He stared at the figure sprawled on the floor, steady rising and settling of her chest indicating that she was sound asleep. He eyed the pale skin lit by moonlight, her long lashes fluttering as she slept, her coral lips slightly parted. Her arms lay on her side, making her figure resemble a delicate cross. Her svelte body seemed to melt into the surroundings, and the serene silence enveloped her. All this gave her an appearance quite like a sculpture.
`Weakling...'
The position she was in suddenly contrasted itself with a certain silver-haired boy, collapsed on the floor with utter exhaustion; dreaming nightmares instead of slumbering. He remembered how Hojo would kick his side when he was young to wake him. His jaw twitched and he saw Hojo's boot being replaced with his own as he delivered a swift kick at the creature's narrow waist.
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
She saw a boy less than six years of age with glazed eyes, staring into the nothingness that occupied the room. His bright eyes were the only thing that illuminated the darkness.
There was no furniture, the boy was crouched in a corner, his arms still puffy from the recent shots he had gotten.
"Oh my God..."
Suddenly, Aeris found herself standing net to the door. Without hesitation, she turned the doorknob. She half-expected it to be locked but the next instant she was inside the room.
The boy took notice of her and snapped his gaze at her, a look full of dread.
"But... I had the examinations this morning..."
She was surprised that he could articulate himself so well; the boy was really so young. She noticed that he was clad in a smock-liked material that was tattered, something way too large for him. Unable to resist, she bent down in front of the boy, causing him to shout in alarm and press against the wall.
"Sh....."
Without a word, she pushed the silver bangs out of his eyes, causing him to flinch.
"What are you doing!"
"No, no... I'm no... It's not... I'm just..." Aeris stuttered, having surprised herself with her bold actions too. The boy got up swiftly and moved to the other side of the room.
"Are you here to take me? Or what?"
His voice was strained.
"I'm not here to take you. I'm just..."
... Why was she here?
He turned away from her and leaned against the wall, again focusing at nothing. "Go away."
... What have they done to you... you're so afraid... at the idea of another person... how?
She had the irresistible urge to take him out of this place. This... prison. Hell. God, he was a beautiful boy. And for an unknown reason, she knew that it was her duty to get him out of here; out of here to a place where she instinctively knew he deserved.
"Come. Do you want to stay here?" She asked, coming down to eye level with him. He looked like he was going to run away from her, but something in her speech bound him to his spot.
"Away from... here?" The boy's voice was trembling.
Aeris realized that she was crying. "Yes... God, you don't belong here!" She gently touched his cheek. "I'll get you out of here, come with me." Choking down her sob, she whispered, "What have they done to you!"
"You'll take me away from here?"
Aeris cupped his pale face with both hands, and the boy did not resist. Instead his eyes sparkled and she saw something in his eyes that made her breathless; a look of hope, long buried under the excruciating torture with endless hours, under the utter despair that was his life - suddenly emerging once again, like the sun from the eternal oblivion.
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
Aeris woke up in a start, a sudden unbearable pain on her abdomen making her clutch her stomach. She curled up in a fetal position and, although she struggled to contain it, a moan escaped her lips. She gasped for air, still not fully awake. All of this made Sephiroth frown.
"Get up," she heard a cold, unfamiliar voice. She looked up to see a man with flowing silver hair and shocking green eyes, with a majestic height.
It was him.
Gasping in surprise, she bolted up despite the pain.
"Are you him?" Aeris looked straight in his eyes, her mind still deranged from the dream. "You are, aren't you?"
Sephiroth stared at her, disturbed by the tone of her voice. Her trembling voice conveyed utter pity and relief, and he was suddenly irritated.
When Sephiroth didn't answer, Aeris stepped closer. "You... are, right? The boy in the cell! In the smock... You... Aren't you? But how did you grow..." Aeris was faltering, not understanding the situation.
"You ARE!" Aeris exploded, clasping his hand. "God, what happened... and are you ok? Where are we?"
She was abruptly cut off from her speech when he roughly grabbed her wrist and tightened his grip. He squeezed until Aeris, unable to hold it anymore, began to sink to her knees. She let out a groan of agony, not being able to concentrate on anything but the pain. Sephiroth watched the girl collapse on the floor, her head hanging down, supported up only by his hand.
How was it possible that this being was supposed to find the Black Materia? And to summon Holy?
"What are you doing?" He said through clenched teeth.
It's him, Aeris thought. It was... the eyes, the hair, just everything about him was the trembling boy who was cowering in the dark cell alone.
Finally, he flung her wrist roughly and she fell back limply.
Aeris closed her eyes, slowly making sense out of the situation. Had it all been a dream? ... Who was he, and what's she doing in a cave? A thought hit her and she let out a frightened gasp, and met the icy gaze of the stranger.
The realization made tears spring to her eyes. She fought to control it and shakily got up, biting her lips. She remembered the gloved hand over her mouth and the arms that choked her. Where were all the others? Where are you, Cloud! And... did HE kidnap her? And...
He saw the pale girl's luminous eyes widen with comprehension and that a single stream of tears had rolled down her cheek. He almost scoffed at this show of such frailty.
Aeris, utterly confused, desperately made an effort to calm herself. She tried to remain collected but the tremble in her voice betrayed her. "Who are you?"
He smirked. "You don't know me? Am I not the one you're supposed to be chasing?"
It hit her. The eyes, the hair... at least a head taller than her... the outfit... and she noticed, a six-foot sword by his side.
Sephiroth?
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
A blond-haired man sat on a rock, his head buried in his hands. The rest of the crew watched in silence as he began to shake violently.
"...Where could she be?"
How could it be that she's gone? It was evident that there was a struggle outside of the tent - someone had wildly kicked and thrashed by the fire, judging by the disrupted stones and ashes by the fireplace. Someone... must have taken her... but who?
God, he hoped it was not him, the silver-haired warrior who mercilessly killed his mother and his hometown, the man who was capable of killing anything - even the green-eyed angel.
Just be alive, Aeris...
He recalled her eyes smiling at him, her hair catching the glow of the lamp. Her soft hands gingerly caressing his own calloused ones. The pounding of his heart and the stuttering of his speech... Her breath on his face and God, her lips...
It was sheer torture.
"Dammit!" He cried, unable to control his rage. Damn it all. Deep down inside he knew it was Sephiroth who took her; the man who took away everything in his life; from his mother, his hometown, to his career in SOLDIER, his dreams... and now, the only one who he cared about, the shining star in his world, the flame which lit up his life - taken away by him, like everything else.
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
It was cold.
She sat in the remotest corner of the cave, wrapping the jacket tighter around her slender body, trembling like a leaf in the wind. The chilly silence was the only thing in the cave... just like the cell the boy was in.
He must be used to this, she thought.
She still could feel the chill of the blade against her neck as she desperately tried to escape, his hot breath against her ear, telling her that it would be the end of her if she tried again. With his tall physique pressed against hers, she had felt the truth of the words.
How was Cloud now? How was everyone now? Would they be looking for her?
Bastard... she thought, as she glanced at the man across from her - his gaze fixed at nothing.
Just like...
Stop it! They are two completely different people - it was a dream. The little boy you saw...
She recalled the look in his eyes, almost wistfully revealed; afraid like a trembling flame of a candle, lit by only the innate ability, ready to be extinguished with one cruel blow.
She glanced at him again, and this time he met her gaze.
She had the urge to look away and ignore him, but instead she searched his gleaming eyes for a sign... that somehow, the artificial glow held some humanity in them.
Sephiroth was leaning against the wall of the cave, conscious of the girl's gaze on her. He wasn't a bit alarmed when the girl, so very predictably, dodged his grasp and tried to escape.
It had enraged him when she spoke those words... the boy in the cell? In a smock? It seemed way too familiar to him. He felt his heart chill as he recalled the figure who would be tormented endlessly and wouldn't be able to resist.
Weakling.
Yes, he was. Not anymore. After he turned fifteen, not even the strongest guards could hold him down.
He smirked, remembering the shocked expression of Hojo when he just could simply break out of the chain that bound him... When they actually couldn't drag him out of the cell when the time for examinations came. They were forced to give him up to become the greatest SOLDIER of Shinra, content only to give occasional injections.
He heard the girl shift vigorously, and he turned a questioning glance. Indeed, she had been staring at him with those big eyes, as if he was someone she knew. He was rather surprised to note that she didn't flinch under his gaze. She rather stared straight into his eyes, searching and searching... for what?
Annoyed, he snapped. "What?"
The girl dropped her gaze meekly. However, this time she spoke.
"I wasn't lying when I said I knew you..."
Aeris felt Sephiroth's eyes burning through her, somehow instantly infuriated. However she had to get it off her chest. Were they the same person?
"I saw you... You were in this dark room all by yourself... with nothing to wear but this huge shirt... and the room was completely empty."
Out of the corner of her eyes, Aeris saw his face harden. The glow of his mako eyes turned into a darker shade.
"You weren't over six," she continued. "I think you had daily examinations..." With a deep breath, she added, "And I think you hated it."
Aeris saw his jaw twitch.
"When I came in you were frightened. And I told you I wasn't here to hurt you and you looked so surprised... like I was the first to ever say that... And I wanted to get you out of there... and I took your hand and I..."
She was suddenly interrupted when she was lifted from the ground, his hands holding her neck in a choker.
"What did you say, Cetra?" His eyes were now menacing, furious, enraged. However she saw that, deep down, there was fear... something that should've stayed put had been awakened, like an old wound opened.
"I'm sorry..." she choked out, knowing that it was useless to struggle. Sephiroth felt the emerald eyes, pleading her innocence. "I was just..." She couldn't finish her sentence as a tear rolled down.
Her tear burned through his gloved hand and he dropped her, suddenly apprehensive. She knew... of his past. But he had never seen her before. How... what did it all mean?
Did she see through this façade?
He struggled to control the pounding in his ears and turned his back to her. "Stay put," he ordered. He knew she wouldn't escape.
Feeling something choking him, he walked out of the cave - into the frigid darkness. He let the snowflakes land on his body, instantly melting. He walked with long strides, feeling the distance between himself and her strangling him.
Aeris watched, crumpled on the floor, as the man disappeared.
Author's Note: Hi everyone! Thankees for reviewing. You have no idea how much they encourage me.
To Jake: No, I'm not Gev... but keep reading my fic, pleaze?
To GoldenGoddess: Absolutely, yes, I want to join. God, I mean how immature do you have to be to write a bashing fic about their sis and post it up on the net!
*Anyways, wait up for next chapter! In time with Valentine's Day, you will witness a first serious AeriSeph Romance. Mwahaha! (Not lime or anything like that.... That comes a lot later.)
`Weakling...'
The position she was in suddenly contrasted itself with a certain silver-haired boy, collapsed on the floor with utter exhaustion; dreaming nightmares instead of slumbering. He remembered how Hojo would kick his side when he was young to wake him. His jaw twitched and he saw Hojo's boot being replaced with his own as he delivered a swift kick at the creature's narrow waist.
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
She saw a boy less than six years of age with glazed eyes, staring into the nothingness that occupied the room. His bright eyes were the only thing that illuminated the darkness.
There was no furniture, the boy was crouched in a corner, his arms still puffy from the recent shots he had gotten.
"Oh my God..."
Suddenly, Aeris found herself standing net to the door. Without hesitation, she turned the doorknob. She half-expected it to be locked but the next instant she was inside the room.
The boy took notice of her and snapped his gaze at her, a look full of dread.
"But... I had the examinations this morning..."
She was surprised that he could articulate himself so well; the boy was really so young. She noticed that he was clad in a smock-liked material that was tattered, something way too large for him. Unable to resist, she bent down in front of the boy, causing him to shout in alarm and press against the wall.
"Sh....."
Without a word, she pushed the silver bangs out of his eyes, causing him to flinch.
"What are you doing!"
"No, no... I'm no... It's not... I'm just..." Aeris stuttered, having surprised herself with her bold actions too. The boy got up swiftly and moved to the other side of the room.
"Are you here to take me? Or what?"
His voice was strained.
"I'm not here to take you. I'm just..."
... Why was she here?
He turned away from her and leaned against the wall, again focusing at nothing. "Go away."
... What have they done to you... you're so afraid... at the idea of another person... how?
She had the irresistible urge to take him out of this place. This... prison. Hell. God, he was a beautiful boy. And for an unknown reason, she knew that it was her duty to get him out of here; out of here to a place where she instinctively knew he deserved.
"Come. Do you want to stay here?" She asked, coming down to eye level with him. He looked like he was going to run away from her, but something in her speech bound him to his spot.
"Away from... here?" The boy's voice was trembling.
Aeris realized that she was crying. "Yes... God, you don't belong here!" She gently touched his cheek. "I'll get you out of here, come with me." Choking down her sob, she whispered, "What have they done to you!"
"You'll take me away from here?"
Aeris cupped his pale face with both hands, and the boy did not resist. Instead his eyes sparkled and she saw something in his eyes that made her breathless; a look of hope, long buried under the excruciating torture with endless hours, under the utter despair that was his life - suddenly emerging once again, like the sun from the eternal oblivion.
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
Aeris woke up in a start, a sudden unbearable pain on her abdomen making her clutch her stomach. She curled up in a fetal position and, although she struggled to contain it, a moan escaped her lips. She gasped for air, still not fully awake. All of this made Sephiroth frown.
"Get up," she heard a cold, unfamiliar voice. She looked up to see a man with flowing silver hair and shocking green eyes, with a majestic height.
It was him.
Gasping in surprise, she bolted up despite the pain.
"Are you him?" Aeris looked straight in his eyes, her mind still deranged from the dream. "You are, aren't you?"
Sephiroth stared at her, disturbed by the tone of her voice. Her trembling voice conveyed utter pity and relief, and he was suddenly irritated.
When Sephiroth didn't answer, Aeris stepped closer. "You... are, right? The boy in the cell! In the smock... You... Aren't you? But how did you grow..." Aeris was faltering, not understanding the situation.
"You ARE!" Aeris exploded, clasping his hand. "God, what happened... and are you ok? Where are we?"
She was abruptly cut off from her speech when he roughly grabbed her wrist and tightened his grip. He squeezed until Aeris, unable to hold it anymore, began to sink to her knees. She let out a groan of agony, not being able to concentrate on anything but the pain. Sephiroth watched the girl collapse on the floor, her head hanging down, supported up only by his hand.
How was it possible that this being was supposed to find the Black Materia? And to summon Holy?
"What are you doing?" He said through clenched teeth.
It's him, Aeris thought. It was... the eyes, the hair, just everything about him was the trembling boy who was cowering in the dark cell alone.
Finally, he flung her wrist roughly and she fell back limply.
Aeris closed her eyes, slowly making sense out of the situation. Had it all been a dream? ... Who was he, and what's she doing in a cave? A thought hit her and she let out a frightened gasp, and met the icy gaze of the stranger.
The realization made tears spring to her eyes. She fought to control it and shakily got up, biting her lips. She remembered the gloved hand over her mouth and the arms that choked her. Where were all the others? Where are you, Cloud! And... did HE kidnap her? And...
He saw the pale girl's luminous eyes widen with comprehension and that a single stream of tears had rolled down her cheek. He almost scoffed at this show of such frailty.
Aeris, utterly confused, desperately made an effort to calm herself. She tried to remain collected but the tremble in her voice betrayed her. "Who are you?"
He smirked. "You don't know me? Am I not the one you're supposed to be chasing?"
It hit her. The eyes, the hair... at least a head taller than her... the outfit... and she noticed, a six-foot sword by his side.
Sephiroth?
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
A blond-haired man sat on a rock, his head buried in his hands. The rest of the crew watched in silence as he began to shake violently.
"...Where could she be?"
How could it be that she's gone? It was evident that there was a struggle outside of the tent - someone had wildly kicked and thrashed by the fire, judging by the disrupted stones and ashes by the fireplace. Someone... must have taken her... but who?
God, he hoped it was not him, the silver-haired warrior who mercilessly killed his mother and his hometown, the man who was capable of killing anything - even the green-eyed angel.
Just be alive, Aeris...
He recalled her eyes smiling at him, her hair catching the glow of the lamp. Her soft hands gingerly caressing his own calloused ones. The pounding of his heart and the stuttering of his speech... Her breath on his face and God, her lips...
It was sheer torture.
"Dammit!" He cried, unable to control his rage. Damn it all. Deep down inside he knew it was Sephiroth who took her; the man who took away everything in his life; from his mother, his hometown, to his career in SOLDIER, his dreams... and now, the only one who he cared about, the shining star in his world, the flame which lit up his life - taken away by him, like everything else.
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
It was cold.
She sat in the remotest corner of the cave, wrapping the jacket tighter around her slender body, trembling like a leaf in the wind. The chilly silence was the only thing in the cave... just like the cell the boy was in.
He must be used to this, she thought.
She still could feel the chill of the blade against her neck as she desperately tried to escape, his hot breath against her ear, telling her that it would be the end of her if she tried again. With his tall physique pressed against hers, she had felt the truth of the words.
How was Cloud now? How was everyone now? Would they be looking for her?
Bastard... she thought, as she glanced at the man across from her - his gaze fixed at nothing.
Just like...
Stop it! They are two completely different people - it was a dream. The little boy you saw...
She recalled the look in his eyes, almost wistfully revealed; afraid like a trembling flame of a candle, lit by only the innate ability, ready to be extinguished with one cruel blow.
She glanced at him again, and this time he met her gaze.
She had the urge to look away and ignore him, but instead she searched his gleaming eyes for a sign... that somehow, the artificial glow held some humanity in them.
Sephiroth was leaning against the wall of the cave, conscious of the girl's gaze on her. He wasn't a bit alarmed when the girl, so very predictably, dodged his grasp and tried to escape.
It had enraged him when she spoke those words... the boy in the cell? In a smock? It seemed way too familiar to him. He felt his heart chill as he recalled the figure who would be tormented endlessly and wouldn't be able to resist.
Weakling.
Yes, he was. Not anymore. After he turned fifteen, not even the strongest guards could hold him down.
He smirked, remembering the shocked expression of Hojo when he just could simply break out of the chain that bound him... When they actually couldn't drag him out of the cell when the time for examinations came. They were forced to give him up to become the greatest SOLDIER of Shinra, content only to give occasional injections.
He heard the girl shift vigorously, and he turned a questioning glance. Indeed, she had been staring at him with those big eyes, as if he was someone she knew. He was rather surprised to note that she didn't flinch under his gaze. She rather stared straight into his eyes, searching and searching... for what?
Annoyed, he snapped. "What?"
The girl dropped her gaze meekly. However, this time she spoke.
"I wasn't lying when I said I knew you..."
Aeris felt Sephiroth's eyes burning through her, somehow instantly infuriated. However she had to get it off her chest. Were they the same person?
"I saw you... You were in this dark room all by yourself... with nothing to wear but this huge shirt... and the room was completely empty."
Out of the corner of her eyes, Aeris saw his face harden. The glow of his mako eyes turned into a darker shade.
"You weren't over six," she continued. "I think you had daily examinations..." With a deep breath, she added, "And I think you hated it."
Aeris saw his jaw twitch.
"When I came in you were frightened. And I told you I wasn't here to hurt you and you looked so surprised... like I was the first to ever say that... And I wanted to get you out of there... and I took your hand and I..."
She was suddenly interrupted when she was lifted from the ground, his hands holding her neck in a choker.
"What did you say, Cetra?" His eyes were now menacing, furious, enraged. However she saw that, deep down, there was fear... something that should've stayed put had been awakened, like an old wound opened.
"I'm sorry..." she choked out, knowing that it was useless to struggle. Sephiroth felt the emerald eyes, pleading her innocence. "I was just..." She couldn't finish her sentence as a tear rolled down.
Her tear burned through his gloved hand and he dropped her, suddenly apprehensive. She knew... of his past. But he had never seen her before. How... what did it all mean?
Did she see through this façade?
He struggled to control the pounding in his ears and turned his back to her. "Stay put," he ordered. He knew she wouldn't escape.
Feeling something choking him, he walked out of the cave - into the frigid darkness. He let the snowflakes land on his body, instantly melting. He walked with long strides, feeling the distance between himself and her strangling him.
Aeris watched, crumpled on the floor, as the man disappeared.
Author's Note: Hi everyone! Thankees for reviewing. You have no idea how much they encourage me.
To Jake: No, I'm not Gev... but keep reading my fic, pleaze?
To GoldenGoddess: Absolutely, yes, I want to join. God, I mean how immature do you have to be to write a bashing fic about their sis and post it up on the net!
*Anyways, wait up for next chapter! In time with Valentine's Day, you will witness a first serious AeriSeph Romance. Mwahaha! (Not lime or anything like that.... That comes a lot later.)