Simplicity

Sephiroth didn't dream of Zack's girlfriend again, but he found himself in the field of flowers, alone. Windswept through his hair, ruffled the leaves of the flowers. The air was sweet Silently he sat, crossed legged head bowed. Behind him a staff was stuck in the ground, Masamune behind it.

"When are you going to wake up?" He looked up, he liked this obscurer plain of existence. He felt normal, welcomed, and dare he say loved.

"I don't want to go."

"You were a bit stubborn when you put your mind to it." A figure settled behind, large, firm and welcoming. "are you just going to waste the goddesses gift?" The man chuckled, sarcasm glazing the last words.

"Angeal?" A hum rumbled against Sephiroth's back. "Why did you leave?"

"Monsters only think of destruction." A snort, "did you not?"

Sephiroth searched for something to focus on, settling on a lone pink flower. "You were never a monster."

Angeal shrugged, "and you need to go."

"Why?"

"She's waiting."

Sephiroth twisted, catching sight of his friends retreating form. "Angeal!" Pushing off the ground he ran after him, passing the embedded weapons, a Shinra SOLDIER issued sword now stood with the staff and Masamune. "Angeal, Angeal! Wait!" The SOLDIER held his hand up, waving goodbye, disappearing into the void. Flowers protested as they were squished down as Sephiroth knelt, sitting on the heel of his boots, staring into the space Angeal had disappeared in.

Inhaling, his eyes slid closed and he turned his face up, to where the sky would be. Warmth pulling him from his sanctuary back to the real world.

Shadows danced crossed the ceiling, rotating around the sole light. In one corner was a chair, a blanket draped crossed it, held down on the cushion by a stack of books. The other half of the blanket was tucked into the bottom left corner of the bed. The curtains were drawn closed, cutting out the light pollution from the growing city. The only soul ds in the room came from a small radio, a soft piano melody, sad but strong.

Muscles tensed as Sephiroth sat up, his eyes adjusting to the fluctuating light. Near the chair sat a bookshelf, filled with children's books and artwork. Pictures filled the wall, some of Cloud and Tifa, or Tifa and the children, but a majority were solely of the kids.

Pushing the covers back, Sephiroth put his feet on the floor, coldness seeping into the bare flesh. It took mere seconds to find his boots and socks. Slide g his feet into the socks he chanced a glance to the makeshift tent, under it was a pallet of blankets and pillows. On top of the blankets lay Tifa, one of the children's books on her stomach, the Marlene lay against the martial artist, head resting on the woman's upper arm, back pressed into Tifa's side. Opposite Marlene lay Denzel curled up next to Tifa, her left arm covered with a child, her hand resting on the book.

Sephiroth watched them, jealous of the affection the woman gave children that weren't even hers. Looking away, Sephiroth roughly grabbed his boots, shoving his socked feet into them. How could a twenty-five-year-old man be jealous of children? Tucking his black pants in, he decided to forgo fastening the buckles. Silently he rose from the bed, casting a glance down. At the tent. Chivalry reared its ugly head, removing the comforter he draped it over the sleeping woman and her children.

Pulling the door shut, he made his way down the stairs. Outside of the room, the bar was cold, bathed in moonlight. Stepping down the stairs, they creaked under his weight.

"Where are you going?" Tifa whispered bringing Sephiroth to a halt on the second-floor landing as the stairs creaked behind d him, announce g her descent.

"I didn't mean to wake you," he whispered over his shoulder.

Tifa waved a hand in front of her, "the floor is uncomfortable." Dropping g down two more steps, she stood behind him on the last one before the landing, "you're welcomed to stay."

"I don't want to impose."

Tifa shook her head, "You won't. Healen is a few hours away, so I insist." Finality laced her tone, there would be no use arguing with the woman at this point. She smiled widely as he turned, even though he didn't look at her. "Come on, I'll move the kids." Goosebumps rose as she slid her hand down his arm, grasping his hand tightly in hers. He wouldn't be getting away, at this point he knew staying would lead to trouble down the road. Inwardly Sephiroth formulated plans to get away, their last few meetings had left him sore, the girl packed a punch, not to mention she had an arm like a quarterback.

"Sit here, I'll be right back."

Tifa carefully dismantled the tent, scoping both children up with relative ease and disappeared out the door. As her steps faded, Sephiroth leaned forward, elbows resting on his legs, hands folding to rest his chin on them. Alone he waited for Tifa to return, the music flowing through the room, the same song from before.

"They are out like lights." Tifa's attempt to hide her excitement was nullified by her large toothy grin. Quietly she shut the door behind her, gathering the blankets off the floor, dropping them into a pile on her chair.

"Cloud left," she murmured, a lame attempt at idle conversation, "these deliveries taking him everywhere." Shrugging, Tifa sat down on the opposite side of the bed, staring at the closed curtain wondered g why she had brought up Cloud. She didn't even want to talk about him, he just happened to be the only topic she could think they shared. She could always bring up Nibelheim, but Tifa no longer wanted to live in the past. Slowly she drew in a breath, in that moment Maxwell reared his head and their world would be turned upside down.

It was a simple question, "What are you going to do about it?" It wasn't rude nor condescending, he was genuinely curious on an academic level. The answer, however, was a complexity he hadn't expected. Sephiroth knew Tifa did everything with a high level of passion, changing her life was no different.

As she lay bared before him, Cloud's light to his consuming darkness, Maxwell cackled at the newly stoked fire. With each pant of Tifa's harsh breaths that batted against his neck, her hands softly stroking faint scars only to grasp onto him as she tumbled over her peak, dragging them both over a fine line. Tifa refused to let him go, this was her domain, her kingdom and he was to be her loyal servant, a role Sephiroth enjoyed.

Aurora, intrigued by the slumbering pair stopped by to say hello, her companion, Sol, his rays peaking from under the curtains. Tifa rivaled the sun, while her fingers idly ran through the soft silver waterfall, serenity and contentment bloomed on her face. Time faded away, in the far distance a cockerel crowed, the bar waking up under them.

Below Yuffie and Barret where distinctly arguing over breakfast, and by the sound of it the neighborhood was woken by the loudmouths. Fingers stilled, Tifa lifting up her hair covered hand watching the strands slip away. How can a man have such perfect hair? Soft pressure pulled her closer, falling away as Sephiroth rolled onto his back, pulling his arms from around her waist. The crash of cutlery rose from the kitchen followed by tiny footsteps. The tranquility Tifa wished to hold onto crashed around d them as a ringing PHS joined the cacophony.

Slidding from the bed, Tifa heisted, grasping the blanket; she rolled her eyes, it wasn't like he hadn't seen her naked. Sephiroth paid no attention to her as she walked into her bathroom to shower.

"Uggh! Tif-fa! Barret won't let me make waffles." Yuffie moaned as she pushed through the door, turning away from the hall as she stepped in. Wide-eyed, Yuffie stared at the a la nude Sephiroth Tifa's blanket haphazardly providing him with some modesty, licked her lips and slowly backed out, shutting the door. Sephiroth frowned, reaching for his pants when the ninja barged in.

Yuffie closed the door eyes appreciatively roaming over his body. "Where's Tifa?"

"Bathroom."

Yuffie bounced by, neither turning their backs to the other. Reaching the bathroom Yuffie hummed, "Its always the bad ones." Opening the door she darted in, the peeked out hoping to catch a glimpse of his derriere. With no luck, she shut the door. "Is he hung like a Yak? I bet it's huge." Sephiroth couldn't hide his smirk, he didnt want to.

"Yuffie!" Tifa huffed, "Im not going to tell you that." Yuffie chuckled, the paniced pitch of Tofa's voice told her more than words ever would. Tifa audiably growled, "What do you want?"

"Can I make waffles?"

"What, are you serious? Yes, get out." Tifa's exasperated voice shouted. Fastening the dual belts, he heard Yuffie's defeated sigh.

"Your such a killjoy," Yuffie muttered as she walked past. Finally, alone Sephiroth listened to the sound of the running water. Vivid details of the night before ricocheting in his mind, unfamiliar emotions felt like a dead weight in his chest. He concluded Tifa had done this, it was barely a scape on the surface but it was enough to make Sephiroth feel uncomfortably human.

It wasn't as simple as it had been before.

…..argh fog flappers…this was not easy. Just…let me cry in my hovel. The next chapter will be better. …Does anyone want to guess the song that plays in Tifa's room?

I am obviously not good at writing adult situations...but really Yuffie says it all, its like a yak, is it? Now Angeal and Zack...*shoves toilet paper up nose.* anyway this sudden nose bleed needs to be seen by a doctor.