HAPPY BELATED INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY!

I bring new chapter so you have something to read during the weekend^^ I'll try to update regularly now, every once or two weeks, so you don't have to wait so long^^

This week Genesis and Angeal are out to party!

Enjoy please!

Mary: Genesis

BMIK: Angeal, Brad and the boys

Chapter 11

Angeal greeted his friend in the hallway, as he had just been on his way to go to his room anyway. "There you are," he smiled. "I am going out with a few guys, care to join?" He hoped that this way they could get to know each other and some animosities could be taken care of. The tension was palpable, even though Genesis didn't really notice. But there was a lot of talking and even some hostile comments. Angeal wanted to avoid an ugly fight.

Genesis raised his eyebrow at his friend. "You have a really nice timing, I was just on my way to ask you anyway." He said, stretching his body with his arms over his head, hearing a few bones in his back crack a little. "Sure, let's go. Where to?" He added, smiling while brushing through his auburn hair. This was the perfect opportunity to forget about some problems with Sephiroth and bury some inappropriate thoughts about him deeply in his mind.

"There's a bar down the street, all SOLDIERs go there, or so I have heard." Of course the rookies needed to explore that territory too. Angeal was a bit surprised that Genesis went with him so willingly. "How was your mission?" he asked, as he guided the both of them back to the entrance and then down the barracks.

The other nodded solemnly and followed his friend to the elevator downstairs. "Don't ask. It was horrible." He announced with a sigh. "We went through that damn forest for most of the day and then arrived at that wannabe-bridge just to notice that it was already totally rotten. And then the whole thing blew up out of nowhere and well… yeah. And now I have to write a damn report about it, hand-written." That was the most annoying thing to Genesis. They had already told Lazard everything there was to tell and now he had to write some stupid report, too.

"But let's forget about it." He announced when the elevator touched the ground floor. "I wanna drink and talk and have fun tonight."

Angeal made a worried face, but since Genesis seemed to be all right and didn't want to talk about it he left it at that. His own mission had been successful but simple, so there was nothing exciting to tell about. The light was dimming already, the sky colored in dark blue hues with the rims on the horizon glistening in gentle orange tones. It was getting a bit chilly too. In front of them the bar came closer and laughter and voices could be heard. A few SOLDIERs passed them, apparently on their way back and they greeted them, respectfully. When they entered hot sweaty air hit their faces and the volume increased significantly. The bar was stuffed with people, but someone called Angeal's name from a corner, waving at them too. "Let's go over there. And try to be civil, okay?" Angeal gave him a slightly reprimanding look. Genesis wasn't exactly a peoples' person.

The auburn haired man pulled a face when his friend turned around to make his way through the crowd of people. Perhaps going out had not been his smartest idea. The smoke from various cigarettes filled his lungs and made them itch, as well as his eyes, the voices were loud and pounded into his head like a hammer. He would simply make the best of it.

Following Angeal over to the corner, he eyed the people around them suspiciously. He recognized a few faces here and there, probably from lessons or training he had had with them, but most of them he had never seen before. The brief thought flashed through his mind that he might go out and be social more often but he dismissed it. He had enough to do with being social towards Sephiroth, that was more than sufficient.

"You're late!" One of the guys laughed as they approached the table, quickly making place on the bench. There were five or six of them sitting around, talking, laughing and drinking. "Brad's getting drinks," another, blond haired boy told them as he looked up, stubbing out his cigarette. When his eyes fell on Genesis his smile faded. It seemed that the atmosphere in general grew a few degrees colder all of a sudden. "Oh. You brought your friend."

"Yes Tom, this is Genesis," Angeal introduced, outwardly unfazed. The blond threw Genesis a side long glance, but then he finally offered his hand to the redhead. The others watched cautiously, but they made place for Genesis to sit as well.

For a very tiny moment the red-head eyed the offered hand as if it was something extremely contagious and deadly before he nevertheless accepted and shook it without applying too much force. "Genesis." He said unnecessarily, to introduce himself even though he did not have to.

Waiting for Angeal to sit down, he glanced at the other young men sitting around the round table. He again noticed a few of them as class mates, yet not all, so he assumed Angeal must either know them from somewhere else or they were friends' friends. He gingerly sat down next to his friend, feeling a little too much out of place for his own liking.

Angeal took it upon himself to introduce Genesis to the rest of the group. "The others are Phillip, Jo, Kevin, Matthew and Hugh." The lot of them nodded in greeting when their names were called, eyeing Genesis with a mixture of coolness and curiosity. Another guy came towards their table, setting down a tray with beer. He was pretty, with deep brown eyes and hair of the same color. "This is Brad," Angeal informed his friend with a whisper. "He is..." struggling for words, Angeal paused, then starting anew. "He admires Sephiroth very much." It sounded a bit cautious and Angeal hoped that Genesis got the hint to not make a careless comment that could cause a fight.

The other nodded slightly. He knew he had to be careful what to say to whom, especially in company of people he did not know, yet. He had risked half of his health and well-being with rescuing Sephiroth, back when they had been fighting the Zolom. He had done so deliberately and he guessed that he would do so again, even when knowing what it would lead to, but anyways. It was risky to say the wrong things when being in the SOLDIER program. And he would avoid it, if possible.

"Hey." He waved at the newly come guy – Brad, he reminded himself – with a small smile. He had to at least appreciate the looks of Angeal's choice of friends, he had definitely picked the ones, one would consider handsome.

Brad didn't reply but looked at Genesis coolly, sitting down and grabbing a beer. "Have some," Tom offered, putting two big glasses with the foamy liquid in front of them and rolling his eyes at Brad. "Is that your first time being here?" he then asked Genesis.

Genesis immediately tried to drown the annoying jumpiness with a gulp of beer. It tasted as bad as he remembered it from Banora, perhaps a little better, but still somewhat disgusting. He was more the wine kind of guy.

"Yeah, quite so." He said, looking around to distract himself. "He" and here he pointed towards Angeal "did not feel the need to ask me before." A smirk played over his lips, a sign that he had re-discovered the cocky side of himself.

"Well, we came here only a few times. Besides, you were always busy," Angeal defended himself, but good-naturedly so.

"You come from the same town?" One of the young men, Phillip, asked, reaching for a beer and getting a protesting cuss from one of his friends as he splashed some of it onto their hands and arms. He ignored it tough, and really no one wanted to pick a fight with him, because he was incredibly tall and strong, his head shaven and his eyes sharp. His voice boomed when he talked.

"I was busy doing what? Being bored out of my mind?" Genesis retorted, loosening up a little. He was no longer holding on to his glass like his life depended on it. But this Phillip-guy was intimidating, to say the least. He held the second place on Genesis' 'most intimidating people' list just now. Right after Sephiroth when he was really pissed of.

"Yes, from Banora. Some backwater town in the middle of nowhere, but we have the best wine." He smirked. "At least something to keep you occupied when being a teen, lots of alcohol." He slanted a side-long glance at Angeal, remembering the day they both had had one or two – or five – Banora Whites too much, laying in the green grass and giggling at the darkening sky.

Phillip grunted. " I hear ya." He took a big gulp from his beer as if it was nothing.

"Yeah, if it hadn't been for our whiskey, I'd have died from boredom," Kevin sighed, pulling out a cigarette, and offering it to the lot. It seemed that the ice had been broken. There was something everyone of them could relate to and that created sympathy, something Angeal was very happy about. He started to relax.

"There weren't even any chicks in my town," Matthew, a mousy, thin boy whined in mock misery.

"As if you'd gotten one if there had been chicks," Jo snorted and Tom laughed. Matthew didn't seem offended, on the contrary. He lifted his glass, smirked and drank. The only who kept giving Genesis a cold shoulder was Brad.

And Genesis was not anti-social enough to not notice it. A small part of his mind urged him to include Brad into their talk, but he did not know how – or rather doubted that this was a good idea. Brad seemed to be angry with him, for a reason he could only guess. And if it was the true reason, Genesis was better off with leaving Brad alone.

"The girls in Banora were rather boys than girls." The auburn haired man mused while tipping his chin.

"Yeah, and the boys were girls," Tom grinned, giving Genesis a meaningful look but it wasn't meant to be mean. It was a fact that Genesis was flashy and beautiful.

"Damn man, now I got a too vivid image in my head of Angeal wearing pigtails and a pink dress!" Someone shouted, snorting into their beer and wiping their mouth. Angeal himself smirked, giving them a mysterious 'If only you knew' - look and taking a sip from his beer as well. Every now and again his eyes flickered over to Brad as well. He was an okay guy, pretty popular actually because he was funny and witty, but he also could get pretty mean when he was pissed off. At least he wasn't openly hostile.

Genesis grinned right back at Tom, shaking his hair a little. "Someone's got to have the looks right? Angeal wasn't too popular as a girl, he just does not have the physique for it." He petted Angeal's shoulder in what would have been an apologetic manner if it had not been for the wide grin on his lips.

Sighing he took another gulp of his beer, giggling into it every now and then, while the others talked about Angeal in various girly dresses and even maiden ones. Oh, these mental images, they were equally hilarious and disturbing.

"Is that why you are so good at being a bitch?" The laughter died down and all eyes flickered to Brad, who calmly took a sip from his beer and watched Genesis with steely, challenging eyes. Phillip hmpfed and looked annoyed though he didn't say anything. He had a secret crush on Brad, so the only guy who could have ended this discussion before it even started was handicapped. Tom and the others looked at Genesis curiously to see what he would answer.

As fast as the laughter had ceased, Genesis' smirk had too. "I don't know why you would think that." He said coolly, yet in the same daring manner that Brad had presented. If this guy wanted a verbal war, he would get it, and Genesis would not back down. His honor – oh he sounded like Angeal – was at stake here and his ego, too. If this Sephiroth's-ass-kissing guy wanted to argue with him, he could have that.

Angeal's jaw clenched, but he didn't say anything to interrupt them. Genesis would have been offended if he did, because he didn't want to be protected and pampered. If it came to the worst Angeal would interject, of course, but for now he held back.

"I wonder... let me see. Maybe I am inclined to think so because you are behaving like one?" Brad replied, leaning back. He was confident in his opinion too and Genesis was new, he didn't know the others.

The redhead was relieved that Angeal let him be for now, yet he knew it was only as long as he … behaved. At least a little.

"And which one of my antics that you are obviously so well informed about makes you draw that conclusion?" He asked coldly, his eyes never leaving Brad's, while taking his glass and taking another gulp.

"Maybe it's your shameless brown nosing, ass kissing and spreading lies," Brad retorted. Inwardly he was fuming. Had the guy no shame? Sitting there as if he hadn't done a goddamn thing when he was spouting lies about saving Sephiroth!

"Well excuse my stupidity but I thought bitches were only able to spread their legs, not lies." Genesis answered, but the aggression was bubbling up inside of him. It was all about the silver-haired general again and he knew what had happened in reality. But he could not tell or he would have some Turks hot on his heels and out to kill him. And not even Sephiroth would be able to save him now, if he wanted.

"Who is to say you didn't try that? But I am sure Sephiroth has enough class to not dirty his hands with scum like you."

Genesis couldn't quite contain the grin that was blooming on his lips, but he did not directly reply to that. "So you are … opposing me because you think I harmed Sephiroth's … reputation?"

"I am opposing you because I think you are a dirty, lying scumbag that has nothing else to do but badmouth hard working, honorable people," Brad answered through gritted teeth. "You are just making a laughing stock out of yourself, no one believes the crap you are spreading but it is annoying and I won't have anyone dirtying the SOLDIER's name." The others started to get a bit uneasy, because their bantering had started to sound like serious threads now. Of course they would take Brad's side, but more so out of duty but because they shared his beliefs. Genesis seemed like an okay guy and he was friends with Angeal, who was very honorable and serious about such things...

Genesis' face betrayed nothing of the rage he was really feeling. How dare this little, worthless piece of shit address him like this? But he was sure that starting a fight with this guy now would do no good, it was eventually what they all had in mind. If Genesis lost his temper now, he would do nothing but encourage this guy's low opinion of him. Not that he really minded.

"And what exactly, if I might ask so, did I do to … badmouth anyone? And what crap am I exactly spreading? I haven't seen myself walking around and talking shit about others I do not know like some people at this table." He replied bitterly, his eyes burning icy daggers into Brad's, while his fingernails dug into the hard wood of the table, his hands itching for making bloody contact with that guy's face.

"Oh, let me think about that..." Brad pretended to think hard, but when he spoke again his voice was dead-pan and utterly unamused. "How about you spreading lies that you saved Sephiroth from a Zolom on your first mission when in fact he saved you because you were incompetent and useless? You even got him injured and then you have the guts to boast about it!"

Angeal shifted in his seat. He thought it was time to leave now; this was getting dangerous. Naturally he had gotten his call from ShinRa too and these matters were not to be talked about. "I think we should go now," he said calmly, getting up. "This is going nowhere and you are both being childish."

The redhead snorted, getting up rather violently before getting his thoughts together for one more moment. "It was a nice evening." He said to the rest of them because they had been really friendly to him, even though he had seen the unmistakably questioning gazes they had thrown his way. "I'm sorry it ended like this."

He turned with a small wave and left without waiting for Angeal. He had not wanted to spoil his friend's evening so he could as well stay and have some fun with his other SOLDIER friends. He did not need them, none of them.

Still fuming he came to halt just outside the pub, taking a deep breath of the cool night and shaking his head.

Angeal came out a few minutes later, as he had to say good night to everyone and tell Brad to keep a low profile because he was being unfair. Brad had just snorted, but not said anything. He respected Angeal and he feared him a bit too, because Angeal had proven to be extraordinarily strong during training. The night air outside was chilling, and the street lamps had been turned on.

"Don't think too much on it," Angeal said as he started to walk beside his friend. "They are actually nice people. I don't know what has gotten into Brad tonight."

The other kept quiet about it, just buried his hand inside of his tight trousers pockets, staring at the pavement they now walked back to the high ShinRa building that was looming, omnipresent, above the city. "They were quite nice, I have to admit that." He said after a moment.

He had been painfully reminded of just why he was being anti-social since coming here. In Banora he hadn't had too many friends as well. Being the mayor's son and therefore awfully spoiled most of the other kids in town did not want to deal with him – perhaps also because of his antics, but it was easier to blame it on his parents. Angeal had been the only one – what a surprise. He had always tried to convince himself that he did not need others to be happy and successful, that he did not care what they thought about him, but deep down he knew, that he cared… at least a little.

"It's unfair to know the truth about what happened and not being allowed to say it." He finally said into the silence that had settled over them. He used a quiet voice, not knowing if this was already too much information. Just in case somebody eavesdropped on them.

"Everyone who gets to know you a bit will know that you are not a person to make up such things," Angeal replied gently, voice lowered. "Those are just rumors and I am sure after they got to know you today the majority of the guys don't believe them anyway. Brad is a bit hotheaded at times." And he had a big fan boy crush on Sephiroth, but that Angeal kept to himself.

"It's nice to hear that, but you know that it's not true. He's just saying what others keep to themselves. I'm quite sure the rest of them believe in those so called rumors, fiercely." The red-head waved dismissively and shrugged his shoulders. "Brad has every right to do so. He's just thinking what ShinRa wants him to think. It's not his fault."

A heavy hand landed on Genesis' shoulder, attempting to comfort him. Angeal had nothing else to say, because they both knew the truth. They were not allowed to share it, so they had to deal with the consequences ShinRa had forced upon them. Walking through the gate of their premises they went for the barracks. "Did you call your parents yet?" Angeal finally asked. It wasn't a pleasant topic either but he had to make sure Genesis had taken care of that.

Genesis shot a thankful glance over his shoulder before Angeal squeezed him for a short moment and then let go. Groaning he recalled the nasty conversation he had had with his mother. "Yeah I did." He said simply, for the last time enjoying the frigid wind on his skin and how it cooled his raging temper. "And my beloved mother did not spare me the shame to have her talk to Sephiroth just because she did not believe me when I said I was sharing rooms with him and that he … actually thought I was a good soldier." He raised his gaze to look at the darkened sky but because of the faintly green clouds no stars could be seen. A sudden wave of nostalgia washed over him, but it vanished as fast as it had come.

"She wanted me to come home and take the responsibility of my heritage. You know, the farm and all."

Angeal sighed. "She won't stop trying that even after you became the greatest hero of all times." A small, bitter sweet smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Do you want to go somewhere else? Just the two of us?" he finally asked, just for good measure. Instinctively he felt that Genesis had enough of going somewhere, but he thought that he should ask anyway.

"She will keep nagging me even when she is pushing the daisies." The auburn waved exasperatedly before he smirked. "If you possibly mean running away with me from ShinRa to escape my freaky mother, I would love to, it would be very romantic, but since I doubt that it would neither make a difference, since she would find us even at Icicle Inn, nor that you meant that… No, thank you. I'll just go back to my room and read or… whatever, annoy Sephiroth a little." He winked at Angeal with those words, nudging him a little.

Angeal was a bit startled, but then he smiled back. It seemed as if Genesis had gotten a lot easier around his room mate. "Good night then," he said, parting and heading down the barracks, since his room was at the opposite direction.

Staring after his friend for a while, Genesis stayed outside. Sighing he looked up, wondering if this was really worth all the trouble. Was being a hero really what he wanted? Or was it just to show his parents that he was capable of doing something on his own and being successful? But then he could as well have chosen to become a real estate broker or a shop keeper or something equally as unperilous. Sighing he came to the conclusion that it did not matter anymore. He could not go back to his home town – no he would not give this satisfaction to his parents, he'd rather die in battle or being strangled by Sephiroth – and he also disliked the idea of quitting the SOLDIER program and doing something else.

The fine hairs on his neck suddenly raised and he couldn't identify whether it was from the cold or something else.

From the shadows a few dark figures watched the lonely, pensive Genesis sitting on a bench between trees and bushes, staring up at the sky. The dim glow of the end of a cigarette flared up briefly before it was crushed under a boot.

"Let's go," a fierce voice said grimly and the four shadows slipped over to where Genesis was sitting. It was a fortunate incident that the redhead had chosen such a secluded area; no one would hear him scream.

The redhead noticed them as soon as they determinedly closed in on him. Out of the corner of his eye he tried to make out how many of them they were – and what they wanted, but they looked like normal SOLDIERs. He couldn't make out one of them because of the darkness, yet his stomach did a strange flip that reminded him of anxiety. He kept quiet in a feeble attempt to make them lose interest in him or something, his body fraught to act when needed. He hadn't done the sheer endless hours of training and lessons for nothing.

The leaders of the shadows that had effectively surrounded Genesis finally spoke, his voice cold and cruel, dripping with self-righteousness. "Now look what we have there. Our little hero, abandoned and all by himself. But he doesn't have to fear anything, his super powers will get him out of any predicament." The other shadows laughed, mockingly, coldly, a bit hysterical. They were high on adrenaline.

Genesis eyed them warily, still ignorant to who they might be, but their purpose was clear. He kept quiet, holding eye contact with the speaking figure, daring, challenging him to do anything that would enable to red-head to do something in return. He could not stand up to all of them, but he could at least make one of them regret this action. "So?" He asked lowly, slowly standing up. A sitting position did not seem to be a smart idea in this case.

Finally the leader stepped out from the shadows and pulled his hood back, revealing his face to Genesis. He felt confident and he didn't need to hide. The others behind him seemed a bit restless, because the plan had been to stay anonymous, but they were too far into it already and besides Brad's words had stirred the anger inside them again.

"You need to be punished. You need to be shown what happens when you walk around badmouthing people. We won't tolerate your actions any longer and we will avenge Sephiroth's noble name that has been dirtied by assholes like you." The others came closer, nodding fiercely. One of them held a thick, pointy branch he had picked up from the ground and that seemed to be heavy.

Tbc?

Review replies (Mary/BMIK)

fantasi88

Thanks for the comment :D I'm glad you like the way we portrayed Gen's mom. I think she is often described as cold and heartless for the fact that people view her as that. Every story I read with her being something close to a good mother felt somewhat wrong and false. I don't know why. I didn't even play the game xD

Haha, Genesis' mom coming to headquarters would have ended in a bloodbath, I think XD She's a bit... difficult ;) Glad you liked it!

tsukiko94

Thanks for your comment :)) Haha, yeah all those things would totally fit Hojo ;) But it will be a surprise who it really is in the end! Ah, yeah. The good old problem. You dislike somebody for their attitude but they are just too hot to deny them sex, haha xDDDD

Hm... I wonder :D But I think we'll find out eventually! Hehehe, some couples just love to hate each other, but maybe they can overcome some of their differences^^

Shadow Haloed Angel

Thanks a lot for the two comments ^^ Really? You like this one more? Wow, now that's an ego boost, haha xD Thanks

Aw, I know the problem, hon. I at univercity most of the time too and barely find the time to get anything done. Fortunately I got holidays at the moment. Way better! xD

Thanks! We really tried to make that forest look really creepy and ugly, something you really really really not want to stay in over night :) I'm glad you liked it! Oh, why would anybody NOT get along with Gen's lovely mother? ;) Don't worry, it's long enough to like it anyways ;))

No worries love, we didn't update a while, so there was not much to miss XD I hear you, with so much to do there sadly is so little time to read all the awesome stories here! I am terribly behind too, but hope it'll get better soon. Hahaha, you're so right, ShinRa and conspiracy theories... even the craziest theory you might have is not crazy enough to meet reality! They are just nuts -_- Thank you for your lovely reviews!

Next chapter: Will Genesis be able to avoid a fight? (*cough*Yeah right... we all know Genesis and his calm, pacifistic attitude *cough*)