The tavern was not as spacious as some, but, as Aeris had remarked, bigger than Tifa's old Seventh Heaven in Midgar. Tifa had left the bar open so that her guests had access to the refrigerator and whatever liquor she had back there. Three fair-sized tables were spaced around the remainder of the room, and those arriving gravitated to these after Aeris had greeted them. Sephiroth had stood with her for a time, but had since retreated to a corner of the bar where he was out of the way but still able to watch her.
"E-excuse me..." a shy little voice began.
He shifted his gaze to look at the speaker: she was a tiny slip of a girl, a child with large brown eyes and dark hair in braids just past her shoulders. Marlene, he guessed, judging by her age.
"Excuse me," she repeated with greater confidence. "You're Sephiroth, aren't you?"
The question amused him; of course she knew he was Sephiroth. Everyone did. "Yes," he replied.
She smiled hesitantly. "I'm Marlene."
He nodded. "Barret's daughter, I assume."
"Yes," she replied eagerly. His recognition seemed to encourage her. "I thought I'd come say hi. I mean, this is your party, isn't it? And here you are in the corner..."
The swordsman shrugged. "I prefer not to draw much attention."
"But isn't that really the point of a birthday party?" Marlene asked, somewhat puzzled, as she hopped up onto a barstool near him.
"This is my first," he confided. "I would not know."
"Oh, I see. Well... I'm shy myself, but you should really just let loose and enjoy yourself, you know?"
Sephiroth nodded towards the door. "I am waiting for Aeris."
Marlene glanced in Aeris's direction, then swivelled back to him. "I heard that Aeris waited a whole four years for you to come back to life," she said brightly. "I think that's awfully romantic, don't you?"
"Do all young girls have such strange notions?" he wondered.
"Strange notions?" she repeated. "What do you mean?"
"How could subjecting oneself to four years of loneliness possibly be romantic?"
"Oh, easily," the girl answered matter-of-factly. "It's more of a tragic romanticism, though, I think. I mean, I know it must've been hard on her being alone that long, but it's touching, too. And it should be especially so for you, considering she did it for you."
He shook his head. "It would be very selfish of me to appreciate that kind of sacrifice. I almost wish she had not waited."
"How can you say that? You wanted to come back and find her off with some other guy?"
"Yes."
She frowned, pondering this for a long moment, then finally shook her head. "I don't get it."
"Perhaps you will understand when you fall in love," he suggested.
The girl sighed. "That's what everyone tells me. 'Oh, you'll understand when you're in love.' How hard can it be to explain?"
Sephiroth shrugged. "I probably could explain it, and when I was through, you would nod and say, 'Oh, that makes sense.' But years later, you would experience love for yourself, and you would find it just as confusing as before, if not more so. So why endeavor to comprehend it without experiencing it first?"
"So it's different for everybody, right?" Marlene concluded uncertainly.
"I suppose. But it is easier to understand others' motives and reasons once you have gone through it yourself, even if it was quite different for you."
She smiled. "I'll probably end up looking back at what I think now and wondering how I could ever be so silly, won't I?"
"Quite possibly," he agreed.
"Do you?"
"Do I what?"
"Think what you used to believe is pretty stupid now."
"Of course."
She swivelled back and forth on the stool. "Sephiroth?"
His gaze had wandered to Aeris, who looked about ready to seek him out, but now he looked back at the girl. "Yes?"
"Can I call you Seph?"
A pause. "Certainly."
Marlene smiled again. "You know what? I've heard too many stories to count from Papa and Cloud and Tifa, but it's hard to believe them all now. I hope I fall in love with someone as nice as you."
Sephiroth stared at her in astonishment, failing to notice that Aeris was now close enough to overhear. "Nice?" he queried. "Whatever gave you that impression?"
"What?" she asked, not seeming to realize how absurd it seemed to attribute kindness to him. "You don't treat me like a kid, and you're honest. I think it's nice."
"I didn't mean for it to seem that way," he faltered.
The girl blinked. "What do you mean by that?"
"Oh, don't try to find any logic in that," Aeris said, startling the two. "Sephiroth thinks he has some sort of reputation to protect, that's all." Her laughing gaze met Sephiroth's, and he raised an eyebrow in challenge.
"He can't possibly want people to think he's evil, can he?" Marlene asked.
"Of course not," she replied. "That's why it's so illogical."
"But Aeris," Sephiroth said with a faint smirk, "what am I supposed to do when you are always telling people how nice I am? If you keep it up, I'll have friends, and then we'll never have any time to ourselves."
Aeris laughed. "Is that how it is? And I suppose you're worried about having admirers, too, hmm?"
"I know you wouldn't want to make anyone jealous," he countered smoothly. "You have had enough of love triangles, I'm sure."
"You're right, of course," she replied, then shook her head. "Oh, poor Marlene, we've left her quite bewildered."
The girl smiled shyly. "It's all right, Miss Aeris. I think I'll leave you two be..."
"I don't blame you. And call me Aeris," she added.
Marlene nodded. "All right... Aeris. I'll talk to you later, Seph." She hopped off the stool and wandered off.
"So everyone is here?" Sephiroth asked, surveying the room.
"Yes, I think so," she answered. "And I must say, you really have a knack for finding the most obscure and unobtrusive corners."
"Really? Then how did you find me so quickly?"
"Because I know you."
He raised an eyebrow.
She relented. "All right, all right. I watched you to see where you went."
"That's what I thought."
"Have you talked to anyone besides Marlene?" Aeris asked.
The swordsman shook his head. "I have not sought them out."
"I'm sure they'd all like to talk to you. It's been four years for all of us, you'll remember, even if it only seemed like a week at most to you."
"I know. I wanted to wait for you."
"Worried about how some of them might react?" she wondered.
"No; merely uncertain, and I would rather be with you anyway."
She placed her hands on her hips. "You've been with me constantly for nearly two weeks straight, and they haven't seen you in years."
"The latter point is valid," Sephiroth told her quietly, "but I can never get enough of you."
A smile softened her expression. "I know how you feel. But you ought to at least..." She trailed off, glancing to her left with a start as Minerva walked a few steps past her and stopped, staring at Sephiroth. Abruptly, she closed the distance between them and hugged him, a gesture that surprised Sephiroth before he realized that she had had years to get used to this. He returned the embrace as best he could.
Reno was standing awkwardly a little behind Aeris, and she turned, took him by the arm, and quietly led him away.
Minerva pulled back and met Sephiroth's gaze. "I missed you," she said.
He wasn't sure how to respond to that; he hadn't been conscious enough to miss her. He had missed Aeris--vaguely, in dreamlike blurs of emotion and thought. "I am sorry," he said.
She shook her head. "You've done nothing to apologize for. I am only glad that you're back. It would have been nice to have had you around..."
"At first, I suppose," Sephiroth reflected, "but I am sure you have long since adjusted to this life."
"For the most part, yes," she replied, "but there are some things I doubt I'll ever get used to."
He nodded. "Now that I am back... you and Reno will marry, yes?"
"Yes. Elena has been trying to get me involved in the wedding plans, but I really don't care enough about that sort of thing. I have heard little girls plan their weddings from young ages, but... why bother with plans? Would it not be better unrehearsed, spontaneous, natural...?"
"I have not thought much about weddings."
Minerva tilted her head. "What of your own? Or does Aeris not consider it so important?"
"We have talked some, casually," he admitted. "She does not seem to want anything grand, but I can tell it will be a very significant event to her."
"It seems to mean a lot to everyone," she remarked. "I feel as though I've missed something."
"We were not raised with the idea of marriage as the mark of a great change in life. It is supposed to bind two people together spiritually, or something of the sort, but honestly it seems superfluous... Then again, I've never cared to learn much on the subject, so you would be better off asking someone else."
She nodded.
"What else has been going on?" he asked her.
"Well..." she mused, a slight smile crossing her face. "Lately Reno has been trying to start me on a musical career. He is only half-joking, but I can't help finding it amusing."
"You would be good at it, if you could get past your embarrassment," he said. "Although, there aren't really many entertainers anymore, are there?"
"More writers than anything," Minerva answered. "With the loss of Mako, it seems we've taken a step backward. Books far outnumber television programs, concerts outnumber radio broadcasts, traditional theatres outnumber cinemas."
"I wonder if Aeris would be interested in seeing something," Sephiroth mused.
"Whenever you visit us in Junon, perhaps we can all go out to see a play," she suggested.
He nodded. "I will mention it to her."
The both noticed Reno approaching at the same time. "Hi," he said uneasily. "Aeris said it was prolly okay for me to intrude on your conversation now."
"You mean 'join in,'" Minerva corrected.
"Yeah, whatever." He shrugged and turned to Sephiroth. "I didn't get a chance to say how great it is to have you back and all. I don't think I've ever seen Aeris's spirits so high. We'll be looking forward to seeing more of you guys."
"As will we," the swordsman replied.
The redhead shifted and glanced back at one of the tables. "There's something I wanted to mention... I dunno if Elena'll actually find the nerve to bother you about it, but you know, when she heard you were alive, she got really excited thinking you'd bring Tseng back and everything."
"I did tell her I would try," Sephiroth recalled, "but I do not know if I will be able to now that I've lost much of my power. Aeris may have to be the one to do it, if she is willing, and, perhaps more importantly, if the Planet is willing."
"Well, the Planet never had any objections before, did it?" Reno asked.
"I suppose Aeris did not tell anyone how busy it has been. It could not even find the energy to speak to her until about a month ago."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"You should really pay more attention to planet study, Reno," Minerva sighed. "Extracting a soul from the Lifestream means taking energy from the Planet, like drawing blood. If the Planet has worked itself to exhaustion, it may be too weak to loose even the slightest amount of energy."
"Sorry," he apologized sincerely. "My memory's not as great as yours. It probably doesn't help that I'm only human."
"No, it probably doesn't," she agreed, though by her tone she did not consider that a valid excuse.
"Anyway," said Reno, "I think I saw Delphine and Kat looking for us. Haven't seen them in a while; you wanna go say hi?"
Minerva nodded. "All right. Sephiroth, are you coming?"
"In a moment."
The two left him alone in his corner to find their friends, and several minutes elapsed before Aeris rejoined him.
"Barret caught sight of me," she said by way of explanation. "It's been a very long time since I've seen him, and he can get pretty emotional sometimes. It always manages to surprise me."
He nodded a bit but could think of no reply. His attention was elsewhere, and at length he decided to speak his mind. "It was a little late, you know."
"Hmm?"
"What Elmyra said about needing experience."
"What do you mean?"
Sephiroth nodded towards Minerva who sat with her friends across the room. "Do you know who her father is?"
Aeris's eyes widened when understanding found her, and then she shook her head ruefully. "You didn't even know, so what could you have done? Besides, I think you're doing a fine job now. I noticed she always went to you for advice."
"But that works both ways," he said. "I ask advice of her as well."
"It doesn't matter. And anyway, you seemed to get along well with Marlene, too. In fact, she seemed quite smitten with you."
He raised an eyebrow. "She is only thirteen."
"I guess you've never had a crush, Seph," Aeris concluded in amusement. "Teens get them a lot, and age really isn't a factor."
"Apparently not."
"Seriously, though, since you brought it up--what do you think? About having children, I mean."
"Honestly? I'm afraid I would make a terrible father. You would have to raise the children by yourself; I've no idea what to do with them."
"Nonsense," she insisted. "Just do the opposite of everything your father did, and you'll do fine."
"Will I really?" he wondered.
She smiled reassuringly. "Of course. I'll help you."
He nodded slightly but did not have time to reply before a small figure tackled him, startling him so much that he nearly struck her--but he realized that it was Yuffie, her arms around him in a violent hug.
"Why do you have to pick such obscure corners to hang out in?" she demanded when she drew back. "I've been looking for you since I came in."
Sephiroth merely looked at her blankly for a long moment, taking a step back and calming himself.
She blinked and then grinned sheepishly when she realized why. "Sorry if I scared you," she apologized.
"It's all right..."
"But gods, it's good to see you." Yuffie's tone of voice took on a mock sternness. "You made everybody so worried; you'd better not die again."
"I don't plan on it," he assured her.
"I won't let him," Aeris added, taking hold of his arm.
The ninja grinned. "That's good to know. Do you think you can get him to join the rest of us? It's his party, after all."
"Hmm... He seems pretty rooted to this spot," the Cetra reflected. "He does like corners."
"Come on, Seph," said Yuffie. "Or do we have to drag you?"
He raised an eyebrow, surveying her petite figure. "Do you honestly think that you could?"
The ninja drew herself up, trying to seem taller. "You underestimate the great Yuffie Kisaragi."
"Besides," Aeris added, casting her friend a look of amusement, "it can't be any harder than moving your dead body."
"I was not resisting then," Sephiroth pointed out.
"Oh? Then we do have to drag you...?"
He laughed and shook his head. "No. I will go willingly."
Aeris smiled, and Yuffie led the two out to a table where many of the others were sitting. "Seph's finally come out of hiding, guys," the ninja announced. When he did not speak, she nudged him. "Come on, say hello."
The swordsman cast her a strange look before turning back to the others. "Ah... hello."
"Welcome back to the world of the living," Katrina said, a broad smile on her face.
"I don't think you've met Delphine," Aeris said, gesturing to the girl beside Katrina. "She's a friend of ours from Bone Village, though she moved to Cosmo Canyon a year or so ago."
Sephiroth inclined his head. "It is nice to meet you, Delphine."
"I'm honored, Sephiroth," she replied. "I've heard a lot about you from everyone."
"Really?" he wondered. "They must have exaggerated somehow, for you to be 'honored.'"
"Oh, don't be silly," Aeris laughed. "You're better than any story about you."
Yuffie motioned for the two of them to sit down at the table, and they did so, Sephiroth looking around at the faces he saw. In addition to Yuffie, Katrina, and Delphine, there were also Minerva, Reno, Rude, Elena, Tifa, and Cloud, all sitting close enough that, had they not been friends, they would have felt quite uncomfortable.
"So when's the wedding?" Katrina asked.
"That would be a better question to ask of Minerva and Reno, I think," Sephiroth replied.
"Neh, we were thinking in a couple weeks," Reno said with a shrug, "but we don't have anything concrete yet."
"Anyway," Aeris put in, "we don't want a big celebration, just a quiet little wedding."
"But you're going to invite all of us, right?" Yuffie asked.
"Is it really that important to everyone?" the Cetra wondered in surprise.
"Of course," Nanaki answered. "We all want to see you get married. But, if you do not want to make a big deal of it, that's quite all right. We will get over it."
"I guess... Well, when I was younger, I did imagine my wedding would be something extravagant," Aeris admitted, "but now, it all seems so simple. So I want to keep it that way. I hope I'm not ruining anyone's plans for it."
"No, I don't think anybody got that far," Katrina assured her. "We've anticipated the day, sure, but we weren't gonna plan it for you."
"Hey, Cloud, Tifa," Reno said suddenly, "what're you guys doin' at this table anyway? You're already married."
"You thought they were gonna hang out with all the old people?" Elena asked him, gesturing to another table occupied by their older friends as well as Reeve and Marlene.
"Old people?" Rude wondered. "Reeve, for one, is younger than me, and that girl is hardly old."
"Well, they're at the wrong table," Elena stated.
Reno rolled his eyes. "No, Elena, I didn't expect them to hang out with the 'old people.' I was just pointing out how the rest of us aren't tied down yet."
"Yet," Katrina emphasized.
"The only couple here that's married," Tifa mused. "That won't be a title we get to keep for long, will it?"
"No," Delphine said, "it seems like everybody's getting married. I almost feel left out."
"Me, too," Yuffie agreed with a brief glance at Nanaki that few noticed. "Anyway, Aeris, I hope you guys aren't planning on staying in the City of the Ancients."
The Cetra shook her head. "No, I packed up all my things and brought them with me. Maybe we'll go there every now and then, but not to stay."
"That's good to know," Cloud remarked.
"So where are you headed?"
"Actually, Yuffie, we thought we might like to live in Wutai."
The ninja blinked, and her eyes flicked to Sephiroth. "Really?"
"Yes," he replied. "I have a lot of things to atone for there, if you'll let me."
"Oh, sure," she said eagerly. "I could use your help. You guys can stay in the guest room 'til you can get a house of your own."
Aeris smiled appreciatively. "That sounds lovely, Yuffie."
She grinned and said boastfully to the others, "You guys should all be jealous. I get to have Aeris and Sephiroth living under my roof."
"We are very envious indeed," Minerva agreed.
"Hey, Seph," Marlene said, having gotten up from the other table and come to lean over his shoulder. "When are you gonna open your presents?"
He looked at her blankly. "Presents?"
"Well, me an' Red both got you something," Yuffie said. "I dunno about everybody else."
"We got him something, too," Reno put in.
"You know I got you something," Aeris told him with a smile, "but I'll have to give it to you later."
"What is it?" he asked in curiosity.
She waggled a finger at him. "Tsk, tsk. I can't tell you; it'd ruin the surprise. You'll just have to wait."
"But you can open the other ones now," Yuffie said. "Is that okay with everybody?"
The question was met with agreement.
"Maybe we should see if anyone over there has anything for him," Tifa suggested, nodding towards the other table.
"I already asked," Marlene told her, hopping up to sit on the table near Sephiroth. "They didn't. And they wanted me to drag Sephiroth over to say hi after he opened the ones he had, but I really don't know how I'm supposed to manage that."
"We could do it, I'll bet," Yuffie said. "Just you and me." She looked Sephiroth over and amended, "Well, maybe Aeris, too."
He shook his head. "You don't have to drag me anywhere."
"Damn," she cursed, snapping her fingers. "I wanted to see if we actually could."
"You couldn't."
"That's what you think."
Nanaki cleared his throat. "I believe Sephiroth was going to open his gifts, yes?"
"I'll go get them," Aeris said, quickly rising to retrieve a few boxes from the counter. She placed them in front of Sephiroth as she sat back down.
With their faces urging him on, he hesitantly chose the one on the top to open first. The label claimed that it was from Minerva and Reno, though he doubted either of them had wrapped it. Minerva would not have bothered, and Reno could not have done it so neatly. Blue paper covered it, folded precisely and secured with tape. Probably Elena's work, he decided as he proceeded to ruin it.
Inside the narrow box lay a sort of hoop with cord stretched across it like a spiderweb and black-tipped silver feathers hanging from it. He glanced up at Minerva, perplexed.
"A dream catcher," she explained. "It is supposed to catch nightmares before they reach you."
"Probably more for decoration now that you two're back together," Reno added with a wink, "but we thought it was kinda neat."
"Sephiroth nodded appreciatively. "Thank you."
"'welcome."
Setting the dream catcher aside, he picked up the next item, from Yuffie, which she had wrapped in a vibrant red which somehow made him think of fall leaves rather than blood. Inside lay a Wutain-style shirt of black, embroidered with a deep blue-green thread.
"I guess it's more appropriate than I'd intended, since you'll be moving to Wutai," she reflected. "I won't say you'll fit right in because you won't, really, but at least you'll look more Wutain--though your eyes are slanted right."
"Probably because my father was Wutain," he mused, surprised that he had managed to say this without contempt. The absence of it made everyone comfortable with the statement, rather than anxious.
Yuffie nodded and then grinned. "As it is, I just figured you might need new clothes."
Sephiroth glanced down at himself; he still wore the clothes that he had died in, as Aeris had not yet succeeded in dragging him to a store, and while she had done her best to mend them, they still looked well-worn, if not a bit tattered. "I suppose I do," he agreed with a smirk. "Thank you."
"No problem."
The last gift was from Nanaki, unwrapped in a plain cardboard box. Opening it, he found a soft robe inside, white with a trim of red triangles. He blinked, recognizing it as the type of robe healers once wore when people could still make a profession out of it. But Shinra had made materia as available as newspapers, and people no longer needed healers.
He glanced at Nanaki. "A healer's robe?" he queried. "Why?"
"I thought it appropriate," Nanaki replied with a cat-like smile. "Aeris has told you why many times, I am sure."
Sephiroth turned to Aeris and met her green eyes. Slowly, he smiled, and he looked back at Nanaki. "It is appropriate. Thank you."
"You are quite welcome."
He replaced the items in their boxes and stacked them neatly, leaving the paper crumpled on the table. "As for the rest of you, thank you simple for coming, and for everything else you've done."
"There's no need to thank us," Katrina told him. "You've done things for us, too."
He nodded and got to his feet, glancing across the room. "I suppose I should go greet them."
Aeris stood with him, smiling. "Yes, let's go say hello."
Taking her hand, he walked to the other table, Aeris at his side and Marlene following. "Marlene said for me to come over."
Lucrecia looked up instantly, her eyes brightening at the sight of him, and she nearly leapt up to embrace him. "There you are, Sephiroth! Come, sit down, there's room."
Reeve moved over a seat, and the two newcomers sat down between him and Lucrecia. Marlene remained standing, leaning over her father's shoulder. Barret's gaze was the only one even mildly hostile.
"It's so wonderful to see you," Lucrecia went on. "You've been gone far too long."
He nodded. "I have."
"So, go on, tell us what you plan to do with yourselves."
"We are moving to Wutai," Sephiroth answered with some hesitation; he was used to the questions being asked of Aeris. "Yuffie has offered us lodging in her house."
"Her dad'll give you all hell for that," Cid warned.
The swordsman nodded. "I am aware of that."
"Can we expect a wedding any time soon?" Lucrecia wanted to know.
"A marriage, yes," Aeris replied, "but no big ceremony. Sorry to disappoint."
"There's no need to apologize, dear. After four years, I think you deserve whatever kind of wedding you want."
"And whatever kind of life she wants afterwards," Sephiroth added quietly, earning him a soft smile from Aeris.
"Cid, you didn't tell me they made such a cute couple," Shera said reproachfully.
"Hell, am I supposed to be a good judge of things like that?"
"Well, isn't it obvious?"
The pilot snorted. "To women, maybe."
"The man's right," Barred stated. "I mean, it's Sephiroth. Hard ta get past dat."
"I am inclined to agree with you on that," Sephiroth said with mild amusement. "My reputation precedes me."
"An' its' about as bad a reputation as a guy can get," Cid told him. "But people get over it. Most of 'em. Sorta."
"Cid..." Shera began.
He glanced at her and ran a hand through his hair. "What?"
She shook her head and looked over at Sephiroth and Aeris. "Best of luck to you two. I know you haven't had much of it before."
"Looking back, I wouldn't say that," Aeris mused. "How many other people that you know have gotten second chances at life?" She nodded to Lucrecia. "I know you have, yes, but I know far more people who died young, and none of them were given life again. I think we can call ourselves lucky."
Sephiroth shook his head in disagreement. "Myself, perhaps, but it was not luck who killed you and later brought you back into this world to suffer."
"Oh, yes, you're right," she said. "That was you. You killed me, and I lost you; you brought me back, and I found you."
He stared at her for a moment, and then his expression softened and he laughed. "As always, there is no use arguing with you."
Aeris laughed, too, leaning her head on his shoulder.
Elmyra was the first to leave the party, which did not surprise Aeris in the slightest. Her mother had never liked staying up late, especially not before a day of travel. She, Barret, and Marlene planned to return to Midgar the next day. So Aeris and Sephiroth went with her to the door.
"I'll admit, I had more fun than I thought I would," Elmyra confessed. "I'm glad you talked me into coming."
Aeris smiled. "I'm glad you came. I've missed you."
"Oh, no, you haven't," her mother laughed. "You've spent all your time missing him. What do you care about this old woman?"
"Mom, you know that's not true," she said, giving her mother a brief hug. "I mean, maybe I missed him more than you, but I still thought of you every now and then. I kept thinking, 'Now she'd call me crazy.' You never did before, but..."
"That whole waiting business," Elmyra said, "is the only thing you've done that I think I can understand. You're not the only one who's gone through that, dear, but perhaps you've had it the hardest."
Aeris shook her head and squeezed Sephiroth's hand. "With each day that I'm with him, those four years seem like less and less of a big deal. He was worth the wait."
Her mother smiled. "Yes, you do make a lovely couple, though certainly not a conventional one. Aeris, you'll keep in touch from now on? I'll want to know how things turn out."
"I'll keep in touch," she confirmed. "And do you think you could come to our wedding? We're only asking you and a few others..."
"Of course I'll come."
Aeris smiled. "Thanks."
"Well. I should be going." She nodded to Sephiroth. "I... apologize for what I said earlier. I only..."
He held up a hand. "There is no need for apologies. I am well aware of my reputation and my actions. You had every right to say what you did, and I have every reason to thank you for choosing to approve of me in spite of everything."
Elmyra blinked, astounded. "You're perfectly welcome," she managed. "Good night, both of you."
"Good night," they both answered.
Aeris laughed once she had left. "You certainly made a good impression, Seph," she said. "I'm proud of you, really I am."
"If the people in Wutai were so forgiving, I would have it simple, wouldn't I? But I know they won't be."
"Don't worry about that now. Smile. Laugh. Enjoy this night."
Sephiroth smiled. "I am enjoying it, Aeris. Almost as much as that night in Cosmo Canyon."
"Almost?" she wondered.
"Almost," he repeated, tracing her jaw with a fingertip. "There are moments this night when you've seemed as though you were trying too hard. Then, you were completely honest; I liked that. But I know you don't want them to notice that you're not fully healed."
She dropped her gaze. "We'll talk about that later, all right? Not here, in this bar."
"And certainly not with people watching us," he added.
Blinking, she looked around. Indeed, a number of their guests had their eyes on the pair by the door. "I hadn't noticed," she admitted sheepishly. Her gaze found Barret and Marlene as the two got up and headed over to them, the latter with a heavy reluctance.
"It's Marlene's bedtime," the huge man explained. He made even Sephiroth seem small and thin, and he certainly dwarfed Aeris and Marlene. Aeris noted for the fifth time that night that he had replaced the gun on his arm with an artificial hand, and she wondered why she found it so difficult to remember.
"I don't know why he won't let me stay up later, just this one night," Marlene said, pleading her case to both Aeris and Sephiroth.
"You already got an extra hour," Barret reminded her. "Ya shouldn't complain."
"But how often do all of you get together?" the girl asked. "This is the first time in nine years, isn't it? Nine years..." She trailed off, her shoulders slumping when she saw that her father's expression had not changed.
"Well, good night, Marlene," Aeris said with an apology in her voice.
"Good night," the girl replied politely. She nodded to Sephiroth. "Happy birthday, Seph. And congratulations to both of you."
"Yeah, good luck," Barret added, sincerely if a bit hurriedly. He turned to usher his daughter out the door, Marlene looking back over her shoulder and waving.
Aeris and Sephiroth rejoined the others, and not until several hours past midnight did everyone come to the agreement that it was time to turn in. Reno and Minerva met the two Cetra at the door.
"We'll see ya next week," Reno said, a wide grin on his face. "Thanks for agreeing to help out."
"It's our pleasure," Aeris replied.
"I just realized," Minerva said slowly, offering Sephiroth a smile. "For once I am certain that no dangers will find you between now and our next meeting."
He returned the smile as a silent farewell, and she turned to Reno. "Let's go," she said, and the two stepped out the door together.
Elena came up next, merely nodding her goodbye and intent on catching up with her friends.
Sephiroth stopped her with a hand placed awkwardly on her shoulder. "We will ask the Planet about Tseng," he told her, "but I can give you no guarantees. I... suppose we'll check with you at the inn tomorrow morning, and you can come north with us if we can..."
Her face lit up with a smile, and Aeris thought she might hug Sephiroth, but she restrained herself. "Really? That's wonderful! I'll... I'll see you guys tomorrow!" She waved and ran out, calling after Reno and Minerva to wait up for her.
"I sincerely hope that we do not have to disappoint her," Sephiroth remarked, watching her go.
"Me, too," Aeris agreed.
"Still," Reeve said as he and Rude joined them by the door, "any kind of resolution to this will be good for her. You know what I mean?"
She nodded. "All too well, I'm afraid... Well, Reeve, I'll see you tomorrow, all right?"
He smiled. "Right. Good night, Aeris."
Rude echoed his 'good night,' and the two left the bar.
Katrina and Delphine stopped on their way out. "Unless you guys are headed off somewhere, we'll probably see you around for the next couple days," Katrina reasoned. "We're here 'til Thursday."
"I'm not sure how long we're staying," Aeris admitted. "It all depends. I only know for sure that we'll be leaving for Junon in a week, but practically everyone will be."
"I can't believe they're finally getting married," Delphine said. "They've been engaged for years."
"Indeed they have."
The girl fidgeted. "Well, I'm looking forward to seeing it happen."
Katrina smiled. "We all are. But come on, it's late."
"Yeah," Delphine agreed. "These two are probably anxious to chase everyone out and have some alone time."
Something in her friend's tone made Katrina eye her quizzically. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Never mind," she said, adjusting her glasses. "I've spent far too much time around Reno is all. Let's just go."
"Good night, you two," Aeris called after them as the two girls turned out the door.
Lucrecia came up to them, Vincent just behind her. "Oh, think," she said to Aeris, "soon, you'll be my daughter-in-law." She turned to Sephiroth. "And you, my son, married! I used to think about it, you know. But I think it will be quite different from what I imagined. Will you tell me about your wedding?"
"You're invited, Mother," Sephiroth told her. "As is Vincent. You can see it for yourself."
"Oh, really? We'd love to come! Where will it be? And when?"
"Not long after Reno and Minerva's wedding, I think," Aeris replied. "I'm not sure about the place yet, but I do have one in mind..." She glanced at Sephiroth and then shook her head. "Well, we'll tell you when we're certain."
They exchanged good night's and found Cid and Shera standing nearby once Vincent and Lucrecia had left.
The pilot clapped Sephiroth on the shoulder, startling him, and said, "You know, I thought the whole damn thing was crazy from the start, but you're probably saner than I am. Congrats; you're lucky to have her."
"Yes, I am," Sephiroth replied slowly, eyeing Cid almost warily. Saner than he is? he was probably thinking.
Aeris could have laughed. "Come now, Cid," she said. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He scratched his head. "I don't have a damned clue." He looked to Shera and put an arm around her. "But I've got her, so who cares?"
"Right, Cid," Shera laughed. "Now let's go before you make a fool of yourself."
"It's a little late for that," he muttered as she guided him out the door.
Aeris watched them go, shaking her head. She glanced down when Nanaki bumped her leg and bent to stroke his face. "Tired of us two-legged things yet, Nanaki?"
"Tired of you?" he wondered. "You are really quite fascinating creatures."
"Well, you're fascinating, too, if that counts for anything," she replied, smiling and standing.
Yuffie had joined them, her hands shoved in her pockets. "So when should I be expecting you guys?"
"We'll come to Wutai in about two weeks," Aeris answered. "But, um..." She motioned the ninja closer and cast Sephiroth a warning look. He caught the sentiment and strode farther down the entryway towards the door, doing his best not to hear whatever she had to say.
"What I bought for Sephiroth," Aeris went on in a whisper, "I had shipped to Wutai; I didn't think you'd mind. It should arrive there in a few days. Just as a heads-up, you know..."
Yuffie nodded. "I got it." She grinned and gave Aeris a hug. "I'll see you later." She paused near Sephiroth on her way out. "Be prepared for a big fight when you meet my dad," she warned. "He has a huge grudge against you."
"I know," the swordsman replied dryly. "I have met the man."
She laughed and headed out the door with a wave, Nanaki following at her heels. Sephiroth closed the door after them.
"Well," said Tifa from where she leaned against the counter. "This is actually earlier than when we usually clear people out."
Cloud stood beside her, hands behind his head. "It'll be nice to get a good night's sleep for once."
"It's two in the morning, Cloud," Aeris stated with a glance at the clock. "How could you possibly make this a 'good night's sleep'?"
"By sleeping till noon," Tifa answered, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, we're going to lock up and head home, all right?"
"All right." Aeris headed for the exit, and Sephiroth held the door for her. They remained just outside the bar while Tifa and Cloud walked down the street to their villa. Aeris watched them go and then glanced up at the sky, where a thin sheet of clouds lay stretched across the moon, muting its glow but not hiding it altogether.
She turned to Sephiroth. "Do you want to go for a walk along the beach?" she asked, not feeling the least bit tired.
"Certainly," he replied.
Aeris took his hand, and they walked the short distance to the beach. There, she removed her boots and carried them in her free hand, letting the sand caress her bare feet. The ocean stretched away to their left, dark and cool with the dimmed light of the moon brushing across the waves.
"I don't believe I have ever heard 'good night' said so many times in one evening," Sephiroth remarked at length. It seemed unusual for him to start a conversation, and she wondered if he had something on his mind.
"Same here," she replied. "But it was good to see them all again. So very good to see them, now that I'm in high spirits again."
"Mm."
After a pause, she asked, "You know where I want to be married, don't you?"
"Yes."
"And it's all right with you?"
"I think it means even more to me than it does to you."
Aeris smiled. "I'd hoped you'd see it that way."
Sephiroth nodded and looked out to the sea. She watched him silently for some time; he was aware of her gaze, but did not return it. It did not bother her. Costa del Sol lay some distance behind them, and the beach here was bare of brightly-colored umbrellas and abandoned towels both. The sand stretched pale into the distance.
"Sephiroth..." she began hesitantly. "I've... been wanting to confess something."
He glanced back at her. "Confess...? Whatever it is, it can hardly be terrible, coming from you."
She shook her head. "It is terrible, but you should know. I don't want there to be any secrets between us. None at all." She took a breath and looked up at him. "During that long wait... I almost did give up on you. I thought about just burying your body and moving on with my life. Oh, gods, to think I could have..."
"That isn't so terrible," he said softly. "I would have been happier to come back and find you healed. To find you no longer attached to me."
"...would you really?" she asked faintly, a wave of cold passing through her.
"I would rather not have hurt you like this, Aeris. If you had left me behind... Certainly, it would have hurt, but you would not be scarred so."
The feeling left her, and she smiled. "I don't mind, Sephiroth. I don't want anyone else. I'm immeasurably glad I didn't move on. It was more than worth it, just to have you back. I love you."
"As I love you," he replied, bending down to kiss her softly. He held her against him for a long moment, and she closed her eyes. Sometimes she thought she just wanted to stay like this forever...
"...perhaps we should head back to the villa," Sephiroth suggested after a long moment, she did not know how long. "It is late."
"You're right," she said.
But neither of them moved. It was a long time before they finally did return to the villa, quietly making their way to the basement's guest room and going to sleep.
Author's Notes
OMG BIRTHDAY PARTY! ...yeah, I really don't have anything to say, except that it's weird writing Marlene as a 13-year-old. O.o Anyways, another pointless chapter. XD Writing's still a little awkward in these last parts... mostly because all of it should really be cut out, but I didn't feel like it so there. :x
(Shush. I've been sick.)