[Oh, how Sephiroth's eyes and smile warm at the way Angeal's heartbeat drums under his hand-- at the way Angeal looks at him in that moment. It makes his entire ribcage come alive with warmth and electricity.
Slowly, he begins to trace soothing circles across Angeal's chest.
It-- makes him profoundly happy to hear those words - 'Yes, Sephiroth. We are.' - and know that... for perhaps the first time, he's allowed to possess the kind of closeness he's always craved. He's watched others around him develop meaningful relationships for a long time, and he's always felt so isolated on his little island. If only he could go back and tell his younger self - confused and afraid of his own developing crush on Angeal - that things would turn out alright.
...But that joy falters when Angeal speaks again, giving voice to his insecurities.]
Angeal...
[His hand pauses against the other man's chest, fingertips pressing firmly-- almost grasping at the corded fabric of his shirt.]
What they did to you does not define who you are. It does you a great disservice to be defined so callously as an "experiment". You are a man, above all else. A good man. One worthy of being cherished.
...What bothers me is that you would think yourself beneath me at all.
[Sephiroth has grown to understand that Genesis always harbored some sizeable resentment on that front. But Angeal? He thought they'd come to an understanding. He knows finding out difficult truths about himself has undoubtedly affected his confidence and self-worth, but... It doesn't make it any easier to hear such a thing come out of Angeal's mouth. As it were, there's only one way Sephiroth will ever think about you being beneath him, Angeal, and it has nothing to so with equality.]
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Slowly, he begins to trace soothing circles across Angeal's chest.
It-- makes him profoundly happy to hear those words - 'Yes, Sephiroth. We are.' - and know that... for perhaps the first time, he's allowed to possess the kind of closeness he's always craved. He's watched others around him develop meaningful relationships for a long time, and he's always felt so isolated on his little island. If only he could go back and tell his younger self - confused and afraid of his own developing crush on Angeal - that things would turn out alright.
...But that joy falters when Angeal speaks again, giving voice to his insecurities.]
Angeal...
[His hand pauses against the other man's chest, fingertips pressing firmly-- almost grasping at the corded fabric of his shirt.]
What they did to you does not define who you are. It does you a great disservice to be defined so callously as an "experiment". You are a man, above all else. A good man. One worthy of being cherished.
...What bothers me is that you would think yourself beneath me at all.
[Sephiroth has grown to understand that Genesis always harbored some sizeable resentment on that front. But Angeal? He thought they'd come to an understanding. He knows finding out difficult truths about himself has undoubtedly affected his confidence and self-worth, but... It doesn't make it any easier to hear such a thing come out of Angeal's mouth. As it were, there's only one way Sephiroth will ever think about you being beneath him, Angeal, and it has nothing to so with equality.]