He was going to burn that book. Oh yes, Sephiroth pondered in delighted glee as he walked down ShinRa corridors, he was going to watch the papers curl black and the leather start to reek before it to turned into a crisp, dark, *fragile* mess, watch as the last embers burned out and died and the book was just a smeared stain on the floor….

He was the first to admit he might have some rather dangerous pyromania tendencies.

But still, that was nothing compared to Genesis and his obsession with that damn poetry book! Sephiroth had no idea how Angeal could stand it; probably the man just tuned the red-head out at the first sign of quoting. It was fairly easy to spot the signs after all – Genesis would stand up straighter, strike a dramatic pose, his heart and pulse speed up (notable only perhaps to First Class Soldiers) and then….he would begin. And never end!

Endless gibberish of so –called poetry kept running over and over in the Silver General's head, much as he desperately tried to push it away. He'd tried to tune out Genesis today, but all that had amounted was making both him *and* Angeal pissed at him and then they had attacked – Genesis *still* quoting Loveless! – and in such a situation not even Sephiroth dared to tune out Genesis even though if the rapier had cut of his head he might get some peace in the afterlife. So he'd had to fight them both, focused, and that meant hearing every damn word.

Enough was enough. He had enough voices in his head as it was, he didn't need this. Loveless had to die.

Carefully taking the elevator up one floor further than Genesis apartment was, Sephiroth stepped out and into the library. This being ShinRa, there were of course security cameras everywhere, but why would anyone – even a Turk – find it suspicious if the Silver General took some time relaxing in the library after training? It was a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

Loveless wasn't here, of course. Not the copy he was after anyway. No, he wanted Genesis personal book. He walked quietly and sure footed through the still library, nodding politely to the few people there. Soldiers weren't known to run down libraries in their search for great literature after all.

Sephiroth knew that simply burning the book really wouldn't solve anything. Genesis probably knew it by heart, and even if he didn't he could always buy a new copy just about anywhere. But still, it would provide immense personal…satisfaction… to destroy it. And since Genesis was at the labs getting some minor injury checked, Sephiroth knew he had about half an hour to do so. Plenty of time.

He went straight through the library, opened a window and jumped out.

Landing neatly on the slim window sill just outside Genesis' room, Sephiorth didn't even bother to look at the 20 floor drop behind him. It wasn't as if it could have hurt him to fall if he had missed, but why would he miss? The doors to all apartments were locked and had break-in alarms, but the windows didn't. You had to be a First Class Soldier, or possibly a suicidal Turk, to even consider breaking in this way.

Sephiroth opened the window and stepped in, careful not to touch anything. Genesis would demand a sweep through the apartment once he found out what had happened, and Gods knew ShinRa had enough of their general's DNA to track him easily if he left anything behind.

The apartment was neat and rather fancy, but he quickly found what he was looking for. A slim, leather bound book resting in a place of honor in the bookshelf next to Genesis' bed.

A Fire spell could have easily incinerated it, but no. This was more personal and it required a personal touch. He had gasoline and matches in his pocket and at least 15 more minutes before Genesis would arrive….Greedily, Sephiroth reached for the book that had caused him so much trouble.

The alarm set of the second he touched it, a loud, horrible clanging that echoed throughout all of ShinRa and Sephiroth almost dropped the book. Soldier hearing picked up the sound of running boots quickly coming towards him- Genesis' steps, he must have been done faster than expected at the labs – and there were no chance of Sephiroth getting out before the red-head showed up.

Panicking, the Demon of Wutai did the only thing he could think of – he put the book back and dived for cover under Genesis' bed.

The alarm didn't stop, not until the door was unlocked and Genesis hurried in, gently picking up his Loveless. From underneath the bed – and when had his life been reduced to this? – Sephiroth could only see boots and a red cape and pray that Genesis didn't think of searching for a burglar.

"My poor little baby," Sephiroth almost banged his head against the underside of the bed when Genesis started cooing. It took him a second to realize the russet man was talking to the book. Talking. To the book. "Did someone try to put their dirty hands on you?"

The bed sank down a little as Genesis – to Sephiroth's horror – sat down on it, still with the book in hand.

"Don't worry, my love, no one will harm you now. I will take care of you." Genesis voice suddenly fell several octaves and became strangely hoarse. "Oh yes, I will take good care of you, you filthy little thing!"

There was a sound of leather opening and Genesis' pulse started speeding up. In acute horror, Sephiroth realized what was about to happen and his last coherent thought was if it was possible to commit suicide by pure will power.

"Letting someone else paw and grope at you, huh." Genesis panted. "I'll show – ah – I'll show you who you belong to! Mmh! My lovely, filthy little book…."

What the Hell was he doing on the – to the – *with* the damn thing? Sephiroth didn't want to know. He didn't want to be here. Crawling together in a featus position he pressed his hands over his ears, which of course did nothing for Soldier hearing and tried to shut out the smut, the moaning and – oh Gods! – still the Loveless quotes! But it was impossible.

Genesis had won. He might not know it, but he had defeated, no, even broken the Demon of Wutai who now lay in a shivering heap under his bed praying for it all to be over.

When Genesis finally gave a strangled cry, Sephiroth shut his eyes and tried to imagine being anywhere else. But at least after that, Genesis breathing evened out and his pulse slowed down and he finally fell asleep.

Broken and sullied, Sephiroth crawled out under the bed, not daring to look at the sleeping man and his book – he didn't need real images to go with the ones his brain had so generously provided – and fled.

Loveless was safe. There where no way he was even thinking of touching it again after this.