AN: Hope that you're all good! Merry Christmas! I really enjoyed writing this chapter.
Warnings: Sheer adorableness, awkwardness
Summary: Our boys are 16 now, and back with their friend.


"Angeal..." Genesis smiled at his fellow captain. Their latest missions, which had been separate, had both been a huge success, and they had a couple of weeks off to train the cadets and recuperate. They hadn't wasted any time before getting reacquainted with each other.

"Genesis... It's lonely without you." Angeal wrapped his arms around the smaller youth, stroking his hair tenderly.
"You're not without me." Genesis responded with a smile.
"Not now at least." Angeal cuddled him, kissing him gently again. He gasped softly as Genesis began to undo his shirt, and Angeal undid the redhead's, caressing his skin gently, checking for any injuries. Genesis repeated the action on Angeal, frowning a little at a bruise, poking it softly, earning a hiss of pain from Angeal.

Genesis leant forwards, kissing over the bruise. He smiled up at the other, and Angeal wrapped his arms around him. The two of them were devoted to each other, close but not physically more intimate than this. They were both young, and were planning to spend the rest of their lives together. They didn't feel any need to rush. Anyway, there was always the risk of Hojo working it out. They'd both been yelled at for contaminating each other's saliva samples at one point. Luckily, Hojo hadn't worked out quite how the contamination had occurred. But any more intimate contamination could become harder to explain.

Though when Genesis stretched, young body glinting in the light, Angeal did begin to question their decision to wait. He wrapped his arms around the other, pulling him closer. Genesis grinned up at him, kissing him deeply.

They both jumped as they heard someone walk into the room, relaxing when they saw it was Sephiroth.
Sephiroth frowned at both of them, face creased in confusion.
"What's going on?" He asked, looking between the two of them on the bed. "Why don't you have shirts?"

Genesis giggled nervously.
"I was just checking Angeal for injuries."
"Oh. Alright." Sephiroth nodded, smiling trustingly up at them. Genesis frowned slightly. He'd expected the other to see through his lie and tease him for it, not to accept his feeble excuse.

"You do know it wasn't just that don't you Sephiroth?" Genesis asked tenderly. Sephiroth blinked up at them both.
"No, why? Is it? Did you lie to me?"

Genesis hit his head back against the pillow. He hadn't realised the other was so naive, that he didn't understand anything about relationships. He knew the other was slow, but not that slow.
"Only a little bit."

Angeal scratched at the back of his head, something he only did when stressed, and would one day pass on to his own cadet.
"Gaia Seph..." Angeal whispered, feeling guilt bubbling inside him, not wanting to upset or confuse their friend.
"What?" Sephiroth challenged them, curiously.

"We're in a relationship." Genesis began.
"I know about relationships, you've got friendship, and family ties..."
"And romance" Angeal explained, sighing. He felt embarrassed. He rubbed at his hair, muttering to himself about honour. Genesis rolled his eyes.

"We love each other Sephiroth."
"I thought it was only men and women that loved each other."
"Not always... we love each other..." Genesis spoke gently to him. "We're happy together..."
Sephiroth frowned, looking away, eyes glittering with anger.
"Does that mean you don't want to be my friend anymore?"
"I want to be your friend. I'll always be your friend Sephiroth, we both will. And one day, you'll find someone who makes you happy, who you love just as much as we love each other."

Sephiroth nodded slowly, eyes shining with trust. He sat down beside the others, not aware of their need for privacy.
"Thank you for being my friends."
"It's alright, we like being your friends. You're a good person Sephiroth, you will find someone." Angeal spoke gently, embracing both of the others. "We'll always be here for you."

Sephiroth cuddled them again, not wanting to be away from either of them. Genesis and Angeal realised any further reacquainting would have to wait.