Part
Five: A redeemed Soul
"YES, YES, YES, YES! They did it!" I shouted and jumped up, my hands triumphantly in the air. I jumped around, excitedly, when I turned I froze and my smile dropped slightly in surprise. My hands slowly came down and I stood amazed. There was a figure before about fifteen feet ahead of me.
"No, dear Ancient, YOU did it." Said the figure, he was hidden, leaning up against the trunk of a tree, but I saw his white hair blow in the wind. He walked away from the tree and I saw he was wearing black pants, no shirt, and flowing black robes. He turned to face me. It was Sephiroth.
The smile returned to my face. I ran the distance between us and jumped up wrapping my arms around him. He spun me around in his arms and smiled. I looked up and kissed him. He seemed a little surprised, but eagerly returned the kiss. I slowly broke it and said astonished. "You made it. You fought her and you made it! I knew you could!"
"Thanks to you, I am free." He said. "I am myself once more. And I am here with you." He looked at me once more and kissed me again. We both laughed. It was a wonderful sight to see him laugh. He was so light hearted. He did not have the pain he had once carried so heavily. After several minutes of kissing he set me down and I took his hand.
Then a thought struck me and I said. "Come with me, I have someone I want you to meet."
He followed me to a beautiful cottage house. I knocked on the door. "Who is it?" Came the reply from within.
"It's Aerith, and I have someone I want you to meet." I shouted back.
"Hold on just a minute!" Then I heard footsteps coming from the up stairs and leading down.
"Who is this?" Sephiroth asked his curiosity peaked.
"You'll see." I answered and smiled at him.
The door was opened and a woman appeared in the doorway, looking down at a dish she was carrying. When she looked up she gasped and stepped back, dropping the dish she carried. She put a hand to her mouth and her eyes widened.
Sephiroth knelt down and said, "I'll get this." He picked up the pieces and stood. He looked at her and she quickly wrapped her arms around him. Sephiroth then looked at me and I tapped my head.
Suddenly his eyes went wide in realization and he returned her embrace with just as much enthusiasm. "Mother?" he whispered, like a frightened child.
"Yes, oh, my son. We have much to tell each other. Come in, please." She released Sephiroth and gestured for us to come inside. I stepped through the door and the woman, Lucretsia, placed a hand on my shoulder. "Thank you!" She whispered and embraced me tightly. I smiled and returned her hug.
I joined Sephiroth on a comfortable looking wicker couch. Lucretsia sat down in an armchair across from us. Sephiroth leaned over to me and whispered, "There is no end to your kindness, is there?"
I merely blushed and scooted closer to him. We talked with Lucretsia for hours about everything. We talked of the things we had done. We talked of the regrets we all had. We even talked of love.
"Are you two… together?" Lucretsia asked. Giving us an approving mothers look. "Because you really do look like a cute couple."
"I don't know if you can call us that, yet" Sephiroth said looking down at me, almost asking if we really were together. I looked back and at that moment we briefly kissed.
"Okay, now you can call us a couple." He said, wrapping his arm around me.
I smiled, but one thought kept running through my
mind. What about Cloud? I was madly in love with him only a few weeks ago.
Now I'm kissing Sephiroth. How can I be in love with two men at the same time?
I never imagined I would find one man to love me, let alone two. This can't be
happening.
Sephiroth noticed a lost-look on my face. "Are you alright?" He asked.
"Yes, of course." I said, and smiled back at him.
As I looked at Sephiroth I saw a beautiful difference in him. I saw his eyes were not hard and full of hatred, but soft and caring. Even his actions were different, the way he wrapped his arm around me. Or the way he squeezed my shoulder just now. Or even the way he looked at me. All these things made my heart flutter, but Cloud had the same affect on me. Only time would tell the truth now.
We finished our conversation with Lucretsia several hours later. It was dark now and Sephiroth was deciding where to stay. I told him he could stay at my house or he could try to find the one designated for him.
"It's late though, perhaps you should just stay with me. I'd like it if you would." I said.
I couldn't believe the words escaping my mouth. I was inviting Sephiroth to stay the night at my house. He could perceive this in two ways. He could think of it as a sleep over, or as a SLEEP OVER. I was so nervous at what I just asked I nearly lost my breath.
"I wouldn't be imposing?" He asked with the sweetest look on his face. Most men would jump at the chance to spend the night at any girl's house, just to try something.
"No, not unless I want you to." My hand quickly came over my mouth.
He laughed "I like it when you're nervous."
"Oh, Stop." I said childishly, and I play-slapped his shoulder.
"I think I should look elsewhere." He turned to go.
"No," I said and I laid my hand on his arm. "Please." I looked at him as innocently as I could manage. "Oh, I know. I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere." With that I ran into my house.
"I wouldn't dare." He called after me.
Within a few moments I returned. I was carrying an extra-large bedroll, two quilts, and two pillows. He took the bedroll and the pillows from me.
"I have no idea what you're up to, but I'll help you carry these things."
I walked about eighty feet to a small flower patch to the side of my house. I plopped the quilts on the ground and Sephiroth did the same.
"If I may be so bold, what are you doing?" He asked.
"You'll see."
"You're just full of surprises."
"I try."
I spread out the bedroll, which was the size of a queen bed, and I set the pillows up at one end. Then I spread the quilts out over the bedroll. I worked busily on my little project and I felt Sephiroth's eyes on me the whole time. When I finished I turned to him and held my hands behind my back.
"There, all done." I announced.
"So instead of sharing your bed inside I'll be sharing your bed outside?" Sephiroth asked.
"No, it's nothing like that." I said with a joking voice.
I sat down on the bed I had made and continued, my voice suddenly serene and serious. "Sometimes I like to watch the stars. It's just so lonely inside the cottage at night. There is this ominous silence that frightens me sometimes." In the middle of my explanation I lay down on the bed, tucked my hands behind my head, and looked up at the stars. Then I went on with my little insight. "So, I set up a bed out here and listen to the wind… the voices of my ancestors… the way the grass moves in the wind… and I stare at the stars… until I fall asleep."
I continued to look at the stars. With a sigh Sephiroth slowly made his way to me and lay down next to me. I scooted up next to him and he held me close as I placed a hand on his stomach. I rested my head on his chest while he gently stroked my hair. He wrapped one hand around my shoulders and I rested comfortably there, looking at the stars. With the other hand he pulled the quilts I had laid out up over us, tucking it tenderly around me, so as to keep me warm.
Together we lay for several hours watching the stars and listening to the sounds around us. We spoke no words, yet said more to each other than we thought possible. We did nothing but hold each other throughout the night, but for me… it was bliss.