#phantasiiae: genesis rhapsodos

[hoshinierabareshimono]

@phantasiiae, continued from here: X

Genesis pauses, tilting his head as he regards Sephiroth. He is no stranger to compliments. People will often stop him on the streets and say these things, but they always feel so shallow. Of course people think he's pretty. It comes with the territory. But...hearing it from Sephiroth... He smiles, something actually genuine, then laughs. "Only pretty? Not beautiful? Gorgeous? Utterly radiant? I think you can do far better than that, darling."

Sephiroth cleared his throat, looking to the side to conceal how that smile, that melodious laugh affected him, how effortlessly it eroded his composure, how it made his heart rate speed up and his stomach flutter.

And most likely, there was not even a deliberate effort on Genesis’ part to disturb his equilibrium of mind.

“My apologies,” Sephiroth said, turning to face him once more with a practiced mask of neutrality. “We both know you’re the eloquent one, the sophisticated one. It draws them to you as much as your attractive physique, if I’m to make an educated guess – do better, to put it your way. Fishing for compliments, on the other hand...”

His lips quirked up in a teasing smirk.

“I may have to deduct a point or two for that. So, careful now.”

[myristicisms]

cont.

w/ @phantasiiae | Sephiroth

Familiar tones interrupt his restful slumber, half conscious and still partially asleep he can't help but to groan softly, body still pliant and relaxed from the previous night's activities; Genesis was by no means an early riser, often sleeping through multiple alarms even on mornings where he wasn't involved in strenuous antics and yet the subtle shift next to him followed by a warm hand pressing against his bare flesh finally stirs the ginger awake.

Under most circumstances there would be hell to pay regardless of whoever decided it was wise to wake the sleeping man but for once he doesn't mind. Tired eyes slowly open, fingers wrapping loosely around Sephiroth's wrist to affectionately mouth at the flesh of his wrist before gently pressing the meat of his cheek into the man's palm with a hoarse hum. These were not moments Genesis allowed anyone, he's warmed many beds throughout the years but seldom does he stay throughout the night; It's far too intimate, too committal to something he didn't wish to entertain and yet the thought of swiftly dressing and making his exit had never come once they'd finished.

Sephiroth was a man he didn't mind allowing that sort of intimacy, then again the silver haired man was an exception to many of Genesis's so called rules as far as a lay goes simply because he was important to the crimson mage, he was someone the elder of the two could easily see himself devoting his life to should it be in the cards and yet... “ Yes, yes, schedules and such and boring meetings. We could have easily slept another hour, you know. ” His voice rumbles, complaints nearly dying upon his tongue at the gentle touch upon his scalp. He knows his hair is a mess, he's a mess in general and he needs a shower to wash the scent of sweat and sex from his body. “ But I suppose perhaps it's wise for me to return to my own quarters and prepare for the day, I can already tell I look like a disaster. ”

[oakthcrn]

A resigned sigh escaped her as she frowned. She glanced at the cave's mouth and had a feeling there was more to this training than a simple clear-out. Genesis Rhapsodos wasn't that boring.

❝ Somehow, I highly doubt it, but fine. ❞ She replied and gently shook his hand off her shoulder. She unsheathed her blade and began to stroll inside. She was swallowed up by darkness and she lifted a hand to activate her fira materia. She glanced around, so far so good. She produced a floating flame and ventured forward.

Once her hand was free, she touched her earpiece.

❝ Sir, can you hear me? ❞ She spoke and glanced around, she peered at the cave walls, remnants of old markings made her think it had once been occupied by some ancient Cetra. Why did SHIN-RA own it? Unless...they were out of bounds and this wasn't merely a training session, but an actual mission.

A look of irritation sprawled over her freckled face. Was it a mission he didn't feel like doing? Arse.

❝ So far there hasn't been any sign of--❞ She was cut off when she felt a sudden force against her, throwing her against the cave wall. She cursed in an old language and gripped her blade. She couldn't see details but the creature was exceedingly large. She sent flames towards it but it did little, her blade did little, and all she could do was dodge. She needed to think of a way to destroy it, or at least get by.

@phantasiiae continued from here: xxx

[hoshinierabareshimono]

At the Crossroads

@phantasiiae, continued from here: X

"I thought you’d like some company."

phantasiiae answered:

"Mm, how utterly kind of you." Genesis...tries not to sound bitter, although he knows he's not entirely successful at it. Always an open book, never to keep things as tightly under wraps as he'd like. Sephiroth is the last person he wants to see right now for multiple reasons. One of those being that he can't tell him what he's planning. Out of all the people in the world, Sephiroth would be the only one who could convince him that it was a stupid idea. He glances over at him only for a moment before looking back out the window, letting out a long breath. Part of him wishes he could tell him, but then what? It would be for nothing. It would all be for nothing. "I don't need you to take pity on me, Sephiroth," he mutters, absently picking at a loose string on his sleeve. "I hope you know that."

“I do,” Sephiroth stated bluntly.

More than anything, he was perplexed Genesis even entertained such an absurd notion. He had assumed their interactions over the years had made this evident. He crossed his arms and sat, the faintest of frowns marring his otherwise composed countenance for an instant before it smoothed out once more.

“I can leave if you don’t want me here,” he said. “But in case you do, my original plan was to challenge you to a game of chess. I figured you’d be bored to death in here.“

And he arched his brows, awaiting Genesis’ decision.

Although it was true that he wanted to check in on his injured friend and obtain a personal impression of his recovery process, it was equally true that he missed their battles of wits just as much as their physical spars.

No one kept him on his toes like Genesis, the sole person he had come to regard as his equal – a fact he had been so certain Genesis, too, recognized as such.

[hoshinierabareshimono]

Of Firsts

@phantasiiae, continued from here: X

Genesis lets out a breath, his head resting on Sephiroth's chest as they lay there, the early morning light sneaking through the crack of the curtains. He had taken a plunge that he didn't know he'd come back from last night, and he's certainly glad that he did. How long has he spent pining after Sephiroth, wondering if he would ever feel the same? Genesis glances up at him, a hint of a smile on his face, and he laughs softly. “Hmm, could you?” he murmurs, sitting up slightly to lean over and kiss him. A hand moves to rest on his cheek, and when they part, his smile has widened. “As I said before, you can have me whenever you'd like…as often as you'd like..I'm really not picky,” he muses, drawing circles on Sephiroth's skin. “I could come over again tonight if you'd like.” He tries not to sound desperate, but oh, how he wants Sephiroth to say yes. Genesis always tries to play it cool, aloof, like he doesn't really care if he's rejected, but he does care. A little too much, perhaps. “What do you say, hm?”

“I could get used to this.” Sephiroth’s remark was accompanied by a slow blink and a contented smile.

There was nothing premeditated about his words now, about the way he kissed Genesis back without missing a beat—as though exchanges of that sort had already become second nature to him.

A bone-deep relaxation suffused him from head to toe, to the point it didn't yet occur to Sephiroth to be less transparent about his wants.

Genesis’ auburn hair looked exceptionally vibrant in the morning sun, and Sephiroth relished his newly earned privilege to card his fingers through it to his heart’s content.

And yet, Genesis’ offer prompted him to face a more sobering reality.

“An enticing prospect,” he acknowledged, for even upon reflecting, he did not mind conceding as much.

And in a way, Genesis had earned that truth after how he had proven an exemplary teacher the night before, attentive, encouraging, yet always respectful when he could have easily mocked him for his obvious lack of experience in the realm of copulation.

“There would have to be ground rules, however,” he stated, eyes boring into Genesis’, “So don’t be too quick to offer what you may no longer want after hearing them.”

Granted, Sephiroth found himself hoping that their expectations were not as irreconcilable as the more jaded, pessimistic part of him feared—especially when merely raising the subject was profoundly unpleasant.

Steeling his resolve, he continued, “Exclusivity, for instance, happens to be non-negotiable.”

After all, as much as he desired Genesis—even more so now that he had felt and tasted him—Sephiroth refused to diminish himself by settling for a shoddy imitation of the committed relationship he sought.

If there was to be a repetition of that night before, Genesis had to be his and his alone.

[myristicisms]

Cont.

W/ @phantasiiae | Sephiroth

There are times where there's no telling how he's perceived by those around him, something that always bothered Genesis because while he's become great at reading body language and reading into the way he's spoken both to and of, that didn't mean it was fully accurate and he'd hated being left wondering if those who looked up to him knew what sort of man the crimson mage was; Bitter and angry, full of so much spite from years of neglect and trying so hard to be looked upon with the same awe as his companions, Genesis was just a pretty face amongst incredible warriors and beneath that pretty face was a beast that bore its fangs to anyone who dared test him. It's an idle thought he has, mindless in the way he speaks it and before he realizes he's spoken it he sees that curious look and wants to curl in on himself. ( How would I define good..? )

Eyes briefly flicker to the new point of contact, fingers twitching for a second before the tenseness in his features melts away into confusion, he feels like a child and yet it's still a soothing gesture. “ Just... Getting lost within my own mind again I fear, I've continued to come to realize that nobody really understands me the same way you and 'Geal do and it's... It's made me wonder if those adoring gazes I get from the lower ranks and the citizens of Midgar would still be present if they knew how ill tempered I really am. ” Or how easily perturbed he could get over the smallest things, how his bite is just as painful as his bark and how vicious the man can be within his own mind.

His tongue darts out for a moment, wets his lips despite knowing he'll be fussing over needing to be extra thorough in moisturizing them when it's time to turn in for the night before offering a gentle smile to Sephiroth. “ I appreciate you more than you'll ever know, dear friend. I suppose I'm just worrying over foolish things that I can't control and you know how quickly that spirals within my head. ” Such as the fact that some day Sephiroth and Angeal too might grow tired of him, of dealing with the auburn haired man's dramatics despite how they constantly reassured him that they understood him well enough.

“ Like... Sometimes I worry whenever we're out in public that the mask will slip and they'll all see me for what I am or perhaps I'll be to dinner and something won't work well with my pallet and then that image of perfection and charisma will be shattered and I'll have nothing, I'll be nothing because I'm not who I pretend to be. I feel as though I'm a liar and that's why I don't believe I'm a good person. ”

[myristicisms]

There is something so mortifying about allowing any sort of vulnerability to settle its way into his heart and yet the seed has long since planted its roots into the organ and while he'd much prefer to snuff it out completely, Rhapsodos finds he doesn't completely mind indulging the urge to open up to more than just Angeal; Sephiroth has shown himself trustworthy enough to open up more, to allow the seemingly untouchable hero the privilege of seeing a far less tailored version of himself. The façade has not fully dropped but still he allows himself to crack a bit and allow the silver haired man to see where Commander Rhapsodos ends and where Genesis begins.

Leather clad legs cross over one another, amusement pulling taut upon the corners of plush lips while pallid fingers rest beneath his jaw, curious eyes lingering upon his companion. It's a shared sentiment, one that the crimson mage wouldn't voice because to voice it would mean he's allowed himself yet another weakness and the ginger would sooner die than allow himself to be exposed in such a way. For a man as loud and vocal as he was, not much was truly known about the eldest of the trio and he much preferred to keep it that way, it's a sort of protection of sorts, a fail-safe to keep his heart from being ripped and torn to shreds by those undeserving of the unfiltered adoration that Genesis had to offer.

“ As would I, my friend. Lucky for us both that I've no intentions of leaving any time soon. ” Or such was his plan anyways, he's made something of himself for once, something to be proud of and as ambitious as Genesis was the man also knew when stagnation would be far more beneficial. “ I don't believe either of us will have to worry about that for a long while yet, the goddess smiles upon us both after all. ”

@phantasiiae | Sephiroth

“ i would hate to see you go . ”

[myristicisms]

A dull emptiness had long since burrowed its way within the typically passionate redhead. Misty sage greens had lost their once bright shimmer the further he'd fallen into his own mind, bitterness and desperation a filthy combination that only bred frustration and wrath. Indifference was an ugly look for Rhapsodos but it was sat atop his features nonetheless, some sort of cold amusement flashing upon pallid features because he's long since resigned himself to what he was, what he's always been.

A monster.

Ugly and full of misplaced envy because he'd never been enough nor could he ever be enough. Each move made by the crimson mage was carefully planned, aimed to deal as much damage as possible through his words alone if possible and with the loss of the one person who seemingly knew him best there's hardly a care for mincing the ever darkening thoughts within his skull that pounded and demanded release. It's an ugly little creature that strikes against his ribs worse than the thrumming of his heart, it aches just as well as the degradation that eats away at his body and perhaps that's something else that spurrs him into lashing that barbed tongue at anyone that thought it wise to pick a fight with the dying man.

“ How dare I? ” He barks out a laugh, dry and devoid of humor, “ You've a lot of nerve asking that. The truth, my darling companion, is I'm privy to damning information. But if it might lay that temper of yours to rest then fine; You're no better a man than I am and frankly I don't appreciate being tossed to the wind and pawned off on a teenager. If I'm being honest, I don't believe you deserve an explanation seeing how you couldn't even grace me with your presence until recently. ”

@phantasiiae | Sephiroth;;

“ how dare you ? and how could you ? ”

[hoshinierabareshimono]

Rules: make a poll with five of your all time favorite characters and then tag five people to do the same. see which character is everyone's favorite!

Tagged by @umbral-stigmata-unbound (thank you very much <3)

Tagging: @hiislegacy, @phantasiiae, @axnewxera, @fairlybeloved, @tmvoldemort

[hoshinierabareshimono]

Despite Sephiroth’s own heightened sense of pride, Genesis’ slight misinterpretation of their ante, too, struck him as vastly preferable to maintaining their dismal status quo.

He’d rather have Genesis gloat or even lash out at him with every petty taunt at his disposal, if that was what it took for Genesis to stop hiding the root of his discontent.

He’d still prefer that to remaining powerless as his friend continued to slip away with each misstep on his part.

And though he was steadily cornering Genesis, steadily decimating his pieces, it still felt as though he were the one rushing towards a disgraceful defeat, all because he failed to pinpoint the missing variable beyond the confines of their chess board, the straightforward rules and limitations that governed it.

Had his attempt at distracting Genesis itself, too, been a gross miscalculation?

As their game progressed, Sephiroth did not dare comment on the flaws in Genesis’ strategy—mistakes that were wholly and perturbingly uncharacteristic for him—nor adapt his own.

“Go ahead, then,” he quipped back, but the words chafed his throat like raw metal.

His undeserved victory was bound to cost him, but insulting Genesis and every admirable quality he embodied with transparent lies would come at an even steeper price.

It was thus with a tight jaw and even tighter knuckles that Sephiroth continued his relentless onslaught, putting his opponent in check and checkmate numerous moves too soon.

And with a firm, unyielding gaze he demanded, “The truth, Genesis.”

"Hm, fine. I accept your terms, but don't be disappointed when I ultimately win and boss you around for the rest of the night," Genesis quips in return, trying to act like everything is okay. At least this way he could pretend that he isn't absolutely miserable. Besides, it's difficult to focus on being upset when he has to focus on beating Sephiroth at chess.

So he takes a deep breath and stills himself, watching Sephiroth's every move and returning it in kind. The game, funnily enough, sort of starts to relax him. That fiery passion of his slowly begins to restoke its flame in his chest. He may feel like his entire world is crashing down around him, but at least now, in this moment, he feels a little bit normal.

Even still, as their game progresses, he finds himself making mistakes that he wouldn't normally make, visibly frustrating him. Is it because he's distracted? Or something else?

He'd hate to think it the latter.

"And here I thought you might've lost your touch for a second," he teases, trying not to outwardly show just how irritated he is at himself. "Don't think you have a win yet. I could still come back from this."

[hoshinierabareshimono]

There was an amused glint in Sephiroth’s eyes even as he scoffed at Genesis’ sheer audacity pro forma.

His attitude was born ofconfidence rather than banal delusions of grandeur and that significant distinction, in turn, had captivated Sephiroth’s interest the day their paths had crossed and secured it ever since.

Was Genesis aware that he was his favorite person to spend his downtime with? Angeal, too, was a notable exception to his penchant for solitude, but whereas Angeal had come to represent warmth and effortless companionship to him, his interactions with Genesis, their extensive debates in particular, sent his mind reeling with unprecedented possibilities.

It was thus oddly flattering to have Genesis brandish the fondness they both knew he held for him as though it were a prized accomplishment.

“The training room should be available for”—Sephiroth glanced at his company provided phone—“about another hour. Since you’re intent on holding me hostage today, we can play chess afterwards.”

Genesis laughs, waving a hand as he walks along. Truth be told is that he really didn't have anything in mind. He just likes to exist alongside Sephiroth, taking comfort and pleasure in his company. Now that he has his attention, though…he hums and turns to face him again, tilting his head. “Badgered? Oh, please, you absolutely adore me. Don't try to pretend otherwise.” A mischievous grin, and he narrows his eyes in amusement. “I'm not scheming anything. I was thinking that we might be able to spar a little, if you're up to it.”

Even though he had already spent time training today, but he'll never pass up a chance to go toe to toe with Sephiroth. It's no fun doing it all alone like he did this morning. “Or we could play chess…whatever you'd like. I'm not picky, you know.” 

He wonders how much Sephiroth can tell that everything he does is just a ploy to spend time with him. Call Genesis selfish, needy, whatever anyone would like, but he finds that when he isn't near Sephiroth, he spends all of his time thinking about him. Maybe it's a little codependent, but he was always the same way with Angeal, too. 

[hoshinierabareshimono]

Sephiroth found himself blinking at Genesis’ verbose conclusion, at being released so abruptly.

He was in equal parts relieved and disappointed, and frustratingly enough, he could never tell if he was being toyed with or if there was the slightest possibility that Genesis had yet to realize how his proximity and touch affected him.

“Hmph, very well. I accept,” he declared. “No need to persuade me further. I’ll concede that I’ve endured worse than being badgered by you. So, lead the way, General Rhapsodos. You can't convince me that your scheming ends here.”

Needless theatrics aside, there was no denying the veracity of Genesis’ assessment. Over the years, Sephiroth had come to value the other SOLDIER’s company and friendship to the point it had become unthinkable for him to imagine returning to those dreary, unfulfilling days prior to their encounter.

“What could you do to make it up to me? Oh, there's so many options, isn't there?” Genesis makes a show of thinking it over, tapping his chin and sighing, tilting his head this way and that. “I suppose you could spend the rest of the day with me and that would satisfy me.”

That's really all Genesis wants, in the end. He wants Sephiroth's company often, even if some days he feels like he needs to prove himself worthy of such a thing. It's a ridiculous notion, of course. Sephiroth wouldn't give him the time of day if he didn't want to, yet there will always be that part of Genesis that wonders otherwise..

Pulling himself out of his thoughts, he grins, batting his eyelashes and laughing. “Surely that wouldn't be so terrible, now would it? Spending time with little ol' me? I provide such a bright spot in your life that you should have no issues with indulging me this much.”

[hoshinierabareshimono]

Yearning. What a delicate word to apply to warriors as lethal as they were. But the sentiment was mutual. For years now, it had been inevitable for Sephiroth’s eyes to find Genesis whenever he was nearby, to remain locked on his majestic form, his sophisticated features, his intense brilliant eyes, the supple curve of his bottom lip whenever he was not looking.

Burgeoning respect had evolved into profound admiration at a breakneck pace and left him wanting more, to the point his thoughts and suppressed impulses posed a direct threat to his equilibrium of mind.

Basking in the first rays of the morning sun and in Genesis’ proximity, Sephiroth found himself conceding—at least to himself—that what he had before described as attraction was indeed a stronger, significantly more vulnerable sentiment.

The realization startled him— as did his own passivity as Genesis continued to erode his defenses.

“Then what took you so long?” he quipped, a futile attempt to downplay the immense fondness and delight written all across his features.

He pulled him down for another kiss, shorter and more chaste than he would have liked, but he refused to diminish himself by indulging instead of seeing this unpleasant talk through to the end.

“Discretion will be paramount,” Sephiroth thus soldiered on. “In that vein, if there’s someone you were planning to tell about...”—he couldn’t yet think of an appropriate term, not when they had yet to assign one to this new dimension of their interactions—“I’d like to have some say in the matter. Naturally, your power of veto will be equal to mine.”

Despite the gentle, wholly appreciated reminder, he found himself unable to smooth out the frown marring his countenance anew.

“Should Angeal be made aware?” he inquired.

Genesis tilts his head into Sephiroth's touch, a content sigh escaping him. This has been something he's been dreaming about for a very long time. Even when they were younger, he had a crush on him, feelings that never seemed to diminish no matter what Genesis did. He's never been great at coping with these kinds of things, and last night had been an impulse, a now or never moment. He was tired of pining, of wondering, and it paid off in multiple ways.

It's not often that he feels so happy or so pleased with himself. The self-confidence he exudes is typically nothing more than a facade. He genuinely believed that Sephiroth might reject him, that he might ruin their friendship with this, but he's glad he didn't. It seems things do go his way sometimes.

Though when Sephiroth brings up that there'll be some stipulations, he quirks a brow, sitting up slightly to give him better attention. His fingers still trace along his chest as he listens to him. It couldn't be anything bad, he's sure.

Ah, there it is.

There's a brief pause, then Genesis snorts, a slight grin appearing on his face. It's no secret that he spends a lot of nights in other peoples' beds. It's just something he does because, well, he enjoys it, but it didn't really mean anything. “Is that all?” he muses, tapping his chin and making a grand gesture of it. He's teasing, of course, and so he laughs, leaning over to press a kiss to Sephiroth's forehead, gently brushing his hair out of his eyes.

“That's fine with me,” he replies, shrugging. “Look at you, your brow is so furrowed. Did you think I'd say no?” But he can see why Sephiroth might think that. “Darling, I've yearned for you for so long that it won't be an issue. I promise.”

[hoshinierabareshimono]

Sephiroth wordlessly adjusted the chessboard between them, not caring either way.

Genesis’ next words, however, had him frowning in distaste.

“Anything but that,” he scoffed. “How about we up the stakes, then, before you get worse ideas? The loser must obey the victor’s order. No backing out.”

It was a juvenile suggestion, though not all that different from their usual antics when everything had still been all right between the three of them, from their mischievous ways of violating protocol, those petty little acts of defiance in the face of regulations that only impeded their growth.

Intense emerald eyes were fixed on his opponent as Sephiroth made his first move.

Genesis’ fidgeting, no matter how subtle, was uncharacteristic and unsettled him. It inspired a rare surge of empathy, for it was not weakness that he saw in his friend, but the restlessness and mounting frustration of a warrior rightfully priding himself on his unyielding will and relentless determination, yet condemned to inertia by circumstances beyond his control.

He thus resolved to call out to that brilliant mind of his with the most ruthless tactics at his disposal, his every move and countermove demanding Genesis’ undivided attention.

(And he knew deep down that a sinister part of him governed by selfishness rather than concern and guilt did indeed want to capture Genesis, prevent him from further withdrawing from him by any means necessary just as he strove to capture his black king on their physical chessboard.)

Genesis looks down at the chess board, letting out a soft sigh. He almost laughs, a ghost of a smile appearing on his face. Sephiroth has always been stubborn, and so has he. The attempt to cheer him up in some capacity doesn't go unnoticed, and perhaps he might even say that he enjoys it, but...it's hard. It's hard to pretend that everything is fine when it isn't. He doesn't think it would ever be fine again.

"Hm, black, I suppose." There is some cruel irony in all of this, though he has yet to decide exactly what that is.

My friend, do you fly away now, to a world that abhors you and I?

Genesis sighs, trying to resist the urge to anxiously tap his foot, even if his leg jiggles with all that nervous energy. In a few days time, he would be gone. Gone without a trace, leaving Sephiroth behind. It is bittersweet, but must be done. Perhaps this game of theirs marks that finality.

"You first, of course," is what he finally says after a few awkward moments of silence. He tries to relax, but every inch of him feels tense, ready to run away at a moment's notice. It's ridiculous. It's only Sephiroth, but things feel so..distant between them somehow. "Perhaps I'll let you win this time."

[hoshinierabareshimono]

There was not the slightest trace of doubt in Sephiroth’s mind that an apology would mark the permanent end of their friendship, that any maladroit attempt on his part to verbalize his thoughts about the training room incident would send another precarious tremor through a foundation so delicate he feared it might shatter at any moment.

Only rarely did he regret his lack of social grace in intimate settings, but in that moment, there was nothing he coveted more than the means to prove to Genesis that he had long stopped regarding him as lesser – weaker – that whatever areas in which he was not able to match him were balanced out by skills he admired Genesis for surpassing him in.

To think that his failure to make Genesis understand had resulted in such a grave injury left him riddled with guilt and restless to the point of insomnia.

Genesis’ permission for him to stay thus eased the tension in his shoulders and jaw.

He was far from naive enough to mistake it for the beginning of an easy resolution, nor had he fallen for Genesis’ lies about his conditions.

Even so, Sephiroth was determined to seize the opportunity he had been granted to let his actions speak for him.

“Your hospitality has been noted,” he quipped dryly. “In that case, I’ll have you indulge me for one game at least.”

And he set up the chess board he had brought on the bedside table between them.

“Black or white?” he inquired with a challenging smirk.

Perhaps he is being too harsh. Deep down, he knows that this isn't Sephiroth's fault...not really. He may have delivered the blow, but it was his own ego that caused it. Not that he would ever admit it. Genesis lets out a long breath, looking at his nails for a moment before he finally deigns to look up at Sephiroth. He just looks...tired. Where there's usually such liveliness in his eyes, there's nothing there, dark bags only emphasizing it.

Yes, Genesis is tired, and that's exactly why he has to leave.

"I'm fine," he mutters, looking back out the window, his brow furrowed slightly. "You don't--you don't need to worry about me." But I would still like your company is the unspoken thing. "You can stay if you want. I don't care either way."

But he does care. Very much. Genesis has always cared far too much about everything. Try as he might to not be that way, his heart is always on his sleeve, on display for the whole world to see. He wishes he could tell him, but then that would complicate things, and that's the last thing that he needs.

[hoshinierabareshimono]

“And you are more resilient,” Sephiroth stated without missing a beat. Truly, the mere notion of Genesis being wounded so easily by struck him as absurd.

Even so, there was no attempt on his part to put more distance between them, no attempt to prevent Genesis from stepping into his personally space and setting his skin aflame with every confident touch as though it were his right to do so.

Confronted with his complete lack of resistance, Sephiroth had to concede that Genesis was the first and only one to have earned such privilege. It was thus an inevitability that he would ponder and dissect the implications of that later that day, in private.

“If I were to humor you,” he inquired, “how would you suggest I make up for my cruelty?”

Intense emerald eyes bore into Genesis’ in a silent challenge.

“Fishing for compliments? Me? I would never, and I am insulted that you would insinuate as much.” Genesis is teasing, of course, obvious by the mischievous look in his eyes. “I just enjoy it when you say such things, is all.”

A shrug, and Genesis places their well loved copy of Loveless onto the table so he can give Sephiroth his full attention. He reaches to take his hands, pulling him closer, still grinning at him. “You would deduct a point for acting in my nature? Oh, Sephiroth, you are so terribly cruel to me. I don't know how I ever stand it.” He sighs dramatically, shaking his head. "You're just going to have to make it up to me now. 

As he says this, he walks his fingers up Sephiroth's chest, a playful laugh escaping him. “Regardless, you're plenty eloquent. Don't act so humble.”