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Genesis headed into the main room of his recently bought apartment, drying his hair off with a towel. Angeal had finally gotten the hot water working after days of whining and nagging at him, only for it to be brushed under the carpet, because he could always go back to his room in Shinra HQ if he wanted a warm shower so desperately.
It was ridiculous, Genesis thought, but god, did it feel worth the wait.
He stopped in his tracks after hearing a short muffled sound. He tensed, tossing the towel over his shoulder.
Angeal was supposed to be in bed, still. And besides, what did he have to cry about, anyway? Genesis was letting him stay there free of charge, after all. Fixing the boiler didn't count as payment, Genesis decided.
He took another step into the room, peering over the back of the couch. It was a second-hand leather thing, which he didn't exactly approve of. But, alas, it was something so stupid that it was important to Angeal, and so it stayed.
Ignoring the hideousness of the sofa, his eyes narrowed as he saw a long body stretched out on it, its hair blending in with the dark colour.
Genesis gritted his teeth. He knew that porcupine hair from anywhere, even if it was from behind.
He turned his face over his shoulder. "Angeal?" He called out. He was not cut out for whatever the hell Zack was moaning about. "Angeal." Genesis called again, his grip on the towel tightening.
His loud calls must have disturbed the wallowing Zack, as it wasn't much longer after that before he turned his head, his eyes glossy.
Genesis met his eye and noticeably grimaced. He prepared himself to call after Angeal again when the man himself appeared behind him, his hair messy from sleep.
Angeal quickly straightened himself out upon seeing Zack laying on the couch. What sort of mentor would he be if Zack saw him like that?
He patted down his own hair, clearing his throat as he pushed Zack's legs off the sofa, sitting down beside him with crossed arms.
"Zack?" He grunted, softly.
Reluctantly, Zack sat up, hugging a dirty pillow that came with the godforsaken couch, and that kept making its way out of the bin every single time it was put there.
"Are you alright?" Angeal asked calmly.
"More importantly," Genesis interrupted, brushing a strand of hair behind his own ear. "Why is he here?"
Angeal looked up at his ginger 'friend'. "I gave him a key."
His face hardened. "Without my say so?"
"...'m sorry," Zack mumbled, his mouth pressed up against the back end of the pillow.
Genesis groaned out loud, heading for the kitchen. "I am making coffee. Angeal?" He turned his head for a split second before turning back to the coffee machine.
"Not for me," he said gruffly. "Zack?"
Zack shook his head into the pillow, bringing it closer to his chest.
"Good," Genesis hummed, not even checking for Zack's definitive answer. "The offer wasn't for him."
"Give him a break, will you?" Angeal scolded. He didn't wait for another snarky comment before he turned back to Zack, his expression softening. "What's going on?"
Slowly, Zack lifted his face from the pillow, rubbing his eye harshly. "It's Aerith."
"The flower girl?" Genesis called, the coffee brewing at an obnoxiously loud level.
"Yeah," he coughed, clearing his throat quickly afterwards.
"What about her?" Angeal prodded softly, taking the pillow from his arms and laying it down on the floor. There was nothing he hated more than when people weren't straight with him.
"She and Cloud," Zack tried, fighting back tears. "It's stupid. It's fine."
"Let me guess," Genesis sighed dramatically, heading back over with two cups of coffee. "Your best friend and your girlfriend fell in love. I told you not to introduce them to one another." He handed Angeal one of the cups, despite him not asking for one, as he sat down in an armchair to the right of the two, propping his legs up on the coffee table.
"Let him speak," Angeal said sternly, pushing Genesis' feet down to lay his cup on the table.
"Hole in one," Zack laughed. It was a short laugh. A dry one. It wasn't funny.
He brought his knees up to his chest, hugging them tightly, wishing things were different.
"Now, now..." Angeal murmured, reaching out to put a hand on his back.
"I'm happy for them," Zack said quickly, lifting his head at the touch. "Seriously, I am."
"Zack—"
"I bet Cloud's real good to her," he muttered, shaking his head. "Like, real good. And she likes him too, y'know? Always giving him flowers and stuff..."
"The other woman." Genesis hummed, rimming his cup with a finger.
"What?" Zack frowned, his rambling, thankfully, coming to a stop.
"It's in a handful of plays and novels," he murmured, almost to himself as he brought the cup to his lips. "Though, would you be the other woman? Or would your friend?"
Zack blinked, his eyes darting between Angeal and Genesis.
"Don't listen to him," Angeal sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "He has no idea what he's talking about."
"Did she cheat on you?"
"Genesis—"
"It's a valid question," he said simply, leaning back in his seat. "Is that how you found out?"
"No." Zack shook his head, wiping away another tear. "I can just see it. Whenever the three of us are out together... They don't see me. They see Cloud and Aerith, and their tag-a-long friend."
"I find that hard to believe," Angeal snorted, shrugging.
"It's true." He leaned forward, his voice insistent.
"Well, maybe those low lives deserve to know who you are," Genesis scoffed, dropping his legs to the floor. "A First Class SOLDIER. A man who puts his neck on the line day in, day out for everyone down there in the slums."
"It's not that," Zack groaned, waving a hand to silence him. "I used to be known as her boyfriend. Everyone would tease us for it. But now that Cloud's here... I don't know." He kicked the floor with a short huff.
"You feel pushed out," Angeal concluded, trying his hardest not to scold him for dirtying the carpet.
"I guess," he mumbled, throwing himself back against the couch. "I just wish they'd tell me that I'm the third wheel."
"You are her boyfriend," Genesis frowned. "Does that not give you some sense of superiority?"
"I'm never gonna go against Cloud," Zack snapped, scrambling to his feet. "That's out of the question."
"He has started this war," Genesis said, watching as Angeal tugged Zack back down to the couch.
"This isn't a war," he said, frustrated, leaning over his knees. "And Aerith isn't some prize to be won."
Genesis narrowed a brow. "A real gentleman, hm, Angeal?"
"More of one than you, yes," Angeal snickered.
He gasped, feigning offence as he put a hand to his chest dramatically.
"I broke up with her anyway."
"You did?" Angeal stammered, blinking. "Why?"
"I didn't want her to feel trapped, I guess." He swallowed thickly, wiping his eyes again. "She obviously likes the guy. I don't wanna get in the way of that."
"And what did she say?"
"Dunno. I left before she could respond."
"Zack, Zack, Zack," Genesis tutted, shaking his head slowly.
"You're not helping," Angeal hissed, putting a hand on the back of Zack's neck.
"I did the right thing, didn't I?" He asked slowly, looking up at Angeal for confirmation.
"You did." He said, letting out a small sigh, though he wasn't exactly sure himself.
"I just want them both to be happy," he grunted, burying his face into Angeal's shoulder. "So why does this hurt so bad?"
"That," Angeal responded, holding Zack to his chest. "Is called heartbreak."
Zack buried his face a little further into Angeal's black robe then.
"It sucks," he protested.
"The first time, it does," Genesis said, almost to himself as he noticed the flickering of the lights above the table. He made a mental note to get that fixed. "But, alas, it doesn't get much easier."
Angeal scoffed. "And what does that mean?"
"It means," he huffed, shifting himself on his arm chair. "That if you had fixed this place up from the getgo, we wouldn't all be suffering right about now."
"For the love of—"
Zack laughed. A short laugh, though it was, but it was still a laugh. He lifted himself from Angeal, wiping away his ugly tears.
"Thanks," he muttered softly.
"Hm?" Genesis pulled a face.
Zack ignored him, instead turning to Angeal. "Can I stay here? For a little while? I swear I won't get in the way."
Angeal sighed. He always gave in too easily when it came to Zack. "Sure thing. Make yourself at home."