Chapter Two

Aeris did not know what shocked her more at the moment: that a man she'd never met before in her life was kissing her, or that she was kissing him back.

Like any other teenage girl of sixteen, she had indulged herself in romantic fantasies, and imagined receiving her first kiss in so many places, and under so many circumstances. But never since the day she was born, had she ever dreamed of kissing a stranger.

It was surreal; it was absurd; the situation absolutely defied expression.

Yet, as she placed her hands on his back, under the curtain of his long silver hair, she was not hesitant or afraid.

Oh she had panicked- who wouldn't? Truth to be told, she was completely frightened out of her wits when he grabbed her and pressed his mouth to hers. But she was staring into his eyes the entire time and suddenly she knew, instinctively, quite beyond doubt, that whoever he was, he was no rapist. The look in his eyes was not one of lust, she had seen more than her fair share of that to be certain.

Rather, it was more like a mixture of anguish, rage, despair, and something else she couldn't identify.

His eyes were haunted, possessing a wild look not unlike that of a caged animal. It struck her heart so forcefully, and abruptly her fear diminished, replaced by the strangest desire to comfort.

Before she knew what was happening, her mind surrendered to her body's urge, and she relaxed in his arms, tentatively parting her lips to his demand. To her greatest alarm, she tasted blood in his mouth.

Dear God- What happened to this man?!

The thought was fleeting, for something else took over her senses at that moment.

He had shifted his hold on her, no longer gripping, but supporting. She closed her eyes and suddenly, she was aware of everything- the muscular scent of his skin, the silkiness of his hair, the broadness of his shoulders...

She gasped, this time not out of fear, but out of something akin to excitement, as his traced her spine with his fingertips, so gently, all the while kissing her breathless. His hand dropped to the small of her back and stayed there, his palm pressing against her skin, emitting a warmth unlike anything she had ever felt before. It felt so comforting, so intimate, so right...

Quite lost in the sensation, she pressed herself even closer to him, without the slightest clue to what kind of havoc her acceptance was wracking on his body.

Sephiroth didn't know what exactly he expected when he grabbed the girl into his arms, but he certainly had not expected this. Any thoughts of dominance and conquer were long abandoned, the gift she offered was so beautiful, so generous, and so, so complete, that he forgot all else and closed his eyes.

For the first time in many years, Sephiroth allowed himself to simply feel: to feel the moist lips gracing his, the delicate hands on his back, her breathing body, warm and pliant in his arms... His heart pounded faster and his body grew more and more restless, driven by need, aching with desire. He pressed himself against her, wanting to be inside, to be completely surrounded and commanded by her warmth. He groaned against her mouth, his hand traveled up her bare arm, moving to caress her breast.

Aeris didn't know which was it that finally broke the spell: his hand on her breast, or his hardness pressed against her thighs. But suddenly she froze, her breath caught in her throat, a wave of panic seizing her anew.

By God! She- She was clinging to an aroused stranger like a-

Abruptly she pushed him away and stumbled back, eyes wide in shock. He looked confused and made a move to follow her, which made her cry out in alarm,

"No! Stop! Please-"

Confused and mortified, she began to sob helplessly: "Please, I'm not- I don't- I'm not a, a desperate woman!" She could not force the spiteful word "whore" out of her mouth.

Yet, a small, cold voice inside her head reminded her cruelly, yet, you allowed him liberties no decent girl should ever allow a stranger. You accepted his advance, when anyone with an ounce of self-respect would have fought violently against it. You kissed him so shamelessly, pressed yourself against him- like a whore!

Every word of caution her mother had ever spoken to her came back to her at that moment. The full implication of her actions finally dawned on her. Utterly shocked and ashamed by her behavior, Aeris began to tremble violently in the rain, barely able to hold herself upright.

A slap in the face could not have been more effective than her words and her tears. Sephiroth stopped dead in his tracks, his face paling as the haze in his mind finally cleared. He gasped, horror gripping him as fiercely as desire had earlier. He stared at the shaken girl and could not believe what he had done to her. Her tears magnified his misery a thousand folds, making him feel lower than dirt. Never before in his entire life, had he been so utterly disgusted with himself.

"I..." He tried to speak, but no words came out. What explanation could he possibly offer for molesting an innocent girl on a sidewalk, for the entire world to see? Whatever could possibly justify such dishonorable action, such absolutely despicable conduct?

"No, no..." The girl took another step back, choking out incoherent words between sobs, "Please, I- I'm sorry!"

Before he could speak another word, she turned on her heels and fled, her flower basket and its contents scattered, forgotten at his feet.

Long after she had disappeared from his view, Sephiroth stood still at the spot, transfixed, unable to move an inch. His body was completely soaked by the rain, his mind reeling from what had transpired between him and the unknown girl.

What in the devil's name possessed him to do such a thing? Wasn't he a man with high principles? Didn't he always pride himself in the righteousness of his conducts? He loathed rapists. During the war with Wutai, he was well known for his less than forgiving attitude toward soldiers who fed on women's vulnerability and fear for their own gratification. He had dispatched three such officers personally, with his Masamune, in front of the entire army, to show how decidedly worthless he thought those men to be.

Yet today, he had done the very thing he had always despised. In his moment of weakness, nay, insanity, he had allowed himself to prey upon a young woman having the misfortune of bumping into him. He shivered as he remembered her horrified expression, her shaky words, her trembling body and her tearful eyes...

Gods- no wonder people fled him wherever he went! They probably saw him for who he really was, long before he ever did: a filthy, vile monster.

Sephiroth bolted into the dark alley, no longer able to contain all the emotions boiling inside him With a tormented cry, he began to hit the brick wall of an abandoned building furiously, with his naked fists, again and again, sending chips of bricks and cement flying. His hands soon suffered many cuts and bruises, wherever his fists struck, red droplets of blood mixed with rain splashed. But still, the wretchedness in his heart did not lessen.

He was so angry and disgusted with himself that he became physically ill. That, combined with the "enhancing treatment" he received from Hojo's lab earlier made his body convulse, and he bowed over the reeking dumpster close by, retching until it felt like his stomach had been turned inside out.

Finally, physically and mentally spent, Sephiroth slid down to the ground and laid his head back against the wall. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, leaving a red trail on his pale skin. His hands were hurting from the abuse they received earlier, but at this point he hardly felt anything.

Gasping for breath, he suddenly led out a short bark of laughter that sounded more like a shocked cry, and declared aloud: "Good God, I'm such a wretched bastard!"

His raspy, bitter voice echoed through the alley and drifted into the now empty streets. No one heard him. Sephiroth closed his eyes.

In the steady rain, there was no way of telling whether the wetness on his cheeks was a result of the downpour, or a testament to his tortured conscience and regret.


Thanks to everyone who reviewed my first chapter. I'm having the greatest enjoyment writing this piece, but the task is a bit intimidating too, since there are already so many brilliant works on the AeriSeph pairing out there.

I've only played the game once a few years back. So I sincerely hope my depiction of pre-game Aeris and Sephiroth are not too out of character. All reviews will be greatly appreciated, and I thank you for reading.

- Misra's servant, Holy Lady Farangis