#t: calamitysshatteredson | 02

[corruptedbyvengeance]

@calamitysshatteredson | continued from [ x ]

“Angeal knows my opinions on certain matters,” Genesis replied flatly, unreasonably annoyed by Sephiroth's lack of inflection. Annoyed by the question Sephiroth had chosen to ask.

But it was irrational to hope for a different response. Sephiroth wasn't given to dramatic displays of compassion or affection or – anything, really. And Genesis had to remind himself that wasn't what he had wanted anyway. Any act of empathy from Sephiroth at all would have been ingenuine, no matter how much Genesis had once longed for it. They were very different in this way; Genesis had no compunction about letting everyone know how he felt, and Sephiroth hid all his emotions away, even from those he considered his friends.

Bringing Angeal into it was another deflection, probably. Angeal's reaction had been more infuriating than Sephiroth's, a simple, “No way I can change your mind?” No offer of companionship, no pity, nothing. (Not that Genesis wanted pity. He would sooner die than be pitied.) Angeal, who knew the whole of what was going on in a way that Sephiroth didn't – couldn't – had chosen to stay behind and wait.

It was driving Genesis mad.

“So. Yes. Between you and me,” he finished with a small scowl that could not quite be contained.

[corruptedbyvengeance]

@calamitysshatteredson

Sephiroth almost inflected on those words, Genesis could feel it, and he knew, finally, that Sephiroth cared. It was infuriating to have to dig through the walls of Sephiroth's protections to get to see how the man truly felt. Genesis had been dealing with this for years, though, by this point, and he knew better than anyone -- except possibly Angeal -- that this was just how Sephiroth was.

Still irritating, though.

Something about those words made Sephiroth sound almost vulnerable, like a child asking a parent if they were ever coming home again. It was almost imperceptible, but Genesis heard it in that voice, even if no one else was able to. Sephiroth didn't want him to go.

That was at least a partial victory in his book. Angeal hadn't been surprised when he had said he was leaving, but he didn't want to go along with it. He wasn't sure Sephiroth would be able to be convinced either, but at least they cared that he was leaving. But of course they did. (But of course, what if they hadn't?)

Genesis was not satisfied, because he knew what was going to happen. Angeal and Sephiroth would be sent to hunt him down and take him out. But now, at least, he was certain that neither of them would take the job seriously. They were friends, after all -- a word that Genesis did not use lightly, in this case.

"No," he replied simply. "I'm not."

@corruptedbyvengeance

Sephiroth found it harder to maintain something like a neutral expression as Genesis went on. It wasn't a particularly professional conversation, and yet--

He didn't know how else to respond to it. To react to it, because the jumble of emotions together was powerful and unfamiliar. Or familiar in an unfamiliar way, and--

What was he supposed to do? Were secrets being kept? Were there secrets to keep? There were, of course, professionally speaking, and theoretically no one was entitled to one's private thoughts, actions, conversations. But too there was the distinct impression of something slipping away, something that needed to be grasped onto. That wasn't real, was it? That was all... him. All just one of those many things to keep quiet about when it happened, because Shinra's best had no such experiences.

But he wasn't speaking to Genesis as Shinra's best, was he? Not for a long while. Not for many reasons.

"Are you coming back?" He felt exposed as a raw nerve, uncomfortable, like he ought to reach forward and pull the words back. There was nothing to be done about it.