All That I Have

Genesis kicked the tree, his hands in his pockets. He glanced over to where his friend, Angeal, was sitting on the ground staring up at the clouds.

"'Geal?" he said softly.

"Yeah, Gen?" Angeal asked, looking over to meet his gaze.

"D'you reckon I'd make it into SOLDIER too?" he asked.

Angeal paused, staring at his friend and wondering what had brought on this question. It was then he realised he hadn't given a thought to Genesis when he expressed his dream to join SOLDIER and get a chance to use the buster sword which had been passed through his family.

"Sure, Gen! We'll go together." Angeal said, standing and walking over to the red-head.

"You're just saying that." Genesis mumbled, moving away slightly.

"I'm not, Gen. We'll join SOLDIER together, I promise!" Angeal urged.

"But I don't have anything, I won't make it." Genesis shrugged and turned away. "You've got your buster sword and you're really strong. I'm small... I won't make it."

"Hey, don't think that way." Angeal put a hand on Genesis' shoulder, twisting him around to face him. "You'll do fine! Okay?"

"How do you know?" Genesis shrank away from his friend and narrowed his eyes angrily. Angeal sighed.

"Gen, I don't see why you're worried. You'll do fine!" Angeal encouraged him desperately, not liking talking to him when he was upset like this.

"But you know I'm not in perfect health!" Genesis yelled. It looked as if something in him had suddenly snapped. "You know sometimes I can't even stand because it hurts so much! How am I supposed to be a SOLDIER when I've got such an erratic problem!?"

"Gen, I didn't-"

"I don't want you to go off and leave me here by myself! Dad's always so busy being the stupid mayor that he hasn't even noticed there's something wrong with me yet. You're my only friend! Don't leave me behind!" Genesis took a deep breath and let it out shakily, staring at the ground with his hands curled into fists.

"Gen, listen," Angeal said softly. "Maybe the people at ShinRa can help you. But even if they can't I'll still help you do your absolute best to get into SOLDIER. Please Gen, believe me when I say I would never leave you here by yourself."

Genesis looked away, his eyes stinging.

"I'm so sick of it all." he whispered. "How am I supposed to train to be a SOLDIER when at any moment I could collapse in pain?"

"Gen, you've just gotta give it all you've got. If you don't get in and I do, I'll quit." Angeal said. "I'm sorry I never really said anything about you coming, but I honestly never imagined going without you."

Genesis looked over at Angeal again, confusion written all over his face. His hands relaxed and he tilted his head to the side.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

Genesis looked down at the ground again and grinned. "Then I guess I'll just have to give them everything I have."

"That's the spirit!" Angeal grinned. "Now c'mon. We'd better go eat those apple pies before they go cold." Genesis looked up at him, a mischievous gleam in his eye, and the two sprinted back to Angeal's house as fast they could in a spur-of-the-moment race.

Genesis smirked as he slipped in the door ahead of his friend. Maybe there was hope for him yet.

He was faster.