The 14th Verse - Video

[recitings]

[When the feed starts, the shot seems to be looking up at a dressing counter. There's someone seated there, dressed in a fine suit. He seems to be concentrating on the mirror, his fingers gripping the edge of the table-- tense.

He is silent for a moment, before he speaks-- a harsh stage whisper. Those who know him can tell this is Genesis Rhapsodos.]

Why are you both here? Why are you looking at me that way? Didn't... shouldn't you be angry?

[He takes a deep breath, letting go of the table. His arms go limp at his sides in defeat. His voice loses its tension and returns to a normal tone.]

... why...?

[It sounds as if he's holding back tears, trying his hardest not to cry.]

I don't deserve the way you look at me. What I did was horrible. Unforgivable. Mother... father...

Please.

[At this, the man puts his arms on the top of the table and presses his face against them, as if hiding from the mirror. He doesn't seem to want to run away from it, but it's obvious that he can't stand what he had seen.]

((ooc: Mun will be out of town for three days. So expect sloooooowness :C ))

Comments

[soldierfirst]

Shh...

[It's a quiet noise, not one meant to shush Genesis but rather to express support -- to be comforting. As Genesis stands Sephiroth turns just slightly, enough to allow a full hug, one arm around Genesis' back and the other hand finding purchase at his hip. And there he stays, moving not save to put his lips near Genesis' ear, soft words to murmur there.]

As much time as you need.

[It is a granting of permission as much as it is an invitation, simple words to let Genesis know that however he will seek his comfort, whatever he needs in this moment, Sephiroth will endeavor to provide it.]

[recitings]

[The breath over Genesis' ear makes him sigh softly, finding comfort in the gesture. He returns the embrace, both his arms locked at Sephiroth's waist as he allows his head to rest on his friend's shoulder. He takes deep breaths to calm himself, to keep himself from becoming more of a mess than he already is.

He closes his eyes and whispers:]

Thank you. It is a great comfort to me to know that you are here.

[mentors]

[It was going to be a rough morning, this Angeal could easily tell. He makes his way down though the quite household and to go find his two friends- He had not yet seen the post on the NV, no thought to check this early in the morning, but the small line of a just made cut from a razor and the still there remnants of hair along his jawline show that the incident is not one isolated.

He can't look in the mirror for long, not with people he cares about- and his own, rotted face, spread against the corpse of a monster- staring back at him.

He finds them both down there and steps in closer, slowly, eyes sliding past the mirror to ignore the sight profile of blond, spiky hair, of a woman's worn and tired but loving face. He doesn't say anything, just shifts to come closer, to put a hand atop of his friend's shoulders, to give comfort, and just the knowledge of having them there helps him center himself again as well.]

It's going to be alright.

[soldierfirst]

Yes.

[A soft confirmation, even as Sephiroth shifts to allow Angeal close, to invite him into the circle of comfort given and taken. A hand cards through Genesis' hair as the redhead leans; he abandons Genesis' hip to find Angeal's in a soft squeeze.

Perhaps -- and it is likely a trick of his mind -- the Core pulled away the other housemates for this exact reason: SOLDIER takes care of itself.]

[recitings]

[As Genesis feels a third member join them, he reaches out to rest a hand at the small of the bigger man's back as well. He could pick up the faint trace of blood on his friend's jaw, from that fresh cut.]

Did we all... see things in the mirror?

[mentors]

[Accepted by his friends into their care, Angeal can't help but breathe a little easier, as hard as it might be. Who knows for how long they were going to have to deal with this, what they would need to do to avoid it...

But as long as the other two are okay, and Angeal can help them in some way, even in just offering small comforts, he knows it will work out.]

It seems that it isn't imagined, at any rate. [It can't be just them, he is certain.]

[soldierfirst]

Mmm...

[A soft murmur of assent answers Genesis' question; Sephiroth had seen the mirror's phantoms as well, though he will not speak of them. No, he would rather be that silent support from which the other two draw strength; it is a role he can fill well.]

I am sure it to be a trick of the Core, or of someone's Core-given powers. It will pass. [A silent reassurance, as mush as there can be one; even a trick brief in nature leaves its reactionary feelings for longer than its duration. This Sephiroth knows, and knows too that they may be dealing with those feelings for some days ahead.]

[recitings]

[With his head still nestled against Sephiroth's shoulder, Genesis nods. He takes a deep breath, then speaks.]

I can throw something over the mirror. We can stay here, away from everything we're bound to see for now.

[After seeing his dead parents, Genesis no longer wanted to go to the modeling project. It didn't help at all that the studio was always full of mirrors.]

[mentors]

[Sephiroth is quiet about it, but the other admits just enough to let them know he has been affected by it as well. Angeal's fingers draw over the back of his shoulder blades- A reminder, that they were there for him as much as he was to them.

That was what friends were for.]

I'll stay as long as I can with you. [Genesis doesn't want them to leave no matter what, and Angeal knows it, something he expresses to his other friend with a glance and well chosen words. It had always been their main fear, and after losing everyone else so soon...]

[soldierfirst]

[After another few minutes, Sephiroth leans just a little bit away from the others, eventually nudging Genesis more toward Angeal so that he can slip away for a moment.]

Rest with Angeal. I'll handle the mirror and bring us coffee.

[With the bond he knows the other two share, he wants to be able to offer them some time to comfort each other as well.]

[recitings]

[At Sephiroth's words, Genesis nods. But before letting the General depart from their embrace, he draws him in just a little closer, squeezing his waist for a moment and taking a deep breath against his neck-- a silent plea for him to return to them later even though he knows that he will.]

Alright.

[mentors]

[Angeal knows how hard this is on Genesis, , and even though the post had not been seen to him, he had a rather good idea of what the other man might of seen. He drops his hands off of the two to let them go, to have their brief moment before Genesis pulls away, and Angeal coaxes his friend to come sit with him on the edge of the bed, to let the three of them work together so that the images of the mirrors faded away from all of their minds.]