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There was something effortlessly graceful about how Sephiroth moved. He was a wildcat, all rolling shoulders, and hidden strength, beautiful in the moonlight and a wonder to watch in motion. Genesis found himself pausing in his reading, his pointer finger on the word he’d left off on his only saving grace if he didn’t want to reread the whole section again. Lips parted, he gawked openly until he felt more than heard Angeal settle beside him on the floor of the training room.
“Staring again?” Angeal asked with a soft chuckle, shaking his head, “I can’t tell if he doesn’t notice, or if he likes the attention.”
“He is an enigma.” Genesis conceded quietly, blue eyes still locked on their training friend. A soft, contented sigh left him and Angeal cleared his throat as if it might yank Genesis’ attention away from his point of interest. When it didn’t, he waved a gloved hand before the redhead’s nose, and Genesis turned tepid attention on his best friend, eyes flicking back to Sephiroth every so often.
“He might be an enigma, but he has your wrapt attention. Perhaps someday you’ll have him figured out.”
“You know what they say, moth to a flame, and all that,” Genesis replied flippantly, waving dismissively as he shrugged, eyes finding their way back to a shimmer of silver hair.
“I think in this case the flame chases the moth,” Angeal replied carefully, turning his eyes back to Sephiroth’s training, trying and failing to find what had his friend so engrossed. Sephiroth was a truly foreboding opponent, sure, but Genesis’ interest sunk deeper than that. Pursing his lips and crossing his arms, he watched through his peripheries as Genesis finally closed his favorite copy of Loveless, leaving it in his lap, untouched. What was he planning?
“I could talk to him for you. If anyone is capable of selling you as a potential date--” Angeal began, only to be cut off by Genesis lifting his hand and waving the idea away like a foul odor.
“It should be me, wouldn’t you think?” Genesis asked, finally turning his full attention on Angeal. There it was, the same flame in his eyes that he often let envelop his hands. “I’d say I should be the one to ‘sell’ me to him.” After all, it only went without saying that nobody held Genesis on a pedestal higher than himself.
“I… Suppose you have a valid point.” Angeal nodded softly, watching as the simulation gave way to glittering blue light. Sephiroth’s hand pushed through his hair, damp with sweat, and Genesis couldn’t help the quirk of his lips. Angeal knew that look; Whatever he said from this point on, if it wasn’t his absolute approval, was going to be ignored. “I recommend you take this--”
“I know what I’m doing,” Genesis replied easily, shifting forward to rise to his feet. He walked to Sephiroth, feeling a tug to him like gravity. He wanted to say something, anything, but his hand moved before he could stop it. Cupping Sephiroth’s cheek, he pulled the other man in for a gentle kiss, asking for permission without his words.
Sephiroth went still, at first, surprise flooding him as his eyes went wide. His pupils widened slightly as he returned the kiss, finally, just before Genesis pulled away and spoke his mind. Both hands moved to the redhead’s cheeks and he tugged him in closer like he could swallow him whole, and Genesis didn’t mind. Angeal, for all of his support for his friends, decided it best that he leave them to themselves, watching them only until he let the door slide closed behind him. It didn’t seem to even cross their radar, but he knew they were busy with each other. Genesis had a one-track mind often.
After a few minutes, Sephiroth pulled away with a soft smirk on his kiss swollen lips, and Genesis lingered, following his mouth.
“Did you truly need to wait so long to do this?” Sephiroth asked, petting his thumbs over the other’s cheekbones.
“I was unsure if you would respond.” And he hadn’t, at first. “I didn’t want to ruin my chances to be close to you.”
“Now, you can be as close to me as you like.” Sephiroth smiled then, gentle and genuine. Genesis felt his heart rate increase and he kissed him again, chaste.
“Thank you.” He whispered, stepping into the other’s arms and hugging him tightly. “I couldn’t stand not being with you.”
“I know… I feel the same way.” Sephiroth held him close, kissing the top of his head and petting a hand through his red hair. This was what being whole felt like, he knew that even if he’d never considered love.