xx
Shelke opened her blue eyes from a restless sleep. Never did she remember what her dreams where about and yet she still remembered him and his red eyes. She wanted to forget. She had to forget, but... she couldn't.
The days went by easily; because she tried to integrate herself in her new family by bury the remnants of the war. Shelke sighed silently, as she thought of his forbidden touch, his cold skin. Her infatuation with him had been innocent, nothing special, or at least, that's what Nero had told her.
I only love my brother, Shelke. His voice echoed in her skull, as if he stood right next to her, repeating the words he so often threw at her.
Time was short and his brother Weiss possessed. Nero's obsession with saving and following his brother brought him eventually to life.
Shelke sunk into her pillows.
Six months had passed since she had seen him the last time.
But it hurt like it had happened last week.
Six months ago
The young girl ran through the corridors and opened the door. The soldiers had vanished and only the dark aura had been left. Shelke recognized it and her heart began pounding hard in her chest. Why had he been here?! She suppressed a shiver.
"Nero?"Her voice did not waver.
"Quite unexpected?" he said coldly.
With each step he took forward, she stepped back.
"Why are you afraid?"She felt how his gaze penetrated her, looking for an answer.
"Why are you here?" Shelke ignored his question because she knew that he knew that deep inside, she feared him. This wasn't the Nero she had known, she had learned to care for.
He had changed drastically and she hated Weiss for this. The one she had been loyal to, once. The one she had wanted to give up life for, once. The one, she had wanted to destroy before he could destroy his own brother.
Nero had gone insane. Completely insane.
Even though the bandages covered his lips, she knew he was smiling. Shelke had memorized his facial expressions and his eyes. His eyes always told her, what he thought, even if he did not bare himself consciously. His smile was not friendly, by all means. It was mirthless and hollow.
Perhaps he still underestimated her and had his guard down around her. Not very likely, she told herself.
"Can't you see it? Our mission is complete."He paused and looked at her.
"Or, well…Almost." His red eyes locked with hers and without hesitation Shelke took her swords and aimed at him.
"And what do we think we are doing?" Nero asked amused, his melodic voice echoing in the room.
"I don't want to disappoint the people who count on me!"Angered she tried to hit him, to hurt him, like she was hurting inside, to make him feel her pain.
But Shelke knew that he was physically stronger and an angry voice inside her told her to STOP TRYING TO HURT HIM YOU LOVE HIM YOU LOVE HIM.
Why did she still love him? Shelke almost sobbed at the thought. The girl stopped moving and watched, mesmerized, as he released his arms from the suit slowly and exposed his tattooed skin. Nero removed the bandage from his mouth and Shelke again looked away quickly. His mouth had once been stitched shut and the dot-like scars above and under his lips gave it away. Her hands were above her head and the man in front of her didn't seem to want to let her go. Nero squeezed her wrists until Shelke let out a small whimper.
Before she could even react, Nero had pushed her against the wall and Shelke gasped.
Nero's face drew closer to hers but he stopped. She could feel his warm breath against her skin and she hushed her urge to kiss him. And just like that, his eyes were wild and frenzied.
"You know that I cannot exist without my beloved brother and you." She nodded, feeling light-headed.
"Why did you leave me?" he growled furiously, losing control of his composure and Shelke's eyes widened in shock. He looked away and laughed desperately, as if he could not believe himself that he had lost his control. And suddenly a hungry look overpowered his gaze and he pressed his lips hard against hers in an agonizing kiss. Nero released her hands and she felt his body pressing hers painful against the wall.
Nero had never kissed her that way, never so hungry, never like this, like he wanted to release his pain and anger and frustration. Only a small innocent peck, their hands touching in a shy gesture, always, always. Never like this.
Dry lips, salty tears. Who cried? She did not know.
Then Nero pulled away as if she had burned him and she saw his scared eyes, his wet cheeks, his bruised lips. And right in this moment, she saw her chance, she could save him from himself. But just like that he put his mask back on and gave her a long, hard look. "I do not require your help." Defiantly Shelke looked back, not yielding yet. "Liar." She watched him gulp, watched him, looking at her lips and then in her eyes. "Come back to me,", he said softly. Back to Weiss? Back to everything she walked away from? She would not come back to him if it meant coming back to the end of the world. "Come with me,", Shelke countered and Nero's face crumbled. She knew the answer instantly and her heart broke. "Forgive me." His words echoed in his darkness, as she fell into slumber.
"Let me help you." Shelke whispered.
Why couldn't he understand this? More important things were at stake than her own selfish desires.
Present
Shelke walked to her window. The moon shined through it like the morning sun. Tiredly she looked at the ceiling.
The last six months had been quite peaceful.
Cloud and Tifa cared for the children. Vincent, Nanaki, Barret, Yuffie and Caith Sid helped rebuilding the town and Shelke tried to help where she could. It was really difficult for her to act normal, like other girls her age would do. But, well, she was nineteen, locked in a body of a child with a bloody past.
Shelke always seemed like the smiling girl, but she knew too well: she wasn't and would never be. The past was not something you could bury with the dead. Vincent Valentine was the one who understood her the best, though he was trying to leave it behind with this ninja-girl.
After everything that has happened, Shelke wasn't sure there was anything on this world that could fill the empty void inside of her so-called heart.
Depressing nightmares of the past haunted her down every single night. It was as if Nero did not want her to forget him. She had woken up to the feel of soft lips on her skin, to a dark aura, threatening to suffocate her.
And sometimes she could even see his black silhouette standing in front of the house they lived in. It was nerve-wrecking and painful and Shelke had the creeping thought that this time it was her losing her sanity. This night she also saw his figure standing in the dark, a looming shadow.
But then, after she had closed her eyes, the shadow did not vanish.
"What…?" The figure didn't move, but she recognized his mechanical wings.
How could this be? Shelke couldn't breathe, couldn't collect her thoughts.
Instinctively she ran out of the house, silently for she did not want to disturb the others. When she was outside, the cold wind hit her skin and Shelke did not move for a moment.
What was she supposed to do now anyway? Should she smile? Run away? Instead Shelke approached the figure warily. She stopped in front of him.
"Nero." His red eyes softened, the bandages in his face gone, his arms free.
"Quite unexpected?" He said, the corners of his lips lifting upward in an attempt of a smile.
Her lips trembled.
She wanted to embrace him. She wanted to touch his smooth hair, his skin but she held herself back. How would he react?
Still, she noticed that something was not right. Shelke couldn't put her finger on it, but something was different with Nero.
The next second she was in his strong arms, but his body was cold.
Nero had missed her scent, her presence, everything. And he had things to explain but time was too short.
"I cannot stay any longer, Shelke."
How gladly he would have asked for forgiveness. How glad he would have been if he could hold her a little longer.
It had taken so much to supress his urge of killing her when he had been here the first time, watching her.
"We won't have to wait much longer, beloved Shelke." She heard him whisper as he vanished in his darkness, his touch suddenly only a memory.
Shelke closed her eyes and concentrated. What had happened? Where was he? Why was he so cold? When would he be back?!
"Why did you leave me?" She asked the night.
You don't know anything…Shelke.
Shelke would wait for him to return, even until the end of her existence.
Your end will come.
He would take her with him.
To the lifestream.
And she would stay with him.
"Forever…," Nero whispered in her ear, his breath ghosting over her skin.
She remembered suddenly what was different with him. A cold and dreaded realization flooded her mind and numbed her body.
Nero was dead.
Shelke felt his darkness engulf her and then everything went black.
xx
You've made it to the end! (Even though it wasn't a long journey, but maybe a creepy one?) Thank you very much for reading this, dear reader *knee-slapper*.
I hope you enjoyed it! Also I really tried to correct my mistakes but if I have missed any, feel free to point out those Satans and I will correct them.
Currently I am thinking of posting a second chapter, another flashback with how Nero got his mouth stitched up and some shy shelkeXnero interaction. If you want to read it, just tell me so ( ]:- ) and I will post it.
Reviews are much appreciated ;D.
-THEBLACKBLOODSXX