Disclaimer: I do not own FF7, CCFF7, Loveless, etc. That's Square Enix. The writing and yaoi are all mine. Whoo.

Warning: yaoi, meaning two dudes, specifically Sephiroth and Genesis, together. Yes, sexually at times. Darkness here and there. Fluff sometimes, too, though I tend to avoid it. Maybe violence. Maybe alcohol. Depends. Oh, possible lemon?

IMPORTANT: this pseudo-oneshot is set during my other fanfic, The Memory of Falling. I may make references to it. I will generally set up in my AN which chapters these take place during.

Author's Note: This takes place after "Temptations" and partially during "A Taste of Banora". It includes scenes which did not fit into the flow of the main storyline, but I wanted to write anyway. That is pretty much what this whole 'story' is going to be, a bunch of sections cut out from The Memory of Falling.

Music: "Night of Seclusion" –CCFF7

THE CALL OF DUTY (Part 1)

Genesis was not sure what to think, looking down at the small note again as the elevator propelled him upwards. The handwriting on that scrap was flawless but simple, no extra strokes and loops and frills, just the writing. It could have passed as typed and printed, but Genesis knew the difference between pen ink and printer ink. If it had been typed, Genesis would not have bothered coming. Hand written was personal, meant more. It meant the author had spent time on it.

It was an odd request, the other thing which piqued his interest. Dinner. Food was not normally an oddity, though at such an hour, it was. Genesis glanced at the clock in the elevator, noting how it was almost time for SOLDIER floor's curfew to go into effect. Though he had no curfew now, it was still programmed into his mind. That was the effectiveness of SOLDIER training in action. Genesis smiled at that, looking down at his feet.

Being around the General still made him a touch nervous.

It was not the usual nervousness people felt around Sephiroth, either. Genesis knew full well that something would happen like the last time, when they had ended up kissing on the couch after their brief discussion about Murphins. That was a type of external pressure he had not been counting on. Genesis felt obligated. The General was inviting him to dinner, a really late dinner.

With a ding, the elevator door opened, Genesis stepping out. He walked with graceful steps, gliding across the metal floors until he came to that lone door, raising his fist. He did not knock yet. Pausing, Genesis ruffled a hand through his hair, checked his breath, both to satisfaction. He stood up slightly straighter when he did reach out to knock.

In a few seconds, Sephiroth was opening the door, welcoming him inside. Genesis could smell food. The aroma was absolutely delicious. His mouth began to water immediately, Genesis eagerly stepping in. His apprehension was forgotten. Sephiroth smiled, leading the way to the couch in the main room, the glass table in front of it covered with take-out food from a Wutaian place not far from the ShinRa building. There were all types of food to choose from. Genesis did not know what he wanted, taking a pair of chopsticks, mulling over it.

"Try this one." With skilled fingers, Sephiroth manipulated his own pair of chopsticks, lifting a little morsel from one box, offering it forward. The smile on his lips was coy, daring. Genesis knew that look. Opening his mouth, he let the food be put in it, the redhead closing his mouth on Sephiroth's chopsticks, making them more difficult to remove. Genesis grinned, chewing once he could. Oh. It was great. "Tseng suggested the place."

Genesis returned the favor, picking up something from another box, fingers not so accustomed to chopsticks as he fed the General. It was an interesting process, though soon enough they both went to feeding themselves more than one another. Teasing was fine, but Genesis was starving. Waiting to eat dinner so late had almost been painful, but well worth it.

Fortune cookies were always the best part. Genesis broke his open gently, pulling out the ribbon of paper as though it was a sacred tome. He flipped it over. The blue letters read: iAn interesting proposition will be made to you in the near future./i Stereotypical fortune cookie. Genesis sighed, putting the fortune down to eat the vanilla flavored cookie.

"iYour life is an open book. Begin the next chapter./i"

"Saying it aloud stops it from coming true."

"It's just a fortune." It was obvious Sephiroth did not believe in such things, a pale hand snatching the other fortune, green cat eyes reading it over. A devious smile cracked on his lips. "I have a proposition to make you."

"Yes?" Genesis pretended to look uninterested, though he very much was. What was the General so obviously up to?

"How about we cut loose? Forget about the world and all its expectations for a short while?" Sephiroth leaned closer, dropping the fortunes on the table as he did so. Genesis knew this game. He gazed at the far wall as though ignoring. He knew how much Sephiroth hated being ignored. It was an easy button to push. "Have a little fun?"

"You want to spar? We just ate!" Genesis turned his head, lips immediately silenced by a kiss. The General was closer than Genesis had expected, one arm wrapping around his waist, the other on the couch next to his thigh. Their chests were practically touching. Genesis tried to move back. Sephiroth just moved with him, the two half laying down on the couch in a matter of moments.

A cell phone was buzzing. They both looked at the table. Sagging onto Genesis in defeat, Sephiroth reached over, flicking the phone open and pressing it to his ear. "Yes, Hojo? Hmmm. Now? Fine." It was a short conversation, only half of which Genesis could hear. Moments later the phone was snapped shut, Sephiroth climbing off him. "Hojo would like to run more tests. He has constructed a few new simulations."

"At this time of night?"

"There are too many onlookers during the day." Sephiroth gathered up the empty take-out boxes, stacking them neatly and efficiently. Genesis tried to help, though he felt more in the way than of aid. The General was quick, efficient. Soon everything was picked up, chopsticks washed and put away as well. The trash was thrown out. "It shouldn't be long."

"I've never been patient."

"Even an hour?"

Genesis nodded, shrugging. He hated waiting. Just sitting around in Sephiroth's apartment would lead to him snooping about and getting into more trouble than the reward was worth. He knew how far the reward would go. Though Genesis had not been so picky in the past, he was being now. The redhead was not yet comfortable enough with Sephiroth to let him free reign over his body. Not yet. Sephiroth had to at least say his first name before that happened.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?"

"Angeal's birthday." Genesis spoke as he showed himself the way out. There was no point in staying. He and Sephiroth got into the elevator at the same time, each pushing a button for the opposite direction. The elevator went down first, to the SOLDIER floor. All he did was wave before heading out. There were cameras in the elevator, so more was off limits.

The call of duty always came first.