Disclaimer: Don't own FF7 yadda yadda yadda…
Broken
Sephiroth sat gingerly on the bed…the furrows in his chest bleeding…I should be able to stop this…He started to search the pockets of his mended clothing…I know it's in here…His hand snagged on a metal bracelet "Ah, here you are…" He rubbed the small healing materia possessively. He focused on the crystalline depths…seeking the power of the small stone…as he touched the very depths, it was as if he held a live electric wire.
Energy gripped him and held him paralyzed, wave after wave loomed in his mind's eye. There was darkness and implacable power in those waves…If I let those touch me I shall be consumed. This is not healing energy! By sheer will alone, he tossed the stone from his grasp.
It twinkled and winked merrily at him as it flew through the air. The materia's not-so-gentle arc took it well across the small bedroom, and right into Kiv's outstretched hand. Sephiroth reeled in shock…I should have heard her come in! He stared in dumbfounded shock as Kiv set the bracelet with it's rogue materia on the small dresser. Then she turned her liquid metal eyes in his direction and spoke "Did the bracelet anger you Hio'La?"
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His mind raced through several responses, all discarded in moments. How do I explain this? She will think we are unbalanced…maybe dangerous. That is not the way to win her to our side…perhaps mother can help…He sent out a questing thought. No, mother sleeps…In the dark recess of his mind, Hio'La stirred in answer to the question "Is the great Sephiroth puzzled by a mere woman?"
"Silence shadow, I must concentrate"
"I know, I was going to offer my help. I wish no harm to come to her…"
"Oh? And what would a weakling such as you suggest?"
Hio'La sent a mental image of himself shrugging and walking away "The truth?"
* * * * *
Kiv watched the man that stood in her room. His posture was…different. He had an air of arrogance about him that Hio'La had never displayed. The wind shifted, and she was certain. A stranger stood before her…Is this truly him? Has he remembered his lost past? A sadness stirred in her breast. Has his mind healed so quickly? Then a frown appeared on her face as another thought occurred to her Is this but a shard of his shattered mind?
* * * * *
Sephiroth snapped his attention back to Kiv, who was frowning at him "Yes, the bracelet, or more truthfully, the materia stone did anger me. It is my usual method for healing myself, and here it did not work."
"Healing?" She smelled blood and remembered her bloodied claws.
"Yes, I went to awake you, and you scratched me. I thought to heal myself so as not to disturb you…"
"Ah, I see." She briskly bandaged his chest and seated him on the bed. "There you are stranger. You shall heal in time. It is best not to try to manipulate energies here." She sat down cross legged on the floor before him scanned him from head to toe "Now that you are bandaged, shall you introduce yourself?"
* * * * *
Sephiroth was ruthlessly fighting down the feelings that her hands on his bare skin aroused, so it took a moment for the question to siphon through. When it finally hit him, he gaped in shock. "How?"
"No bother how. Who are you?"
"I am…" he felt Hio'La laughing at him. In truth, the uncanny woman was starting to frighten him. He only knew one response to that.
Kiv rolled backwards, lithe and agile, as his fist shot forward. She then crouched some feet from the bed, a low growl in her throat. "I have offered you no harm stranger, yet you seek to strike me. I shall not ask again, WHO ARE YOU?"
Sephiroth ignored the burning pain of the scratches in his chest crouched opposite her. Perhaps the best route is to scare her into submission… He felt his familiar, cold smile settle on his lips and cold green fire burned from his eyes. "I am beyond your comprehension child"
She ruined the effect by laughing "That, I doubt"
Sephiroth was speechless; none had spoken to him like that in years! He stepped towards his clothes, this time drawing a slender knife from the pocket. "You are swiftly losing any value you may have to me. You court death by speaking to me in such a way."
She was still smiling, but her voice acquired an eldritch chill "Is that so? Let me tell you what I told Hio'La, No one can die here. And you do not know how to leave. Therefore you cannot kill me. I on the other hand, can rip you screaming and kicking from Hio'La's mind if I so desire. The only reason I do not do so now, is because YOU are a part of him that must fuse in order to be truly healed. But if you ever threaten me again, I will destroy you because I can only subsume the warrior below the healer for so long. Understood?"
Despite himself, Sephiroth was impressed. But she had challenged him…He shifted his weight and prepared attack, but his body fought his control. He moved in jerky, graceless movements. He felt Hio'La fighting his control…then out of the corner of his eye he saw a blur where Kiv had stood.
He brought up his arm and the slender blade in his hand danced hypnotically. That didn't stop Kiv. Before he knew it, he felt the prick of her incredibly sharp claws at his throat. She leaned towards him, her eyes reflecting metallic tints, and whispered in his ear "You cannot defeat a true warrior unless you yourself are whole. Just as you are part of Hio'La, he is part of you. You are shattered, broken, powerful but useless. I offer you what I offer everyone who comes here…healing. I will help you heal your mind. Then perhaps we could resume this…spat." In one swift movement, she dropped him and exited the room, leaving him to think.
* * * * *
Kiv drew the blade out of her shoulder with a gasp, blood pooling in her hand…What was I thinking? I haven't been so…violent since…She shook her head violently as if to clear her thoughts…It must have been the dream…What is happening to me?...
* * * * *
Sephiroth sat gingerly on the edge of the bed, his mind reviewing the events of the past few minutes. She amazes me at every turn…He tried to contemplate her offer, tried to picture himself as whole…not needing…but the vision of her eyes, so near his as she whispered in his ear, the strength of her grip as she effortlessly held him captive… kept intruding. Why can't I concentrate? She offers so much…what does she desire in turn? How did she know that I feel…broken? He stood up and walked to the door, his mind made up.
He found her in the kitchen, clutching her shoulder. Blood leaked from between her fingers, yet she stared at him defiantly. "Yes stranger?"
"I…I accept your offer. My name is Sephiroth."
"Ah. Wise choice. I am called Kiv." She noticed him staring at her shoulder "Does my blood please you Sephiroth?"
"…no. If it was achieved through skill, not luck, I could be pleased" He reached out, almost as if to touch the wound.
Kiv smiled. "You are much more pleasant when you are reasonable. Will you aid me in bandaging your lucky shot?"
A small, natural, warm smile tugged at his lips. Even now she shows no evidence of weakness…"Yes, it is the least I can do." He followed her into the living room/workroom, and his last thought, before she handed him the implements necessary to bind the wound, was I hope mother doesn't find out…
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Sorry for the delay folks. Hope you enjoyed.