It was snowing.

Tseng frowned in distaste, subconsciously pulling his suit jacket closer around himself as he glared at the swirling flakes of grey which obscured the usual grimy Midgar panorama. He hated the cold.

With the barest hint of a sigh, he turned back to his desk, returning to the stacks of mindnumbingly boring administration.

That was how he morning began.

By lunchtime, his head was already beginning to feel as if someone had filled it with cement, a steady pressure was building on his temples, and his nose felt as red as a traffic light.

Reluctantly, he reached for his PHS.

i"My apologies, I do not think I will be able to meet you this evening."/i

There was a small delay before the answering beep.

i"Alright. I'll see you soon?"/i

Tseng smiled slightly, appreciating the lack of questions. Genesis was so understanding, so undemanding of information Tseng could never disclose. He couldn't tell the General when he was going on a mission, when he would be back, why he had to cancel, and Genesis just left it. This time, though, Tseng felt a little guilty at the cancellation, so he offered an explanation anyway.

i"It's not that I don't want to, but my nose would clash with your hair."/i

Genesis smiled a little at the deprecating humour, and glanced up out of the barracks window, unsurprised at the violent flurries which met his eyes. The cold always had zapped Tseng's immune system pretty effectively.

i"I bet you look gorgeous. Go home and curl up with a blanket and a bowl of soup."/i

Tseng chuckled nasally at that. Genesis was always such a mother hen when people got ill. He had never known anyone else mother from a distance - the redheaded General also hated getting ill.

The moment Reno walked into the office and took one look at his boss, he put both hands palm down on the desk and bent to glare into the other's dark eyes.

"Stop pissin aroun an go home. Ya the illest ya been since tha' winter three years ago when ya had a mission in Icicle. All ya doin here is feelin shit an' breathin' on us. Go home."

Tseng shot him a baleful glare, but sighed and began packing up his things. Reno could probably handle the office without blowing anything up for a few hours at least. His eyes glittering, and arms folded in front of him, Reno watched the other collect his stuff, then escorted him to the elevator.

"Go be ill somewhere else. We'll be fine here."

Tseng nodded, too miserable to even raise a hand in farewell as the door shut. Instead, he rested his forehead on the deliciously cool metal interior of the lift, letting it soothe his fever a little.

The sun was setting, not that that made any difference to the ambient light levels outside; the weather was still miserable. The last shafts of light fell across the too-pale cheek of the Head Turk as he dozed under a ridiculously kitsch knitted blanket which was completely at odds with the understated oriental elegance of the decor. It had been a present from Genesis the first time Tseng had been ill. The redhead had been shocked and dismayed that he had no "big snuggle blanket that just makes you feel warm!".

His eyelids flickered at a soft knock on the door, but he did not respond further than a groan. After a few moments the door opened noiselessly, and a figure entered quietly, turning to shut and lock the door behind itself.

Tseng's beetle-black eyes opened blearily when, as Reno would have put it "His Turks senses were tingling!" or, as he himself would have described it, that sixth sense, that awareness which kept Turks alive, alerted him that there was an unexpected presence nearby. He moved as if to launch an attack, but when he finally managed to focus, he saw the familiar copper hair and crimson leathers of a certain SOLDIER First Class. He smiled despite himself, and croaked a greeting.

"Genesis..."

The SOLDIER jumped and wheeled on him. Even ill Turks apparently moved too subtly for SOLDIER hearing.

"I thought you were asleep!"

Tseng nodded agreeably, not wanting to talk much, but smiling as Genesis crossed over to him, running those beautifully slender fingers through his hair, and cupping his burning cheek with a refreshingly cool hand.

The redheaded General frowned in sympathy, and bent to kiss Tseng's forehead.

"You poor thing. You look so miserable. I hated the thought of you feeling all lousy and alone, and my plans for the evening got changed at the last minute, so I thought I'd come keep you company."

Tseng almost laughed, resisting the urge to point out that if they were now spending the evening together, technically their plans hadn't changed at all. He swallowed, trying to get some moisture into his mouth.

"You shouldn't have come. I know you hate getting sick."

Genesis' smile was dazzling, and he shrugged "Your germs, my germs. I love you Tseng, I don't get to see you as much as I want to, and I knew that you'd be unable to avoid me tonight, so I thought I'd take advantage of my susceptible victim."

Tseng frowned and took the redhead's hand "I would never avoid you..."

Genesis nodded and kissed his cheek "I know." he smiled and squeezed Tseng's hand in return. "Anyway, I brought cookies, and chicken soup, and honey and lemon for hot drinks, because I know you already have the whisky, and a copy of your favourite film."

Tseng blinked, rendered temporarily speechless.

Genesis' smile grew still wider "And my pyjamas. After all, a nurse doesn't leave her patients!" he winked, and the dark Turk couldn't help but laugh. He felt warmer already. Genesis always had that effect on him, he just seemed to radiate warmth, joy and love for life. He was so utterly beautiful, like fire. He pulled Genesis in for a gentle kiss.

"Thank you, Feng..." he whispered, and Genesis' eyes shone at the nickname, even as he blushed.

"I'll go get changed and grab the sheets and pillows off your bed, then we can make a nest, and curl up and watch the movie..." he whispered, blushing. Tseng nodded, letting him move away. Genesis certainly made being ill a lot more tolerable.