~ ShinRa building, accommodations of the first-class SOLDIER ~
He certainly had a lot of sense. He was an outstanding strategist, perhaps even the best swordsman Gaia had ever seen, and so much more. Some had already given him a certain heroic status, which was without any question a great honor, but …
His piercing blue eyes were focused on the open cookbook and he had to stand up slowly, so that he had no idea what he was doing. The vegetable slaughter, which he had planted on the work surface, looked worse than any battlefield he had ever entered. What a crime …
But he was sure that he had adhered to all the instructions, although the problem could be that after so many years in a leading position he was no longer used to following. He could do better, he’d always been convinced of it.
Sephiroth sighed, propped his elbows on the sideboard, and buried his face in his hands. He would lose his bet against Genesis. Definitely. He had screwed up and he hated nothing as much as losing against Genesis. He could already see the arrogant grin of the older man before him.
He could not allow that. He crunched his teeth with frustration. Such a crap! Why had he given in to it? What were they trying to prove? Since they had ended the war in Wutai, they had to be bored.
Yes, he could not explain how they could get on so stupid ideas. It was just too quiet in the company since the old president had given the spoon and tried to turn Rufus Gaia slowly but surely into a planet of peace. He just felt quite superfluous and … stupid, when he looked at what he was doing. Perhaps they should be investigated for their invoicing capacity.
If Genesis wanted to suggest a bet next time, he’d better refuse him before slaughtering innocent vegetables, and then all the crap was burned. Destruction seemed to him to lie rather than the creation of some things.
He raised his eyes, looked at the charred remains that clung to the ceramic of the cooking pot. The thought came to him that Genesis could never know. He had to cover up somehow and make sure that Genesis believed he had won her weak-witted bet and there was actually only one solution.
Perhaps he should be more scrupulous to want to shoot in such a way, but he simply did not. He was selfish enough to try his luck, and Angeal had nothing more to do than she did. He did not hesitate for a moment to dispose of the worst and then to go on his way to the quarters of his friend.
Angeal was now the only one of them who could give the perfect housewife, even if he should be a better comment. For that he could get a lot of trouble with him. If he had still been affected by the consequences of the war, he could still strike as forcefully as ever.
Finally he had reached the right quarters and did not even hesitate to knock at his door. He did not want to wait a long time and if he ever had a cause, the older one could do him the favor this time. He never asked Angeal for anything, even though they were friends.
It took a moment before it was opened and he was looked at. It was clear that Angeal had not reckoned with his appearance, and he immediately questioned his brow.
“Did you kill someone?” Angeal asked him seriously, and Sephiroth could not help but slant his head and look at him a bit uncomprehended, but also disturbed. Was he really so bad? Was that the impression he gave?
“Do I look at you like someone who only visits his friends when he needs their help because he killed someone?” He gave back a bit, and he looked at Angeal that he was about to nod, so he stopped he prefers it. “Alright, think what you want.” He grumbled a little to himself, then looked directly at Angeal.
He crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at him, waiting, but also encouraging. A great picture his friend had of him, but they would have to clarify that differently. Now there was more important to discuss.
“I need your help. I … “Now he was stupid, but he had to explain to Angeal somehow if he wanted his help. “Well, I have a pretty stupid bet with Genesis running and I’m home to losing. Could not you help me? ”
Angeal raised an eyebrow and snorted. “At the moment of committing? Have fun, Sephiroth, “the older one said of himself and wanted to close the door again, but Sephiroth stopped him, did not want to let go now.
“This is serious! Come on, it would not be a big deal for you and you could keep more innocent vegetables from being senselessly slaughtered by me. “Maybe he had to come to Angeal really on this tour. Even if he felt terribly silly and stupid, and indeed, Angeal’s expression changed.
“You’re doing something?” His friend said, then groaned. “What’s the matter with this crap?” He seemed to have something to suspect, though, and not to be particularly impressed. He could not even blame him.
“Very simple. Genesis had to get on my nerves, that he could still do something better than the food we always get in the canteen. I just meant that everyone could and then he began to challenge me with it all the time. I just wanted my peace, so I accepted it at some point and now … “He raised his shoulders slightly. There had just been one thing to another.
For a moment, Angeal looked as if he was about to hit his forehead, but he did not. He could see that he really did not have a great desire to help him out of this mess, but …
“All right, but I do only for the vegetables,” he said. This should be enough for him as long as he did not end up stupidly before Genesis. He could not allow himself that!
That looked … somehow not as it should look. Really not. That was so … horrible! He had done the same thing as the cookbook did. That was strange. What should it be? Something went wrong here and …
Somewhere the error had been yes, but where? With a crooked head, he looked at the burnt something in the pot, the true existence of which was hardly recognizable any more before he cautiously poked in with a fork and the chewy mass already collapsed into itself.
This was certainly not the consistency that the whole thing should have. Here it was clear that it was still to be bissfest, but that had obviously been nothing. Such a crap! How could he beat Sephiroth? The younger would laugh at him for what he had done here!
He grimaced. He could get out of the way! He had definitely imagined this much more easily, otherwise he would not have taken his mouth to Sephiroth. He had now. What he had there in the pot was definitely dead-cooked and was at best still suitable for a retirement home.
Genesis could bite his ass. Why had not it worked out? How could it be that such a banal simply could not succeed? He could not prevent him drumming with his fingers on the work surface, feverishly thinking about what to do now.
That was not at all! He could not pretend so before Sephiroth and then be totally embarrassed with something like that! How did that look and anyway … In that, he could not make the younger one better. This shame he would never be able to endure, but what would he do?
He sighed softly. He would have to start over again, but it had already been his third attempt. This was not going to happen. He did not want to go shopping again. Not to mention that he did not want to spend his free time with it.
In the meantime, he could get a blow for his stupid idea. But that would not help him either. He had now to find a way he could still beat Sephiroth and urgently. He could, of course, call a delivery service, but he feared somehow that Sephiroth would immediately see through.
No, he had to do it differently. They had also taken something extra, which could not be ordered anywhere else, just so that none of them could shake in this way, so there was only one possibility that he could take into consideration, even if would not be easy to convince him, but …
When he received a message from Sephiroth that he was ready, but he left him a generous time to keep him warm, he became nervous. This should not be true now! How did he …? Whatever! He got panicked and that also threw his last doubts overboard. He had to ask Angeal for his help, otherwise he would be completely embarrassed.
He threw the remains quickly into the rubbish, tried half way to bring order to his kitchen, since he had no desire to listen to some sayings and then hurried out of his quarters and to Angeals. He simply had to persuade the elderly and if he had to implore him to help him!
He would still show it to Sephiroth and on the way he was already thinking how to convince his friend best. Angeal did not want to get involved in such matters, but he could not take any consideration. He simply did not want to lose to Sephiroth after he had so prodigally challenged him. That would be embarrassing!
However, he was already meeting Angeal in the hallway. He just came back from somewhere, and Genesis bit his lip. It would not make it much easier to persuade Angeal to do something, but it was no different. Otherwise, he would simply stand completely stupid.
“Hey, Angeal!” He shouted at him to get his attention. He was just about to return to his quarters, and he looked kind of anything but pleased when he saw him. He took a short forehead as if he was just getting a headache. Perhaps he already knew that he wanted something from him.
“What do you want? It’s late, “Angeal gave back almost a bit unfriendly. What did he have? Did the new task, which Lazard had given him, took him too seriously, and he was just a bit done?
Genesis wondered if he was not going to ask what was wrong with him, but he ran out of his time, so he immediately burst out of him, “I need your help, right away!” He did not see Angeal his eyes twisted as he had turned his back on him before he turned slowly to him.
“Does that have to be calculated now?”, Angeal gave of himself and really did not really feel like it at all. He would not bother him if it was not so important, so he nodded eagerly to emphasize the importance of his request.
“Yes now. It is incredibly important. Do not you have a few more minutes? Please, “he almost begged his friend because he knew Angeal did not like to let others hang. He still did not look enthusiastic, but now he crossed his arms in front of his chest and seemed to want to listen to what he wanted to ask.
“And? What would it be? “He sounded annoyed, but he did not want to be misled. After all, Angeal had already reacted so often, and finally had him convinced.
“Well, it’s so … I’ve been betting with Sephiroth for a little, and now I’m not going to get it, and …” he tried to explain, as Angeal moaned annoyed.
“This is probably a matter between you, is not it?”, Angeal urged in between and wanted to turn around to finally disappear into his quarters, but Genesis would not allow that.
“Please, Angeal! I’ve already destroyed three kilos of vegetables, I’m desperate! ”
~ ShinRa building, SOLDIER level, 1 day later ~
He really did not know who he was more excited about. About Genesis or about Sephiroth. He was so close to Genesis. He knew him, knowing that he was capable of such crimes, but that even Sephiroth’s vanity had already driven him so far.
He had to take care of himself, that he did not add to the innocent celery more than absolutely necessary. Idiots! Both! And they were allowed to recognize it. The dull noise of the knife blade, which repeatedly hit the board, helped him get into the thoughts.
The two should never come to him again. That they dared at all, both of them, to use him for their abgrundtief bekloppte bet … What did they actually think? Or was it even tactics? Were they doing so because they thought that he needed “employment” after his life had changed a bit with SOLDIER?
Actually, he did not trust them, and if so, then Genesis. He finally made no secret about how worried he was still because of his serious injury. Sometimes his friend still treated him as an invalid, and that really could upset him.
Still, he tried to calm down. If he saw their stupid faces at once, then that would be a satisfaction for him. He would not take revenge on them. It was enough for him when they realized that they behaved like absolute weaknesses and that he would already achieve.
However, he could hardly believe that the two of them independently of today, still seriously, conscientiously invited him to dinner. Were the really so naive? Had not really noticed that something was wrong?
He shook his head inwardly. He wondered anyway, as it had been yesterday. After he had helped them both, there really would not have been a big difference between their food. Perhaps that was really better, and that was somehow the only thought that had made him decide to let Genesis spread.
If they agreed that they were both at the same level, they would not be able to rub their noses all the time, and they would not be annoyed, but from today on they would know what they were and then they would hopefully not be with him anyway Stupid bother.
He glanced at the clock and saw that they were about to be here. He was as perfect as always on the schedule, but he had expected that from himself. As far as this was concerned, he was not so much a beginner as the two of them. So he was able to carry on quite relaxed without hurting himself, and was quite happy about it.
Half an hour later Genesis and Sephiroth really came in and they still seemed not to be suspicious. Genesis thanked him exuberantly that he had thought of her again and it was almost disgusting how the two tried to be as normal as always, because they wanted to cover up, of course, that they had taken his help yesterday both …
He went on quietly, let her sit down, and then went back to work, while a certain silence broke out between Sephiroth and Genesis. No wonder. What should they say to each other, after yesterday’s action and officially, he himself could not even know anything about it.
Genesis believed that only he had given him help, with which he assumed that Sephiroth did not know that he had been initiated into this silly bet and vice versa. What a nonsense … But if they wanted to have it like this … He nevertheless let himself all the time in the world, let the two still simmer a little at the table.
It was hard for him to control his facial expressions as he balanced the plates to the table and set them down before his two friends, who once cast a horrified look at what they saw.
It was exactly what they had been trying to do yesterday, and he had finally revealed that he had to know about it. That they could not sell more than coincidence before the other and finally their looks changed from frightened to embarrassed.
Angeal enjoyed this sight for a moment, gazing silently between the two. Genesis avoided consciously looking at Sephiroth and Sephiroth did not want to look at Genesis under any circumstances.
“Tell me, who won you yesterday? So, after you asked me both for help? “, Angeal finally brought the unpleasant topic for the two on the table and enjoyed it somehow, as they looked under his gaze.
It was clear to them how unpleasant they were. Genesis opened his mouth a few times to say something, but then closed him up again. Sephiroth bit his lip tightly. It was quite unpleasant to them both, it was obvious.
“We had wondered why we were able to do the same,” Sephiroth said at some point as to what had happened between them yesterday.
“And I was dead-annoyed that Sephiroth seemed to do as well as you did,” Genesis murmured, giving the impression of sinking into the ground.
“And I thought the same about genesis,” Sephiroth said, and Angeal could no longer resist a laugh. That they themselves were still too proud to admit what they had done looked very similar to them.
“Well, what can I say?”, Angeal said after a while and saw the two tensed still more. “I’m not very sorry. Maybe you should just leave that with the oblique betting and leave it to those who really can. ”
Genesis’s mouth twitched a little. It was probably quite stupid, and Sephiroth was slow but sure to smile. They had been pretty good, but Angeal was right, they were to blame themselves.
“Yeah, you’re right. Forgive us for taking advantage of you so much, “Genesis said now clearly more conciliatory and seemed to be glad that it was now out, and Sephiroth followed with a nod.
“True, that was not all right,” he said, and the matter was finally resolved.
What a nonsense … But Angeal still had to smile a bit about it and hoped that it was the last, stupid bet of the two, for which he had to end up in the end.