A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I know I haven't said anything about them yet, but I truly am thankful. I'm glad you guys like the fic!
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or the characters therein.
The corners of Sephiroth's mouth turned upwards, barely noticeable. He was glad that Vincent knew what he was going to say. Glad that he didn't have to say the rest of that sentence. Perhaps pride would have gotten in the way of him asking for help. He wondered vaguely if he would have just left and watched himself reap a second wave of pain and despair. A repeat of history. He wondered if it could ever happen. Jenova still had that slight influence over him. That could be just enough. This conversation in the room had made all the difference, just as the Jenova cells inside him would have had it never happened.
"Thank you," Sephiroth said, albeit more under his breath. His gaze had averted to the ground, he being suddenly interested in the layer of dust that had covered the floor. More just to cover up the smile that had broken across his face. He was even more relieved that he would have someone to keep an eye on him now. Someone to keep him from going out of line. He knew without a doubt that Vincent could and would deliver.
Vincent knew something would go wrong if he hadn't said anything, without question. Why else would he need to watch over the man?
First, however, they would need to leave the mansion. Too many bad memories lingered here for the both of them for it to be safe staying here. Repeated experiments that the he would rather forget happened in the very building. If they stayed here any longer, there was no telling what kind of things they would do. The result would be destructive, that much was certain.
Looking up slowly from the dust, taken out of his thoughts, he looked back at Vincent, whose hand was still on the pauldron, the hint of a smile on his face. A comforting smile that warmed his insides. An odd feeling. Just knowing someone was there to watch over him was almost overwhelming. Someone who would care for him, yet not want to experiment. A foreign feeling to the ex-General.
"We should get out of here," Sephiroth said after what felt like hours of silence. Time wasn't a problem anymore. It never was.
The almost smile on Vincent's face disappeared and he nodded. He understood the man's reasoning. It came as no surprise that he would want to quit the place. If he were to be perfectly honest, he'd rather leave as well. Such is the power of memories.
"Of course," Vincent said, standing up to get out of the coffin. His muscles were stiff from probable years without use. He would have to fix that later, he thought.
A question arose in the mind of the black clad man. Where did they plan to go? This was probably the only place he could be without getting glares from townspeople. It being a small town, and most people staying indoors this time of year. January, winter. It was freezing outside the manor, a thin blanket of snow covering the ground with no footprints. It was a bit surprising that none of the children had decided to play in it. Vincent no doubt had no idea of the snow.
"Do you have a place for us to go, then?" Vincent inquired bluntly, speaking for the man's mind.
Sephiroth looked away again. This time, towards a coffin in the corner of the room which appeared to contain a dusty skeleton covered in cobwebs.
"No, I do not," Sephiroth said, a hint of guilt lacing his tone, otherwise stone.
He stood there, so still, breathing barely visible, thinking. Thinking of any place he could go that wouldn't draw attention to himself or Vincent.
Perhaps the only option was to stay here until such a time came.
"Perhaps it would be a good idea to stay here until we've thought of something," Vincent said, almost amused.
With that said, Vincent went to the small doorway at the front of the room, and looked back at Sephiroth, who was seemingly entranced by the skeleton laying there.
It was at this point that Chaos decided to speak.
'Why care for him when he caused all of your friends despair?'
Leave me alone, will you? Is it so hard to believe that I would do a kind deed for someone?
'As you wish, Master. Just rest assured that you shall share the same fate as them.'
Those words left him uneasy. Surely Sephiroth wouldn't go so far as to build up this farce solely for a chance of revenge? Isn't that why he wanted to be watched in the first place?
Ridiculous.
Chaos was bluffing, that was all there was to it. No possible way that could be the truth.
It was several minutes before either of them talked or even moved. The room was unnervingly quiet, the only sounds were and occasional sigh, and the sound of clothes shuffling when one of the men decided to move. Both thinking about what their next move could be. If they stayed any longer, something would happen while the other was asleep. With either of them.
They had to be rid of the memories that lasted there once and for all, and escape was the only option. The question was, where would they go? Sure, there were a few houses that were seemingly abandoned nearby, but since then, they could be occupied. Since the time Vincent had last checked. Another question had risen within Vincent.
"How did you get here?"
The townspeople would have seen the silver-haired man immediately. His black cloak and silver hair would have stood out before them all, even through the corner of one's eye. Surely he came in someway. Mt. Nibel was a possibility, but the fencing surrounding the mansion had risen, almost as if closing it off. Since he had last checked. Then again, when had Sephiroth ever really been one to heed confines given?
Sephiroth looked over at the red clad man, tearing his gaze away from the skeleton and staring into the curious crimson eyes.
"I came in through Mt. Nibel and cut a hole in the fencing. I don't know why they bothered fencing it in if they weren't even going to use a sturdy material." A smirk had come up on the man's face, as if proud of his act.
Then again, who wouldn't be? The fence was made of iron, which was why it had cut so easily. It must be rusted at this point.
That solved how they were getting out, but as for where they would go after they did was anyone's guess. They had nowhere. Nibelheim was basically reserved, and once one had gotten past Mt. Nibel, all that lied beyond was major cities. There was, however, a small house that was somewhere beyond that point, away from civilization, by a beach. It wasn't far, but fair walking distance. A few days worth of travel and they would be free. It was all just a matter of waiting until nightfall, under cover of darkness so that they could leave undetected.
"We'll wait until nightfall, and we'll head to the cottage to the east. I trust you know the one?"
Sephiroth gave one sharp nod.
"Good. What time is it?" Hopefully they wouldn't have to stay here too long. Without staying in the coffin, time was going to move slowly if it wasn't past noon.
Sephiroth shrugged. "No idea. I don't work for the Shinra anymore, remember? They deactivated my PHS, so I have no way of telling time."
Of course, why would he need to know what time it was for world domination?
Vincent sighed, and opened the door, looking out into the purple tinted hallway. Nothing had changed. Nothing will, he thought. In the manor, time was frozen. Time didn't matter. He had all the time in the world. They both did.
"I'll go to see. You stay here, and don't wander off," Vincent said sternly, walking out into the hallway.
Sephiroth watched him leave, barely registering what the man had said. He looked down, and turned to stare at the skeleton again, wondering.
Why would Vincent go out of his way to watch him?
He didn't know about the man's past, why he slept in the coffin for years at a time, or why he would do things such as this for people. Of course there had to be a reason. When he had refused to learn the truth, had he missed out on that story?
Perhaps it would be better if he didn't know.
A few minutes passed and Vincent had come back, an air of the slightest happiness running through the room.
"We leave now. It's dark out, and nobody should see us," Vincent deadpanned. It was so blunt that Sephiroth had barely enough time to make sense of it before he was dragged out the door by his arm.
They went through the purple tinted hallway, up the seemingly endless winding stairs, and ended up on the main floor in front of the front door in what seemed like no time at all. Everything had seemingly sped up in Sephiroth's eyes. Not that it had mattered.
Vincent had let go of Sephiroth's arm to open the front door, taking a quick peek out at the houses to make sure no lights were on.
Sure enough, all the lights were out. The town wa asleep, as it should be at this ungodly hour.
"Come on," Vincent said, walking out of the manor, snow crunching under his metal clad feet.
Sephiroth followed suit, and they went around the building, to the hole in the gate directly behind it.
They walked through the hole, to the entrance of Mt. Nibel.
"We should see if there are any empty houses here first, before we go," Sephiroth said quickly.
"Of course," Vincent sighed. He went down to the main road, going to every house, and peeking through the windows. None of which appeared to be vacant, which was to be expected. A nice waste of ten minutes. He headed back to the entrance of the mountain, stopping right next to Sephiroth, eyes meeting with Mako yet again.
"Nothing. They're all occupied. I'd rather not waste any more time. Let's go," Vincent said, blunt as ever. He moved to walk up the to the mountain, Sephiroth close behind.
Once they were past the mountain, everything would be easy.
Or, so he liked to think.