Chapter Text
A rustling sound to Genesis’s left caught his attention. He glanced up from his computer screen with a smile, fingers hovering centimeters above the keyboard. The alpha watched his mates in amusement as they tried to be as quiet as possible. Angeal paused as his eyes met green-blue ones.
“Oh please, don’t stop on my account.” Genesis teased the pair, his focus already returning to his writing.
Sephiroth may have had a chance at slipping into the room undetected if he had come alone. His graceful feline movements made him almost phantom like. But with Angeal there, he was almost guaranteed they’d be heard. The beta’s sturdy, stocky build, while enjoyable in almost every other scenario, was more of a hindrance for that.
Genesis appreciated the gesture nonetheless. He had assured the publishing company he would submit his rough draft by the end of day. Deadlines were such a pain. Being left alone for a few hours had been a great help. It seemed like they had reached their limit for waiting though.
A different sound caught his attention. Genesis looked up again just in time to see Sephiroth scratch at the mark on the right side of his neck. The alpha grimaced at the sight.
“Yours has been itching too?” Genesis asked. The pair nodded.
“What do you think it means?” The concern was obvious in Angeal’s voice.
Sephiroth looked up from his bag to take in his mates’ expressions. A deep frown weighed down Angeal’s face, while Genesis looked irritated.
“Hopefully, it means he had a bad Gyashl Green salad.”
“Gen.” The beta scolded.
“What? I didn’t wish him dead or even permanently ill. Just a bit of an upset stomach at most.”
Angeal threw an arm around Genesis’s shoulder and pulled him into a loose hug. He leaned into the touch.
“I think he is no longer our concern and hasn’t been for over three years now.” Sephiroth offered.
“He certainly made sure of that.” Genesis grumbled.
“Who made sure of what?”
They all turned to see their youngest lover standing in the doorway with a large grin plastered across his face. Genesis paled at how happy he looked. They all knew Zack was strong. It was one of his most attractive qualities and was very useful in his line of work. That didn’t mean that he wanted to worry the other alpha if it wasn’t absolutely necessary.
“Nothing for you to worry about, puppy. Trust me.” Genesis held out a hand to the man. “What are you so happy about anyway?”
Zack’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second before he moved forward to grab his mate’s hand. He was yanked forward into the space between Angeal and Genesis.
“I just wanted to see why you old men were cooped up inside and not outside enjoying the fresh air with me.” Zack teased with a playful smirk.
“You little brat, you’re not that much younger than us.” Genesis answered with a light slap to the other’s ass.
“Then you shouldn’t have any problem taking a break.”
A break did sound nice. His brain was starting to feel foggy by this point. It wouldn’t be long before he was unable to string even a few words together.
“I brought sunscreen.” Zack added, holding up a bottle and sealing Genesis’s decision.
“How thoughtful of you.” the auburn haired man smirked and took the object from him.
“Now you have no excuse.”
“No, I suppose not.” Genesis sighed with a dramatic air, earning a laugh from the others.
“We were actually just about to sneak down there anyway.” Angeal leaned in to whisper.
Sephiroth held up two pairs of swim trunks. Zack laughed at the disapproving stare from Genesis.
“My apologies. We were growing restless.” Sephiroth explained.
“Traitors.”
“But now we can all go instead.” Angeal placated him.
Genesis saved his progress before exiting out of the program and turning off his laptop. He closed the lid carefully then placed the device back into his messenger bag.
“I’ll see you old timers down there.” Zack told them before breaking out of their hold. He left the room, shutting the door behind him.
“You’ll pay for that Zack Fair!” Genesis yelled after him.
“Let’s get this over with.” He turned to the other two.
“Don’t pretend you aren’t happy for a break.” Sephiroth countered, amused at the other’s act.
Genesis didn’t respond, hiding his smirk. He held out his hand and the silver haired alpha handed him his swim trunks.
“Wait.” The beta stopped them.
“Hmmm?”
“You know that Zack has his mark too, right?” Angeal’s face was serious.
“Of course, we know that.” Genesis’s eyebrows scrunched together. “How could we forget?”
“Then there’s no sense in trying to hide this from him. I bet he’s feeling the same itch we are feeling. We should talk to him, make sure he knows he isn’t alone.”
Sephiroth’s lips curled up slightly as Genesis sighed once more.
“You’re right. It was wrong of me to try and keep him out. I just want to protect him. You know how broken he was after…”
An involuntary shiver travelled over Genesis’s body as his voice trailed off. Angeal gripped the silver haired man’s hand and the other returned the gesture with a firm squeeze. They didn’t need to put their thoughts into words. They could all feel that shared pain ripple through them. None of them liked to be reminded of that day and the fallout that followed.
“We’ll talk to him at the pool. No excuses.”
“Fine, fine.” Genesis promised. “On my honor as an author.”
“What honor?” Angeal snorted as the auburn haired alpha let out an indignant huff.
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The sky was a perfect shade of baby blue without a single cloud in sight. He knew right away that he’d have to apply more sunscreen before long with the way the sun was beating down on them. The outside area really was incredible. A large oval pool was situated in the middle surrounded by lush green plants all around and a walk up bar off to the side. Furniture was scattered in strategic lines on the left and right.
It was the first time since they arrived this morning that Genesis had gone outside. It was difficult for him to leave his writing until it was in a good place. He was happy to see that their resort was as idyllic as their travel agent had promised.
Their young mate was stretched across a bright yellow pool chair in nothing but tight black swim trunks. His whole body glistened with sweat and drops of pool water fell from his dark locks. A pair of aviator glasses sat perched atop the mess of hair.
“Finally!” Zack grinned as he spotted them.
The man jumped up out of his seat to meet his mates. He stole a quick kiss from Angeal and Sephiroth before turning to Genesis. He grabbed the other alpha’s hand to do the same, but didn’t release him even after their lips met. The younger tugged on his hand with more force instead. Genesis’s blue-green eyes widened as he realized what Zack was trying to do.
“Zachary, don’t you dare! I will go in the pool when I am damn well ready and not a moment soo-”
Genesis’s yell of protest was cut short when the brunette fell backwards into the water still holding onto his hand. The older male struggled against the grip but a strong hand pressed down on his back. He fell into the water next with a loud splash.
Genesis’s arms reached out in an elegant breaststroke under the surface. He came up for air a few strokes later to glare at his mates. The pair had already schooled their features into expressions of innocence.
“I want you all to know that I will have my revenge.” He told them as he looked over them with suspicion.
His eyes lingered on bright green ones. He had a feeling who might have been the culprit. He didn’t have long to think about it though. Sephiroth slipped into the pool in one fluid motion, while Angeal jumped into the open space beside him. Water sprayed over him and Zack. The young alpha’s hair was plastered to his face, reminding them of a puppy even more than usual. Genesis couldn’t keep the laughter from escaping him. Gods, he hated to ruin the moment.
“Listen, Zack.” The man in question turned towards Genesis.
The brunette frowned at the serious look in those eyes. He tensed but remained silent, waiting for Genesis to continue.
“I wasn’t completely honest with you earlier.” Genesis paused. “When I told you there was nothing for you to worry about.”
Zack’s frown deepened. His hand drifted to a pair of teeth imprints on his collarbone.
“It’s about Cloud, isn’t it?”
Genesis could imagine the “I told you so” look he would be making himself now if he were Angeal, but their mate wasn’t like that. He wasn’t prone to gloating or boasting like Genesis sometimes would when he was right. The level headed beta was the solid foundation of their group. Instead, Angeal was likely even more worried about their young mate now.
“Yes, it is.” Sephiroth replied with a second’s hesitation.
Even the direct and straightforward alpha didn’t want to give him that answer. Zack nodded in understanding.
“It hasn’t felt like this since the night he left. It’s only been echoes all this time and the first day we get here it’s like… I can almost feel him next to me?” The young alpha scratched the back of his neck.
“It’s been like that for us too.” Angeal confirmed.
It had been a dull ache for Genesis since they first walked inside the building. The sensation shifted to an incessant itch just a few hours later. He wasn’t surprised that Angeal and Sephiroth had felt the same irritation. Genesis even swore that for a moment that he had sensed the delectable combination of ocean and sandalwood when they checked in. It was a scent he could never imagine forgetting, unique to their former mate. The mind played the worst tricks sometimes.
“Do you think he might have come here once?” Zack asked the group.
Genesis scoffed at the idea but didn’t let his disbelief show. Zack looked almost hopeful and he wouldn’t be the one to break that sad optimism. It didn’t matter how ridiculous or misplaced it seemed to him. When Cloud left he was little more than an undergrad student at university. A lot could have changed in the last three years, but Genesis doubted that the omega could afford to stay at such an expensive resort.
“Maybe. But I say let’s have fun and enjoy ourselves. This is the first vacation we’ve had in years and I, for one, will not allow him to steal any more of our happiness.” Genesis replied.
“I just miss him so much.”
“We all do.”
Genesis looked up at Sephiroth. He fought the urge to say anything contrary when he saw a hint of pain in those green eyes. He chewed at the inside of his cheek.
“But like Gen said, we should focus on enjoying our time here.” Angeal stepped in, sensing the friction between the two older alphas.
“Yes, that and celebrating. Rumor has it some hot shot is trying to run for judge.” the auburn haired alpha winked at Sephiroth.
“I know one thing that could cheer me up.”
Zack grinned and Genesis knew that didn’t bode well. He waved his arm out and doused the group in water. It was fortunate for the other guests that they had all decided to leave the pool after Zack jumped in. There was about to be an all out war.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The four stumbled into their suite an hour or so later, tanned and sunburnt in some places. Genesis debated just collapsing onto the plush couch in the living room, soaking wet swim trunks be damned. The idea was tempting. He sighed as he instead made a beeline for the bathroom.
He peeled the fabric off his lower half and threw them into a laundry bag. He felt clammy after being in the pool for so long. The heavy chemicals they used always irritated his skin. He couldn’t wait to rinse any lingering residue down the stainless steel drain.
He turned the faucet inside the shower. He would have preferred to test out the ridiculously large bath tub. The little jets positioned all along the walls promised that it would be relaxing, but they were too pressed for time tonight.
The smaller room began to steam up quickly. He stepped in and let the spray cascade down his body. The water felt much better in comparison to the pool.
He had already moved all of the resort provided soaps out. He could tell they were high quality from the packaging but he still preferred to use his own. The ingredients in some soaps were just too harsh. His mates accused him of being particular whenever he did this. He’d have the last laugh though when they wrinkled before he did, despite being the second oldest in their group.
Just as he put shampoo in his hair, Angeal stepped into view. A pair of strong hands rested on Genesis’s hips. He let himself be guided into the beta’s arms and rested his forehead on his neck. He breathed in Angeal’s scent. The smell of apples and rosemary washed over him. Anytime that scent hit him it was impossible for him not to be transported back to childhood days spent picking fruit with his best friend. It never failed to comfort him.
He could feel the mood shifting from relaxing to something more charged. A warm static started enveloping the air around them. Angeal broke beneath the tension first. The beta captured his lips in a kiss that sent electricity tingling down his spine.
“Geal.” Genesis warned. “We both know you are aware of our dinner reservations.”
Angeal laughed in answer. The sound vibrated against Genesis’s mouth. The beta trailed quick pecks along his jaw. It was almost enough of a distraction for him to miss the hand that slipped around his cock. His hands dug into Angeal’s side as the other’s grip tightened around him.
“You guys having fun without me?” A new voice asked.
Genesis peeked up to see Zack. The young alpha was smiling. He doubted their earlier conversation had been forgotten, but he was happy to see that Zack wasn’t letting it overwhelm him. Even more evidence why he shouldn’t underestimate their youngest lover.
“Never.” Angeal grinned. “Come help me convince Gen.”
“Convince him of what?” The young alpha was already throwing his own swim trunks into the pile of laundry.
Angeal didn’t answer. He tucked a stray lock of auburn hair behind Genesis’s ear and pressed their bodies tighter together. Genesis shivered, despite the warm temperature, when he felt another body pressed behind him.
“Hey there.” A deep voice whispered in his ear.
“No. I’m not skipping dinner because of you two.”
“Who said anything about missing dinner?”
“We have to be there in thirty minutes!” Genesis insisted.
“That’s enough time.”
A cherry brown brow arched in disbelief.
“When has twenty minutes ever been enough time?” Genesis asked.
“Never.” A new voice offered.
He sighed as Sephiroth stepped inside the shower next, his chest to Zack’s back.
“I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if we were a few minutes late.” Angeal said as his mouth moved down to Genesis’s chest.
Genesis shuddered as another mouth latched onto his exposed skin. The sensations were quickly becoming too much for him.
“We have reservations, you barbarians!” Genesis’s voice came out flustered and breathless.
Angeal and Zack shared a grin. The auburn haired man was close.
“But they’re in Sephiroth’s name, right?”
“Yes, and?”
“And they won’t say anything. They’re all too afraid of the scary ‘Demon attorney’ from Midgar.” Zack whispered, a hint of mischief coming through.
Genesis turned to Sephiroth, his last hope at leaving on time. The silver haired alpha smiled.
“I suppose my reputation does have its advantages.” Sephiroth hummed before leaning in to kiss Angeal over the other’s alpha’s shoulder.
“Damn it all.”
Genesis conceded at last and grabbed onto Zack’s biceps. He turned, yanking the brunette to his chest. Their lips met the next second. Neither wasted a moment to be chaste. The warm water had disappeared completely by the time they all finished in the shower.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I hope you’re happy.” Genesis scolded the other three. “We’re forty-five minutes late now.”
Zack’s smirk only grew bigger.
They had just changed into their more formal clothes mere minutes ago. Genesis and Sephiroth were dressed in a blazer and slacks, while Angeal wore a button up shirt with black pants. None of them could convince Zack, however, not to wear his prized jeans. Genesis still considered it a victory though, since the band t-shirt he had originally chosen was tossed on the floor of their room. He was offended that their youngest lover had even packed it in the first place. It took great restraint not to throw it away.
They were standing in the hall, waiting for the lift to reach their floor. As soon as the bell chimed and the doors opened, Genesis slipped his way inside. It was empty except for their group. Genesis hit the button for the first floor with an impatient jab.
They shuffled out of the lift as a cool, robotic voice announced they had arrived at the first floor. The main foyer was faintly lit with a large, ornate chandelier dangling from the ceiling. The interior was decorated in varying intensities of dark, gunmetal gray. The decorations were an exact mix of modern and minimal that Genesis liked. He would have preferred rich, warmer colors but he knew that didn’t appeal to everyone.
Their destination was situated down a connecting hall and guarded by a bland looking man. When they reached the entrance to the restaurant, the man looked at them with an appraising stare.
“Good evening.” The man greeted them. His eyes lingered on Zack’s jeans for a moment. “Do you have a reservation?”
“Yes. Under Sephiroth.”
“I see, sir.” The maître d's demeanor shifted in an instant.
His back straightened and his reserved smile had stretched to a full one. He called over a waiter who had to be no older than twenty.
“Please take these gentlemen to their seats.”
“Right this way.” The four followed behind the young waiter as he led them to the reserved tables in the back of the room.
“See? No problem.” Zack said in a low, amused voice.
“Hush.”
Genesis’s next breath caught in his throat as they rounded the corner into the back area. There was a row of plush booth style tables. One of them was already occupied and he immediately recognized one of the guests there. His heart fell and his feet stalled, causing one of his mates to bump into his back. He couldn’t be bothered to check which one.
A glass shattered to his left, only just missing his feet. Zack has collided with another member of the staff as his eyes focused on the same person that had fixated Genesis. The noise echoed around them, grabbing the attention of the small group sitting a few meters away.
The smile died on the blond’s face as wide blue eyes looked up. A range of expressions flitted across his face- worry, sadness, anger, discomfort. His eyes swept from Genesis to Angeal and then Sephiroth before landing on Zack. By the time he had looked over each of them, a careful and indecipherable mask had taken hold over his face.
Genesis was sure he would have collapsed in that moment if it weren’t for Angeal’s steady hands keeping him upright.
The petite blond looked just as beautiful as he remembered. He was like a memory given form. His body hadn’t changed even a little. He was still breathtaking with his lean frame and slight omegan curves. His hair was just as wild as he recalled. The guarded expression surrounding plush red lips and a straight nose was the same as it had always been.
It wasn’t fair. It was like time itself was toying with them. It was almost easy to pretend in that moment that the last three years hadn’t happened, that maybe they were all staying together at this hotel as one group like they were meant to be.
But the reality was they were apart, separated by both the passage of time and the space between them in the dining room. The four mates stood on one side of the room as Cloud sat across from them with an arm wrapped around the man seated next to him.
Genesis’s entire body went rigid. He could hear others talking around him but he couldn’t distinguish words from the white noise. He felt his body being pushed into someone else’s.
“I’ll stay with Zack. Take Gen back to the room.” Angeal’s voice cut through for a second.
Sephiroth nodded and started to lead him out of the restaurant. The entire way back to their floor was a blur. He couldn’t tell how he had gone from being frozen in front of Cloud to standing in the hall outside their room. He watched in a detached, unfocused way as Sephiroth pressed their access chip to the reader.
As soon as the door to their room was open, the shock lifted from Genesis. It was replaced by rage in the next moment. Sephiroth was there immediately. He took Genesis in his arms and started removing their stuffy clothes one by one. Once they were in nothing but their boxers, Sephiroth led him to their bed.
“How could he?” Genesis managed to breath out, a hand pressed against his own chest. “How could he dare look so calm and collected? Like he didn’t break our hearts and leave us without a word?”
The image of Cloud draped across that stranger flashed across his mind. The pain that accompanied the picture was razor sharp and radiated into his very being.
It was the same hurt he had felt that morning over three years ago. It was a Saturday and no one had to work weekends back then. The intense feeling of loss had woken him up. His eyes had snapped open, afraid that one of his mates had been attacked while they slept. He was still a bit groggy but he looked around frantically.
Everything seemed fine, peaceful even. He could see the slow rise and fall of their breathing. He could feel through their shared bond that everyone was alive. He couldn’t shake the pain in his chest though. He went to grab for his nearest mate, who was cocooned in a disarray of fabrics.
Cloud always slept in a ridiculous pile of blankets. Genesis had found the trait annoying in the beginning, but couldn’t deny that it quickly became endearing after a few sleepovers. He couldn’t help the happiness that would bubble up inside him at the sight of Cloud’s face just barely peeking out of the blankets like a nesting chocobo.
As his hand reached the pile, he knew something was wrong. Where he expected to meet the warm body of their mate, he was instead met with a pillow. He pulled the covers up to find no one underneath.
He roused his other mates with forceful shaking. Zack was still too sleepy to grasp that something was wrong, but Sephiroth bolted awake. Angeal followed after that with a matching frown on his face. They could immediately sense the pain emanating from their bond.
As realization hit Zack, he started searching the room with a manic sort of desperation. When he failed to find Cloud there, he sprinted into the other rooms. Genesis winced each time he heard a door opening and closing in the distance. They waited without a word between them for him to return. Zack ran back into their bedroom not long after, red faced and out of breath.
“He left us, didn't he? Left me?”
The three older men looked at each other. Genesis knew the crushing weight could only be one thing. It was the one thing that every child was warned about growing up, regardless of demographics. A pain so unique and harrowing that some people actually died. It was the devastation of a bond being rejected.
Angeal stood up, determination and sorrow in his eyes. He took Zack’s hand into his own with a gentle caress. It did little to soothe the young alpha. Tears pooled at the edges of his eyes and his body trembled. He already knew the answer, but needed to hear it from them.
“Yes, he’s gone.”
The sound that escaped Zack was heartbreaking, more like a wounded animal than a human being. The noise chilled him to his bones, liquefying his insides along the way. They all fell back into the bed at the same time, a mess of tears and limbs. It was the worst day in Genesis’s life. Today was a close second though.
Cloud had looked just as surprised to see them as they had been to see him. He didn’t fall to his feet and beg for forgiveness like Genesis had sometimes dreamt during his darkest hours of longing. He knew that Cloud was affected, but he couldn’t gauge in what way. The omega had been difficult to read even when they were together. Now he truly was an enigma. They all needed answers and Zack- Zack was still down there with him.
“Zack-”
“Is with Angeal. They’re together.” Genesis felt some tension leave his body at the information.
“What are they doing down there? Are they trying to make him talk?”
“I don’t know. But this time we will get the truth from him one way or another. He owes us that much.” Sephiroth’s words sounded ominous in the relative darkness of their room.
The promise for answers after all this time about why Cloud had left was a comforting blanket much like the other alpha’s embrace around him. It was a conversation they had many times during the first year since Cloud had disappeared. They replayed and dissected every interaction and word they had from Cloud in a vicious loop, trying to understand why he would choose to leave them. They didn’t discuss it openly anymore in big, structured group meetings. But the thought did linger at the edges of their minds, impossible to ever fully shake.
Genesis fell into an uneasy sleep a while later, his body tired out at last. Slumber wouldn’t find Sephiroth until an hour later when his missing mates returned. Neither of them said anything as they slipped under the covers to join him and Genesis.