Kathryn sat staring down at her teddy bear, Sephiroth was once again laying on the bed, both on opposite sides of the room. "You could have had anyone in the world... Why did you pick me?"

Sephiroth was silent, she would have thought he was asleep except she could glance up to see his eyes open, staring at the ceiling, occasionally toward her. "...because.. you talked back to me... and you kicked me."

Her brows lowered over her eyes and she frowned at the bear, looking up at him, "Are you a masochist or something? Geez, the 'Great Sephiroth' loves pain! That'd make headlines."

Sephiroth sat up, glaring at her, but his look shifted to something else. "And because you say things like that," he continued.

She frowned at him, "Its called 'Sarcasm' dear. Can you say that word?"

He reached into his coat, pulling out a green sphere. He twirled it around on his hands some, watching it, then finally looking back at her, "I'm not good at....saying what I want," he said softly.

"I kinda figured that," Kathryn interrupted.

Sephiroth sighed, catching the materia in his hand, his fingers tightening over it. "Generally most get the point when I bash them over the head..." he growled, getting to his feet and walking toward her. "I picked you because you, out of all the twits in the world, are possible one of the few who could ever teach me anything. I picked you because you .... talk back." She looked at him in bewilderment and he sighed, giving up on trying to explain.

"Oh.... I- think I get it.. You want conversation," Kathryn said, hugging her bear.

He snapped his fingers, turning back around to point, "That's exactly what I meant!" he smiled one of his genuine smiles, causing her to blush. He came over to crouch in front of her, his eyes somewhat wide, showing her a side of him he'd shown no one else.

Kathryn looked back at him for a long moment before speaking, "War tactics may work on the battle field, but not all of life is a battle, and sometimes you've just gotta ...."

"Smell the flowers?" Sephiroth finished for her.

Kathryn couldn't help but laugh at his somewhat rueful expression, "Yeah.. smell the flowers," she replied. She shook her head, "I just don't think I could really....be the right one for you," she looked down at her bear again, hugging it to her chest. "Its... another reason why I didn't send in an application."

"There's more then that?" Sephiroth asked, somewhat confused, putting one knee against the floor, his arm resting on the other.

Kathryn nodded, "Much more then two... you probably wouldn't like the other reasons that much."

Sephiroth eyed her carefully, "Because you didn't want to live your life trapped here?"

"Yeah, that's another one. Another is... well, I'm not in the best of physical shape and I'd never be able to keep up with you. I'm not the most patient of people. I-" Sephiroth put his hand over her mouth.

"Stop that. Saying things like that isn't going to make me change my mind," he snapped and got to his feet again, stalking toward the door. He paused a moment at the door, looking back at her, "Are you coming?"

"W-what?" Kathryn asked, getting to her feet as well and swaying back against the wall a moment.

"With Hojo interested in you, I can't leave you here, but its stuffy," Sephiroth explained and opened the door. She pushed herself off the wall, tossing the bear onto the bed, ignoring Sephiroth's slightly disgusted look, walking out into the hall.

She smiled at him, "What? Afraid someone'll see it and word will get around that you have a teddy bear?" Kathryn asked with a smirk.

Sephiroth glanced at her, "Watch it... I just might get tired of that mouth of yours..." he warned.

Kathryn moved away from him a few steps, "You're far worse then anything I've ever heard about you," she told him flat out and his blank expression didn't change. Kathryn had the feeling that she'd hurt him, though.

"Come," he said stiffly and made his way toward the elevator. Kathryn followed, walking at least five feet back from him. She wondered idly what he was thinking about, staring at his broad firm muscled back.

They stepped into the elevator and Sephiroth put his key-card into the slot. "What are you thinking about?" Kathryn finally asked.

He frowned at her, "That is none of your business," he snapped.

"I'm going to be married to you, and I'd like to get to know you somewhat, so maybe it is my business?" Kathryn pushed her luck. Sephiroth's hand paused as he was about to press a button. He finally pressed it, not answering her in the slightest. "And you know... it's rude not to answer someone when they ask you a question."

"Who said I ever had manners?" Sephiroth snapped at her.

"No need to get snotty.." She folded her arms on her stomach and leaned back against the glass of the elevator, looking out as the ground grew closer.

Sephiroth was stonily silent for a few floors, "I was thinking how you really don't know anything about me..." he stared straight forward at the elevator doors, his expression blank.

Kathryn slowly looked over at him, "What are you really after, Sephiroth?" she asked softly, not daring to move any closer to him.

He was silent again, "Perhaps.... a friend," he replied after a few more floors passed upward. About that time, the doors opened and Sephiroth retrieved his key-card, stepping out. Kathryn reluctantly followed behind him.

They stepped into the cafeteria floor and Kathryn sighed, she hated the food here. Following Sephiroth past the line of people, he went straight in, got what he wanted, neglected to pay, and left to find an empty table at the back of the room. Kathryn continued to follow Sephiroth and set her own not-paid-for plate down at the table. She eyed what he had picked and frowned.

"What are you- a cannibal? All you've got is meat!" she exclaimed, sitting down and poking at her food with her Spork.

He looked back at what she'd gotten, "And are you a cow? All you got was the desert," he fired back at her.

She glowered, getting her spoon-fork full of some vanilla pudding and carefully aiming at him, he didn't do more then glance at her, figuring she wouldn't do it.

Kathryn giggled when the pudding hit him square in the forehead, splattering his bangs and dripping down his nose. Slowly, he looked at her, "I didn't think you'd do it..." he said softly, cutting some of his meat with his spork and aiming it at her. She smirked.

"You wouldn't DARE-" she dodged and the piece of meat flew over her head. "Hah! You missed me!"

"Food is generally not my weapon of choice-" another volley of pudding hit him in the chin. Sephiroth picked up the giggly pouch of milk and he retaliated. Stabbing the straw into the plastic and aiming at her.

Kathryn shrieked, "Food fight!!!" she picked up her packet of milk and aimed the straw at him as she squeezed.

Sephiroth dodged, grabbing a hamburger patty and Frisbee throwing it at her. She shrieked when it beamed her in the forehead. The rest of the employees fled the room, packing the elevator and stairs, leaving Sephiroth and Kathryn by themselves with free reign over the food left on the tables.

Sephiroth chased Kathryn around the room, throwing things he scraped off plates at her as she dodged behind the trees planted in giant pots. She ducked behind one of the pots and as he came around it to tackle her, she jumped up with a tray in both hands, intending to dump its contents down his front.

"Oh my god!" Kathryn gasped as Sephiroth thumped to the floor after the tray hit him directly in the face. She knelt down, "Please tell me you're alright-" she started to say then squeaked as his arms grabbed her, pinning her to his chest. Her breathing was hard and her face was somewhat red as she panted for air.

Time passed and neither moved, simply staring into the other's eyes.

Is he going to kiss me? He's staring at me. He wants to kiss me, I just know he does! Why else would he be staring at me with his mouth open like that, oh gods, I wish he would kiss me. He's so handsome and strong, and maybe not as evil as I'd thought before. I can feel his heart beating, gods, its so fast, he wants me... I want him.. why isn't he moving? Is he shy? Shy? Shy?! Sephiroth- the general- the warrior- the absolute studmuffin- shy? I'm going to faint! I just know I am- Kathryn's mind swirled with these thoughts and far more.

Sephiroth moved his hand slowly, touching her cheek and brushing a piece of food from it, "You're covered in scrambled egg," he said softly, sitting up with his arm still holding her against his chest.

Kathryn finally got her mouth working, "O-only cause you.. threw it at me," she said shakily, still staring into his eyes, begging for him to make the move.

She's gone practically limp... does.. she trust me.... to not hurt her? Here we are... in an empty room... just.. her...and me.. oh damn it all! What do I do?! She wants me to do something, I don't know what! I don't dare let her go because she might just flop over onto the ground and hit her head, I don't want that. I know technically how to reproduce, but its not like anyone told me how to really DO it! Maybe... I should spy on Scarlett, see what she does.... no.. probably not a good idea, knowing her, it'd be some sick and demented thing, no, I don't want to do that to....Kathryn... "Kathryn," Sephiroth whispered softly, not realizing he'd said her name out loud.

"You....don't know what to do....do you?" she asked slowly, the thought finally making its way into her mind, she looked at him in complete disbelief. A smile touched Kathryn's lips as she slid her hand up his chest to touch his face, she'd seen the answer in his eyes the moment she'd said it. "I-...guess... I'll have to make the move then," she concluded, taking her courage in hand and moving swiftly to place her lips upon his.

Sephiroth's eyes went wide, his body going stiff in surprise, not returning her kiss. Discouraged, Kathryn started to pull away when his hands moved, holding her in place.

Suddenly, he felt Kathryn go completely limp and he slowly loosened his grip on her, lowering her down enough to look at her face. "She...passed out..." he concluded, blinking a few times, "Is.. that supposed to happen?" he asked aloud, lifting his eyes to look around the devastated area, a smile fixed to his lips by some unknown force. He picked her up, holding her against his chest as he got to his feet, carrying her to the elevator.

Heidiggar walked into the room from the stairs, Scarlett beside him, "Guh-ha-ha! Look at this mess!"

Scarlett stepped forward slowly, one hand on her shapely hip, "What are you laughing about, you moron?! This isn't a good thing!"

He grinned, his stomach jiggling, "Oh yes it is! We blame this on Sephiroth, get him fired, and then our investments can take a larger role in the company! Guh-ha-ha!"

Scarlett glared at him, then slowly, the plan seeped into her mind, "Why... that's the most brilliant idea I've ever had! KYA-HA-HA-HA!" she laughed shrilly, Heidiggar's bellow accompanying her.