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Angeal shuffled into his room, shutting the door softly behind him with the side of his shoe. The day hung heavy on his shoulders, and he detached Buster from his back to alleviate as much as he could. Rolling his neck, he propped the sword up against the wall and kneeled down to remove his boots. As he stood back up and reached for Buster, a dim light coming from the dining room caught his eye.
He left the doorway to find Genesis sat neatly in one of the two chairs around the table, the spotty ceiling lights of the kitchen backlighting him with a warm glow. He looked up from his nail file as though he had only just noticed him, “Welcome back.” He looked down to continue filing.
Angeal muffled a snort in amusement. Dramatic, he thought fondly.
“Your dog was looking for you today,” Genesis mentioned.
Angeal could feel a brief spike of panic crawl up his back, though he tried to speak calmly, “Is he okay?”
Genesis caught his gaze with a fox-like grin, holding the file up to his cheek, “My, my, not even a question as to whom?”
“Genesis.” Angeal pressed, placing Buster on its wall mount. He watched the other huff and roll his eyes, sticking his hand out to observe his nails.
“Calm down, he's fine. Just wanted to know where you were.” He cocked his head, half lidded eyes following him as he sat in the adjacent seat, “Wouldn’t stop yipping at me until I told him. He's terribly upset with you he didn't get to come, you know.”
He sighed minutely with relief, placing a hand to his face and rubbing his forefinger beneath his nose, “I can't take him with me yet.” He hadn't considered Zack would be looking for him after just a single day of absence, an oversight on his part. He knew how enthusiastic Zack was. He'd have to remember to tell him next time he went off on his own.
Genesis watched him carefully, like he was trying to pick apart his every twitch with some sort of psychological reasoning. Finally, he gave his own sigh and shook his head, “I don't understand why you're so taken with this mentoring thing. Are you really that bored?”
Angeal leaned back against his chair, “I am not bored, I like helping others. And I see real potential in Zack.”
“Mm, so you keep saying,” Genesis mused. “He's a bit scattered for my taste.” He scrunched his nose and bore his teeth at the word, emphasizing every syllable.
Angeal set his brow and moved his hand as he spoke, “He just needs better direction! I've sat in on their drills, and none of his commanders know what they're talking about. They're trying to just fit him inside a neat little infantry shaped box, but he's more than that! He could be doing so much better, if someone would just pay attention.”
“Careful with that,” Genesis’ gaze bore down into his meticulously kept cuticles, “You're almost getting at the part they don't want us to figure out.”
Angeal's eyes widened as he caught what he was saying. That's what they wanted from all of them, not just Zack. Once they put the helmets on, they were all just ants marching in a row. Even without the helmet, wasn't he just the same?
“You're pouting, dear.”
The two SOLDIERs locked eyes, and Angeal could see something burning behind the soft smile he was being given. He knew they weren't going to talk about it tonight.
Angeal scrunched his face up and waggled his head to mock him, earning him an amused scoff.
“So, you think you can give him this covetous ‘direction’?” Genesis held his nail file out to him.
Angeal brought himself back to neutral, determination glinting in his eyes as he straightened his posture, “Yes, sir.”
Genesis smiled fully, eyes narrowing with the slight twitch of an eyebrow. He slouched back into his seat and crossed his arms, “Well, you better work on your pitch, then. Somehow I don't think insulting the company is gonna bag yourself a raise.”
Angeal burst into a small laugh and hung his head, “Shit.”
Genesis gave a mock gasp, complete with an offended hand placed across his heart, “And we're swearing now? My, what happened to honor?”
He rolled his eyes, “You be quiet.”
□□□
“I believe that Zack Fair's full potential is not being utilized properly in the infantry program and his skills would be better suited for SOLDIER. I would like to personally see him down this path as his mentor, sir.”
Angeal stood, his back ramrod straight and arms tucked neatly behind him. He stared down at Director Lazard with as neutral an expression he could muster.
Lazard watched him from over his glasses, pushing them back up from where'd fallen down the bridge of his nose, “He's proven to have a great talent for combat, but what about his focus? His commanders have consistently reported a lack of listening and communication issues. To be in SOLDIER, you need to listen to what you're told just as well as you can follow through.”
Angeal swallowed harshly, biting down his thoughts, “I believe he requires a more personalized learning regimen. With something suited to his own needs, I fully believe he will be able to become a major asset to the company.”
Lazard raised a narrow brow, “That could be said for any number of infantry we have, what makes Fair unique in that?”
“I only get one apprentice, sir.” He stood his ground, fighting the urge to fidget with his fingers.
Lazard’s stony face broke into a wide grin with a light chuckle, “I suppose you got me there.” He began rummaging through some papers hidden inside his desk, giving a small ‘ah!’ as he found what he was searching for, and sitting the stapled set of papers down. He grabbed a pen out of the cup on his desk and held it out to him, “The paperwork, you'll have to have him sign it as well, then we can get him promoted to Third and schedule his first round of shots for about, say, a week from now.”
Angeal nearly felt the air leave his lungs, he stood more alert as he reached for the pen, Lazard still continuing to speak, “We'll get him moved into the Thirds’ barracks, and you should be able to start training him properly in about two weeks, one month tops, depending on how fast he recovers from the mako.”
He quickly gave his signature on all the marked lines, attempting to keep his hand from shaking as much as he could. As he looked up, he saw the director giving him a warm smile. He placed the pen down gently and stood back up straight, “Sir?”
Lazard shook his head with the wave of his hand, “Nothing, nothing, I just haven't seen you this bright eyed and bushy tailed in years, Angeal.”
Suddenly feeling a bit bashful, he looked away and gave a small cough into his fist, “My apologies, sir.”
“Nonsense.” Lazard shooed the thoughts from the air, “I just mean, I think this might be as good for you as it will for the young Mr. Fair.” He smiled once more before standing, “Well, I think I'll give you two the room, I've got to make some phone calls.”
The director gave him a light squeeze to his shoulder as he passed, leaving him alone in the wide open office.
Angeal finally allowed himself the space to breathe, running a hand through his hair with a deep exhale. He did it! He wasn't quite sure why he'd gotten so nervous.
When he heard the quick, heavy steps of boots slapping against marble flooring, he knew it could only be one person. The steps slowed down as they approached and finally a head of spiky black hair popped out from behind a hallway.
“Oh! Hey Angeal!” Zack tried peeking around him as he walked closer, “What are you doing in here? Do you know where the director is? Am I in trouble?”
Angeal tempered his amusement at the mile a minute questions, “No, you're not in trouble.”
Zack's gaze shot right up to his, his pose freezing briefly and then mellowing back out, a hand going to scratch the back of his head, “I mean, what? Of course I'm not in trouble, I didn't do anything, hah.”
Angeal stared the boy down, watching as he began squirming. He forced his smile down as he huffed a dramatic sigh, “You know, Zack, it's not honorable to lie to your mentor.” He shook his head for good measure.
He could practically hear the cogs turning in Zack's head as he processed the information. A massive grin was soon engulfing his face and he began bouncing rapidly, barely containing himself, “For real?! You’re serious?!”
There was no way Angeal could hold his smile back from that, he grinned wide with a slight scrunch to his nose, “That's right.” He went to turn and pick the pen back up, but he was bombarded by an arm full of teenager, Zack squeezing him tight around his middle and pressing his cheek into his collarbone. Feeling stunned, he hesitated for a moment before he gave a few light pats to the boy's back, not used to such brazen affection.
Zack pulled back and bounced on his feet, his hands curled up into fists, bursting with energy, “So when do we start? Can we go train now, huh? Please?”
Angeal paused, still reeling a bit from the hug. He blinked quickly and brought himself back, grabbing the pen off the desk and sticking it out to Zack, “First, you’ve got some paperwork to sign.”
Instantly, he could see every drop of excitement drain out of the boy, posture deflating with a dramatic groan, “Eugh, paperwork. Maybe I don't wanna be your apprentice..”
Angeal huffed, quirking his head to the side and pulling the pen away, “Well, in that case,”
Zack hastily sprung back up to try and take it, but Angeal held it above his head, their small height difference just managing to give him the advantage. Zack started jumping up to grasp it, and Angeal simply could not stifle himself, big smile crinkling his eyes and boisterous laughter filling the room.
“Angeal! Come onnn, I was only kidding!! Angeal! Aaangeeeeeeal!!”