Disclaimer: I don't own Sephiroth, or Aeris, or Zack, or anything else even
remotely related to FF7. You remember that little rock right next to the
well in Nibelheim? No? Well, that's not mine either.
Author's Note: Okay, sorry about the delay in updating. I had all these essays to write for The Global Challenge. What a stupid course. I can't stand it. It has no point.
Anyway, I'll try to update as often as possible, as I'd like to get this fanfic done sometime before I'm dead. Of course, reviews help me with getting out chapters faster. Then again, all of you know this, right? All of you read this and say, 'Gee, that was okay. Maybe I should write down a few words of encouragement for her to continue writing.' I know that's what you say. I can tell. I know it's true, because humans have a natural inclination to avoid doing things they believe they should, and since I am getting ZERO reviews, I know EVERYONE who reads this thinks that. Yet I get 0 reviews for chapter 29. Okay, I see how it is. Let's see how long it takes me to super-age them, okay? I have my own means of revenge you know. I can be evil. I enjoy being evil from time to time. Like... in this chapter... Enjoy... *laughs evilly*
Chapter 30:
Experience Her World
It was empty. The one thing that stood out to him the most was that his house was empty. There were still lingering remains of furniture, yet most of them were shabby and broken down. Although it had only been a short while since Lucrecia had died, Sephiroth's house looked as though it had been abandoned for years. He had been forced to sell almost all of his belongings in order to get money for food and clothes, and it was becoming more and more stressful to live alone.
He flicked on a lamp, only to have it die in a bright splash of light. Great. Just great. That had been his last light bulb. His book bag landed with a thud on the hard wood floor. It was heavy with all the materials he had to bring home with him. Tomorrow would be his first day in SOLDIER. He couldn't wait. It was a job, and it seemed like he would have a reason to live if he became an expert.
The dark building seemed dreary to him. Especially when compared with her. Why did he think of her so often? And at times when his mind should be occupied with other things. He should be packing. He could be doing his homework. He might even be cleaning right now, if only she wouldn't linger in his mind so!
A silver strand of hair fell in front of his eyes, and his fingers played with it mechanically. So what if he thought about her? He had been cold to her today, cruel. Without even intending to do so. If only that voice would go away! Then, he would be free to act as he wished. True, he didn't know what he wanted, but it certainly wasn't to hurt her like that.
He knew he had hurt her. He could tell by the way she looked at him. Her emerald eyes, normally so keen and bright, seemed dull. Her smile was slightly drooping, and her earnest expression had been replaced with something he couldn't quite name.
Recently, he had noticed that. There were a lot of things going around that he couldn't name, describe, or even comprehend. Like his relationship with Zack. Was it possible that the boy actually wanted to become friends with him? With Sephiroth? It was an extremely outrageous notion. The thought that anyone would want to befriend him was... weird. That might be the only word for it. Weird.
What would be gained by having a friendship with him? Sephiroth had nothing to give Zack. Absolutely nothing. Unless you counted irritation, and misery. Those, Zack would receive in plentiful amounts. And, what would he receive from Zack? Kindness, compassion, sympathy, and someone who understood him. Was that a fair trade? Didn't seem like it. Yet Zack failed to see the error of his ways, and in truth, Sephiroth did not want to point it out to him.
He didn't want to stay there anymore. He didn't want to be alone, in that house with nothing but painful memories. So, he grabbed his key and walked out the door.
Where would he go? What would he do? It was important to consider. But he had no idea. As long as it was far away from that place he called home, it was fine. Anywhere else, besides there. No, that was a lie. Not anywhere else. Not that room... that room with the white bed and glass walls and tubes of liquid that were put into him. He couldn't go back there.
Why did that thought suddenly spring up in his mind? He hated thinking about that place, about what happened to him there. Hated it so much. But it's a part of you. Don't hate it. It helped you become what you are now. It helped you to hear me better. How could he not hate it?
The voice seemed to be growing stronger everyday. It was scary, the way that voice sounded sometimes. It almost seemed like he was thinking, but he wasn't. He would have to be careful. It would be bad if he thought that voice was his own mind, instead of an intruder.
Why did he have to deal with this? All he wanted was peace. A peaceful place, where he could relax and enjoy life. Somewhere he could be alone, and be happy.
Laughter interrupted his thoughts. He brought himself back to reality abruptly, and was greeted with an endless variety of flowers. The garden looked beautiful at night. But, wasn't this-
The laughter came again, and he turned around. A house was behind him, a very familiar house. He snuck up to the window and peered inside. Yes, he knew it. This was her house. This was where she lived, where she had learned to live life so joyously.
His piercing gaze took in the scene before him. Aeris and her mother were just sitting down to eat supper. Her light brown hair was tied back in it's usual braid, and her smile was back in place. He felt relieved. There was a small part of him that had feared that he had done unspeakable damage to her.
Her mother started speaking about something, and Aeris listened attentively. Sephiroth watched her every gesture, scrutinizing her for reasons unknown. Why was he so interested in her? Was it just because she was a Cetra? No, that didn't make any sense. There had to be more to it than that.
He stood there, watching her, until their meal ended. He watched as she helped her mother clean up the plates, watched as she went upstairs to go to bed. Was that what a real family was like? Loving, caring, happy?
He closed his eyes and turned around, leaning against the wall. His mind was blissfully blank. He didn't even want to think. Just enjoying the feeling he had was enough.
"Seph?"
Sephiroth jumped and looked around at the sudden interruption. He saw the pair of eyes first, and recognized the face that went with them.
"A-Aeris?"
She smiled, then tilted her head to one side thoughtfully. "What are you doing out here?"
"I-I was just... how did you- I mean, um.." Oh, no. What could he say that didn't make him sound freakish to her? He didn't want to scare her more than he had already.
"The planet told me." She peered at him, and grinned. "You look hungry. Do you want to come inside?"
He blinked at her. "I really shouldn't."
But she grabbed his hand and tugged, and how could he resist her? He couldn't. So, he agreed to go inside with her.
She introduced him to her mother, who smiled and said, "Hello, Sephiroth. It's always nice to meet one of Aeris' friends."
He nodded his head nervously and replied, "Hello, Mrs. Gainsborough."
"Well, sit down. You look starved." She pushed him down into a chair and began talking earnestly.
The smiling mother who seemed so gentle regarded him with knowing eyes. He needed much more then a good meal, she could tell. She would give him what she could. It was what her husband would want her to do. Aeris watched the scene unfolding before her with delight. She was certain Sephiroth needed to be cheered up, and she felt warm inside that he had come to her for comfort. As a plate of food was put down in front of him, Sephiroth wondered if he was about to experience her world firsthand. A smile came across his lips at the thought.
Author's Note: Okay, so I wasn't really evil. But, I did scare you at the beginning, right? You know I did. Admit it. ^.~
Author's Note: Okay, sorry about the delay in updating. I had all these essays to write for The Global Challenge. What a stupid course. I can't stand it. It has no point.
Anyway, I'll try to update as often as possible, as I'd like to get this fanfic done sometime before I'm dead. Of course, reviews help me with getting out chapters faster. Then again, all of you know this, right? All of you read this and say, 'Gee, that was okay. Maybe I should write down a few words of encouragement for her to continue writing.' I know that's what you say. I can tell. I know it's true, because humans have a natural inclination to avoid doing things they believe they should, and since I am getting ZERO reviews, I know EVERYONE who reads this thinks that. Yet I get 0 reviews for chapter 29. Okay, I see how it is. Let's see how long it takes me to super-age them, okay? I have my own means of revenge you know. I can be evil. I enjoy being evil from time to time. Like... in this chapter... Enjoy... *laughs evilly*
Chapter 30:
Experience Her World
It was empty. The one thing that stood out to him the most was that his house was empty. There were still lingering remains of furniture, yet most of them were shabby and broken down. Although it had only been a short while since Lucrecia had died, Sephiroth's house looked as though it had been abandoned for years. He had been forced to sell almost all of his belongings in order to get money for food and clothes, and it was becoming more and more stressful to live alone.
He flicked on a lamp, only to have it die in a bright splash of light. Great. Just great. That had been his last light bulb. His book bag landed with a thud on the hard wood floor. It was heavy with all the materials he had to bring home with him. Tomorrow would be his first day in SOLDIER. He couldn't wait. It was a job, and it seemed like he would have a reason to live if he became an expert.
The dark building seemed dreary to him. Especially when compared with her. Why did he think of her so often? And at times when his mind should be occupied with other things. He should be packing. He could be doing his homework. He might even be cleaning right now, if only she wouldn't linger in his mind so!
A silver strand of hair fell in front of his eyes, and his fingers played with it mechanically. So what if he thought about her? He had been cold to her today, cruel. Without even intending to do so. If only that voice would go away! Then, he would be free to act as he wished. True, he didn't know what he wanted, but it certainly wasn't to hurt her like that.
He knew he had hurt her. He could tell by the way she looked at him. Her emerald eyes, normally so keen and bright, seemed dull. Her smile was slightly drooping, and her earnest expression had been replaced with something he couldn't quite name.
Recently, he had noticed that. There were a lot of things going around that he couldn't name, describe, or even comprehend. Like his relationship with Zack. Was it possible that the boy actually wanted to become friends with him? With Sephiroth? It was an extremely outrageous notion. The thought that anyone would want to befriend him was... weird. That might be the only word for it. Weird.
What would be gained by having a friendship with him? Sephiroth had nothing to give Zack. Absolutely nothing. Unless you counted irritation, and misery. Those, Zack would receive in plentiful amounts. And, what would he receive from Zack? Kindness, compassion, sympathy, and someone who understood him. Was that a fair trade? Didn't seem like it. Yet Zack failed to see the error of his ways, and in truth, Sephiroth did not want to point it out to him.
He didn't want to stay there anymore. He didn't want to be alone, in that house with nothing but painful memories. So, he grabbed his key and walked out the door.
Where would he go? What would he do? It was important to consider. But he had no idea. As long as it was far away from that place he called home, it was fine. Anywhere else, besides there. No, that was a lie. Not anywhere else. Not that room... that room with the white bed and glass walls and tubes of liquid that were put into him. He couldn't go back there.
Why did that thought suddenly spring up in his mind? He hated thinking about that place, about what happened to him there. Hated it so much. But it's a part of you. Don't hate it. It helped you become what you are now. It helped you to hear me better. How could he not hate it?
The voice seemed to be growing stronger everyday. It was scary, the way that voice sounded sometimes. It almost seemed like he was thinking, but he wasn't. He would have to be careful. It would be bad if he thought that voice was his own mind, instead of an intruder.
Why did he have to deal with this? All he wanted was peace. A peaceful place, where he could relax and enjoy life. Somewhere he could be alone, and be happy.
Laughter interrupted his thoughts. He brought himself back to reality abruptly, and was greeted with an endless variety of flowers. The garden looked beautiful at night. But, wasn't this-
The laughter came again, and he turned around. A house was behind him, a very familiar house. He snuck up to the window and peered inside. Yes, he knew it. This was her house. This was where she lived, where she had learned to live life so joyously.
His piercing gaze took in the scene before him. Aeris and her mother were just sitting down to eat supper. Her light brown hair was tied back in it's usual braid, and her smile was back in place. He felt relieved. There was a small part of him that had feared that he had done unspeakable damage to her.
Her mother started speaking about something, and Aeris listened attentively. Sephiroth watched her every gesture, scrutinizing her for reasons unknown. Why was he so interested in her? Was it just because she was a Cetra? No, that didn't make any sense. There had to be more to it than that.
He stood there, watching her, until their meal ended. He watched as she helped her mother clean up the plates, watched as she went upstairs to go to bed. Was that what a real family was like? Loving, caring, happy?
He closed his eyes and turned around, leaning against the wall. His mind was blissfully blank. He didn't even want to think. Just enjoying the feeling he had was enough.
"Seph?"
Sephiroth jumped and looked around at the sudden interruption. He saw the pair of eyes first, and recognized the face that went with them.
"A-Aeris?"
She smiled, then tilted her head to one side thoughtfully. "What are you doing out here?"
"I-I was just... how did you- I mean, um.." Oh, no. What could he say that didn't make him sound freakish to her? He didn't want to scare her more than he had already.
"The planet told me." She peered at him, and grinned. "You look hungry. Do you want to come inside?"
He blinked at her. "I really shouldn't."
But she grabbed his hand and tugged, and how could he resist her? He couldn't. So, he agreed to go inside with her.
She introduced him to her mother, who smiled and said, "Hello, Sephiroth. It's always nice to meet one of Aeris' friends."
He nodded his head nervously and replied, "Hello, Mrs. Gainsborough."
"Well, sit down. You look starved." She pushed him down into a chair and began talking earnestly.
The smiling mother who seemed so gentle regarded him with knowing eyes. He needed much more then a good meal, she could tell. She would give him what she could. It was what her husband would want her to do. Aeris watched the scene unfolding before her with delight. She was certain Sephiroth needed to be cheered up, and she felt warm inside that he had come to her for comfort. As a plate of food was put down in front of him, Sephiroth wondered if he was about to experience her world firsthand. A smile came across his lips at the thought.
Author's Note: Okay, so I wasn't really evil. But, I did scare you at the beginning, right? You know I did. Admit it. ^.~