Title: Troubled Child

Word Count: 973

Characters: Angeal Hewley & Genesis Rhapsodos

Notes: Always have been intriguing characters…

The early morning tinged the sky a delicate pink; the bold color of the crimson sun added an awe-inspiring contrast.

Angeal hoisted himself over the traditional wooden fence. He wore dark pants and a worn, white shirt. His long hair tickled his ears whenever the wind would blow.

Angeal moved slowly, trying to stay in the early morning shadows that were already melting away.

His fingers twitched as he watched the straggly tree, its full, white apples hanging from its thin branches.

To see the striking ivory apples hanging from the old, decrepit tree was odd. Something beautiful from something ugly.

And the tree certainly wasn't pretty. An enormous creased trunk tapered up into a thin top with a number of branches. The branches were long and fragile, and impossible to climb.

Angeal would know. They always broke when he tried to reach an apple from higher up. After his mother had heard that he broke a branch from a neighbor, she would only let him pick apples if he used a ladder.

As he reached the tree in the mayor's fenced off land, he felt slightly guilty of stealing. The only reason he even wanted to do this was because his neighbor had promised him that she would bake a pie for his mother's birthday; if he picked the apples. He had wanted the mayors White Banora tree's apples because they were suppose to be the most delicious and firm.

But standing in front of the tree, it felt wrong. This wasn't who he was. Wasn't what he wanted to become. He was going to join the army and become a 1st class SOLDIER.

He puffed out his chest and felt proud. His mother had always told him that he was destined to be in SOLDIER. His mom said that his father had lived and died as a SOLDIER. Angeal thought that his dad would be proud to know that his son was following in his footsteps.

Angeal let out a sigh. The morning was coming fast, if he was going to take the apples he would have to do it now. He looked at the White Banora tree again.

"If you're going to take them, do so already."

Angeal always knew that he was healthy and strong, but he was sure that he had almost experienced a heart attack right then.

The mayor's son looked around the tree. He had been sitting on the other side of the tree's wide trunk. He had been so well concealed in the shadows at the base of the tree that Angeal hadn't noticed him.

Angeal's guilt flared as he looked into the son's blue eyes. He struggled to remember his name, from all those years back when Angeal's mother had introduced them.

He remembered that his mother had been acting strange that day. He remembered that the kid had been adopted. He remembered that his name was Genesis.

Genesis was holding a red leather book; it was small and refined-looking. Since Genesis still had the book open, Angeal couldn't see the title.

He thought that Genesis would be mad at him for trespassing on the property, be mad at him for trying to steal the apples. The only thing he looked irritated about was the fact that his reading had been interrupted.

"Sorry…" Angeal finally said, lowering his eyes.

Genesis shrugged. "They're just apples. Who cares?"

Angeal looked up, his eyebrows knitting together, "Who cares? The whole village cares! It's our pride and livelihood!"

"Hmm." Was all Genesis said, going back to his book.

Angeal stood there awkwardly, being reminded of why he didn't pursue a friendship with this boy before. Now he knew that he should go, but leaving without saying anything final seemed rude.

"'Tis the shadows that hide from the sun, but what for their reasoning? With too much sun, the shadow would not appear, but with none, the shadow would not exist.'" Genesis flipped the page, "Loveless, Act Two."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Angeal asked.

"Whatever you want to take it as." Genesis said, that perpetual smile on his lips.

"Loveless, did you say? I never read it."
"Most haven't."

"You seem to enjoy it, to be able to quote it."

"I read it every day."

"Oh." Angeal said, thinking that if this kid was rich, that must mean he didn't have to do anything else with his day but read.

Angeal thought that before he realized that there was a practice sword lying by Genesis.

"Do you…fight?"

Genesis finally took his eyes off the book, seem to remember the sword. And Angeal, for that matter.

"Yes." He said, "fairly well." He retuned his gaze back to the book, "I'm going to be a 1st class SOLDIER one day."
"Really? I'm going to be too! I practice every day for it. I've even started to count the days till—" Angeal stopped, realized that he was rambling and that Genesis was now starting at him intently.

"Really." He said, smiling. "Would you like to come by later and practice?"

Angeal nodded his head, suddenly wondering how good he actually was.

"Good." Said Genesis, flipping the page on his book again. "Then I'll see you later. By the way, if you still want to take a couple of the apples, you can."

"No, no. I don't want them. Thank you, though. I need to go…bye."

As Angeal started to walk away, he stopped. "Hey, Genesis," He said, Genesis didn't respond, but Angeal figured that he was listening. "Would you mind not telling anyone that I tried to…?" Angeal trailed off.

Silence. Angeal thought he hadn't heard him, but he was too embarrassed to say it again.

Then, "I won't."
Angeal nodded at the tree, even thought he couldn't see Genesis anymore. Then he started running before anyone else could see him.