Okay, while typing, I realized that this chapter is weirdly short. So I thought it was only fair to update early so no one has to wait for something so small. I do hope Genesis's appearance makes up for it!

At this time, I will remind you all that Loveless is completely bastardized in this story, so if you don't recognize it, it's normal. Blah blah rated M blee, I don't own FFVII, only this story, which is apparently giving everyone perverted dreams but me. :(

THE MADNESS OF ANGELS
Chapter 25 - Loyalty

The house was eerily silent. Tseng and I went from room to room, checking for signs of life or recent occupation, finding none of the former and little of the latter. Wordlessly we gravitated at last to the final door, which led to a basement lit by the afternoon sun pouring in from a line of high windows. Genesis was sitting beside them (I guess indirect sunlight didn't bother him as much) with an old book open in his hands.

Tseng went straight for the few pieces of equipment that lined the left-hand wall. One was a tank filled with liquid green and a motionless form floating languidly in it. I saw this only briefly, afraid to take my eyes off Genesis and wondering if this would be a good time to draw my sword.

"'For though there were three heroes,'" Genesis read thoughtfully, "'brothers in skill and heart and the love they bore for one another, though they were in their youth at all times together, the fates willed that they should live and die separately. One will turn his devotion from the Goddess and give his heart to another. One will rise above the others and become the Goddess's champion. The last will live without love, never able to give or receive it. Because the sad destiny of this third echoes the sad fate of our planet, alone of its kind among the stars, so this story of mankind's fate is called Loveless. For loveless will all men be, so long as they do not answer the call of their hearts to be given to something greater than themselves.'"

I glared at him, and smirking he closed the book and looked at me. "Angeal's puppy. Have you come looking for your master?"

"Where is he?"

"Seeing the good doctor safely away, I believe."

Tseng came to stand a few feet from me. "Are you holding Hollander captive or is he aiding you willingly?"

"Hollander does what I tell him, always has, with a few lapses in cooperation here and there. And he always will, as long as there are things he doesn't want me telling."

"You're both to return to ShinRa if you want to come out of this alive," Tseng said in a business-like manner. "We can smooth over the unpleasant business with your parents."

Anger flashed in Genesis's eyes, replaced quickly by a forced calm. "What's unpleasant about it?" he asked smoothly. "We grow up, we see our parents for what they are, we act accordingly."

"Your father abused your mother," Tseng said flatly. "Perhaps you as well. You have my sympathy, but - "

"Is that all they've done?" Genesis casually examined his open hand, then in an instant had it extended and a fireball exploded from his fingers. "What the hell would you know?!"

The burst of flame enveloped Tseng, and he fell senseless to the floor. Keeping Genesis firmly in sight I drew the Junior Buster, but in my anger I made the mistake of looking Genesis right in the eyes. They flooded with red light and locked me where I stood, unable to move or look away.

"You don't need that, little puppy. Drop it."

My fingers obeyed him and let the hilt go. I couldn't even flinch as my sword clattered loudly onto the floor.

Genesis opened his arms and smiled seductively. "Come to me."

The bit of my mind that was still my own screamed at me, but to its horror my feet began to shuffle forward of their own accord. Genesis curled and uncurled his fingers to beckon me further, talking in a low, coaxing voice.

"Come, good boy, that's it. I want you again, little puppy. I've never tasted anyone so sweet. Come play with me, lovely."

Then, before I knew what happened, a pair of hands grabbed me from behind and turned me around, and I was pulled into the protective embrace I had been missing. Angeal. My eyes filled as I pressed my face against his shoulder, and I put my arms around him and held tight. I was determined not to move from this spot, ever, if possible.

"No need to look so angry, my old friend," Genesis said sullenly. "I would not have really touched him. A deal is a deal, after all. Unless...you're thinking of going back."

"Angeal," I pleaded, but he only ran his hand over my hair and said nothing.

"I guess I can't blame you," Genesis sighed. "What does truth and revenge matter when you miss the puppy who's been waiting for you?"

I said Angeal's name again, and he hesitantly drew me back just a little, enough so I could finally look at his face. There was nothing different about it except the amount of hardness in his stare and frown, and this melted away with a sound of pain and fingertips swiping at the tears running down my cheeks. Before I could kiss him, he brought my head back to his shoulder and pressed his mouth and nose into my hair.

"Angeal, please come home," I whispered, and winced when the pained sound was repeated. "We miss you so much. Whatever's happened doesn't matter."

"You hear that, Angeal?" Genesis said in a mock-celebratory voice. "Your puppy doesn't care that you've joined with me after all I've done. Oh...but do you think ShinRa will feel the same way? Even if they let rogue experiments like us live, do you really think they'd let you keep such a promising young SOLDIER? Do you think they wouldn't take him away?"

"Shut up!"

"I just want Angeal to think this through carefully, young one. And you, do you really want to take the same risks?"

"Then let me come with you," I begged Angeal. "I don't care about ShinRa or SOLDIER or anything, I just want to stay with you!"

"Now there's an idea. What do you say, Angeal? We could keep the puppy with us. Then you'd have him with you and be able to keep an eye on me at the same time. We could protect him, couldn't we? Between the two of us?" Genesis's thoughtful tone became concerned. "Surely the puppy is safe with you, Angeal. You've always prided yourself on control."

Angeal let out a heavy sigh, as his hands continued their familiar motions. I couldn't help but relax a little under his touch, though Genesis's presence still left me feeling afraid and angry. I curled my fingers into Angeal's rich hair and tried to pull his head down closer to mine.

"After all, maybe Hollander's drug will begin to work on you as it did for me. That's why you had him give it to you, right? Because you were afraid of what your desire might make you do?"

"What?" I whispered. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Angeal spoke at last. "I just wanted to keep you safe."

"We're in love, you moron, you're supposed to want me! Like I want you."

"But not as I do, Puppy," Genesis said smoothly. "Even when the drug does work, when it stops the need for blood, it makes the mind unclear, the desires we would normally fight harder to resist. But maybe Angeal thinks he can resist. Well, old friend?"

Angeal buried his face in my hair, pressing my back with one hand and stroking the nape of my neck with the other. He was breathing heavily and slowly, maybe trying to shut out everything in the world but him and me. Then I felt the struggle his fingers had not to tighten on me to the point of pain, and I realized he was trying with all he had to keep control of himself.

"I'd let you," I whispered to him, desperate to be allowed to stay with him. "I liked it too. You didn't hurt me, I know you wouldn't hurt me."

No reply. I wondered if he'd even heard me. He didn't seem to hear Genesis's soft footsteps approaching either, closing in behind me. Don't react, I told myself, no matter what happens don't react. I had to show Angeal that I was safe with him, that I could handle it all.

"Enlighten us, Angeal. Has it gotten easier or harder? Go on, lie. Tell yourself that it's only me you're protecting the puppy from. Claim that you don't want to force him to the floor and take him right now. Pretend the scent of him isn't driving you mad."

I sensed Genesis's hand reaching for me and managed to keep from flinching when one and then the other settled on my waist and began to rub up and down.

"I smell the pale sky of a light rainfall in you," he said softly in my ear, inhaling deeply. "And a sweetness like honey, and mossy forests green with life, and everything that's young and pure and untainted by the Goddess's hard will. Maybe I can convince Angeal to let you stay with us, lovely. But he'll have to share."

The tip of his tongue traced the shape of my ear, and I shivered a little but kept quiet. Angeal, I kept thinking, Angeal, but he was deeply immersed in what seemed like a meditative state. My heartbeat began to speed up against the slow, steady thump of his. Genesis tugged my collar away from my neck and Angeal's face moved there instinctively, breathing me in raggedly and with less restraint.

Genesis's fingers probed one of my wrists, gently tracing a vein there. "Blood is life and life is blood. This is the Lifestream here, in you, in all of us. 'Behold, the Goddess said, you who desire power in my name to do deeds for my glory, drink deep of the Lifestream and let the renewing force of its energy sustain you.' Our desire is a sign of Her favor. The sign of her heroes."

His hands went to the small of my back, slid closer to knead the cheeks beneath my uniform pants. "Faster, lovely, faster and your blood will call to him in a voice he can't resist. Her voice. You would give that to keep him, wouldn't you, and more. What would you give, Puppy?"

"Anything," I whispered into Angeal's warmth, closing my wet eyes and hoping Genesis wouldn't touch me any more.

Angeal seemed to know nothing but the skin of my neck he pressed his lips to, the skin I expected him to break at any moment. Genesis was uncomfortably close behind me, I could feel him along the entire length of my body, crouching a little to let me feel that he was hard.

"Your love can't hold back much longer, Puppy. Nor can I. I want to fuck you. I want to feel what Angeal felt inside you." His fingers tugged at my waistband. "Take these down."

I pressed my face even more into Angeal's chest.

"No? All right. Move your hips back a little." He did it for me before I could comply or refuse. "Faster, faster, and we'll both make you feel good."

Angeal was lost still and losing his battle, licking the skin that his teeth would soon aim for. Genesis's fingers teasingly traced the zipper of my pants, and with his other hand grasping my hip he thrust gently against me. I couldn't help it, it was too much. I cried out, and Angeal immediately awoke from his trance and shoved Genesis with an angry growl, sending him staggering back and nearly knocking him off his feet.

"I think I've proven my point," Genesis recovered suavely. "I'll be waiting, Angeal. I'll give you a few minutes with your puppy."

Completely composed and smirking, he left the way we had come in. Refusing to meet my eyes, Angeal went to Tseng who, once roused, needed only a swallow of HiPotion to stand and insist he was fine.

"Commander, I can smooth all this over with headquarters, if you'll just - "

"I cannot. Please get Zack out of here."

"Of course. This discussion is off the record, Angeal."

"Thank you, Tseng."

"I won't go!" I exploded. "Not without you!"

"I'll wait outside," Tseng said diplomatically, heading for the door. "Make it quick. We've got eight minutes left."

Angeal returned to me, his eyes sad and grave. When he reached for me I wanted to slap his hands away and hate him for doing this, but I threw myself against him and sobbed like a child into his shoulder.

"Angeal, please. I love you."

"I love you too, Pup, more than I ever thought I could love anything. But even if ShinRa allowed me to live, if I return, Genesis will tell Sephiroth something he must not ever know. I must protect you both. While I'm gone, I want you two to protect each other."

"Let me come with you," I begged again. "Together we can keep him from telling Sephiroth whatever it is. And I can help you defeat him! I sparred with Sephiroth, and he said I did good."

Angeal's eyes were bright and wet. I had felt him cry in the memory I lived through him, but I had never actually seen him do it like this. A single tear escaped, and I reached up and brushed it away as he had done for me. He caught my hand and pressed it to his lips.

"I would have liked to see that. Stay close to him, Zack. He'll make sure you become the exemplary SOLDIER you are meant to be." Angeal sighed. "It's Genesis who wants to see ShinRa destroyed, not I. I only want to keep them from repeating the sins of the past."

"You mean what was done to Sephiroth?"

"That, and...what was done to us all. I can't tell you any more, Pup. That would only put you at risk."

I locked my arms around his neck and he willingly lifted me up for a frantic, desperate kiss. I tried to do it again when he broke away, but he let me down and held me at arms' length, gently but firmly.

"Puppy, the best thing you can do for me is let me leave here knowing you're safe. Go with Tseng, go back to ShinRa." Angeal must have seen me wavering, and added "That's an order."

He ran his hand once more over my hair, I blinked to clear my blurry eyes, and when I could see again he was gone. I ran outside to find Tseng, who told me the helicopter would land at the bluff beside the mayor's house in three minutes, and that if I wasn't there in time Sephiroth would have his head. I promised, thanked him, and headed as fast as I could to Angeal's house, thinking if he wasn't there I could at least make sure that his mother had left.

The door was wide open. I ran two steps in and froze, my mouth falling open. Gillian was on the floor, unmoving, inanimate, dead like Moray and Kono and flowers torn from their frail roots. I stumbled back and glanced to my right. Angeal was in the shadows, looking down at the body with a hard, blank expression.

"Did you," I croaked, "how could you...Angeal, please say you didn't..."

He grabbed my arm, pulled me back outside with him and shoved me lightly away. "Go to Tseng. Now."

"She was your mother! What's wrong with you, what could she have done - "

"Betrayed him and lied to him, as my parents did to me," Genesis said smoothly, appearing from one side of the house.

"She was ashamed," Angeal said softly.

"But we know the truth now, Angeal. Besides, there is a greater mother to be served." Genesis looked at me, and smiled darkly. "Even as Her champions, we are monsters. We don't have to worry about right and pride, as heroes do."

Tseng's words came back to me; I pushed them away. "We're not monsters, we're SOLDIERs!"

Genesis's smile went cold. He turned away from me, and the enormous black wing I had seen before burst into the air beside him.

"'One will rise above the others and become the Goddess's champion.' One monster."

He launched into the air and disappeared into the sky. A slow rain of black feathers fell from above, and I caught one in my hand and stared at it. SOLDIER was Sephiroth, and Angeal, and Malakh, and Colin Moray. We couldn't be the same as monsters. I snapped out of this reverie to look for Angeal, but he was gone. Tseng was waving to me urgently from the helicopter, so I went to it, but as the bombers flew overhead, I couldn't help but look back at the empty village.

Fire dropped from the sky and burst loudly into flames on each broken building, every farm, the rolling hills where children used to play. I couldn't even feel a little better to see Hollander's house destroyed and hope his clone-making equipment had gone with it. The last thing to catch my eyes was a tree with flames licking at its bark, curling around its branches, charring and disintegrating the apples that could grow nowhere else.

"Angeal," I whispered brokenly.

Tseng had my arm and was pulling me back. I got into the helicopter, dragging the pieces of my heart behind me.

The emo will continue!