Here is chapter 4. Now that Sephiroth is the lodger, what will happen? Obviously a romance, but it'll take a while. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII…
Aeris stood in shock at the man who sat the kitchen table, slowly drinking a cup of water. He appeared as if he didn't even notice her, and he failed to acknowledge her prescence as she stood in the doorway. Elmyra failed to notice her daughter's surprise as she dragged her further into the kitchen.
"Come along Aeris, there's no need to be shy" she said, mistaking her daughters reluctance for shyness. Aeris only nodded as she journeyed further into the kitchen. Coughing to get Sephiroth's attention she pulled Aeris forward to her side and gestured to the young man sitting down.
"Sephiroth, this is my daughter, Aeris" she told him. He simply looked her way and gave a curt nod before looking back at his glass of water he held in his hands. Sighing quietly Elmyra prodded her daughter to say something to him. Glaring at her mother she cleared her throat to get his attention, but it didn't work.
'Oh Gods' she thought 'how hard is it to talk to this person'.
"Hello Sephiroth, it's nice to meet you again" she told him. Giving only a slight nod to acknowledge her words he continued to drink from his glass.
"Have you two met before?" Elmyra asked her daughter. Aeris turned to her mother.
"Yes mom, we met at the university" she told her. Elmyra smiled in response and looked towards the brooding man sitting at the table.
"Well that's good then, I won't have to introduce you two" she said. Aeris could only offer a forced smile, remembering the way he had totally ignored her earlier.
"Well, we have discussed the business so perhaps you could show Sephiroth to his room now, dear?" Elmyra asked her daughter. Aeris nodded to her mother as she watched the young man rise out of his chair. She couldn't help but notice his athletic figure as he rounded the table and walked next to her. Picking up his bags he motioned for her to show him the way to his room.
Aeris led the way out of the kitchen and into the main room. She couldn't help but think of the mysterious man walking behind her. She had always been drawn to the strong, silent type. She felt as if they had something they needed help with, and being the type of person she was she felt compelled to help them.
As they made their way up the stairs Aeris suddenly felt a bit self conscious, wondering whether Sephiroth was looking at her behind as she walked up the steps. Blushing slightly she tried to quicken her pace to reach the top as quickly as she could. He was so quiet that she couldn't hear his footsteps as he made his way up the stpes.
"So, um, what course are you doing?" she asked Sephiroth, trying to break the silence.
"Physical Education, with minors in Biology, Physics and Mathematics" he told her, his rich voice reverberating around the narrow corridor.
"Wow, you must be really intelligent" she told him as she stopped in front of the guest room. He merely shrugged in reply and kept his stony face neutral as always. Slightly irritated about the lack of response she opened the door of the guest room and walked inside. Sephiroth slowly entered the room, wondering whether or not it will be worth the money he is paying for it.
'I hope this isn't as bad as the rest of the slums' he though to himself, as he watched the girl in pink walk into the room.
Luckily for him, and for the tenants, the room was well kept and tidy. It had simple white wallpaper adorning the walls, with a small rectangular window over looking the streets below. There was a small white bed with clean linen, and a wooden bedside table holding a tiny lamp. After the quick inspection he turned to the woman beside him, Aeris.
"It will do" he told her simply. His words seemed to infuriate her, and her eyes narrowed slightly. Huffing in indignation she stood on her tip toes to try and match his height.
'How dare he!' she though to herself. The whole silent treatment he was giving her hurt, and now he dare insult her house.
"It will do? Who do you think you are? We may live in the slums but we still look after our house!" she told him angrily. Sephiroth simply stared her down with cool eyes, a small smirk gracing his face. However, this only seemed to irritate her more than previous.
"What do you find funny?" she asked him, almost growling. It took all of Sephiroth's willpower not to laugh in her face. Merely shrugging he walked past her and set his bags down on the bed. Turning to his angry host her measured her up with calm eyes.
"Seeing as I am paying for this room, you are excused" he told her smugly. He watched her flare up at his remark and storm angrily out of the room, slamming the door and stomping down the steps.
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Aeris had never been so angry in her life at one person before. This smug, arrogant man had ignored her, shunning her in front of everyone at the university and now had the gall to order her about in her own house. As she stormed into the kitchen to find her mother shocked at her sudden and angry entrance.
"What's wrong, dear?" her mother asked her as she put the kettle on. Aeris simply sat down at the table and huffed in annoyance.
"What's wrong? That man is a jerk!" she cried. Elmyra tried to shush her daughter but it didn't work, Aeris was too angry.
"Why dear?" Elmyra asked. The man seemed tidy enough, he was handsome, well spoken and hygienic but he was a little lacking in the social skills.
"Because he is! He keeps on ignoring me every time I try to talk to him!" she told her mother. Elmyra simply sighed and poured the warm water into three cups and added the tea to them. Sitting down across from her daughter she handed a cup to her, which Aeris accepted. She took a small sip and allowed the warm liquid to calm her slightly.
"He's probably just shy" Elmyra told her. Aeris looked at her mother, shaking her head.
"No Mom, he's arrogant and full of himself! Why can't we have another lodger instead of him?" she asked her. Elmyra shook her head in response, smiling sadly.
"We need the money, dear, and many people can't afford to pay for a room" she said to her daughter. Aeris, of course, knew that this was the case so she had to agree.
"Okay, Mom. But if he keeps on acting like this then I'll…I'll…" she said, unable to think of something. Anger wasn't one of her usual traits, but this man seemed to rub her the wrong way (not that way! Perhaps later).
"Alright dear. Now" she said as she handed her the third cup "take this up to his room, please"
Aeris could only throw her mother a withering look as she picked up the cup of hot tea and walked out with it. She travelled up the stairs slowly, careful not to spill the hot liquid over herself. After careful negotiation she managed to arrive at the door, not spilling a single drop. Before she knocked the door she tried to muster up her angriest face she could. Smiling happily at her new success, she quickly reverted her face back to an angry scowl. Knocking the door loudly, she waited impatiently for Sephiroth to answer.
'Now, he better apologise to me or I'm going to get really…oh…my…gods…' she thought dumbly.
Aeris could only stare in shock at the sight that presented itself. Sephiroth stood before her, dressed only in a pair of black trousers. Aeris stared at his bare chest, which was eye-level to her. He had a perfectly toned body that suited his medium build, and his shoulder's weren't too broad. His stomach was flat and well defined and his muscular arms hung loosely at his side.
'Oh Gods…am I drooling?' Aeris asked herself, feeling her face flair up.
"Yes?" he asked her, trying to shake her out of the reverie that she was in. He was in the middle of changing when a loud knock on the door interrupted him, which was how he found himself standing in the hallway with a flame red Aeris.
"I…um…your tea" she stuttered, holding a cup of tea out to him. He looked down at the cup she had presented him. He had to admit it smelled inviting to him, and he nodded in response. He gently took the cup from her hands and stepped back into the room, closing the door behind him.
Aeris stared at the closed door in front of her, trying to pull herself away. When she went up to confront him she had never expected him to answer the door topless. She desperately tried to cool her face before she went back downstairs.
'Wow…' was all she could think. 'Why did he have to be attractive…no…unbelievably attractive…mouth watering…'
Aeris dumbly turned away and walked down the steps towards the kitchen, still reeling from the encounter with Sephiroth. As she entered the kitchen she saw her mother preparing some dishes. Elmyra heard her daughter enter the kitchen and pull up a chair. As she turned around she could see her daughter blushing madly.
"What's wrong dear? You look flustered" she asked Aeris. Aeris gave a shaky smile to her mother.
"Yes Mom, I'm fine" she told her.
Another chapter done. Sorry about it being short, but I have little time. Anyway, please review as it'll be greatly appreciated.
Preview: Sephiroth doesn't spend all of his night at home? What does he get up to? More characters will be introduced as well.
Please Review.
