@pupmusebox continued from x
It was unusual to find Sephora unconscious, but it likely was from overdoing it with constant work piling up.
A light mess of silver hair that was splayed about along with dark feathers, it was rare to see this but even Seph had times were he would collapse.
He was breaking rank; he was defying direct orders... he was doing everything that ShinRa and SOLDIER had mercilessly driven into his head not to do...
And he didn't care. Not in this moment, anyway.
Genesis' friend should have been back three hours ago. Seph wasn't the kind to miss deadlines-- he was the SOLDIER; he was what everyone else was meant to live up to.
After an hour, Genesis asked of his friend's whereabouts. He was told to leave it alone. The man in question did not fail, and he did not fall.
In the second hour, he asked to be given permission to search. He was told the same information.
After the third hour struck, Genesis didn't ask again. He merely left.
He knew the general location of where Sephiroth was sent to-- but exact coordinates were, of course, classified, even to him.
... Or perhaps just to him.
It took time, searching the surrounding area and calling out. It wasn't until a rogue black feather blew by that he had some idea of which direction to run.
Based on the wind's trajectory, that feather had to have blown from--
The sight left his heart light with elation... while at the same time choking him by seemingly lodging into his throat.
One look at the mess of silvery hair and splayed-out black feathers told the red-clad SOLDIER everything he needed to know.
"They did this to you, didn't they?" Genesis snarls as he steps closer. He doesn't bother to draw his sword. There is no threat. His friend did not collapse because he was bested in battle or wounded to the point that he was incapacitated.
Their top-ranking SOLDIER's body gave out from sheer exhaustion.
"... Fear not," his voice lowers as he draws closer and eases down to his knees at the fallen angel's side.
"... I won't drag you back to them," he continues as he reaches out, brushing the mass of silvery hair out of Seph's face and behind his back.
"Rest. I will not leave your side."