Love to Hate

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Final Fantasy VII or any of it's characters. Yeah. It's not mine. So… Don't sue me.

Plot: Basically this is going to be a switch on and off between Sephiroth and Aerith's points of view. It's about their love/hate relationship. So basically it's a AeriSeph story. Please no flamers. Rated T for mild cursing.

BTW: Yes I do know that this doesn't have EVERYTHING to do with the game. Well, I made up most of it myself. Flashbacks may go back as far as childhood even though Sephiroth didn't really know everyone in his childhood. The story actually begins while they are in high school and continues on from there. Just read it

Oh how you have ruined my life! Isn't it only fair that I should ruin yours in return? But how could I possibly ruin the life of the woman I love?

Love? What is love? I was created without emotions. I probably don't even have a heart. Why should I care about her! All she did was ruin me! She always taunted me. She never loved me in return as I loved her.

And yet… She completes my life. She hardly knows I exist but it seems as though she's mine completely and mine alone.

Oh here she comes now. I can tell by the sound of her boots scraping across the ground. She's just around the corner. Perhaps I can talk to her now…

"Hi Sephiroth," she smiles sweetly at me and continues on down the hall. I smile back trying not to make some sort of goofy sound escape my throat. I attempt to make conversation, but grow too shy and turn away. "Get a hold of yourself, Sephiroth," I mutter to myself and turn around to follow her…

…only to see her walk into the arms of football jock, Cloud Strife. Damn him! Why can't she ever see me as more than a friend? Why him? He grins and walks towards us with his football friend Barrett and cheerleader friends Tifa and Yuffie close behind. Tifa and Barret are a couple while Cloud luckily gets Aerith… The most beautiful girl in Midgar High.

She's a straight-A student, a cheerleader, and to top it off, one of the nicest girls you'd ever meet. Why was he destined to be with someone so amazing, while I sit behind and watch? I absolutely hate and envy Cloud. He turns to me, his arm around Aerith (oh he knows how I feel about her!), and says, "Hey you need to walk home today. I'm going somewhere after school."

"I always have to walk home… Because Dad never gives me the damned car." Cloud chuckles and turns to his friends. Oh how I hate them all. "Woah, calm down little bro. I'll see if I can make an arrangement with Dad. You know how he is…"

"We're the same age, Cloud," I growl but he ignores me and walks away. Tifa turns around and says, "Loser!!" before continuing down the hall. I see Aerith shoot me a look a sympathy. Can you see now why I love her? Although everyone else is mean to me and ridicules me, she ignores the peer pressure and doesn't join in their foolish games. Then again, that could be the problem. She doesn't do anything about them. She stands there and lets it happen.

I've never been more confused in my life… I remember the first time I met her. It was in seventh grade. I was searching for a book in the library but one fell and actually hit me, knocking my glasses off (I don't wear glasses anymore, thank God). I couldn't see a thing but then… She picked up my glasses and handed them back to me.

"Are these yours?" "Y-Yeah…" "Here you go." She smiled so sweetly at me. "Ooh, that's a good book. Are you going to get it?" "W-well, I uh… Sure." "Great. Let me know when you're done. I'm Aerith Gainsborough, by the way." "I'm Sephiroth… Sephiroth Strife." "Oh. Are you related to Cloud Strife?" "Y-Yeah that's my brother." "Oh. Well here's my phone number if you ever need help with the book. Have fun!" She wrote her number on my arm.

I stood there dumbfounded. A girl just gave me her number. A pretty girl at that. She looked straight past my glasses and braces and saw me for who I was. I went home that day happier than I had ever been. "I'm in love!" I yelled when I went home. My father, Hojo, turned and nodded. "Yes, that's nice… Go to your room. I'm busy with experiments." He never once paid attention to me and he still doesn't.

I walked into my room and saw Cloud playing a video game. "So, little Sephy has a girlfriend does he?" He smirked so sinisterly it gave me chills. "Who is it? Some nerd from the library?" "Well she was from the library but… Hey why should I tell you! You'll just try to steal her from me! No!" I raised my arms in anger as I was about to hit him but he saw the numbers written there. "Well what's this? A number? Ooh… Not just any number. Is that Aerith Gainsborough?" "N-No…" "Shut up you stuttering freak!"

I was sick of his ridicule so I grabbed my book and left the room. "Hey I saw Aerith reading that book," Cloud had muttered to himself before snatching it from me. "No! Give it back!" Cloud began flipping through the pages and laughed to himself. So now he was going to try and steal MY girl. Well, I wouldn't let him. I tried hitting him but he blocked me with the book and pushed me down. "I find it hilarious that you think you can beat me." He laughed and walked out of the room.

"Dad! Where's the phone?" No! He was going to call her and ask her out before I could. I stood up and ran after him. "Dad, don't let him have the phone please!" "He already has it Sephiroth, now go play or something." Dad never cared about me. He only cared about his precious Cloud. We're the same age. In fact I think I'm older. But I was a failed experiment… Cloud was the "best thing in his life."

So, I guess you know the rest. Cloud gets the girl. Sephiroth becomes the loser. I'm still sitting here waiting for something good to happen.

'Sephiroth, you're a senior in high school right now… Who's to say that after high school Aerith will still be with Cloud? Maybe she'll fall for you… And if not… Well, I guess that's up to you…'

"What was that?" I asked myself… I felt light-headed and don't remember what happened next…

I opened my eyes, only to stare into the deep red eyes of my best, and only, friend Vincent Valentine. "What happened, Sephiroth?" He asked with no alarm in his voice. "I don't know…" He motioned for me to stand up. "I walked over here and saw you crash to the floor. You were twitching and muttering something about death…"

"Death?" "And if not… Well, I guess that's up to you…" Who said that to me? And where on earth did death come from? I never once had an idea to kill anyone… But maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea. If I killed Cloud, Aerith would have no one and come to my arms for comfort. It would all work out…

"Sephiroth! Snap out of it!" Vincent shook my shoulders. "What… What happened?" "Your eyes were glowing a bright green glow and then the pupils just dilated and…" He had a worried look on his face. I stood up and walked away. "Sephiroth…" "Just stay away!" I turned and pointed at him. "I don't know what's wrong… I don't know what I might do. Just stay away from me." He nodded and turned away. I just shunned my only friend. But if it prevents hurting him then I don't mind…

I roamed the halls in search for my friends only to turn the corner and see… Him. Sephiroth Strife. He's so smart and handsome and a part of me really thinks I should be with him. But my feelings are actually for Cloud. It's so weird that I have two different feelings about love but…

He smiled at me and I smiled back. "Hi Sephiroth," I said in the hopes that he would say something to me but he turned away instead. I felt my heart sink and sighed as I continued walking into the arms of my boyfriend, Cloud Strife. He kissed me on the cheek and then I turned as he put his arm around me. I said hi to Tifa, Yuffie, and Barrett, three of our closest friends.

We started walking back towards Sephiroth but he had a strange glow in his eyes. It seemed like he was either angry… Or hurt. "Hey you need to walk home today. I'm going somewhere after school." "I always have to walk home… Because Dad never gives me the damned car." Cloud laughed and looked at us. Poor Sephiroth! I was about to say something but Cloud made a compromise. "Woah, calm down little bro. I'll see if I can make an arrangement with Dad. You know how he is…" I smiled. See? Cloud always knows how to fix things.

As we were walking away, Tifa turned around and said, "Loser!" "Tifa, shut up!" I snapped at her. Really, I don't know where it came from. "Woah, what's up your ass?" she asked me and I turned and looked at Sephiroth. He just stood there, pained and alone. Cloud saw me looking at him and shook my shoulder. "Hey! Don't worry about him. He's just some emo loser with no friends."

"Cloud, that's your brother," I say to him angrily. "Yeah but he hates me and I hate him." "Brothers shouldn't hate. Boy, I'd give anything to have a sister." Cloud ignores me and keeps moving on. Boy, there are times when I just want to break up with him… But what would happen? I'd rather not find out.

I remember when I first met Sephiroth. I was in the library in seventh grade looking for a book to read. I heard a thud and a small groan on the other side of the bookshelf I was looking at. So I walked around and saw a boy with braces holding a book, and on his knees looking for something. I presumed he needed his glasses so I picked them up and handed them to him. It was a great book, the one he was getting, so I told him to read it. Then I gave him my number so he could call me if he had any trouble with anything… And so we could hang out more.

Imagine my surprise when I get a phone call from his brother, Cloud! "Hey Aerith. I was wondering if you'd like you catch a movie later. Maybe get some pizza…" "Wow, Cloud Strife? But what about your brother?" "Oh him? He uh… He said that I could take you out since he really doesn't like you. But don't feel bad. I think he's gay." I couldn't believe that when I heard it. I had never pictured Sephiroth as a homosexual.

So then we went out. And we've been together ever since. But I still can't help but wonder what could have been. What if I had gone out with Sephiroth instead of Cloud? Would I be happier than I am now…? But I guess it wouldn't work out since he's gay and everything…

I sighed as I said my good-byes to my friends so I could head over to my first period. I kissed Cloud and turned away only to see Zack walking down the hall. "Zack!" I yelled happily and ran towards him. I was more excited than I had ever been before. Zack was my best friend from third to sixth grade but he moved away in seventh. To tell you the truth, I liked him for a while.

I hugged him and looked up at him. "Zack! I've missed you so much!" He smiled down at me. "I've missed you too. So what did I miss since I've been gone?" I blushed. I was about to tell my old crush that I had a new boyfriend… "Well I'm dating Cloud Strife." His eyes widened in surprise. "Really? For how long?" "Since seventh grade." He whistled. "Wow. That's a long time. Well I gotta go now. I'll see ya later. And Aerith?" "Yeah?" "It was great seeing you again." I smiled. "You too."

He continued on down the hall and turned the corner. That's when my life came crashing down…

I run away as I try to hide any evidence of my presence. He's dead, right? Of course he is… I killed him… But I didn't want to. Why did I?

'Don't worry about it… Rejoice. He's dead…'

Damn these voices! Where are they coming from? I stand by my locker, panting and heaving. 'You'd better calm down… People could get suspicious.' I nod to myself and get some water from a nearby water fountain then wipe the sweat off of my forehead. "They won't find me," I say to myself. "I'll act dumb and pretend to be innocent… They won't know it was me."

A girl screams and I realize that someone has seen what I have done. I walk over casually as if to "investigate" the area only to see…

…Aerith was the one that screamed. She was on her knees crying over his body. "Aerith!" I run towards her to see what's wrong. "Aerith… What happened?" I see his body and my eyes widen in "surprise."

"Sephiroth! Please call help!" She lays her head on top of him ignoring the blood coming out. I nod and turn around. "Help! Please! Someone!" A few students come to investigate the area and gasp as they see it…

Zack has been shot.

Some teachers come and call 911. Aerith refuses to leave him alone. I feel terrible. Why did I let myself do it? Why did I pull the trigger? The voices… They told me to buy the gun… They told me to bring it to school. They told me to shoot Zack…

'Aerith loves Zack. You can see it in her eyes. The whore… Already has a boyfriend and loves another…'

How could I have agreed with such nonsense really…?

…… I stand outside of the hospital room Zack is staying in. Aerith sits on the chair beside me crying and Cloud and his buddies are bringing some water. "I'm sorry," I tell her. Although she doesn't know it was I who killed him, I'll feel a little better if she knows that I'm sorry. She stands up and cries into my chest. Finally I find my opportunity to wrap my arms around her… …in comfort of course. "It's okay," I say quietly…

"No it's not," she sobs. "He's dead." I shake my head, even though that is the truth. "He might have pulled through, Aerith. Don't be so negative…" A doctor walks out of the room and Aerith turns around. "Well…?" The doctor shakes his head and Aerith weeps even more than before. Her cries are short and loud and heartbreaking… What have I done? Why did I do this?

'She's yours now…After you kill Cloud.'

I had never meant to hurt Aerith… Just make her mine. But Cloud would have to be eliminated for that to happen. And I have nothing to lose anyways….

Okeydoke I'm done with the first chapter. Yeah Sephiroth is going crazy. Get over it. No flamers please, it was YOUR choice to read this. Yes I know, Sephiroth and Cloud are NOT brothers but I just pictured them as brothers for some reason. So yeah. I'll be adding more shortly. I hope you enjoyed it so far!!! 3