He walked slowly through the halls, clutching a stack of papers and books and graphs to his small chest. It was the first time that week Saphir had been able to get to the lab. The military academy in Grand Chokmah was rigorous, and he was a scientist, not some idiot military brute. Joining the Malkuth Forces was simply a means to an end. The military funded his research into fonic technology, and they were extremely willing to welcome the genius from Keterburg into officer ranks if he produced technology Kimlasca could not compete with.

Also, Jade was there.

It was a hard two years for Saphir when his childhood friend was adopted by a prestigious military family and ripped away from his hometown. Just on the coattails of the violent death of Gelda Nebilim, Jade Balfour became Jade Curtiss and left Saphir all alone at the age of twelve. He was certain he'd die. He loved the young doctor, worshipped and adored him and the thought of being without him was utterly terrifying. What was even harder to stomach was how easy it was for Jade to go. How willing he had been to leave Keterburg, how quickly he expressed his desire to forsake his family name in favor of another. And then he left, and Saphir was alone.

He had the young fonist's sister Nephry, of course, and big, stupid Peony, but he wanted Jade. His counterpart. Two geniuses born in the same year, in the same city…it could not be coincidence, could not be chance. The Score must have decided they were to be together, and was firmly dedicated to making that happen. For two years, he longed for the fonist; for two years, he wrote him hundreds and hundreds of letters with responses few and very far between. And then it happened. He got a letter from his beloved Jade, and he was asking for him. Telling him to come to Grand Chokmah and join him when he entered the military academy. Implored him to be by his side when he began his research. Jade was ready – finally! – to take the next steps in advancing fomicry, and he needed Saphir. The young technician was on a boat that evening for the capital.

Now two years later, the geniuses were sixteen years old and well on their way to perfecting the science Jade began seven years ago. Saphir spent the majority of his time in the academy in the lab, building the machines that would facilitate their ultimate goal, and his work for the military was done there as well; he had invented a multitude of weapons and machines for soldiers and warships and sent plans to Sheridan for the construction of a massive land dreadnaught. His studies were behind the line of fighting, while his partner worked on the frontline. Jade's time was spent on the field of battle, commanding men and instructing them in combative fonic artes, transforming them into a powerful force that commanded the elements.

Saphir sighed as he approached the lab, swiping his card to gain access to the top-clearance facility. It was late afternoon, and he'd have the lab all to himself until much, much later. Jade often didn't get to the lab until late evening, and would conduct his work throughout the night. His military duties kept him busy enough during the day. After all, Jade had already seen combat, and had already made major. He was talented, cunning, and came from the family of Lieutenant General Curtiss; there was no way the young man would not succeed. Still, Saphir wished he had more time with Jade. There was research to be done, and without Jade, it was slow going.

He dropped his stack of books and papers on his desk and yawned, stretching as he pulled on his lab coat and hit the lights. As they blinked on, the violet eyes of the scientist nearly dropped out of his head. There was Jade, sitting at his desk, hands folded in front of his face and staring. Saphir gasped in surprise and delight and rushed to the soldier.

"Jade! I didn't think you'd be here until later!"

"I wasn't going to be," he said softly, those red eyes glowing in the dim lights. "I need help."

"…w-what with?" The Major held out his right arm, pulled up his sleeve, and blood dripped from the appendage. Saphir hissed, immediately reaching for a cloth he kept in his back pocket and held it tightly to his friend's arm. "Idiot."

"It is necessary."

"It will kill you. All of our test subjects died when we tested this. After going insane, may I remind you."

He waved his other hand dismissively. "Replicas."

"And actual people!"

"That had been replicated! Our subjects on this are substandard at best, and replicas have defective brains to begin with. Our data is inconclusive." He paused, biting the inside of his lip and his eyes darting about the lab, swift mind working in overtime. "…that being said, I need you to run a mental evaluation as well."

Saphir stood still, gently holding the cloth to the bloody arm and very slowly lay his hand on Jade's strong chest. "What will I do if this kills you…"

"It won't."

"The Contamination Effect is dangerous, Jade."

"Spare me the lecture. Can you do what I ask?"

"I am no biologist!" Saphir snarled as he snatched a wet cloth from a basin and wrapped it about his arm, wiping the blood away. The pale forearm was stained with scars. This was not the first time Jade came into the lab like this, and it certainly would not be the last. Like nearly everything he attempted, Jade would succeed, he knew that, but watching the struggle with such dangerous science was stressful. He needed Jade. He needed him…

"Take off your jacket, your sleeves are in the way."

Jade shrugged the military coat off and quickly unbuttoned the shirt underneath, dropping both onto his chair and sitting straight up, arm on the desk while Saphir worked on healing the wound. "Perhaps you should create a healing machine," the Major offered coolly as the scientist tightened bandages around the wound.

"If you could use the Seventh Fonon, I would."

"If I could, we wouldn't be in this position!" he snapped, temper flaring and those dangerous eyes glowed, and Saphir backed away quickly.

"I-I know that…"

"Then don't say such stupid things! You're the mechanic, not me! Figure it out!"

Head low, the smaller man crept toward the intimidating man and gently – carefully – laid his hands upon his chest and slid on to his lap, meek and quiet and avoiding those angry red eyes. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"

Jade took a deep, calming breath, his heart rate slowing down as the smaller man pet frantically at his bare chest. He gently traced the jaw line of the shaking man and carefully lifted his chin up to meet his eyes. "Poor Saphir…that was unkind. I most sincerely apologize."

He took a shaky breath and leaned his head against the strong shoulder, pressing his lips against the cool skin. "You aren't mad?"

"No." He kissed the corner of Saphir's mouth, smirking as he watched the color rise in the pale face. "Come. We have a lot of work to do tonight. Your latest replication machine broke. Fix it."

"Tch, you say it like it's simple."

"For you, it is."

He rolled his eyes, lightly hitting the soldier's chest as he stood up and snatched the blueprints from his desk, grabbing a tool belt and tightening it around his thin waist. Jade followed him, hands folded behind his back and face infinitely amused.

Saphir hissed as he got to the machine, circling around it and quickly glancing over the many panels. "Jade, you broke it."

"I told you it was broken. It didn't like creating the replica, though it took the data perfectly."

"Hmph." He grabbed a wrench from his tool belt and opened one of the side consoles, his nimble fingers quickly disconnecting wires and nodes and repairing damage that only he could see.

"…what are you doing?" Jade inquired.

"Fixing it," he snapped back, and the soldier smiled softly.

"Talk at me."

Saphir sighed, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. There was very little Major Curtiss enjoyed more than listening to the scientist talk about his obsession. With a deep breath, he began. "I am reattaching the wires to receive direct input from the replication data instead of allowing it to process first. By overriding this process, there can be no translation errors in the replicas, which should stop this error from happening." Jade said nothing, but he could feel the soldier smiling. He continued. "We may have some issues in the next few replicas we make, though, until this configuration is tested and perfected."

"That is inconsequential. Replicas are disposable."

"But originals are not," Saphir said firmly, shaking the wrench at him. "We need a strong subject, or we're going to have outside errors we cannot afford when testing a prototype."

Jade shrugged. "Tensions with Kimlasca are escalating, and I am almost certainly being sent to Kaitzur next week. I'll be sure to bring back casualties."

"Just make sure they aren't dying. We need them for multiple replications, we need them strong."

"Mmm, that could be challenging…" He ran his long fingers down the mechanic's back and smiled as the small thing shivered. "I think I can manage. Shall I bring you a Kimlascan commander? The Colonel? A hero, perhaps? I hear their Pyroclast will be in the division we are fighting…"

"Don't do anything dangerous, Jade…"

"Hush, Saphir." He gently stroked the worried man's cheek, and the scientist couldn't help but smile. "Let us remember what I did to General Steele. Some hero he was."

"You were lucky."

"I was good. And now I'm better. I am not worried and you should not be either. You will have your subjects, and we will advance the science."

"And when we perfect it, we shall have our Professor back."

"Exactly."

He stroked the long, brown hair, gently touched the bare skin of his chest and leaned in just enough for the soldier to claim his lips with his own. There was a passion between them that could not be understood by others, were the two inclined to explain, and they were not. Together, they had created life and death. They were born in blood together the night Gelda Nebilim died, and together they would conquer death itself. That was the promise they had made to each other, and both men always kept their word.

They were out of breath and hopelessly tangled in each other when they managed to break away, faces flushed and panting feverishly. "…I need you to put a fonic arte here," Saphir said softly. "And we must redo the others as well…"

Jade rubbed his hands together, the soft glow of readied fonons surrounding his long fingers. "Where and which?"

"Center and six, Rem; twelve, Shadow; three and nine, Undine."

"…interesting." With very little effort, the fonist laid the artes in place, the wires and components twisting and writhing and setting in position as the charged fonons touched them. When that was complete, Saphir put the face of the consol back in place, tightening the screws and quickly checking for any other imperfections.

"That's it for this side. I'll have to check the rest after I calibrate it."

His nose wrinkled, the red eyes narrowing. "What a pain."

"Exactly why I do this when you aren't here, but you're early. Deal with it." He picked up his blueprints and put his wrench back in his tool belt. "And I need you to help me build the next one. Get me the vibration gauge, I need it while you're going to be hammering the big stuff in place."

"Brute work, Saphir?"

"It's what you're good for."

He smiled as he grabbed the tools and followed the little scientist to the large framework of what would be their newest toy. "When I return from Kaitzur, I'll be on leave."

The purple eyes lit up. "For how long?!"

"Two weeks. But the Curtiss' are going on the Pilgrimage." A frown. "Again. Naturally, my presence is required."

"They are wasting your time! What of the science?!"

Jade laughed at this as he picked up the hammer and climbed to the top of the framework. "Let us remember that we have all the resources we need for as long as we need them. You are invited to come along, naturally."

For a moment, Saphir looked torn, conflicted between his calling, and his lover. But the moment was a quick one. "Not much time for ourselves on that stupid thing, is there?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised how much time we'll have. When you don't give two shits about the Score, the evenings become surprisingly dull."

"Hopefully not too dull, you get violent when you're bored."

Those red eyes lit up and he grinned widely, making him look like a demon, and Saphir was paralyzed as he watched the elegant body swing down from the machine's bare framework. "Just when I'm bored, darling?" he purred softly, menacingly as he cupped the teen's chin hard, and the scientist felt weak in the knees. "Shall we test that?"

"N-no, I-"

"You love it," he growled, biting at his neck and the scientist gasped, raking his fingers across the broad shoulders.

"J-Jade…" Saphir whimpered pathetically, and he was filled with need. The soldier was erratic, and how he would be was entirely dependent on seemingly random factors. For as many times as the soldier was sweet and passionate and loving, he was equally rough and harsh and borderline violent. How he would be today…it wasn't looking gentle, but the scientist couldn't help but become extremely aroused at the thought. "I-is…um, is your father home?"

"Yes."

His heart sank. "You are teasing me! That's not fair!"

And he was kissed. Hard. He collapsed against the tall, strong soldier as if he wished to melt into him. "I am not teasing. I am telling you to drop your pants and band over Station Eight."

And he did so as fast as he could. Within moments, the frightening soldier was buried within him, keeping a deep, even pace and affectionately kissing at the smooth thin shoulders. Despite the talk and how terrifying he had been, Jade was gentle with him, even a bit affectionate, and Saphir had never been more in love with him.

They finished much later, the two hot and sweaty and panting and hopelessly tangled in each other. The soldier shivered as he ran his long fingers across his lover's thin waist, groaning softly as his hips slowly pumped his climax into the tired, moaning researcher. He laid a slow, long kiss on the pale, smooth skin of his shoulder. "I think the calibration is done."

"Mmm, probably…what time is it?"

"I don't know…three or so."

"Oh, dear Yulia, Jade…"

The soldier yawned as he brushed back his hair, nibbling on the man's ear tip. "It's not so late. I don't have role call until seven."

"No sleep?"

"Sleep is for mortals." He kissed the boy softly as he pulled out of him. "Besides, I count our…excursions as rest."

"You are inhuman…"

"And you can sleep when I leave. We don't have Combat Tactics until five."

Saphir sighed, picking himself up on shaky legs and dressing. "Do you have anything to do after that?"

"No."

He smiled brightly, and his heart leapt up in his chest. "So…we can spend the evening together?"

"Yes." Jade smiled and grabbed the boy by his hips and drew him against his body. "And my mother and father will be at some formal function…"

"Perfect. I love your bed…"

"Oh, so do I. Now come along. Look at us still talking while there's science to do!"

Saphir gathered his tools together and pulled Jade with him to the replica lab. There was much work to be done.