Welcome to Adventu, your final fantasy rp haven. adventu focuses on both canon and original characters from different worlds and timelines that have all been pulled to the world of zephon: a familiar final fantasy-styled land where all adventurers will fight, explore, and make new personal connections.
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year 5, quarter 3
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"Hey! Boko is as fine a fella as any person you'd meet!" Bartz explained as Genesis questioned him. The smile that had been plastered on his face slipped for a moment as he thought about his best friend. Was he okay? Did he miss Bartz the way Bartz was missing him? Was he staying out of trouble? Just like that Bartz laughed and his smile was back at it. It was Boko, of course, he was getting into trouble. Bartz just wished they were getting in trouble, although, he didn't mind if wherever Genesis was leading them would be trouble in its own way.
Bartz simply nodded as Genesis mused about princesses. It wasn't like Bartz had met any or anything, but it seemed weird that there weren't any where Genesis had come from. Maybe they had a council or something like that instead to rule over everybody. Bartz had never really felt any loyalty to anyone except his dad and Boko. No princess was going to tell him what to do that was for sure. Still this man grew even more mysterious in his eyes as he wasn't from here or Bartz's world, and he decided he was gonna get to the bottom of the mystery.
The smell of food made his stomach growl as he walked a little faster when his new friend said the pub was close. Bartz felt a tiny pinch of sadness as Genesis took his hand away deciding to rub them together to warm them up, but it was quickly replaced with desire as the mix of all the different foods hit his nose. Bartz slid close enough to him as he ordered, but still left him some room to move and breathe. In this light, Bartz was better able to study the features of Genesis as he ordered his meal. His eyes roamed over his face again confirming all the things he had thought about it at the bar. He watched his chest move against the taunt turtleneck and how his shoulders seemed even broader. The slit on his back caught his attention for just a moment. Had he been hurt or in a fight? Bartz wanted to ask and make sure he was okay, but soon enough he was caught staring again.
Bartz tried to laugh it away, but his voice caught as Genesis slid a hand near his hip. Bartz could have sworn that his hands sparked with lightning as he sucked his stomach in out of impulse. He wasn't touched instead he had been hoarding the money needed from the meal. Bartz let his breath escape as the hand slipped away from him. Turning to the woman behind the counter Bartz stammered as he thought of something to eat, "Um, hi, mam, may I please have bread and cheese, maybe a little warm meat with that. Ooo, you know what how about just that as a sandwich! Thank you, mam." Bartz beamed a smile at the woman as she went to the kitchen before turning his full attention back to Genesis.
"And yet I hardly know you at all," Bartz said playfully giving him a little elbow jab. "We're gonna have to fix that." Bartz pulled Genesis' coat tighter around him before he taunted, "I don't know, it looks real good on me." Sticking out his tongue he used a pickup line that always made people groan back in the pubs of his world, "I'm no thief, sir, but I do have a way of stealing hearts." Still, Bartz couldn't help himself this time. It was a dumb line to use, but he had already started giggling to the point where he had to hold his fist against his mouth to stifle the laughter. "Sorry, sorry," Bartz waved the stupid line away as his eyes filled with mirthful tears. Thankfully Bartz was saved as the woman brought their orders and made change for Genesis. "Leave the rest for her, please." he asked politely as he picked up their food and walked back out to the cold street.
"Hopefully your place isn't too far," Bartz said as he winced at the cold air slapping him in the face. "Sooooo, you've heard a bit about me, tell me something about you!"
Bartz seemed more than a little flustered after Genesis had frisked him to retrieve his money, and Genesis smirked faintly as he leaned against the bar counter and listened to him struggle to piece together his order for a sandwich. He recovered quickly enough though--Bartz seemed to change moods almost immediately when the situation called for it--and in the next second, he was already back to elbowing Genesis and making stupid jokes.
“Oh, I don’t think I’m that hard to get to know,” he said with a wink as they waited for their food to be made. He then had to stifle a laugh as Bartz snuggled deeper into his coat and proclaimed that he might take it because it looked so good on him. He did look pretty damn good in it, if Genesis were to be honest. It fit him nicely too, at least when Bartz wasn’t burying himself in it. They appeared to be around the same height.
Genesis rolled his eyes as Bartz cracked himself up with his pick-up line about stealing hearts. “My friend, the fates are cruel. There are no dreams, no honor remains,” he complained as the woman behind the counter returned and set their food down on the bar. She then grabbed the correct amount of coins and slid the remainder back over to him. Genesis nodded his thanks and was starting to sweep the rest back into his pouch when Bartz picked up their food to carry it. Genesis smiled at him, though it turned into a slight scowl when he asked him to leave the rest of the money as a tip. He couldn’t be serious, could he? Literally the only money he’d made in this world so far had been from stealing, so it wasn’t as if Genesis had a lot to spare. And what did that woman deserve a tip for anyway? Making a sandwich? The entitlement of some people.
Genesis waited until Bartz had walked a few paces away before sweeping the rest of the coins back into the small bag, maintaining eye contact with the pub employee the entire time he did it. He refused to be intimidated into charity, damn it.
Following Bartz back out onto the street, he let out a quick breath as the cold air hit him before he had time to adjust. “No, luckily for us, the inn I’m staying at is just down the street,” he said, reaching in between Bartz’s arms so he could tuck his money back into the coat near Bartz’s hip. He let his fingers trail over his waist more than was necessary as he pulled back, though he quickly paused when Bartz asked to know something about him. A normal question, but a normal response to that was going to be harder than it should have been. What should he settle on?
Well, you see, I’ve killed a lot of people in my life. But some random Soldier helped me restore my honor, so all is forgiven, right?
It turns out I’m a science experiment, would you like to see my wing?
Did you know that I’m using this date as a desperate attempt to forget that my friends are dead and I’m alone in this world?
“I suppose you could say I’m an ex-Soldier,” he settled on as he strolled down the snowy sidewalk towards the glowing sign that marked the hotel entrance. “But I left the army about four years ago. I had quite a few...grievances with it.” And by that he meant that he’d taken half the army with him and turned them into his copies in an effort to grind Shinra into dust. Nothing Shinra didn’t deserve though. It was hardly an overreaction.
“Poetry is my main passion though,” he changed the subject. “If you couldn’t have guessed that.” He shot Bartz a low smile as he swept an arm towards the front door of the inn. “Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess. We seek it thus and take to the sky,” he serenaded him as he held the door open for him before following after into the welcoming heat.
Relishing in the feeling that returned to his limbs once they were out of the cold, he directed Bartz down a side hallway before picking out the smooth wooden door that marked his room. Smirking faintly, he frisked Bartz once more to come up with the room key.
“Here we are.” He unlocked the door and flipped the lightswitch to reveal a plainly-furnished room with wooden furniture and and a queen-sized bed with the blankets turned down. His red rapier was lying on the table and various pieces of Materia were scattered next to it. “It isn’t much, but it’s what I could afford right now.”
Bartz nodded contently as Genesis began to talk about himself his cheeks still red from the man's hand against his waist. So he was a soldier before this? Bartz looked him up and down trying to picture the man in a suite of armor, but couldn't really get the picture to work. Still, the idea of it was enough for Bartz to huff in amusement. "I'd never have guessed," he mused as he concentrated on not dropping their food as his arms shook from the cold even in the jacket. "Yeah, being told what to do wouldn't have suited me," he mused more to himself than to Genesis; he didn't like to even get into fights if he could help and to fight for someone else's ideals was definitely a no go. Bartz wouldn't ask for more on that front for it seemed that he had left unhappy and he didn't want to kill the mood.
"Oh?" Bartz started the smile betraying his words as a joke when Genesis proclaimed poetry as his true passion. "I would never have guessed. And oh thanks," Bartz gave him a wink as he entered the inn having had the door held open for him. The warmth of the indoors hit him like a train as he let out one last shudder. It was a nice enough inn, far better than the places he had been sleeping that was for sure. Bartz fell behind as they walked to Genesis' room looking at all the art hung on the wall. Even though it was nothing great, pieces on fruit or landscape, Bartz was still fond of looking at them imagining himself in those locals. His attention was finally brought back as Genesis fingers caught him again, his breath catching once more, as he grabbed the key to the room.
"It's perfect," he replied as Bartz scanned everything in the room. The table was occupied by a sword and some marbles. So he really did know how to fight. Good thing Bartz hadn't made him angry. With the table already occupied, he located to the second most reasonable place to eat. He placed the cartons on the bed before clambering to sit on it himself. Except it was so soft. "Oh my," Bartz exclaimed as instinct took over and he stretched back across the bed pushing himself into the plushness of it. "Much better than what I've been sleeping on I'll tell you that. Might have to see if they have another room open, better than the streets tonight." he laughed as he sat back upright. He started opening up the cartons, "Here's yours," he said patting a spot to come sit next to him as he bit into his sandwich. Bartz moaned as the flavors hit his tongue. He should have ordered at least three more. Bartz ran his free hand through his hair as he questioned, "Hmmm if poetry is your main passion, I'd have to say exploring is mine. Being tied down too long doesn't fit me well." It was true he was already thinking of where he would go tomorrow after finishing exploring the snowy cityscape. Bartz closed his eyes as he gave his biggest smile imagining the warm wind blowing through his hair on Boko's back. Bartz then grabbed the bottle of whiskey and took a swig before holding out the bottle with a laugh raising his sandwich, "To passion, poetry, and poultry."
Genesis didn’t bother to hide his laugh when Bartz scrambled onto the bed with the food and immediately laid down and burrowed into the blankets. You’d think that he hadn’t slept in a proper bed in weeks. However, from his next words about this being much better than the streets, Genesis decided that he had likely hit the nail on the head there. Maybe it wasn’t so surprising that Bartz was homeless. He seemed like a wild, free spirit who loved to wander but had too much integrity to steal. Like a non-uptight version of Angeal.
“You could always stay here tonight,” he suggested coyly, climbing onto the bed next to him when Bartz patted the empty space in invitation. Bartz had already dug into his sandwich, so Genesis followed suit and unwrapped his meal before taking a mouthful of breaded meat. It was average pub food at best, but the pleasant swim of the alcohol through his veins made it taste like one of the best things he’d ever had in his life.
“Mm,” he sighed contently, glancing over at Bartz as he talked about exploring. “Oh?” Genesis swallowed his bite before briefly setting down his food. “What’s your favorite place that you’ve ever explored?” He asked casually. It only seemed fair. Bartz already knew his favorite poem. He’d talked often enough about Loveless, after all.
After his question, Genesis continued to savor his warm food until Bartz opened the bottle of whiskey that he’d bought at the pub and took a long swig from it. He probably didn’t need much more on the alcohol front, but Genesis wasn’t about to stop him since he wanted more himself. He laughed at Bartz’s toast, raising the bottle of whiskey to him as the man still wearing his coat lifted his sandwich. “To all of those things,” he agreed, before adding a line of Loveless. “There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the goddess. Hero of dawn, healer of worlds.” He took a long drink of whiskey afterwards, savoring the slow burn. It made his head feel a little lighter and warmed him enough to where he almost forgot that they had been outside in the cold.
“So tell me,” He continued, alternating between finishing his food and taking quick drinks from the bottle. “What do you do when you’re exploring?” He cast a glance at the table where his red rapier was taking up the entire length of one side. “Do you know how to fight at all? You clearly have some magic.” He glanced at Bartz’s pocket where that oddly-shaped piece of Materia from earlier had glowed and changed the man’s clothes to the revealing red shirt and tight black pants he wore now under Genesis’ coat. It was quite the trick. Pity Bartz didn’t seem to understand how or when it worked.
"Really?!" Bartz asked amazed that Genesis would just offer his room up like that. Bartz sat for a second with his mouth ajar and his eyes wide with admiration. This was quickly replaced with his usual smile and accompanying laugh as he continued on, "Oh man, I owe you one that's for sure." Barts popped two thumbs up at Genesis as he held the last bit of his sandwich in his mouth before finishing it off in a few quick bites. He stretched in contentment as the food and drink mixed before standing up. Barts shimmied out of Genesis coat and went to lay it on the table before quickly returning to the bed as he was asked a few more questions.
"Hmm," he hummed as he pondered over all the places he and Boko had visited. "Well, there's the forest I met Boko in," he said sitting cross legged giving Genesis his now undivided attention. "I don't really remember how I stumbled in there in the first place, but I just remember how everything seemed so calm in there. Well, I'm just wandering the forest trying to my way out when I heard the saddest little noise. I couldn't just ignore such a heartbreaking sound." Bartz beat his chest with a fist and looked down solemnly for dramatic effect before giggling. "So, I follow the noise and lo and behold a lil chocobo chick has got himself stuck in the foliage. Of course I can't let the the little guy just stay stuck there. I got him free and was on my way ,but he just kept following at me kwehing at me even when I tried to tell him to go find his mom, and its been that way for years now."
Bartz smiled at the memory as he laid his cheek against his hands. Everything had such a nice glow about it as he looked around the room, especially the man in front of him. Bartz bit at his bottom lip as he just took in the sight before he was snapped back into the conversation. "Oh," Bartz responded waving his hand about as he tried to think of something to say, "I mean I just explore? If something looks interesting or exciting, I'm gonna go look at it. There's no agenda really, dad just wanted me to see the world and that's why I'm doing. Well, I guess this world now but doesn't make much a difference does it?"
Bartz shrugged as he was asked about his comabt prowess. "I mean I can fight off a goblin or something, but I'm no swordsman. And oh," Bartz was reminded of the crystal shard in his pocket. He pulled it out to look at holding it up to the light, but the thing had lost its luster. "This magic thing? I mean that Faris guy said something about it talking, but I'm not hearing anything, are you?" He laughed before tucking the chained shard back into his pants. A sudden wave of tiredness hit him as he yawned and stretched back down into a lying position
"So what do you do now that you don't fight for someone else anymore?" Bartz questioned as he fidgeted with the knot and buttons of the strange silky croptop he was wearing. "Well, I mean did before you got here, or whatcha gonna do?" Bartz interest was split between Genesis and undoing his shirt. It had gotten uncomfortably hot all of a sudden and he just wanted to feel the coolness of the comforter on his skin. As Bartz struggled with the small buttons and tangled knot, he could feel the embarrassment overcoming him to the point he ran hot with that as well wishing for something simpler to remove with all his heart. Still at the height where he was about to excuse himself, the soft light overtook him again lighting the room before Bartz found himself struggling with his red cape and white tunic he had been wearing before the club.
Bartz looked at himself in astonishment, then to Genesis, and then back down at himself. The shock was replaced by his laugh quickly as he shimmied easily out of his top and decided he gonna lie down next to Genesis where he could look up into his eyes. "Well, I guess it's just a magical wardrobe I've got myself," he smiled moving his head closer to Genesis' side. "Ain't that neat?"
Genesis finished his last few bites of meat before he flopped backwards on the bed and propped himself up on one elbow. Bartz had gone off on a story about how he had found his chocobo as a baby, and Genesis admired the way his eyes had lit-up and how animated his expressions were as he told the tale. Maybe he wasn’t kidding about the chocobo being his best friend. He certainly seemed attached enough.
Bartz laughed to himself before fishing the crystal out of his pocket again. He held it up to catch the light of the nearest lamp before making a cryptic comment about some “Faris” and asking Genesis if he could hear anything. “Interesting,” he commented as Bartz tucked the oddly-shaped Materia back into his pocket again. “Can’t say I do. But perhaps it only speaks to you,” he said with a wink as he stretched out on the bed and glanced over as the brunette man flopped down next to him.
“Ah…” He hesitated slightly when Bartz asked what he was going to do now and turned his eyes towards the rough plaster ceiling instead of looking him in the eye. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I’ve had one goal for a very long time, and now that I’ve met it, everything seems…”
Dull? Lifeless? Pointless? How laughable that all he’d ever wanted was to stop his degradation, and now that he had, he had no idea what to do with his life.
“I’m still looking for a direction here. I suppose you could say I’m trying to have more honor than I did in my world,” he settled on, finally noticing that Bartz seemed to be having severe difficulty getting his shirt off. He was fumbling with where the red shirt was tied just over his abs, and from the way his cheeks flamed, he must have been flustered that he was struggling.
“Allow me,” he said, reaching over to assist, but before he managed to lay a hand on him, Bartz was enveloped in light. Freezing, Genesis pulled his hand back and sat up, but the light had converged back on Bartz in the next moment until it suddenly vanished. His revealing red shirt and green sash had disappeared along with the light, leaving a long-sleeved white shirt, blue tunic, and red cape in its place.
“Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess,” Genesis marveled. “That could be fairly handy if you learned how to control it.” Pity he hadn’t managed it earlier when they had been freezing outside, but maybe the man would get a handle on it eventually.
He watched as Bartz pulled off his cape and shirt before sprawling back on the bed again. Genesis followed suit by propping himself up on one elbow, admiring the curve of the man’s abs before he flicked his eyes back up towards Bartz’s clear blue eyes.
”Ain’t that neat?” Genesis fought a snort as Bartz moved a little closer to him. “You’re entirely lucky that you’re charming,” he said with a laugh, reaching out to drape an arm around Bartz’s waist before hesitating slightly. Genesis was still fully clothed in his leather pants and sleeveless turtleneck sweater, and it occurred to him now that he hadn’t been fully honest with Bartz. About a lot of things really, but Bartz didn’t need to know about his background. He’d likely hate Genesis for it with how naive and chivalrous he seemed. Undoubtedly the heroic type. But that didn’t matter if they were just spending one night in each other’s company.
What mattered was the one thing he couldn’t hide.
“I suppose I should say something before this goes any further,” he said begrudgingly as he pulled away and sat up. “You’re free to leave if you like.” Reaching behind his back, he undid the clasps for the plate armor that protected his chest and stomach before letting it fall to the ground. Pulling his sweater off over his head, he turned his back to Bartz and let his wing unfurl slightly. He couldn’t see Bartz’s face from this angle, but he half expected to hear a scream, scuttling footsteps, and the slam of the door.
My friend, do you fly away now? To a world that abhors you and I? He recited to himself as he waited for Bartz’s reaction.
Bartz wondered if he had ever felt more comfortable. The bed seemed so soft as if it were cloud conforming to his shape. His eyes fluttered as he forced himself awake every time he felt himself grow drowsy. It'd be super rude of him to fall asleep on Genesis while they were still talking. Bartz laughed in turn with Genesis' remark about him being "charming". "I'll take it, been called a lot worse." Still the words left his cheeks warm and blushed, but at this point he was having trouble telling if it was because the alcohol had made him so incredibly warm or something else
Bartz attention was caught when Genesis said there was something that needed said. Taking all of his energy to sit up, Bartz schooched over to the edge of the bed to try and figure out what was so important that he had to get out of bed for. Bartz was about to comment that not even an army could get him out of the bed at this point less him voluntarily leaving it, but Genesis had already turned away from and started undoing his clothing. Bartz had to bite his wrist to stop from laughing. He wondered if he was about to recite some verse from his poem about taking off his clothes but his eyes and mouth grew to about twice their size when Genesis' black wing began to unfurl.
"Woah!" The words came out slowly filled with admiration. It was so large and majestic. It far surpassed how big Boko's wings were and looked so soft. Bartz stood up way too fast causing him to lose his balance as he stumbled and had grab the headrest to steady himself. "Wow," he repeated himself as he regained his balance, "It's beautiful!" It was the truth and nothing less in Bartz' opinion. An overwhelming desire to run his hand through it propelled him forward and he took small uneasy steps towards Genesis to get a closer look. Still, his reason and manners kicked in last second as he remembered it wasn't okay to just grab pretty things remembering Zidane's tail.
Bartz circled awkwardly on Genesis' side grabbing onto his non winged shoulder to balance himself. "You didn't say anything," Bartz reminded him trying to figure out if this was what he wanted to talk about or not, "is this what I'm supposed to be leaving over, or you going to tell me something bad like you don't think moogles are cute." Bartz laughed giving Genesis a genuine smile after. His best friend had two wings; one wasn't going to scare Bartz away.
My friend, the fates are cruel. There are no dreams, no honor remains. The arrow has left the bow of the goddess.
Genesis chanted Loveless in his head as a calming mantra as the seconds lengthened. His back was turned to Bartz, but he heard the man make a noise and stumble in his hurry to get out of the bed. It sounded like he must have been terrified. Genesis pursed his lips in disdain, but he understood. He waited for Bartz to either scurry off or draw a weapon. He was a monster, after all. Not even human. Those were the only two reactions people tended to have to him.
It’s beautiful.
Genesis heard the words but couldn’t process them for a moment. Finally, they clicked into place and his lips parted in confusion as he turned his head to stare at Bartz. Beautiful? He couldn’t be serious. Angels and birds might be beautiful, but this? He was an asymmetrical monstrosity who was destined to play the role of the villain. That was all. He wasn’t even a perfect monster, like Sephiroth and Angeal had been. He was a failure, or so he’d been told.
As Genesis scowled at his own thoughts, Bartz stumbled over to him and put a warm, calloused hand over his right shoulder before asking if he had something else to say that was actually bad. “Moogles,” Genesis echoed, staring up at Bartz in disbelief. Was he even real? At that moment Genesis wasn’t sure. Bartz was shirtless and looking down at him with an honest, open grin that told him that Bartz genuinely didn’t care or see anything wrong here. Something about that made Genesis’ stomach flutter. He wanted to lean into Bartz's touch, and that's what made him quickly knock Bartz’s hand off his shoulder and stand up.
“What do you mean it isn’t bad?” He demanded. He was probably losing all chance of having this evening end up where he’d wanted it to, but that didn’t seem to matter anymore. The alcohol was still thrumming its way through his veins, and he was feeling hot with denial even though Bartz’s words felt like a refreshing gust of air. The contrast made him mad, and his words lashed out.
“I know exactly your type. You somehow never manage to dirty your hands despite what the world throws at you. You’re still good and kind even when the world goes to shit around you. You’re the hero of your story.” Was he still yelling at Bartz? Zack’s face swam in front of his eyes, and he wasn’t so sure anymore.
“Well I’m not like you! If the world takes aim at me, then I'll take aim right back. I’ve pretended to be like you tonight, but that’s all it was. You wouldn’t like the real me.” Heroes slayed monsters after all. Maybe Bartz would pick up where Zack had left off if he knew about the trail of carnage Genesis tended to leave behind him ever since he had sprouted his wing.
Feeling a headache coming on, Genesis rubbed at his forehead slightly and muttered the same line of Loveless from earlier in an attempt to calm himself down. “My friend, the fates are cruel. There are no dreams, no honor remains. The arrow has left the bow of the goddess. My friend, the fates are cruel. There are no dreams, no honor remains. The arrow has left the bow of the goddess. My friend, the fates are cruel. There are no dreams, no honor remains. The arrow has left the bow of the goddess...”
One second it felt like everything was going fine, and then suddenly Bartz was pushed away as Genesis went on the defense. He wanted Genesis to know that he really was telling the truth, but as he opened his mouth he was met with a tirade of verbal attacks. The smile slowly fell on his face as he called him out for being some hero and how he was also some nice guy no matter what. Bartz had decided wholeheartedly that he did not like being called "a hero". To him it meant someone who went out of their way to stop all the evils in the world, and that certainly wasn't something he was up to task to do. He just tried to be nice to other people, and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to try to cheer Genesis up now.
Once he started repeating his poem to himself, Bartz stared silently for just a moment. He couldn't find the words he wanted to say just quite at the moment. He breathed deeply through his nose and He gulped before walking back to the bed for a moment taking a quick swig of liquid courage that he really didn't need to be taking. Wiping the drops that burnt on his lips, Bartz approached and placed his hand on his shoulder once more.
"Hey," Bartz said quieter than he usually would as he wanted so badly to calm Genesis down. "It's okay." Bartz put a hesitant smile on as he continued to think of the words that seemed to be coming out faster than he could think them over. "The world is scary, and it's easy to want to hide and push away from it." He hiccuped which made his smile grow more confident as he tried not to laugh, "You're right I don't know you, and you don't know me, but I don't think I wouldn't like you. You saved me when you didn't have to, and I think that speaks enough about you."
Bartz had to stop for a moment as his stomach gave a violent lurch and he pressed his hand to his mouth. The moment passed as quickly as it came and taking a stabling breath Bartz started talking again, "You said something about some gift from some god lady," he couldn't remember the exact quote but knew it was from that poem he liked and hoped it'd help calm him, "and you said about fighting back against the world. Well has this world attacked you yet? Maybe that gift is a new change of pace." Nope he had to sit down right now his stomach said. Bartz let go of Genesis shoulder before quickly falling back into the bed. Good things were still now. He was able to sit up on the bed and pat it as an invitation.
Loveless didn’t calm him down as much as it usually did, and Genesis scowled to himself as he heard Bartz take a swig from the open bottle of whiskey. He was probably preparing to leave, which was fine by him. It’s not like he’d wanted Bartz to stay anyway. It’s not like he minded being alone in some rented room in a strange world. What did he care? He’d been living alone for four years underground before this. So what if he barely knew how he was supposed to interact with people anymore? Everything was fine. Bartz should just leave.
Except he didn’t. Bartz approached and laid a hand on his shoulder again, and Genesis was honestly floored when Bartz grinned at him and tried to reassure him like he understood him. Why was he still being so nice? Genesis had baited him to leave, but he was still here. Shaking his head, Genesis ducked away from his hand again, but much less violently this time. Everything felt too hot, and he wasn’t sure if it was from the alcohol or his own heated thoughts.
“Why do you have to be such a good person?” He complained when Bartz protested that he still would have liked him because Genesis had saved his life. “Maybe I just thought you were pretty. Did you ever think of that?”
Bartz suddenly gave a lurch, and Genesis eyed him to see if he’d throw up, but he thankfully got a handle on himself before asking Genesis if this world had done anything to him yet.
“That’s not-...” Genesis started before trailing off. “Did you just use Loveless against me?” He asked instead. He wasn’t sure whether he should be proud or irritated or some combination of the two, and he still hadn’t decided by the time Bartz fell back onto the bed and patted the spot next to him in invitation.
Genesis eyed the open space for a moment before groaning and begrudgingly taking a seat again, ruffling his wing slightly in irritation. “If you throw up in my bed, you’re going out the window,” he warned Bartz before grabbing the whiskey bottle and taking a long swig. Falling back on the bed afterward, he stared at the ceiling and wondered when the plaster designs had started moving slightly. The whole room seemed a little fuzzy honestly.
“Teach me your ways, handsome stranger,” he muttered, fighting the tired slur in his voice. “How do I be less of a bitch?”
