Promises and Smiles

by RuffCollie

He stood hidden above her, his brilliant green eyes radiating a loose insanity. As he looked down upon the Cetra's serene form, his defiant smirk grew even larger. Every fiber of Sephiroth's being sang as the scalding rush of adrenaline screamed in his veins. His kill was sitting so peacefully in front of him, and he would have the privilege of destroying that hard earned tranquility. Gloved fingers tightened their grip on the beloved Masamune. It would just be too easy. A simple, graceful leap, and one quick shove of his gleaming sword was all it would take; her life would be claimed.

Suddenly, the damned Cetra broke her concentration and looked up, sensing another's prescence. Sephiroth froze; he had not expected this. Even though his form was hidden by deep, overlapping shadows, his bright, mako filled eyes would certainly give his covert hiding place away. As he had thought, her eyes met his with a spark of fear in them. The Ancient inhaled sharply, tensing for a moment; unexpectedly, however, she relaxed quickly and gave the former general a wavering, almost comforting smile.

Sephiroth's mind reeled in shock as those deep, doelike eyes dragged memories out of the forgotten recesses of his brain. Things almost better forgotten played themselves out in front of both Aeris' and Sephiroth's eyes, as if they had happened yesterday.

'I promise...'

Disarm you with a smile,
Cut you like you want me to.

"Who're you?"

The thirteen year old boy halted in his hurried pace, perplexed by the sound of a small voice behind him. Confused, the young Sephiroth whipped his lithe form around, only to stare down at a tiny girl no older than five. The mischeivious, emerald eyes which studied him in amusement were framed by wisps of mousy brown hair; her form was clothed in a radiant yellow dress. Sephiroth paused.

"What's it matter to you?"

To his utter astonishment, the child giggled girlishly, grasping at the hem of her dress. Her grin grew wider.

"Nice to meet you too, mister! It's just that there are no other fun people to talk to around this lab place, and you looked nice!"

Sephiroth, already growing quite a bit annoyed with the child, turned heel and began to stomp off. However, the girl's chubby hand grabbed at his, latching on like a leech and holding him back with as much force as a five year old could muster. Sephiroth sighed in agitation, turning around once again; to his surprise, she wasn't there. His wide-eyed stare only lasted for a split second as the boy felt a heel dig itself into his bare foot. Sephiroth let a small yelp escape his lips as his hand shot out to grab the girl's arm. His grip tightened when she struggled to pull away; he glared at her fiercely.

"Go away!" Sephiroth snapped sharply, only loosening his grip when the girl began to whimper softly.

She looked up at him, her sweet little emerald eyes watering with unshed tears. Sephiroth sighed, releasing his hold on her quickly. He wasn't so cruel as to make a child suffer like that.

"Sorry, mister," the girl whispered, stroking the angry, crimson mark that had appeared on her forearm. "You don't hafta tell me your name. I was just trying to be polite, like Mama and the Planet told me to."

Sephiroth looked away, a bit of guilt overtaking him at his actions. He was almost ashamed of what he had done to the girl, although he could not understand why. 'It's because she's probably one of Hojo's specimens. She did mention the Planet, which means she's most likely an Ancient...' He tried to rationalize his actions in his mind, even if he felt as if it was something else.

"It's okay," the adolescent mumbled, staring away at the wall, "It's Sephiroth, in any case."

Sephiroth almost let a smile creep on to his lips as he saw the girl's eyes light up in glee. Something about her made him feel at peace, like he could just relax for once in his young life. Her happiness and bright personality were incredibly infectious. She tugged at her hem again, a huge grin taking over her face.

"Yay! Nice to meet you, Seph-ee-rawth!" she gushed, "My name is Aeris! Will you play with me?"

Sephiroth winced as the little Aeris butchered his name. Exhaling with slight annoyance, the boy groaned; he already felt a headache floating on the edge of his mind. Rubbing his temples lightly, he peeked at Aeris through one eye.

"I'm not sure there's much to do around here," Sephiroth commented dully, glacing around at their bleak, metal coated surroundings.

"Sure there is!" Aeris chirped, reaching out and taking Sephiroth's left hand in both of hers. "You just have to use your imagination!"

"Sure, kid..."

Cut that little child
Inside of me and such a part of you
Oh, the years burn.

Aeris peeked around the corner of the barren, white washed corridor, glancing about carefully before she tiptoed to the other side with dramatic slowness. A now fourteen year old Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at the six year old's actions; he had been following her for the better part of the day, and she still wouldn't tell him what she was up to. He crossed his arms over his chest with a small sigh as he continued to watch her.

"Aer, may I ask what you're doing?" Sephiroth called out, "It's getting somewhat annoying at this point."

Aeris startled, then jumped up and scampered over to the older boy, waving her stick-like arms about wildly.

"SHHH!" she hushed sharply, looking around her frantically, "Quiet! I can't let anyone to hear, Seph!"

Sephiroth snickered a bit, kneeling in front of the upset girl. His smile softened somewhat as he reminisced over the past eight months he had spent in her presence. Aeris' bright attitude made day to day life in Hojo's lab much more bearable than it would of been. Even though the adolescent would have liked others his own age to socialize with, he had to admit the young girl did wonders with his poor human interaction. She made him not so afraid to face Hojo; in fact, she gave him the courage and sanity of mind to face every day. He was especially thankful for those small favours.

"Oh?" Sephiroth questioned, shaking himself out of his thoughts, "What can't anyone hear?"

Aeris studied him with a slight squint, her attempts at trying to look important just making her even more adorable.

"Fine!" she huffed, "I'll tell you! But you hafta promise to keep it a secret, 'kay?"

Sephiroth bit back a laugh and nodded as Aeris wrapped her arms around his neck and prepared to whisper her little secret in his ear.

"Mama and I are escaping tonight!" she whispered out softly, "One of the lab assistant people is helping us!"

With those two simple sentences, all Sephiroth could feel was numbness. Aeris was leaving? The only person to ever move the unflappable Sephiroth...He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, trying to force himself to be joyful for the little flower. She, more the anyone, deserved to get out of this cruel hellhole. Escape from here would save her from growing up to be as cold and distant as him. The fourteen year old never wanted her to lose that unique, hopeful fire in her innocent eyes; it would be a tragedy if she ever did. He wrapped his arms around her tiny form, hugging her close.

"That's great, Aeris!" he managed to sqeeze out, trying desperately to sound happy, "Maybe you'll finally get to see the real sky...you can tell me about it someday, you know?"

Aeris pulled back, petting his soft, silver strands of hair gently with a sad look pressed on her countenance.

"Mama says we can't take you with us, Seph." She whimpered, tears beginning to form in her grief-stricken eyes. "I'm really, really, really sorry. I'm gonna miss you so much! Y-You were so nice to me!"

With that, Aeris threw herself at Sephiroth, gripping at his shoulders so hard that her fingers turned white from the pressure. Sobs wracked her tiny form as she choked out half recognizable apologies.

Sephiroth managed a smile as he pried Aeris off him, looking her firmly in the eye. The girl sniffled quietly, wiping her nose on the side of her hand.

"Don't worry, Aer," Sephiroth said as he ruffled her hair, "I'll see you again sometime. When I'm all big and famous, I'll take you outside of Midgar, and we'll even ride a chocobo together! Just like you wanted. We'll plant flowers and visit the beach together."

Aeris' face suddenly lit up with a tiny grin as she hiccuped, staring at Sephiroth imploringly. She reached out with her pinky finger curled slightly.

"Promise?"

He hooked his finger in hers.

"Promise."

I used to be a little boy
So old in my shoes.
What I choose is my choice
What's a boy supposed to do?

Sephiroth groaned in agitation, running a hand through his nearly flawless mane of silver. Of course the exhaulted general just had to be present at every single one of these gaudy parades; after all, he was ShinRa's crowning achievement. He shifted slightly in the stiff dress uniform, glancing at the jubilant masses. Itching his arm absently, he let his face become drawn with boredom. ShinRa loved to have their glamorous, but constant powertrips; he abhorred being anywhere near them. He could have been taking part in more useful activities, such as planning the next strike on Wutai.

Yawning, Sephiroth waved offhandedly at the cheering crowds. The twenty four year-old just hoped he wouldn't have to sit in on another meeting after this. His place was on the front lines, not in the boring confines of the ShinRa headquarters. Besides, the higherups had quite the tendency to go on and on about the most mediocre of subjects. Who really cared about taking a census on the number of tonberries in all of Gaea? A war was being fought, and yet that seemed to be the last thing the company was focusing on.

"Fresh, beautiful flowers! Only one gil a piece! Come on, sir! Impress your sweetheart at home!"

Sephiroth frowned slightly as he overheard a saleswoman, his forehead creasing in confusion. Flowers? Fresh? Midgar? Impossible. Leaning forward towards the direction he heard the voice come from, the General caught a flash of pink and brown. A mere slip of a girl was meandering through the crowds with a basket of the most vibrant flowers cradled in her arms. Suddenly, as several people called out that the great general was about to pass, the girl turned around.

For the second time in his life, Sephiroth was ensnared by glittering, ivy colored eyes. Entranced, he sucked in a heavy breath of the stiff air. He knew now who it was; no one else could ever even hope to possess eyes like that. She had barely changed. Memories from over a decade ago suddenly appeared in front of him with a splash of dazzling joy. Promises were recalled. It just had to be her; not anyone else. Only a Cetra, with their deep connection to the Planet, could grow flowers in a place such as Midgar.

The much admired General unexpectedly stood up, raising a single, gloved hand to halt his extravagant float. Normally, it would have been a problem if he had stopped in the middle of a parade, but seeing as he was last in line, the man had no problem with it. ShinRa had saved 'the best for last', he noticed, snorting in amusement.

Many people lining the streets stared up in wonder as the great Sephiroth stopped immediately in front of them. Their confusion did not last for long, though; with one, graceful leap, Sephiroth was standing quite imposingly on the edge of the street. The general cleared his throat.

"Aeris."

The flower girl froze, barely daring to move. What would General Sephiroth want with her, a lowly slums girl? People seated in such high places in the world should not have anything to do with those who live beneath the plate of Midgar. Haltingly, the sixteen year old twirled around, squeezing her precious basket against her chest.

"Y-Yessir?" she managed to squeak out as Sephiroth sidled closer to her at an easy pace.

"Don't you remember me, Aer?" Sephiroth implored softly, coming to stand in front of her, "Surely you remember when we were young? You were, ah, five or six, I believe..."

Aeris Gainsborough choked in a breath of air, nearly dropping her basket. She looked at the proud man in front of her, hardly daring to believe what he was telling her. She, living in the large city of Midgar, had of course heard of General Sephiroth. However, the Ancient had never really considered the fact that this Sephiroth may be the same one who had been her childhood friend. 'Of course it all makes sense now,' she realized. 'Those eyes, that hair, that proud stature...'

"Seph!" she cried out almost childishly, suddenly feeling very light-headed and extremely giddy.

With a broad grin, Aeris let out a yelp of glee and launched herself towards a very surprised, yet secretly pleased Sephiroth. After pausing to make sure her flowers were placed carefully on the ground, the flower girl tackled Sephiroth full force. The general made a sort of wheezing noise, patting the girl's back awkwardly.

"Nice to see you too, Aeris," Sephiroth said, the ghost of a smile on his lips.

All of a sudden, Aeris remembered where she was and who she was with. The Ancient pulled out of her enthusiastic embrace, her face an interesting shade of red. She edged off to the side, coughing lightly and fiddling with the hem of her crimson jacket. Picking up her basket, the flower girl stared at the ground sheepishly.

"W-Well, uh, I'll be going, then," she managed to choke out, still blushing, "N-Nice seeing you again, uhm, Mr. S-Sephiroth..."

As she turned to leave, Sephiroth placed a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Going so soon?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow, "Really, now. Why don't you join me for dinner this evening? It's been what, ten years? I do believe we have some catching up to do."

Aeris glanced up at Sephiroth hesitantly, then let a brief, nervous smile show.

"Why not?"

The killer in me is the killer in you,
My love.
I'll send this smile over to you.

Dinner went amazingly. As soon as Sephiroth brought up the pair's past adventures, the flower girl absolutely glowed with joy. The only thing anyone could hear coming from their table was hearty laughs and warmth, especially after Sephiroth brought up the wonderful little occassion when they had snuck into Hojo's lab and switched the labels on a few different specimens. After Aeris' giggling had dwindled to a reasonable level and the check had been accounted for, the general cemented more serious features on to his face, intertwining his hands together on their tabletop resting place.

"I'm really quite glad we were able to see each other again," Sephiroth remarked softly, leaning back into the comfortable chair.

"So am I," Aeris replied with a dazzling smile, pulling on her jacket, "But really, Seph! It's not every day that you find out your childhood friend 'Mr. Seph-ee-rawth' is some super famous war hero!"

Sephiroth chuckled as he regared Aeris fondly; even after a decade of absence, she was still the only one who could open him up. He was extremely glad she hadn't lost a speck of the blinding purity in her heart.

"Yes, well," The general stood, pushing in his chair, "We really must be going now; your mother must be wondering where you are."

Aeris startled, flailing about wildly in an attempt to see the clock. When she noticed it was only 9:30 PM, however, she relaxed a great deal.

"Nah," she said with a smile, pushing in her chair, "Usually I'm out until eleven selling my flowers. It's fine."

Sephiroth nodded, offering Aeris his arm. She blushed deeply, but accepted it, resting her petite hand on his forearm. The two left the resturant and proceeded to take a slow-paced walk around the vibrantly lit upper Midgar. Aeris, not busy with her sales, had time to absorb the view above the plate. She stared about in wonder, much to a certain general's amusement. He sighed mentally; Aeris was such a wonder: innocence in a city with sin lurking around every corner. How could he not adore her?

"Ah, what time is it?" Aeris asked suddenly, breaking Sephiroth from his thoughts as they stopped on the side of a street.

"Ten-thirty," Sephiroth replied after checking his pocket watch, "Why?"

"I really do think I should be heading back now," Aeris sighed, a hint of disappointment present in her voice, "Sorry, Seph."

Sephiroth flashed a small smile towards her, shaking his head.

"No, it's quite all right. I have to go to sleep soon, anyway. Big meeting tomorrow." Sephiroth mentally grimaced; with his luck, Reeve would be spouting off more far-fetched invention ideas. "I'll walk you home, in any case. Where do you live?"

Aeris fidgeted a bit, glancing down at her feet in an embarrased gesture.

"Well, uh...below the plate, in the slums," she winced, staring at her extremely interesting shoelaces.

Sephiroth frowned, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Aeris had told him all about how her real mother, Ilfalna, had died and how a woman named Elmyra Gainsborough had taken her in, yet she neglected to mention her poor living conditions. He exhaled, and to Aeris' surprise, wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace, just like he had all those years ago.

"It's all right, Aer," Sephiroth murmered into her silky hair, "You don't have to be embarrased. Most people in the city live like that, anyway."

Aeris whispered something, but hesitantly returned the hug with the tiniest smile present on her face.

"Thanks, Seph," she smiled, pulling away and hooking her arm in his again, "Now, I really do have to be getting home."

The general nodded, allowing her to take the lead as he immersed himself in his own thoughts.

'She doesn't have to live like that,' he thought bitterly, 'I'll make sure she doesn't one day. I'll keep all those promises to her, and I'll provide her with even more. She'll have such a comfortable life with me, and-'

Sephiroth's eyes widened as he mentally shook himself, banishing those traitorous thoughts from his mind. It wasn't like Aeris was his wife or something, as he was making it sound in his mind. Although...Aeris stopped in front of a comfortable looking house, pulling him out of his reverie.

"Well, this is it!" the flower girl remarked cheerfully, trying her best not to look disappointed that Sephiroth had to leave.

Sephiroth chuckled, placing his hands on her shoulders, his eyes boring deeply into hers. Aeris froze, managing to gain all the appearences of a chocobo caught in the headlights. The general noticed that a faint blush had started on her cheeks and was creeping in every direction across her face in a fierce battle to take it over. Sephiroth dragged a gentle finger across the flowergirl's jawline, leaning forward quite a great deal. He had to admit that he was letting his feelings control him very quickly, but he couldn't resist this beautiful flower any longer. He had waited too long to see her again, and now that he had found her, he wanted to show her his true feelings. It was now or never.

Aeris' startled gasp was muffled as Sephiroth's lips brushed against hers; the touch felt so light, almost unsure. Her heart fluttered almost painfully, as if it was a moth yearning to break free and touch the gorgeous light. This was General Sephiroth! He was incredibly admired by myriads of teenage girls like herself, and not to mention almost eight years older than her! What was she thinking? She had just been reunited with him today!

'Yet...this all feels so right,' Aeris realized, fondly thinking back through her wonderful evening with the general. Firming her resolve, the girl pushed away all doubts. She had feelings for the man, and she was not going to let anything short of the Planet stand in her way. Smiling mentally, Aeris sighed against Sephiroth and returned the kiss warmly, tangling her hands in his moonlight soaked hair.

Sephiroth was the first to pull away, his breathing slightly strained. He pressed his forehead against Aeris', still staring deeply into her now violently green eyes. The general sucked in a bit of air, moving forward to brush his lips against his flowergirl's ear.

"I believe, Ms. Gainsborough," he paused, regaining a bit more of his breath, "that you are the only one who has ever brought the Great Sephiroth to his knees. Congratulations.

ooooooooooooooooooooo

Two glorious months passed, and inevitably, Sephiroth had to return to his duties commanding his troops on the frontlines in Wutai. The threat that the enemy was posing was growing larger, and the man found he could no longer send orders from Midgar. Both Aeris and Elmyra were extremely saddened to see Sephiroth leave. Elmyra had become quite fond of the general after their first successful, albeit suspicious meeting. Aeris was upset to see her newly found love leave so quickly, but she put on her bravest face and assured Sephiroth she would be absolutely fine. Aeris kept to her word, busying herself with tending her flowers and keeping her church in the best shape she could. If she thought about the general at all, it was only fond memories; she stayed well away from the news, afraid to hear anything regarding the war. She recieved the occasional letter from Sephiroth, which simply told her how he was doing(usually 'fine') and that he would be home 'soon'. Four months passed in this manner, and Aeris' seventeenth birthday was just around the corner.

It was just another uneventful day for Aeris. Her flower sales were going as well as usual despite the cold of February. She strolled through the streets, her half-hearted cries mingling in with other shopkeepers'.

'Just because it's my birthday doesn't mean that anything has to be different,' Aeris thought sadly, putting on a fake smile for a woman who had just bought a dozen flowers. The girl had trained herself to be so oblivious to the world that she failed to notice the news that was spreading through Midgar like a rampant virus.

'Ah, well,' Aeris sighed to herself as she finished her rounds two hours early; all her flowers were already sold. 'At least I can buy myself a treat later on...I did make a lot of extra gil today. I wonder why everyone seemed so happy...'

Aeris approached her house dejectedly, sorely wishing that she could've celebrated today with a certain general. The flowergirl allowed herself to become immersed in her dreary thoughts as she opened the door to her house, yelling half-heartedly that she was home for the day. She placed her empty basket down next to the door, took off her coat and scarf, then turned around.

Like an apparition from a dream, Sephiroth was leaning against the table, his arms crossed against his chest loosely. Aeris squeaked softly, hardly daring to believe the scene in front of her. She couldn't move; it seemed her body had taken a holiday at the moment. Sephiroth, frowning, took a few strides forward and buried Aeris in his arms. She shook against his muscled form quietly, joyful sobs wracking her body.

"Happy birthday, Aeris."

Disarm you with a smile,
Leave you like they left me here,
To whither in denial.

"A simple mission..."

"...apparently went insane and threw himself into the reactor with..."

"...burned Nibelheim to the ground. Survivors are being..."

"...spent two days in the basement of the Shinra mansion..."

Cold. Numbness. She didn't want to believe it. This was all one huge lie. It wasn't the truth. It couldn't be true, it just couldn't. Her Sephiroth wouldn't do that. He wasn't like that! He may be cold at times, but he'd never...her stomach churned.

There was a knock at the door. She opened it. A man in a SOLDIER uniform was there, with something in his hand. He spoke.

"He left this in his quarters..."

"...was thinking about giving this to you when he came back..."

"...to marry..."

"He always talked about...family...future..."

She took the box from the man, thanking him. The door closed. She opened the box. A ring?

White gold, diamonds, and emeralds all sparkled on her left ring finger. There was a small note.

'I'll always be there for you. I promised, didn't I? I'm yours forever, if you wish to be mine.

Still at his knees for you,
General Sephiroth'

She slid against the wall and cried, burying her face in her hands.

"S-Sephiroth..."

Bitterness of one who's left alone.
Oh, the years burn.

Sephiroth stared down at Aeris as she fished the beautiful engagement ring from five years ago out of her pocket and placed it on her finger. She didn't break her gaze with him the entire time. A loud clatter destroyed the tranquility of the Forgotten Capital for a single moment as the Masamune hit the ground; Sephiroth was on his knees, cradling his head in his hands as the insanity proceeded to leave for a few, precious minutes.

"How could I have forgotten?" Sephiroth breathed, old feelings finally resurfacing. He stared at Aeris oddly, who was smiling sadly up at him. She knew what he had to do; he knew also. Their fate was inevitable.

"I don't want to do this!" Sephiroth spat out, trembling as his fingers curled around the hilt of his beloved sword, "I'm sorry, Aeris."

Aeris shook her head, hugging herself tightly and allowing a peaceful smile to overwhelm her face.

"It's all right, Sephiroth," she sighed, clasping her hands in front of her chest. Her ring shined brightly. "I've known for awhile. I'm prepared, and I'll be just fine."

"I know you will," Sephiroth whispered, "I know..."

It would be just a little longer now; the former general could sense that interferring puppet and his rag-tag bunch of warriors approaching as his trance with Aeris was broken. He let himself drink in the sight of his flower girl one last time.

'How did it come to this?' Sephiroth thought bitterly, studying his would-be fiancee, 'I could've had everything with her. A family, children, a life outside of misery. How COULD it have come to this?'

"I love you, Aer," Sephiroth sighed, pushing an errant lock of hair to the side, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you that often."

"I love you too, Seph," Aeris smiled, shutting her eyes lightly. "And I forgive you."

For the last time, Sephiroth and Aeris were that awkward boy and that enthusiastic little girl, trapped within the dreary world with only each other to depend on. Back to back they stood, ready to face anything that dared to challenge their deadly resolve. For all their bravado, it still looked as if the darkness of night might triumph and drag the lost children into its void; however, the light of day was just around the corner. Neither of them had ever really lost their hope to regain the lives they once shared; it had simply been misplaced somewhere along the way.

I used to be a little boy,
So old in my shoes.
What I choose is my voice What's a boy supposed to do?
The killer in me is the killer in you,
My love.

"Hey, Seph?"

"Hm?"

Aeris nuzzled Sephiroth's neck softly, a warm smile on her face. She was curled up on his lap, a fuzzy fleece blanket wrapped tightly around their forms.

"Promise me something."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at his little flower girl as he played with a soft curl of her hair.

"What do you want me to promise you NOW?" he asked, tilting his head inquisitively with a small smirk, "Geesh, woman. I've already promised you so much, and you want more?"

Aeris giggled, blushing lightly.

"No, silly. It's nothing that big. Just promise me that no matter what, you'll always take care of me!"

The general let a tiny smile grace his face, not saying anything as he pulled the Ancient closer to him. She rested her head against his chest, preferring to let the beat of his heart lull her to sleep. The fireplace crackled softly; Aeris' breathing evened out as she fell into a deep, peaceful sleep. Sephiroth got up carefully, placing Aeris on the couch gently. He dimmed the lights in his apartment and walked back to her, leaning over to give her a loving kiss on the forehead.

"I promise..."

In her dreams, she smiled.

'Yes, I'll be just fine.'

I'll send this smile over to you.

A/N: So, it's over. I know Sephiroth may seem quite a bit OOC for what you saw in the game, but I really think he was a lot different before going insane. I like angst, by the way. Bittersweetness is the best.

Read and review, please! No flames, though. This IS my first FF VII fanfiction...

Song: 'Disarm' by the Smashing Pumpkins

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or anything associated with it. All character, places, events, etc, belong the Squarenix.