Regrets

Tseng had a hard time falling asleep that night. After everything Genesis did to him, I couldn't blame him. To push things further, Genesis decided to force him to share a bed with him, and he clings as close to the edge as he can. It's clear that sharing a bed with Genesis is the last thing he wants right now, and he winces and sneers when Genesis turns and puts his arm around him.

"Sephiroth…" he quietly breathes to the air, and all I can do is listen while knowing he doubts I can hear him. "I wish I never met you…"

Then he carefully pushes Genesis' arm away and closes his eyes.

He can't fall asleep though, and he opens his eyes while carefully pushing himself closer to the edge so he can slide away without disturbing his tormentor. He knows he's locked in, and he's not familiar with the layout of the room, but maybe he figures he can find a way out while he slinks to the floor and starts crawling and feeling his way around.

When he gets to the middle of the room, he sighs and grimaces. Then he stops while suddenly sitting back and babying his leg.

"Ah!" he quickly breathes out. He's trying to keep quiet, and he lightly massages the area where his leg broke as if it's bothering him, and he grimaces and quietly whines. "Nnng…"

Whatever pain he's feeling, he's unable to fight it like he usually can, and he sits in the middle of the floor with his eyes tightly shut as if he's trying to will his discomfort away. He's not succeeding though, and when he winces again, Genesis stirs and sits up.

"What?" Genesis groggily asks as he rubs his eyes and tiredly sits so he can find Tseng. Then he leans over the edge of the bed and stares at the man as if he's unimpressed. "Don't tell me you're trying to escape again."

"Just trying to get away from you," Tseng grunts out as he anxiously rocks and grimaces again.

"You won't get very far," Genesis taunts as he supports his head on his hands and curiously watches Tseng. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" Tseng breathes out. Then he shakes his head and tries to hide his discomfort by trying to stand. "Just a cramp."

"Must be one hell of a cramp," Genesis mutters as he studies Tseng and heavily sighs. "Where?"

"My leg," he admits as he fails to prove he's fine and he shakily sits back down. "Ah!"

"Which one?"

"The one that broke," Tseng says through his teeth. "It'll go away."

"Sure it will," Genesis tiredly agrees as he frowns and walks over to Tseng. "Are you sure it's not the break itself?" he asks, and he kneels in front of Tseng and starts feeling along his leg to check it.

"Don't touch me!" Tseng painfully barks while roughly pushing Genesis back as he moves away at the same time. "It's your fault it hurts!"

"Rub it in," Genesis darkly purrs under his breath as he steadies himself. "It's yourfault for recklessly putting yourself in this situation."

"I don't see how I can be responsible for holding myself against my will by a demented psychopath."

With a heavy sigh, Genesis kneels in front of Tseng again and roughly grabs his leg to let him know he's going to look at it no matter how much Tseng protests. "This is the reason you're in my room tonight," Genesis tells him as he pushes Tseng's pantleg up and physically examines it. "For all either of us knows, your break never healed."

"Agh!" Tseng winces while Genesis feels along the calf and starts lightly massaging it. "Once again," Tseng says through his grimaces. "My leg would have been fine if you just left me alone."

"I doubt that," Genesis quietly says. Then he heavily sighs and sits back while studying Tseng. "You're not the victim you pretend to be." After that, he tries to pull Tseng to his feet and stumbles when Tseng roughly pushes him away again.

"Oh, that's right," Tseng venomously grumbles. "I keep forgetting you're the one who's the prisoner… What was I thinking?" he sarcastically says while Genesis stands above him with his arms crossed. "It's just so easy to overlook."

"Get back into bed," Genesis evenly orders. His teeth are slightly clenched and his expression is unimpressed while he looks down at Tseng. "Since you believe you're the only one who's forced into a situation you have no control over, I'll be nice enough to give you the option to get back in on your own."

Tseng snorts in disbelief and angrily throws the closest thing on the floor at Genesis. Sadly, it's only a pair of pants, but the sentiment is effective regarding his thoughts on the matter. "Or what?"

"Face the consequences," Genesis calmly tells him while keeping his arms folded across his chest, and Tseng disbelievingly laughs.

"You're unreal," he says. "You haven't changed at all. Right from the get-go, you had to dominate everything and everyone around you."

"You haven't changed either," Genesis points out. Then he pulls Tseng from the floor and lifts him into his arms. "You're so stubborn that you can't even admit you can't stand right now."

"Put me down!" Tseng demands, but Genesis ignores him.

Instead, he carries him to the bed and carelessly drops him onto it. "You'll go so far as to start a fight rather than admit to a weakness." Then he coldly stares down at him. "You leave me no choice but to dominate you."

Then he climbs on top of Tseng and holds him down.

"Get off me you unpredictable freak!"

"I know I disgust you, but that doesn't change the fact that you need me right now," Genesis taunts. "Despite the mistakes I've regretfully made."

"Genesis! Get off me!" Tseng yells again as he squirms under Genesis' weight and grunts when Genesis grips his jaw to hold it still.

"I realize I can't undo what I've done, as much as I wish I could," he confesses as his eyes busily wander over Tseng's face. "All I ever wanted from you was a reason," he says as he tilts his head and draws closer. "Just an answer to why you felt it was necessary to use me and then turn your back on me when I needed you most."

"You're hurting me," Tseng spits out when Genesis tightens his grip into his jaw and snorts.

"I can never hurt you as much as you hurt me," he bitterly tells him. Then he roughly pushes Tseng's head back and sits over his legs.

"Agh!" Tseng yells from the pain in his leg, and Genesis coldly looks down at him. "I never did anything to you."

"No," Genesis soothingly says as he reaches to Tseng's face and lightly runs his fingers over his cheek. "You just strung me along and then left me after I asked for your help," he says. "I begged you, and you walked away." Then he eases the pressure on Tseng's legs and leans forward, supporting himself with his hands on both sides of Tseng's head. "Then what did you do?" he calmly asks as he gently runs his fingers along a lock of Tseng's hair and moves closer. "You turned everyone against me."

"I said you needed help," Tseng says as Genesis sits up again. "But you figured it made more sense to blame me for everything you discovered."

Genesis subtly nods and moves to the foot of the bed, allowing Tseng to pull away and baby his leg again. "I wonder why…?" he sarcastically muses. Then he bitterly looks at Tseng and sneers. "Could it have something to do with the fact that I made the mistake of thinking I could trust you? All you had to do was believe me and help me when I asked you to look into those files about me.

"Instead, you told me I was paranoid. If I wanted answers, I should ask the people who did this to me, and you knew it would endanger me."

"I didn't know," Tseng protests in irritation. "How many times do you want me to tell you I had no idea you were right."

"As many times as it takes for me to believe you," Genesis coldly tells him. Then he moves closer and grabs Tseng's leg to feel along the calf again. "Since you lie so much, it's hard to believe anything that comes out of that seductive mouth of yours.

"You used me when you knew how I felt about you. You toyed with me and confused me about who and what I was. You took advantage of me and broke me, only to wind up dumping me for him when I told you I suspected something was wrong with me," Genesis says while carefully massaging Tseng's leg and watching him grimace.

"That's not how it happened," Tseng protests as he winces from Genesis' careful touch and grips into the pillow beneath him. "You were just as imaginative then as you are now."

"That's right," Genesis calmly says. "You never could stand me. You only used me because of Sephiroth."

"Leviathan," Tseng grumbles and puts his head back. "That's right, you were just a rebound—a mistake I regret to this day. That was the reason I went back to Sephiroth." Tseng coldly tells him. "It had nothing to do with your imaginative belief that you were lied to about the procedure they performed to make you what you are." Then he sneers and snorts in Genesis' direction. "Because I honestly never believed you."

Genesis smirks and lets go of Tseng all the sudden, and he emptily stares at him. "When I needed you most, you turned Sephiroth against me and sided with Shinra. You didn't think I was being imaginative then. Did you?" he says as he sits back. "You hunted me down." Then he lets out a heavy sigh. "I foolishly thought once you realized I wasn't imagining anything that you would care.

"But you're incapable of caring," he says while Tseng appears to ignore him and stretches his foot. It's almost like he isn't listening. "You're cold."

"Which makes you a fool for thinking there's a point in trying to force me to like you."

"Sephiroth had no idea how right he was to label you as a tonberry," Genesis admits while he angrily glares at Tseng. "You lure people in so you can destroy them."

"I was under orders," Tseng finally mutters as if he really doesn't care and Genesis emptily nods.

"You were a monster long before either of us got a hold of you," Genesis says. Then he walks to the chair near the dresser and stares at it. "I suppose I should thank you for that… If it wasn't for you, I would have infected some innocent woman and never forgiven myself for it."

"You would have gotten over it," Tseng detachedly says as Genesis sits in the chair and raises his brow at Tseng. "We both know you're not the saint you pretend to be." Then he barely mumbles, "Nor are you the victim you pretend to be."

"Oh?" Genesis asks with feigned interest. "What am I then?"

When Tseng says nothing, Genesis brushes his greying bangs from his eyes and pulls out his summon materia.

"I suppose…" he trails off as he toys with it in his hand and emptily stares at it. Then he hypnotically breathes while it activates and a small stream makes its way to Tseng, and Tseng grimaces from a new discomfort in his abdomen. "You would only tell me my imagination has gotten the better of me… Perhaps I've simply made everything up so I can torment myself with the company of a man who loathes me… Definitely, it sounds better than the truth."

"And what truth would that be?" Tseng asks through clenched teeth as the stream from the materia grows more vibrant.

"The truth…" Genesis hypnotically repeats. "Is that the Goddess only knows what we'd both turn into without each other."

Then the stream stops. The materia is full, and Genesis casually gets up, grabs the key for the door, and he looks down at Tseng before he opens it. "The only downside is my feelings for you get in the way." After that, he walks out, closes the door behind him, and a bright flash fills the room from the hall Genesis is standing in.

For some reason, Genesis refuses to use the materia on himself in front of Tseng. He knows the man can't see him, and I can only guess it's more over the reason that Genesis resents having to do it in the first place. I believe Genesis thinks it's the only thing that keeps the creature in Tseng at bay though.

It's also what he needs to keep himself from turning into whatever it is he's capable of turning into. When he returns, he's vibrant and youthful again, and for the first time, I finally realize why Genesis cornered Tseng in the halls and acted aggressively toward him.

We always thought it had something to do with their affair, but he knew long before Angeal and I did. We didn't know because he never told us. Strangely, he told Tseng and asked for his help and wound up holding him responsible for everything he discovered. However, Tseng never said a word to me about it, and I can't help but wonder what else he might have known.

"Not really sure if I should've agreed to it," I heard Reno saying as I stepped into Tseng's office and saw Reno leaning over Tseng's desk. His shirt was lifted from his back and his pants were undone and loosely hanging from his knees while Tseng stood behind him.

His hand was on Reno's hip while he moved the other somewhere behind Reno.

"It's too late to change your mind. Does it hurt?" Tseng mumbled as his thumb unconsciously stroked Reno's thigh, and Reno shivered and shook his head while smiling.

"Nah… Took somethin for the pain beforehand. Pretty much knew it was gonna happen," Reno playfully confessed while he kept his head down and shuddered a bit when Tseng moved his hand again. "Might feel it tomorrow though."

"Probably," Tseng said as if he were in a trance. "You're probably going to be too sore to sit, but you'll heal soon enough…" Then I let out an obvious cough to let them know I was there.

"I can… come back later," I teased while Reno quickly pulled his pants up and fastened them and Tseng quickly moved away. Then I subtly smirked and added. "I can see the two of you are busy."

"Sephiroth!" Tseng said in a startled way while Reno adjusted his shirt and grinned at me. Then he sang out his own greeting, "Hey, Man… 'Sup?"

"Nothing until now," I playfully responded While Tseng turned bright red and Reno smirked with his brow raised. I was always open about my preferences and wasn't about to hide them because my roommate was homophobic all the sudden. He said he wanted our relationship to be believable. If I behaved any differently, it would have been suspicious, and he knew that. "Really… I'll come back when the two of you are finished."

"Nah-nah…" Reno said as he did his blazer up and Tseng handed him a tube of ointment on his desk. Then he walked toward me and tugged on the sleeve of my coat to stop me from leaving. "Think I got all I'm gonna get from 'im anyway. But… uh… ya should try it sometime."

"Really?" I purred out when he was close enough.

Then he tossed the bottle of ointment in his hand and winked at me while stuffing it in his pocket. "Since Tseng's yer roommate, it'll be easy fer ya to get him to fix ya good afterwards." He snickered after that and added, "An uh… ya won't have ta worry 'bout no one interruptin."

"I'll keep that in mind," I said with a low purr as he waggled his brows at me.

After that, he chuckled and walked down the hall with that strange swagger of his and I turned my attention back to Tseng while he wiped his hands off on a napkin.

I couldn't help the way the corners of my mouth turned while I teased, "Caught in the act…"

"Oh, please," Tseng grumbled, still a few shades redder than normal as he tossed the napkin into the trash. "He got drunk last night and got a tattoo."

"Sure he did," I playfully jested. Then I looked back to the hall and watched Reno turn the corner while adding, "Conveniently on his backside, I see."

With a role to his eyes, he explained that Reno wanted him to see it, and regardless of his protests, Reno dropped his pants anyway. When Tseng noticed it was irritated, he decided he'd help him out. So, he offered to put some ointment on it. Then he gave him the bottle after I walked in. Of course, it seemed believable enough, and knowing Reno, he'd play with anything to make it look worse than it was.

I also knew Tseng well enough to know he wouldn't do anything questionable while leaving the door unlocked, but it was still fun to poke at him for it.

"You know," I said as I took a seat across from him and placed our lunches on his desk, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he has a crush on you."

"He's not gay," Tseng quietly said as he reached for the bag to see what was in it, mostly because he didn't want anyone to hear him. Then he grabbed the hamburger from the bag and pushed the Wutian takeout toward me. "And if he were, he's a little too late." At that, he held up his gloves as a reminder of our arrangement.

"And if he weren't too late?" I asked as I opened the container and looked for my chopsticks, but all he did as an answer was stuff a hefty bite of his burger into his mouth while smiling and quirking his brow.

I was aware he wasn't dead from the waist down, and his playful jibe left me wondering what it was he really did feel towards Reno. They were always strangely awkward with each other, and I was always walking in on something questionable whenever the two of them were together. I wasn't jealous though. In a weird way, I was kind of turned on by it. The idea that it could make him easier to persuade into a threesome was… Well… something I kept to myself those days.

"It'll never happen," Tseng said after he finished swallowing his food. Then he gave me a chastising glance and shook his head like he knew exactly what was on my mind.

I merely shrugged and provocatively smiled at him. He snickered back and was about to say something when his playful look suddenly turned serious and he uncomfortably straightened up when something behind me caught his attention. As a result, I put my chopsticks down and frowned. "He's here," I grumbled, and Tseng nodded.

"Walking straight to my office," he quietly murmured, and he put his hamburger down and pleaded with his eyes. "Don't be rude. He rarely comes to Midgar."

"That doesn't mean I don't get enough of him in Junon," I grumbled and stuffed a large amount of food into my mouth as Rufus made it to the door and rudely made his entrance.

"Don't the two of you see enough of each other at home?" Rufus asked as he invited himself in and smirked at me when I turned around with my mouth too full to reply.

"Friends have lunch together," Tseng replied as Rufus reached down and grabbed a rice ball from my container and arrogantly stuffed it in his mouth while smirking at me.

Then I gave Tseng a look to express how much I hated the pompous prick while I closed my container and stood so I was facing Rufus. "It's what friends do," I coldly said to him while he licked his fingers and smirked again. "You should try making some."

"I've no desire to involve myself in other people's dramas," he casually responded as he pushed me aside and took my seat. Then he grabbed one of Tseng's fries since I closed him off from taking any more of my food, and he stuffed it in his mouth while grinning at me.

"That's right," I coldly purred at him. "If you had to listen to others, you wouldn't be able to do all the talking."

"Sephiroth," Tseng said in a manner of disapproval and Rufus dismissively waved his hand at him while keeping his attention on me.

"It's all right," Rufus responded. "Consider it foreplay." Then he grabbed another fry from Tseng's container and curled it in his mouth with his tongue while playfully looking at me and I returned his attention with a look of disgust.

"Leviathan," Tseng grumbled as he decided we were hopeless and he stuffed another bite of his burger into his mouth.

"Not if you were the last man alive," I responded.

"I doubt that," Rufus replied, and he smirked again. "Everyone knows you can't keep it in your pants." Then he snorted while conspicuously spreading his legs a little. "Considering your record, it's only a matter of time until my number comes up."

"Rufus," Tseng urged in a way that suggested he really didn't like the direction things were going in, and Rufus only smirked as if he didn't care.

"Oh, I know," Rufus cockily answered while waving his hand dismissively at me and reaching for another of Tseng's fries. "He's on a break right now." Then he sarcastically snorted and leaned closer to Tseng like he was sharing something confidential. "Considering it's not his first break, it's only a matter of time before he starts whoring around again."

After that, he carelessly shrugged, popped the fry into his mouth, and he turned to arrogantly smile at me. In a way, I guess it was a good thing since he missed the look in Tseng's eyes that revealed more than he probably wanted to.

"Isn't that right?"

Suddenly feeling sickened by Rufus calling me a promiscuous whore in front of the man I secretly swore my loyalty to, I decided it was time to make my leave before I wound up doing or saying something Tseng would regret.

"You look like you just witnessed a train wreck," Angeal called as he caught up to me in the hall. Then he noticed me dumping my lunch into the trash. "You two get into a fight again?"

I only shook my head while grumbling, "Rufus caught an earlier flight." Then I sighed and stared at the wall. "He figured he'd interrupt what started out as a nice lunch, and I lost my appetite."

Angeal chuckled at the thought and placed his arm around my shoulder as a friendly jest to lighten up. He knew what Rufus was like, and he knew how I felt about him. It wasn't like Rufus went out of his way to act like a human being around anyone.

"He's just jerking your chain," Angeal consoled. "If he knows he's getting under your skin, he'll set up camp and happily stay there. You know that."

"He's a sociopath," I grumbled as Angeal guided me down the hall and chuckled. "I have no idea why Tseng puts up with him."

"They're friends," Angeal reminded me as he patted my back, "and if you look at it that way, you should be asking yourself why he puts up with you."

"There's a big difference between me and Rufus," I argued.

"Oh?" Angeal playfully asked as we walked into an empty briefing room where Genesis was waiting.

"Yeah," I answered. "I have more than one friend."

Then we stopped and both stared at Genesis. He was sitting in the corner and looking at the floor as if he were deep in thought. He hadn't been the same since he tried to kill us in the training room, but it wasn't just his behaviour that changed. His appearance was changing too. He was looking older, more haggard, and his hair was starting to prematurely grey at the temples. It was subtle, but we noticed it.

He also seemed a little lethargic, which was causing Angeal to worry that whatever Hollander did to make him better wasn't working. He even half suspected Hollander made him worse, and I silently agreed without really wanting to. Despite our concerns though, Genesis insisted he was fine.

"Welcome, friends," Genesis lulled while still staring at the floor and waving his hand in a manner to urge us to join him. He sat forward with his forearms on his knees and seemed oddly relaxed and serene. "I've news to share."

"Oh?" Angeal asked as he stepped forward and I hesitated while taking a cautious look around. I couldn't help but feel he was up to something. I'd been cautious around him since the training room and I couldn't shake the feeling he might have still wanted me dead.

"I leave for Wutai in the morning," he answered, still staring at the floor as Angeal approached and I slowly followed.

"Are you sure that's wise?" I asked as Angeal took a seat beside him, and I stood in front of Genesis while looking down at him.

He lightly snorted and lazily shifted in his seat while lightly shaking his head. "You say that like you're concerned."

"We both are," Angeal said as he sat back and stared at Genesis' coat. Even his coat seemed duller. The red shade didn't seem as vibrant as it used to. It was almost like everything fiery about him was fading.

"Fear not," he consoled as he finally acknowledged me and looked me in the eye with a cynical expression. "I may not be as heroic as Sephiroth, but I am just as capable." Then he let out a deep breath and sat back with his arms crossed while continuing to stare at me with a subtle smirk on his face. "I merely thought it would be a good time to spend one last night together."

"One last night?" Angeal asked, and Genesis smirked again.

Angeal couldn't hide his concerned expression as he carefully studied Genesis, and I couldn't blame him. I couldn't help but admit Genesis' tone sounded definite, and I knitted my brows while we kept our attention locked to each other.

"Before I leave," Genesis calmly corrected. It sounded like he was trying to set our minds at ease, and then he closed his eyes as if he were savouring something amusing. "It's a figurative way to say we'll meet again."

"Forever the cryptic poet," I mused as Genesis smirked again and opened his eyes. It wasn't the first mission he'd ever signed up for without letting either of us know ahead of time. What made it odd though, was that he'd normally only do that if Tseng were going, but Shinra felt they'd keep their best Turk away from Wutai during such a delicate mission.

The war between Shinra and Wutai escalated to a dangerous level, and Tseng was the best trained for such cases. Unfortunately, he was Wutian and he suspected it was the reason they kept him out of the loop. He said he was fine with it, and I told him if he couldn't go, I wouldn't either. However, I never expected Genesis to go. He believed Shinra deserved a worthy adversary such as the Wutians, and at times, he appeared to admire them more than Shinra.

He was growing bitter and less loyal that it had us both concerned. We couldn't help it. The man we once knew seemed to be replaced by someone who was becoming more foreign, dangerous, and aggressive by the day.

"You sure Wutai's a good idea?" Angeal asked with concern as he sat forward to study Genesis' expression. "Last I checked, you were rambling on about Shinra falling and Wutai being the new empire."

"They will, and they are," Genesis replied as he stood and regarded us both. "Wine and fine dining awaits," he said as he stood and dismissively looked down at Angeal. Then he turned his attention to me and sarcastically added, "Since you're a lightweight, Water awaits you." Then he sarcastically smirked at me. "And don't forget to tell your husband you'll be late this evening."

"What?" Angeal asked, and I shrugged on the off chance he'd believe Genesis was just being a dick instead of stating a fact. As far as I knew, Angeal had no idea about Tseng and me since I hadn't told him yet.

After that, Genesis started for the door and waved his hand for us to follow. "Come, my friends," he soothingly said as he gracefully moved. "Let us celebrate before a nation falls to its knees… for dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul…"

"Pride is lost," I quietly added, finishing the next line of Loveless as Angeal stood and warily regarded me. Then we followed Genesis with a strange sense of impending doom.

About a month and a half passed since Genesis went to Wutai, and we were called to Lazard's office. It seemed strange that he wanted to see us, considering it seemed like an odd group to call in. It wasn't entirely odd since Turks and Soldiers often crossed paths. It just seemed odd that it was Angeal, Tseng, and I instead of some other random group.

"Are you sure you have no idea what this is about?" I asked Tseng as we walked down the hall and he shrugged as if he genuinely didn't know, which also seemed odd.

The Turks always knew what was going on before anyone else since they were the Investigation sector of General Affairs, but he was just as confused as I was and seemed a bit nervous.

"You don't think they know, do you?"

"Know what?" I asked as Tseng shook his hands to loosen up.

Then he stated under his breath with a look of dread, "About us."

"If that were the case," I thoughtfully said. "It wouldn't explain why he wants to see Angeal too." Then we stopped outside Lazard's door and I added after making sure we were alone, "Not to mention, I don't see why we should matter."

"I've worked hard to get where I am, Seph," He muttered as he adjusted the sleeves to his blazer and straightened it out. "I can't afford to have a scandal on my hands if I want to keep moving ahead, particularly given my heritage and the escalating situation with Wutai." Then he quietly muttered, "I'm lucky they haven't executed me."

"Right," I agreed. "But you're only half Wutian."

"I don't think that matters during a delicate situation like this, and I'm tired of having to work harder than everyone else to prove my worth while having to worry more than everyone else because of my damned heritage."

"You're overreacting," I told him, knowing it probably wasn't going to help much. "I'm pretty sure you're worth more than you think you are," I attempted to console, but he just shook his head at me like it meant nothing. "I'd even go so far as to say you're probably irreplaceable."

"Everyone's replaceable," he argued back, and I frowned at him for being so negative. It wasn't like him to react that way, but I suppose I should have understood. "You're lucky. All you have to do is show up and everyone is star-stricken. There are no consequences for anything you do," he said as Lazard turned the corner and politely greeted us.

"Gentlemen," he said as he walked to his door and opened it while motioning for us to follow, and I grabbed Tseng by the shoulder to halt him for a moment. Then I shook my head when I realized there was nothing I could say.

"Angeal is running late," Lazard told us as he stepped behind his desk and Tseng tensed up. "A soldier he was training was injured and he took him to the infirmary."

Sure he did, I sarcastically thought. I could feel the tension emanating from Tseng and guessed what must have been going through his head.

He was thinking Angeal was never called to the meeting. We were only told that so we'd come willingly, and now that we fell for their elaborate plan, they were going to confront us on something that wasn't anyone's business. Then, they were going to assassinate him in front of me for being gay enough to marry a man. The press would be released without hesitation so the whole world would know how gay he really was.

Of course, they were only going to do this because he was half Wutian and everyone knew the Wutian's couldn't be trusted. If he was lying about being gay, he must be lying about something even more important, like the fact that he was a Wutian spy sent to assassinate the President, Lazard, or worse—a group of kittens. The Wutian's were cunning like that, they knew well over a decade ago they'd need to send someone in to cozy up to the President. They knew even before they knew they'd go to war against Shinra.

That's just how cunning they were…

Well, since Angeal was running late, I rolled my eyes at the thought and pulled out my electronic reader to read a book while I waited. There was only so many ways to soothe Tseng's uncharacteristic paranoia, and anything I could do or say to set his mind at ease would look suspicious. So, I decided I would go about the situation the way I always did.

"Coffee?" Lazard asked, and I shook my head while Tseng said, "No… Thank you, Sir."

"That's right," Lazard said as he bent over to wake his computer. "You're a tea drinker, aren't you?"

"Yes," Tseng nervously responded. It wasn't obvious that he was nervous, but I felt I knew him better than anyone and had to give him credit for hiding it well as I clicked to the next page. "I'm fine though… Thank you, Sir."

That's right, I sarcastically thought. Good call at turning down the old poisoned tea trick. Then I unwillingly snickered at the thought while thinking it was a good thing I was reading. Otherwise, my amusement might have looked suspicious.

"Very well," Lazard said as he straightened up. "You don't mind if I grab myself a cup, do you?"

"The machine's right there," I carelessly said while waving my hand to the wall Lazard kept it near. All the while, I kept my attention on my book and winced when Tseng kicked me in the shin for being rude when Lazard turned his back to us.

Naturally, I glared at Tseng with disapproval before I returned to my book, and he shifted uneasily in his seat while Lazard tactfully poured his coffee to make Tseng sweat a little longer. It was an old and well-tested method of torture, I believed—the old pouring of the coffee trick. It never failed, and I snickered again.

"It sounds like you're reading an entertaining book," Lazard said with his back to me. Naturally, the interrogation was meant to sound like small talk in order to make us uncomfortable before he got started on the weather. "I enjoy reading from time to time," he said. "Perhaps we've read some of the same books."

"Only if you like tragic romances," I said as I clicked to the next page.

"You find tragic romances amusing?" he asked as he added some cream and sugar to his coffee and stirred it.

"The dialogue is amusing," I offered while wondering how long Angeal was going to be. Maybe Tseng was right to worry, because the small talk really was a bit torturous.

At that, Lazard smirked and turned around. "How refreshing to know." Then he tapped on his cup while tilting his head. "I never would have guessed you were into cheesy romances." After that, he smiled to himself and adjusted his glasses as he returned to his desk and sat in his chair. "I would have pegged you as a historian buff, or into old war stories."

"I read for entertainment," I admitted. "If it's about something I do on a daily basis, it's not entertaining."

With another curious smile, Lazard sat back with his coffee in his hand. "What other types of books do you enjoy?"

I merely shrugged and put my reader down since it was obvious he wasn't going to let me read. Then I figured I might as well answer the man. "Anything that doesn't involve history or war."

"Interesting," Lazard said. "I guess we don't read the same books after all."

"Fascinating," I responded with disinterest, and Tseng shifted uneasily in his seat again.

Sensing he might have been bothering me, Lazard cleared his throat and turned his attention to Tseng. "What about you? Do you read?"

Unreal, I thought as I let out a heavy sigh and picked my reader back up so I could attempt to pick up where I left off. Maybe Tseng was right to worry. Lazard's attempt at conversation was torturous.

"I go through paper work all day," Tseng responded. I couldn't help but sense the question irritated him as well. "I don't feel like reading in my spare time."

"That's not true," I said as I clicked to the next page and ignored Tseng's annoyed glance while Lazard curiously regarded me. "He reads the newspaper."

"I see," Lazard responded. Then he paused long enough to take a sip of his coffee while attempting to come up with another topic to discuss. "I must admit I'm a little curious about how you spend your free time."

Here we go, I thought. Of all the things Lazard could have said, he had to bring up the one thing that would freak Tseng out the most.

"I'm not very interesting," Tseng curtly responded, and Lazard adjusted his glasses while sitting forward.

"On the contrary," he said as he put his cup on his desk. "You're probably the most interesting person I've ever met."

Then he folded his arms in front of him and studied the man in a strangely admiring way, but I don't think that's how Tseng interpreted it. "Think about it," he said. "You were born and raised in Wutai. Then you lived in the slums. You're well educated and struggled a great deal to overcome your obstacles. You're also a very classy dancer from what I've seen. To top it off, your roommate is one of the most elite soldiers in our company. If anything, you probably have the most interesting life and stories to tell. Surely, you and Sephiroth must do something together?

"It's actually quite refreshing to have the two of you together to see how you interact. You both have such highly regarded reputations that it's hard to imagine what the two of you are like when no one else is around."

Crap, I thought. As harmless as Lazard's curiosity was, he had no idea how damaging it was to the already paranoid Turk sitting next to me. As a result, Tseng shifted farther away from me as if he felt it meant something. Then he froze like a wild beast caught in Lazard's headlights. If anything, his behaviour at that moment was probably the most interesting.

That was, until Tseng blurted out, "I like puzzles and live entertainment." I think he thought it sounded like a reasonable way to change the topic.

"He also plays the violin," I added without removing my attention from my book. For some strange reason, part of me couldn't resist the urge.

"Really?" Lazard asked as if he were more interested than he already was. Then he let out a sigh and looked at his desk in thought for a moment. "I had no idea you were so talented. I hear that's a difficult instrument to play." Then he smiled while lifting his cup to his mouth. "Perhaps I could hear you play sometime?"

"I don't… " Tseng started before I intervened again.

"He's too shy to play in front of people."

"He must play in front of you?" Lazard guessed as he set his cup back down and adjusted his glasses. "Considering you know about it."

"Only by accident," I dryly breathed out while clicking to the next page and Tseng slightly reddened.

"I see," Lazard said as he leaned forward in confidence. He was obviously thrilled by the news. "How well does he play?"

"Better than you'd think," I honestly answered, despite that I wasn't willing to give him my undivided attention.

Then he turned his attention back to Tseng and studied him for a moment before curiously asking, "How long have you played?"

"My mother taught me when I was young," Tseng answered, unintentionally peeking Lazard's curiosity more since it was probably the first time he'd ever shed insight about her or his childhood. Then he uncomfortably shifted in his chair and hooked his index finger over his mouth, faintly rubbing at it as if to silence himself. I think it led Lazard to realize he was touching on a sensitive topic, and I think it's the reason he decided to change it all the sudden.

"You know…" he started as he tapped on his desk like he had an idea, but he decided to ask another question instead. "Do you enjoy live theatre?"

"I do," Tseng admitted while quickly nodding.

"I have two tickets to a play tomorrow night and no one to go with. I was going to give them away, but perhaps you'd like to join me?"

Okay, so I admit the question took me by surprise as well. I think it was an innocent invitation, but it didn't stop me from putting my book down so I could stare at Lazard like I had no idea who the hell he was all the sudden.

I think Tseng was taken back too. Mostly, because he dropped his hand to his side and just sat there, blinking at him like he was stunned. Then I think he might have panicked, considering what I think he was about to say.

"I'm not…" he said as he hesitated and I silently hoped he wasn't going to finish that sentence.

Luckily, fate was on his side that day.

"Sorry I'm late," Angeal said as he walked in and Tseng looked like he was about to pass out. As an act of sympathy, I let out a heavy sigh and felt a strange sense of relief overtake me.

"Is everything all right?" Lazard asked as he stood and motioned to an empty seat, and Angeal nodded while commenting there were some complications.

"They thought it was just a broken bone," he said as he took Lazard's offer, but apparently, it turned out to be something more serious.

"Well," Lazard said. "I certainly hope it's nothing too serious."

Anyway, after all was said and done, Lazard decided it was time to get to the reason he asked the three of us into his office. He started out by asking us how we felt about Genesis, which was odd. Naturally, Tseng said he didn't know him very well. Then he asked if Genesis said or did anything strange before he left for Wutai. We thought that was odd too, but we didn't voice our suspicions on the matter.

Again, Tseng said he didn't know him very well.

Part of me suspected he was wondering why he was there, considering Lazard's reason for calling us appeared to revolve around Genesis, and as Tseng insisted, he didn't know him very well.

"That's odd," Lazard said as he studied each of us in turn before he set his attention on Tseng. "I was under the impression you knew him well." Then he waved his hand at the door. "The two of you were always talking in the hallway."

"I…" Tseng started while both Angeal and I tensed up since we knew those encounters involved Genesis threatening Tseng more than it was friendly chitchat. "It was mostly business," Tseng coolly told him. Surprisingly, he was able to calm himself down enough to add to his web of lies. "Sometimes, it was just to pass on a message. We didn't really know each other very well."

Then he shrugged and Angeal and I both let out the breath we were holding, despite the number of times he insisted he didn't know Genesis very well could have appeared suspicious. It didn't help that Angeal and I both knew he probably knew Genesis better than he even let us know, considering he had an affair with him.

"If anything," Tseng added, "I'm not sure I should even be here. I apologize for not being much help."

"That's all right," Lazard said as he thoughtfully regarded Tseng. "It was my mistake." Then he sighed and pulled some files from his desk. "Regardless, we're still going to need your expertise on the matter. So, I would prefer it if you stayed."

"Matter?" Tseng curiously asked as he sat forward and Angeal and I curiously followed his lead.

"Yes." Lazard said. Then he let out a deep breath and regretfully regarded us. "A situation has arisen."

"Is Genesis all right?" Angeal quickly asked and Lazard uncomfortably adjusted his glasses.

"This may be difficult to hear," he admitted as we anxiously sat there, anticipating the worst. "But it appears Genesis may have defected."

"That's impossible," Angeal said. "He was as loyal as any of us."

I knew Angeal was in denial. So, I can't really say he was lying, but when I reflected on Genesis' behaviour since the incident in the training room, I couldn't really say I didn't have my doubts about Genesis' loyalty. He was behaving odd, but we failed to offer that information when Lazard was questioning us. I don't think we were willing to say it after hearing what we just heard either.

Part of me suspected it was a mistake. I think Angeal felt the same, and we weren't about to turn on him by making him sound worse than he was.

"Perhaps," Lazard openly thought. "Unfortunately, he disappeared with several soldiers from both sides and we're investigating the situation. Wutai isn't cooperating, which makes the situation more difficult to ascertain. All they are willing to offer are accusations regarding Shinra stealing their soldiers. As you can guess, the situation is escalating on both sides and making any attempt at a truce more difficult than it already was."

"How many soldiers?" Tseng asked. He appeared to be the only one participating at that moment. Not to mention he was oddly relieved the meeting had nothing to do with him being a gay half-Wutian who played the violin and enjoyed fruity plays. He was finally able to relax and be the Turk he was as his interest peeked while Angeal and I sat there tight-lipped and unsure.

"We've yet to determine the numbers at this point," Lazard answered. Then he let out another deep breath and regarded us again before setting his attention on Tseng. "That's where you come in."

"I see," Tseng mused as he thoughtfully sat back.

"I want you to head the investigation from this point onward. Your Wutian heritage and understanding of their culture might give us a better edge over the matter," he admitted, setting Tseng more at ease by the second. "We're hoping you might be more adept at getting the information we need. I've downloaded what we know onto your system so you can get started right away. I'd also like the three of you to stay in the loop on this one.

"Angeal, Sephiroth," Lazard said as he regarded us. "Your personal relationships with Genesis are pertinent. We feel the two of you will have the best chance at tracking him down and finding out what he's up to. I'll also be assigning a Second class Soldier to work with you. He's shown much promise and I feel this will be a great opportunity for him. I realize this is a sensitive matter and hope I can trust personal feelings won't get in the way."

The latter seemed like a question, but neither Angeal nor I answered. Lazard appeared to sense our apprehension and added, "If either of you feel you're not up to this, we need to know before advancing to the next stage."

"Who's the Soldier that'll be accompanying us?" Angeal dumbly asked. It almost seemed like it was the only thing he heard.

"His name is Zack Fair," Lazard answered. "I believe you've been mentoring him."

"He's a good soldier," Angeal admitted.

Lazard nodded in agreement while sitting forward again. "He is, and this will be a great opportunity for him to work with Shinra's best," Lazard said as he turned his attention to Tseng and added, "We're considering him for a promotion, and working with our best Turk will add to an opportunity of a lifetime." Then his attention returned to us and he asked, "Does this mean Shinra can count on you?"

Despite that we didn't really want to go against someone we considered a friend, we both wanted to know what was going on as much as Shinra at that point. The thought of Genesis turning on Shinra and creating his own army was hard to swallow at first, but the more we thought about it, the more we had our doubts.

I think part of us wanted to be involved so we could prove it was nothing more than a simple misunderstanding. If we found Genesis, we could get to the bottom of his disappearance. Maybe it was just a mistake and we could help clear his name. Worst-case scenario, we could at least attempt to reason with him.

As for Tseng's involvement, I didn't doubt for a second I'd have to keep my motives to myself. We both took our jobs seriously, and I was certain he didn't feel the same way we did. If anything, he'd disapprove and voice his concerns to the authorities.

Regardless, we all knew things were about to get interesting, and as we were leaving Lazard's office to get started on our mission, Lazard called to Tseng and reminded him of the play.

"I know it's short notice," he said as Tseng stood in the doorway and dumbly stared at him. It also caught both my and Angeal's attention, and we stood behind him while waiting to see the outcome. "But it would be a great opportunity to get to know each other better."

"I…" Tseng dumbly responded again and I felt like planting my face in my palm. I was hoping he wouldn't panic and blurt out he wasn't gay like he almost did the first time. I also knew the idea of spending an evening with Lazard wasn't exactly on his list of things to do. He didn't dislike Lazard. He generally enjoyed socializing with those he felt were key players to advancing his own career, but I think he wasn't sure what Lazard's motives were.

As a result, he was thrown off guard again.

So, I figured I might as well save him.

"Isn't that the night you play cards with your friends?" I asked.

Ironically, it was.

On the other hand, it didn't change the fact that Tseng was a sucker for punishment, and he turned the tables by offering a seat at the table. They could always use another player, he told him. "Unless you really had your heart set on the play," he said, and walked himself into a corner.

Regardless, if he wasn't interested in accepting my help, there was no point in sticking around. So, Angeal and I left him to sweat under the heat.

Dumbass…

"Sometimes, I can't help but think you're pathetic," I purred into his ear after I got into bed. Then I wrapped my arm around his waist and pulled him closer while snickering at him when he admitted he didn't know what else to say.

I had to admit it was a little hard to believe, considering he was generally able to come up with a story without giving it much thought any other time. If it wasn't for him being a Turk, I'd say lying was his profession, but as it was, Lazard put him on the spot.

"He's my boss," he grumbled while I tried to slip my hand under his shirt and kiss his neck. I was feeling frisky, but he was scrunching his shoulder and struggling to push me away.

It was okay, I liked it when he played hard to get, and part of me suspected that was why he played it.

"What would you do if it turned out he really was trying to court you?" I teasingly asked, and he scoffed at me while lightly slapping my face away.

"You have a one-track mind," he grumbled as he grabbed his pillow and threw it over his head to protect himself from me.

"I can't help it," I admitted. "You're too sexy to think of any other way."

"Stop it."

With a smile, I pulled his pillow away and stared at his closed eyes. His lashes were thick and luxurious, so black that they contrasted beautifully against his pale skin, and I started lightly kissing them while he weakly tried to push me away and hide his amusement.

"Would you stop?" he asked, unable to keep his smile hidden any longer, and I pulled back to fan his hair across the pillow so I could admire everything about him. Then I leaned down and inhaled the subtle scent of his cologne and the lavender he was still using.

I was concerned that he was still using it, mostly because it meant he probably needed it, and I hid my frown while burying my face in his neck and blinked my eyes to tickle him with my lashes.

"Seph—" he chastised as he weakly pushed me again. "Seriously… after talking with Lazard today, I thought you wouldn't be in the mood."

"I'm always in the mood when it comes to you," I openly admitted, but then he pushed me back with a serious look in his eyes.

He ran his deep brown eyes over me in study, like he wasn't taking me seriously, and then he let out a heavy sigh. He knew I wasn't much for talking when it came to what I was feeling, and he was right to be concerned as he lifted his hand to gently brush my hair from my eyes, despite that he hated looking into them. I know he said it was the look I had, but I also knew it was more.

They were unnatural, and it bothered him. I didn't stop him though, and he sucked in his bottom lip for a second as he searched for the answers he suspected he'd find. Then he nodded as if to confirm his silent thoughts and he lightly massaged his fingers into my scalp.

"I know he's your friend," he compassionately muttered. "But there's a possibility…"

"I know," I admitted as I closed my eyes and lowered my face into his hair. Then I kissed the side of his face while trying to brush my concerns away. Despite all the wrongs involving Genesis, he was right. I did care, and I heavily breathed onto his neck while I tried to seek comfort the only way I knew how. It might have frustrated him, but I couldn't help it as I tried to slip my hand down his pants.

He didn't stop me that time though, and out of curiosity, I lifted my head so I could stare into his eyes again, and he stared back into mine with that silent apprehension I knew he carried about my appearance.

"Do you remember when you said you'd rather die than be a…" I hesitated for moment when the thought of everything I've been hiding from him regarding Hojo and his secret condition flooded my mind, and I finished while wrapping my hand around his hidden desires, "Monster?"

He only nodded as his eyes lightly glazed over while he kept his fingers in my hair. Then his other hand carefully trailed down my chest. His fingers lightly grazed my skin while they criss-crossed their way down, feeling everything he wished he never desired. "I meant it," he admitted in a tone that almost sounded seductive.

"Why?" I asked, realizing I almost sounded sad as I closed my eyes and softly moaned when he reached his destination with a touch that only a skilled hand would know.

"Not now," he airily breathed as he pulled my fingers to his mouth. "I just… don't wanna be… something I can't stand…"

"Can't stand…" I repeated with a low purr while I watched him snake his tongue around my fingers to seductively pull them into his mouth. His eyes were closed, and I found myself studying him again. It wasn't so much in admiration as it was something else that time. Sadly, at the time, I didn't realize it was regret.