't any point in denying it anymore.

So, in general, it all sort of sucked.

Angeal was eight years older than him, and though he had told Zack expressly, sincerely that he could drop the formalities, that he wanted him as a friend more than he wanted him as a subordinate, Angeal had never once crossed into anything less than professional. Zack valued Angeal as his mentor just as much as he valued him as a friend, and they had gotten very close over the seven months they had begun working together (not as close as Zack had wanted them to be, of course, but close all the same). He knew that Angeal cared about him. He had no doubt in his mind whatsoever about that.

But he had also admitted to himself that it wasn't the kind of care that could ever turn into the kind of feelings Zack felt for him. He knew that Angeal wouldn't ever return those.

He'd sulked about it for awhile, but most of his effort had gone to trying to hide all of it from Angeal. The last thing he wanted was for the man to feel guilty for something completely out of his control. Unrequited love sucked, absolutely, but it wasn't like Zack was the first to feel it. And he didn't want to scare Angeal off with his stupid feelings, because as hard as it was to be around him all the time and know that he wouldn't ever have him the way he wanted him, he was pretty sure that he'd lose his mind if he lost the man as a mentor, and that he'd lose his soul if he lost the man as a friend.

Kunsel was cool about it, nice and sympathetic and understanding, and he forced Zack to vent pretty regularly so that bottled up emotions (which Zack had never handled just spectacularly on his own anyway) wouldn't leak out when he didn't want them to during training sessions or any other time he was with Angeal. And for awhile, Zack did pretty well.

He was handling the whole situation better than even he'd thought he would, thriving on the warm, random touches that came with training and the smiles and voice and strength that he at least got to be around, even if he couldn't put a claim on. Zack did well suppressing the rather primal urge to jump on Angeal and shove his tongue down his throat on a regular basis. And even more importantly, he knew that he was doing a damn near perfect job of concealing everything for everyone but Kunsel.

That security, built well with a strong foundation after months of layering shield upon cover upon shield, was crushed to fine dust within the space of a second one afternoon, when Angeal arrived at the Training Room right on time as usual.

Crushed to a fine dust by a single mind-penetrating, soul-searing gaze from the man that followed Angeal in.

Crushed to a fine dust in the space of a second by the esteemed General SOLDIER 1st Class, Genesis Rhapsodos.

Materia

"There will be ground rules," Angeal said firmly, watching Genesis in the mirror from where he stood behind the other man at the bathroom counter. He was fully dressed, save for his sheath and sword. Genesis was still bare from the waist up, and though that was no less distracting than it ever had been, Angeal was determined to clip the wings of his friend's vivid and overactive imagination (at least in regards to his young charge) now, before any questionably moral sexing of the (admittedly delectable) minor could occur.

"Ground rules?" Genesis looked at him, voice curious, expression amused. "And what might those be? I must keep a civil tongue?"

The other man snorted in amusement and shook his head. "Like you ever could. I'm not so worried about that. He's got one hell of a mouth on his own, he'll be able to take care of himself with you in that regard."

He realized that he had made a poor choice of words as soon as he said them, and winced as they hit the air, fighting the urge to smack his palm to his forehead.

Genesis' smile was positively demonic (sexy) as he met Angeal's eyes in the mirror, his own amused. "One hell of a mouth, huh? Knows how to use it? Is he a natural with that, as well? Have those pretty, plump lips been wrapped around your—"

"Genesis."

Genesis smirked, winked at him, but didn't finish the sentence or elaborate. "The puppy has some bark, mm? Less of a puppy, if you think he can keep up with me," he said thoughtfully, twirling his just rinsed toothbrush between his fingers slowly, idly. "More like a wolf cub, yeah?"

"Genesis. Rules."

"Yes, of course, Angeal. My apologies. What are your rules?"

"No inappropriate touching."

"Angeal-"

Angeal went on more loudly to cut the protest off, "No inappropriate touching disguised as appropriate touching. No seducing. No lingering anything. No biting, purring, or any wiles of any sort; that means none of your hypnotic gazes or those smiles of yours. No sexual innuendo of any kind, Genesis, got me?"

"Angeal," Genesis said politely, eyes narrowed, "I will be the utmost gentleman. Now if I happen to—"

"There will also," Angeal cut him off, reading his mind, "be no strategic slips of the blade that conveniently shred any of his clothes. You have to promise me that you'll behave."

Genesis gave a dramatic sigh and ran his hand through his pretty hair, tousling it sexily, eyes narrowing further as he turned to face his friend. "Why are you letting me come at all, then?"

"Because," Angeal said, and he looked away broodingly.

This was such a curious reaction that Genesis perked up subtly, much more interested than he had been just moments ago in these stupid rules that he might or might not follow. "Because?"

Angeal sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I need your help with something," he admitted grudgingly.

Angeal was not one to ever think of asking a comrade for help when it was needed as a weakness, like Genesis himself did. So the fact that he was so reluctant this time to ask for it was awfully surprising. Genesis considered him carefully, studying his expression, his eyes, his posture, all in silence for a moment before he asked, "With training the puppy?"

"Yeah," Angeal sighed again, and didn't meet Genesis' eyes until the latter gripped his chin and turned his head to force their gazes to meet.

"What's wrong?" the younger asked softly, honestly a little worried.

"Nothing. Well, nothing huge, or anything. I just. It's this Materia thing. Remember Ryo said that Zack was unwilling to use it most of the time? Well it's more like he's completely lost all confidence with it. All of it."

"Not just the attack magic?" Genesis asked.

Angeal shook his head. "Nope. All of it. Restore especially."

Genesis smiled, a rare, honest quirk of his lips. He was impressed despite himself. "Which means he's done his research, and knows just what terrible things an overabundance of healing magic can do to the human body of its wielder."

"Yeah."

"So you need to force him to use it, make it his last resort."

"Yes. But to do that…"

"You have to hurt him."

"Yes."

"And you don't think you can."

Angeal ducked his head a little and looked away again. "Right."

Clearly, his usual professional detachment was failing him in the oh so pretty face of his restless sweet baby puppy.

Genesis wrapped his arms around him and pressed a kiss to his temple, smiling softly. "We all must fall at times, Angeal. It's the only way we learn."

"Don't be a dick."

Genesis laughed and turned his lover's head to snare lips this time. After a rough, thorough kiss, he unwound himself and turned back to the counter to put his toothbrush back in the little holder cup. "All right. I'll behave."

…Mostly.

-

Angeal wasn't at all sure what was up with the deer-in-headlights expression on Zack's face barely a second after he'd walked in. But it wasn't Angeal that those pretty eyes were locked on. It was over his shoulder. Angeal sighed internally and turned around to make sure Genesis hadn't started to strip or something, and was only partially reassured to find him still completely dressed. Those equally alluring eyes, however, were locked right back on Zack.

He cursed himself for forgetting to add this particular gaze of Genesis' to the list of rules of things he couldn't do. The I-can-see-into-the-darkest-depths-of-your-soul-and-reach-inside-and-pull-it-out gaze. Angeal couldn't blame Zack for being a unsettled.

"Genesis," he said. "Remember that part about not being a dick?"

"Mmm…" Genesis said helpfully, faintly, keeping eye contact with Zack for a few more seconds before he finally looked over at Angeal with a small smile. "Apologies, Angeal. I forgot about the lingering."

Angeal rolled his eyes and turned back to his student, who was slowly shuffling back toward the wall, looking warily at both of them.

"Zack, you're going to train with Genesis today. Don't worry," he held up a hand to stop the desperate protests he just knew were waiting to leave the kid's mouth. "I'll still be here. You're just going to spar with him."

Zack tried his patented pleading look that Angeal had finally grown immune to, and when it didn't work he changed tactics and glared mutinously. Still, he grudgingly stepped forward. "Yes, sir."

Genesis smiled, so lovely, and walked over, hands curling to keep from reaching out and touching that pale cheek as he longed to. Such fire in those eyes. Such passion. And all for Angeal. He wasn't sure just how deeply the teenager's feelings ran, but he was absolutely positive that at the very least, Zack was at least as willing to be debauched by Angeal as even Genesis wanted to debauch him. The boy was practically thrumming with want at just the sight of his mentor.

This was even better than Genesis could have dreamed.

The throaty purr that left his throat was entirely involuntarily, but when Zack looked at him in confusion, he winked. He reached behind him and slowly unsheathed his sword, breathing deeply and closing his eyes as he slid his fingertips lovingly along the crimson blade before he locked his gaze back on Zack. "Shall we begin?"

Zack gulped.

-

Zack was going to kill him. He was going to wipe that arrogant smug irritating smirk off his face and smash him into tiny little pieces in a way that would hopefully be very, very painful.

As soon…as he could move.

As it was, that was somewhat difficult. He was on the floor, covered in bleeding cuts from that damned (amazing) sword of Genesis', the gashes lining both arms, both legs, with three incredibly painful poisoned laced ones on his back. He could feel the fever from the toxin flaring inside him, could feel each pull and sting of each and every cut as he trembled, tried desperately to reach for his sword. Genesis kicked it lightly out of the way, ignoring the weak, angry cry Zack gave.

"Come now, cub, you know what you have to do."

Zack hissed angrily, looking up through sweaty, limp black locks to glare murderously at his opponent. 'Cub'. Genesis hadn't called him anything else since they'd begun, and had refused to explain where the name had come from (or why he felt the need to bestow upon Zack a pet name at all) even when Zack hadn't been ready to kill him until he was so dead he'd feel it forever.

Any admiration he'd had for the man was…annoyingly still very present. As was the knowledge that given the opportunity to bone him, Zack would be all over that. Damn it. Even Genesis' beauty was irritating. Smug bastard arrogant egotistical self-righteous prick!.

Genesis grinned down at the glare, his eyes sparkling with determination, unfazed by the angry look. He used his foot to nudge Zack over onto his back, and ignored the small twinge of guilt when the kid cried out from the pain of those three deep lashes.

"Zack. Heal yourself."

Zack breathed heavily, pale and sweaty, trembling with pain and exhaustion. They'd been at it for over an hour. Genesis was more than impressed with the boy's combat skill, but this materia thing needed to be solved. He knew that it was taking all of Angeal's will power not to cure Zack himself, and Genesis looked over to where his friend stood silently, stiffly in the corner, eyes on his student. They lifted to meet Genesis', and the latter offered a comforting smile before he turned his attention back completely to the mouthy little wolf on the floor. "Get up."

"You know I—" Zack gritted out angrily, cutting himself off to take a deep breath and glare even more powerfully at the man above him, back arching as another wave of pain from the poison washed through him. "I can't heal—"

Genesis cut him off with a derisive sound. "Fuck that," he said at once, "You can. You've more skill with materia than any other 2nd Class, so they say. Or was that a lie, mm? Is this your true limit? Too weak to take care of yourself?"

Oh, that worked marvelously. Genesis barely held back a smile as those Mako eyes flared and pretty lips curled into what could only be a snarl. Wolf cub indeed. Just a little more…

The general added another angry cut to Zack's left arm, moving so quickly the sword was a blur, and the stark line of splitting skin immediately welled bright red. "Get up, boy. What kind of SOLDIER are you, here too afraid to do anything but lie there and hurt. Weak, foolish little Zack Fair. Perhaps they were wrong about you after all. You never should have been allowed here. SOLDIER is beyond you."

That worked.

Zack let out a furious cry, and with more focus that he had ever had before in his life, he called the magic that rested inside him, the materia he had armed shaping that power, giving it substance, make it into something strong and beautiful and his. The commands were carried out without sound, only the sparkle of the supernatural as the magic worked with his thoughts: Esuna. Cura. The healing magic washed over him, the relief so profound it hurt, and his strength returned ten-fold.

As he surged to his feet so fast it would have been impossible for unenhanced eyes to see, he whirled, blocking an offensive blow from Genesis' with his own sword and jumping back only to hold his hand out toward the other man. Fira!

Genesis was forced back a step, though the spell was easily blocked fully by his blade. He smiled, lowered his sword and offered Zack a raised eyebrow and a nod. "Well done, cub. I knew it lay somewhere inside you."

The disappointing part was knowing that the boy would probably be less than fond of him for the rest of…ever.

Then again, perhaps not.

"Oh-fucking-yeah!" Zack cried out in triumph, sheathing his sword quickly and launching himself at Genesis.

The general was so startled by the abrupt and excited hug that he could only stare wide-eyed down at black spikes that tickled his chin, his arms pinned to his sides by Zack's around him. Zack looked up at him, beaming confidently. "Thanks, man."

"I," was all that Genesis could get out for a moment, so surprised that he couldn't even take advantage of that hard, slender, achingly beautiful body pressed against his own. "You're welcome?"

Zack just grinned wider and let him go so that he could throw himself across the room at his mentor. "Angeal! Angeal, Angeal did you fucking see that?!"

Genesis watched in fascination as the kid jumped on his old friend, arms around his neck, the force of the impact enough to knock them both back into the wall. Angeal grunted and tried ineffectively to push the kid off him, but Zack just held on tighter and kept talking. "Seriously?! Did you see? I totally owned that shit! Owned it, man. Completely. I'm so fucking awesome."

"Yes, yes, I saw, you little beast," Angeal griped, finally managing to push the boy away. Zack stood up on his own, bouncing lightly, hands clenching and unclenching eagerly at his sides and a wicked grin on his face.

Genesis found himself thinking, impossibly, that he was drawn to the kid for far more than just his body. He laughed softly in surprised fondness when Zack ignored the warning look on Angeal's face and triumphantly pumped his fist in the air once before glomping his mentor again with an excited laugh.

Angeal grumbled, but after a second he slung an arm around the kid's waist. "Good job, puppy."

Genesis tilted his head to the side, and Angeal met his gaze over Zack's shoulder, a reluctant smile on his face like he couldn't hold it back even though he wanted to.

Oh Angeal, Genesis thought, his own soft smile pulling wider at his lips, you beautiful, blind, incredible, lovely fuck. You want to keep him. And he so clearly wants to be yours.

There was obviously only one way to get the two oblivious idiots to open their eyes: Intervention a la Genesis.

Hell Bound

"He wants you," Genesis said as soon as his apartment door was closed. It was late evening, and they had just finally let the poor kid out of training after putting him through another four hours worth of difficult drills via VR programs. Genesis had spent most of that time only half paying attention to Zack's skill as a SOLDIER, as most of his focus had gone to watching Angeal watch Zack. It was a little disgusting and far too sappy for Genesis' liking, but there could be no doubt now that his friend had it bad. Had it fairy-tale romance bad. Had it 'I am forever your knight, and you my precious love who I will protect and cherish until a very heroic death do us part' bad.

Angeal, who had walked into the kitchen and retrieved two bottles of water, passed one to Genesis over the counter bar and raised an eyebrow. "I know," he said.

Genesis blinked at him. "What? I thought. But if you know then why, for the love of all that is good in this world, have you not acted on it?"

"Genesis," Angeal sighed. He unscrewed the cap on his water bottle and took a long drink before answering, "He's sixteen."

"So? That's older than we were."

"That's not the point," Angeal said, eyes narrowing in a way that meant he had no argument against that. "He's sixteen, and shouldn't be tied down to someone at all, let alone someone eight years older and, might I add, his superior officer. This is a crush at the most, and entirely physical at the least," he explained, and then looked down at the water bottle he had in his hand with a frown. "Why do you buy this stuff, anyway? It's ridiculous amounts of expensive. You don't need all this crap. Vitamin enhancements, tch. You have Mako. That's the vitamin enhancement to end all vitamin enhancements. You don't need to pay thirty gil for a bottle of water that will do a whole lot of nothing."

Genesis clicked his tongue sharply and narrowed his eyes right back, setting his water bottle back onto the counter so that he could shrug out of his long coat. He didn't bother to comment on the water. Angeal's cheapness was an atrocity Genesis couldn't seem to rid him of, much like his fondness for outside, and bringing things that belonged outside, inside, usually with bugs attached. "But you want him, and he wants you."

Angeal ignored the words as though they had never existed. "I'm going to use your shower, okay?" he asked, and disappeared into the other room without waiting for an answer, leaving Genesis momentarily torn between stopping him to continue the discussion, and following him to fuck around in the shower.

Unsurprisingly, the latter won out.

Later, in the early hours of the morning before the sun had begun to rise and all was quiet and sleepy-soft, and they lie naked, pressed together with the sheets low at their waists, just woken up and kissing lazily, their passion slow burning and the air and energy around them thick with love and romance, Genesis handcuffed Angeal to the bed.

Angeal stiffened at once, trying to clear his head of its tired, not-quite-awake haze.

Genesis took that opportunity to add the blindfold.

"Genesis?" Angeal murmured, voice thick with sleep.

"Mm?"

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Nothing, Angeal, why do you ask?"

"Genesis."

His only answer was a pair of soft lips pressing to the center of his chest, and clever, wet fingers teasing at his nipples, which hardened instantly at the skilled touch. He bit back a moan and tugged uselessly at the metal that bound his wrists to the iron headboard. "I'm going to hurt you."

"Shh," Genesis whispered, the smile obvious in his voice. Angeal felt him press up against his side, felt one long leg hook over both of his, and Genesis' arousal against the side of his thigh. "Just relax, and trust me. We're just going to talk a little, mm?" His hand slid further down, fingers circling Angeal's navel before going further south to wrap around his cock. Angeal gasped softly, hips lifting immediately to thrust into that hand, surprised by the lack of tease and foreplay, considering just who he was dealing with.

But then Genesis' mouth was at his ear, his tongue tracing the shell before he whispered, "About your puppy."

"So, so dead," Angeal growled, only to moan helplessly when Genesis palmed over the head of his cock, which had twitched too apparently at just the mention of his student.

"You can kill me later," Genesis promised, "for now, though, let's just enjoy the moment. Here, I'll set the scene for you, shall I?"

"Gene-"

"You're in your own bed, obviously," his lover purred, cutting him off, still stroking him slowly, maddeningly. "That's where you've brought him, and he's so willingly come. He's beneath you, looking up at you with those sweet, trusting dark blue eyes. Can you see him?"

"Yes," Angeal breathed, angry with himself for being unable to control his mouth and force a lie. He was going to kill Genesis. He could picture only too clearly just that, Zack under him, shirtless and his pants unfastened, flushed beautifully with heat and arousal, anticipation, eyes open and so trusting, eager for anything Angeal might offer. He damned himself as he fucked Genesis' hand more vigorously.

Genesis kissed the corner of his mouth and his eyelids through the silk of the blindfold before he settled again with his head on the pillow and his lips at Angeal's ear. His own voice was breathy and soft, thick with lust. It wasn't any hardship to imagine the picture he was creating, really. He smiled wickedly and nipped at Angeal's earlobe. "Good. He's hard for you, and you can feel that against you, feel how much he wants you. He's so desperate, and he's never done this before. You're his first. He wants only you to claim him this way, this first time. He wants to be yours."

Angeal moaned loudly, back arching in pleasure, losing himself in the fantasy against his will. Genesis' hand worked over him expertly, pumping him too slowly to be completely satisfying, and just right to drive him insane with ecstasy.

"You undress him slowly, and it's only right to sit back and take in that lovely body. I'll bet his pretty flush spreads all over, Angeal. His chest is heaving, and he keeps wetting his lips, so they're slightly parted and shining, glossed, bruised from the way you've been kissing him. You let your eyes take in his tousled hair, his face, pink cheeks and hungry eyes, over his neck and the bruises you've left there with your mouth, your marks on him that he begged you for."

"Gene-fuck, Genesis," Angeal whispered. It was all too clear, too perfect. He wanted it, so, so badly.

"Shh, just listen," Genesis soothed. He stopped stroking Angeal only to push his hand further back, underneath, to lovingly cup the heavy weight of his balls and squeeze them gently, pulling a carnal, guttural moan from his lover. He didn't even realize the way his own hips moved, rocking his hard, leaking cock against Angeal's thigh as he continued on somewhat breathlessly. "Look your fill, Angeal. He's so beautiful, perfect, flawless. His nipples are hard, peaked and begging to be touched, and the muscles of his stomach are quivering. He's hairless there, like we saw in that data file, smooth beneath your hand as you draw it over him. And he's so responsive, biting his lip, his eyes closing because he can't help himself. And only then, when his head is tipped back and he's whispering your name as though you're his God, pleading for you, do you let yourself take him in hand."

Angeal turned his head, and Genesis was too far gone not to allow the hungry kiss they shared. He slid his tongue into Angeal's mouth and moaned against his lips. It was full minutes later before he pulled his mouth away, and both were gasping for breath. His voice was deeper, unwittingly sexy as he forced himself to continue. He urged Angeal's legs apart with his hand, and went back to stroking over that large, hard cock that throbbed in his grip. "He's long, thick, not as big as you, of course, just slightly smaller than me, mm? When you touch him there, just the pads of your fingers first tracing down to the tip, he cries out, so sweet, so responsive. He can't help the way his hips roll up, or the way he trembles with need. Or that filthy mouth of his, swearing around cries when you wrap your hand around him. Can you picture him?"

"Nnnn," Angeal replied, pulling hard at the cuffs, desperate for more. He wanted to roll over, spread Genesis' legs and plunge inside him, fuck him like Genesis loved to be fucked.

He wanted it to be real, with Zack begging for him, desperate for him, spreading his legs and lifting his hips and those beautiful full lips wrapping around the words, 'fuck me'.

"You take him to the brink, but don't let him fall over yet, not just yet. He cries out when you pull away, his eyes opening, fiery, pretty pout pulling at his lips, but when he sees you undressing, he doesn't protest anymore. Your cock, Angeal," Genesis drawled, smiling again, "something a God would envy, barely able to get my hand around it. And his hand is about the size of mine, yeah? Imagine that mine is his, now. You've stretched out next to him, to reassure him that you won't hurt him, would never hurt him. But he's far from worried about that. His desire has increased tenfold. He wants to touch you, and so he does, just like this. He touches you like he likes to touch himself, and he's nervous, a little, but determined. Good at everything he tries, remember? He wants to be so good for you. He's-oh shit." His eyes wrenched open.

Angeal had finally managed to snap one of the cuffs. With his hands free (though the left still had the metal wrapped around it), he was on top of Genesis in an instant. He ripped the blindfold off and looked down at his lover with shining Mako eyes, breathing heavy, glaring. "I'm going to fucking kill you," he said darkly.

Genesis just moaned, laughed breathlessly, tilted his head back and rolled his hips up as Angeal ground down against him. "You love me," he sing-songed, the words hitching with his breath. "But I'll stop now, I promise, if you want me to."

Angeal studied him for a long time, damning his friend for being able to see through him so easily. He kissed him hard, punishing, bit sharply at Genesis' lip until he tasted blood, and soothed the sting with his tongue. That soft, sharp pain made sent a thrill of pure rapture up Genesis' spine, and he moaned loudly, hands flying up to dig fingernails into Angeal's upper arms. "Fuck!"

"Keep going," Angeal whispered. He nuzzled Genesis' cheek until the other man turned his head and tilted it back to expose the pale column of his throat. He pressed the softest of kisses to the throb of pulse, and then went to work on marking up Genesis, who hated to be marked, but was too far gone right now to protest. Instead, as they started to move desperately against each other, slick with lube and precome, Genesis continued the fantasy.

"You c-mm-can't take much, because you've wanted him too long, and you can't wait much longer. So you let him touch you, even fuck his hand for only a little bit. And then you push him away, gently, gently, so as not to hurt him, and once he's on his back again, you reach for the lube."

Angeal went along with the game, hand searching blindly for the little tube Genesis had discarded earlier. He slicked his fingers one handed, and closed the cap, since his erection was already well-lubed from Genesis' own hand. Genesis had his eyes open, and was looking up at him with clear want and need and wickedness. When Angeal guided one of his long legs around his waist, Genesis lifted his hips and hooked the other around too, locking his ankles, offering himself.

He cried out when Angeal pushed two fingers inside him and immediately rubbed over his prostate. He wanted to continue on with the story, with the picture painted so prettily behind his eyes, but his body demanded release, and his mind tended to agree with his body. "Oh, oh fuck, Angeal, Goddess, sweet merciful fucking hell! Fuck me. Now. Now now now now fuck me now!"

He cried out again when Angeal pushed inside him, his lover moaning his name against his neck. They waited just long enough for Genesis to adjust before all inhibitions left. It was filthy, hard, fast, frenzied, and completely satisfying and perfect. Genesis' eloquence abandoned him and he was left with a mouth that could make any sailor blush, and Angeal was, for once, not much better, though his words were muffled.

When they came, they came impossibly hard, Angeal with a growl of such rapture it was near pain, and Genesis with a soundless scream followed by a guttural moan.

They lie boneless after, unable to move, breathing heavy and nearly liquid. It was almost half an hour before Angeal was able to lift himself up onto his elbows to gaze down at his lover. Genesis looked thoroughly debauched and thoroughly pleased with himself, weak from the force of his orgasm. He mewled sleepily when Angeal pulled out, and Angeal stroked his sweaty hair back lovingly, settling on his side next to him. "How many times did you jerk off to that while I was out earlier?"

"Nnn," Genesis murmured, exhausted, "Four. Thank God for SOLDIER stamina, mm?"

"You're hopeless," Angeal said.

Genesis laughed quietly and smiled cat-like. "I had to make sure it was good enough. I'm very good with words, but even I couldn't have come up with all of that and spoken it so nicely just off the top of my head. I should get a literary masterpiece award for that. Or at the very least an Epic Porn Award. Are you going to give in now?"

"No," Angeal said at once, pressing a kiss to Genesis' temple and pretending that he didn't want Zack Fair. No, really.

Genesis sighed, or, well, yawned but it was meant to be a sigh, and turned onto his side, settling in comfortably and closing his eyes, more than ready for sleep. "Well, at least you can no longer deny how badly you want him."

Angeal shoved him off the side of the bed.

The younger man fell with a very emasculate yelp, which turned at once into furious swearing as he tried to untangle himself from the sheet he'd taken with him. "Prick!"

Angeal chuckled and turned onto his side, drawing the covers around him and settling in to sleep.

Genesis loped gracefully, casually down the large main corridor of the wing of the SOLDIER floor used for the school. He read the little plaques that showed room numbers until he found the one he was looking for, and without further ado, knocked gently and stepped inside.

There were many surprised and star-struck gasps (clearly, he thought, unsurprised. After all, just look at him.) but he only offered a small, fake smile before turning his attention at once to the man at the front of the room. "Good morning, Professor Yoshida," he said charmingly.

The professor smiled back humbly, "General, what a surprise! Is there something I can help you with?"

"Indeed," Genesis said. "I was wondering if I might steal Mr. Fair for a few moments?"

"Of course! Zack, just in case you're not back before the end of the lesson, homework is in the last part of the fifteenth chapter."

Genesis kept himself from looking at the kid when he murmured a, "Yes, sir, thank you."

The general stepped into the hallway to wait for Zack to gather his things. When the kid appeared, he was smiling, but confused and so precious Genesis barely kept himself from touching. He just smirked back and said, "Follow me."

He led Zack into the Training Room, and ignored the way the younger man tensed when he locked the door. "And how are you, cub? Doing well?" he inquired softly, turning around to face him. Zack blinked at him, brow furrowed slightly, and rearranged the weight from his book bag on his shoulders.

"I'm fine, sir," he answered, watching Genesis carefully. When Genesis didn't comment further, he cleared his throat. "Um, sir? Did you, um, y'know. Want something?"

Genesis smirked again. He walked over to Zack and slid his hands up under the straps of his bag, easing it back and off of him. Zack's breath quickened, and he tensed, his heart rate going up. Genesis smelled like spice and clean and fucking scorching hot. Zack shook his head slowly and fought not to lean in against him just to get closer. He looked up into the older man's eyes when his bag hit the ground with a soft thud. They were dark, confident, incredible. His lips seemed made to smirk like that, and damned if it wasn't sexy as all fuck.

"Just to talk," Genesis answered easily. He took a step forward, which forced Zack to take a step back, until he was back against the glass wall with nowhere else to go. Genesis still hadn't touched him, but was so, so close. He lifted both arms to press his hands to the glass on either side of Zack's head.

"Angeal," he began, inwardly smirking at the way Zack tensed even further and gave him his full attention, "is under the impression that what you feel for him is simply a teenage crush."

Zack looked horrified, his eyes widening and the blood draining from his face. He looked down. "You mean he...?" he swallowed hard. "He wasn't. He wasn't supposed to know," he finished weakly.

Genesis felt a pang in his chest at the fear and sadness in the kid's voice. He put his hand on Zack's cheek, forced his head up so that their gazes could meet once more. "I don't believe that anyone else knew, cub, if that helps at all. You did hide it very well. It's just...Angeal and I can read people very easily, and very accurately. You'll be able to as well, someday."

Zack sighed a little, fought not to turn into the comforting touch. He felt ridiculous, and cornered, and stupid and weird and he didn't like. Genesis seemed to be very good at getting him exactly where he wanted him. The younger SOLDIER bristled at the thought, embarrassment easily turning to anger. He narrowed his eyes at Genesis and crossed his arms over his chest. "Maybe that's all it is, then," he muttered, "after all, I'm just a fuckin' kid, right? What the hell would I know?"

"I'd say you know pretty definitively that you'd like to fuck him," Genesis answered smoothly, an eyebrow cocked. He stood back and crossed his own arms, studying the kid curiously. He was, once more, completely surprised by what left Fair's pretty mouth.

"Yeah, well," Zack huffed, "I'd like to fuck you, too. What's that got to do with reality? Hell, let's throw Sephiroth in too, make it a real star-struck teenage crush fantasy, huh? He can fuck me, I'll fuck you, Angeal can be off to the side all noble. It'll be hot."

Genesis stared at him in utter shock before tipping his head back and laughing delightedly. He uncrossed his arms and moved close again, smiling devil wide as he cupped the kid's cheek again. His other lifted back to the glass to brace himself. His thumb gently caressed beneath Fair's eye, and he couldn't deny how much he wanted this fiery youth, himself. "You are truly unique, Zack Fair," he said, still smiling.

Zack wet his lips, watching him carefully. Genesis could see the want in his eyes, but it paled in comparison to how they lit up when Angeal was near. Still, though...he wouldn't go far. Zack was Angeal's, Genesis knew that, wanted it that way, was willing to do anything to make his friend happy. But he could indulge himself a little, just barely...just a kiss.

His mouth closed over those full, rose-petal lips slowly, gently, just as his hand slid back into Zack's thick hair. The mouth beneath his parted for him, Zack's tongue sliding across the seam of Genesis' lips, much to the elder's surprise and delight, and arms much more confident than Genesis could have ever expected them to be wrapped around his waist. Their tongues touched, and he let his own eyes close as Zack's had, and pressed his tongue into that sweet, sinful mouth. Zack tasted like warmth and morning and chocolate, as though he'd been eating candy earlier. He was intoxicating, and just as responsive as Genesis could have dreamed.

When they finally parted, reluctantly, over five minutes later, Genesis was breathing heavy and Zack even heavier. He stroked his fingers through the kid's hair and touched their foreheads together, his hand leaving the glass wall to settle his arm round Zack's waist. "Truly unique," he murmured.

"That was kind of awesome," Zack said.

Genesis quirked a smile and a soft laugh. "It truly was," he agreed, "but I am not the one you want."

Zack looked at him thoughtfully. " I wouldn't go that far," he drawled with a little smile.

"Very well," Genesis laughed, lifting his head but not pulling away at all. "I am not the one you want most. But, I pulled you from your class this morning to let you know that, whatever Angeal might think he feels, he wants you at least as much as you want him."

Zack went wide-eyed again, his mouth dropping open. His lips moved wordlessly for a second before he breathed, "What?"

"He knows that you feel more than a crush for him, he knows you better than that. He just has to admit it to himself. And you, my sweet little wolf cub, are more than capable of making him do that."

"What? But. I don't. How?"

Genesis' eyes flashed deviously, and he kissed the boy breathless again. "I'm sure you can come up with something," he murmured against Zack's lips. Without another word, he reluctantly pulled away and made for the door.

"Hey, Genesis," Zack said behind him.

Genesis turned to look at him inquiringly.

"Why are you doing this?" Zack asked, honestly curious. "I mean, it's like, fuckin' awesome and everything. But...why do you care?"

The general smiled, a rare honest, beautiful smile. "I want him to be happy. And you make him happy."

Zack gave a blinding smile that had Genesis fighting not to tear his clothes off and fuck him against the wall. He smiled, shaking his head and gestured to the door. "Back to class, cub, before my good intentions run out."

The kid laughed a little, picked up his bag and resituated it on his shoulders. He walked past Genesis, but then turned and grinned at him again. "Thanks, man." And with a little wave, he was gone.

Genesis watched him fondly, huffed a breath and ran a hand through his hair, rolling his eyes at himself. He straightened his coat and was just about to follow Zack out when an arm suddenly snaked around his waist from behind and pulled him back against a strong chest. He caught a glimpse of silver hair shifting before he closed his eyes and arched his neck into the teeth that sunk into the side teasingly. He reached behind him to thread his fingers through that perfect silk hair and pressed back into the obvious erection against his ass. "Fuck, I missed you. When did you get back?"

Sephiroth chuckled softly, darkly, and slid his hand into Genesis' pants without pretense. "Not long ago," he answered smoothly, using his other hand to undo fastenings so that he could stroke Genesis more easily. "That was a beautiful kiss. How does he taste?"

Genesis moaned softly, pushed up into the hand around him, and then turned his head to smear the words against Sephiroth's cheek, "Let me show you."

And so he did. Thoroughly.

Angeal's iron will lasted a week, which was a week longer than anyone figured that it would. Zack had, like most of the other SOLDIERs in this summer's heat, taken to training shirtless, both with Angeal and on his own. And if that wasn't enough, then the way he was constantly close, constantly finding excuses to touch or be touched definitely did the trick.

Angeal had known that his argument was weak from the beginning, but it was still something. Zack was young. Any other sixteen year old had no business being tied down to someone so young, or the maturity to deal with being that way.

Any other teenager than Zack Fair.

Whatever the case, Angeal still held onto that, but part of him had known since that night with Genesis that he would, eventually, give into this. Zack was precious to him, was beautiful in every context, he made Angeal happier than he had any right to, just being around him. And try as hard as he might to see the kid as just that: a kid, Zack was just as much of an adult as he himself was.

It happened on a Wednesday.

Zack was actually fully dressed this time, as Angeal had upped the difficulty of the training program quite a lot and the extra armor protection was needed. The Behemoth had been nearly dead, but angry, and Zack, a little too cocky as usual, had taken a poisoned claw diagonally from shoulder to hip. Angeal had forced himself to wait, let Zack take the beast down himself before he went to him, and instead of taking him to the med lab (Dr. Hojo was there that day, for some reason, and Angeal wasn't about to let Zack go anywhere near him), he'd taken his wounded charge back to his own apartment.

"Ow," Zack groaned weakly, letting Angeal lower him so he was sitting on the bed. They'd gone straight there after toeing off their boots by the door, Zack's arm around Angeal's shoulder, most of his weight on his mentor as the poison wore him down.

The older man smiled a little, rolled his eyes and shoved Zack back by the shoulder. "Take your shirt off and lay down, kid. I've got some stuff that will clean it out and heal it without wasting energy on Materia. Works better, anyway."

"Will it hurt?" Zack called, watching his mentor disappear into the attached bathroom. He pretended to ignore the fact that he was on Angeal's bed, and the pain made that easier, but still. Once he took his shirt off he was shirtless on Angeal's bed and that was a little heady.

"A little bit," Angeal answered as he came back out, bottle in hand. He kept his eyes resolutely on Zack's face until he got close enough that he needed to look at the wound. Zack was stretched out, feet still flat on the floor, but lying back across the mattress from the knees up. His pale skin looked perfect against the dark navy of Angeal's comforter.

Fuck.

Angeal took a silent but deep breath, and stood over him. Zack's eyes were closed, his head turned to the side, dark hair tickling his neck. Angeal wanted to press his lips there, to raise a bruise there, mark him as his own. He cleared his throat and leaned over to press one hand to Zack's shoulder. The kid blinked up at him, pain and longing clear in his eyes.

"Maybe more than a little?" Zack asked with a little smile.

Angeal smirked back. "Yeah. By 'a little bit' I meant 'like a bitch', but you can take it. Just take a deep breath."

Zack still made a pretty awful strangled sound when the potion hit his chest, his eyes clenching shut, teeth clenching and back arching up so he would have come off the bed had Angeal not been pinning him down with his hand there. He gasped for breath, groaning softly in disgust because he could actually feel his skin knitting back together. But Angeal's touch helped. Zack focused on that, on the thumb that rubbed soothing circles just inside his shoulder, and the other hand that ran comfortingly up and down his arm. The pain gave way soon enough, the poison gone and the wound completely healed, and then it was just the two of them, Zack stretched out shirtless on Angeal's bed with Angeal leaning over him.

Zack opened his eyes, looked up into the striking violet ones of his mentor, his body responding to his proximity without his permission. He could feel arousal sweep slow and easy through him. He took a deep breath, lips parting gently to whisper Angeal's name.

The older man made a soft sound, seeming to come back to himself. He stood up abruptly and scrubbed a hand over his face, sighing. "Zack..."

The younger man sat up, looked up at Angeal with unadulterated devotion, want, respect, need, love. Angeal stared down into those beautiful eyes helplessly, trying desperately to remember his reasons why this couldn't happen.

"Angeal, please," Zack murmured, trembling with want. He swallowed hard, fists clenching nervously in the comforter.

"Zack, we can't," Angeal tried weakly, meaning to be firm, "We shouldn't."

"I want you."

God. To hear those words, so sure, so honest. Angeal felt himself giving in, though still he fought it. "You're so young, kid," he tried, but even as he said it, his hand was rising, cupping Zack's cheek and sliding back into his hair to cradle the back of his head.

"Doesn't matter," Zack breathed, leaning forward. He took Angeal's other hand in his own, brought it forward, to his chest, just to feel the warmth of it. "Want you. Want you so fuckin' much, man. Please, Angeal. You want me too."

Angeal breathed shakily, turning his hand to press it to Zack's, palm to palm, lacing their fingers together. His will shattered with his next words, and the look they put in those familiar, beloved eyes, "I want you."

He squeezed Zack's hand once before letting go so that he could climb onto the bed next to him. Zack shifted back to make room for him, nervous and floored that this was happening. Finally, finally happening. Angeal wanted him. He could see it now, so open in his mentor's eyes. Angeal's arms slid around him like they were made to be that way. He eased Zack back into the plush pillows and stretched out over him, holding himself up to keep from touching completely, as their lips met for the first time.

It was everything Zack had ever wanted it to be and more, magic and fireworks and all that cliché shit, but even better. If Genesis' kiss had set him on fire, Angeal's sent him straight into the center of the inferno. His cock throbbed, aching between his legs, and he moaned into Angeal's mouth, the sound pushing every button the older man had. Their tongues touched, explored, hesitant at first but with growing desperation, and they lost themselves in the most passionate kiss either had ever experienced until the need for air forced them apart.

Angeal opened his eyes, looked down at kiss-bruised lips, the dark smudges of Zack's eyelashes on his cheeks, the soft flush on his high cheekbones. Perfect. He was perfect. When blue eyes opened, Angeal couldn't have looked away if he tried. He cupped Zack's cheek again, traced his thumb over those wet, swollen lips. Zack trembled beneath him in desire. They stayed that way for a long moment, watching each other, before Angeal lifted himself off.

He settled himself so he was propped against the pillows, and took Zack's hand, urging him up onto his knees, and then guided the younger man by the hips until he was over him, straddling his lap. Zack mewled softly when his neck was stroked, tilting his head to the side. Angeal watched each reaction, fascinated. Zack's breath hitched when Angeal touched his chest, and he swore thickly when the older man thumbed over one dark, hard nipple. His hands found Angeal's arms, gripping tightly to ground himself, and he whispered Angeal's name.

"I'm here," Angeal murmured gruffly, "I'll take care of you puppy, trust me."

Zack's eyes opened, wise beyond their years, so dark with lust. "I do," he whispered sincerely, "completely. Always."

Angeal couldn't help the small smile, and couldn't fight the desire to kiss him again. He continued to explore the toned torso, memorizing every dip and curve, every line and contour, until Zack was all but writhing, those soft mewls spilling past his lips nonstop, broken only by soft, emphatic swearing. When Angeal eased his hand between them, and cupped the hard, heavy heat between Zack's legs through his uniform pants, the younger man barely held back a cry. He inhaled sharply, eyes rolling back and closing, hips thrusting forward instinctively. "Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck..."

"Easy," Angeal soothed, tracing his other hand down Zack's back and over the curve of his ass, settling there to pull him closer, more firmly into his hand.

Zack moaned loudly, shakily, his whole body trembling and skin sheened beautifully with sweat. His grip on Angeal's arms tightened and untightened, over and over. "Angeal, God, please...I can't...God!"

The older man got the hint, to say the least. He lifted Zack as though he weighed nothing, settling the boy on his back again. He stripped his own shirt off before settling next to his young lover, who had spread his legs in an attempt to ease the ache and was watching him longingly, intently. Angeal replaced his hand back over Zack's erection, and stroked him slowly but firmly through the fabric, swallowing the soft cries of pleasure that passed Zack's lips. The younger man's hands wandered all over Angeal's back, ribs, chest, enough that Angeal was barely coherent. It shouldn't have been possible for anyone to feel so goddamn good.

He took his hand away again, and kissed pretty, pouting lips when Zack protested, sliding his tongue inside just as he started to work his fingers beneath the boy's waistband. Zack was okay with that, and kissed back enthusiastically, moaning. Angeal sucked softly on his lower lip, sliding his hand further down to-

He stopped, lifted his head and looked down at Zack, who blinked up at him blearily for a moment before he seemed to realize what had happened. An instant blush flushed his features. "Oh," he coughed, cleared his throat and smiled helplessly, mortified. "Funny story I'll have to tell you some time. It ends with a whole lot of being drunk and permanent hair removal from the shoulders down."

Angeal made a soft, entirely unwholesome noise and sat back on his heels, hands immediately going to tug on the waistband of Zack's pants. Zack lifted his hips when prompted, and Angeal could only stare in awe at the breathtaking sight of the kid, fully revealed, naked and bare with skin softer than anything Angeal had ever felt before.

Genesis had been right. Zack's blush really did reach all over.

Angeal made that sound again, slid both hands up Zack's thighs and stretched out over him, finally lowering himself down so that they were pressed fully together, the only barrier Angeal's uniform pants. Zack threaded his fingers through Angeal's hair and rolled his hips up, moaning, wanton and exceptional, perfect.

"I'm going to the deepest circle of hell," Angeal whispered, his face inches from Zack's.

Zack looked up at him, a wicked smirk quirking up one corner of his mouth. "Maybe," he allowed, "but you'll have me on my hands and knees for you the whole way there."

An oh, lord, Angeal thought as he ravished the willing body under his own, that was a trip that he would be more than happy to endure.

Permission Granted

Angeal didn't even pretend to not watch with rapt appreciation as Zack shed his clothes. His eyes lingered on every part of Zack's lean body, over long arms and toned chest, washboard abs, strong, long legs that went on for miles, back up to the flash of inner thigh as he began to walk closer, and up to the not-quite flaccid length of his cock. As soon as Zack crawled onto the bed with him, Angeal framed his hips in his hands and guided him closer to straddle his lap, and once the kid was settled, one hand wandered immediately to the impossibly soft bare skin of Zack's lower abdomen. Zack sighed, a lazy smile stretching across his face, and settled his hands flat on Angeal's stomach to smooth them up and down the length of his torso.

"You're not sure if you want to know the story, huh?" he grinned, pushing his hips forward a little so that Angeal's hand was forced lower.

Angeal complied, though not completely, his touch grazing, teasing the flesh just above Zack's cock. Zack was sensitive there, and as always his response was enough to have Angeal's blood heating and racing. At least this time he hadn't bothered to put on sleeping pants, so that was one obstacle out of the way. The younger man hissed, eyes closing as his back arched, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip. His arousal was intoxicating, potent, but Angeal was nothing if not patient, and, after all, he was Zack's mentor and teacher. It was a good lesson in that rare virtue for him. He wrapped both arms around Zack's waist, crossing them to grip his hips, and ignored the irritated noise Zack made.

"I'm a little concerned," he admitted dryly, an eyebrow raised, "but I suppose you should just go ahead and tell me now."

Zack laughed a little, rolling his eyes, and squirmed a bit until he was more comfortable. "It was right after I got to Midgar...I'd been here only a month or so, and was waiting to be approved for SOLDIER testing. I'd already taken the written part, and so just needed the physical one done but that takes forever. Since I was pretty young, they had me in the barracks with some of the MPs. I was still like, three years younger than everyone else, but I got along with everyone all right. Anyway, my friend Kade-he's only a year older than me-was sent some kind of hard liquor from home, and we couldn't not open it at least for a taste."

"Uh huh."

"Yeah, pretty much," Zack laughed again. "Within about a minute and a half we were completely trashed. I'd only done a couple of shots, but it was strong shit, whatever it was. There were about six of us. It was late, we were wasted and apparently pretty loud."

"You got caught?"

"Yup. Kade's C.O. is a quirky guy though, and didn't really think that it was so terrible that he needed the whole military punishment deal, but he still wanted to make sure that we learned our lesson."

"That sounds promising." Angeal frowned, curious.

"Yeah, well. It should. It worked like a charm. He and a couple of the other commanders came in and sat down with us. They told us we weren't in trouble this time but to enjoy it because it was the last, and then asked if they could stay and hang out with us. They weren't all that much older, and we all liked 'em, and we wouldn't have said no to a C.O. anyway. So they stayed and drank with us, though they didn't get drunk, and after about an hour they sort of casually brought the conversation around to girls. And one of them mentioned that Midgar girls liked their guys to be waxed."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. Well, I assume so. I wouldn't know. We all went to get it done right then, of course, went straight to Wall Market-which took an hour longer than it should have because we were so drunk we took the wrong train and everything. We must have made Shinra proud, that night." He smiled ruefully, winked, and shifted around a little before continuing. "So we get to Wall Market, and this guy Zeke-huge guy, probably three times the size of me-he went first because the rest of us were scared shitless that it was gonna hurt, right? He called us all pussies and walked back with the girl all imperious and everything. Dude, you should'a heard the sound he made when they did it. His voice was like, six octaves higher, and he ran outta the back room still mostly undressed. It was really fuckin' funny, actually, but after we finished laughing and the chick asked who wanted to go next, we all kinda freaked. If it had made Zeke scream like that, man...it had to have been bad, right? So we were gonna leave, but then I saw a sign on the door that had all of the place's like, services."

"Oh, Zack."

Zack laughed again. "I know, right? I can't remember exactly what it said...I know the words 'permanent hair removal' were there, and then some kind of catchy rhyme thing, something about painless and convenience, y'know, whatever. So I was all over that."

"I can't believe they even allowed it," Angeal sighed, fighting a smile only because he could see the flush of embarrassment on Zack's cheeks. "They had to have known you were drunk."

"Oh, they knew," Zack sighed mock long-suffering. "We'd been so obnoxious that the rest of the customers had left. They were pissed, and they knew we were part of Shinra, and likely a bunch of spoiled kids with credit cards, which was pretty accurate. We kind of deserved it, really, but..."

Angeal raised an eyebrow, clearing his throat to call Zack's attention back to him from where the kid was staring unseeing, reminiscent. "But that doesn't explain everything," the older man said softly. He slid one hand up Zack's stomach, where there should have been a treasure trail at the least, down further along his hairless legs, and then back up his side to the smooth skin under his arm, touch light and ticklish. He smirked smugly as Zack immediately jerked away and started batting his hands around to ward off the attack, but by the time Zack looked back at him in stern disapproval, Angeal's expression was simply thoughtful and polite.

"You don't fool me, General Hewley," Zack said warily, but when Angeal didn't make another attempt at tickling, he answered the question. "No, right. Okay, see, when I'm drunk, I get a little talkative and have a big mouth."

"That's not only when you're drun-Umph!" Angeal grunted as he was elbowed pointedly in the chest by his unapologetic student.

"Anyway," Zack went on, grinning importantly, "I was stripping down in the little room thing, and when the girl came in I asked her, y'know, if what the Commander had said was true, about what the Midgar girls like."

"Oh Zack," Angeal groaned.

"God, I know, man, seriously. She was hot, too, and knew it, and used it against me...Which I deserved, but c'mon, if I got what I deserved every time I did something stupid-Don't even elaborate on that, sir."

Angeal closed his mouth, but didn't hide the little smirk this time.

"She told me that it was true, and did all this really sexy tease stuff, right? And I was gaping like a moron and listening more intently than I'd ever listened to anything before, ever. She said somethin' like...girls like their guys waxed, but women liked their men smooth all over. Lord, this could have been a porn movie, man. But anyway, yeah, so I agreed. Emphatically."

"Ever the gentleman," Angeal drawled.

"Hey! I didn't ever touch her or hit on her or anything!" Zack said defensively, dropping his hand to scowl at Angeal.

"Do you remember her name? Or what color hair or eyes she had?"

"Y...Yes..."

"Don't lie, Zack, it's terrible manners. Now what about what she was wearing?"

"White t-shirt, no bra, totally see-through," Zack answered at once, without thought, like it had simply been committed to memory.

"I believe my point to be made."

Zack flushed and crossed his arms over his chest, eyes narrowed, but his mouth was quirking into a grin all the same. Angeal rolled his eyes and grinned too, running his hands up and down Zack's back idly. "So that's how it happened, huh?"

"Yes sir," Zack winked. "I got so much hell for it for weeks. Taking showers was interesting, after that. And dude, they don't warn you how like...fuckin' sensitive your skin is after."

"Mm," Angeal agreed softly, his voice low as he palmed over that sensitive skin and made Zack shudder with pleasure. "I like it. You shouldn't have been drinking, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't glad it happened."

"You've made that somewhat obvious, sir." Zack smiled at him, tongue snaking out to wet his lips as he leaned forward. "Hey Angeal?" he murmured, his mouth at his mentor's ear, arms coming around him.

"Mm?"

"I want you to fuck me."

Angeal stilled, blinked, felt himself harden at an incredible rate. He swallowed hard, lifting a hand to the back of Zack's neck to stroke the nape with gentle fingers.

They hadn't gone that far, in the few weeks since Angeal had finally given in to his desire to have Zack as his own. It wasn't so much by choice as by necessity, as they had been on back-to-back missions. Not to mention the fact that Zack had only just finished his school exams the day before. Angeal had surprised himself with his strength of will during that time, when he'd banned nearly all sexual activity so that Zack would study. It wasn't as though they hadn't explored, of course. They had memorized each other's bodies over the past weeks, and had found unspeakable amounts of pleasure in hands and mouths and touch. But actual sex hadn't happened, and hearing Zack say those words brought Angeal to levels of desire he'd never known before.

He threaded his fingers into Zack's hair and tugged his head up until their lips met. The younger man's mouth opened for him at once, and when Angeal pressed his tongue inside those lips closed around it and there was soft suction, as though it were something else between them, something larger and harder that was growing more demanding as Zack rocked his hips forward. When the kiss broke, Angeal looked up into Zack's lusty blue eyes, searching them carefully. "Have you ever done this before?" he asked, not sure what he wanted the answer to be.

Zack shook his head, flushing a little shyly. "No. Not with a guy, I mean. Well not with a girl, either, actually."

That came as something of a shock. "Really?" It wasn't, after all, as though Zack couldn't have pretty much anyone he wanted.

"Really," Zack smirked, and then laughed at the look on Angeal's face. "You don't believe me?"

"No, I do," Angeal said. "It's just. What about the research intern? Weren't you two..."

Zack cleared his throat, raising an eyebrow. "In the Training Room? No! We're not suicidal, man. That was just flirting."

"Flirting."

"Flirting that may have picked up later that night into some heavy petting," Zack amended.

"But no further?"

"Nope. No fucking. She was willing to, and all, but it just..." He frowned, looking thoughtful. "I dunno, it seems wrong to do that. Sex and first times and all that shit are a big deal to girls, y'know? I mean, I'm not all sweet and gentlemanly, since groping and pretty much everything up to actual fucking fits just fine in my book of morals, but it just would have felt wrong. I've always turned it down. It wouldn't have been anything more to me than a fuck, which is fine for me, but chicks are weird about it. It means more and all that. They should have their first time romance and all."

Angeal looked at Zack for a long time, and then he smiled wide and kissed him. "You're a rare type, kid."

"Whatever," Zack grumbled, rolling his eyes but kind of glowing. "My mama raised me right, is all." He grinned and squirmed pointedly, taking Angeal's hand from where it rested on his hip and guiding it down shamelessly to touch him where he wanted to be touched. He moaned softly, head falling back for a second as his hips bucked up. Angeal raised an eyebrow, but didn't take his hand away, instead beginning to stroke over Zack's cock slowly.

The younger man tilted his head forward again and met Angeal's dark eyes with his own. "So c'mon, huh? Fuck me, I want you to. Yes, I'm sure, trust me. No, I don't want to be wooed, that would be weird. Yes, I know I'll be sore and am rather looking forward to it. Yes, I know it will hurt some, I can take it. And yes, I'm kind of nervous because you're fuckin' like, huge, so be careful or I'll hit you. Kay? Did I cover all questions I can see you're just burning to ask? I can see you're worried. You worry too much, man. Would it make you feel better to go buy me some flowers, first? I know where you can get some, and she'll give them to you for free. They're in a church. Oh!" he grinned wickedly. "Kinky. Church sex! There's a cathedral in Sector Four, right? We need to go there, sometime. If we're going to hell for this we might as well do it right, and that's one of my favorite fantasies. You fucking me in a church, that is."

"Zack."

"No, no, listen, really, it's hot. We're in a church, right? And you know that like, wooden rail thing where you kneel down in front of the alter? You've got me bent over that."

"Zack."

"And then there's one where we're goin' at it on top of the grand piano in front of the entire congregation. I'm riding you in that one, but then you turn us over."

Angeal cut off further speech rather effectively. Zack suddenly found himself on his back with Angeal over him, and his mouth very full of Angeal's tongue. Effectively distracted, Zack moaned and arched up, responding with equal fervor, all thought but nnngh wiped away. He was breathless by the time Angeal pulled back, and the Mako glow in his eyes had to have been as bright as it was in Angeal's. Angeal smiled down at him, the gesture soft and honest, and gently stroked unruly black spikes of hair. "I'll be careful," he promised.

Zack smiled back at him, nervous, but not the scared kind. "I know."

"And if you change your min-"

"Ah ah!" Zack cut him off. "None of that. I won't change my mind. Believe me. Don't be a girl."

Angeal snorted a laugh. "Right, sorry, you don't want romance."

"Correct, sir." Zack wiggled his eyebrows and licked his lips lewdly, which made Angeal laugh and roll his eyes.

"Not any?" Angeal pressed. He nuzzled at Zack's cheek until the younger man turned his head to the side, granting access to his neck. Zack's breath hitched as Angeal mouthed at the hinge of his jaw.

"I, fuck, Angeal, that feels good," he murmured, letting his eyes close and tangling his hand in Angeal's hair. His cock was aching, so hard it was nearly painful, and every nerve ending was on fire in the best possible way. "I guess a little bit s'okay," he said thickly, barely able to keep track of the conversation anymore as Angeal's hips rocked down.

Angeal lifted his head once he'd left a slowly-bruising mark on Zack's pale skin. He looked down at his young lover, unable to hold back another soft smile, shocked as always by just how much this kid had come to mean to him. He cupped Zack's cheek in his hand and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "I love you," he said softly.

Zack's face lit up with his lazy, blinding smile. "I know, you great big sap," he said, his voice soft as well, low and rumbly and pleased. "I love you, too."

Angeal smiled, and they kissed again, slowly this time, deeply. Angeal reached for the nightstand drawer without breaking the contact or even having to look at all, and retrieved the unopened vial of oil that Genesis had put there the week before (Genesis had come back from an easy three-day mission near Mideel with what had to be at least a year's supply of what was labeled tastefully as 'personal lubrication' and 'heating massage oil'. He had proclaimed it the single greatest thing in the world-after himself-and had proceeded to plant bottles stealthily around his, Sephiroth's, and Angeal's apartments so that it would always be within easy reach).

Once he had it in hand, he eased himself off Zack and onto his side next to him. Zack watched with hooded eyes as Angeal opened the bottle and poured some of the oil over his fingers. He made a soft sound in the back of his throat, needy and demanding. He bent one knee just a little, spreading his legs when Angeal reached between them.

"No teasin'," he murmured, heart pounding harder as Angeal's slick touch teased at the cleft of his ass.

But Angeal had no thought of teasing, not this time. He was far too impatient for that. He watched Zack's face as he gently eased one finger into him. The younger man tensed, but not as much as Angeal had expected him to. Still, he asked, "Okay?"

"Mmm," Zack sighed, touching the tip of his tongue to the roof of his mouth for a moment before elaborating. "'ve done this before."

Angeal frowned, hooking his finger a little to search out Zack's prostate. When he found it, Zack cried out softly and arched up, his eyes rolling back and closing. He was beautiful. "With who?" the older man asked, surprised at the almost jealous feeling in his chest.

"Nn..." Zack shook his head slowly. "No one, man. Jus' me..."

Angeal's breath caught, that mental image one that had all the blood in his body rushing straight to his groin. He leaned down to kiss Zack's sweet mouth, tasting his pleasured sounds. "You will have to let me see that, sometime. Watching you make yourself come is one of my fantasies, after all."

Zack moaned again, loudly, and pushed down against the finger inside him. "Oh fuck, Angeal, yes. God, yes, anything, just. Fuck..."

The older man hummed his approval, withdrawing his finger from the tight clench of Zack's body only to press it back in along with another. He was relentless, each gentle thrust with them hitting that spot inside Zack that made him cry out and plead for more. He was trembling with the pleasure, his hands clenched in the sheets, his hips moving, fucking himself on Angeal's fingers. When the third one was added, his brow furrowed for a moment, the only sign of discomfort before he moaned and spread his legs wider, shamelessly, obscenely. Angeal was careful, stretching him thoroughly, but it wasn't long before Zack was threatening death and worse if he didn't get what he wanted now.

Angeal withdrew his fingers and reached for the oil again, pushing himself up so that he could resettle between Zack's spread legs. Zack looked up at him, chest heaving, that pretty blush spread all over his body, his cock leaking onto his stomach, soft shudders thrilling through him. His lips were kiss-bruised and swollen, his cheeks flushed, and his eyes blazing with need and want and lust and love and heat. He was so, so achingly beautiful that Angeal had to pause for a moment, to let himself take in the sight for as long as possible.

This is mine, he thought, awed and possessive. He's mine. Always.

"Angeal," Zack moaned weakly, lifting his hips, offering himself, patience gone. "Please, please, Angeal, now. Need you so fuckin' much."

He reached out and touched Zack's cheek reassuringly, quirked a grin and kissed him chastely. "Soon, kid, promise."

He slicked himself quickly, biting back a moan as he touched himself, coating his cock thoroughly in the oil that, as advertised, grew hotter and hotter against his skin. Then he closed the cap and let the vial fall to the mattress. As he positioned himself over his lover, he smoothed his hand over Zack's chest, smearing the oil over hardened nipples that tightened more at his touch. He settled one hand on Zack's hip, and with the other clean one he pushed back sweat dampened hair. "Look at me," he murmured softly, "for as long as you can. I want to see your eyes as I take you."

Zack nodded quickly, mewling softly and lifting his hips. He was thrumming with anticipation, want, need, hormones and lust and heat overwhelming. He'd never in his life wanted anything as badly as he wanted Angeal inside him then. "Please," he whispered again, because he knew that Angeal liked it (because he liked it himself). Angeal's eyes darkened further, and he slowly began to press inside.

The younger man gasped, mouth open slightly, his eyes stinging from the lack of moisture and wanting to close, but he refused to let them. Angeal had asked him to keep them open, and he would. He wanted to watch his lover's face, anyway, wanted to see what it felt like for him. He could feel his tight entrance stretching around the impossibly thick length of Angeal's cock. It burned, worse than he'd expected but not overwhelming. Angeal felt just as big as he looked. Zack was talking, mouth forming words without his brain realizing it (an occurrence that was anything but rare under all circumstances).

Angeal watched that beautiful face, saw the slight pain in those sweet eyes and felt a twinge of guilt, ceasing movement once the head was inside. Zack was impossibly tight, a searing vice around him. He felt so good, better than anything Angeal could have imagined, and it was hard to keep himself from thrusting in completely to get more of that feeling. "Zack, look at me, kid. You okay?"

"Nnn," Zack moaned emphatically. "God, fucking hell, son of a bitch ow, ow ow, God, no, don't stop! Angeal, God, please, in more more more, please? Please please? Now? Angeal, need, please, God!"

Angeal smiled, catching Zack's lips with his own. Zack kissed him back fiercely as Angeal began to move again, easing inside him. Zack's head fell back. When his back arched, Angeal slid one hand beneath it and held him that way as he sank into that tight, perfect heat until he buried to the hilt. Zack's eyes had closed, and he'd stopped talking. His mouth was open and he gasping for breath, his hands clenched tight in the sheets still, but the look on his face wasn't one of pain. Not completely, anyway. It was there, as Angeal had known it would be, but there was more than that. He stilled once there, completely inside his young lover. He drew soothing circles over Zack's abs and kissed his neck, his lips, his forehead and each of his eyelids.

Zack's eyes opened what felt like minutes later. He let go of the sheets in favor of clutching at Angeal's biceps. Angeal stroked his cheek, pushed his hair back lovingly, worried and careful. Zack blinked up at him, wet his lips, and then a smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. He shifted, making both of them gasp, and Angeal felt long legs wrap around his waist.

"Oh fuck," Zack murmured, trembling. "Don't move."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. 'm good. Better than, really. But if you move, I'm gonna come."

Angeal felt all the worry ebb away at once, and laughed softly, nuzzling at Zack's neck, pressing a line of kisses along over his throat as he waited for Zack to relax. Zack's arms wound around him, and his hand tangled into Angeal's hair again, tugging insistently until the older man lifted his head. Their lips met again, the kiss deep and intense, their mouths moving slowly together for a long while. Once Zack had relaxed enough, Angeal drew his hips back a little, and then thrust forward gently, swallowing Zack's guttural moan.

It was slow at first, but they found the right pace and right angle quickly, and moved together that way. Angeal fucked him slowly, each thrust pushing his cock into Zack's prostate. Zack wasn't exactly loud, but he wasn't quiet, soft cries and moans, beautiful, sexy sounds that Angeal knew he'd never get enough of. He kissed Zack's neck and collarbone as he moved inside him, one hand still on the small of Zack's back, guiding the roll of hips as Zack met each thrust. Neither of them would last long, Angeal knew, and he badly wanted to see Zack come, to feel him come around him.

"An-Angeal, I can't...I'm...Nn...'m gonna..."

Angeal lifted his head to see Zack's face, and said, "Come for me." At the same time he slipped a hand between them and palmed over Zack's cock.

Zack came hard, desperately, with a loud, beautifully raw cry. Angeal felt wet-hot spill over his hand a fraction of a second before the already vice-like grip on his cock clamped down impossibly tighter, wringing his orgasm from him with incredible force. He kept moving through it, riding out wave after wave after wave of intense rapture as they crashed over him.

Once he came back to himself, he opened his eyes and looked down at Zack, who was slumped, breathing heavy, eyes closed and smiling. He smiled too and lowered himself down carefully, his arms between Zack and the mattress. He rested his forehead against Zack's cheek, and smiled when the hand still in his hair untangled and began to twirl long strands idly.

They lie together like that for a while, until finally Angeal forced himself to move. He pulled out as gently as possible, kissing Zack apologetically when the younger man mewled softly in discontent. He left the kid sprawled boneless on the bed for a moment while he went into the bathroom and wet a washcloth with warm water. Zack hadn't moved an inch by the time he returned, and just hummed in quiet pleasure as the older man cleaned them both up, wiping away come and sweat, his every touch sweet and soothing. Once Angeal had dropped the washcloth in the laundry basket, he slid beneath the covers and prodded at Zack's arm.

"C'mon, puppy, under the blankets."

"Mmm," Zack replied, unmoving.

Angeal rolled his eyes fondly and indulged the younger man, taking care of things himself. He gently manhandled Zack around, tickling him enough to make him squirm the right way until he could get the blankets out from under him to cover him up. Of course, as soon as the hard part was done, Zack was more than willing to move. He picked himself up and crawled onto Angeal, collapsing down on top of him at once, so that his knees rested on either side on Angeal's hips, and his cheek was pillowed on Angeal's broad chest, head tucked beneath his chin. Angeal smiled without realizing it. He slung one arm over Zack's waist, and with the other hand drew lazy zig-zagging lines up and down his spine. He was content, and pretty sure that this had to be what perfection felt like. It was similar in many ways to the way he felt when he was with Sephiroth or Genesis, or both, but it was different too. It was just as strong, just as deep, but in a slightly different direction. He figured that how he felt for Zack, this new, incredible feeling...it must have been what Genesis and Sephiroth felt for each other.

When they had been children in Banora, two mismatched best friends whose initial instincts to scorn one another for being rich and poor had been crushed and disintegrated under the weight of their fondness for each another, Angeal and Genesis had shared many dreams. At the age of ten, when the nine year old Sephiroth had first begun to appear in newspapers as a child prodigy and the hero symbol of Shinra, and a few years before the discovery in his parents' study of an ancient epic poem called LOVELESS, Genesis had pointed to a grainy black-and-white newspaper picture of Sephiroth and had said with absolute certainty, "He's meant to be with us. One day, we will find him. He'll be mine, and I'll be his, too."

"You think so?" Angeal had asked, ever fair and skeptical.

Genesis had nodded. "I know so. I can feel it. It's fate. But don't worry, Angeal," he'd said very kindly, his wise eyes concerned that he'd hurt his friend, "I'll still be yours, also. We'll always be together, of course. And even still, you will find someone as well, who will be yours like Sephiroth will be mine."

"How do you know?" Angeal had asked, even though he'd known then that Genesis spoke the truth. It was strange, how they knew things that they shouldn't have, and both had known that it was a gift to be kept quiet, and so they had not spoken of it often, and hadn't dared to question it. They didn't still, for that matter.

His friend had just smiled confidently and said, "I just do. I will find my Sephiroth, and you will find yours."

As expected, Genesis had indeed found his Sephiroth. And, Angeal thought as he held Zack to him, he had found his now, as well. He was sure of it.

The silence was warm and peaceful, sleepy and soft and very comfortable. Angeal was thinking about Zack, and about Genesis, and how different they were-

"Now," Zack broke through, voice thick with tiredness, "imagine doing that in a church."

...And how very alike they were.

"Sleep, puppy," Angeal ordered dryly, amused.

"I expect breakfast in the morning."

"Zack."

"And love notes in my locker. Poems. Original poems by you, signed in eye-pleasing cursive, 'General Angeal Hewley.' My eyes will have to be mentioned, obviously, and if you'd like to get dirty and go on about my hot, tight, perfect little ass, I'm good with that too."

Lord. "Zack."

"I will be pampered, Angeal. I don't spread my legs for just anyone. You want me to lift my skirt for you, you have to earn it."

"Zack."

"Yes sir?"

Angeal huffed an amused, exasperated breath. "Go to sleep."

Zack hummed softly in what Angeal assumed was agreement, and even in that simple noise his smile was obvious. It was quiet again, and after a while Zack's breathing was deep and even. Angeal reached over and turned off the lamp on the bedside table, relaxing into the soft familiarity of his bed and Zack in his arms. He was nearly asleep when Zack broke the silence again in a low, drowsy voice. "Permission to speak, sir?"

"Granted."

"Permission to be sappy and romantic?"

"Also granted," Angeal grinned helplessly.

Zack turned his head (Angeal could feel the gravity-defying spikes move across his skin) and pressed a sweet kiss to the center of Angeal's chest. "Love you."

Yeah, he'd definitely found his Sephiroth. "Love you too, kid."

Zack settled again, back in the position he'd been in before. "G'night, Angeal."

"Night, Zack."

Inept

One long Wednesday, when Genesis and Angeal were due in separate meetings all day long for the purpose of sitting and looking intimidating, Angeal asked Sephiroth to work with Zack. As Sephiroth was...well, Sephiroth, the benefit to the young SOLDIER would be immense, and it was also good for Zack to be shown a variety of different training methods. Angeal had no doubt in his mind that Sephiroth-whose people skills were well-honed, but not exactly sincere as he lacked the experience to understand most other people-would be much harder on Zack than he needed to be. Sephiroth wasn't a mentor for a reason, after all. But Zack would like the challenge and it would keep him busy all day. The last time Angeal had had an hours-long meeting on a day when Zack's classes ended early and the kid had been left to his own devices, Angeal had returned to find that Zack had written a thirty-eight page story of almost nothing but smut, complete with rather detailed and skilled illustrations of himself and Angeal in various positions. All thirty-eight pages had been strategically taped and/or stapled to things around Angeal's apartment. Angeal had been able to find thirty-seven of them, and Genesis had found the thirty-eighth three days later taped to the ceiling right above the shower stall in the bathroom.

Genesis' fondness for the kid had grown exponentially just from that. He'd demanded to see the entire thing and, upon reading it, had gotten Zack to email him the file so that he could have it reprinted and bound. He'd gifted Angeal and Zack each their own copy, which Zack had found hysterical and purely genius, which in turn had made Genesis like him even more. After that, Angeal had decided that it was best for everyone if Zack always had something to occupy his time.

When Angeal walked out of the conference room in the late evening, he nearly ran into Sephiroth himself. The General offered him a curious look which could have meant anything and a polite hello. Angeal's lips pulled into a little grin. Sephiroth, it had to be said, was one quirky fuck.

"Hey." Angeal nodded back. "How'd it go today?"

"Well," Sephiroth answered, flicking his long bangs out of his eyes idly. "Fair did very well. I'm impressed. I just dismissed him."

Angeal blinked at him. "You just...Didn't you two leave before dawn this morning?"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "Yes."

Angeal laughed a little, wincing ruefully, and shook his head. "Is he still conscious?"

The tiny quirk of Sephiroth's lips wasn't all that innocent. "Mostly. I suppose twelve hours without a break might have been a bit much. I apologize, Angeal."

The older man rolled his eyes, huffing a breath. "At least it was a good workout."

"Indeed. Besides, you can at least be content in the knowledge that your puppy is sore as a result of actual training. Imagine if it had been Genesis."

That was a good point. Angeal nodded his agreement and then stepped back into the conference room, holding the door open to let a slightly smirking Sephiroth follow him in.

A few minutes later, thoroughly debauched and yet not at all disheveled, he was back in the hall, making his way to the elevator. Once he stepped inside and the doors closed with a quiet ding, he pulled out his phone to send his student a text message: Okay, Puppy?

About a minute later, Zack sent one back: brb dying. x.x

Angeal grinned, rolling his eyes at Zack's dramatics, and pocketed his phone again. He had one last stop to make (the Briefing Room to use the computer to access Zack's file and put in the prior month's training data), and then he could go see just what state Sephiroth had left the kid in.

Zack was freshly showered and sprawled face down on the bed when Angeal entered the apartment. The older man laughed softly at the sight, and received only a soft, tired groan in response, muffled by the pillow Zack had shoved his face into. He undressed quickly, pulling on a pair of sleeping pants that were almost exactly the same as Zack's, Shinra standard and given by the company. They were blue, naturally, and surprisingly comfortable. God knew who had come up with the idea of supplying SOLDIERs with pajamas, but no one could say they didn't appreciate it. It was just a quirk of the company, and considering the many of those that Shinra had that were far less than admirable, this altruistic attention to detail was a quirk much easier to accept without question.

It wasn't very late, but lounging around in bed with his puppy for a few hours sounded damn good. He brushed his teeth and turned out all the lights in the apartment save for the bedside lamp before finally sliding between clean sheets. Zack shifted toward him, but just barely, groaning in pain dramatically at the movement.

Angeal smirked and turned onto his side, propped up on one elbow. He slid his hand gently over Zack's back, taking in how tight and knotted the muscles there were, and winced sympathetically. "Long day?"

Zack groaned louder, an emphatic affirmative, and finally turned his head to face Angeal. He looked exhausted, but was smiling warmly and, as usual, playfully sparkly-eyed. The smile reminded Angeal of the question he wanted to ask, but before he could, he was cut off by Zack lazily raising his hand in the air and waving it around imperiously.

"Oh my God backrub," he said firmly, nodding so his cheek pulled against the pillow and his lips went all lopsided with the stretch. Angeal raised an eyebrow and looked at him sternly, but Zack just prodded at his chest weakly and yawned insolently. "Backrub!" he said again, all one word, and then looked pleading.

Angeal rolled his eyes and sighed heavily, but, as he'd known he would, gave in. He used just one hand so that he didn't have to move, but Zack didn't complain. He arched like a cat and gave a decidedly filthy moan when the hand on his back pressed down and slid up the side of his spine to knead the knotted, sore muscle between his shoulder blades.

"I was putting training data in your file this evening," Angeal said after a few minutes, "and I noticed something that I hadn't since the first time I saw it."

Zack was boneless, nearly liquid after five minutes under Angeal's careful, skilled hand. But he wasn't quite asleep. "Mm?" he said distractedly, to show that he was listening. Mostly.

Angeal slid his hand into thick black spikes of hair and rubbed the pads of his fingers over Zack's scalp, which drew another low, pleased groan from the younger man.

"Yes. I've probably never told you, but I'm quite interested in the subject of etymology."

Zack made a face, cracking one eye open to look at him. "Ugh. Doesn't that have something to do with bugs? You're such a freak."

"No," Angeal huffed, prodding Zack sharply in the ribs. Zack grunted and smiled cockily for no apparent reason. Angeal went on, "That's entomology. Etymology is the study of the history and origins of words."

"Oh boy," Zack said with dry sarcasm. "That sounds interesting. And by interesting I mean not interesting in the least dear God I'll do anything please don't make me study it you giant freak."

Angeal pulled Zack's hair hard enough to make him yelp and lift his head, and then looked at him sternly in the sort of way that made it all very obvious to all parties that it had been Zack's own fault.

"I'm not going to make you study it," the older man said. "This has to do with your file."

"Oh, right. I promise it wasn't a hobby in my childhood, sir, so if it's in there it's a filthy lie."

Angeal rolled his eyes. "What I noticed," he said more loudly over Zack's continuing grumbles, which stopped, though the kid smiled, pleased with himself. Angeal pulled his hair again, just because, as he continued, "What I noticed was your first name. I'd forgotten that Zachary is your middle."

"Mmmm," Zack nodded against the pillow, closing both eyes again, smiling brightly. "Yup. 'Zack' isn't actually short for 'Zachary' anyway. It's short for 'Isaac', which was my grandfather's name. He went by Zack too, but he had to explain it so many times throughout his life that when he found out my parents were going to name me after him and use the same nickname, he made them promise to make my middle name 'Zachary'. That way, I wouldn't have to fumble over the 'but there's no 'z' in Isaac' argument all my life, like he had to."

Angeal blinked down at him, a small smile tugging at his lips. Zack rarely had his mouth closed unless he was sleeping, and a good deal of what came out of it when it was open was spoken only to fill up the quiet, but more often than not he was fascinating to listen to, dropping little insights into who he was. Maybe it shouldn't have been such a rare thing, to hear someone speak so easily about any part of their past, regardless of how good or bad it might have been. But Angeal hadn't ever met anyone who was open about it, let alone anyone who was as willingly open as Zack. It was refreshing. In Midgar, and especially within Shinra, it was easy to forget what ease and happiness and optimism felt like. But now that he was here, all anyone had to do to remember was look at Zack Fair.

"Did you know him well?" Angeal asked curiously, figuring it was safe to ask.

Zack grinned a little sadly. "Yeah, of course! He had to make sure I was worthy of his name, after all. He was always around. He died almost a year ago...about three weeks before Director Lazard introduced me to you and Sephiroth and Genesis."

Angeal frowned and stroked black locks gently, affectionately. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

Zack opened his eyes to let Angeal see that he was okay, truly. He smiled and lifted his head to kiss him before flopping back down. "Thanks. It's okay, though. He was a hundred and eight, man. He must've been bored in this life. It was expected...I mean, it had been for the last twenty years, really, the guy was ancient. But he'd been sick for about a year and had gotten worse over the last few months. He was comfortable and with family when it happened, so I figure that's the best way it could have. My mom told me that his last act was to demand 'my walkin' stick and the wasp spray, girl, I'm goin' to check the mail!'" Zack laughed, fond and reminiscent, and Angeal couldn't help but laugh with him. "Apparently he'd ordered some dirty magazines," the younger man explained with a wink.

"Oh, he was definitely related to you."

Zack stuck his tongue out. "So anyway," he said, still smiling, letting his eyes close once again. "What's my name got to do with your etymology crap?"

Angeal looked affronted and pulled hair again, appeased when he got that same yelp and a hand that batted at his chest ineffectually. "I looked up the name Isaac, to see what it meant. It's you to a tee."

"Yeah?" Zack wiggled his eyebrows without opening his eyes. "Does it mean like, 'exceptionally awesome', or maybe 'he who talketh too mucheth'?"

"Nope. Fits even better than those."

"Well what is it then?" Zack drawled. "Really. The suspense is killing me. I can't-Hey!" He dissolved completely into involuntary, contagious, bright and highly indignant laughter as Angeal's fingers dug into his ribs and around to his stomach, relentless in their conquest.

Within moments, Zack was writhing, pleading and nearly in tears, barely able to get a word out he was laughing so hard, unable to get away no matter how hard he tried. By the time Angeal stopped, Zack was on his back with the older man settled over him, and he was gasping for breath, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, still laughing between breaths. He looked up at his lover with bright blue eyes and that incredible, impossibly beautiful smile on his face, the magic from his laughter still warm over the room, even though the sound itself had stopped.

"Your name, Isaac," Angeal said, smiling when Zack rolled his eyes, "fits perfectly. No other meaning could be better."

Zack rolled his eyes again, smile widening. "So what's it mean then?!" he asked, exasperated.

Angeal's smile widened too, softened into something honest and pure, something for Zack alone, as he gazed down at him. He pushed back black spikes and shook his head with a laugh as they fell immediately back over Zack's forehead.

"It means," he murmured softly, touching his forehead to Zack's despite the hair, "'he laughs.'"

Zack's impossible smile brightened further, softened to something nearly shy, and he looped his arms loosely around Angeal's neck, and leaned up to kiss him.

He'd thought that he and Angeal had been doing well. Phenomenally well. Zack had never in his life been happier, and he was pretty sure that the same was true for Angeal. Their relationship was strong, trusting, loving, everything anyone could ever want. So when, walking back to Angeal's apartment after training on his own one late Friday night in the SOLDIER's gym, he caught Genesis fucking Angeal against a wall in a shadowed and deserted little corridor in front of the doors that led to the stairs, the two so taken with each other that neither noticed him, he was surprised.

They were really there, up against the wall, both with their pants down around their thighs. Genesis had pinned Angeal's hands to the wall with his own, and his pretty mouth was laving attention on the side of Angeal's neck just under his jaw. They were moving slowly, like they had all the time in the world, and though they weren't loud, they weren't bothering to muffle moans of pleasure as Genesis thrust deeply into Angeal again and again.

Millions of thoughts and emotions had his mind whirling as he backed up and turned down another hall, back toward the elevators so he could get to his own apartment. He was shaking, his eyes stinging, his breath hitching. It hurt. He was hurt and confused and floored and lost and unsure and unable to get the picture out of his head no matter how hard he tried. When the elevator doors opened, he stepped out, unseeing, instincts and habit walking him down the hall, taking a right, pulling out his keycard to get into his small apartment. He closed the door behind him quietly, and leaned back against it, not bothering to turn the lights off. He was upset, yes. But mostly?

Zack was pissed the fuck off.

Genesis was mostly asleep, sprawled on his back on his bed, dressed only in his favorite black silk pajama pants. He'd recently taken a shower, and so hadn't yet slid beneath the covers, allowing himself to cool down as he tended to favor almost-scalding water when he bathed. It seemed as though hot water would clean better, and whether or not that was true, Genesis had always gone with it.

The ceiling fan above the bed was on low, spinning with a quiet hum that had become a noise he couldn't sleep without. It was quiet, and still, and comfortable. He was sated, having just fucked Angeal so slow and deep and hot in the hallway, and then the shower with Sephiroth which had ended in mutual handjobs that had been endlessly satisfying. Sephiroth was somewhere in the apartment, doing something, Genesis didn't really care what so long as he was quiet about it (and considering it was Sephiroth, 'quiet' was pretty much a given). His presence was there, comforting and pleasant, and things were sleepy and nice. He was back home after a long mission, he'd gotten laid, and he had the next three days off, along with Sephiroth and Angeal.

Genesis was in a pretty good mood.

He was very relaxed and nearly asleep, and, knowing that Sephiroth was there, paid no heed to any noise or motion that was made in the apartment around him. But when a warm, solid weight settled over his hips, he turned his head and blinked his pretty pale blue-grey eyes open. Of all the things he'd expected, Zack Fair's lovely face hadn't been one of them.

Genesis smiled, arched his back in a stretch before settling again, nearly purring. "Well this is a pleasant surprise," he murmured sleepily.

He looked up into the pale face of the kid who was straddling his hips. His lips parted, and he raised an eyebrow in sleepy confusion. He'd seen Zack angry before, when he had helped him get past his inhibitions about materia, but that had been nothing like this. The younger man was livid, shaking and pale with his fury, his pretty lips pulled into a tight line and his jaw clenched. It was the first time Genesis appreciated just how intimidating Zack could be (not to him, of course, but to most anyone else), the first time the kid's eyes and expression ever gave even a hint to the incredible power and strength within. Genesis tilted his head to the side just slightly, unable to make sense of it all. He was not much more aware than he had been before, mind still blanketed by the fog of almost-sleep.

Said fog was cleared very quickly by the solid left hook to his jaw.

His head snapped to the side and he tasted blood before his enhanced senses could even pick up that his lip had been split open. He was wide awake now, and ire flared inside him. He turned his head back to look up into Zack's furious eyes, and lifted his hand to touch his bleeding bottom lip where the skin had split near the corner of his mouth. No one but Angeal and Sephiroth had ever been strong enough to draw blood from him before.

"That wasn't very nice, cub," he said. His voice was casual, his expression polite, but his eyes blazed dangerously and the words were laced with warning.

"You fucking bastard," Zack said quietly, his voice hard and passionately angry. His hands were clenched into fists, pressing down on Genesis' bare chest. His Mako eyes flared angrily, and his voice grew steadily louder as he continued. "You're the one who told me to go after him! You're the one that came to fuckin' find me and tell me that he wanted me. You said you wanted him to be happy! You said that I'm the one that could make him that way! What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"Zack-" Genesis tried to break in, but the kid shook his head furiously and wouldn't let him get more than that one word in.

"No. I saw you. I saw you fucking him! After everything, after you're the one that fuckin' like, set us fuckin' up in the first place! He's mine, you arrogant asshole. He's mine and you know that and I thought you were okay with that!" He paused for less than a second, as though he were trying to compose himself, and failing when he made a loud, angry noise and shoved at Genesis' chest harder with his fists, so hard that on any normal person something would have broken, and on any normal SOLDIER bruises would have been left. "God, fuck you you lying fucking cunt!"

The fist coming at him this time was expected. Genesis moved with inhuman incredible speed far beyond Zack's own, a hand flying up to catch the swinging arm by the wrist in a vice-like grip that would bruise. Zack gave an irate cry and struggled, but within seconds was turned and slammed onto his back so hard that even on the soft mattress, the breath was nearly knocked out of him. Genesis was above him, pinning both his wrists down above his head with one hand, his eyes narrowed and sparkling with anger. He was deadly calm, his voice dangerously even when he spoke.

"Listen, you self-righteous little prick, and listen well. You've been in my good graces since I met you, and I've welcomed you into this life in our presence, but I will not tolerate disrespect, not from you or anyone else. I'm very fond of you, cub, and I would be loathe to harm you, but if you ever, ever again even insinuate that I have ever been anything less than honest, I will break you."

He paused, to let his words sink in for a moment, to collect himself and watch Zack's face and eyes, to make sure he still had his complete, unwavering attention. "I do not lie, nor will I ever. Remember that, and take it into account now, so that when I tell you that Angeal will never not belong to me, you will believe it. He is mine, little SOLDIER. He always has been, he always will be, and no matter what you might mean to him, he will never choose you over me."

They stayed that way, their eyes locked, for a long time in silence broken only by the sound of their breathing. Zack was the first to look away, turning his head to the side and stilling under Genesis, struggles ceasing completely. His face changed, his eyes, and for the first time it became apparent that there was more than anger there. Genesis was so floored by this that his own ire bled out of him, and his chest tightened with something he didn't understand. He let go of Zack's wrists, watched as the kid drew his arms slowly back down until they lay at his sides. He watched Zack's Adam's apple rise and fall as he swallowed hard, and, propping himself up with his forearm on the mattress by Zack's head, he touched the younger man's cheek and gently forced his head to turn so that Genesis could clearly see his face.

He studied the kid's expression in bemused confusion and concern for a long moment, gently caressing Zack's cheekbone with his thumb. Zack's eyes opened, and they burned with something far worse than anger now.

"I trusted you," Zack said very softly. "I thought you liked me okay. I thought we were friends. What'd I do wrong?"

Genesis' lips parted slightly, and he tilted his head to the side just barely. He was confused, filled with incomprehension, wonder. "You're...hurt? I hurt you?"

Zack didn't say anything, but Genesis could see it now. He wasn't sure what had happened, how it had happened. He certainly hadn't meant to hurt the younger man.

"What's going on?" said a new voice. Genesis looked back at Angeal, who stood just inside the door, watching them with concern all over his face. Genesis shook his head, just as bewildered as his friend.

Zack was moving under him, and Genesis let himself be shoved off irritably as the kid wrapped the last vestiges of his anger around him like armor. He watched, utterly confused and plagued with guilt (though for the life of him he couldn't figure out what it was he had done to have garnered that feeling), as Zack stood up and walked to the door, head held high and shoulders slumped.

"Zack? What happened?"

Zack didn't answer Angeal, or look at him at all, as though he were unable to. He turned sideways to slide by and out the door. Seconds later, they heard the apartment door open and close. Angeal and Genesis stared at each other, lost, until their attention was caught by a loud sigh and they both turned toward the noise.

Sephiroth was settled comfortably on the long, cushioned window seat, his legs stretched out in front of him, ankles crossed, a book open in his lap. He was watching them in something like amusement or exasperation or both. He'd been there the entire time, apparently. Zack probably hadn't noticed him at all, considering neither Genesis nor Angeal had until just now.

"You know what's sad," he drawled, green eyes smirking, "is that even with my...shall we say, inferior understanding of relationships, my ineptitude has nothing on either of yours."

Genesis made a slightly affronted noise, while Angeal raised a characteristic eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. Sephiroth's mouth lifted into an almost imperceptible, serene smile, and he turned his attention back to his book.

Zack was in the empty communal showers in the locker room of the gym he'd been training in only two hours before. He'd put himself through more drills, practicing advanced katas that he knew in his sleep, but had been unable to perform then because he couldn't focus on anything but the loss and hurt and sadness. He tried to think of things with the objectiveness of his psychology textbook, to find the hows and the whys, what had him feeling this way, what exactly he was feeling in the first place. He tried to define it in rational terms, but really, when it came down to it, nothing could describe the entire situation better than: suck. That was it. This mass of tangled hurt feelings that was relentless and impossible just sucked.

He leaned his forehead against the tile, his hands pressed against the cool ceramic too. His eyes were closed, and the scalding water beat down on him like pins and needles, sudsy as it swirled around the drain before being pulled in. The pressure felt good, and the hot water and soap washed away sweat and dirt and muck but did nothing to cleanse him of the sucks so fucking much.

Angeal. Angeal. Zack bit his lip until it started to bleed, clenching his eyes shut and holding his breath. God, he'd lost him. To Genesis. And how the hell could he ever even hope to compete with Genesis? Genesis, who was beautiful and sharp, far more intelligent than Zack was, pretty and confident and smooth, perfect. Zack had thought that Genesis and Sephiroth were together. And who the fuck would cheat on fucking Sephiroth? Seriously! What the hell was wrong? Or maybe it was all casual, fuck buddies, like most people did things in the tight confines of Shinra. Friendly physical, mutually beneficial without strings. Zack had done that to a certain extent, himself, though his conscience hadn't allowed him to go through with actual sex with anyone until he'd met Angeal.

What he'd told Angeal was true. He wasn't willing to take a girl's first time just to fuck. Just because someone was willing and eager in the heat of the moment didn't mean that they wouldn't regret it later, wish it had been someone they'd truly loved. He knew it wasn't like that for all girls, but all those chick flicks and stupid romance novels and women magazines explaining the perfect guy had to have some basis. And so, figuring it was safer to assume that all girls wanted that and that sixteen-to-twenty year old chicks he'd messed around with over the past couple of years were virgins (which he knew wasn't true for all of them, but again, it was safer to assume it was...to round down, as it were), Zack had turned down all offers for the actual scoring. Someone might be willing to let it happen, but that didn't make it right or okay to take advantage of them, whether they wanted it or not. The amount of passion and meaning that the first time had to girls was a burden that Zack wasn't willing to carry.

But it wasn't as though the invitations and offers he'd received had been only from females. He'd turned down all of the ones he'd gotten from guys, too, but his reasoning had nothing to do with guilt. Zack figured, probably mistakenly, that every other male in existence felt the same way about the whole 'first time' thing as he did. The desire for romance, or to wait until it was with someone he truly loved and trusted implicitly was something he could understand the perspective of but not sympathize with. It wasn't because of any of that shit that he had turned down all offers for a friendly romp with another guy. Zack honestly couldn't have cared less about that. His virginity had about as much value to him as a rock on the ground did. Angeal's and his first time would've meant just as much to him if he'd already fucked someone else before. Sex was just sex. He respected it, and God knew he sure as hell enjoyed it, but it didn't mean true love for him. So it wasn't because of love or moral ground or unwillingness to accidentally hurt another dude in the long run that had kept his cherry intact until he'd been in a real relationship. What had done that, was respect.

A lot of people thought that Zack was just young and very naive, and maybe he was about some things. He was too nice for his own good, he'd been told, which was probably true, though he didn't like to think so. He was very possibly optimistic to a fault, which he'd been warned about but really unable to do anything about-it was just who he was. And, though this was something he himself hadn't even realized, he had an innocence that most people lacked.

But.

He wasn't an idiot, and he wasn't blind. He knew that sex was a powerful thing, as ridiculous as it seemed. Sex could decide entire reputations. The size of a guy's dick or the size of a girl's tits or how willing someone was to open their thighs were all characteristics by which standards were set for someone to be judged by other people. Unmarried girls who weren't virgins were all sluts, and unattached pretty boys old enough to know better who slept around anyway were put in that category too. Physical pleasure and infatuation with that were too easy to mistake with love and trust and fondness, and sex was, in Zack's opinion, too powerful a thing to allow someone to hold over anyone else. A willingness to spread his legs would most certainly have gained him popularity, but his steadfast refusal to do it had gained him respect.

He knew, though, that he was in the minority in this case, one of the only people who thought that way. So maybe what Angeal and Genesis had was like that, just sex without strings. But why had Angeal felt the need to get that? Or had there been something before Zack had come into the picture? They'd known each other forever, after all. And Genesis had certainly made it seem like there might have been.

'He is mine, little SOLDIER. He always has been, he always will be, and no matter what you might mean to him, he will never choose you over me.'

That had hurt. The honesty and confidence in it had hurt, because now he couldn't deny that it was true. Genesis had Angeal. At least part of him...and apparently he meant more than Zack did. He could have pretended that it had just been words, just Genesis' attempt to wound him, if it hadn't been for the completely sincere bewilderment that had been so clear and apparent on Genesis' face and in his deeply concerned blue eyes. It hadn't been an attempt to wound him. It had been the truth, just stated angrily.

Zack took a deep, shuddering breath, and let it out slowly. He let the tension ease out of him as much as he could, and tried to stop thinking. For a few minutes he stood there, leaning against the wall, enveloped in water and steam, focusing solely on his breathing, counting the beats of his heart. It didn't make it all stop, but it was the best he could do. He was so lost in his own head that he didn't hear the door open (not that he would have anyway, as the ones who had entered were doing their best to stay unnoticed, and their best was always perfection). He didn't realize that there he was no longer alone until he felt touch.

It wasn't a familiar touch, but it wasn't that of a stranger, either. A misleadingly delicate-looking hand pressed to his stomach as a naked body pressed against him from behind. His eyes popped open at once, and he gasped, startled, and tried to turn, but was held still. Lips touched his neck, just brushing over skin, not in a kiss, but just as intimate. The hand slid up his torso to settle in the middle of his chest, the person's elbow at his hip bone. He could feel the arousal in the air, could definitely feel that whoever it was behind him was semi-erect against his ass. He supposed he should have been afraid, but somewhere common sense kicked in, and when strands of damp silver hair came into sight in the corner of his eye, just who it was became obvious.

"Se-Sephiroth?" he asked weakly, so shocked that all thought seemed to have fled.

"Mm," Sephiroth answered, soft affirmation into his ear. The general's other arm came around him then, wrapping securely around his waist. "We've come to explain." A pause, and then, "I've come to explain, anyway." Zack was pulled away from the wall, turned with the other man as he was guided around to see Angeal and Genesis, both stripped, naked and flawlessly beautiful as he'd always dreamed. He watched in shocked awe as Sephiroth spoke again. "They've come to apologize."

Zack stared. His mouth opened, but no sound came out, so he closed it again. He had no idea what to say, or do, and God, he was young and male and oh my God Sephiroth was wrapped around him, pressed against him and hard. That was somewhat awe-inspiring and distracting, as it filled his head with nothing but nnngh.

Angeal stepped forward first. He pressed the side of his index finger under Zack's chin, prompted him to lift his head so that it rested back against Sephiroth's shoulder and Angeal could look down into his eyes. The older man didn't say anything, but his gaze held the deepest remorse and apology, and just as much love as it ever had, just as much want. Zack accepted the kiss he was given, responded to it without thought. It was soft, slow, and dry, loving.

Zack blinked up at him, beyond confused and beyond turned on. "Angeal?" he asked, unsure, quiet.

"I'm sorry, Zack," his lover said sincerely, just as softly.

Zack wasn't sure what to say, but apparently Angeal hadn't expected an answer. The older man stepped to the side, still close enough to touch, which he did, his hand sliding easily up and down Zack's side, slick with the water. Zack watched him close his eyes and bow his head as he stepped under the spray, but then his attention was taken by Genesis, who was so stunning it didn't seem possible. Zack's eyes slid down his body, taking in every beautiful inch, and then again on the way back up to meet those hypnotic eyes. Genesis smiled, but it was small. He had that concerned look again. It was tinted with apology just like Angeal's.

"What I said, cub," Genesis said smoothly in his butterscotch voice, coming close to cup his cheek. "When I said that he would never choose you over me, I didn't mean to make you think that he would choose me over you."

"But." Zack found his voice at that, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Genesis cut him off with a kiss, all tongue and heat and passion, sweetness, depth. When it broke he was smiling again. "What I meant is that it is not a choice that will ever exist. There is no decision to make. It's not a matter of loving one more, or choosing one over the others. It's everything. All."

Zack felt the somewhat outrageous desire to punch him again. Genesis was obviously fucking delusional (and so hot oh God), and had no idea at all what the hell he was talking about. Or, more likely, he knew exactly what he meant but since his brain apparently functioned on a far different plane than anyone else's, it all came down to a whole lot of crazy. He was about to tell him this when Sephiroth's soft laugh weakened his knees and shut him up.

It took him a moment to gather his wits again, but when he did he turned his head to look at Angeal once more. He wanted this one question answered, if no other. "Were you and he..." He shook his head slowly, the hurt back and making his eyes sting. "Were you guys fuckin' around the whole time?"

"Yes," Angeal answered. Zack was so startled by the abrupt and blunt honesty that he failed to respond. Angeal made a soft, despairing sound and cupped his cheek like Genesis had. "I never meant to hurt you, puppy. Or make you think I didn't want you."

Zack wanted to punch him, too. He added Angeal's name to his mental List of People Who Need To Be Hit With My Fist. He felt ridiculous, and so fucking hurt, and like he was going to cry, and that was just humiliating. He shook his head angrily and fought it all back. His voice was supposed to be strong and accusing, but when it touched the air it came out weak and broken, barely heard over the shower. "Why didn't you tell me?"

It wasn't Angeal who gave him his answer. It was Sephiroth. He pulled Zack back a few small steps, fully immersing them both in the pounding water. Zack instinctively closed his eyes, and didn't reopen them. Sephiroth kept one arm around his waist, almost possessive, protective, though Zack had no idea why, and didn't really care as the other hand began to wander. It slid over his wet skin easily, curiously, as though exploring the contours of his body. Zack gave a low moan, blood rushing south. Sephiroth kissed his neck.

"Nn...No," Zack tried weakly, lacking most of his conviction, "I can't...I mean. Angeal..."

"Shh," Sephiroth soothed. "It's okay. I'm here to explain, remember?"

"Kay." Zack moaned again as clever fingers teased his nipple. He felt Sephiroth's small smile against his skin.

Arms loosened, and Zack was guided to turn around, so that he was pressed against Sephiroth chest to chest, hip to hip, and it felt so good it was nearly painful. But there was guilt, still, overwhelming, because Zack loved Angeal, and this was cheating. His worry must have been obvious, because Sephiroth's voice was amused when he spoke. "You must feel more than most people, Fair," he said, stroking Zack's clean, wet hair. "I don't want to needlessly trouble your conscience anymore than it already has been, so perhaps here is not the best place to have this discussion. Let's take this to my apartment, hm?"

"He is far too distracting without his clothes," Genesis said with a smile.

Zack opened his eyes and turned his head to look at him, but didn't step away from the solid warmth and strength and perfection that was Sephiroth. Genesis' tilted his head curiously at him, still smiling. Zack looked away from him, let his gaze settle on Angeal, who showed no trace of jealousy, only that same apologetic regret along with the love and the want and the desire. He was just as much of a walking oxymoron as Genesis was, Zack decided. He turned his head and looked up at the man that held him, met green eyes that were at once perfectly open and perfectly unreadable, but kind and sly and faintly understanding (and gorgeous and sexy and smoldering and oh God he was taking a shower with Sephiroth!). Aside from apparently lacking any consideration of personal space (which was unexpected, but definitely not unappreciated), Sephiroth appeared the only other sane person present beside himself. Angeal and Genesis were crazy whack jobs. Sexy crazy whack jobs, but crazy whack jobs nonetheless.

One corner of Sephiroth's mouth lifted. Apparently he could tell what Zack was thinking, or maybe he could just read his mind, because he smiled that tiny barely-there smile and his sage eyes smirked like only they could.

Zack bit his lip, unsure, tense. He didn't know what he should do.

"No one will force you, Zack," Sephiroth said. "No one would blame you for walking away now, and all of this can return easily to strictly professional."

Zack gnawed harder on his lip, taking that in, considering it carefully. He knew that he should just walk away, leave them there. Angeal apparently had no intention to stop fucking Genesis, and apparently Sephiroth, for that matter. And maybe it was a wet dream come true, but it had only ever been meant to stay a dream, a fantasy. It was hot, but Angeal was his, and he'd thought he'd been faithful to him. Zack had trusted him, and Angeal had broken that trust completely. He didn't deserve a second chance. And God, what if Zack went with them, got his hopes up only to be told that he wasn't really wanted? That Angeal had made a mistake in getting into a relationship with him? He was too young, too stupid, too naive. Just a kid. Zack couldn't handle that, just now. Not after everything else that had happened already tonight. He should just tell them no, tell them to go fuck themselves and then storm out.

But...

He turned his head to look at Angeal again. His lover looked back at him, stepped closer, but hesitated to come too close, as though unsure Zack wanted it. Zack's mouth took things right out of his brain's hands, the way it usually did, and he was asking the question that held the most importance to him before his mind caught up enough to try and stop. "Did you ever actually...Do you love me?"

Angeal looked pained for a moment, and then Zack couldn't see his face anymore as he was suddenly out of Sephiroth's arms and firmly wrapped in Angeal's. He closed his eyes, not returning the embrace, but unable to keep himself for enjoying it, from breathing Angeal in and feeling like he would never be whole without this.

Angeal kissed his shoulder and cheekbone and temple, and then drew back only enough to see Zack's eyes. He put a hand on his cheek and slid it back into his hair, cradling the back of his head. "Yeah, kid, I do. I love you with everything I am."

Zack closed his eyes against the sting, relief easing some of the awful tightness in his chest. He waited until he was sure he was composed enough not to cry or something embarrassing like that, and then opened his eyes, offered Angeal a weak smile, and turned back to look at Sephiroth, who looked back at him with the same bland politeness he looked at everyone and everything with. Zack nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Your apartment, then?"

He felt Angeal's arm around him tighten like a hug. Maybe he was an idiot for trusting him again, and maybe this would just make it all worse, but that was a risk Zack was willing to take.

Friends for a Reason

"You're fucking kidding me, right?"

Angeal sighed and looked down, while Genesis rolled his eyes and then pinched the bridge of his nose. They sat on Sephiroth's couch along with Sephiroth himself. Sephiroth had one arm stretched out across the back of the sofa, and Genesis' shoulder was pressed to his chest casually. Angeal appeared to be punishing himself by not allowing any form of comforting touch. Zack wanted to feel bad about that. Angeal looked miserable. But the angry, hurt part of the younger man felt it was more than justified.

Zack was sitting in the generic armchair each apartment had been furnished with that matched the couch. He was slumped casually in it, as though his whole world wasn't coming to a standstill to shatter around him. He looked tired and wary and irritable, which was a pretty accurate description for how he felt.

"Zack," Genesis tried, but Zack cut him off immediately.

"No, no. Let me get this straight." He was speaking directly to Angeal now. "You and Genesis have been fucking since you were like, fifteen. You've been together since you were fifteen. And Sephiroth has been part of it for years now. Disregarding the fact that everyone in this building would implode from the pressure of one like, fuckin' monumental communal orgasm if this information got out, by the way, let's just thank God that I've got more of a conscience than the rest of you. Fuck, Angeal, you've been in a relationship with two people for an extended period of time before you met me, had no intention to ever get out of it after you met me and then once we got together, it never crossed your mind that I might like to fucking know about it?"

"It sounds really awful when he says it like that," Genesis sighed softly.

"It is really awful," Zack bit out. He barely held back the 'asshole'. True or not, Genesis was still, like Angeal, a four star general and one of two second-in-commands. As such, Zack's respect for him would only allow so much. The punch to the face had probably been a little overboard, but God, it had felt good.

Genesis closed his eyes and leaned closer to Sephiroth, who turned his head to brush his lips over Genesis' forehead. Zack watched in something like wonder, because it should have been strange to see Sephiroth...Sephiroth...acting like this, to see him move in intimacy, with ease and instinct. Zack didn't know very much about Sephiroth, but he knew enough about him to know that the sort of trust he was showing to Genesis and Angeal was something that had to have been learned. Earned. And if the two whackjobs had earned Sephiroth's trust, what place did he have to deny them his own?

That angry voice in his head answered at once: More than fuckin' enough.

He sighed, scrubbed a hand over his face and looked over at Angeal through his parted fingers. Angeal's eyes were already settled on him, and Zack couldn't have looked away if he'd tried. He let his hands drop back down to his lap, as Angeal stood up, and didn't make a move as the older man crossed the distance between them. He knelt down in front of Zack, and put his hands on Zack's knees. Zack bit his lip, closed his eyes for a second against the sting in them. Such a simple touch shouldn't have been able to feel so good.

"Zack," Angeal murmured. Zack bit his lip harder, and Angeal said, "Puppy."

The younger man opened his eyes, finally, and looked down into Angeal's vibrant, apologetic violet ones. He swallowed hard. "I don't..." he started, stopped to sigh in aggravation and then leaned forward like he couldn't help himself, until he had both hands threaded into Angeal's hair and their foreheads were pressed together. "Angeal, I. I don't know if I can..."

"It's okay," Angeal said softly, willing to do anything to get that defeated, hurt look off of Zack's face. He would never forgive himself for this, for hurting Zack like this, even if it had been so completely unintentional. He slid his hands up and down the younger man's thighs soothingly. "It's okay, kid."

"It's not!" Zack made that same noise of aggravation and sat back up. Angeal stood and stepped out of the way so that Zack could jump up and pace. Ever the restless puppy.

The three generals watched him walk in wide circles around the couch for a long time. Sephiroth counted thirty passes, each one made in Zack's uncharacteristic silence. Genesis shifted against him with each one, as though the weight of Zack's pain pressed into him each time. Sephiroth idly stroked Genesis' hair, twirling satin soft strands around his index finger. His thoughts and focus were on Zack, however, and when on the thirty-first circuit Zack stopped in front of him, Sephiroth looked up at him in such a way that let the kid know that he had Sephiroth's full attention. In this particular battle, Sephiroth was only too aware that the correct side was Zack's, and were he forced to choose, it was the one that he would stand by.

"General?" Zack asked quietly.

The corner of Sephiroth's mouth lifted at the formality. It was unsurprising to hear it even in this situation. Professionalism was a powerful armor. "Lieutenant."

Zack swallowed, took a deep breath and a few moments before speaking. "The four of us?"

No one had said it in such plain terms aloud, yet, but Zack had caught on to the sugarcoating quite easily, as they'd known he would. "Yes," Sephiroth answered with a nod. "It was always meant to be the four of us."

Zack looked away, and then back, and that hurt and anger was burning brightly in his blue eyes. "But they hid it! Why didn't they tell me earlier? It's been months."

Sephiroth shook his head. On that point, he wasn't sure himself. "That is something you will have to ask them, though if I had to guess, I think I'd be correct in assuming that it was simply a matter of timing. Between missions, your classes, your training, and our constant absences due to the war, the four of us haven't all been in one place all at once. I don't believe it was an attempt to hide it. I believe it was simply a flawed attempt to find what Angeal perceived to be an appropriate time."

Genesis winced, slouching further down in his seat. "It sounds really awful when you say it like that."

Zack didn't bother to reply. He looked at Sephiroth, who looked back at him placidly. And then at Genesis, whose eyes were now closed, and then at Angeal, who had taken a seat in the chair Zack had abandoned and was watching him carefully, eyes clearly showing his misery. Zack sighed, shook his head, took a step back, and then another, heading for the door. "I'm going back to my place tonight. I don't...It'd be stupid to make a decision right now. I need to think."

He could feel their impressed gazes and fought with everything he had not to roll his eyes. SOLDIERs never rest. Even in this they were taking into account his every word and move, teachers and pupil. He wondered how long it would take for them to consider him their equal, or if they ever would. He muttered a goodnight, and pulled the door open, stepping into the deserted hall. It was late, later than he'd thought. According to his watch it was nearing 0200. He needed to sleep. All this personal shit couldn't get in the way of his training, or any assignment he might get, and getting a full night's sleep when it was available was something that always should be taken advantage of. He didn't know what to think, or do about this entire situation, and he wanted to just forget about all of it for just a little while. But as he stepped into the elevator and watched the doors close, the lump in his throat grew to an almost unbearable size, and only one thought was clear and razor sharp in his mind.

Why aren't I enough?

Kunsel and Kade had been fuck-buddies-and-maybe-more for nearly six months, since just a couple of weeks after Kade had made it into SOLDIER. He was a 2nd Class now, and though he had his own apartment he more often than not stayed at Kunsel's. At nearly two in the morning, they were asleep, Kade sprawled on his back, long chocolate locks pulled back into a ponytail that had been mussed as he slept. Kunsel lie half on his side and half on his stomach, a few inches of space between himself and Kade. Their shins touched, and Kunsel's arm was under the back of Kade's neck on the pillow. They looked happy and sweet and peaceful. Zack took a moment to appreciate that before he crawled onto the bed and dropped like a rock between them.

Both were awake at once. Kade sat up straight, arms coming up, one to block his face and the other reaching for a weapon that wasn't there. Kunsel gave a surprised and pained groan; his arm protesting Zack's weight. He looked down at the wealth of thick black spikes hiding the face pressing against his chest. "Zack?"

"Zack?" Kade repeated, blinking slowly down at his youngest of friends. Despite the fact that Zack was taller than both of them, curled on his side and hiding against Kunsel like that, he looked so damn small. "What the fuck?"

Kunsel and Kade's bewildered gazes met, but then Kunsel felt what was unmistakably a sob against his shoulder and he turned his attention to his friend. "Zack? Kid, what's up? What happened? C'mon, dude, talk to me." Kunsel tried to ease Zack away so that he could see him, but the kid just clung tighter and shook his head emphatically. Kunsel hugged him back, tightening his grip too. "Okay, okay. I gotcha, man."

Zack made a muffled noise and reached behind him, waving his hand around until he caught Kade by the t-shirt. Kade grunted as he was yanked unceremoniously back to the mattress, half on top of Zack. He sighed, smiling a little (Zack would never fail to get his point across, with or without words), and shifted around until he was lying on his side as well, pressed up behind Zack like Kunsel was on the kid's other side. "All right, Zacky-boy, we gotcha here. You gonna tell us why you're breaking and entering?"

"Not breaking and entering," came the muffled reply. "Have a key."

Kade huffed, laughing a little as he shook his head. He figured he probably should've thought of that. It had been he who had tracked down Kunsel to make sure that he looked after the kid once Zack had been promoted into SOLDIER, after all. Kade looked over at Kunsel to find the same exasperated smile mirrored on his handsome face, the sweet sort of smile that made Kade swoon like a school girl. The kind that made him very glad that Zack had moon eyes for one person and one person alone, and that one person wasn't Kunsel. Kade sighed softly and lifted a hand to stroke at the unruly black hair. He could feel Zack's deep, shuddering breaths against his chest where the kid's back rose and fell. His heart clenched. "C'mon, Zack. What happened?"

"Nothin'," Zack murmured. "It doesn't matter. Can I stay here tonight?"

Kunsel laughed a little and nodded. "Yeah, you can. No problem."

"Thanks."

Kunsel shared another look with Kade, and both shrugged before settling down again. It would be a long night with Zack between them, considering how notoriously squirmy the kid was, but as he felt the searing heat and wetness of silent tears soaking through his thin sleep shirt, Kunsel knew that he wouldn't have let his friend out of his sight for anything, even if Zack had wanted to leave. Zack wasn't loud, his breath hitching just very slightly and his hand clenched in Kunsel's shirt tight enough that his knuckles were white, but he was quiet and still like Kunsel had rarely seen him. He wondered what could have happened. Zack didn't cry. Ever. Kunsel had seen him with most of the bones in his body broken and the kid had just laughed it off and demanded to be put down, damn it, he wanted to try out his Restore materia. He must have been badly hurt to have garnered this reaction.

"Zack?"

"Yeah?"

"Who do I need to kill?"

Zack laughed a wet little laugh and shook his head, burrowing deeper into Kunsel's chest. "No one you or Kade or me could beat in a fight, even all three of us together."

Kunsel sighed heavily. "I thought you might say that."

Kade ruffled Zack's hair and presses a smacking kiss to the top of his head. "We'd still try for ya, y'know," he said.

Kunsel could feel Zack's smile against him. "I know. Thanks, guys."

Kunsel hugged Zack tighter to him, biting his lip as he held the slightly-trembling body. Another fifteen minutes passed, and though Zack was just as quiet and still, his tears continued to fall fast and searing into Kunsel's neck. A wet sniffle had Kade propping himself up on his elbow so he could rub Zack's back soothingly. They both felt completely helpless, and as a general rule, helpless wasn't a feeling SOLDIERs handled well. "Zack," Kunsel murmured, "tell us what we can do to help."

Zack's answer was slow to come, voice small and almost timid, pleading, and the most heart-breaking thing either had ever heard. "Just let me stay here 'til it stops hurting."

"Oh Zack..." Kunsel held him tighter still, and Kade wrapped around him from behind. They would hold him until Zack finally fell into a fitful sleep around five fifteen in the morning, and then they'd skip an hour of their own training to stay with him longer until he woke up, because even SOLDIER pride was less important than some things.

Angeal had returned to his own apartment for the night, his brooding nature allowing nothing that might comfort him anywhere near him. So it was only Genesis who crawled beneath the luxurious covers of Sephiroth's luxurious bed. Sephiroth went to turn the bedside lamp off, but Genesis' hand on his wrist stopped him. He turned, leaning back on his elbows to look up at his lover questioningly. Genesis rubbed his wrist gently, and then settled his hand flat on Sephiroth's stomach, tracing the defined lines of his abs. He looked troubled, moreso than he had seemed when Zack had still been there. "Did we ever hurt you?" he asked softly.

Sephiroth blinked, surprised. After nearly a minute had passed in silence, he eased himself down completely to get comfortable. Genesis' hand slid up his torso to his chest, fingertips trailing over the throb of his heart before tracing over chin and cheek and temple back into his perfect silver hair. Sephiroth leaned into it without thought. "What do you mean?"

Genesis bit his lip and leaned in to brush their lips together. Sephiroth lifted a hand to press it to the small of Genesis' back, to get him closer, but Genesis wouldn't allow it. Instead, the older man lie down on his back and took Sephiroth's hand, tugging until Sephiroth complied and turned onto his side, allowed himself to be held in a way that even after all this time was so very new and delicate, fragile. A part of life that he had never known until he'd met Genesis and Angeal. Both of Genesis' arms wrapped around him, and one hand guided his head to tuck into Genesis' neck before beginning to stroke soothingly up and down his bare back. "I mean like we hurt the puppy. The cub. Were we as careless with you?"

Genesis sounded so truly concerned and guilt-ridden that Sephiroth had to smile, just a little, because the reminder that Genesis, despite his arrogance and self-assurance, was still aware that he was just as human as everyone else was always welcome. It was something that would keep him alive longer, in the long run, and that meant more to Sephiroth than anything had any right to. "You did not," he answered softly, pressing a quiet kiss to Genesis' neck.

"You're sure?"

Sephiroth smiled and shook his head. He slid one arm around Genesis' waist and sighed deeply, comfortable. "I'm very sure, Genesis. I was aware of what Angeal and you meant to each other almost as soon as I met you."

"But we didn't...I mean...You never felt like you meant less?"

"No, I didn't." There was so much to that, an entire world of new feelings and thoughts that had crumbled the careful and stoic foundation that Sephiroth's entire life had been based on since his birth, but none of it had been painful, and none of it was anything he wished had happened differently. And explaining all of it to Genesis would have been pointless, as Genesis either could not or would not be able to understand anything other than complete confidence and faith at every moment of life. Hardships Genesis had suffered, and Sephiroth knew of them, but never had he been through anything without Angeal's friendship, patience, support and unconditional love at his back, and he could not fathom even the idea of living without that. Sephiroth was grateful, beyond grateful, that Genesis would never have to. And he could take great comfort in the fact that now, he would never have to, as well.

"Good," Genesis murmured, "because you mean everything to me. More than anything."

Sephiroth sighed softly, gently, and pressed another soft, quiet kiss to Genesis' neck, soaking in the words. Another reminder that he'd never tire of receiving. "I know. I don't doubt you, Genesis."

"Promise?"

"Yes, you idiot. I promise," Sephiroth smirked, tightening his arm around Genesis' waist.

The older man returned the embrace, holding Sephiroth tight, closer, and Sephiroth felt, more than heard the words that were murmured in his ear.

A sigh, a soft smile, everything about him quiet, as always, but more intense, more honest, more real...Just more, for Genesis. He smeared the words in an almost silent murmur across Genesis' pale throat. "I love you too."

-

No More Tangles

It had been nearly three weeks since the night Zack had left Sephiroth's apartment with the proclamation that he needed time to think, and only a few days less since he'd taken a mission to help clear out some of the monster population in the plains between Midgar and Kalm. As his mentor, Angeal had been required to approve the mission and personally meet with Lazard to assure the Director that his student was capable of the danger level he'd encounter. Angeal hadn't wanted to okay the mission. He didn't like the idea of being apart from Zack at all in the first place, even though he knew he'd lost that right when he'd been so careless, and he hadn't been so sure that it was a good idea for Zack to go on a dangerous mission while he was dealing with personal issues like the broken heart Angeal had unintentionally and so thoroughly forced upon him, but Angeal had not had a good enough excuse to deny Zack's request. His protégé was more than capable of completing the mission, and so Angeal had given his reluctant approval, and Zack and the rest of the small team of 2nds who had been assigned had left hours later.

Angeal had spoken to Zack briefly before he'd left, and though the conversation had been civil, there had been a distance between them that there never had before, and Zack had barely been able to force himself to meet Angeal's eyes. Angeal had wanted more than anything to close that distance between them, to take Zack into his arms and apologize again and again and tell him that he'd do anything it took to get Zack back. He'd wanted to drop to his knees and grovel and beg Zack to let him take him home and make love to him and make him realize how much Angeal needed him. He'd have done anything, anything, to get the sadness and hurt out of Zack's eyes.

But wanting to do something and actually doing it were very different things, and in the cold and public hallway outside of the Director's office, it had seemed inappropriate to discuss something so personal. Their conversation had been professional and short, but just before Zack had walked away, Angeal hadn't been able to help himself and had said, once again, that he was sorry. Zack had turned partially around to face him again, his eyes on the floor, and had nodded and said, "I know." And without another word he'd gone.

It had been a long, long three weeks for General Hewley. Angeal had taken a few short missions himself, but they had been simple as most were for him, and he'd been back to headquarters within a few days at the most. He was, of course, spending time with Genesis and Sephiroth when schedules permitted, as he could no more give them up now than he'd been able to when Zack had discovered the relationship, but he was stubbornly refusing to spend nights with them until he had a full answer from Zack. It was a ridiculous attempt at punishing himself, and he knew that, but it made him feel a little bit better, and so he kept with it. He knew, though, that even if Zack did eventually forgive him, he'd never be able to forgive himself.

It was early on a Tuesday afternoon when Zack returned to headquarters. The mission had been fun, as he was always up for a good battle and there had been nothing but those throughout the entire three week stretch. It had been exhausting too, though, and he was looking forward to sleeping in a real bed again. He was glad to be home, but the bad part about being back in Midgar was that he knew he was going to have to face Angeal sometime soon. He'd run away for as long as he could, and though he still had no idea what he wanted to do about the situation, he knew that putting it off would only make things worse. He wasn't as angry as he had been, and though he was still hurt, he missed the other man desperately, and he didn't want to lose him. Maybe they couldn't be lovers, but Angeal was still his mentor, and an amazing one at that. Zack didn't want to throw that away. Then again, the thought of going back to being only Angeal's student, going back to wanting Angeal so badly and not being able to have him, was an unbearable one.

Zack had thought about the proposition he'd been given a lot over the past weeks, during what downtime he'd had between monster slayings. That he'd been welcomed into the relationship was flattering as hell, really, considering just who the three men were. And to say that it wasn't tempting to take them up on it was a severe understatement. The idea of having all of them, of Angeal and Genesis and Sephiroth all, of being able to call them his lovers...Hell, it was the greatest wet dream of most of the world, and had certainly been one of his own on more than one occasion.

But it was weird, that number of people in one relationship, wasn't it? An honest to God foursome? It seemed impossible and more than a little smutty, like something out of porn movies. Kinky, even. It didn't match up with the definition of loving relationship Zack had always heard about. That was meant for two people, right? Two people, who had each other completely, like the way his parents were. Surely having someone's entire heart meant more than having a third of it? Was it possible to love more than one person in the same way? Or was real life actually like that anyway? Maybe he was just some love-struck idiot kid with fairytale delusions.

Then there was the fact that Zack wasn't at all sure what he felt for Sephiroth or Genesis in the first place. He was attracted, of course (who in the right mind wouldn't be?), but he didn't know them nearly as well as he did Angeal. He and Genesis got along very well, and Zack liked the quirky general a lot, but they were so incredibly different. Could he and Zack even be compatible? And then there was Sephiroth, who Zack had trained with a few times, and who he also got along well with, but who had always been reserved and professional and guarded enough that Zack didn't know him well at all. Was he expected to love them both? Were they expected to love him? And worse, what if they had simply agreed to his presence because of Angeal, and neither actually wanted him at all, even just physically? That would have just sucked.

It was a tangle of unanswered, headache-inducing questions. He wasn't sure what any of it meant, or how to ask, or if he'd get honest answers. Angeal and Genesis were both obviously very foreign to normal relationships due to their...whatever it was they had. Their normal had a very different definition than everyone else's, that was for sure, and Sephiroth wasn't exactly well-versed in interpersonal relations either. Out of the four of them, Zack was the one with the most experience in that regard, and that wasn't reassuring at all.

It was too much to think about at any given time, let alone right after a long mission in which Zack had gotten little restful sleep during. He needed a good night or two's rest before he did anything else, and so he pushed all thought and feeling (as much as he could, anyway) of the entire mess out of his mind to be dealt with later.

He was almost to his apartment, where there was a big, comfortable bed just waiting for him to collapse on it, and he had no intention of doing anything but just that. Nothing would get in his way of the sleep he so desperately wanted. He hadn't told anyone but Kade that he'd gotten back, and that had only been because he'd run into him in the hall. No one else had any idea. It was, therefore, quite an unexpected surprise to find Genesis lounging elegantly on his couch.

"Welcome home, Zack," Genesis smiled pleasantly. "We need to talk."

Zack blinked. Twice. Well, shit.

Angeal was taking a walk around the arboretum situated on the northwestern part of the grounds. It was his favorite place in all of Midgar, even if the plants and trees here were foreign and small and unnaturally grown. They were close enough to the real thing to remind him of the comfort of home, and to soothe his nature-loving soul. It was a little chilly out, but not so cold that it was uncomfortable, and the cool air helped clear his head a little, which made it all the easier to dwell on things he couldn't do anything about and brood uselessly on his helplessness. He'd been walking along the small paved path around the perimeter of the area for just under an hour when his melancholy silence was interrupted by an agitated voice.

"Hell. Hell, hell, hell, I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him, bring him back to life, and then kill him again until he's even more dead. So dead he'll be able to fucking taste it in his cock-sucking mouth because it'll kick him in the fucking face. That kind of dead. I'm going to fucking kill him!"

Angeal stopped walking, a frown pulling at his mouth as he raised an eyebrow, turning his head toward the direction the voice had come from. It was a familiar voice, but he couldn't quite place it. He walked a few feet until he could turn down one of the paths that led into the center. A maze of smaller sidewalks lay within the area, intended to make it easier to sight see and fully enjoy the arboretum, but all that they really achieved was an infuriating labyrinth that was more than easy to get lost in unless you knew the place very, very well. Angeal did, and so had no hesitation in following the voice as it came again, this time in a mocking falsetto.

"'Meet me here, Kade, no one'll be around and we can fuck under the stars, because I'm a hopeless sap who's much too adventurous for fucking in a bed like normal people! Please, spread me out on a moonlit path and reattach my balls!'"

Angeal's eyebrow rose further. Kade. He recognized the voice now as that of Kade St. Michaels, one of Zack's good friends and, if he remembered correctly, the other half of Zack's other good friend.

"Fucking hell, I'm going to kill you, Kunsel, you goddamn jackass! Fuck, where the hell am I? Ugh, I hate nature. That prick is never getting laid again. I can't believe—Holy shit spider! Big, big fucking spider oh my God oh my God!" Kade's voice went from bitter sarcasm to outright panic in an instant, and the sound of his running footsteps was audible over his repeated curses. Angeal fought back a mad desire to laugh as he broke into a light jog, following the trail of angry swearing. He stopped short as the kid barreled out of one of the shadowy middle paths and straight into Angeal.

"Shit, sorry!" Kade said distractedly, picking himself up from where the impact had nearly sent him to the ground and he'd caught himself on his hands. "Fuck I fuckin' hate spiders and this stupid place and do you maybe know the way out of—Oh." He had just looked up to see who it was he'd run into, and looked horror-struck.

Angeal smirked at the reaction, amused. He knew Kade pretty well, really, and they got on well, but it seemed that Angeal's reputation would always make him at least a little intimidating even for someone like Kade, who was one of the 2nds that was more comfortable around Angeal than most others. "At ease, kid. Are you all right?"

"I," Kade stuttered, blinking a few times before he shook his head as though to clear it, and looked back up at Angeal with a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his head ruefully. "I'm fine, sir," he said, "just…not entirely sure where I am. I was supposed to meet someone here."

"I heard," Angeal nodded.

Color rushed to Kade's cheeks at once, his eyes widening. "Oh God, all of it?"

Angeal smiled again, crossing his arms over his chest as he shook his head. "Nothing incriminating. Don't look so worried, Lieutenant, you're not in trouble," he said. He turned around and unfolded one arm to point down the way he'd come. "To get out, follow that path, take the second left, and then the next right. On that path take the fourth right, and then the third left you come to. That will put you back on the main sidewalk, which just goes in a circle around the outside, so it'll get you to the exit."

Kade let out a deep breath, his posture losing its tension and his expression slackening with the relief. "Thank God. Thanks, sir, I appreciate the help. You have no idea how much."

"You're welcome," Angeal answered with a little laugh. Kade smiled, and made to walk past him, but then stopped, seeming suddenly hesitant to leave. Angeal frowned in confusion. "Something wrong?"

"No," Kade answered at once, and then bit his lip. Angeal frowned more deeply, which must have looked intimidating because Kade spoke again. "Permission to speak freely, General?"

"Granted."

"I know about you and Zack."

It was the most unexpected thing that Angeal could have heard. He stiffened, his eyes narrowing and his brow furrowing, heart pounding in disquiet. Kade must have picked up on it, because he looked afraid and shook his head, continuing on quickly. "No! It's not. I'm not going to tell anyone, or anything like that. I just…I don't know what happened between you a few weeks ago and he won't tell me anything, and I don't really want to know, I just want him to stop moping around. I'm guessing that he didn't email you to let you know that he got back from that mission this afternoon."

Angeal stared, his expression blank as he took in that information. Kade was right. Angeal hadn't heard from Zack since the kid had left. It was somewhat surprising how badly that stung, and what made it worse was that he deserved that and more. Zack didn't owe him anything. "I see."

Kade sighed, running an agitated hand through his hair. "Stupid fuck. Him, not you, I mean. Whatever it was that went on, you should know that he's hit the point where he's just being a stubborn dick. He's still all moon-eyes for you and he's miserable."

"Lieutenant…" Angeal said in a warning tone.

Kade held up both hands in surrender. "I know, I know. I'm sorry, sir, it's not my place."

Angeal nodded his agreement, and was surprised by the gall Kade showed by speaking again instead of obeying the clear but silent dismissal from a commanding officer. "I just thought you should know that he got back today, since you're his mentor, and all." He then tried to look as innocent as possible, which was something so like Zack that Angeal couldn't be more than exasperated by it.

"Thank you, Kade," Angeal said with a roll of his eyes. "I will keep that in mind. You're free to leave." The kid saluted, this time taking the hint, and turned to go. Just before he rounded the corner, Angeal's voice stopped him. "And Kade?"

"Yes sir?"

"Next time, you might want to think about a less public place for moonlit copulation or testicle reattachment."

Kade made a choked noise in the back of his throat, blushing scarlet. "Fuck," he murmured faintly.

Angeal smirked inwardly. "Good night, Lieutenant."

In reply, he received a mortified, "Good night, sir," followed by the sound of Kade's retreating footsteps as the younger man left before further embarrassment could be wrought.

Angeal waited until the sound of footsteps faded before he started to follow the path Kade had just taken to leave. He walked quickly, determined. He'd see Zack tonight whether the kid wanted him to or not, and they'd talk like they should have weeks ago. Angeal wasn't sure what would come of it, but he was desperate to salvage whatever he could of the relationship he'd once had with his student, and whether that was as Zack's lover, or as his mentor, Angeal would take whatever he could get.

Twenty minutes after leaving the arboretum, Angeal entered his apartment. There'd been no answer when he'd knocked on the door of Zack's apartment. He'd rationalized that the kid was probably getting something to eat, as it was right around dinner time, and that Zack would surely return soon. But after fifteen minutes and too many strange looks from people passing by, Angeal had given up, admitting to himself that it was more than likely that Zack was just refusing to answer the door.

He'd known from the beginning that the relationship was a bad idea, and he'd been right. Now the damage that had been done was probably irreversible. It had been selfish of him to think a relationship with his student could work out, and now the kid couldn't even talk to him, let alone be trained by him. How much would Zack's training suffer because of Angeal's carelessness?

He scrubbed a hand over his face, swearing inwardly as he stepped out of the elevator and turned toward his apartment, disheartened and furious with himself.

Once home, he untied and toed off his boots by the front door, and didn't bother to turn on the light, padding the familiar route to his bedroom, groping along the wall until he found the switch to flip. As warm light flooded the room, Angeal's heart seemed to stop, and his hand fell limply back to his side, his eyes widening.

Zack sat on the side of Angeal's bed. He looked better than he had before he'd left, tired, but his eyes had lost most of the ache they had held the last time Angeal had seen them. Zack was even smiling, a little bit of shy mixed with a little bit of cocky, and it was so familiar and so welcome that Angeal felt a huge weight lift from his shoulders from the sight of it alone. "Hey," Zack said, tilting his head to the side.

"Hey," Angeal answered back awkwardly, unsure whether he should walk closer or stay where he was.

Zack took the decision out of his hands after a moment, standing up and closing most of the distance between them himself, until they stood only a foot or so apart. "We should talk," he said quietly. Angeal was about to agree, but found himself quite suddenly crashing back into the hallway wall across from the doorway with his jaw aching. He lifted a hand to his jaw to pop it back into place, moving on instinct, the rest of his brain taken up by shock.

Zack had just hit him.

"You deserved that," Zack said sternly, and then before Angeal could even begin to form some sort of response, Zack's body was pressed hard against his own and Zack's tongue was pressing into his mouth.

The relief was nearly enough to buckle Angeal's knees, and the pleasure that flared from the feel of Zack against him was even stronger. Angeal moaned softly into Zack's mouth, wrapping strong arms around the other man's lithe body, pulling Zack closer and opening his mouth to Zack's questing tongue. The kiss spoke volumes. It spoke of regret and apology and longing and need and desire and heat and love and fear and anger and so much more that was impossible to decipher. It was hot and intense, passionate, deep, thorough and so very desperate, and by the time it broke both men were completely breathless.

Angeal's shaking hands cupped Zack's cheeks, slid back to thread his fingers into thick black hair. His eyes searched Zack's wet blue ones, desperate to know what this meant, whether it was a goodbye or not, and dreading the answer. "Zack?" he whispered.

Zack shook his head slowly, smiling just a little before a dry sob shuddered through him and he buried his face in Angeal's neck, wrapping around him, holding him as though afraid the older man would disappear. "Fuck," he murmured, the word muffled and unintelligible against Angeal's skin. Zack pressed a kiss to Angeal's neck and then tilted his chin up so that his mouth was by Angeal's ear. "I miss you so fucking much, you clueless bastard," he whispered.

Angeal closed his eyes, his chest tightening in the best kind of pain as he clutched Zack to him more tightly. "I miss you too," he replied hoarsely. "I'm so sorry, Zack. I'm so, so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I was so stupid not to realize—"

He was cut off by Zack's lips on his own again, the kiss this time just long enough to cease the words. "It's okay," Zack whispered, pulling back enough to meet Angeal's eyes. "It's okay. I talked to Genesis today. I mean, not by choice, only because the lunatic had broken into my apartment, but he talked and I listened and I think I understand, some. You're both still complete fuckin' freaks, but I kind of get it now. And I'm not...I'm not entirely sure how this can work or what it all means but I know for sure that I don't want to be without you. And, I mean, it's not like your friends aren't really fucking hot and it would be some sort of hardship to sleep with them."

"Zack," Angeal murmured, lips quirked in a small smile. He was touched and relieved and confused and grateful and even amused, but there was nagging worry there too, worry that Zack was agreeing to this for the wrong reasons. "Are you—?"

"I'm sure," Zack said firmly. "I want to try this...this thing with the four of us. I'm not sure it'll work but I'm sure I want to try. Okay?"

"Okay," Angeal nodded, resting his forehead on Zack's, taking a moment to just breathe him in. He didn't deserve this second chance, didn't deserve it at all, but he sure as hell was going to take it.

-

Worth It

I shouldn't.

That was the thought that Angeal kept repeating to himself as he walked with Sephiroth and Genesis down the wide main hall of the school wing of the SOLDIER floor. It was only a little after nine in the morning, and Zack had only been in lessons for a couple of hours. It would have been wrong to pull the kid out of class (again) for no good reason. But it had been weeks since Angeal had last spoken with Zack. Wutai had lately become even less cooperative than was their norm, and the dramatic increase in Shinra casualties, including SOLDIERs, had startled the President enough to send all three army generals to the front lines. That had been nearly four weeks ago. Finally given their leave after a month of bloody war and a few days spent in negotiation meetings, they had left Wutai, and had landed back at headquarters just after 0800.

All through the flight, and the shower he'd stopped by his apartment to take before the debriefing, and then the debriefing itself, Angeal had been repeating the same mantra in his head: I shouldn't, I shouldn't, I shouldn't...

"Genesis," he finally, reluctantly said, "we can't—"

"Don't even bother to finish that sentence, Angeal," Genesis cut him off, walking a few feet ahead of Angeal and Sephiroth, not slowing his pace nor even turning to look at Angeal as he spoke to him. "Whatever qualms you have in doing this, I do not share them. It's been a long time since we've seen him, and we just returned from one of the worst missions any of us has ever experienced. I want to see him. I'm going to pull him out of class, and then I'm taking him home, and once there will probably pin him to the door and fuck his mouth with my tongue for a little while. All of this will be done with or without your permission. The decision you really need to be making here, old friend, is whether or not you'd really like to miss seeing that."

Angeal and Sephiroth shared a look, one in which Sephiroth smirked and Angeal tried to look stern. It was a fight, however, that Angeal knew he wouldn't win.

Genesis was quick about pulling Zack out of class. It was a practice that the three generals had become well versed in over the last few months, but usually whichever had abused their power to do it would keep the kid only for a few minutes (for a thorough hello or goodbye, depending on the situation) and then make him return to his lessons. That wouldn't be happening this time, of course, but considering how ahead Zack was anyway, guilt was hard to come by. Genesis stepped back into the hallway a few moments after he'd disappeared into the classroom, his lips pulled into a slightly wicked smile. Zack, grinning his incredible grin, joined them soon after, looking amused. Not a word was spoken on the way to Sephiroth's apartment (which was quite a bit larger than Angeal's or Genesis's), but once they were safely inside, Genesis did exactly as he'd said he would.

Zack laughed a little as he was shoved back into the door, and was still smiling as Genesis's lips crushed to his own. His hands clenched in Genesis's shirt as the older man's arms wrapped around him tightly, and Zack opened his mouth to the clever, demanding tongue that pressed past the seam of his lips. Zack allowed (reveled in) the kiss for only a few moments before without warning he shoved at Genesis's chest to push him away. Genesis stumbled back, brow furrowed and eyes narrowed. Zack grinned at him, and then turned to look at Angeal and Sephiroth, his eyes sparkling wickedly in a way that meant mischief.

"Y'know," he said, cocking an eyebrow at the three other men, "if you guys keep pulling me out of class, the others are gonna start to get suspicious. They might start to think that I'm fucking my way to the top, or something."

He sighed in a long-suffering way that fooled no one, and squeezed between Sephiroth and Angeal, moving further into the main room and leaving his three lovers speechless behind him. After he'd walked a couple of feet, he turned back around, still smiling, and tilted his head as though considering his statement. That spark in his blue eyes most definitely meant mischief. Angeal started toward him, Sephiroth and Genesis close on his heels. "Puppy..." he said in a clear warning tone.

"Oh, wait," Zack ignored Angeal, walking slowly backwards across the huge living room as he laughed quietly in mock realization, "I forgot! I am fucking my way to the top, aren't I?"

"Goddess," Genesis breathed in amusement, while Angeal said Zack's name very firmly, and all three generals broke into a jog.

Zack was laughing as he tried to run backwards down the hall that led to the master bedroom. He didn't make it far before Genesis caught up to him, snagging him by the wrist and tugging hard so that Zack lost his footing and fell forward into the other man. As Genesis held Zack securely to his chest, turning around to face the other two, who had slowed to a walk as they got closer, Zack hitched his voice up an octave, trying and failing to hold back laughter, and said softly, "Generals, sirs? Is this what you meant by extra drills? Because the other boys just had to run laps! I—mmph!"

Genesis effectively stopped Zack from anymore talking by kissing him again, even though both of them were laughing too much for it to have any heat. Zack wound his arms around Genesis's neck and jutted his hip out dramatically in a decidedly girlish fashion, and in retaliation Genesis fisted his hand in Zack's hair and forced him around, pulling until Zack was tilting his head to the side and turning on stumbling feet as guided. "Ow, ow, ow! Okay, okay, I get it, I'll be good!" he said quickly, barely able to stop laughing enough to get the words out.

"Promise, little wolf cub, or I'll have to lead you around this way all the time, until I buy you a proper collar and leash," Genesis threatened.

"Promise, I promise!" Zack laughed, shooting his patented big, round and pleading eyes at Angeal and Sephiroth, both of whom had grown quite immune to them, especially when they were betrayed by the uncontrollable smile on the kid's face. Changing tactics, Zack's attention went back to his captor. "Genesis, don't be a dick! Let go of my hair, you cheating fuck!"

"Insubordination," Sephiroth said at once, his tone even and his green eyes made of evil. Genesis laughed softly in delighted agreement. He let go of Zack's hair but only after pulling him back enough to catch him around the waist and hold him back against his chest again. Zack was breathing heavy, smiling brightly enough to outshine the sun, willingly leaning back against Genesis now that he'd been caught and his scalp was no longer in danger.

"Lord," Angeal shook his head, tsking softly. "Zack Fair, you're just out of control. You've clearly forgotten the practice of self-discipline in our absence."

Zack opened his mouth to protest, but was silenced by the smile that quirked Sephiroth's lips, and the flash in those unworldly green eyes. Sephiroth crossed over to him in three graceful steps, pressing close so that Zack was caught between he and Genesis. Zack couldn't even pretend to complain about that.

"It would appear to me," Sephiroth said, gripping Zack's chin firmly, forcing a willing Zack to meet his gaze, "that Lieutenant Fair has forgotten the meaning of the word 'discipline' in any context."

"I quite agree," Angeal said, coming up behind Sephiroth and leaning in to better see Zack's flushed face. Zack was shifting restlessly, smiling with both eyes and lips, curious and a little apprehensive, but most full of anticipation.

"Indeed," Sephiroth replied, his smirk growing. "We will have to remind him."

Zack meant to play along, to go wide-eyed and fearful, but all he managed to do was to push his hips insistently into Sephiroth's and to moan softly. "Yes sir," he murmured thickly.

Angeal smiled, feeling better than he had in weeks after less than five minutes in the company of Zack Fair. Zack wiggled his eyebrows playfully back at him, and Angeal sighed, rolling his eyes and shoving all three of his lovers back a few more steps and into the bedroom.

It was good to be home.

Three days later, Angeal and Sephiroth sat side by side at a large conference table. It was just after ten-thirty in the morning, and they had both been scheduled to sit in on an 'executive Town Hall meeting' that would take up most of the day. Meetings, long ones especially, were something that both had grown used to in all their time at Shinra, and at least this time they were in one together, rather than separated as they usually were.

They were the first to arrive that morning, and sat talking softly for another ten minutes before footsteps could be heard coming closer and closer, and then Ryo Sage walked in. He tossed them both a crooked smile and slid into a seat across the table. "Morning, gentlemen," he drawled.

Sephiroth said hello, and Angeal nodded a distracted greeting and checked his watch curiously. "Aren't you supposed to be teaching the up-and-coming's, Ryo?" he asked.

"No sir," Sage grinned. "Most of the instructors are going to be in here, so classes were canceled pretty last minute. We kept the kids let them out after their third class, about ten minutes ago."

"Wait," Angeal said, looking suddenly very serious, "you mean Zack's off all day?"

"Yeah," Sage nodded with a laugh. "He looked pleased as hell about it, too, almost ran out of the room, and he likes classes more than most of the others. Figure he's lookin' forward to going back to sleep."

Angeal and Sephiroth shared a horrified look that was more than a little unsettling, the cause of which Sage had no desire to know. "I'm gonna go grab some coffee," the older man said with a perplexed frown. "Be back in a few."

Once Sage was safely out of earshot, Sephiroth sighed deeply and turned to meet Angeal's gaze once again."Genesis is off duty today," he murmured.

"And Zack would have gone back to your apartment after he was set loose from class. Which means..."

"They'll be alone. Together. For hours."

Angeal pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting a smile as he recalled Genesis's ever-present appreciation for SOLDIER stamina. "Do you think they'll still be conscious when we get back?"

"I doubt it."

"Hell."

Sephiroth was smirking, just a little. "There's no use worrying about it. We can't do anything from here but hope they record it."

Genesis stepped out of the master bathroom in Sephiroth's apartment amid of a rush of steam, dressed only in his black silk pajama pants. He was humming softly, and toweling his hair dry when something blue on the floor caught his eye. His eyes followed the trail of discarded pieces of Zack's uniform from the bedroom door to where it ended on the floor by the foot of the bed. With a smile, Genesis let his eyes continue up to the bed to take in the elegantly sprawled, beautiful bare body of Zack himself. Zack offered him a lazy smile.

Genesis let the towel drop to the floor, followed moments later by his pants.

"And what are you doing back in bed on this lovely weekday morning, little one?" Genesis asked, his voice low and smooth as he walked over to the bed and crawled up onto the mattress on all fours until he was looming over his young lover.

Zack smiled more deeply, and reached up immediately to feel and touch, always impatient, a flaw that Genesis could appreciate. Genesis closed his eyes, and hummed a soft sigh as Zack's knuckles grazed his cheek. He caught Zack's hand there with his own, and turned it gently until he could press a soft kiss to the palm. Zack wet his dry lips before speaking, his voice husky. "Classes canceled today...some kind of meeting. The same one Angeal and Sephiroth are in, in fact."

Genesis hummed softly, his own smile mirroring Zack's. He let Zack's hand go after another kiss to the palm, and dropped his own to Zack's flat stomach. Zack, always so responsive, arched beautifully beneath the touch as Genesis slid his hand up to the center of Zack's chest, and then all the way down to the impossibly smooth skin just above his swelling cock.

"Spread your legs for me, beautiful," Genesis murmured softly, watching as Zack obeyed without question. Genesis grazed his fingertips over the inside of each thigh, drawing quiet gasps and a soft moan that went straight to his cock, and then he settled between them, easing himself down onto his lover. Zack swore softly, his hips rolling up as his head fell back, when Genesis's long, thick cock touched his own. Genesis made a soft, pleased sound, and sought out both of Zack's hands to pin them lightly with his own on either side of Zack's head, their fingers interlaced. "Mmm," Genesis sighed again, lust heating strong and intoxicating over all of his senses. "So it's just us for a few hours, is it?"

Zack's legs wrapped around him rather unexpectedly, and then tightened to pull Genesis closer still, Zack's hips rolling up again to grind their erections together more firmly. Genesis smiled, opening eyes he hadn't realized he'd closed to look down into Zack's sweet face. "Yeah," Zack answered with a smug little smile. "Just us."

Sephiroth and Angeal were in the meeting for nearly eight hours, and as soon as they had been dismissed, they had made at once for Sephiroth's apartment. It was surprisingly quiet inside, but the smell of sex was unmistakable, and when the quiet was broken by a loud, raw cry that was most definitely Zack, Angeal led the way to the bedroom where it had come from. The sight that met them there was not one that either would soon forget.

Both men were naked and their skin was shining with sweat and what was unmistakably the lube Genesis had bought so much of in Mideel. Genesis was in the middle of the bed, up tall on his knees with Zack pulled back against his chest in the same position. Zack's head was resting back on Genesis's shoulder, and Genesis had both the younger man's hands linked with his own so that their arms were crossed forearm over forearm, and Genesis's hands covered Zack's where they curled around his prominent hipbones. Zack's weeping erection was begging for attention that Genesis wouldn't give, a metal ring visibly wrapped around the base to keep Zack from coming as Genesis fucked him deeply, drawing ragged, exhausted moans from him..

Genesis's mouth had been pressed to Zack's temple, but when Angeal and Sephiroth entered the bedroom, he slid his lips down to murmur sensually in Zack's ear. "Open your eyes, cub, and look who's come to join us."

Zack moaned softly, blinking open glazed, lust-darkened blue eyes that were glowing Mako bright. He lifted his head from Genesis's shoulder, barely, and tried to smile at Sephiroth and Angeal, but just as he thought he might be able to get his mouth to cooperate, Genesis changed the angle just slightly so that his cock pressed hard to that spot inside Zack that made him completely useless. Instead of smiling, his full, swollen and kiss-bruised lips formed a lovely, imperfect 'o' as he gasped, his eyes closing again.

Sephiroth already had his armor and jacket off, and was working at the buckles of his boots, his eyes still on the show. Angeal, breaking out of his lust-driven daze by a soft, breathless laugh from Genesis, started to undress as well. "Have you guys done anything else today?" he asked gruffly, pulling off his boots without bothering to unlace them.

Genesis smiled. "We've done all sorts of things today, Angeal," he purred, breath hitching slightly as Zack clenched around him. Clever trick. "Why don't we have your puppy tell you, hm?"

"Genesis," Zack moaned desperately, "No, please, man...C'mon...need to...please Genesis, touch me...Need...Please..."

"You tell them what you let me do to you today, cub, and I'll take care of you, I promise."

Zack whined helplessly, a sound that had likely been a growl two orgasms ago, and opened his wide, desperate blue eyes to blearily seek out Angeal and Sephiroth. The latter was the first out of his clothes. Sephiroth climbed onto the bed and went straight to the poor boy, kissing him deeply and lovingly, tasting heat and need and traces of Genesis's come still in Zack's mouth. The older man was smirking softly as the kiss broke after a long minute. Zack barely had time to catch his breath before his lips were snared again, this time by Angeal, who swallowed the quiet mewl that slipped past Zack's lips.

"Tell us, puppy," he murmured, voice low and sexy, thick. He stroked damp black spikes off of Zack's forehead, and watched Sephiroth's clever fingers tease at one hard pink nipple until Zack cried out in pleasure.

"Please," Zack implored, closing his eyes again. "Please, please, please..."

"We want to hear," Sephiroth whispered so softly, lips at Zack's ear, his hand still exploring the planes of Zack's chest he had long ago memorized. "Tell us what Genesis has done, how he's touched you, how many times he's fucked you. Tell us everything."

"Everything, cub," Genesis murmured into his other ear. "Tell them everything, but first, I want you to wrap those lovely lips of yours around Sephiroth's cock, and get him nice and slick so he can fuck me deeper into you."

"Yes," Zack nodded a little erratically, "please, please yes. Want." He paused, wet his already glossy lips, and settled his dark gaze on Sephiroth's. "Want to taste you," he smiled a little, tilting his head to the side, eyes falling to half mast. "Want you to fuck my throat, an' then fuck him int' me, yeah?"

Genesis smiled as Sephiroth nodded and sat back on his heels. Genesis let go of Zack's hands so that he could help ease the younger man to bend at the waist, but then Genesis's attention was caught by Angeal's mouth on his own. Genesis moaned gutturally into the kiss, eagerly parting his lips for Angeal's questing tongue. The kiss was hard and passionate and thorough, but quick, because neither wanted to miss a moment of Zack going down on Sephiroth.

Sephiroth tangled his hand in Zack's hair, moaning so quietly as the younger man's lips pressed a kiss to the tip of his cock before opening to envelop the head. It was hot, and slick, and Sephiroth had to fight not to buck his hips up. Zack moaned around him, which pulled a sharp gasp from Sephiroth, and then a louder moan as the tip of Zack's tongue lashed relentlessly at the sensitive slit at the tip of his cock. Sephiroth had his hands fisted in the sheets and in Zack's hair, and kept only enough of his focus to keep from forcing more of his cock into Zack's mouth, but then Zack pulled away completely to look up at him, a smile pulling at his bruised lips. "Don't," he murmured weakly, not tearing his gaze from Sephiroth's even as Genesis's cock rubbed over his prostate over and over again, relentless. "Don't hold back. I want it, want you to fuck my throat. You won' hurt me. I promise."

Sephiroth was hesitant, still, though heat flared even more intensely at Zack's words. He didn't want to hurt his young lover, and surely that would...

"Seph," Angeal's voice broke through Sephiroth's thoughts. Sephiroth found him at once, on his knees behind Genesis, and with Genesis bent so that he was almost draped over Zack's back as the two shared a thorough kiss, sloppy kiss, Sephiroth could see the thrust and twist of Angeal's hand, and knew at once that he was corkscrewing two fingers into Genesis to open him up. "It's okay," Angeal said, giving him a sexy half-smile as he nodded toward Zack. "He can take it. Trust me. His kinks are many and various, and that's one of them. I promise."

Sephiroth nodded, relief so incredible that he was nearly in pain. Angeal pulled Genesis back up to claim his lips again, and Zack peered confidently up at Sephiroth. His eyes fell to half mast as he opened his mouth to take in the head of Sephiroth's cock once again, and they closed as both Sephiroth's hands fisted in his thick hair. Sephiroth was easy at first, just shallow thrusts, but that was apparently too careful for Zack, because he took as much of Sephiroth's cock in as he could suddenly, until the tip hit the back of his throat and he could swallow around him.

That was the end of the self-control he'd been promised he didn't need. Sephiroth let his eyes close and his head fall back as he fucked Zack's mouth steadily, every carnal moan and shiver that thrilled through the kid shooting straight through Sephiroth's cock so he could feel it too. He wasn't violent, or careless, but he was steady and sure and drove his cock to the back of Zack's throat again and again, the lashes from Zack's clever tongue and the vibrations driving him closer and closer to completion. He waited until he was right there, when another single thrust into that skilled, perfect mouth would send him plummeting over the edge. Then he stopped, opening his eyes as he gently guided his cock out from between Zack's lips.

Zack groaned softly, gasping for breath, and he was trembling so badly that Sephiroth felt his chest tighten in fear. Gently, afraid that despite reassurances that he wouldn't, he somehow managed to hurt Zack anyway, he cupped both the younger man's cheeks in his hands. "Zack," he murmured softly, his voice deep and thick. "Zack, look at me."

He was afraid of what he'd see in Zack's expressive eyes, but when they obediently lifted, there was only pleasure, intense, incredible pleasure, and emotion that Sephiroth couldn't understand or try to right then, but none of it negative. The corners of Sephiroth's lips quirked upward, and on impulse he moved closer, urging Zack to lift his upper body back up, helping him do it until he could press close against him and feel Zack's heart pounding against his own. He stroked his fingers lovingly through Zack's sweat-soaked hair, and kissed him gently on the lips. "Thank you."

Zack smiled, and had to clear his throat a couple of times before he was able to find his voice, which was hoarse and raw and incredibly sexy. "For what?"

Sephiroth kissed him again. "I will tell you later," he promised. He pulled back enough to check on the other two, and found both Angeal and Genesis looking back at him, Angeal with a subtle smile, and Genesis with a far more obvious one. Genesis wrapped his arms around Zack's chest and pulled Zack back against him, not possessively, as though he were trying to take him from Sephiroth, but sweetly, as though he'd just been struck with the sudden desire to hug Zack to him. Sephiroth's lips curved a little more. "Anyhow," he drawled, reaching out to trace the pad of his thumb over Zack's bottom lip. "I believe that it's your turn to talk, little one."

"Fuck," Zack swore weakly, still smiling. He turned his head to press his lips to Genesis's throat. Genesis pulled half-way out of him, and then thrust pointedly back in, that one move successfully shattering what little calm and control Zack had managed to find.

"Mmm," Genesis agreed lustily, wickedly, "precisely."

Sephiroth dipped his head and kissed Zack one more time before pulling away completely. Zack closed his eyes, gasping for breath. He wasn't sure he was up to story-telling. He'd been ready to scream and beg and bribe his way to release a good twenty minutes before Angeal and Sephiroth had arrived. Now, he was barely holding onto sanity. He felt the shift of weight on the mattress as Sephiroth and Angeal moved around. He heard Genesis's soft voice purring something to Sephiroth, and then Genesis's arms around him tightened and that smooth, butterscotch voice turned into a rough, pleasure-drenched cry that Zack echoed, Sephiroth's deep thrust into Genesis forcing Genesis to sink more deeply into Zack.

Zack's head fell forward, his chin touching the back of Genesis's hand on his chest. He was nearly sobbing for breath, desperate, aching. He'd been on the edge for so, so long and he wanted so badly to come, but the ring around the base of his cock made that impossible and it wasn't fair!

Genesis pulled almost completely out of him, and then shoved back in with a low, sexy moan. Zack gasped desperately as Genesis's cock hit his prostate, rapture bursting fireworks behind his eyes and making his cock throb painfully. He would have fallen forward had it not been for Genesis's arms around him. The next slow, measured thrust pushed him flush against Angeal, who had appeared in front of him without Zack noticing.

Zack's hands lifted immediately, clutching at Angeal, rocking his hips forward to grind his aching cock against the thigh that situated itself between his legs. "Please," Zack moaned, gripping Angeal's arms hard enough to bruise. "Please, please...Angeal...Need..."

"I know," Angeal's smooth, deep voice said soothingly. His hand went to Zack's chin, forced him to lift his head. Zack opened his eyes, and Angeal was at once taken by the naked, desperate desire in them. "Zack," he murmured, the word barely making it past his lips before they were crushed to Zack's. The younger man responded emphatically, opening his mouth for Angeal's probing tongue, moaning brokenly into the kiss.

It went on for a few precious moments, until another, harder thrust in just the right place inside him forced Zack to pull back so that he could cry out wordlessly in pleasure. His breath was hitching with the dry sobs that caught in his throat. His hands scrabbled for purchase on Angeal's back, fingernails digging in and dragging over skin. Angeal didn't seem to mind that, though. His guttural moan had Zack spiraling further into the chaotic haze of too much rapture.

"Angeal," Zack implored, leaning against Angeal's chest, pushing his hips back helplessly with every thrust as Sephiroth fucked Genesis into him. Genesis was moaning beautifully, his hands still splayed flat over Zack's chest, and Zack could even hear the more quiet sounds of pleasure that Sephiroth made behind Genesis. Zack could imagine what they looked like, had seen it enough times now to have a crystal clear image of Sephiroth's hands on Genesis's hips, his long, thick cock moving in and out of Genesis's perfect ass. Zack moaned weakly, clawing desperately at Angeal, the mental images doing nothing to help calm him. "Angeal, Angeal! Please, please I need to—"

"Shhh," Angeal soothed. "We'll take care of you, puppy."

"Only aft—Fucking hell, Sephiroth!" Genesis spoke up, his normally smooth voice thicker and deeper, tinged with the same desperation Zack was feeling. He'd been doing his damnedest not to come for the last few minutes, and with Zack clenched so hot and tight around him, and Sephiroth hot and hard and perfect inside him, it was more than a little difficult. But he was determined to hold out, so he took a deep breath, calming himself a little before he tried speaking again. "No coming yet, cub."

"Fuck!" Zack answered, emphatic but weak and mostly muffled by Angeal's chest. "I can't...I don't...Please!"

Angeal cupped Zack's cheek, guiding his lover to lift his head so that Angeal could kiss him again, comforting and chaste. Zack blinked blearily up at him, tongue snaking out to wet his lips, and Angeal followed its progress before he spoke in a hot, husky voice. "Soon, Zack, I promise," he murmured. "We want to hear how you spent your day off, first."

Zack groaned, eyes narrowing into a glare that Angeal paid no attention to. The older man smirked a little, lifting his head to see the others. Sephiroth's eyes were fiery, dark with lust and want and amusement. His steady thrusts slowed to a stop, and he pressed up behind Genesis as Genesis pressed closer to Zack. Genesis made a soft sound, and kissed Zack's neck sweetly, shifting a little so that Sephiroth could lean over him and press his lips to the other side of Zack's neck. "Start at the beginning," Sephiroth ordered, his lips touching the shell of Zack's ear. "What did you two do first?"

Zack tilted his head back, using his shoulders against Genesis's chest as leverage to grind his leaking cock harder against Angeal's thigh. Angeal leaned back a little, and slid his hands up and down Zack's long torso. It took Zack a few moments to find his voice, and then another few seconds to find enough of his brain to allow him to speak coherently. "I sucked him off," he managed thickly.

"Mmm," Genesis moaned, smiling cat-like. "That cock-sucking mouth..."

Angeal leaned down to press his tongue into Zack's open mouth for a moment, pulling back again before Zack could really respond. "Were you on your knees for him?"

"N-no," Zack answered, shaking his head. "Was layin' on my back...an' he was over me."

Sephiroth and Angeal both moaned audibly. Angeal pulled his thigh from between Zack's legs, which Zack didn't like, but then Angeal's large, skilled hand cupped Zack's straining erection and stroked firmly, and all thoughts of protest vanished. Zack rolled his hips forward, fucking Angeal's hand. The sudden movement pulled a gasp from Genesis, and Sephiroth followed the lead, setting an easier pace this time as he started to move again. "Keep going, Zack."

"Nn," Zack replied. He nodded, his eyes stinging behind closed lids as he panted, near tears. "Sucked 'im off," he went on, words slurring slightly, "an' just b'fore 'e came I—nn fuck," he paused, riding through a sharp wave of ecstasy before continuing breathlessly. "I started to fuck 'im with my fingers."

"It was hot," Genesis murmured, smiling, mouth open a little, his chest heaving nearly as much as Zack's. "He had three up inside me—so clever, our little cub—and he fucked me with them until I came in his mouth. An' once he'd swallowed it all..."

"He got on his hands and knees," Zack took over, "an' I fucked 'im for real."

Genesis cried out suddenly, clenching hard around Sephiroth, his cock pulsing hard inside Zack. He was close, so fucking close, too close to hold back anymore, overcome by sensation and vivid recollections of all the things he and Zack had done in the last eight hours. Sephiroth's pace picked up and he started to fuck Genesis into Zack harder, faster. Zack and Genesis both lost all ability to speak, unable to do anything but hold on and rock back into every hard thrust until Genesis finally came hard and hot inside Zack, the tight clench of his body pulling Sephiroth hard over the edge with him, their frantic thrusts slowing as they rode through it all.

Tears leaked from Zack's eyes as he was overwhelmed. He scratched desperately at Angeal's back, choking on near-sobs, aching, needing release so, so badly and unable to reach it still. He was pleading with all three of them, their names slurred and overlapped, almost inaudible. Once Genesis came back to himself, sated, breathing heavily and completely exhausted, his grip on Zack loosened and he slid his hands from Zack's chest to his back, rubbing over sweat-slick skin soothingly. Genesis kissed Zack's hair, and his neck, kissed the tears on one of his cheeks. "Soon," he promised. "Soon. You've been so good for me, beautiful. Perfect, cub. So perfect for me."

Zack sobbed out Genesis's name, turning his head, seeking him out. Genesis kissed his lips tenderly, pressed his tongue into Zack's mouth to taste his passion and heart and need, pulling away only after he'd thoroughly explored every part of Zack's mouth that he could reach. He turned at once to share the taste with Sephiroth, who accepted graciously, leaving them both breathless by the time the kiss ended.

After a few moments, Sephiroth gently pulled out. Genesis groaned softly at the loss, but smiled when he felt Sephiroth's hand draw soothing circles over his back. He opened his eyes, turned to meet Sephiroth's beautiful green ones, and smiled more deeply. Sephiroth smiled back, his grin smaller, quieter, but just as deep. Genesis felt it seep into him. He turned back around, and hugged Zack tenderly to him again as Zack's gasping breaths became more labored still.

"So good," Genesis praised again. Gingerly, he eased out of the impossibly tight clench of Zack's body, letting himself collapse back into the pillows. Zack cried out as though he'd lost a limb, but Genesis didn't feel too bad. The cub would be thanking them later, after he recovered from the most intense orgasm of his life. Genesis watched as Angeal drew Zack into his arms, soothing him with soft words and softer kisses, and then Genesis turned his attention to Sephiroth. He reached for his lover, shifting around so that his feet were resting near the side edge of the bed, and he was propped up on his side by the wealth of pillows against the headboard. He pulled Sephiroth down with him to settle on his back with his head resting on Genesis's stomach. Genesis's hand immediately went to comb fingers through silver locks.

Angeal watched all of this over Zack's shoulder, and as soon as they were settled, he met Sephiroth's eyes. Sephiroth smiled a little, nodding as though he could read Angeal's mind. He spread his legs, tilting his head to the side where it lay on Genesis's stomach. Angeal nodded back, smiling slightly, and turned his attention back to Zack, who was still weakly pleading for release. Angeal hushed him gently, kissed him again, and then slowly, carefully began to guide Zack to lie down.

Zack moved slowly, trembling and gasping, swallowing sobs as he let himself be positioned. He caught sight of a pale hand out of the corner of his vision, and closed his eyes, trusting. Sephiroth's arms came around him, and he was cradled protectively against Sephiroth's broad chest. It was warm, and nice, but every touch was like fire on his torn and frayed nerves, and each drag of skin on skin made him whimper from the almost-pain of such exceptional pleasure. When Angeal knelt between his legs, Zack opened his eyes again, whispered Angeal's name. Angeal's palms slid up his inner thighs, around to his hip and the small of his back. He urged Zack to lift his hips. Zack did, eagerly, his lips forming pleas again, his soulful, pretty blue eyes wet and needy. "Zack," Angeal murmured softly.

Zack reached up to grip Angeal's biceps. "Angeal," he whispered hoarsely, lifting his hips more in invitation. "Fuck me."

Angeal obeyed. He wasted no time, quickly coating his throbbing cock with oil from the well-used bottle of lube, and as soon as that was done he was lining up and pushing into his lover. Zack cried out again, fingernails digging into Angeal's skin, hips bucking up to take Angeal in deeper. Angeal didn't stop until he was completely buried, Zack's body clenching tight around his cock. Zack trembled, shuddered, swore softly and urgently, and Angeal began to move.

Zack was in Heaven, in Hell, he didn't know which one or care which one, none of it mattered but the desperate ache, the drive, the incredible need for the release his entire body ached for. He wrapped his legs around Angeal's waist, lifting his hips to meet every hard thrust, his head lolling back and forth on Sephiroth's chest as he said, over and over again, "Please, please, please..." He was there, right there like he had been for what felt like hours and hours. He was shaking, sobbing, clinging to Angeal and Sephiroth both, caught between them, losing his sanity with the world coming in and out of focus and his mind slipping sideways and turning inside out as Angeal fucked him until Zack was screaming in pleasure, in desperation. It went on and on, pleasure and pain and intensity and ecstasy, all of it there and incredible and overwhelming and just when he felt himself about to rip apart at the seams, Angeal's hand worked between their bodies and expertly removed the cock ring.

Zack screamed, coming harder than he could ever remember having come before. The waves of rapture that crashed over him were the most intense, incredible thing he'd ever felt before. His back arched and he cried out again and again until he didn't have enough air left to do anything but gasp, his world narrowing to this moment, second, the profound relief that had him sobbing just as much as the all-encompassing pleasure that wrung him dry. He was vaguely aware of Angeal coming inside him, of Angeal's voice and touch, and he let the feeling take him from the safety of his mind and into perfect chaos.

He came back to himself slowly, he wasn't sure how much later, awareness leaking in past the cotton fuzz in his head. He heard soft voices, quiet, sleepy laughter, and when he groaned softly they quieted. A hand touched his cheek, and lips touched his forehead; three sets of them. He was smiling weakly when he forced heavy lids to lift and opened his eyes.

Angeal's face came into focus above him to the left, and Genesis's to the right. Zack looked between them sluggishly, his tired smile growing. "I think you killed me," he croaked, wincing at how rough his voice sounded.

Genesis and Angeal smiled, and Sephiroth's arm around him tightened. Genesis tilted his head a little, pushing Zack's hair back. He looked nearly as exhausted as Zack felt. After how many times they'd both come that day, Zack was amazed that Genesis had the strength to hold himself up at all. "Told you it would be worth it," Genesis drawled sleepily.

Zack laughed a little, nodding. "So worth it," he agreed.

Genesis smiled again, and kissed Zack's forehead one more time, and then let himself drop down to the mattress. He pressed close to Sephiroth's side, resting his head on Sephiroth's shoulder, his eyes closing despite his best efforts to keep them open. Sephiroth's free arm was around Genesis, his hand curling over a prominent hipbone once Genesis stilled, breathing deeply.

Angeal touched Zack's cheek, dipped his head to catch Zack's lips with his own in a slow kiss. Zack moaned softly, murmured something against Angeal's mouth, something sleepy and pleased that made Angeal smile even though he had no idea what had been said. Once he pulled back, he cupped Zack's cheek again. "You okay?"

Zack smiled, closing his eyes. He shifted a little, getting comfortable against Sephiroth, who laughed softly and kissed the top of his head. "Uh huh," Zack answered. "What 'bout you guys? You old folk are okay?"

Genesis, nearly asleep, snorted softly in amusement. Angeal rolled his eyes and flicked Zack gently in the middle of the forehead. Zack yawned at him insolently, and was asleep within seconds.

Angeal gave a long-suffering sigh, stroking Zack's cheek gently a few more times. He looked up at Sephiroth, whose sleepy green eyes watched him fondly, curiously. Angeal leaned in and they shared a slow, lazy, thorough kiss. Neither were as tired as Zack and Genesis, of course, but neither minded turning in a little early, either.

"Are you going to be able to sleep?" Angeal asked apologetically. Sephiroth was positioned somewhat awkwardly, holding Zack still between his legs and against his chest, and Genesis half on top of him as well. It couldn't have been comfortable, but Sephiroth didn't seem to mind. The corner of his mouth lifted and he nodded. "It's not as bad as it looks. I'll be fine."

"Tch," Angeal said at once. "That's a 'no', then. Here." He reached for Zack, but Sephiroth narrowed his eyes.

"Don't wake him up. I'm fine."

Angeal shook his head. "He won't wake up, I promise. I'm only going to move him a little," he assured. Sephiroth looked wary, but allowed Angeal to move his puppy around. Zack only sighed as he followed the guiding hands that lifted him enough for Sephiroth to get his leg free, and then eased him back down onto his side, his back to Angeal. Once there, though, he started to shift, murmuring unhappily and reaching for Sephiroth.

Sephiroth blinked, curious, and was broken out of his thoughts by Genesis's soft laughter behind him. He looked back over his shoulder to see Genesis on his side, propped up on his elbow, chin in his hand. Genesis smiled at him. "He wants you back."

Sephiroth frowned thoughtfully, turning to face Zack again, who had mostly stilled when Angeal wrapped around him from behind, but was still frowning and searching the space between himself and Sephiroth. Sephiroth caught the wandering hand, interlacing their fingers, and the reaction was immediate. Zack made a pleased sound and, partially awake now, tugged harder on Sephiroth's hand than he'd expected him to. Sephiroth laughed a little in surprise, an eyebrow rising as Zack cracked one eye open to look at him. The younger man smiled and tugged on Sephiroth's hand again, and then let them drop to the mattress, grip still firm.

Sephiroth took the hint, moving closer, settling on his side so that he and Zack faced each other, a few inches apart. Genesis spooned up behind him like Angeal was against Zack, and Sephiroth smiled a little more, shaking his head, mentally filing this sleeping arrangement under 'Unexplained Phenomenon'. It was just too ridiculous for anything else. It wasn't exactly comfortable. It would soon become rather warm, and even though he'd already fallen back asleep, Zack's grip on Sephiroth's hand hadn't loosened enough for Sephiroth to get it back without waking the kid again. Genesis's hair was tickling irritatingly at Sephiroth's cheek, and Angeal's arm, which was slung over Zack's waist and partially over Sephiroth's, was heavy and noticeable. All in all, having all four of them in one bed was less than ideal for a good night's sleep, Sephiroth knew.

But he also couldn't help but notice how perfectly Genesis's knees fit against the backs of his own, and how Angeal's lips parted just slightly as he fell asleep, and how Zack's constant need to be in motion was soothed away as he slept by the closeness of his three lovers around him. They were small details, but Sephiroth liked them. And maybe it was all completely ridiculous. But, then again (as Angeal had told him once, truthfully, years ago), most of the best things in life were.