Work Text:
The beaches of Banora were boring, nothing compared to the rest of the Mideel islands.
They were plain, small, boring, sandy- well, that was a given considering they were beaches, but that doesn’t mean Genesis hates it any less for that.
Though the beach does have its uses. Angeal likes going there with his father to fish, Genesis likes going there to get away from home.
Which is exactly the reason why he’s going to the beach. Will he get scolded for all the sand he’s going to trail back home? Sure, but Genesis doesn’t really care about that.
As he approaches the beach, he can hear a… distant trill. It was like a call, but it didn’t sound anything like a seagull’s.
The trill happens every couple of minutes, and for a moment, Genesis thinks about turning back. Clearly something weird is going on at the beach, something that he probably doesn’t want to get involved with.
Infinite in mystery, is the gift of the Goddess…
Turning back now just because of a weird noise would be lame, so he decides to continue forward, onto the beach.
His eyes land on a tangled net on the shore, with what looked like a person stuck in it. Said person looked completely accepting of their situation, they were laying down and had a dead fish in their mouth, still letting out the occasional trill.
As Genesis gets closer, he can see that no, this is not in fact a person because what the hell people don’t have tails????
“H-Hey! Are you okay?” He shouts at the weird figure.
Their head immediately snaps up and they let out a low growl, glaring at Genesis.
Genesis, despite all his instincts screaming at him to get away, gets closer to the net, placing a hand on the rope.
The creature- was it really a creature? It looks… somewhat human. If humans had shark tails, and gills, and no ears for some reason, and weird cat-slit eyes, what the fuck am I looking at?!
“What are you?” Genesis asks, his eyes wide. “Can you understand me?”
“Can you understand me?” The creature had the gall to mock him.
“You can speak?”
“I have a tongue and vocal chords, human.” They roll their eyes, before going back to chewing on the half-eaten fish.
By the goddess, why is this thing such a damn asshole?!
Genesis sighed, choosing to continue trying to take off the net.
“What are you doing, human?” The voice is muffled behind the fish.
“Taking the net off you, obviously. And don’t talk with your mouthful, that’s gross.” Genesis wrinkled his nose.
They let out a huff in response, continuing to chew.
Eventually, Genesis is finally able to undo the net.
“Uh… do you need help getting back to the wa-”
The creature hissed at him, holding the half-eaten dead fish in his hand and tossed it at Genesis, before growling once more and dragging himself towards the sea.
… What the fuck? What the hell is it’s problem? Was that a fucking mermaid? Merman? Merperson?! What the hell?
*
Later that night, Genesis lies in bed, staring up at the ceiling, with only one thought in his mind.
That weird, rude, shark-tail person.
They had hair down to their shoulders and green eyes so bright they looked exactly like mako. They had gills on the sides of their neck, and most of their teeth were razor sharp.
They were more beautiful than anything Genesis has ever seen, and even if they were a major asshole, Genesis wants to see them again.
Hell, Genesis would probably be an asshole too if he was stuck in a net with a bunch of gross, dead fish.
*
Despite what all of Sephiroth’s instincts say, he decides to return to the beach. There’s a nice and large rock that he likes to lay on when there’s nothing to do for the day.
Once he gets to shore, he climbs up onto the rock and lies down, the sun hitting him perfectly. He let out a quiet purr, closing his eyes.
While he prefers the cold, the weather here was nice too. It wasn’t nearly as hot as Costa Del Sol or Junon are.
In the distance, he can hear two voices approaching. He lets out an annoyed growl, Gaia forbid a sharkmer wants to get some sun, huh?
As the voices get louder, he actually recognizes one of them. It’s the weird human. How annoying.
The footsteps are closer now, too. “I’m telling you Angeal, I actually saw one here! A mermai-”
“I am not a woman.” Sephiroth grumbled, resting his chin on his arms. The talking stops abruptly.
“Uh.” There’s someone with black hair accompanying the weird human this time. The one with black hair must be Angeal.
Sephiroth let out a huff. “What?”
“See, see, I told you Angeal!” The weird one shouts, pointing at him.
“Yeah, yeah I can see… uh, hello…?”
“Do you need something?” Sephiroth wrinkled his nose.
“Oh, so you are just like that, and not because you were stuck in a net.”
Sephiroth cocked his head, staring at the two in confusion.
“An asshole.”
“Genesis!” Angeal hissed, glaring at the… Genesis. “I’m sorry about him and I’m sorry if we’re bothering you-”
“You are bothering.” Sephiroth said plainly, though then he let out a sigh. “It is fine, I suppose. Why are the two of you here?”
“I told Angeal about you, but he didn’t believe me. Hey, what’s your name?” Genesis asked.
“It is Sephiroth.” He answered, not really knowing why he answered them. It’d be a lot more convenient to dive back into the ocean and go back to his pod.
“Sephiroth? It’s nice to meet you, I’m-”
“Angeal, and the weird human next to you is Genesis.”
“Weird?!”
“You are also loud.” Sephiroth adds, wrinkling his nose. He has never met humans like these ones, usually the ones that kept him in the labs were cold and emotionless, except for Hojo. He wasn’t emotionless, he always showed joy whenever he succeeded in doing something, and always showed more joy if it had hurt Sephiroth.
“And you’re an asshole!” Genesis shouts.
Sephiroth can feel his ears ringing. “Quiet, human. Our hearing is a lot more sensitive than yours.” Especially with the mako.
Genesis just let out an annoyed huff and crossed his arms.
“Sorry.” Angeal apologized. Sephiroth found that he quite liked Angeal.
“It is fine, I suppose.” Sephiroth responded. “Well, now that you have seen me, you may go now. Do not tell anybody else or you will regret it.”
They both looked hesitant to leave.
He assumes this is really their first and hopefully only time they ever met a mer. Well, it is Sephiroth’s first time meeting humans who haven’t tried to hurt him, the weird one- Genesis, had tried to help him too.
“… I assume the two of you have questions.” Sephiroth stated. “You may ask them, only if you answer mine.”
“Do all, uh, does your species have a name?” Genesis asked.
“That’s a stupid question, I thought you humans had plenty of stories about us. Yes, we do, it’s mer.” Sephiroth rolled his eyes.
“Do all mer have eyes like yours?” Angeal asks.
“No, they are more round like a human’s.” Sephiroth answered.
“Then why’re yours-” Sephiroth cut Genesis off with a growl, glaring at him.
“That is none of your business, human.” He hisses. … It is not the humans fault that they do not know. “... Sorry, it is a sore subject. I believe it is my turn to ask a question, yes? What is a chobo?”
“... A what?” Genesis raised a brow.
“Do you not know what I am referring to? I have heard many humans speak of them. They describe them as birdlike and cute, but they do not speak of them with the same disdain I hear when they speak about seagulls.”
Angeal’s eyes widened in recognition “Ohh, you mean chocobo. Uh, give me a second.” He begins dragging his finger through the sand, trying to draw something.
Genesis is covering his mouth, trying not to laugh, but failing because Sephiroth can see his shoulders shaking.
Angeal does not seem proud of the end result of his drawing, due to how embarrassed he looks.
“Sorry, I’m not-”
“So they are like big seagulls?” Sephiroth questioned, narrowing his eyes at the drawing.
“Gaia, no. They are better than seagulls, I could probably find a book with a photo of a chocobo back at my house. I’ll bring it here the next time I come back.” Genesis offered.
“Please do, ah, wh- no, it is your turn for questions.”
“Are there different kind of mer? Or is it just sharks?” Genesis asked eagerly.
“Are there different kinds of humans? Or is it just the weird ones?” Sephiroth shot back, a teasing smirk on his face. “Yes, there are different kind. Most sharkmer are typically from the Nibel region.”
“Do mer have their own language?”
“Yes… I’m sure Genesis heard when he came here the other day, correct?” Sephiroth turns to Genesis, who nods.
“What were you saying?” Genesis asked.
“Didn’t you already ask your question?” Sephiroth huffed. “I was not saying anything. It was merely a call for help.” He sees the look on their faces turn to… worry. “No, it was not distress. I just did not like being stuck in the net. I would have gotten out fine on my own. It is merely inconvenient to get out of nets by yourself.”
“... Do you get stuck-”
“No. I do not get stuck in nets often. Stop taking my questions.” Sephiroth crossed his arms, pouting. “Do chocobos come in different colors? I have only seen them described as orange.”
“Orange? Oh, you mean the chocobos in Corel. In this region the chocobos are a dark magenta color. I know in Kalm they’re yellow, but that’s all I know.” Angeal sighed.
“Weird hu- Genesis. Bring the chocobo book next time you come. Please.”
“Already said I would, asshole.” Genesis shot back, though it was light-hearted.
The three continue like that, talking and exchanging questions, until soon enough, the sun began to set.
“I have to go now, it was… fun, being around the two of you. I will return as soon as I can.” Sephiroth says, climbing off of his rock and heading back towards the sea.
He would not mind returning to them, out of all the other humans he’s ever seen, these two had swiftly become his favorites.
*
Sephiroth returns far later than he would like, but the past few had been busy.
Eventually, he finally gets some freetime and heads back to his rock, seeing Genesis and Angeal on the shore, looking around.
He lets out a trill, calling to them as he finally reaches his rock, flopping down onto it.
“Goddess, where have you been, Sephiroth?! We were starting to think you might’ve been eaten by a whale!”
“Whales do not eat mer.” Sephiroth said plainly. “I have been busy lately.”
“It’s fine, same with me.” Angeal says, waving his hand dismissively.
“I brought the book.” Genesis says, holding it up.
Sephiroth moved off of his rock, dragging himself towards both Genesis and Angeal on the sand.
“Show it to me. I want to see the chococobos.”
“Chocobos.” Angeal corrected, smiling.
Sephiroth let out an annoyed click and moved behind Genesis, wrapping his arms around his torso and resting his chin on his shoulder, looking down at the book in his hands. He could feel Genesis’ face growing warm.
“You- You’re going to get my shirt wet.” Genesis’ voice was strangled, like he wasn’t breathing.
“Take it off then. You are warm. And while the cold is better, you aren’t a bad warm. You are like the rock, though less hot.” Sephiroth says.
Genesis had tensed under him, but opened up the book quickly, flipping to a page of a brightly colored chocobo. The humans were right, they were cute. This one was green colored, with purple feet.
“Do you know how to read?” Angeal asks him.
Sephiroth nodded. “I do. It says that those cho-co-bos are from Gongaga.” Sephiroth does not like Gongaga, he’s had to go through those seas once, and it was much too humid above water. “I do not recommend visiting there, it is unpleasant.”
Genesis flipped the page, this time it was a black chocobo with orange feet. It was from Junon. “What sounds do they make? Are they like other birds?”
“No, they kweh.” Genesis answered.
“And wark.” Angeal adds.
Sephiroth wants to see chocobos more, now. If he ever has to return to Costa Del Sol he will look for one, they’d likely go to the beach.
“Hey Sephiroth, do you mind if I ask you something?” Angeal asks.
“Go ahead.” He responded, unlatching himself from Genesis so that he could look at Angeal.
“Do you have a family?”
Sephiroth hesitated for a moment.
… These humans are trustable enough to know.
“... My birth mother is dead, and I am unsure about the whereabouts of my father, and what he looks like except for the fact that he is also a sharkmer, since my mother was human. I do have a pod though, one of them is also a shark. One is a parrotfish, and the other is a comet.”
Sephiroth paused, before adding, “I have told them about you humans. Not much, though. If you do ever see the other sharkmer, do not talk to him even if he talks to you. He is loud and obnoxious.” And I do not want him to talk to you without me there, since he will likely talk about me. That would be… embarrassing.
Genesis looks mildly amused by that. “Why? Scared?”
“What is there to be afraid of? If anything, I am saving you from having to interact with him.” Sephiroth huffed. “I do not think you’d like him anyways.”
“Why do you hate him so much?” Genesis asked, still amused.
“I do not hate him. The man saved me when I was a pup, he can just be obnoxious at times.” Sephiroth says.
“Pup?” Genesis questioned.
“What? It is what sharkmer use to refer to the young. I was nine cycles old at the time. Pups range from zero to eleven.” He explains.
He could still remember when he was saved.
Just about a week prior, he was able to find his way outside of the Shinra labs, heading into the sea to try and find his father. It was a foolish, childish notion. He didn’t know how to hunt for himself, and then a week later he had been cornered by beasts so mutated by mako that he wasn’t able to tell what they originally had been.
He couldn’t defend himself, and he was too weak to try and get away, so he had simply accepted his fate, though before he could get attacked, he was saved by three other mer.
It… While it wasn’t a bad memory, persay, he still doesn’t like recalling it.
“Sephiroth? Are you alright?” Angeal asks, concern evident in his eyes.
“... I am fine. Apologies, I was just thinking.” Sephiroth says. These humans were nice, warm, trustable. He has to protect them. “I assume you humans know what Shinra is, correct?”
“The power company? Yeah, why?” Genesis questioned.
“Do not trust them. Do not trust anybody from Shinra, and do not tell them of the existence of my pod and I.” He hissed. “I do not wish for them to hurt you, like they hurt me.”
The two looked confused and concerned. Right, in their perspective, Shinra is just a power company with an army, even if that was already suspicious by itself.
“... I will go for now, thank you for bringing the book, Genesis.” Sephiroth says, and without waiting for a response he slips into the sea, swimming away from the two.
*
Everyday, whenever Angeal is done with his work, he returns to the beach, waiting for Sephiroth. He was concerned, especially with what he last said.
Did something happen to him?
Maybe if Angeal had decided to keep his mouth shut-
No… it’s irrational to blame myself for this.
He waits with Genesis, looking over at the rock the mer would usually flop onto.
“... He’s kind of cute, you know?” Genesis said quietly.
“Hm? Y-Yeah…” He remembers seeing Sephiroth’s pupils dilate as he looked at the book with various kinds of chocobos in it. “Pretty, too.” He mumbled.
It was all the same kinds of things he’d think about Genesis.
And it always caused the same warm feelings in his chest, whenever he thought of the both of them.
“... I don’t think he’s coming today.” Genesis sighed, and he was right. The sun had already begun to set.
“Yeah…”
*
Sephiroth has been putting off meeting with the humans.
He told them more than he should have, and that was risky. There was the risk that they could call Shinra on him, and he’d be brought back to the labs, brought back to Hojo.
Though he doubts that, the humans were trustable and nice and seemed to like spending time with him, it was odd.
He was foolish for only calling Genesis ‘The Weird Human’, they were both weird.
He didn’t wish to meet for them for… how weird they felt to be around, too. They made him feel warm, a lot like his rock does, though it was a different kind of warmth.
He’s hardly able to stop thinking about the both of them, and he always looks forward to seeing them again.
He doesn’t feel this way over his podmates, he certainly never felt this way over the humans in the labs.
He could go to Glenn or Lucia over this problem, but no. They’d likely get too… interrogative, over it. Especially Glenn. Gaia forbid he goes to Glenn about this.
Sephiroth instead decides to go to Matt, he was smart, he knew most human things, he could answer his question.
“Matt, I have a question.” He starts.
“Is something wrong, Seph?”
How is someone supposed to ask this without it being completely embarrassing…. “Matt. What does love feel like?” It sounds more like a statement rather than a question, when he says it.
“Uh.” Matt paused, opening his mouth, then closing it again, until he was finally able to come up with a response. “Do you mean platonically, or…?”
“Yes. No. Romantic, yes.” Sephiroth answered, looking away. He could feel his own face heating up, a lot like Genesis’ did when he clung onto him.
“... Maybe this is a question better suited for Glenn?” Sephiroth recoiled at the mere suggestion of that. Matt laughs, “Lucia, then.”
“No. The both of them will be too interrogative over it, and protective.”
“Only because they care, Seph. Why are you asking, anyways?”
“I have told you about the humans before, yes?” This is getting more and more embarrassing the more Sephiroth talks. “It is… I feel… hmph.”
Matt waits for him to continue, though. How dare he.
“They are…” Genesis, who was as fiery and intense as the summer, yet shared the same beauty as the season. Angeal, who was as calm and warm as the spring, he always felt safe and comfortable around him. “I do not see why I have to describe it!” He hissed.
Matt chuckled. “I could hear you mumbling,” I said all that out loud!? I have no choice but to leave this pod and head for the waters of Nibel… “And while I’m not an expert on love, it does sound like you’re at least interested in them.”
“I knew that already.” He lies, looking away.
Matt just sighed and pat his shoulder. “Riiight, well, just know that if they ever do anything to hurt you…”
“They will not, and I can defend myself just fine!”
*
Genesis was beginning to lose hope that Sephiroth would return to beach. Sure, it hasn’t been too long, just a week and a half, but since their last conversation, how abruptly the mer left…
It was making him lose hope, and he could tell that it was the same for Angeal too.
The two of them had made it to the beach together, today, and looked over to the rock.
Where Sephiroth was lying.
“Sephiroth!” Genesis shouts, hurrying over to the rock, alongside Angeal.
“I am sorry I have not been here often. I was… unsure, about telling the two of you about Shinra. But the both of you are trustable.” Sephiroth said, looking regretful.
“We would never do anything to try and hurt you, Sephiroth.” Angeal said softly.
“... Thank you.” His voice was little more than a whisper, when he said that.
Genesis huffed, crossing his arms. “You had us worried, you asshole.” He glared, though… he wasn’t truly angry. “You’re lucky I brought my bag with me today, you know!” He says, reaching into it and bringing the chocobo encyclopedia, which Sephiroth’s eyes immediately landed on.
Sephiroth let out a content purr, his pupils dilating as he moved off of the rock. “Thank you, Genesis.”
“Of course, and once we’re done with that, I can show you the wonders of LOVELESS.”
“Please no…” Angeal groaned, shoving his face into the palms of his hands.
“I am not letting Sephiroth become an uncultured heathen like you!” Genesis glared.
“What is LOVELESS? I have heard other humans speak about it.”
“Why, it’s the greatest, most wonderful work of art ever created! If you want we could read it instead of the ch-”
“I want to see the chocobos.” Sephiroth said abruptly.
Genesis wrinkled his nose and shoved the encyclopedia into Angeal’s arms. “I refuse to hold this for you, Sephiroth!”
Sephiroth just let out a quiet laugh. “That is fine with me. Angeal, take off your shirt.”
What.
“W-What?” Angeal looked shocked, and Genesis couldn’t blame him for that.
“The two of you cannot sit on my rock as human skin is not as tough as a mer’s, so you may get burned. Genesis complained about his shirt getting wet when I held onto him. The fabric of his shirt was uncomfortable, too.”
“That’s not- that isn’t just something you ask a human.”
“Why? I do not see the issue.”
“Give us a show, Angeal!” Genesis teased, grinning at him. He took joy in seeing the blush on Angeal’s face deepen.
“This is peer pressure.” He muttered, taking off his shirt and stuffing it into Genesis’ bag.
Sephiroth let out a chirp, then wrapped his arms around Angeal’s torso, resing his chin on his shoulder, peering down at the closed book.
“We were last on the Junon chocobos.” Sephiroth says, completely oblivious to how flustered Angeal was.
“R-Right.” Angeal said, flipping to the chapter.
Sephiroth continues reading the book over Angeal’s shoulder, quietly purring the whole time.
“You should grow your hair out.” Genesis piped up.
“Long hair is difficult to maintain, especially in the water.”
“... I think you’d look good with it.” Angeal quietly said.
Sephiroth seemed to take it into consideration then, the asshole. “... I will think about it.”
Angeal turned the page again, this time the image was that of a Mideel chocobo.
Sephiroth pointed at it. “That is the one from here, correct? Hm… the feathers look like your face, only a different shade.” He says, looking at Angeal, his nose brushing against his cheek.
“That’s because you have no sense of personal space.” Genesis grinned.
“Maybe- Maybe it’s just… different, for mer.”
“While I am… touchy, with my pod, it is not like this.” Sephiroth answered.
“Did you, um, know that these chocobos can swim through hot springs? Without getting burned? They can also climb trees, like the Junon chocobos. Uh, well, like how they can climb mountains- but they climb trees, instead of mountains.” Angeal was pointing at a line of text in the book.
“Hotsprings sound very unpleasant.” Sephiroth wrinkled his nose.
“They’re not as hot as you’re thinking they are. They’re pretty nice.” Genesis said.
“There is a difference between hot water and a hot rock, and warm humans. Most mer from Nibel typically prefer the cooler waters, including me.”
“Guess that makes sense.” Angeal said, his voice was shaking. “Oh, you said Nibel, right? The next chapter should be about the Nibel chocobos.” He said, flipping a few pages ahead.
Sephiroth let out a curious trill, looking at the photo. “They are very different from the other chocobos. Their tail-feathers are very droopy.”
“They’re my favorite, they look prettier than the rest.” Genesis smiled.
Sephiroth paused before responding with, “... I may be going to Nibel soon, once the waters there begin to warm. That will likely be in a few weeks.”
“You’re going away?” Genesis asked, sounding disappointed.
“Likely not permanently. I want to go to Nibel to see if I can find my father there, if he isn’t there then he may be in the northern continent, though usually it is too cold even for Nibelmer.” He wrinkled his nose.
“Why do you have to wait for the waters to warm? Thought you hated the heat.” Angeal said.
“My podmates do not like the cold, including the other sharkmer, for some reason.” Sephiroth answered.
“... If you find your father, are you going to stay in Nibel?” Genesis asked, trying not to sound too disappointed. He does want Sephiroth to find his father, but… he doesn’t want him to go away.
“While the cooler waters of Nibel will certainly be nice, the climate here in the… what is it you humans call it? The middle islands?” Sephiroth questioned.
“The Mideel islands.” Angeal corrected.
“Right. Those. The waters here are pleasant, too. Sharkmer are typically without a pod, so… if my father does not have one, then I will ask that he join mine. I do not wish to separate from them, and I do not with to separate from either of you.”
Genesis can feel his heart skip a beat at that last part.
“There are still a few weeks left until the waters warm, so there is plenty of time for us to be together. Though for now… I have to return to the cove. Time… seems to pass faster, when I am with the two of you.” Genesis eyes widen when he realizes that the mer is blushing.
Sephiroth unlatched himself from Angeal, and then-
He rubbed his lips against Angeal’s cheek, then moved to Genesis to do the same with him.
“I have… I have seen other humans, do this. Close humans. They share motions such as these with each other.” The mer looked nervous. “I-” His voice had broken off into a chirp. “I will be leaving now, goodbye, I will see you tomorrow.” He says hurriedly, going back into the sea.
Angeal stared at Genesis, Genesis stared right back at him.
“Wings of light and dark spread afar, she guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting…”
Angeal lightly smacked him on the back of his head for that.