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Title: Between the Ranks
Characters: Sephiroth/Angeal/Zack
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 961
It was bound to happen. Somebody had to pay the price for ignoring those oft-broken rules, or there would be no point in having them. Angeal stared straight ahead, wishing it had only been his number that was up.
"It just happened, you say?" The General drummed his fingers on the desk, a light rhythmic tapping, softened by leather gloves, too much like a racing heart. "Rather... contorted thing to just happen, I would think."
"I meant what led up to the... contortionism." Angeal refused to meet the other man's eyes. He'd done wrong and he knew it and that cat-like mako stare would pin him like a rat. Better to stare at that little furrow right above the left eyebrow and pretend this wasn't going to be one by-the-books nightmare.
Sephiroth shook his head and gave the man a pointed look. "I'd expect better from a man with your experience, Hewley, and don't tell me this is the first time you've dealt with a student's misguided attraction. What else could you toss at me? That he tricked you into it?"
Angeal cleared his throat. "No, but it is the first time the uh, feelings have been mutual."
Sephiroth's eyes grew hard. Then he sighed. "Angeal, I'd like to make this easier for you, but it won't work if you flat-out admit to willful fraternizing between ranks."
Angeal nodded in acknowledgment. "I realize that, but I won't leave him hanging out to dry."
"You won't?"
"Takes two to tango, General."
"Even with your career on the line?"
Years of hard work gone up in smoke, just like that, but it was the right thing to do. "Not even for that, Sir."
"I see." Sephiroth leaned back. "Fortunately, things can still be contained at this point, if you cooperate. You were quite lucky I was the one who found you two in the pantry. I can't say for certain anyone else would be willing to make a compromise."
"Compromise, General?" Angeal knew that smirk on the other man's face and he knew enough not to like it.
"You and I know the realities of SOLDIER life, Hewley. The rules may have been laid down for us, but sometimes things require us to be... flexible."
"What are you getting at, Sir?" Angeal cut through the bullshit. When Sephiroth started acting like the damned cat he resembled, it was trouble for everybody.
"It's simple, Angeal." Sephiroth ducked his head just a bit so Angeal had no choice but to look him in the eye. "Keeping a secret requires that it be known by none but the guilty parties. So, I intend to become one."
"Sir?"
"If Fair is my dirty little secret too, I'd be less inclined to come forward with what I've seen."
Angeal's brain shut down. He belatedly realized that his mouth was gaping. "Goddammit, General! You were planning this from the start, weren't you?"
Silver eyebrows raised. The General's face wore a flimsy facade of innocence. "Planning what, Angeal?"
"You want to get him away from me! Don't lie, Sephiroth! I've seen the way you look at him. I thought it was just his imagination when he told me how you'd opened up to him on those missions. But it's just burning your ass that he comes home to me every time." Angeal strangled air, fuming. "Your pitiful method of seduction wasn't working so you decided to take him the only way you could!"
"Honestly, Angeal, as if I need to use regulations and blackmail to get a lover, and as I recall my seduction wasn't so pitiful when the target was you." He stood, hitting the call button on his phone. "Send Fair in."
Sephiroth strode to the center of the floor, leaving Angeal sputtering in his wake. Zack entered and made a hasty salute. Sephiroth marched over, took the boy's face in one hand and plastered a wet kiss on him.
"Mmmph!" Zack struggled briefly, causing the General to wrap both arms around him to keep him still.
Angeal swore and watched the one great new thing in his life get torn away. Zack was young. Angeal didn't pretend to be able to hold the boy's interest forever. It was just sex for kids Zack's age and with the way the General kissed, Zack would very well be motivated to move on. Sephiroth ran one hand down Zack's torso and cupped the boy's crotch, wringing a moan out him for the effort.
Angeal sighed heavily and started towards the door. His legs shook a little under him, but that would pass. It would pass, dammit, and maybe when Sephiroth got tired of Zack, they could go back to keeping each other company again.
"Angeal!" The name was a roughened, low bark.
"Sir." Angeal turned around. Sephiroth was staring right at him, lips reddened from kissing. Zack was breathless and limp, ready to collapse if not for the General's grip on his ass and his own shaking hold on the General's lapels. He blinked, almost unseeing. Angeal looked away. Sephiroth's predatory stare was a better sight than his effect on Zack.
"I never meant to leave you out, Angeal," Sephiroth purred.
Angeal blinked. "You really want a guilty party, then."
"Of course. If Fair doesn't object, that is."
Angeal hazarded a glance at the boy's flushed face. "I don't think he will." He walked back towards the younger men and pressed himself against Zack's back, running hands around the boy's body to work the belts and suspenders off, eager to touch and reaffirm that he still had what he wanted.
"Uh, hey," Zack mumbled, finally getting enough air back into his lungs to talk. "Am I still in trouble?"
Angeal chuckled. Sephiroth smirked and tweaked Zack's nose. "More than ever."
Characters: Sephiroth/Angeal/Zack
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 961
It was bound to happen. Somebody had to pay the price for ignoring those oft-broken rules, or there would be no point in having them. Angeal stared straight ahead, wishing it had only been his number that was up.
"It just happened, you say?" The General drummed his fingers on the desk, a light rhythmic tapping, softened by leather gloves, too much like a racing heart. "Rather... contorted thing to just happen, I would think."
"I meant what led up to the... contortionism." Angeal refused to meet the other man's eyes. He'd done wrong and he knew it and that cat-like mako stare would pin him like a rat. Better to stare at that little furrow right above the left eyebrow and pretend this wasn't going to be one by-the-books nightmare.
Sephiroth shook his head and gave the man a pointed look. "I'd expect better from a man with your experience, Hewley, and don't tell me this is the first time you've dealt with a student's misguided attraction. What else could you toss at me? That he tricked you into it?"
Angeal cleared his throat. "No, but it is the first time the uh, feelings have been mutual."
Sephiroth's eyes grew hard. Then he sighed. "Angeal, I'd like to make this easier for you, but it won't work if you flat-out admit to willful fraternizing between ranks."
Angeal nodded in acknowledgment. "I realize that, but I won't leave him hanging out to dry."
"You won't?"
"Takes two to tango, General."
"Even with your career on the line?"
Years of hard work gone up in smoke, just like that, but it was the right thing to do. "Not even for that, Sir."
"I see." Sephiroth leaned back. "Fortunately, things can still be contained at this point, if you cooperate. You were quite lucky I was the one who found you two in the pantry. I can't say for certain anyone else would be willing to make a compromise."
"Compromise, General?" Angeal knew that smirk on the other man's face and he knew enough not to like it.
"You and I know the realities of SOLDIER life, Hewley. The rules may have been laid down for us, but sometimes things require us to be... flexible."
"What are you getting at, Sir?" Angeal cut through the bullshit. When Sephiroth started acting like the damned cat he resembled, it was trouble for everybody.
"It's simple, Angeal." Sephiroth ducked his head just a bit so Angeal had no choice but to look him in the eye. "Keeping a secret requires that it be known by none but the guilty parties. So, I intend to become one."
"Sir?"
"If Fair is my dirty little secret too, I'd be less inclined to come forward with what I've seen."
Angeal's brain shut down. He belatedly realized that his mouth was gaping. "Goddammit, General! You were planning this from the start, weren't you?"
Silver eyebrows raised. The General's face wore a flimsy facade of innocence. "Planning what, Angeal?"
"You want to get him away from me! Don't lie, Sephiroth! I've seen the way you look at him. I thought it was just his imagination when he told me how you'd opened up to him on those missions. But it's just burning your ass that he comes home to me every time." Angeal strangled air, fuming. "Your pitiful method of seduction wasn't working so you decided to take him the only way you could!"
"Honestly, Angeal, as if I need to use regulations and blackmail to get a lover, and as I recall my seduction wasn't so pitiful when the target was you." He stood, hitting the call button on his phone. "Send Fair in."
Sephiroth strode to the center of the floor, leaving Angeal sputtering in his wake. Zack entered and made a hasty salute. Sephiroth marched over, took the boy's face in one hand and plastered a wet kiss on him.
"Mmmph!" Zack struggled briefly, causing the General to wrap both arms around him to keep him still.
Angeal swore and watched the one great new thing in his life get torn away. Zack was young. Angeal didn't pretend to be able to hold the boy's interest forever. It was just sex for kids Zack's age and with the way the General kissed, Zack would very well be motivated to move on. Sephiroth ran one hand down Zack's torso and cupped the boy's crotch, wringing a moan out him for the effort.
Angeal sighed heavily and started towards the door. His legs shook a little under him, but that would pass. It would pass, dammit, and maybe when Sephiroth got tired of Zack, they could go back to keeping each other company again.
"Angeal!" The name was a roughened, low bark.
"Sir." Angeal turned around. Sephiroth was staring right at him, lips reddened from kissing. Zack was breathless and limp, ready to collapse if not for the General's grip on his ass and his own shaking hold on the General's lapels. He blinked, almost unseeing. Angeal looked away. Sephiroth's predatory stare was a better sight than his effect on Zack.
"I never meant to leave you out, Angeal," Sephiroth purred.
Angeal blinked. "You really want a guilty party, then."
"Of course. If Fair doesn't object, that is."
Angeal hazarded a glance at the boy's flushed face. "I don't think he will." He walked back towards the younger men and pressed himself against Zack's back, running hands around the boy's body to work the belts and suspenders off, eager to touch and reaffirm that he still had what he wanted.
"Uh, hey," Zack mumbled, finally getting enough air back into his lungs to talk. "Am I still in trouble?"
Angeal chuckled. Sephiroth smirked and tweaked Zack's nose. "More than ever."
