Another Time, Perhaps
By mihoyonagi
Chapter X
Sephiroth had never felt so completely rested in all of his life. He awoke, but didn't bother to open his eyes- he wanted to bask in the wonderful feeling his entire body tingled with as long as he could. It was only when he heaved a large, content sigh, did he bother to even think.
The first thing that came to mind was the soft, warm pillow he lay sprawled across in a very awkward, yet wonderfully comfortable position. The 'pillow' then heaved a sigh that matched his own, and Sephiroth's eyes shot open in momentary shock; half beneath him, half next to him, laid the small flower girl from the slums who's face he had so often dreamt of.
Memories of the night before flashed across his mind, and the general couldn't help the shy, yet sly, smile that drifted across his lips. The room was still dark, due to their current course in gummy space, but Sephiroth had long since committed to memory the visage of his lovely flower girl whose body he held in a protective embrace, even though no danger could reach her so long as she was in his company.
He wanted her to open her eyes. Just as well, he didn't want to steal her away from dreamland. The silver haired man furrowed his brow in distress- what to do? He wasn't one to know what women wanted. Hell, he had nearly caused her to go mad only hours before, and now that he finally had her in his arms, what was he to do? Oh, sure, women had flung themselves at his feet while he worked for Shinra, but it was only because of his status, and on the occasion, looks; they never loved him, just as he never felt anything for them. The only things of beauty that had ever crossed his mind were flowers and their beautiful, chestnut haired keeper. If Jenova had not stolen her away from him, perhaps…
No- as much as he didn't want to admit it, maybe, just maybe, it was fate that had dealt such a vindictively ironic hand. What he could never have in one life, he destroyed, and now that they were together in another- oh, not even the sky was a limit.
Without knowing it, his grip on her tiny frame had tightened, and she stirred in his arms. Afraid he had woken her without meaning to, Sephiroth quickly, yet gently, released his grasp on her. Aerith made a soft noise, almost like the coo of a dove, rolled her head only slightly to the side, then fell back under the spell of sleep.
What to do, what to do? He wanted her to wake, but he didn't want to be the one that woke her- what is it that women wanted?
Sephiroth smiled. 'Of course,' me mused. 'Romance, and such sweet things…' Filtering thorough a bank of memories, the general forced himself to remember all of the books with any shred of romance he ever had the pleasure of reading. He had never admitted it to anyone before, but reading had kept his mind steady while on missions for the Shinra; that was the one main reason he did so well. He simply wished to finish the mission so he could get back and finish his book. His favorite and best-kept secret was his thirst for well-written literature containing a happy ending, one he thought he could never obtain.
Several thoughts popped to mind of women and how they liked to be woken, but none of them seemed to work with the kind demeanor of the young woman in his arms, so, setting aside the majority of it, Sephiroth concentrated on what main points he remembered; be gentle, be kind, be affectionate, but don't smother. The basics, or at least what he thought to be such. What he hoped to be such.
So, in a daring move all of his own accord, Sephiroth shifted ever so slightly, then gently pressed his lips against those of the only women who had ever gained his love.
Aerith made another soft sound, only this one louder, still much like the warm coo of a dove. Sephiroth, in an attempt to be passionate, let out a soft growl against the lips of his beloved; not loud, mind you, but loving and gentle. Again, he bent his neck, this time kissing the tops of her eyelids. "Wake up, my sweet," he breathed against her skin.
Wrapping her arms around Sephiroth's neck, Aerith sighed contently. "Why?" she questioned, a little groggily.
"Because I don't want to be alone," the general answered simply.
Sighing, Aerith ran her thin fingers though his long platinum hair. "I'm with you, always, Seph."
Sephiroth was grateful the lights weren't on, lest she might catch a glimpse of the blush that crept across his face when she gave him such a simply sweet nickname. No one had ever called him anything but his full name, aside from the other occasional titles he held; sir, general, monster, murderer…
He cringed at the last thought.
Placing her hands on his large shoulders, Aerith opened her eyes and looked up at him. Though light was scarce in the room, Sephiroth could see her beautiful emerald eyes gazing deeply up into his own crystalline orbs. Tentatively, she placed a hand on his cheek. "You okay?"
Such a simple question she asked, but the answer was more difficult than she could imagine. "I'll be alright," he concluded after a few moments of gazing into her eyes. "I'll live, if only for you."
Aerith smiled, despite the darkness of the room. He amazed her- he completely amazed her. She had hated him for so long, Aerith didn't think she could even begin to feel anything but hatred for him. But, just as her precious planet, things change, and she could do no more to stop the changes than she could stop time itself.
Deeply, Aerith sighed. So much had happened in the few days they had been in each other's company. He had changed so much, Aerith almost felt selfish- she had done so little, or so she thought.
In the beginning, she had listened to him, but in the end, her kind heart knew what her mind didn't, at first, understand; she never hated him. She would never be able to put her finger quite on it, but she knew something was there; Aerith had never felt quite so at peace. She laid in his arms, under his gentle weight, with the soft beat of his heart matching hers, his warm breath caressing her face, and for the first time in her life, in either life, felt completely at ease. She sighed contently.
Time never stayed still for her, but as she ran her fingers through his hair, affectionately stroking the back of his neck with such tenderness, she thought it would never end.
And she would have been perfectly fine with it.
The moment was broken when the phone rang from the cockpit. It rang again, letting the ship's only two passengers know that someone, indeed, was hell bent on ruining the moment. Sephiroth heaved a heavy sigh as he stood. "I'll get it." His voice was mostly monotone, and in it was mixed annoyance.
Aerith heard the controls make their funny little gummy noises. Cid's voice sounded in the control room at the end of the hall.
"Where's Aerith?" Leave it to Cid to get straight to the point; at least he wore his emotions on his sleeve. It was blatantly obvious that he didn't trust Sephiroth in the least.
"Fret not; she's well. Is there another purpose to you call, or were you simply checking in?"
A growl sounded at the end of the hall and Aerith was certain it didn't come from the slightly annoyed silver-haired man.
"Yuffie and Leon left, but I would have guessed they'd snag Aerith and bring her with them, given the circumstances."
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at the com-screen that displayed a picture of a very disgruntled-looking man. "And what circumstance are those given, pray tell?"
"We found Cloud. He's at Hallow Bastion. He, Yuffie, and Leon are here with me. Turns out he was looking for her all along. Aerith might want to know."
The screen beeped, then turned black. Sephiroth's heart skipped a beat.
