Sinner
Interlude I: Countenance
The rhythmic tapping of his fellow First Class's foot was starting to irritate him.
"Stop that." Sephiroth said calmly, not even turning to look at Genesis. However, the redhead remained in his spot by the window, scanning the plains surrounding Midgar. Stubbornly, his right foot continued to beat against the ground.
Sephiroth sighed in exasperation, but settled back in his seat on the couch, raising his mug of coffee to his lips to take a sip. He was feeling as impatient as Genesis, but he wasn't so abrasively annoying in his actions to deal with the waiting.
While Sephiroth was feeling edgy with Angeal's delayed arrival back, he was beginning to lose the patience he had with Genesis himself.
"The desire to push you out of the window is growing at a rather high rate." The silver-haired man informed his colleague, putting his cup down on the low table in front of him.
The irritable tapping stopped – only to start again a few seconds later as Genesis turned to face him. "Heh, I'd like to see you try. In fact, let's fight. You and me. Right here."
Sephiroth cocked an eyebrow, tilting his head at Genesis in bemusement. "I am not nearly as bored as you to resort to an impromptu fight. Besides, it would be best to keep our spars inside the training rooms. I doubt Angeal would appreciate the mess he would come back to in his own apartment."
"Well, he should learn not to keep me waiting." Genesis announced, scowling as he whirled back to his bird's eye view of the land around Midgar.
"What, miss him already?" Sephiroth smirked as he faced away from Genesis again. Both of them were too stubborn to actually admit it – hell, perhaps only Angeal would say it out of all of them.
The redhead sounded incensed, and the long-haired swordsman heard him whip around to face him again. "I don't-!"
"I hope you aren't going to say you haven't missed me. It's been three weeks after all." Speak of the devil.
The dry remark cut in and the two men looked at the doorway to see their third comrade. He leaned casually against the doorframe, his arms crossing as he added, unabashed: "I missed you guys after all."
"Angeal!" Genesis started forward, but seemed to mentally restrain himself from showing any real emotions. "Tch, what took you so long?" He asked rudely, covering up his lapse.
Sephiroth drawled, cutting in with amusement creeping into his tone. "Genesis here has been so anxious about you in your absence."
Angeal smiled at the fuming redhead. "Yes, I can see that." He looked at his silver-haired friend, quickly asking so that Genesis couldn't interrupt. "So why was I pulled so abruptly from my vaca-mission?" He skipped smoothly over his slip.
Sephiroth didn't seem to mind, but Genesis leered. "Huh, Costa del Sol too hot for you? Didn't think you'd come back so soon."
"Translation: I wish I could have gone to the beach with you. Your new tan looks hot. Going on vacation with you would be a rocker." Sephiroth said in a perfect monotone. The redhead looked positively murderous.
Angeal gave a short laugh. "I'm sure that's exactly what Genesis meant. He has to have a warm heart in there somewhere."
"Both of you: go jump off a cliff and die painfully." The person in question growled.
"Moving on," Angeal said hurriedly before Genesis could live up to his threat. "What's the problem? I only got a rather vague yet insistent call for me to come back here from Genesis."
Sephiroth ran a hand through his bangs, as if irritated by the reminder. "A blonde. By the name of Cloud."
Angeal's eyes widened at the remark. "Puppy's old infantryman friend? I thought he died?"
Genesis snorted, "Yeah, but it seems like he's coming back with a vengeance."
"So what? Are we hunting him down?" The black-haired SOLDIER was perplexed. He had encountered Zack's best friend several times before he had supposedly died, and had quite liked the blonde's quiet nature. Obviously he had changed – big time.
Dread seeped into his mood. He could only imagine what his ex-student must be going through.
"Of course." Sephiroth answered promptly. "He threatened the life of Zack and his girlfriend, and he even attacked Genesis and I."
That bad? Angeal sighed, shaking his head. Did Cloud blame Zack for what had happened in the Nibelheim reactor? He didn't entirely see it as Zack's entire fault – after all, Sephiroth and Genesis had been there. Still, there was no need to resort to harming his ex-student. Indeed, it only served to pit the First Class SOLDIERs against him.
"The Cloud you fought... How strong is he?" Angeal asked, uncrossing his arms as he walked over to stand in front of Genesis and Sephiroth.
A grimace passed both of their expressions, though Sephiroth's was more hidden.
"Hah! He wasn't that powerful. He could easily fell Sephiroth with one swing, while I remained standing!" Genesis gloated immediately.
The silver-haired swordsman pursed his lips. "Just what exactly are you trying to say?"
"That you're weaker than me. It's obvious who's stronger now if you can't even withstand the attack that hit both of us while I could."
"Impossible. I have a hard time believing that."
"Tch, deny it all you want, Sephiroth! Can't you stand the fact that I could possibly be better than you?"
"I now withdraw my statement against petty fights being started in Angeal's apartment." Sephiroth stood, drawing out Masamune with a flourish. "Come at me."
Genesis smirked; triumph showered his expression as if he was proud at finally bruising Sephiroth's pride enough to make him fight him. "Gladly."
Angeal facepalmed, and immediately got in between the two. "Don't you two think we have better things to be concentrating on?" It was common for these two to goad each other, but did they really have to start when they were in the middle of telling him what had happened? Then again, they didn't get very far with telling him on what the blonde was like.
However, both men immediately sidestepped Angeal. The dark-haired SOLDIER adopted a helpless expression.
"Okay, fine, can you guys at least not fight in my apartment?"
"No." Both answered promptly.
"Besides, you have two other places you bought just in case this happened, right?" Genesis smirked, and followed Sephiroth up on a flurry of clashes that had sparks flying.
Angeal groaned.
"That still doesn't excuse how much I have to pay for repairs..."
A/N: Okay, I admit I am a rather selfish person when it comes to receiving reviews. My ego is rather greedy. So I'll give you guys an incentive, which is really the only incentive I can offer.
The 50th reviewer can request of me a one-shot that gives a close-up on one scene that is only briefly mentioned in this story. This can go for every 50th reviewer, though right now it kind of seems impossible to reach that 100 review mark.
Anyways, I hope that is enough to give you guys a reason to review and share your opinions. Don't think badly of me, but, hey, at least I'm not threatening to discontinue this story just to get reviews. Now that is cruel. Of course, I could be swayed by the option... kidding, guys.
As always, reviews are appreciated.
P.S.: I truly love writing anything involving Angeal's, Genesis', and Sephiroth's friendship. Yet I also curse the many feels it gives me.
