A Crazy Idea

Word Count: 947

From the moment he stepped foot in the General's office, Angeal knew something was wrong. The office was a standard of cleanliness and order: perfectly normal. Sephiroth's personal assistant sat at her desk in the outer office, a look of confused concentration on her face. Well within her standard behavior spectrum. Sephiroth was sitting unmoving at his desk, staring at paperwork – not particularly unusual.

The file he was looking at was upside down.

Angeal started counting seconds silently as he waited for Sephiroth to notice. When three minutes passed and the General had hardly blinked, Angeal decided to intervene.

"Sephiroth," he said as he went a step farther into the office. No change. "Sephiroth, what's wrong?" Angeal tried again.

For a moment, there was no response. Then, Sephiroth's brow scrunched slightly and he looked up at the older First. "What do you do when you quarrel with Fair?"

Angeal stared at the General, stumped. Quarrel with Zack? Zack never argued with anyone, unless it was something trivial, like the comparative merits of butts over boobs. The boy got along with everyone, all the time. Even the women he flirted with so shamelessly always forgave him almost immediately. It was impossible not to.

Angeal paused and tried to reorient his thinking. If Sephiroth had asked in response to his opening query, it meant he and Zack were fighting. If Zack and Sephiroth were fighting, and it was enough to have the General staring unblinking at upside-down reports for three solid minutes or more, it was bad.

"If he says something stupid, I usually just deck him," Angeal finally responded. "He's good at associating cause and effect." It worked with rewards, too, and was one (among many) of the ways Zack had earned his nickname.

"In this case, I believe I may be the one in need of a… 'decking,' as you put it," Sephiroth said slowly.

Angeal narrowed his eyes. If Sephiroth had done something to Zack that was bad enough to have him this out of sorts, it was bad. (A small voice in the back of Angeal's head reminded him that if Zack had been hospitalized, Angeal would have been notified. It didn't help much.) "What did you do?" he asked carefully, trying to sound only inquisitive and not judgmental. Zack was his student, but Sephiroth was his friend.

"Angeal, have you ever…" Sephiroth's voice trailed off, but Angeal waited patiently, knowing the younger SOLDIER was only searching for the best phrasing. "Have you ever had to systematically and consistently refuse Fair something he indicated he wanted?"

What. If this was about sex, Angeal didn't want to know. Although they weren't related, Angeal thought of Zack as family, and when so few things could be kept secret at ShinRa, Angeal was adamant that his puppy's personal life stay personal.

Delicately, Angeal tried to do some recon. "Something he told you explicitly he wanted, you mean?"

Sephiroth looked pained. "Not… exactly. But for example, have you ever had to tell him his… physical affection… was being exhibited in levels inappropriate for a professional setting?"

Oh. Actually, Angeal had been wondering when this would become a problem. Everyone knew Zack and Sephiroth cared deeply for one another, just as everyone knew they were good for each other and everyone could see the evidence of mutual growth.

It was also well-known that while Zack was affectionate enough that his warmth could heat a city block, Sephiroth struggled with casual physical intimacy, and tended to fall back on regulation when unsure how to proceed in interpersonal relationships. When they had first started dating, Angeal had been surprised at how well Zack took Sephiroth's physical standoffishness, and assumed it was made up for in private to an extent that well enough compensated. Maybe not.

"Of course. Zack has always been extraordinarily affectionate. The first time I took him to see Lazard, I was terrified he would climb into the man's lap. But he's been much better behaved recently." This was the extent of Angeal's ability to not-so-subtly invite the General to come out with what was bothering him.

Sephiroth quirked a smile at the reference to Zack's obedience school days. "He behaves well enough. But he doesn't want to. He doesn't want to have to, but I can't… I can't change everything just for him."

"Of course you can't. Protocol exists for a reason, and Zack knows that. Just as I'm sure he knows you have things you struggle with, and things you need from your relationship with him. Boundaries, you might say. And I'm sure he would respect them and help you push past them at your own pace as long as you make it clear what they are."

Sephiroth frowned. "We have talked about it. He knows how I feel, and I know how he feels. And he says it's fine, and he seems understanding, but—"

"But he has needs, too." Angeal suddenly felt very sympathetic towards his young friend.

"I just don't want to disappoint him, Angeal. I don't – I can't – I don't want to have to give him up." The, "but if it becomes clear he's absolutely better off without me, I will, although it will be at great personal loss" was left unspoken but not unheard.

Angeal frowned thoughtfully. When it came right down to it, Sephiroth was a possessive bastard, but maybe for the sake of keeping Zack he would allow the boy to spread his attentions. Not that Zack would likely agree to a polygamous relationship, but…

"What if…" Angeal started. Sephiroth, who had been morosely examining his desk after his latest confession, snapped to attention. "What if you got him a pet?"