A/N- ... -looks to this sephy plushie- ... ... ...!!!!! dljhfkgifgh31!324fkl!! -yoinks, hugs, clings, etc- ... ; Ahem, anyway. Second to last chapter (maybe)! Forewarning - I couldn't resist touching moments between Cloud and Aerith...They're such a cute couple in both FF7 and KH...In my opinion. .;

Chapter Seven: One last Chat

Riku sat on the benches, alone.

His legs would be crossed over one another and those icy blue eyes would be looking upward at the clear blue sky, only strays of clouds could be seen with a bird or two. His expression was nothing or perhaps just solemn.

"So," Yuffie murmured to Aerith. "He knows everything?"

"Yeah..." Aerith replied with a sigh, she watched Riku from at the top where an exit from the bleachers are. Yuffie leaned on the wall next to Aerith with arms folded and shuriken on back.

"Gotta feel sorry for him. That's a lot of stuff to think about." Yuffie's expression changed from wonder to sadness towards Riku. Cloud came jingling up behind the two and stood there in the darkness, however those mako eyes could be clearly seen. Aerith turned from Riku and smiled faintly to Cloud who came closer.

"Err...I'll leave you two alone." Yuffie nodded and walked down the stone steps to Riku, wondering if she could probably comfort the teenager. Aerith blushed and bowed her head from Cloud who, seemed to blush as well.

"Are you really leaving tomorrow?" Cloud asked, his voice soothing to Aerith yet heart-breaking. She only nodded and allowed her left hand to clasp around her right arm. Cloud sighed and awkwardly took that hand into his, the one not encased in his claw but only half gloved. It was scarred with war and hers was delicately soft. "You don't have to listen to Sephiroth. I can take care --" Cloud was cut off.

"No, I'm leaving for Riku -- He's coming along."

"Does he know?"

"Yes. Sephiroth thought it would be best if Riku left..." Aerith trailed off and sighed once again, her visible shoulders slumping, then, she looked back up at Cloud hopefully. "You can come with us, there's enough room on the Gummi Ship!" Though, through Aerith's dismay, Cloud shook his head.

"I still have things to settle with Sephiroth. We'll be together again someday, though..."

"You promise?" Aerith asked, her words shaky.

"I promise." Though that mouth veiled he did smirk.

"My dad was a big meanie, too!"

It wasn't helping, but Yuffie went on and on about Godo. Riku just kept looking up at the sky which turned into a late afternoon, a sigh escaped his lips and allowed his hands to hold his chin. Yuffie noticed and finally stopped talking. "Hey, Riku? How about you talk to Sephiroth?" Yuffie suggested and stood back up, Riku turned his attention to her and blinked.

"He doesn't want to talk."

"How do you know?"

"Just because." Riku replied quickly, Yuffie smirked and placed her hands at her waist which was graced with short-shorts.

"Talking about it will help, y'know."

"...Maybe." Riku got up and dusted off his navy blue pants, then, stepped down the benches. Yuffie sat back down with a relieved and accomplished sigh, then, she heard Aerith and Cloud walking down the stone steps.

"Where's Riku going?" Aerith asked, her motherly instincts making her tone sound worried. Yuffie turned her head back to Aerith and smiled.

"He's gonna talk with Sephiroth."

"Yuffie!"

"What?!"

"Sephiroth doesn't want to see him!" Aerith exclaimed then did a inner groan, her feet going down the stairs swiftly but Cloud's hand was swifter to grab at her wrist, she turned and looked up at Cloud.

"Don't worry."

"But--"

"Yuffie did the right thing on coaxing him...It's something he has to face."

Aerith just bit her lower lip and Cloud slowly let go of her wrist so she could sit down, tiredly. Cloud just stood there with one foot on the next step and the other on the previous one a wind came by and got caught in his cloak.

"Hey, where's Leon?" Yuffie asked to break the tension.

"Getting the Gummi Ship ready for tomorrow." Aerith replied tonelessly and kept her green eyes upon the mouth that only bared darkness.

"How come you didn't tell me when I first came here?" Riku asked, this time his tone was bitter to match that of Sephiroth's. Sephiroth only sat in his chair reading a small black book with one leg over the other's thigh, then, glanced up at Riku who stood in front of him with arms crossed over his chest.

"It isn't that simple, boy. I couldn't just come out and say it. Could you imagine how dumbfounded you would be? You would probably denied it and gone insane." He stated simple as that with fingers turning the page.

"Then, how come I have to leave? Are you scared that I know now?" Riku pushed the limit and Sephiroth slapped the book shut with an annoyed groan.

"I am never frightened. I can't have you stay here...Simply because now you hate me." Riku blinked at his statement and lowered his arms from their folding and into small gestures.

"I don't hate you, I'm just frustrated."

"I understand." It didn't have any comfort, it was just something Sephiroth replied with then opened back his back to the page he was reading and those mako enhanced eyes went back down to the words upon the page, skimming the words in a fast motion. Riku stayed there, trying to think of something to say.

"I don't want to leave." He finally blurted out. Sephiroth raised a brow.

"Aerith can give you a promising life." Sephiroth answered back, a sigh could be heard too.

"I have a life here, though!" Riku shot back in his protest. Sephiroth chuckled.

"A life? Here? No, this isn't a life. Being a warrior for sport and money isn't a life a fifteen year old boy should have -- That life is for someone...Like me, whom has grown up with Death. Aerith will give you a home and you can live happily. You will not wake up at dawn anymore and watch me train, you will not train with Hercules anymore, nor will you talk to Strife. You will have a normal life with a caring mother and friends." His speech was done and Sephiroth's eyes turned to the new page.

Riku bowed his head, closing his eyes realizing everything now, a smirk appeared on his pale lips. "I know why you're doing this...You actually care for me."

Sephiroth's breath stopped for a moment then returned to its normal cycle, and his wing twitched but folded back inward again. "You just need a better life." It was a blunt answer, but Riku knew he was lying.

"C'mon, don't deny it! You care for me!" He raised up his head through a shake of silvery tresses and showed that smirk to Sephiroth who looked baffled at the boy -- Or perhaps that was a wince? Suddenly, Sephiroth stood up and Riku took a few steps back, Sephiroth placed his book on his desk and quickly walked over to his bed post taking something out of the jour. He walked back to Riku.

"Here."

Sephiroth's arm extended to the boy with the a new book entitled History of the Ancients and Calamity from the Sky Riku gently took it into his own skintight gloved hands and just laughed, it was soothing and heartwarming. Sephiroth blinked, he hadn't heard a real laugh for so long that he didn't really know what to do.

"...Something wrong?" Sephiroth asked.

"No...Just laughing at you." Riku stifled back his laughter and looked up at a confused Sephiroth.

"Me? What on Earth is wrong with you, boy?"

"I just finally understand everything, now. It might take you awhile to understand, too, but I know you will get it."

"If you're thinking I will start to care for you..." Sephiroth trailed off, that glare returning into his eyes. Riku only shook his head and turned for the doorway, then, turned back to his father.

"You will." Were his final words, then, Riku left Sephiroth alone -- And baffled.

I really can't tell...If I should scowled that boy or agree.

Sephiroth shook his head making those bangs sway back and forth before his chin and mako eyes, then, went back to his own reading muttering to himself. "You're a warrior, Sephiroth..."

Aerith touched the book's cover and swiped off some dust, then, smiled gently to herself as Riku sat next to him leaning forward a bit when she opened the book to the first page so he could read it as well.

"What's the 'Calamity from the Sky'?" He asked looking up at the young woman's features. Her smile slowly faded into nothing as she gently closed the book and gave it back to Riku who graciously took it back.

"Well...Long ago our world was ruled by my ancestors -- The Ancients, your long lost relatives. They ruled with happiness and didn't have any need to worry about things. Then, something fell from the sky causing the Planet to be hurt." Aerith turned to the boy who looked wonderingly at her, his face animated in intrigue and curiosity. She went on, talking about how the calamity was Jenova.

Yuffie, Leon, and Cloud watched.

"A real Son-Mother connection -- Soo cute!" Yuffie cooed, but was almost a poke fun kind of comment as well. Leon only kept his arms folded over his chest in his usual manner and doing his usual lean-up-against-the-wall stature as he looked down at Aerith, Cloud stood behind the two.

"I suppose." Leon replied boredly. Yuffie groaned.

"You're no fun! Can't you just think? A Son actually reunited with his family!"

Leon tried, knowing the same pain -- His parents...But he only shook his head. Yuffie just rolled her eyes.

"Better get used to it! He's coming back to Traverse Town with us." Yuffie told Leon, Leon only shrugged.

"Bet Sephiroth is happy."

"Yeah, probably." Yuffie concurred. But Cloud, for some reason, thought otherwise however said nothing.

A/N- ... What a terrible writer's block. Sorry for the delay. Anyway, wanna give out a thanks to all of the readers who posted up their reviews! And while typing I've decided that the next chapter will be the last -tear- So, I'll see you in Chapter Eight!