TBCH Chapter four
Rainbow here!
Sorry for how long it took to get this out again. I was trying pretty hard to make sure it flowed together and made sense.
Now to clear up a misunderstanding.
In chapter one Aerith was drugged by Hojo and forcibly raped, but that wasn't Sephiroth who did so nor was it the point where she became pregnant. Hojo has that done for fear of what being a virgin and caring a child could cause for one and because for his IVF treatment to work it had to be done. She would also have been far enough along to visibly see it if that was the case, because about three and half weeks passed within just the first chapter. The end of chapter one she is put to sleep and undergoes a procedure, that's where it happens. Sephiroth and Aerith had their first real encounter during the last chapter.
I'm sorry if I didn't get that point across before, her assailant is someone who hasn't been introduced yet. But as a hint, he was also drugged up and being controlled. I am actively trying to improve my writing and continue to make this story interesting. So if I'm not explaining something where you can understand please just let me know, I'm trying!
Now onward once more! To stories untold! Haha!
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Aerith was currently stuck in an elevator with two guards once more, one holding a bag with her belongings and the other closely watching her, as always. They hadn't given her long to pack, not like she had much anyway, but still. That meant no time to herself to mull over the day and what she had learned. While it explained a lot of what she was currently going through, it still felt like a dream she should wake up from at any moment. She clutched her chest tightly, looking to the ground as she once again tried to wrap her brain around all the information and what she would need to do from now on. The elevator dinged softly and opened up, and Aerith's heart skipped a beat when she noticed black shoes and a blue tux. Maybe, just maybe it was Tseng, and she would finally see a familiar face and a sliver of hope to get away. She looked up as she stepped out, hope filling her eyes.
It wasn't him, it was another Turk; she had seen him before. But she didn't know very much about him. "Miss Aerith, my name is Rude. I am here to inform you of your security while staying with us." He nodded his head in greeting, face stern and serious.
"Um... Alright." She whispered, dropping her hands to her sides. She should have known better than to get her hopes up like that. This building was a prison that she could never escape. It made her feel nauseous, tired, and defeated.
Rude stood stoic as he watched, but true to his training he noticed the quick mood change and slight shifts in her face and body. He motioned to the walls behind them. "Most of this floor has been converted into a living space for yourself and Sephiroth, with the exception of the area to your right. We have built an area for security to stay near should you need anything. And there will always be a SOLDIER or Turk posted in front of your doors. You need only ask and we will get what you need." He made his way to the door and opened it up, turning and motioning for her to go inside "We have stocked the fridge with food already, and most every need that you might have." He motioned for her guards to place her things inside then go out, then followed her inside as she gazed around. "If you need anything, I will be outside your door today. Have a good day, Miss Aerith." And with that, he turned and left, closing the door behind him. He sent the two guards to the security area and stood by the door.
Aerith slowly walked around. There was a living room area, kitchen, and even a small dining room area. She opened a door to find the bathroom, which was way nicer than what she expected. Then, she finally found what would be her bedroom. Most everything was furnished in darker colors throughout the whole apartment, mostly grays and black. She walked into the room, over to the large windows and looked outside at the view over Midgar. It was something she had never seen before, having lived under the plate most of her life, or trapped inside lab walls. It was strangely beautiful and horrifying to see, the large reactors sending smoke into the air as it pumped the planet's lifeblood and the many buildings piled in too closely together. The sun was slightly covered by clouds, giving the whole city a musky and old look.
Her knees finally gave out on her as she broke down to cry, placing a hand on the glass as she fell to the ground to stop from falling forward. "Why...Why me? I don't understand, Planet. Why do these things keep happening to me! Please... I'm scared, I don't know what to do. Help me!" She cried as she clutched at her stomach, thoughts of whether she should even keep the child crossing her mind. It couldn't be that hard to force herself to have a miscarriage; medicine or some kind of extreme physical trauma could likely cause it. She bent over and hugged herself tightly, pressing her forehead against the glass. "Why!" She screamed, her hair falling from its braid and into her face.
Her breath caught in her throat as she felt the warming presence of the planet wash over her, calming her nerves and softly whispering that everything would fine. It's voices sang softly, trying its best to encourage its child through the pain. While it did not have a voice, it's emotional cry came across clear to her. It gently wrapped around her, helping to steady her breathing and fears.
Aerith breathed deeply, slowly sitting up and brushing her hair behind her ear. She pulled out the small ultrasound and stared at the blurry picture, already ashamed of herself that the thought of killing her child had even crossed her mind. "Thank you, Planet..." she cried softly, slowly rising to her feet to once more look out at the view. She had to be stronger than this, strong for the child she now carries within her and for herself. Exhaustion hit her hard after a few moments of standing. She made her way to the bed and threw herself onto the soft covers. The bed was far too big for one person, and the gray and white covers and sheets were the softest she had ever felt. In a matter of minutes she was asleep peacefully, dreaming of her flowers in the church and tending to them.
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When Aerith awoke next, the sun had set. The lights of Midgar shone brightly through the glass as she slowly sat up, wiping a trace of drool from her cheek and undoing her hair the rest of the way. She braided it back into place and stood, stretching out her sore limbs and popping her back. She pulled the ultrasound picture from her dress pocket once more and held it, noticing how it had her name along the edge along, with her age and how far along she was. Eight weeks and three days at the time of the picture, so a little over two months already. What would her mother think if she knew? Would she be overjoyed to have a grandchild? Or disappointed because it was out of wedlock? Would she even be able to see her mother again? The poor woman had to be worried sick now, or maybe with any luck Shinra had at least sent a letter to let her know that she was with them and alright.
Taking a deep breath, Aerith stood to her feet, determined to not start crying once more. She was hungry, and thrilled to have a kitchen. The one good thing about this whole ordeal was at least she was able to cook once again.
Making her way towards the kitchen, she noticed the sound of the shower in the bathroom, meaning her new roommate of sorts was home. Her hand drifted once again to her stomach; it still seemed unreal that she was somehow now carrying Sephiroth's child inside her. A very large part of her still wanted to deny the whole thing and say she was dreaming. Pushing those thoughts aside, she continued to the kitchen, her stomach growling to remind her how hungry she was. Opening the fridge, she rummaged around and pulled out a few things, putting water on the boil and chopping some seasoning and cooking up some shrimp and pasta. It took very little time for her to finish cooking, and she searched through the cabinets to find the plates. She pulled down two plates and scooped food onto both; she figured, seeing how they lived together, she should cook for her and Sephiroth, and toasted a piece of bread for herself. Placing the plates on the table, she got herself a glass of water and sat down, taking note that the sound of the shower was gone now. He must have been finished.
The food tasted good, so much better than what she had been forced to eat in the small room she had before. She heard the door to the bathroom open and shut. Normally she would have heard footsteps too, but for a man as tall as he was he walked silently. She assumed that he went to his room. But almost as soon as that thought crossed her mind, there he was, standing in the kitchen before the table. His hair was still wet, and he had on very casual clothes, pajamas, more than likely: a black loose fitting shirt and gray pants. His face was still, eyes blank as he looked at her. Aerith heard the planet cry out softly; it was always so difficult to tell what the emotions it was trying to get across meant. It sounded like a mother crying for its lost child, or a scream of anger and fear.
Pushing those thoughts aside Aerith cleared her throat and looked to the other plate of food. "I went ahead and made enough for you as well. Figured seeing how we are both stuck here against our will for a long time, might as well make the best of it." She watched as he silently nodded to her and then sat down to eat himself. They stayed that way, Aerith finishing first and washing her plate and cup afterward and setting to aside to dry. She sighed softly as she dried her hands. What on earth was she going to do now?
Aerith made her way to the living room area, deciding that she wanted to watch some TV. They didn't have one back at her home; they just never had the need because she was tending her garden more often than not. But that wasn't something she could do here, so might as well pass the time. Flipping on the TV, she looked through the channels, finally picking one that seemed to be a movie about transforming robots. The couch was extremely comfortable, and surprisingly the movie wasn't too bad; too many explosions, but not the worst. She glanced back into the kitchen area to see what her unexpected roommate was currently doing.
Sephiroth was sitting at the table still, leaning back in the chair and reading a book. He had already cleaned up his own plates and seemed rather engrossed in whatever it was he was reading. The young flower girl watched him for a few moments; she was just a bit too far to really get a good look as his face, but he seemed to be reading pretty fast. She sighed and went back to TV flipping, intent on finding something else to watch.
Aerith wasn't sure when, but at some point she had drifted off to sleep, only waking up to a gentle hand on her shoulder and being spoken to. "Aerith. Aerith, it's late. You should go on to bed." She blinked several times to clear her vision, it was extremely hard to to focus at the moment. She mumbled softly under her breath and let her eyes close, laying her head back against the couch. Sleep was way more intriguing and inviting at the moment and it was all she wanted.
Sephiroth shook his head. This kind of behavior was something he wasn't really used to, having been around Soldiers his whole life. He contemplated what would be the best option, to try to wake her again or to simply move her on his own. She was small, so it wouldn't be hard at all. He tried again to wake her once more, to no avail. Were all pregnant women tired like this? With that option ruled out, he carefully scooped her up, making sure her head rested against his chest and he had a good grip on her. She was lighter than he expected, and it wasn't until he was holding her that he truly realized how small her frame was in general. He felt like if he was to squeeze even slightly she would break. He made his way through the rooms and into the bedroom, gently laying her down and covering her up, he did wonder if she realized that there was only one bed here. Sephiroth carefully undid her braid, surprised at how long her hair really was. A former Soldier under his command had long hair and had told him once how awful it was to fall asleep with your hair up. Brushing the long brown strands away from her face, Sephiroth then glanced at the clock, noting how late it was. He stood from the bed, heading to the closet to get an extra pillow and blanket that was hopefully there. Shinra had thankfully placed a few extra of each.
The general looked back to check on the sleeping girl once more (his new mission was to take care of her after all) and went to go sleep on the couch. His dreams that night were filled with memories of the past, the silver and white of the labs, the pain of the needles and experiments that were conducted on him and the feeling of loneliness that had engulfed him as a child.
Well, there's another chapter! Part of this one was super easy to write, but the other part I struggled with a lot. And my life has been hectic recently too so I haven't had a lot of time to write. Hopefully you guys enjoy this! Let me know what you think and thanks for reading guys!
P.S. Hera is the best Waifu and friend ever! Thank you so much for helping me out!
~Rainbow
