The Perk, Thursday Afternoon

[apples-n-poetry.livejournal.com]

Genesis was in a good mood.

He was stretched out in one of the comfier seats that the Perk had to offer, a coffee by his side and Loveless in his lap. Rather than reading, he was idly reviewing his notes for the various projects he’d chosen to involve himself in.

The next play, messing with the pissy Turk’s mind (which, he rather thought, was going to be quite a source of amusement), and poking Angeal to see if he’d respond. Speaking of Angeal… Genesis glanced at his phone. Still nothing. Tsk, tsk. Another text then.

To supervise people, you must either surpass them in their accomplishments or despise them.*

… Angeal was used to getting quotes that were not quite random from him. Genesis hit send and considered, for a change, speaking plainly next time.

… Nah.

[Ooopen post!

*quote originally by Benjamin Disraeli.]

Comments

[likesbigdogs.livejournal.com]

Angeal had been working, you know, Genesis. Hard at work. Puppysitting.

Which made for interesting timing for that particular text message, yes.

Now, I know that isn't Loveless.

He had a few minutes while his student proved that he was learning nothing at all. He could most certainly spare a moment to reply to Genesis' text.

[apples-n-poetry.livejournal.com]

His phone went off, vibrating against the table, and Genesis smiled slightly at the response.

Entirely wrong style for Loveless, old friend. I'm surprised you noticed.

Well, no. He wasn't. But it amused him to say so.

[likesbigdogs.livejournal.com]

Angeal's next reply was going to have to wait for a moment while he sorted out a small helmet-related crisis involving his 3rd Class student and a bit of difficulty seeing through it.

Gods only knew why. Nevermind the lack of eyeholes.

Old friend, Genesis. Not senile. Is there any particular reason you decided to send me that specific quote?

[apples-n-poetry.livejournal.com]

I was only thinking of you. It reminded me of your puppy. How is your puppy? You haven't drowned him yet?

... There was a reason why Angeal was the one who mentored SOLDIERs, not Genesis. ShinRa wanted to increase their ranks, not decrease them due to the number of recruits who'd crumple under his disdain.

He leaned back in his chair, smiling.

[likesbigdogs.livejournal.com]

That definitely earned a raised eyebrow. Genesis never really did take any interest in his pupils, and so this was an interesting turn in the conversation already.

Zack the Puppy is currently... tripping into the wall.

Angeal hit send, sighed, and then took a moment in order to tell Zack to just take off the damn helmet entirely. He'd put in the paperwork for an exemption from that particular piece of equipment for the boy later.

Drowning is not yet on the agenda, no.

[apples-n-poetry.livejournal.com]

The quick bark of a laugh that got out of Genesis made the counter minions glance over at him. Genesis ignored them in favour of finding the words to reply to Angeal.

Dare I ask why he's lost the ability to walk? I thought training was meant to improve them, not have them backslide.

[likesbigdogs.livejournal.com]

Technical difficulties. I might have to take away his helmet.

Which, really, probably wouldn't come as a shock to Genesis, Angeal was certain. After all, not many 1sts opted to keep the damn thing.

He's got the potential. It would be put to better use if he could see where he was going.

[apples-n-poetry.livejournal.com]

The helmet had no style.

No argument from me. For once. Genesis supposed that wasn't all that much like him either. How do you tell potential when he's walking into walls?

[likesbigdogs.livejournal.com]

Really, Genesis. Did you have to ask?

He dreams big.

Very big. Wanting to be a hero while tripping on his own feet.

And he's enthusiastic.

There. Much better.

[apples-n-poetry.livejournal.com]

Dreams need to be backed by skill.

Truly, was that not obvious?

Enthusiastic people fail with great earnestness every day in their pursuits.

[likesbigdogs.livejournal.com]

Angeal took a moment's pause at that, looking thoughtfully at Zack, who was now doing squats while waiting for more orders. He shook his head, and then set up a training program for the boy to face off against. That would keep him occupied for a while, at least.

You don't suppose he's got potential, then?

Angeal was stubborn. He'd beat potential into the boy yet, now if only to prove his old friend wrong.

[apples-n-poetry.livejournal.com]

Peculiarly, Genesis had already been proven wrong.

Oh, and if a text could be airy this one was trying, I never said he didn't have potential.

[likesbigdogs.livejournal.com]

This text, too, was held up, while Angeal tried to puzzle out what Genesis was playing at.

And then he decided, to hell with it, and he simply decided to call Genesis' PHS.

[boobs-and-bombs.livejournal.com]

Now that she was back and had to adjust to being practically a civil servant instead of the ruler of her own specially designed abode, Kūkaku went right into it by considering what she should do for her class. And that meant she needed coffee.

Not to drink. Nothing like that. But to see what sorts of fun ways she could make it blow up. Koganehiko was soon outfitted with three venti lattes and Shiroganehiko had at least four pounds of different beans, and then Kūkaku noticed at least one of the other patrons of the coffee shoppe.

"Heeeeeey, Red! How the hell are ya? Told you I wasn't gonna blow off anyone's face in that little show of yours."

[apples-n-poetry.livejournal.com]

Genesis had raised an eyebrow at the amount of coffee Kūkaku had bought and her greeting brought an amused smile to his lips.

"Kūkaku," he replied. "You did say so, I was quite pleased that it went the way it did. I'm--passing fine."

Because he'd planned to ruin someone else's semester. He was so caring!

"You?"

[boobs-and-bombs.livejournal.com]

"Eh," Kūkaku shrugged. "Not too shabby. Get to corrupt a whole new crop'a kids again in a few days. Should be fun. Too bad I probably can't get away with blowing off a fake arm to the same effect as last time, though. Ya know I made one of 'em faint?"

Yes, that was a happy, pleased sigh at the good ol' days...

[apples-n-poetry.livejournal.com]

"You're cruel," he said, sounding amused. "Perhaps blow the fake arm off once a year? That would give you a fair crop of new children to terrify each time."

[boobs-and-bombs.livejournal.com]

"Nah," Kūkaku shook her head. "Only works once. So it's just back to wonderin' if I wanna spare the other one. Or somehow get someone else I wouldn't mind sparing to come into class at an opportune time..."

She paused, thoughtfully, and then snorted. "Which reminds me. What're you doing, oh, I don't know, let's say Tuesday mornin' at about nine ten in the a.m.?"

[apples-n-poetry.livejournal.com]

Genesis arched an eyebrow. "I would say that my availability depends entirely on what you've got in mind...?"

[boobs-and-bombs.livejournal.com]

Kūkaku looked at Genesis for a moment and then shook her head. "Disappointing, Red," she said, pointing a finger. "That'd ruin the surprise."

[apples-n-poetry.livejournal.com]

Well now, that was just intriguing.

"Count me in," he said, deliberately carelessly. "Tuesday, then? Assuming, of course, I can beg your assistance for my own class if needed at some point this semester."

[boobs-and-bombs.livejournal.com]

"Nine ten, chemistry lab," Kūkaku said, her eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion as to whether Red was really just that stupid or she was just trying to destroy Holmes so much that she suspected everyone might respond to her evil plotting with their own. But, actually, her own plot was formulating, and Red was into the whole acting thing, so...

"Don't be late; we're professionals here. And, yeah, sure, I can help if you need me. What the hell are you teaching this semester, anyway?"

[apples-n-poetry.livejournal.com]

She amused him, really, was the thing. And Genesis was curious to see what she needed him for--no doubt it would either be ridiculous, or painful, or some peculiar mix of the two, in his mind, but that was well enough.

Sacrifices to be made in the face of curiosity.

"I always arrive exactly when I wish to arrive," he noted, which was his way of saying he'd be there, sure sure. "As for what I'm teaching..." Genesis smiled in her direction. It was a sharp-edged smile. "Teamwork."

His poor class.

"With a man who cannot stand me," he added, idly. "And who does not yet know I've taken over his class."

... Genesis amused himself in strange ways.

[boobs-and-bombs.livejournal.com]

"Doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose of teamwork?" asked Kūkaku, quirking a brow.

She wasn't much of a fan of teamwork herself, but that's why she wasn't teaching it.

[apples-n-poetry.livejournal.com]

"I'll tell the students that it's a practical, living example of how it's a necessary skill to sometimes work with those you can't stand," Genesis informed her. "And perhaps it does, but it will bother him."

And so, that made it worth it?