To love an Ancient: An Aeris and Sephiroth story
Chapter 38
Unexpected Reunions
Disclaimer
I guess it is kinda obvious that I do not own Final Fantasy 7, so I don't think that I will need to say more about it.....
Anyway..... Thank you to everyone who has reviewed my chapters for this fic and so many others I have written. I really do appreciate it and especially to those who have given me info on how to defeat a certain OWA in KH. It probably isn't overly amazing thing to most people reading this A.N, since they probably had little trouble defeating him, but it has simply made my day and now I can get back to things which are important, writing this fic and doing sketches for my art exam. *rubs hands together* Alright then, since I left this fic at a rather odd cliff hanger, I guess I'll need to fix that then. Oh and don't worry...Sephiroth hasn't left Aeris yet. Yet being the 'key' word in future chapters..*ahem* anyway I guess I should stop with my ramblings and get on with my fic....
Oh and I think a few avid A/S fans will like this chapter.
Enjoy.....
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2 hours later
"Stupid, stupid, argh!" Sephiroth growled as he fisted his gloved hand and punched it through the wall. His breath rose and fell rapidly, while his eyes darted in the direction from where he came. Muttering more incoherent words of anger at the mere thought of unease that he felt for leaving the girl, he paced on the deck of the ship, caring nothing about the fact that he wasn't taking precaution of being seen. Swiping back a bang from his face with irritation, he took a moment to calm himself, breathing out a groan of annoyance as he tried to keep his eyes trailing behind him and back to a certain Cetra girl. A gloved hand unconsciously raised itself to his cheek. A red blemish although faint marred the side of his face and although he felt no pain from the injury, the surprise from how the Cetra girl held the courage to hit him dealt more than a blow to the swordsman's pride than he would be ever willing to admit.
"That Cetra...what was she thinking?" Sephiroth growled out to himself, watching as the ship was began to set sail. His figure was taunt while his face unconsciously tried to hold the look of indifference, however the thoughts in his mind were beginning to eat away at his cool facade.
"I was trying to contact mother and Aeris..." The swordsman mumbled rubbing his temple in thought as he stared over at the sea, watching the waves rise and fall, trying to lull the pent up anger inside him, before storming back into his pace. He was oblivious to his surroundings as his trench coat whipped around with each turn he made. His gloved hands fisting in his hair as he tried to contemplate what had gone so wrong.
"It wasn't like I commanded her to do anything beyond her, or even offended her in any way...or did I?" Sephiroth spoke out loud, as he stared down at his scuffed boots, as he paced, his mind still coming up with a blank.
"Why does she never ever tell me what is wrong with her?" Sephiroth spat as he turned to grab the railing beside him, his aquamarine eyes filled with confusion and irritation as he let out another low groan of exasperation, slamming one of his hands against the metal rail.
"Never have I had to deal with such a recklessness child. After all the hospitality I have given her. If she were just a mere human I know that I would have not have tolerated her as much as I already have," The swordsman spoke surely, but after thinking about what he said, he was slowly beginning to have his doubts with the thought.
"And besides," Sephiroth continued to himself, feeling the ship's engine sound beneath him. He felt the ship jerk beneath him and finally set sail.
"I have never treated the girl in any indecent way, and she should be grateful that I am not like those weak humans who only take in young girls like her for simple sexual pleasures." The warrior spat, feeling the wind quicken around him as the ship set sail, silver tendrils of his hair flailing out behind him in the breeze.
Sephiroth snorted, looking up at the sky. "She's too naive and innocent. It's still surprising to me that she has survived on her own in the slums. Cetra will or not, her lack of consideration will be her downfall if she doesn't buck up her ideas. Then again, she was not that disruptive on the beginning of our journey. Maybe she is testing my will or something?"
Unfortunately, as the swordsman was delving too deep into his thoughts, he was unaware of the figure standing behind hi who held their mouth agape. A cry left their lips drawing Sephiroth out of his thoughts. His eyes widened in alarm as he saw a SOLDIER clad in blue running away from him in fright.
"Blast. So foolish!" Sephiroth chastised himself for not realising the danger of his position and the chances that he would be seen. Drawing the blade into his dexterous fingers, he moved with unnatural grace after the figure, charging with his Masamune poised to strike. The SOLDIER turned his head behind him as his face paled considerably with horror, mentally cursing himself for his foolish curiosity. The SOLDIER's hazel eyes dilated, watching the long blade arch up above his head before falling swiftly down. His eyes fell shut and his mouth trembled in terror before the ever peaceful eternal darkness fell upon him. The last thing he saw was the pair of horrifying mako green eyes callously staring him down...
"Blasted Cetra and the problems she causes me. Never have I ever been caught unaware like that. Especially not by a weak Shinra cadet." Sephiroth cursed.
"No. I cannot blame her for my slip-ups..." The silver haired warrior stated softly before mulling over the thought. "...could that be why her attitude has begun to change towards me?" The swordsman pondered the thought for a moment before shaking his head.
"Stop loosing focus. Shinra is everywhere and it is not like I care what that girl feels," Sephiroth reprimanded himself, before hearing his subconscious laugh mockingly at him.
'Yeah, so you left the girl alone so you can worry what she feels without her knowing. Smart move Sephiroth. Real smart.'
"Shut up!" Sephiroth snapped, as his conscience laughed at him.
'Yeah and now you're acting like a little child. Running away from a girl since she manages to draw feelings out of you think you've never had.'
"I'm not running away from Aeris!" The swordsman barked out loud, his eyebrows furrowing with anger at his own conscience. To think that he himself thought he felt fear from Aeris. 'That's absurd...'
"HEY LOOK! INTRUDER! SOUND THE ALARM!" Cried a shrill voice as Sephiroth whipped his head up at the shout staring across the ship to see two figures pointing over in his direction.
"Damn it!" The swordsman cursed watching as the figures ran off into the distance before an alarm cried out above him. He realised yet again that he wasn't being careful and alert as he usually was. A certain emerald eyed Cetra's face came back to his thoughts thinking how poorly he had been acting as her guardian, even though it wasn't entirely official. Placing a apathetic look on his face, he looked down at the floor to the corpse which lay there in a growing pool of blood, before turning to the direction from whence he came, to the place where he left Aeris. Suddenly he paused mid-stride and almost did a face vault when he saw a figure in blue crawl out the hatchet. An anger began to grow within him at the thought that Aeris had clearly disobeyed him but after looking further his anger dissipate, as apprehension made itself present at the sight of the blue clad SOLDIER holding a large weapon at their side.
"Aeris wields no gun," Sephiroth pondered, his footsteps increasing speed with each step as he saw the gun wielding fighter raise their hands in an attempt to remove their helmet. A jungle of unruly blonde spikes and piercing blue eyes made themselves present to which Sephiroth couldn't help but choke at in surprise.
"Strife's here!" Sephiroth incredulously gasped, soaking all the information in as he turned to hide behind one of the storage boxes. He watched as Cloud stripped off the ShinRa's blue uniform, his purple 1st class SOLDIER outfit making itself known.
The general held back the urge to show himself, as he saw his puppet shake his head of spikes, before running towards, then past him to a place which Sephiroth couldn't really care less.
"Cloud was there with Aeris?!?!"
The thought in itself sparked a small bout of anxiety within the eyes of the swordsman. If Cloud had managed to converse his side of the story to Aeris then all was lost. Caring nothing for the sirens sounding around him, the swordsman ran towards the Cetra's hiding place. A dark thought constantly plagued his mind from what Aeris may have been told by the puppet. He banished the thought away as he swung the hatchet door open, eagerly climbing down the steps, then closing the hatchet above him. His mako eyes peered around the area with anxiety, hoping to see a pair of emerald green eyes looking at him. But what he didn't expect was a pair of arms come around him, as a terrified Cetra forced herself onto him.
'And by the looks of it, she is crying,' Sephiroth noted as he saw her shoulders tremble. The previous dark thoughts of what Strife had told her began to slowly rise back within him, as he pulled the girl's arms away from him, noting to himself that the girl had placed her helmet on her face once again.
"Aeris!" Sephiroth spoke calmly, not wanting to scare her all too soon. "What happened?"
Then the unexpected happened, Aeris pulled her hands away from the swordsman's and tossed the helmet of her face, before clinging again to the warrior's form, still sobbing.
"Oh I'm so sorry Sephiroth. I never meant to hurt you or make you leave. When you left and that SOLDIER came in.....I......I....was so afraid..." The girl cried out, her gloved hands clinging to the leather lapels of the general's coat as Sephiroth tried to comprehend what she was trying to say.
"What SOLDIER?" Sephiroth questioned, trying to gain as much information as he could. Although the girl's tears were too genuine to be lying, he was never one 'not' to assume for danger and lies, and if Cloud had told her to do this.....
"He...he came in here and I forgot to lock....the door. I first thought it was you...but it....it...wasn't...I....put my cap on....and... Oh I was so terrified without you here!" Aeris cried out, burying her face in his chest. Sephiroth was scrutinising her form carefully, feeling slightly guilty that he couldn't hold enough trust for the young girl.
Sephiroth nodded anyway in response, but he could help but check. "So he didn't say anything?"
Aeris shook her head side to side. "No... he asked me if I was a merchant and if I had any potions to sell...then the alarm sounded and he ran off...."
Sephiroth quietly laughed to himself at his luck.
'Strife, you are so more foolish than I thought... Any fool would realise that Aeris doesn't even hold a resemblance of a fighter let alone a ShinRa lackey...'
Sephiroth's cold hearted look began to slowly melt away on his face, at the thought that neither Aeris or his puppet recognised one another.
"Good little one. You held up well without me.." He stated, patting her head, his trust for the girl slowly returning. The Cetra pulled back from him her visor hiding the look in her eyes.
"Sephiroth?" Aeris questioned taking a few steps back as the swordsman looked on intently, placing his hands at his sides as he watched the girl take a small breath, her chestnut hair falling down her shoulders while the alarms on the ship sounded around him.
She paused, taking in a deep breath. "I'm sorry..." Sephiroth raised his right hand to interrupt, knowing fully well what she was going to say.
"It doesn't matter..." He countered causing the younger girl to frown before pulling the swordsman's hand back down. Sephiroth raised a silver eyebrow in response.
"Yes it does Seph!" Aeris exclaimed as she tugged the silver haired warrior's arm in both of her hands. "Even if you don't care, I need to get this off my chest."
Sephiroth nodded as he pulled his hand back from the girl's grasp.
'Okay here goes...' Aeris sighed to herself, staring directly at the swordman's face, searching for any signs of anger.
"Sephiroth. I am so sorry," Aeris said softly, as she began to wring her hands in discomfort, her face holding the look of guilt and sadness.
"It was wrong of me to hit you after everything you have done for me. Please...I'm sorry...I did not mean it. I felt so bad after you left and how I treated you. You have been more than kind to me and I have been acting like a spoilt brat, undeserving of your care. But...but.... when you left, it made me think about my attitude and that I have been awkward with you.... and that you didn't deserve any of it. You were right. You were only trying to protect me and...Oh Sephiroth I am so terribly sorry... I want you to stay with me as my friend. To have our journey together... But... if you don't want to," Aeris paused a single tear sliding down her cheek. "I...I understand. You wouldn't want to keep your mother waiting and..." Aeris stated as her voice cracked, sniffing slightly as tried to turn her face away. Her hands cradling her face and trying to stifle her cries.
Sephiroth couldn't help but feel a slight pang of sympathy and guilt at seeing the flowergirl so genuinely upset. True that she was the one who caused her own problems. Still.. Seeing her upset stirred something inside of him. His hand unconsciously moved over to the girl's shoulder, and had turned her back around to face him.
"Hey..." The swordsman whispered softly, his hand moved to her chin and lifted it up.
"Aeris, I'm not going anywhere." He stated softly attempting to console her the best he could. A soft half smile slid across his features as he watched the girl's eyes widen with shock and another emotion he couldn't fathom. It was as if a light of hope broke through the girl's sadness and enveloped her with happiness, dissipating all her clouded uncertainty. Her once dull green eyes sparkled with joy as a cry of laughter left her lips.
"I thought that you had left me, and I need you Seph. Oh god I need you!" Aeris cried out with happiness as she wrapped her arms around the warrior's neck, her entire body trembling as if about to give way. The swordsman's body froze in response to her forceful action, one of his hands unconsciously stroked her hair as he thought silently to himself.
He stayed like that for a while, holding the girl in his arms, oblivious to the sound of alarms above him. His aquamarine eyes held a soft look of contentment within the depths. The injury on his cheek was now a distant memory.
"Aeris?" Sephiroth questioned, pulling away from the girl and staring at her dampened eyes of joy.
Aeris looked up at his face. "Hnnn?"
"We both need to know that we can trust one another when a crisis occurs. So Aeris, please, if I command you to do something, please do it. I do not know whether you believe this or not, but I do not like scolding or lecturing you. But I need you to understand that whenever I want you to follow out an action, I wish for you to do it. It is for your own safety and I... do not wish to see you hurt." The swordsman finished. His head hung low at his last words, hoping that the Cetra had listened.
"I..." Aeris began, trying to summon enough courage within herself as she stared down at her clasped hands. The words Sephiroth said hit her down to the very core.
'He cares for me as he doesn't want to see me hurt..'
"Sephiroth...," Aeris began, watching as the swordsman rose his eyes to meet her.
"It was wrong of me to not listen to you before and I understand that...you hold more experience than me with most things." Aeris said, laughing lightly at her statement. "And since you are only 'commanding me' because you care," Aeris gulped trying to find extra words and trying not to embarrass herself at the same time. "I promise that I will try to listen to you more often and urrr... Seph, I am sorry for hurting you. Mentally and physically."
Sephiroth smiled through his silver bangs as he shook his head in amusement.
"You have already apologised yet again for your mistakes. Besides, you helped me realise a few things," The swordsman responded as Aeris gave him a curious look.
"Oh and what is that?" Aeris questioned, her brow furrowing.
The platinum haired warrior grinned. "That I need to train you to fight. A 'slap' wouldn't save you from a potential attacker."
Aeris held her mouth agape as the words sunk in. "Hey! I'm not 'that' weak. I saw you recoil back from my hit!" She tried to protest as Sephiroth hushed her, laughing silently to himself.
"That was from shock, not pain." The swordsman chuckled, watching the frown appear on the girl's face before disappearing. "You have the potential. Just not the strength."
Aeris sighed. "Yeah I guess you are right." The Cetra sighed after a moment. Her large eyes turned to look up carefully at the swordsman's face.
"Aren't I always?" Sephiroth teased, winning another mock anger look from the younger girl.
"No...." Aeris giggled as she tiptoed on her feet and tried to move one of the swordsman's bangs away from his face. Sephiroth couldn't help but stare down at her in puzzlement.
"Cetra what are you..." Sephiroth began but was silenced when he felt a hand rest on his cheek and stroke his skin underneath.
"Oh hush," Aeris responded as she took off her gloves and checked to see for injury. She watched with mild amusement at the look of surprise that flickered across the swordsman's features, like that of a small child given a treasure they were always refused to have. Laughing to herself at the stunned look on the warrior's face she couldn't help but test a idea which popped into her head. She pressed her lips against the once bruised cheek, as light as a butterfly caress before slowing pulling back to inspect the swordsman's reaction.
She didn't know whether she expected it or not.
'Oh my god...Is the Great Sephiroth actually blushing?' Aeris gasped to herself, as she saw the swordsman raise both of his eyebrows in surprise before shifting back from her with bewilderment. His aquamarine eyes widened in apparent shock, He trailed his hand to the area where her lips brushed against his skin. His cheeks flushed slightly as he tried to get control of the situation.
"What...what was that for?" The swordsman tried to bark out but he knew that it didn't even sound twice as hard as he wanted, and unfortunately for Sephiroth, Aeris knew it.
Aeris giggled again, placing her hands to her stomach. The expression on the swordsman's face was side-splitting.
"When I used to hurt myself, my mom used to kiss my injury to make me feel better."
Sephiroth looked even more perplexed and Aeris couldn't help but giggle more at his innocent attitude. "Why"
The Cetra shook her head smiling. "It was just a sign to show that she cared for me."
Sephiroth bent his head down, as if in thought, before raising his eyes to meet the Cetras.
"I see..."
"Ooohhh!" Aeris grinned knowingly, wagging a finger at him. "You're just afraid that since you are a fighter, that I will have to tend to lots of your 'booboos'."
The swordsman flush-paled at the thought. "What?!?"
The Cetra giggled in amusement, as she pulled her gloves back on and picked her helmet back up.
"Oh don't take it too seriously Seph. I was joking," The brunette grinned yet the swordsman's still held an odd look to his face.
"Oh come on Sephiroth, I said I was teasing. It's not like I expect you to kiss me or anything," The girl grinned before paling herself at her own words and mentally slapping herself....
But then.... he did just that...
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How cute! Sephiroth is kissing away the mental 'booboos' he has given Aeris. What an experience for Aeris eh? Well at least they have kissed and made up, then. I enjoyed writing this chapter as it ties in nicely with the previous one. Please read and review though and state your opinions on this chapter so that it can make me update faster.
Thanks you to the people who emailed me constantly to upload this chapter, I really appreciated it..
Oh and also, to you Kingdom Hearts fans out there. Just to let you know but I am writing a Romance/Angst/Humour epic set in a sequelish manner. And yep! you guessed it. The romance pairing is gonna be Sephiroth and Aeris however there will be Sora/Riku too. I have placed the rating as R just to be safe but if you want to read it, it's called. "KH2- Search of the legendary Keyblades."
If you want more info on the fic, go and read it. Chapter 1 is up and can be easily found by clicking my name and searching the title of the fic...
Ja ne
Aer_seph4eva