[A/N: YES I have had time to do it! Hopefully the next chapter'll be up soon too *dance* Enjoy!]

White foam broke smoothly against the bow of the ship like curls of frothy cloud drifting through the slate grey water. There was nothing to see in any direction except before them, where their destination was announced by a dirty smudge on the horizon.

The sky above was as dreary as the sea, with barely any definition in the distance to distinguish one from the other and the wind of their passage scoured away heat and comfort from anyone foolish enough to wander on deck; yet there Genesis was, sitting as calmly in the front of the ship as if it were a calm summers' day in Midgar.

Facing into the wind with one hand holding back his long hair, Sephiroth made his way towards him, gripping the ship's side for support in case the vessel should suddenly buck or roll. Breathless from the buffeting fury of the wind, he dropped down next to Genesis who sat with his back against the hull, one leg drawn up towards him, the other stretched out, with LOVELESS open on one thigh.

He looked at Sephiroth in surprise as the other thumped down, and closed the book before stowing it away in an inside pocket.

"What are you doing out here?" asked Sephiroth pointedly once he had sufficiently recovered his breath. "It's freezing, you'll get ill."

Genesis smiled beatifically back at him. "I find it easier to concentrate on study sometimes when I'm outside – closer to the Goddess' elements…"

Sephiroth cut him off exasperatedly. "Never mind that, you can study just as well in your berth. Come on."

He staggered upright, struggling against the rocking of the ship and once he was stable offered a hand to Genesis. The redhead considered for a few moments before grasping the outstretched fingers and rising with considerably more grace than Sephiroth had managed.

However, once they were both standing, watching each other through a haze of drizzle, it seemed impossible to unlink their hands and break the intensity that had suddenly sprung up between them. Eventually it was ended by the hateful wind once more as a particularly vicious gust whipped Sephiroth's hair across his eyes and he had to cling with one hand to the ship's bow as he pushed it away.

Genesis looked swiftly towards the stern of the ship, and the stairs down to the relative comfort of the cabins, his stance suddenly awkward.

"We should--" he began, but as he spoke the ship was rolled by a rebellious wave and, with no steadying hand on the bow, he was thrown forwards straight into Sephiroth's arms.

In reflex, the silver-haired SOLDIER closed his free arm around him, and immediately recognised his mistake. Genesis looked up, his proximity and the angle of his fall meaning that as he raised his head his mouth moved perilously close to Sephiroth's, their suddenly short breath mingling in the rain-soaked air in puffs of moisture that were whipped away by the wind.

With no one else on deck, and a pile of secured crates concealing them from the view of the bridge, it was impossible to resist.

Their lips met for barely a second before the ship rolled again and they were broken apart, Sephiroth barely managing to keep a slippery hold on the hull while Genesis fell backwards and flung out a hand to break his fall.

"Genesis!" Sephiroth called anxiously, moving with the swaying of the ship towards him. "Are you all right?"

Genesis waved him away without looking up and pulled himself to his feet. "I'm fine, I'm fine."

There was a tense silence while both recovered from the moments before their separation, both breathless and trembling. Sephiroth tried to form words, to say something to break the fraught silence, between them, but his voice would not co-operate.

Finally, Genesis pushed away from the side of the ship and strode past him out onto the deck, muttering

"I'm sorry," as he went. Sephiroth turned to watch him go, a deep ache in his chest flaring with every rushed heartbeat. It could have been the rain, but he could have sworn he saw tears glistening on the other's face.

The storm passed swiftly, and soon they were sailing through still-choppy waters towards Wutai in a golden drenching of sunlight. The new glory of the day, however, was wasted on Sephiroth; having stayed out on the deck through the storm, not noticing the rain and waves that fell over him and reduced his shining silver hair to iron-grey rats' tails, he only realised how wet he was when the tempest abated and the hesitant sun showed its face.

Realising then that he should probably go inside to dry, he traipsed down to the sleeping level, leaving large clear puddles of mingled rain-and seawater in his wake. The assorted seamen and SOLDIERs watched him apprehensively but said nothing, and he barely noticed their presence at all. The only thing he could think of as he paused at the door to his cabin and looked longingly across the corridor at the tightly closed portal opposite was the one behind it.

Genesis…

He looked for a moment longer before turning to his own quarters and entering, locking the door securely behind him. As he dried, his mind writhed in circles of bittersweet thoughts, twisting and curling like vines of thorns around his heart.

All he could remember was the weight of Genesis against his chest, the heat of his body through the rain – the pressure of his lips on Sephiroth's mouth…

Why is this happening? he thought for the thousandth time in the past two weeks. Why have I let it go this far?

He did not know. All he knew was that the moment that had been torn from them by the cruel sea was lost, but he would do anything… to get it back.

And at the same time, he was aware of the mission that they faced, the reason for them being on this damned boat on this damned sea in the first damned place. He knew that that the men did not realise how close they were to war, and his experience told him that they needed a united leadership to be able to complete this crucial assignment to the standard required.

It was for this reason, and this reason alone – in his conscious mind at least – that when he was finally dry and presentable he let himself out of his room and crossed the mildly swaying corridor to the other door, and after a few deep breaths and hesitation knocked.

There was a slight pause and Sephiroth feared that he had not been heard. He cleared his throat and prepared carefully to call out, worried that his voice would not say what he wanted it to. However, just as he began to speak, the inner lock on the door rattled and opened enough for Genesis to look out with one eye.

"I—" As he saw who his visitor was, he faltered. "It's you…"

"Can I come in?" Sephiroth asked softly, trying to keep his original reason for visiting firmly in mind. Genesis looked away from him, back into the room, then returned his gaze to the door and nodded, stepping aside to allow Sephiroth to open the door enough to enter.

The cabin was ruffled, the sheets on the small bed creased and scattered half on the floor – Sephiroth averted his gaze, quelling thoughts that arose at the image. On the pillow rested LOVELESS, the covers spread out to allow a place to be marked; Sephiroth guessed that Genesis had just been reading it again.

On a metal table bolted to the floor next to the bed was a box of large purple apples; their scent hung sweetly in the air. All around, over the bed and the floor, were scattered sheets of thick cream paper. On the nearest one Sephiroth could see was scrawled the words "I offer to thee this silent sacrifice" with many lines and crossings-out around it. With a foot, Genesis nudged the sheet out of the way and gestured to the bed.

"Have a seat," he said without looking at Sephiroth, but the latter shook his head,

"I'm fine with standing, thanks," he said, and Genesis nodded jerkily before sitting himself. "The reason I came here was…" Sephiroth tailed off, momentarily distracted by the very presence of Genesis as a memory of their last entanglement flashed through his mind. "The reason I came here was to discuss the mission. Do you want me to brief the men when we arrive or would you prefer to do it?"

Genesis shook his head slightly. "You can do it, it's fine with me," he muttered noncommittally. There was an awkward silence for a while, and then Sephiroth threw caution to the winds and sat down next to Genesis on the bed.

"About earlier – I'm…"

"I'm sorry," Genesis cut in, looking intently at the floor. "I shouldn't have presumed…"

"No, no, I'm sorry," Sephiroth interjected, shaking his head in disagreement. "I don't know why this is happening to us… but I shouldn't have taken advantage. I'm sorry," he apologised again.

Genesis looked at him finally, a trace of red around his eyes and ever so faint tearstains on his cheeks. "I… we…" His voice cracked and he looked away again. "I can't go on like this Sephiroth, I just can't. Not knowing what's going on, what I'll have to do next to resist this… wanting…"

There was another silence, where Sephiroth wanted nothing more than to pull Genesis into his arms and hold him, to feel the weight and warmth of him against his body; but he restrained himself and took a few deep breaths, closing his eyes to calm himself.

"Sephiroth…"

Genesis spoke his name softly and when Sephiroth reopened his eyes he found Genesis watching him intently, eyes burning with longing and need. Hypnotised by their glow, Sephiroth found himself leaning closer and closer towards them, drawn in by the irresistible call…

Close now, so he could feel the heat from Genesis' breath on his face; closer again, so he could feel the whisper of it on his mouth, but still there was no contact. Somehow Sephiroth knew that once that tiny gap between them now closed, there would be a line crossed that could not be re-crossed.

He began to close his eyes in preparation for that crossing, ignoring his natural caution and hesitation in the face of his overriding need and desire. Genesis began to raise a hand to Sephiroth's face to steady himself and the line drew nearer as –

"Mr Rhapsodos, sir?" The nervous voice and accompanying knock shattered the silence and tore the two SOLDIERs apart as though by electric shock "Are you there sir?"

Genesis paused a moment to regain his lost breath before replying, and if the speaker on the other side of the door could have seen the venomous look that was directed at him, he would have been glad to throw himself off the side of the ship in terror; truthfully, Sephiroth probably have helped him and tied on the weights to make sure he stayed down.

"What is it?" Genesis snapped, standing shakily to go and stand by the opposite wall, the better to hear the intruder. "Spit it out man, we don't have all day!"

Sephiroth could well imagine the apprehension of the SOLDIER outside, but had no sympathy. The man could go fall on his sword, hang himself or drown himself in the damned sea, for all he cared. Stupid, stupid bastard…

"The, um," The voice was back again, stumbling over the words. "The captain told me to tell you that, um…"

Genesis, having heard enough now and having (outwardly at least) recovered from the past minutes, strode to the door, grabbing his rapier as he went and wrenched it open, focusing his full fury on the hapless second-class SOLDIER who almost leapt three feet in the air at his appearance.

"What do you want?!" Genesis all but screamed at him, brandishing the scarlet rapier with a steady hand. "Just – tell – me!"

The man squeaked in abject fear and stared with bulging eyes at the sword on his throat. "The captain asked me to tell you that we'll be arriving in thirty minutes and if you could tell Mr. Sephiroth as well it would be much appreciated, and I'm very very sorry!"

He managed to rush out all the words in one breath and then tried to recover with abrupt harsh pants of air. Genesis smiled disarmingly at him and turned away.

"Thank you, I shall tell Sephiroth if I see him." Saying nothing more, he kicked the door shut hard with a heel and replaced his rapier by the wall once more. As Sephiroth began to rise from the bed, something seemed to occur to Genesis and he pulled open the door again to find the SOLDIER collapsed on the floor quivering in shock.

Nudging him with a foot to get his attention, Genesis spoke again.

"And tell the others to assemble on deck with equipment, ready for a briefing," he said curtly and banged the door shut.

"Stupid little shit," he cursed to no one in particular, and then leaned his head back against the wall as if the outburst had wearied him.

"So now we will 'do our SOLDIER duty'," Sephiroth murmured softly and stood. "The mission is our priority now. But," he looked directly at Genesis as he moved to the door, judging that the second-class, most likely scarred for life, would have moved by now. "… this isn't over."