Between Friends

Word Count: 752

"So, what did you think?"

Genesis looked up from his desk. Angeal was leaning against the door of his office, smirking down at him. "What did I think of what?" Genesis asked irritably.

"Whom. Zack. Now that you've met him, what do you think?"

Quite frankly, Genesis thought that if he saw the boy again, he might jump his bones, age regulation or none. Angeal probably didn't want to hear that, though. Genesis let a small frown tug at his lips. "I try not to think much about him at all," he said instead. Well, it was the truth. Or it had been for the past hour or so, since Genesis had come to the uncomfortable conclusion that his sexual attention had been captured by a fifteen year old nobody.

Angeal rolled his eyes. "Look, Gen, I know I've been paying a lot of attention to Zack lately and you're lonely." Genesis glared at him. "But I think he has a lot of potential and there's something about him that—" Angeal stopped short, and Genesis realized the look on his face had changed from glare to horror.

Angeal stared back for a moment and then sighed. "The fact that you can even think I would be involved with Zack that way," he began.

"As long as you have me, you better not be thinking of anyone that way," Genesis jumped in, deflecting.

It was Angeal's turn to glare. Try as he might, there was nothing he could do to get Genesis to stop insinuating that the two of them were sleeping together – and his friend was obviously doing it just for him, since no one else was around to misunderstand. "Like I was saying, there's just something about Zack that seems to need protection. Something… I don't want to say gentle, because I know he's getting strong, and I don't want to say childlike, because he's practically an adult, but it's like he's innocent in a way no one else around here is. And I want him to stay that way."

Innocent? That mocking tone, when the cadet had so cavalierly called him sir as though it didn't matter one way or another – and then later, the way Fair had bucked and writhed against him on the mat – this was the boy Angeal thought of as innocent?

"Sure," Genesis said, playing along. "You just want to make sure you'll be the last one to ever see that 'innocence,' right? Isn't there a word for people like you...? Oh yeah. Cradle-robber." He smiled sweetly.

Angeal sputtered, glared, and then pushed off the wall. "One of these days, Genesis, you'll learn to respect me AND Zack. It will probably be when you find out Zack is sleeping with someone you have no chance of competing with, and you have to come crying to me with your 'what ifs' and 'could have beens.' So quit your whining and buck up. Zack's the best cadet you've ever seen and you know it." With that parting shot, Angeal stormed out of the room.

Genesis stared after him for a moment, surprised. He must have really hit a nerve if Angeal was complaining about his whining – that only happened when he was right, and Angeal had no other escape route. So that meant… Angeal really did want Fair?

Genesis shook his head. He liked to put on the appearance of being overwhelmingly romantic and poetic, even to the point of silliness, but he wasn't an idiot, and he wasn't blind. It wasn't so much that Angeal couldn't fall for someone like Zack, but… if he did, he wouldn't hide it like this. Angeal was too honest, too honorable: if he had feelings for Zack (or anyone), he would make his feelings, and his intentions, known.

Well, if Angeal was content to keep Fair as a student only – or, a student in need of special protection, or whatever – Genesis wouldn't stop him. But Angeal had told him to meet his cadet, and Genesis had, and now the boy had his attention. And if he decided he did want to play… well, it was Angeal's fault, right? After all, he had felt the spark of interest, and that wasn't something that happened every day.

Genesis settled back into his chair, the smile on his face that told those who knew him well to steer clear or risk being caught in the crossfire. Idly, Genesis wondered if Cadet Fair would be free for a wrestling match tomorrow morning, as well.