Disclaimer: All the cool OC's are dead now….
EpilogueIn the days after the 'invasion', as the mayor formally put it, the citizens of Traverse Town occupied themselves with gathering up what was left in the rubble; putting the pieces back together. Radioactivity scans were made before anyone was even allowed out of their houses. The authorities didn't seem to want to understand that that light was nothing that even existed in this world.
Anyways, with Kir gone, everything went back to normal. I mean, as normal as it could get. Everybody is still here, at least. Donald and Goofy are preparing to leave soon though, and are just making some plans. It's sad really. It has only been four days since Kir's demise and already everyone seems riled up to get back to their homes. As for me…well I'm pretty content being with all these people I care about. I only wish they felt the same. But with the worlds starting to seal up again…
Sora has forgiven me about opening up that Keyblade thing. He said even if I hadn't opened it, he would've and it would've happened anyways.
Cid, Yuffie, Aerith, Donald, Cloud, and Squall had to be hospitalized. Cid had a minor concussion and a sprained wrist. Aerith had slight burns from all of the spells she'd cast. Cloud had fractured his arm and had a few ribs broken. Donald was suffering from mild shock and a bullet wound in his wing. Squall, although saying over and over again that he was just fine, actually had a few broken ribs of his own. How he was able to break out of the hospital the other night (with the help of Yuffie. Somebody has yet to fess up about who did it to the police though. Pretty funny.) is beyond me.
As for Yuffie…well she was in pretty bad shape. She'd lost a total of fifteen pounds, and the doctor said it would take years for her to recover all of that. I think with her eating habits that that will happen way before then. She had also put up with a lot of psychological trauma, and she's being sent to a shrink every day for sessions. I feel really bad for her because I know she hates shrinks. Aside from those, she had a sprained ankle from running around so much, but that's healed now. She's been acting like she always did, so I don't think anything else is wrong…
Today is Sphinx's funeral. I didn't really know her, but I really hope I won't cry….
Tomorrow is Christmas…what a bummer. I don't think anyone will remember that.
-Excerpt from Kairi's diary
Yuffie believed that it would rain the day of the funeral, like it did in those silent movies, with everyone dressed in black. Well, everyone was dressed in black, but it was a casual sort of black, not the crisp suits in the cinemas. She herself had to be the worst example of that. She'd surprised herself when she found out that she had no black clothes, so she had to borrow some. What she ended up with was Aerith's low-cut, uncomfortable shirt and Squall's baggy sweatpants, even baggier on her. She had to keep a hand on her waist at all times to ensure that the whole world wouldn't get a glimpse of her underwear. 'I'd rather be wearing a leather thong than this damn thing…' Yuffie suddenly pictured Squall's leather pants, and particularly the man wearing them. She nearly ended up laughing as she suddenly got an image with him in the thong.
The sudden remembrance of where she was caused her to stifle any noise that she would've emitted. She really didn't think that they had to do such a formal funeral, and judging from the looks on everyone else's faces, they thought so too. It was Aerith's idea to do the whole damn ceremony. Everyone else just thought it was respect enough to bury her and buy a nice little tombstone with a nifty little epitaph.
"Courageous, deserving proper respect, followed…" the priest droned on and on. It sounded like he was describing himself more than Sphinx. Did he even know the girl he was talking about was barely even a girl anymore? Probably not. Because of the rules of the church, they had a closed casket. She imagined the priest having a bloody hernia if he saw the creature inside of it, and, more importantly, the state of her 'head'. Or lack thereof.
Anyways, it wasn't raining, under any circumstances. It was quite sunny, almost unbearably so. That was true for her anyways. She didn't think that having two puddles beneath her armpits was the most picture-perfect look of being comfortable. She hoped she didn't smell. That had to be the only thing worse than being in the situation that she was now.
They had been the only ones attending the funeral, as they hadn't told anyone. She highly doubted people would've come even if they did know. They would come to a stranger's funeral just as soon as Tarzan won a world cup for ice-skating. She hoped that neither were prominent in the future.
Yuffie hadn't really noticed how they had proceeded out of the building. They weren't actually going to bury Sphinx in Traverse Town. In a day, Aerith, her and the others would be returning to Hollow Bastion. Yuffie had nearly begged that they take the casket with them, for she felt an irresistible urge to let Sphinx lie there, and not here. Even her overwhelming fear of the dead wasn't enough to stop her from taking that casket.
"That was sad," Kairi said thoughtfully as they let the workers load the coffer into the Gummi ship. "The speech anyways."
"The speech," Yuffie repeated incredulously, scrunching up her nose. "The speech wasn't even about Sphinx. It was about that priest and his pathetic cry for attention." She was gripping her side, and it looked like it was somewhat of an effort to even walk. The doctor had been very adamant about not letting her fight, but gradually exercising her muscles until she regained full strength again. Sadly, the most she could do was just walk around and hope she didn't get a cramp.
"It's lunch time," Squall muttered, staring at his shadow with his hands shoved into his pockets. Or at least one hand. Yuffie was swinging around the other hand like a jackhammer. He couldn't fathom how she whined about carrying some small weights, but had enough energy to make his arm go totally spastic. Frankly, he didn't really care though. Her breasts sporadically pressed up against his tricep, and damn, that was more than good enough for him.
"Lunch time for us," Aerith reminded him, rubbing her swollen wrists. "You should be prancing back to the hospital, Squall."
"Oh yes," Riku said with a snort. "Go prancing along now." He cursed and nearly balled into Sora when Squall's large hand came out of his pocket and nearly shoved him over the second district's railing. He didn't fall though; only banged his head against Sora with a resounding thud.
"Ahh, nothing like the sound of two hollow coconuts being smashed together," Yuffie said thoughtfully, leaning on Squall for support. "Speaking of coconuts, you know I'd never really tried them before?"
"Really?" Kairi asked, walking up beside her. "I practically have it everyday." Kairi suddenly became very spacey. "Or at least, I used to." She looked at Sora and Riku, and then occupied herself with staring disinterestedly at the ground. It quieted for a while after that, some of them unobtrusively coughing or humming softly. It was Yuffie who broke the silence.
"I'll take Squall back to the hospital. Half of the workers have probably gone off the deep end by now looking for him." She smiled up at her boyfriend, who was glaring at her. He didn't like hospitals. Never did, frankly. He'd actually bitten a doctor when he was thirteen, while he was having his physical. His parents just told him he was jittery about a female touching his privates, but he seriously thought otherwise. He basically didn't like the procedures of the whole place. Everything seemed so unnecessary.
"I'm not going back," Squall deadpanned, easily stopping Yuffie from trying to meekly pull him away from the group. She stood there with a pout on her face, her long nails digging like razors into his skin. "I don't want those morons to be touching me." That was when Yuffie gave him the most obvious looks he'd ever seen her deliver. She dragged him down slightly and rested her chin on his shoulder.
"Who says the doctors are going to be the ones touching you?" she whispered into his ear, her digging nails stopping so she could trace little circles on his arm. Squall stood there for a moment, and Yuffie nearly thought she had to repeat herself. Not the most romantic thing to do, but hey, it could've been worse.
"Yeah. I'm feeling cramp in my arm…I'll have them check it," he lied, walking toward where the hospital was in the second district. If his memory served correctly, there was an alleyway on the way there that led directly back to the hotel.
As the five of them watched Yuffie nearly skip away with Squall, one of them suddenly got a sneaking suspicion.
"Hey…you don't need a doctor to check a cramp. I don't even think you get cramps in your arms anyways…" Sora muttered, watching them turn the corner. He watched the corner for a while longer, even though Riku and Kairi were tugging on his arm sleeves. Aerith was already making her way over to the café. Either she wanted to be alone, or she'd already learned that Sora's babble was virtually useless to listen to.
"Sora, don't think too hard. Your brain might come oozing out of your ears," Riku muttered, dragging his hapless friend along. Sometimes he wondered, with all of their differences, how they managed to become best friends. Oh that's right. Tidus was too cocky for his liking and Wakka…well he just didn't like dealing with his accent. Kairi wasn't even there when Riku had done the difficult best friend choosing.
"I think they're gonna do it," Sora finally said, spontaneously glancing backwards. Riku rolled his eyes, and Kairi laughed and playfully slapped his shoulder.
"Is that all you can think about, man?" Riku asked him, trying to usher him into the door. Sora refused to move, still staring off into space. Growling in frustration, he nearly threw Sora forward, making the poor boy smash his head against the transparent glass doors. Kairi gasped and this time hit him.
"What?" he said defensively. "I didn't think there was a door there!" Kairi pointed to the large black handle obtrusively sticking out from the door that Sora had just whammed into. "I didn't see that either!"
"Whatever. As long as he doesn't have a concussion, I'm not mad." Kairi smiled and softly kissed Sora's head, ushering him over to where Aerith was sitting waiting patiently.
"What happened?" Aerith asked, looking at Sora's grumpy face.
"My wonderful friend threw me into a doorway," Sora muttered, glaring at Riku. "Now I have two bumps from him."
"Two bumps? What's the first one from?" Riku asked in confusion. Sora really had a knack for remembering everything everyone did to him.
"Remember when you tricked me into running the race blindfolded?" Riku stared at him.
"You actually blame me for that?"
Sora snorted and waved him off dismissively. "No. I blame you for when you dropped that pineapple on my head when I was running around the corner."
Kairi was laughing by now, and Aerith just sat there and watched the two friends argue. It was back to normal again, and they were more than thankful for that.
Yuffie nearly fell to the floor as she attempted to stumble into the room without letting go of Squall's hand. They had taken the alleyway, expecting it to be pretty easy to use. Instead they got a smelly and mice infested path, and Yuffie could've sworn there was a mutant platypus waiting for them in the shadows. She'd seen those things in those mammal picture books and they'd scared the living hell out of her.
"I swear that place was really foul. I seriously need a shower," she groaned, feeling the stench on her clothes. She wouldn't believe it if someone told her there was something that smelled worse than her. The ninja walked over to the table in the center of the room, where some small hand soaps rested next to the coffee-mug. She was nearly into the bathroom when Squall grabbed a hold of her loose sweatpants. She was tugged back and nearly flung onto the bed, with Squall on top of her. "Hey! Come on Squallie…I need a bath."
"We can do that later," he whispered into her neck, softly nuzzling it. She sighed softly and gave in, gently burying her hands in his hair, rubbing his skull. When she felt his hands on her black tee, she suddenly remembered her state.
"Squall," she said, her mouth muffled on his shoulder. She managed to put her arms between them and tried to push him off. What resisted her surprised her. 'Oh woah, someone likes to eat a lot…' "Come on Squall, I smell like cow dung. It's really unattractive." She gave up when she realized he was barely listening to her. She grumbled belatedly, her mouth already overtaken by his before she could protest. 'Men and their stupid testosterone...'
She felt his hands travel up to her bra strap, giving her a nice tingly feeling. It was making her feel sleepy, but she'd imagine that Squall wouldn't be very happy if she just started snoozing on him. Trying to ignore the waves of sleepiness, she buried her face in his neck, trying to think of something else besides her odd feelings of lethargy.
"Squall?" she said again, only about three minutes after she'd said it the first time. He muttered a lazy 'hm' but didn't really make any indication to listen to her. She let him kiss her, momentarily forgetting what she was thinking about when she felt his tongue gently slip into her mouth. She slowly let out a moan and arched her body up to his hands, the feelings of sleepiness slowly receding.
"Squall?" she asked for the third time, right after he had broken the kiss. She laughed and squirmed for a moment when he lightly tickled her sides. "Squall? SQUALL!"
"For God's sakes, what?" he demanded, nearly going crazy. What the hell was she doing? She was wiggling around like a worm, and she kept calling his name. What the hell did she want?
"I…uhh…" Yuffie stuttered, trying not to look at his lips and to ignore the way it made her body go warm. She was beginning to feel light and fuzzy, like when she was hugging a really big teddy bear. She really didn't think those were the feelings she was supposed to have before the big "IT".
"Are you nervous?" he asked, putting his hand to her cheek and forcing her to look at him. She was glancing around like she wanted to be anywhere but there.
"No…" she whispered. She really didn't know. Maybe she was nervous. Or maybe she was worried about Squall being branded a pedophile. Or maybe it was just that she was dead afraid about being pregnant. She really didn't like kids and she heard that giving birth really hurt and she was too dumb to try and get those retarded condoms because she was too embarrassed and-
"Ahh," she moaned, shaking her head. "Just….agh. Just do it."
"You getting paid to say that?" he asked, lowering his hand to her side. She looked confusedly at him. "Oh never mind."
He began to kiss her this time, gentler than before. He reached under her shirt again, trying to unclasp her bra. There was only one problem-he had no idea where the heck it was.
Yuffie began to giggle as she felt his fingers fumble around for any sign of a clasp. He even tried the front, making her laugh harder. He growled and glared at her, still having enough pride to not ask her. She really didn't mind though. It was funny watching him struggle when he obviously wanted to 'advance'.
"Need any help?" she asked, stroking his head. He shook his head, leaning against her and trying to figure out the anomaly that was her bra. Was there some kind of evil corporation that made clasp-less bras? If there was, then they obviously had no idea what it was doing to the male species.
"You sure?" she prodded. She was making little butterfly kisses on his forehead. She knew he was annoyed, but she found it oddly romantic. Anything where he was touching her she found romantic, actually.
"Where the hell is it," he demanded in a low voice, laying his head on her supple chest. She laughed again, her whole body heaving with the fruitless effort to muffle it. She stroked the nape of his neck lovingly, moving her hands down to massage his shoulders. She leaned down and softly whispered into his ear.
"I'm wearing a sports bra, bud," she said, smiling when she felt his shoulders tense up. "I had been planning on running after taking you to the hospital, Mr. Leonhart. But…since you're here, I'll just have to give you the examination myself." She had to use her shoulder to push him on his back. Straddling him and wiggling her hips just to frustrate him, she began to speak with a British accent. "I will begin the oral examination now. Please keep all arms and legs on the bed. Wouldn't want to lose those." Just to provoke him, she yanked off the uncomfortable t-shirt, throwing it away like a stripper.
"Christ," he muttered, closing his eyes. Frankly, he didn't care if what he was doing was morally wrong. He always put the rules at a disregard. Basically, if it felt good, he did it. "Do you have any idea how hot you are?"
"Not really," she said truthfully, dropping her accent for the moment. "But hearing you say it is nice." She frowned and hit him lightly in the chest. "No talking to the nurse during the checkup, Mr. Leonhart," she reprimanded in her fake posh accent again.
"Where's the fun in that?" he asked, already trying to use his hands to coax her out of her pants. She just smiled and grabbed one of his hands, biting it a lot harder than he'd expected. He yelped and glared at her. She only shook her head.
"I said no talking." He frowned, his mouth still compelled to move.
"You didn't have to bite me."
"I know, but you taste good." She leant down and gave him a fierce kiss to confirm this. He started to slip his tongue into her mouth again, but she suddenly pulled away. He gave her a confused look. "Sorry," she apologized. "It hurts to bend my neck like that."
"Maybe you're the one that needs the exam," Squall suggested coyly, attempting to flip her over. Yuffie bared her teeth like a cat, making him cautious to keep his hands away from her mouth.
"I'm not done with you yet," she said calmly, bending down so she could wiggle out of her pants. "I haven't even started." She now sat atop him in a red sports bra and underwear, teasing him gently with her body. He eagerly ran his hands up and down her frame, Yuffie's hands stopping his when he reached for her aggravating bra again.
"You still have more clothes on than me," she said, slipping her hands beneath his shirt and nearly ripping it off. She tried to yank it off, finding his body's weight the only thing keeping it from moving. "You can help me, you know."
"Why should I?" he asked, still unhappy about how he wasn't able to tease her yet. She frowned and thought for a moment, then smiled.
"I'll take off my bra."
That got him moving. He willingly slipped off his shirt, tossing it across the floor, now littered with clothing articles. Yuffie beamed brazenly, starting to pull her bra over her head. Squall grabbed her hands and slowly kissed her fingers, shaking his head.
"Let me do the damn thing," he whispered quietly, a little note of revenge on his voice. Yuffie snorted and eyed him suspiciously, before giving him the consent.
"Ok. Just don't tear it up or anything."
Squall wanted to say something to that, but he was too concentrated on pulling the sports article over her head. He threw that away too, trying to ignore the fact that it nearly went flying out the window. 'Why the hell is the window open anyways?' He then busied himself with massaging the small mounds on her chest, forgetting for the moment that Yuffie was supposed to be the one torturing him.
"H-hey," she stuttered, trying not to moan. "I-I'm supposta be d-doing t..hat…" She groaned, hating how easily he had gained control. Ok, she was never bargaining with him again.
"I don't see you doing anything," he said idly, running his fingers across her sides and traveling to her back, pulling her down on top of him. The sensation of her bare chest on his send a jolt of electricity through her body, a feeling that was alien to her. It wasn't a painful jolt, but a warm one that made her senses go numb and tranquil. She liked it a lot.
'I'll bite you again,' her mouth yelled out. Or at least she wished it would. She was shaking and whimpering so badly that she couldn't get any part of her body to move. Just laying there and sighing elatedly was enough for her.
Well, not really.
She managed to get herself up on shaky arms, his hands still massaging her body. She stuck her tongue out, and had to dodge his mouth before he tried to grab it. He always told her not to stick out her tongue unless she intended to use it. She was pretty sure if he managed to kiss her now, she would break, and just let him take over. She sure as hell wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of that!
"I love you," she whispered softly, making Squall shoot her a confused look. Before he knew what had happened, she'd fluently slid her legs to firmly grip his, using all the strength she had to hold down his wrists with her minute hands. She bounced up and down a little on his waist, making her partner groan in half lust, half pain.
"That hurts," he grunted, trying to move, and realizing he couldn't. Where the hell did she learn ground-wrestling moves? He'd have to remember that for later.
"Sorry snookums," she said in a syrupy voice, making Squall glare at her. "Just testing how hard it was." She tried not to laugh when he stared at her. She would never end to surprise him. Sexual innuendo was something he never really pegged her for.
She once again leaned down, kissing his chastely before letting her mouth travel down. She kissed and nuzzled his neck, suddenly getting an idea. She'd never done it before, and she'd always been curious. Opening her mouth, she slowly started to suck on his neck, gradual but with acute pressure. Squall groaned, his body attempting to move up and only managing to rise less than an inch above the bed. Her and her stupid dominatrix tendencies.
"F…" he gasped as one of her hands let go of his wrist, swiftly traveling down….
Down…
Down.
"..uck," he couldn't stop her hand, and even if he could, he sure as hell didn't want to. Using his free hand, he buried it in her soft cinnamon hair, silently urging her on.
Yuffie smiled at his reaction, gently stroking him. She didn't want to push him too hard, even though she was thoroughly enjoying her power. If she kept teasing him like this, he might have a hernia. That wouldn't be good at all.
Deciding that they were never going to get anywhere in their undies, she brought her hands back to herself, much to the disappointment of the male beneath her. She let him help her with her underwear, noticing how his hands lingered awhile on her hips, silently searching her eyes. He still believed she was nervous. Although that was true on some level, she also felt very relaxed. She felt it would be safe that he knew this, so she told him.
"I just don't want you to wake up tomorrow and look at me…like that." Squall trailed off, leaving Yuffie half wondering what he was talking about. Something clicked in the back of her mind.
"Don't tell me you've done this before," she said slowly, feeling stupid and curious as she voiced it. If he had, then it would make her look childish and unready. If he hadn't, then that would be worse because then they'd both be confused. She wanted to know and at the same time she didn't.
"Now's not the time," he said, putting his finger over her mouth before she could say more. "Someday I'll tell you about everything. Right now, it's just about us."
Her garment, along with his, hit the floor, leaving the two on the bed completely bared. The ninja suddenly lost all thought that she was supposed to be in control, that she was the one to bring him pleasure. She didn't know what it was, but she suddenly felt so scared that she nearly fled from the room. She was nervous damnit, and this time she couldn't suppress it.
"Yuffie?" he reached up and pulled her body tighter to his. She looked up at him, deep in thought, and her eyes showing the earnest of emotions. She didn't say a word when he gently slid her to his side, moving so that he was the one on top this time. She sighed profoundly, reaching up and pulling him so that his forehead rested on hers. He smelled nice and-lords!-was he magnificent.
"I just got jittery," she explained, moving so she could nibble on his earlobe. "Your body makes me feel inferior and stuff."
Squall snorted softly, running his hands along her side. "Stop saying that. Just feel good about yourself for once. That's an order."
The youthful ninja let a smile creep on her face. She'd never been commanded to feel good about herself before. It made her feel really…happy.
How long had they been lying like this? She'd heard that those who had sex usually got lost in the passion. Why the heck were they talking? She didn't know, and didn't really care. When had they ever been the conventional couple anyways?
"Come 'ere," he grunted, kissing her roughly. She moaned against him, no longer feeling anxiety as he placed her hands on her hips, firmly holding her in place. He'd told her it would hurt last time they'd attempted to do it (before Sephiroth had conveniently waltzed in) and he didn't need to tell her again. With his lips on her and his warm hands keeping her safe, she thought she could handle anything.
So she thought.
The impromptu entry made her jolt badly, and he had to grab her head with one hand to keep it from banging into the headboard. She whimpered, resisting the urge to sink her teeth into his hand as he moved it down her face. She couldn't flail her legs because he held them secure, and her arms were clinging desperately to his back, her nails sinking in. The pain was there for both of them, give and take a little.
"S-squall…" she stuttered, her fingers lacing behind his neck to bring him in for another kiss, which he had broken when she started to thrash. He kissed her, albeit hesitantly, like he became so sure that she was going to break any second.
No. She's already been broken, Leonhart.
I just don't want you to wake up tomorrow and look at me…like that.
Yuffie nearly cried when she realized what he meant. Squall Leonhart, who had never really gave a damn about anyone, was dead afraid of being rejected. He feared seeing that look of regret in her eyes when she woke up and found herself sleeping beside a monster. That was his exact train of thought, and she hated how he thought of himself.
"I love you," she whispered, arching her body fluidly and making him groan. "I love you I love you I love you." She planted kisses along his shoulder, begging him to continue. He quickly complied, easily giving her everything she dreamed of.
Maybe nirvana wasn't so impossible after all.
Aerith sat in the quiet of the Red Room, sitting on the edge of the bed and thinking of nothing of nothing in particular.
No.
Actually, her mind was so cluttered with thoughts that she was starting to consider amnesia as an analgesic. There were so many things they had to plan and so many people to say goodbye to…
She realized their fatal error in making such close acquaintances on two completely separated worlds. She knew that they'd given the people of Traverse Town quite a shock when they'd shown up a few months back. They had no idea how they got there…
There was so much to think about. Aside from their own plans, they had to think of the welfare of others. There must've been several venturing people that had left their own planets once they found out that that was possible again. Their problem was that those people might get stuck on the wrong planets for the rest of their lives.
Aerith sighed, curling up on her bed. She really wished that people would think of other's beside themselves for once. Did they not realize that there were others dragging their asses to clean up all the mistakes they had made? They all worked so hard just to keep these humans safe and all they got in return was a bunch of arrogance and displeasure. Now she realized why Sora, Squall, and Cloud could be so unwilling at times to help somebody out. They were sick of the whining.
"So tired," she whispered, laying on her side and stroking the empty space beside her. Cloud had gone back to the hospital that morning because he had begun to feel pain in his arm again, and it had started to go stiff. She knew that she should've gone with him too, with all the pain her wrists were causing her. But she had so much to think about that she had declined when he offered. She just couldn't take all those doctors at the moment.
'Why are we always left to deal with all the chaos?' Kir had stirred up the biggest storm of hell they'd seen, nearly rivaling his father's. She herself hadn't been there at the final battle of Ansem, so seeing Kir's end was something to marvel at. That moment only lasted a few seconds though. Seeing all the things he left to deal with made her wish that maybe they were still in the fray. Things were always easier to deal with when she was being pressured but when left like this…
Everyone seemed to be trying to recover from what had happened. The government was giving funding to the mayor for the repairs, but it was also fining him for being unaware of the violence in the town, or something like that. She didn't know when being uninformed became a sin around here.
The people were the ones she was really sympathizing with though. They had barely recovered from Ansem's wrath, and now they had to deal with the aftermath of his son's. She felt really bad, because she knew some of them were so scared they didn't even dare to go outside anymore.
Now as she laid in the quiet of her room, she thought of how heavy reconstruction was going on in the Third District. They had to completely retile the ground, replace the fountain, rewire all the energy lines, replace several walls and steps…..they were technically tearing down the whole District. She hoped it would look the same. She couldn't bear it to look different, even though she wouldn't be there to see it when it was done.
She had seen Yuffie talking to the mayor the day before in the Second District. She looked like she was bargaining to him. She was standing next to the spot where Sphinx had been killed, which had been roped around to keep the public at bay. Sphinx's blood still remained there. Not surprisingly, Yuffie had been pointing to it, clasping her hands together and making faces. Aerith couldn't hear them, but from the way the mayor's face softened, she believed that the ninja had just convinced the old man to keep the floor just the way it was. Probably laminate it or something, judging from how Yuffie's mind worked.
"Too much," she groaned. She was really tired. She knew pushing herself was unhealthy, but leaving their agenda unfinished was also unhealthy if Cid found out. But if she set her alarm clock…
A soft black feather floated down and tickled her nose. She frowned and picked it up, about to reprimand Cloud for being back at the hotel. She couldn't get the words out though when, upon closer examination, she realized that the feather did not belong to Cloud. That meant only one other person.
"What are you doing here?" she whispered, not facing the general. How had he gotten into the room without her noticing? She knew it was not safe to be left alone with him; especially judging on the way Cloud resented him for reasons still vague to her.
Sephiroth countered her question with one of his own. "Do you know it's Christmas tomorrow?"
Aerith's eyes widened, and she forgot that she was sitting in a room with an ex-killer for a moment. "Ohmigod!" she yelped, sitting upright. "Oh you're right!" She wanted to get up and pace, but she was so frantic that her mind couldn't work out orders to get her legs moving. "Great…just another thing to add to my list. Do the others know? I didn't even buy presents…OH! I need to buy presents!"
Sephiroth watched her silently, wondering if she noticed that he had was lying next to her on the bed now. Probably not. With the way she was freaking out, she could have an alligator snoring right there and she wouldn't see.
"That duck wants to know what's going on so he and his partner know when to leave," Sephiroth said idly, pulling at his gloves. His fingers felt numb. Aerith nodded silently at what he said, slowly turning to look at him. It was then she noticed that he was mere inches away from her. She blinked, making a small face of horror and attempted to roll out of bed. The general's hand stopped her though, dragging her across the sheets to stay firmly in the bed. She was trying not to panic. It wasn't the fact that he was there that scared her. It was the fact that if Cloud walked in at that moment he would take it all very wrong. That scared her beyond all possible amount of reasoning.
"They're in the hospital," he continued, talking as if he wasn't lying there with a death grip on the girl's arm next to him. Aerith squealed in half acknowledgement. She felt unsafe being able to cast anything. Well, she could cast…if she didn't want any more arms.
Sephiroth sat up, leering over Aerith. She wondered how she still remembered to breathe as he stared down at her with impassive emerald eyes. He had the same eye color as hers…but not exactly. His were as cold as frost, hers as warm as summer. It was one difference that made both of them so easy to tell apart.
"Don't come near me," she hissed quietly, even though it was a little too late for that. "Cloud'll-"
"I don't want you," Sephiroth said, curtly cutting her off. He glanced sideways, staring at something that wasn't there. "I only look after Yuffie."
Aerith scowled, trying to wrench out of his grasp. "She has Squall." She struggled some more, thinking at the same time. How could he say that he looked after her? He wasn't even there when it happened. The defeat of Kir, she meant.
"But Squall wasn't always able to protect her on his own," Sephiroth deadpanned. Aerith had nothing to say to that, and wisely kept her mouth shut. She refused to even look at him.
"Don't tell me you have feelings for her," Aerith queried, unable to keep the accusation out of her voice. She didn't really know what to expect. If he said yes, then she would go crazy. If he said no…then he just wasn't making sense at all.
"No," he murmured. Aerith looked up at him, unable to read his eyes now because of the silver locks obscuring them. She sighed and turned to look off to the side again. "But she has something that causes me to watch over her."
The flower girl said nothing, attempting to figure out what it was. "That…thing?" she asked, remembering how Yuffie was screaming about this Kamakiri creature. She knew it was a summon…but she never knew summons had the ability to be dangerous to their owners.
"He's a Heartless," Sephiroth filled in for her. "The last one alive. He'll stay with her until she dies."
"Does she know that?" she asked yet again, still finding it hard to believe that she was having a conversation with the murderer, even if it was a forced one.
Sephiroth actually made a face, and she had to fight not to laugh. 'Did I just say he was funny? Sephiroth? No. Stop feeling so happy!' She cleared her throat uncomfortably and continued to stare at the wall. "I believe she does," he said in reply to her question.
It was quiet for a while, the sounds of drills and yells far off in another district. She looked around the room to keep her occupied. There were pictures that had been knocked down and cracked. She noticed now that her table had claw marks on it. She briefly looked to the closet with her clothes in it, deciding not to think about what state they were in. She had gone in there to get a shirt for Yuffie and everything seemed ok…
Sephiroth smelled like leather. She didn't know where that came from, but she couldn't help it. He was right there, and it wasn't like she could just clog her nose up. She was going to wonder what else he smelled like, but stopped herself. Think about Cloud. CLOUD!
"Where'd you go?" she inquired, mumbling it a bit. Sephiroth glanced at her. "During the fight."
The general sighed audibly, turning to look out to window. They were now staring in two completely opposite directions, and yet they still managed to talk. "I went to the Third District to fight Kir when I saw Sphinx preoccupied with Squall." He took a chance to see Aerith's reaction. She had none, although it seemed to look like things were clicking in. "I wore him down, then let Yuffie finish him off."
"Why didn't you tell her?" Aerith asked, wondering how many times she could interrogate him before he snapped. Wait…that had already happened.
Sephiroth closed his eyes. He knew that's what she would ask him. Kir was an amazing actor. He'd actually been there to see it happen, been there to see Kir looked completely suave. The general was the only one, besides Kir himself, to know that Kir had been exhausted. Yuffie probably didn't realize that's why it was so easy to take him down.
"I don't do charity," Sephiroth told her in an offhand voice, finally letting go of her arm. Surprisingly, she didn't spring up, just laid there silently.
"And why weren't you at the funeral?"
The general shook his head, not planning to answer. He was sliding his legs off the bed when Aerith grabbed him, reversing their roles from earlier. She repeated her question.
"I don't do that type of thing either," he said quietly. He blinked rapidly when he saw Aerith raise her hand, not really comprehending what she was doing. The realization came a moment too late though when he felt her tiny fist dig into his side, causing him to cry out, despite all his control.
Aerith blinked. What? She didn't expect it to hurt. She was just annoyed that he couldn't put aside his pride for a while just to attend a damn funeral. She retracted her hand, seeing dried blood stuck on her knuckles. She frowned.
"You're hurt," she whispered, moving her hand to touch his side. He grabbed her hand and pushed her away, wanting to get out now. She kept holding him back though. "Have you seen a doctor?"
"I don't need a damn doctor," he snapped, getting up and shaking her off. She crawled across the bed and seized the bottom of his trench coat before he could go any further. He turned his head back and glowered at her. "Let. Go."
"No. See a doctor," she fought to keep the slippery material in her hands. "I'm a healer, and I demand that you go to the hospital. I don't care if you hate hospitals or whatever, but just go!" She really didn't like it when people refused to have themselves checked. It wasn't that she cared about Sephiroth…it was just what she'd generally tell anyone that was hurt.
Sephiroth moved back to her without a word, forcibly letting her fingers out of his coat. He walked over to the balcony, and before he jumped over, she repeated her request for the third time.
"Maybe," he said before disappearing from view. Aerith, now seeing him gone, crumpled back on her bed, wondering if all that had really happened.
Later that night….
Noises and singing could be heard from outside the window, distant and chortling. It was enough to wake up the occupants of the Green Room. Or occupant. Only one of them of was awake, and she was currently lying on her side, staring at the man next to her. She traced her hands over the bandages across his chest, the bandages which she hadn't even noticed until now. She wondered if he felt as much pain as she did when they did it.
"I don't regret it," she whispered, remembering Squall's words from before. She smiled, closing her eyes and reliving what had happened.
She had been moaning softly beneath him, running her hands across his back but barely touching him. He panted softly in her ear, whispering her name and kissing right below her ear lobe.
Is this what you want?
He clenched his eyes as he yelled out, collapsing on top of her. Their breath intermingled for a while, the room filled with only their soft pants and groans. Finally, the male flipped over, bringing the female onto his chest. Yuffie buried her fact in his side, slowing succumbing to sleepiness.
Seeing that he was still sleeping, Yuffie gently pried his arms from her waist, moving towards the bathroom completely naked. The afterglow made her feel warm and fuzzy, just like before. She didn't know if she was supposed to feel shame or not. She was, after all, pretty young. 'I had sex with the person I love. There's no shame in that.' She shut the bathroom door with a quiet click, leaning against the door and sighing.
She stared at her reflection, brushing her hand through her tangled hair, now almost reaching her shoulders. 'I don't lookany different..' She was running her hands over her chest when she felt a small bump. She frowned, looking down. "Squall's mark," she muttered, continuing to look over body. "And another one," she said mildly, spotting another on her shoulder. "And…" she moved closer to the mirror, nearly screaming.
"Holy shit!" she yelled, slamming open the bathroom door, only to find Squall awake and staring at her. He raised an eyebrow when she made faces and pointed to all the hickeys adorning her body. "WHAT'D YOU DO?!" She bent down and picked up the first random thing that she found on the floor, which happened to be her shoe, and flung it at Squall. He barely managed to dodge it as more items came flying at him.
"I only did what you did to me," he said calmly, despite narrowly avoiding several items. "And don't throw things. You'll wake everyone up." As an afterthought, he looked out the window, wondering why it was still dark. He discovered it was because it was nearly 12:00 in the morning. He sighed, wondering why both of them had been compelled to wake up at such a time.
"Squall, look outside," Yuffie had stopped chucking things, and was leaning over him, pointing out the balcony window. Squall sat up and hunched over her, wrapping one arm around her waist and using the other to lean against the windowpane. Seeing what Yuffie was referring to wasn't very hard. There was a large Christmas tree erected in the town's square of the First District. Despite the high climbing walls, it was still easily visible from the Second District. There was a myriad of lights on it, and he'd imagine hundreds of people gathered around the bottom of it.
He already knew what Yuffie was going to say. He sighed and slowly disentangled himself from her, getting up to find his boxers. Yuffie turned back to him, asking him what he was doing.
"You want to go, right?" He had found his underclothes, and was pulling on his pants now. Yuffie opened her mouth, closed it, then nodded.
"How did you know?" she questioned, getting up to dig through her ivory drawers for some warmer clothes. She finally settled on baggy army pants and the same forest green tank that she usually wore. She put on her bright orange gloves, wrapping her scarf firmly around her neck.
"It's obvious," he answered after a while, walking up to her and tugging on her hair in a reprimanding way. "Won't you be cold in that?"
Yuffie shook her head, taking his hand and dragging him out the door. "I will until I steal your coat. Besides, I know you like it when I wear this top."
"Yeah," Squall answered absently, looking up into the sky. The last time he ever participated in something like this it was snowing and he was only a teen…
The ninja pulled him along, ignoring his grunts as she yanked particularly hard in some instances. They had to weave through the throng of people that now inhabited the street, most of them nursing a cup of hot chocolate or a present of some sort. Kids yelled and screamed happily, throwing Frisbees, balls, and other hazardous items that they were sure to get hit with at least once.
"What've I gotten myself into?" the male muttered as they met up with everyone else, who were sitting around a bench. Riku, Sora, and Kairi had found a bunch of kids to play tag with, and sadly, they seemed to be losing half the time. But they also seemed to be having extreme fun doing it. Cloud, Aerith, and Cid all had gotten a leave from the hospital for one day to spent time at the festivities. Shera was present also, they'd been told, and she was just off to buy all of them some food. Goofy and Donald had also found some children, but they were able to entertain the youngsters just by plain talking. Obviously they got a kick out of seeing talking animals.
"Everyone's here!" Yuffie exclaimed, tugging on Squall's arm and making him wince. She tried not to frown. He was so…energetic before, but now he seemed as pained as an old man. Either that or he was just putting on an act so she wouldn't force him to do things. Well, either way, she was going to make him have a fun time, whether he liked it or not. "Except Sephiroth…" she added quietly.
"What?" Cid demanded, apparently having heard her. "You want your raper to be here?"
"Shut up," Yuffie snapped. "He did rape me, but he also helped me. I'd probably dead right now if it wasn't for him. I know he's a little twisted, but he's also not that bad anymore." She didn't know what had compelled her to defend him, only that she believed what she said was true. He was off kilter, in a way, but he was also completely sane. She didn't know how to describe it.
Aerith said nothing, still a little disturbed about her talk with the general. She took a glance at Cloud, then at his hand intertwined with hers. 'He doesn't know,' she reminded herself. No one knew but her and Sephiroth. She briefly wondered if he really did heed her advice, and go see the doctor.
'Why would he listen to me?' She asked herself, and at the same time wondering why she was asking herself that. She sighed and shook her head, clearing her mind of any thoughts of him. She didn't need this. If he didn't listen to her, then fine.
"Oh crap, it's Dr. Holsen," Yuffie muttered, spotting man walking toward them. "Run Squall." Dr. Holsen had been the same doctor that had been given the job of watching over the Gunblade specialist. Squall imagined the middle-aged man hated him now, mainly because of his sudden disappearance right before an X-ray checkup. For a man at the age of twenty-five, he'd sure given that hospital hell. Holsen definitely wasn't there to give them his blessings.
"Hello doctor," Aerith said warmly, smiling sweetly at him. Of course she had no reason to be uneasy around him. Her man had actually stayed in the hospital like he'd been told. "Do you need something?" she couldn't help glancing at Squall as she said this. Conveniently, he seemed about a foot and a half away from where he'd been a few previous seconds ago.
"Fortunately," Dr. Holsen said, adjusting his eyeglasses, "I'm not here to reprimand any of you." He looked of the rim of his spectacles at Yuffie as he said this. "I'm here to give you the report on…Sephiroth. That man refused to give an indication of a last name."
They all stared at him for a moment. "Sephiroth…is in the hospital?" Aerith finally chanced to ask. She was surprised she could even speak. He actually listened to her?
"Sadly, no. He demanded that he be let out for tonight. A colorful array of words, that one has. Anyways, here's his results," he handed them over to Aerith, who gave him a confused look. "He said you forced him to do it, so he wanted you to see them."
"You talked to him?"
Aerith looked up to Cloud, and she was surprised to see no anger in his face. He looked perfectly calm. She nodded slowly, unsure if he was just holding in his rage so he could get her to tell the truth. When she silently admitted to it, he still showed no resentment.
"I'm sorry," Aerith blurted before he could even speak. "He just came out of nowhere…and he was injured and I got worried. I'm sorry."
"It's alright," Cloud assured her quietly, wiping away a stray tear from her eye. "I'm not really that mad. I'm angry about him coming to you when I wasn't there, but I don't mind about you telling him to see a doctor. You would've done that to anyone."
"That's nice," Yuffie interrupted, her curiosity making her antsy. "Just tell us what's wrong with him."
Aerith complied, not in the right mind to argue. "A few broken bones and…" she stared at it for a moment. "Some deep psychological trauma and a low level of chemical poisoning."
"The poisoning must be the stuff that Kir gave him to control him," Yuffie said thoughtfully, linking it together. "Just how I had a reaction with the steroid-thingys he gave me, he also had a reaction. Just not as bad."
"That's probably it," Aerith agreed, tracing her fingers over the various data. "Thank you doctor." She smiled again.
"It's quite alright. …Oh for heaven's sakes I seem to have lost that boy again…" the doctor trailed off, silently going off to look for his patient. They waited until he was out of earshot before they all started to speak once more.
"That's all he wanted? I swear he was coming over here to tell me to drink my tonic," Yuffie muttered, remembering how she'd been forced to drink the vile concoction.
"You have to drink that stuff?" Cloud wondered, staring up at the large decorated tree and scrunching up his nose. Yuffie wasn't the kind of person that needed something to invigorate her. Was she using it for strength?
The young girl nodded as an answer, but didn't meet his gaze. She really didn't drink it. Just acted like she did. That stuff tasted bad.
"He's gone," a voice behind the bench stated. Yuffie actually screamed, being nearly scared out of her wits. She wasn't very compatible with sneaky people. That's why she avoided horror movies, for the most part. She was sure that every scene would have her crying in her seat. She quickly toned herself down after receiving a few worried glares, and a small amount of spontaneous screams from some children.
"You," Squall stated neutrally, his voice betraying any anger he might have. Sephiroth nodded informally, walking around from behind the bench to lean on it. Cloud rolled his eyes and shoved the general's elbow off rudely. Despite his already showing hostility, Sephiroth said nothing. So Cloud still hadn't accepted him. That encounter with Hades and himself still bothered the blonde…
Old habits die hard.
"Now everyone is really here!" Yuffie sang jovially. No one wanted to mess up her upbeat mood, so they all played along. After some time Shera returned, holding a cup-holder filled with four mugs of steaming coffee. She looked a little alarmed to see Sephiroth, Yuffie, and Squall there, but she was keen to hide it.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were coming," Shera gestured to the drinks. "I only got enough for the four of us…"
Yuffie shook her head and hands. "No, it's ok. We didn't think we were going to come either." She jerked around and looked at Sephiroth, sensing him staring at her. "Whaddaya want?"
"Taking care of Kamakiri?" he asked monotonously. "He gets pretty bitchy if you don't talk to him once in a while."
Yuffie nodded, but suddenly his words hit her, as if she'd just realized it now. "OH CRIPES!" she yelled, glancing at Squall, who was staring at her in question. She looked back at Sephiroth, half-alarmed, and about ready to burst from embarrassment. "He's always there right?"
"Yes." Sephiroth saw panic settle into her features. What the hell was crawling up her ass?
Squall seemed to be thinking in the same direction. "Why are you so worried? I thought you knew that." Yuffie glared at him, and made a 'bleh' sound.
"Hello, Squall," she said with exasperation, throwing up her hands. "He's always there. Always." Squall was about to ask her again why she was so frustrated about that, when he finally realized what she had only moments before.
"Oh shit," he groaned, covering his face with his hands. "He was actually there when…" he cursed. "Oh shit."
Sephiroth burst into laughter before any of them knew what was happening. Most people passing by would've found someone laughing on Christmas very normal. But to the six nearest to him, watching a murderer not laugh completely insanely wasn't very normal at all. He was really laughing. Not insane I-will-kill-you-laugh, but just the sane one. That was pretty weird.
"He resides in your subconscious, Yuffie. You can't make him go away, but you can make him go into a sleep-like trance. He could stay that way for a few seconds to a few years," Sephiroth explained, telling her the sublime truth. She had to admit that she was happy about being able to do that….but she wished he could've told her that sooner.
"This is soooo embarrassing," she muttered, slowly calling upon Kamakiri. She knew she would eventually. Even if she didn't, he would force her to talk to him sooner or later.
'Yes?'
'Kamakiri?' She chose not to speak out loud for this particular conversation. This was not something she wanted everyone else to hear. Especially bystanders. The last thing she wanted was to be ostracized by the people because of her crude words.
'Oh. You're not making noises anymore, I see. I wish you'd keep your thoughts to yourself. They are very-as you would say-gross.'
'I'm sorry,' she apologized profusely, trying to ignore the way everyone was staring at her expectantly. Squall was still cursing and muttering next to her, thank the heavens. She didn't want him breathing down her throat and demanding things at the moment. 'I didn't know…I forgot and everything…'
'It's all right…I suppose. I put myself to sleep halfway through…your little session. I would rather not have nightmares.'
'Oh come on, we couldn't have been that bad!' Well, we probably were, she thought. She was just trying to make light talk to get rid of this humiliating experience. She wondered what Kamakiri had been thinking when he'd heard Squall say 'It's just about the two of us…'
"Agh!" she yelled out loud, something that wasn't intentional. She glared at Sephiroth for some reason unknown to her. Maybe because she blamed him for not telling her sooner. "You could've said something."
"I did," Sephiroth pointed out. "You just didn't remember."
'I'm sorry,' she said again, not wanting to argue with Sephiroth any longer. She really did forget, anyways.
'Alright, alright. Just tell me beforehand next time you do something like that.'
Yuffie promised him that she would. Even though he was housed in her mind, she had to awe at who was really the burden to who. She seemed to be giving him more stress than he could ever give in a lifetime.
"Ok…now that that's taken care of," she glared at everyone. She certainly didn't miss their downcast looks when she didn't explain what she and Kamakiri had talked about. Sometimes they could be so nosey. 'But I'm the nosiest,' she couldn't help but add. "We can all hang our stars on the tree!"
"What t'hell you talkin' about?" Cid demanded, being his normal self despite his injuries and the holidays. "What stars?"
Yuffie walked over to him and forcibly yanked the coffee from him, taking sips of it. "The wishing stars, dumb bum. You get to choose a colored paper, you write a wish on it, and then you hang it on the tree. Then everyone stands around it and prays for them to all come true."
Cid snorted, drawing out a cigarette. "I've never heard of it."
"They do it every year," Aerith said, rolling her eyes. "You just never participated in it. You were too busy terrorizing all the dressed up Santas."
"I did no such thing," he defended himself when he saw Shera glare at him.
"Cid!" she yelled, slapping his shoulder. She snatched the cig from his mouth and threw it into the snow where he couldn't retrieve it. "You scared people on the holidays? You're terrible!"
"I didn't!" he snapped, standing up. "That was my last damn cigarette, ya stupid woman! And give me back my damn coffee!" He yelled the last line to Yuffie, who had finished it off and put it down in the snow.
"STUPID!?" Shera shrilled, diverting his attention back to her. "Don't you dare-"
"Oh will you-"
"I can't believe they still argue like that," Aerith said thoughtfully. The five of them had actually walked away while the couple argued. That wasn't anything out of the ordinary. They could fight like hounds for the whole day, and still manage to get along right before bed. I wonder why…
"I can," Yuffie quipped. "Cid can get anyone all riled up." She spotted a tall, aging woman handing large and small colored stars to people passing by. "Oh, over there! Come on!"
They all walked over to the woman, known as Trig. Yuffie had never found out why everyone called her that. She knew for a fact that that wasn't the real woman's name. Squall told her that she an amazing trigonometry teacher on her own planet, hence the name. Yuffie thought that she was a trigger-happy assassin. And Cid just believed that there were some sick parents out there that called their kids stupid names. Funny enough, he had looked directly at Squall and Cloud when he said this.
"Squall," she muttered, trying not to laugh. She had to admit that wasn't exactly a completely normal name, but she still liked it. The man in question looked down at her, kissing her head.
"What is it?" he slid his arm around her waist, making her feel like a Siamese twin. She doubted that he realized how strong he was. She really did feel like he was trying to attach her to him.
"Nothing," she said quietly, not wanting him to know what she was giggling about. He'd probably not appreciate her telling him that.
"Why's your name Trig?" They all stared at Sephiroth, who had stated the question so bluntly. They were mostly taken over by surprise though that he'd just asked a question that they'd been wondering about for years. And he'd just met her. The middle-aged woman smiled kindly, handing him five stars in the process.
"My mother named me that," she told them, not even wavering as she said this. "Would you need any more stars?"
"Yes," Aerith said, choosing not to look at Yuffie, who was covering her face with her hands in a feeble attempt. "Seven more, actually."
"Seven?" Trig asked in wonder. "That's a lot of friends you got there."
Aerith quietly reflected on her friends: two sword wielders, a pilot, a mechanic, a ninja, a Keyblade master, two ex-murderers, two animals, and one princess. Not the most normal group, but definitely the specialist. She took the other stars without a word, but just nodded. They all walked away while managing to keep straight faces. As they found a spot at an outdoor restaurant where they could sit down, Yuffie exploded.
"Cid was actually right!" She sighed, reflecting on what he said. "Well he's right most of the time, but holy crap, I didn't think his theory was even possible. Holy crap."
"Just don't let him hear you say that," Cloud muttered. He too, was in deep thought, mostly about the fifth edition to their group. He was actually walking around with Sephiroth, and none of them were fighting. It was like they were…friends. "I need a pen," he stated absently.
"I don't have o-" Aerith began, stopping short when she saw Sephiroth reach into his long duster and pull out about seven fountain pens. They all sat there and stared for a moment, the table completely silent. He looked at all them.
"What?" he asked, sounding innocent for once. Squall was the first to say something. Unfortunately, it wasn't a very intellectual one.
"What the hell?" he asked incredulously. "You carry around pens?"
"No," Sephiroth said calmly. "I got bored waiting in that hospital, so I snatched these off the desks of the workers."
"These are from the hospital?" Aerith demanded, looking seriously offended. Yuffie found that quite funny. Anything bad happened to the hospital, and Aerith acted like someone had attacked her own child.
"The great Sephiroth steals pens from hospitals," Cloud muttered. "What is the world coming to?"
"Those workers paid for those pens!" Aerith ranted on.
"Aerith, those ballpoints cost about fifty-nine cents," Yuffie said sardonically, and at the same time trying to calm her. Squall said nothing, just busied himself with writing down his wish. While everyone freaked out about the pens and from where they were from, he just took one and used it. It wasn't that hard.
Eventually, everyone seemed to realize this too. Aerith finally resigned from battering the general with her words, silently writing down her own intentions. They all sat at the table once they'd finished, nobody saying anything. A grumbling stomach abruptly resounded around the table, coming mainly from Yuffie.
"I'm hungry," she declared, speaking for her stomach. "Let's get something."
"What do you want?" Squall asked, slipping his star into his jacket. He didn't want anyone to chance a peek at it just yet.
"I dunno…" They called over a waiter, and after a few moments, they all ordered what they wanted. As they waited for their late dinner, Aerith spoke up.
"This feels wrong without Cid and Sora and the others," she murmured, looking guilty. Cloud rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"They already ate, remember? Besides, it's not like we're their keepers. If they're hungry, they can go find their own food." Cloud nuzzled her head in reassurance of his words. Aerith nodded numbly and took a sip of her tea.
Yuffie, meanwhile, picked at the salad on her plate, shifting it around to look like a face. She didn't want to eat too much of it. Her stomach had shrunken considerably over the last month, and she wanted enough room to eat her actual meal. She couldn't help staying away from her glass of soda though. She hadn't had coke in a long time and every time she looked at it she had an incredible urge to drink some. She watched everyone else sip at their drinks. She wondered if they had noticed her trying some of theirs when they weren't looking.
"Does yours have alcohol?" she directed her question at Sephiroth. He nodded, then smirked a little.
"I saw you drink it already, so you don't have to say anything."
Aerith laughed out of nowhere. Apparently, they'd all seen her, but had chosen not to say anything. That was pretty demeaning, especially to a ninja like her, but she didn't let it bother her.
By the time the food came, Yuffie was one her third cup of coke. She tried to believe in her little philosophy that liquids and solids went to two different stomachs as she started to chomp down on her burger. This thing tasted so good, and she was willing herself not to get full just yet. She still needed to eat some fries!
"You can slow down," Cloud commented as he balanced his fork halfway between his mouth and plate. "Last time you eat that fast you blew some pretty colorful chunks."
"And spit all over us," Squall added.
Aerith had to put her two cents in too. "And had a stomach ache for hours."
Yuffie threw her hands up. "Oh fine! You're all against me." She looked at Sephiroth, who was silently eating some sort of seafood platter. Noticing that she was looking at him expectantly, he spoke calmly.
"As long as it's not on me, I don't care what you do." He went back to eating as Yuffie made a victorious cry.
"Ha! At least someone isn't plotting against me." She quickly went back to inhaling her food, leaving everyone else to stare in wonder. Was this really the same girl that had faced death only days before?
In the end, Yuffie did have some pretty intense urges to throw up, but managed to hold it in. They paid for their bill and left, now all filled with food and relatively happy. As they neared the tree again, they could see people standing around it in a large circle, looking up in wonder. They quickly pushed through the crowds, finding Cid and the others already there. They had filled up their own stars, so Aerith went to return the ones they'd gotten for them. As they all stood around in a large group, Yuffie softly spoke.
"What'd you wish for?" It was a general question, and judging from the way she said it, it wasn't something they had to answer.
Aerith, Kairi, and Shera were naturally the first inclined to answer. Their answers mostly had to do with 'peace for these worlds', 'true love to last forever' and stuff like that. Donald and Goofy had wished for the welfare of their king. That left only the most powerful fighters of their group to answer.
"I would say, 'to find my light', but that's happened already," Cloud started. He kissed Aerith softly on the cheek. "So I wished that I could keep that light."
Yuffie nodded, happy that everyone was telling her. She knew that the wishes were private, but she was contented they were also all open enough with each other that they could say it out loud. Sora and Riku were next.
"I wished that I didn't have to go through this again," Sora said comically, holding up his crown necklace as an explanation. Riku had a similar answer to that, only his was, "Not to be in darkness ever again."
She looked to Sephiroth. "To start…over again," he said after some time, turning his head away. She smiled and gave him an awkward, but warm pat on the arm. His head was turned away and she couldn't see his face that well but…she believed that he had smiled.
The mayor suddenly appeared on a podium, clearing his throat. He spoke over the din of the crowds, his voice loud and booming. He spoke of the history of Traverse Town, and of the recent events. He made a commemoration to those that had died, saying that there was a book up on the podium where people could write the names of their dead loved ones. Yuffie made a mental note to write down Sphinx and…
Luxina.
She sighed, staring up into the brilliant night sky. She remembered a fonder time when she had looked up at the stars, half out of anger from finding out that Squall had been engaged. She sighed again, just to clear her mind.
'If it wasn't for you…' she thought, trailing off. Luxina had started off a chain of events that had turned from petty to catastrophic. She wondered if Luxina was in horror at what her jealousy had caused, marveling up there somewhere. She also wondered if the older woman realized that if it hadn't been for her, she wouldn't have realized how wonderful life was.
It was true. Before being controlled by Sephiroth, being diagnosed…she didn't think much of life. Her parents had been taken away from her, her home destroyed, and the one man she loved completely hated her. She thought she was just about ready to die. Then when Luxina came, she was hurtled into a world of rage that eventually turned out into something that was beyond her control. Now, she could reflect on every moment of pain and suffering, and come to realize she had to be one of the luckiest people in the world. She was loved, safe, and (mostly) healthy. She couldn't believe that she'd actually thought about ever throwing that away.
"…On this night we remember those dear to us…"
She reached her hand up to her cheek, realizing she was crying because of the mayor's words. She had a reason to cry, she believed. Her body held scars that she doubted anyone her age had. Her mind had been put through about as much stress as a psychotic's. And her heart had been forced to break down and mend several times. Was she really that blessed?
Yes.
A beautiful young little girl with brilliant red hair tied into pigtails was raised onto a ladder, high above the tree. She showed no fear, despite the towering height that she stood at. Yuffie watched the brave and beaming child hold up a crystalline angel, bright and glimmering. Slowly, the girl placed the angel at the top of the tree, completing the magnificent sight. Caroling started, sweet and pure. As the music played on and the little girl was lowered down, Yuffie looked up at the man who held her, the man that she loved.
"Squall?" she whispered the name quietly, looking up with wide eyes. He looked down at her, blue eyes gentle and understanding. "What…did you wish for?"
He smiled and pulled her in for kiss as a new song was started up, jovial and saccharine.
"I would say, 'To be brought to life,'" he started, using Cloud's words. "But that's already happened. So I wished…to live like this always." He kissed her then, slow and gentle. Yuffie smiled and leaned into him, never feeling happier. Her own wish echoed in her head.
I wish for a happily ever after.
She had made it-she was alive. She was with the love of her life, she had a wild and wonderful array of friends, and she had a home again. She closed her eyes and kissed him again, long and passionate. She could finally say something that she'd wished to say for years, ever since she was a kid and read those romance novels. With the stars shining above them, and music in her ears, she sighed, whispering softly into Squall's ear.
"The end."
A/N: AHHH!! IT'S OVER!!! ::cries her heart out:: Yes, I am truly sad that it's over. I know I said I hated it as I went along, but near the end, I suddenly became so attached and eager to write it. This is the longest chapter but it feels like the shortest…. And now it's over….WAHHH!!
Aside from that, I am also in near tears from my reviewer's overwhelming support. I have never gotten so many reviews in a chapter before. The response was just amazing. No one said they were missed, and am happy about that. Just to show my love, I will write down the names of those who just reviewed, just to show I really appreciated it.
Zarrel's Darkside
Greyspark
Rikus-angel15
Kody
Aeris Gainsborough
Taryn
Fanficlvr
Suzu
Fireangel29
I think those were all the ones…sorry if I missed or repeated. I had to jump back and forth from the internet to my last chapter to this, and I got kinda dizzy in the process.
So..what'd you think of it? I know, it's outta the norm that Sephiroth's walking around with them like a normal person, huh? That's what I was aiming for. Come on people, you gotta give the guy a break.
And whoo, that sex scene. GET IT ON!! Ahem, but anyways, I'm sorry if it's weird. I'm bad at romance, to be honest. That's why Yuffie kept interrupting him and stuff.
I would really appreciate it if all of you reviewed again. Then maybe it will fuel me to write my other story faster. Just think of it this way: the faster I write my 'Warrior, I Am,' the faster a sequel will come out for this. How 'bout it?
Hee hee, I'm evil, I know. REVIEW!!
Ok, one last thing. Seriously. Wanna know what Sphinx looked like? Ok…look here: MsoNormal This is Mia, from .hack/Sign. That's where I got the idea for Sphinx. She looks exactly like Mia…just picture her all black with no clothes…--
Again, review!!