Chapter three
The distant howl of a canine woke me this time. It was pitch black in my room, and muggy. I sighed and sat up. The sheets clung to my dampened back. Looking over to my right, I saw a hand brace. Sephiroth must have returned and put it on while I was sleeping. My body was sore from the little training I got in. Plus, Sephiroth's little muscle lock trick added to the tenderness.
I got out the bed stiffly, and wobbled out of the room. My whole hand was still throbbing with pain now. I needed to get outside. The night air would make me feel better.
It took me a good while to get down the stairs and out the back door. I was hurting all over. With a grimace I pulled myself out into the cool air of the night. The grass felt wet under my feet. It must have rained a little. I slowly made my way back to the Willow tree. The tree swayed in the wind gently, inviting me to sit against it. I accepted happily. Grunting loudly, I got down in the grass and sat. My legs pulled up slightly, and I rested my arms on my knees.
"Hey Sleeping Beauty. What brings you to the land of the living?" I lift my head to see Sephiroth walking up to me.
"…Whatever."
Surprisingly, I didn't feel responding to his dim hilarity.
"What's wrong with you? You didn't insult me like you usually do." My eyes closed. He sits next to me and lays back against the tree trunk. I suppose he has grown used to me ignoring him or not replying when he asks me a question.
I look back over to him. His arms are tucked under his head and his eyes are lazily looking ahead. Maybe it was the low lighting, or the moonlight reacting with the high level of mako in his system, but his eyes were glimmering an eerie emerald color. It was kind of neat. He finally noticed me studying him and looked over to me as well.
"What?" I snapped.
"Nothing. Just you're acting strange." That caused me to blush. I felt like I was too.
"You're the one acting strange…"
"Am I?"
I grunted. Now he's playing dumb. "Yes, you are. First you're out to destroy me and the planet; Now you're all nurse Betty and stuff." He laughs quietly. It was odd to see he had a sense of humor. Like any other regular guy or something.
"Can't people change?"
I refocus elsewhere. "When did you start referring to yourself as a person? Aren't you suppose to be reaching for a godly level?"
A sadden look crosses his face for a second. I quickly regret saying that. It seemed a little harsh. Sephiroth did seem to be trying to become a different person. The reason was a mystery of its own.
"That's been put behind me. I've seen the error of my ways, the manipulation…"
He trails off then changes the mood and asks me about my wrist. I told him it still hurt fairly bad. After that, we fell muted.
"…Your eyes…they're...cool." I mumbled uneasily. Sometimes I hated awkward silence. Besides, I could afford to say something pleasant once in a while. He looked back over to me, even though it was night I could tell he was smirking.
"Thanks. Your hair is cool." Talk about uncomfortable circumstances. I run my "good" hand through the yellow spikes. The guy was telling the truth. I thought my hair was cool too.
"Yeah? No hair gel needed either. It naturally stands up."
"Does it ever annoy you?"
I had to think about that question. "Nah, not really. I prefer it this way…So what about you? Do you plan on cutting your hair?" Nervousness caused me to begin picking at the grass. His hair was very long for a man. Yet, it looked nice on him.
"Cutting my hair, eh?" He closed his eyes, cocking a brow in thought. "I never really thought about cutting it. Should I?" I shook my head.
"It gives you that malevolent look."
"Is that my style or something?"
"No doubt." I tried to sound cool. He takes his gloved hand and moves some hair out his face.
"Your hair was pretty long when you first started working for Shinra."
"You actually remember that?" I asked surprised. He nods slowly. That kind of touched me. That he paid such close attention to me back then. If I'd knew that then, I would've pissed my pants.
I look back to the starry sky. Even though we were only talking about hair, I liked talking to him. If not a front, I would say he's a decent guy. Damn, it was going to be hard to kill him if he continues to act this way, I tell myself resentfully.
"Round two…" I whisper to myself as I leave my room. This time I wouldn't get side-tracked. Since my wrist was still messed up, I wouldn't be able to train today. Instead, I've taken on another task. I woke up extra early that morning. It had to be about 4:30 a.m. The sun wasn't up yet. Good.
The halls of the mansion were dark and silent as I stealthily creep down them. Today I'll find my sword. I know it's here because Tifa would've found it when she and the others were searching for me. Sephiroth claimed he didn't remember where he put it. I'd find it. I just hope I don't wake him in the process. Not because I was scared of him, more so to surprise him when I finally slaughter him. My eyes spotted a random room ahead of me. This would be a good place to start.
The door was opened a bit, so I eased my hand around it and pushed it further open. It creaked loudly. Stepping in, I scan the room. It was an old room. Quite dusty. At the same time, it looked as if someone had been staying in here some while ago. The bed was still made and everything was tucked away neatly. As if untouched for years. A shiver ran down my spine.
I don't think its in here, but I'll check the closet just to be sure, I thought reluctantly. Who knew what was waiting in there. I softly bit my bottom lip and moved over to the closed closet. My hand grasped the cold hand and I pull it open. Nothing jumped out at me. I was relieved. Inside was a lonely coat hanger and a huge spider…With a quickness I slammed the door and hurried out the room. Spiders gave me the creeps.
I made my way further down the hall and stopped at Sephiroth's room. I paused. Should I really be checking his room while he was in there? …I'm not scared of him… I find myself saying that a lot now. But I'd check his room now so I won't have to do it later. I only hope he was a hard sleeper and didn't sleep in the nude.
After taking a deep breath, I entered his room. Unlike mine, he kept his room neat. My eyes soon fell across the sleeping entity that occupied the bed. Well, at least he didn't sleep naked. The sheets lay scattered across him revealing he slept topless with only his pants on. However, his face was what really got me. He seemed so at peace in his sleep. Whatever he was dreaming brought a shadow of a smile to his once slightly parted lips. Talk about an angelical sleeper… I quickly stopped myself from any further staring. Drooling over my arch-enemy wasn't on my agenda at the moment.
My feet carefully snuck around his room. I made sure to not make any noise while I checked under his bed and in his closet. Nope, no sword in there.
"Time to go…" I spoke softly, turning about face. My eyes caught hold of one of the many books he kept next to his closet door. Curiosity struck me; I had to know what he was reading so intensely. So I picked it up and opened it. From a quick look over it seemed to be journal entries or notes of some sort.
Sephiroth turned over on his side in his sleep, giving me a miniature heart attack. His back was now faced me. That was close.
I relinquished a light sigh and finished going over what was in the book. I had to make it quick.
"Day xx, Month xx, Year xxxx, It seems Sephiroth is making plenty progress to be such a young specimen. He's already showing signs of accelerated literacy at the age of five years…" I read quietly. Wait, did it say Sephiroth? The Sephiroth that's asleep right now? I had to read on.
"At age seven, Sephiroth requested to have a pet. When denied, he had temper-tantrum. Having the Jenova genes within his DNA has given him unnatural strength at even this soon of a stage. It took two lab assistants to calm him. Further development of his attitude will have to ensue…"
After that piece, I look up from the book to the person on the bed. Could these books hold his whole childhood? Is this how he was raised? As a science experiment? So many questions and not enough answers. I feel sorry for him right away. No wonder the guy was messed up.
I quickly replace the book and leave the room, closing the door behind me. My feelings about him were changing little by little. Could I really blame him fully for his actions now? It looked as if it would be unfair to destroy him…
"No, Cloud!" I shout while I forced myself downstairs to continue searching for my weapon. "He almost destroyed the planet! He killed Aeris! My mother died in the fire he set here!" The dining hall would be my next destination.
"He's done too much wrong!…What's stopping him from doing it again?…"
There. Every room has been checked. Still, no sword though. This upsets me. In defeat, I sit on the stairs in the hall. Where else could it be?…
"So you are up." I turn to see Sephiroth standing at the top of the stairs. "Thought I heard something moving around downstairs…"
"What time is it?"
He runs a hand through his hair. "A little past 6:45."
Damn, two hours of looking to find nothing at all. Feeling disappointed, I climb up the stairs and walk past him.
"You're fully dressed, plan on going somewhere?" I notice, stopping in front of the bathroom.
"Yeah, it occurred to me that I still have a bank account. I wanted to pick up some things." Was his response.
"Won't you scare people off?" I heard him laugh while walking down the stairs.
"Well I haven't yet. I think Meteor wiped their short term memory out or something.." The door to the house shut closed and I was here alone. Time for more exploring.
I already looked everywhere…, wait. Did I check the basement? My head reminded me. Of course! Down there. Most likely he flung it there. It made sense. I walked back to his room and over to the bookshelf. Now which book opened the hidden door…? My hands trailed through the books trying to feel for it.
"You feel different from the rest…" I told one book and pulled it back. Like magic, the shelf swung out the way, revealing a dark passage way. I fanned away the dust cloud that sprang from the motion and carefully stepped in. There were wooden steps that spiraled downward into the dark. God, I hope there's no spiders.
With my injured hand, I felt along the cold wall as I went down the stairs. The lighting was worse than in the house at night. When I arrived at the foot, my eyes instantly adjusted to the darken hall. I press on. Making no noise just incase something else was down here besides me.
First, the room where I found Vincent. I push the heavy metal door open and was greeted with a gust of cold air. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Just the wind, Cloud, I tell myself and step further in. The room looked the same. A few old coffins and some rocks that looked like bones. Or were they really bones? I didn't bother finding out, instead I pulled the two lids off the sealed coffins. There was nothing in the first one and a rat in the last. I leave and advance deeper. I come across another room. The door was wide open. Once inside, I get an unsettling feeling.
"Okay, look for the sword and leave…" I speak and quickly looks around. I check behind the old desk and broken glass chambers. Turning to my left, I see another desk further in the room. I walk to it and I see my Buster sword laying against it. Jackpot. I grab it and was about to turn around when I finally notice the whole room was filled with books. And they all look like the ones Sephiroth was reading.
A cold shiver goes down my spine. This was the room Sephiroth went mad in. For the first time, I feel frighten of the books. Whatever else written in the books must be unbearable….What if I find something in them about me?… Will I not be able to handle it as well? …I have to get out of here.
With my sword, I rush out the second room of books and through the first. As soon as I step over the threshold, my heads starts to hurt. I fall to one knee, dropping my sword. The sound echoed through the hall, it grew louder in my ears with each boom. I hold my head, my vision blurred and I begin to hear a voice. It sounded like a child humming quietly. I sit up and stumble down the hall slowly. There was a silver haired child sitting on the floor, humming to himself and drawing something on a piece of paper. I turn quickly and fetch my sword. When I turn back, the child is standing right in front of me.
"Sephiroth?" I managed to speak hoarsely. The child's green eyes light up with excitement.
"Yes, how do you know me?" His pronunciation was unbelievably clear for someone of his age. This makes me step back a few paces. He steps forward.
"Well it doesn't matter. You like my picture?" He holds it up to me. It was a picture of another child. A boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. Was that suppose to be me?
"He's my friend. His name is Chris." The boy speaks again now looking at it himself.
"Don't you have any…real friends?" I question the phantom. His face turns sadden.
"No I don't have any real friends. But one day I will. Say, you want to be my friend?"
As if scared to say no, I nod carefully. The boy laughs happily and turns from me, running down the dark hall. His laughter fades and all is silent once more. I feel light headed and falls to the dusty floors. What was that all about?
> >
As soon as I got into my room, I slid the sword under the bed. Once my wrist returned to normal I will practice with it; Turning on my toes, I leave then to the bathroom where I run a cold bath.
My body relaxes instantly to the chilly water. I slip back, sliding underwater. Stupid ghost. No, it couldn't have been a ghost for Sephiroth was still alive. I blow some bubbles to the surface. It was a vision. Maybe of Sephiroth's childhood. But how could I see his childhood? And how was he interacting with me if it was? My eyes closed in confusion. None of it made any sense. Could it have been a memory then? It happened after I read that book in his room earlier. Somehow my mind replayed one of his memories. The younger Sephiroth, he had to have been not much older than four, was talking to someone. He wasn't talking to me. Whoever this person was must have told him he'd be his friend as well. But who was it? If I go back into that basement, and read some more, I might get another vision. This might be the only way I can get some more answers about him and what he has planned…
I quickly broke surface to the water. Turned out I was under there longer than I thought. My lungs burned from the lack of air. Remember: people can't breathe under water. Sitting back, I sighed. Deep down I didn't really want to go back down there. The feeling that room gave me didn't sit well. Plus that…image. It was a little unnerving. But I'm sure if I read more down there, I'd unlock my enemy's past.
"Cloud." I hear my name being called from the other side of my closed door. Sleep had crept upon me once more. Damn, I was tired of falling asleep all the time.
"What?" I whined groggily.
The older man came in, shutting the door behind him. I didn't bother sitting up, nor rolling over for that fact. I figured he'd say whatever he wanted to and leave. My mood was quite pissy from earlier; I felt frustrated with everything and the thought of that made my even angrier. The bed bounced slightly. He must've flopped down. Figures he'd be in a friendly disposition right when I was at my peak of hatred.
"You're sleeping a lot now." He pointed out.
"Maybe you're drugging my food."
"Why would I want you asleep all the time?"
I shrugged impatiently.
"Are you implying something?"
Ignoring him, I pulled the sheets over my head. Childish? Yes. But I didn't care. Instead of trying to become my friend, he should be watching his back. I still didn't fully buy this act of his. I feel he has ulterior motives behind his smile.
After a long moment of silence, I flung the covers back and sat up. He didn't move or even flinch at the sudden my movement.
"Look, what do you want exactly?"
"I guess to play a game of hot and cold with you."
I balled my fist. He doesn't take me seriously enough. I'd show him…but not now. Both my head and wrist hurt. Instead, I kick him off my bed. Well, I tried but he braced himself with his foot. He smiles. Argh, that smile! I kick with my other foot, but this time he grabs it.
"What are you doing, Cloud?" He taunts me. My face is redden from anger now.
"You ass! Get the hell out!" was the best I could muster. Sephiroth obeys my harsh request and stands, but he doesn't move. Something came to his mind. I could tell because he was grinning now.
"Are you capable of forcing me out?" His sharp green eyes narrowed slightly. I groaned on the inside. Sure I was capable! The problem was I did feel up to it.
"I'm sure you don't want to get your butt kicked right now." I answer cleverly.
"Why wouldn't I?" He paced slowly to my side of the bed and was now standing above me.
Think Cloud! My mind races. "Uh, be-because!…Ya know…Yeah.." I was mumbling nervously.
"No. No I don't know." My fingers fiddles with the sheet trimming. I needed a valid reason and fast.
I laugh gently and point to his shirt. "You wouldn't want to ruin your new shirt." Indeed he had on a new shirt. It was a casual black button up shirt. It looked nice on him, black seemed to be his color. It brought his eyes out.
"Shirts can be replaced, Cloud. But I'll take it off since you fear it'll get ruined." He immediately starts unbuttoning the sleeves.
"Well…m-maybe you should leave it on…" More babbling broke through my lips.
He paused about half way down his shirt. "So, you won't damage it now?"
I could tell he was about as puzzled as I was. All I know was that watching him remove his shirt was giving me a bunch of troubling and confusing feelings.
"What are we going on about again?" I chuckled and scratched my head dumb like.
"It's obvious you still want to fight me. So get it out your system already." He held his arms out.
Who was I fooling? I didn't really want to fight him anymore. Honestly, I didn't really hate him as much. Don't get me wrong, I still don't trust him. Yet, deep down I felt a certain…familiarity in him. Dare I say "bond"?
"Hey!" I stood on the bed making myself tower over him. "I will fight you when I'm ready to!" I glared, my index finger pointed down at him.
He stood there, looking up at me. His face was blank. I couldn't read any expression off him. That made me a little worried.
"…You got that?" I added hoping to make him respond. When he didn't, I made up my mind to push him. At least I intended to push the jerk. Yet, somehow, my hand ended up only brushing the side of his face. I gasped when I noticed what I just did and dropped my hand. Well, I got that response I wanted. He cocked a brow and checked his face to see if I had cut him or something.
"I'm not sure if that was an attack or not…" The silver haired one spoke softly. What the hell, Cloud! I screamed at myself. Why did I just do that?
"I've lost my mind is all…" I concluded out loud. Four months of being here with him has finally gotten to me. It didn't help that he was pretty either nor being a peaceful sleeper. Even the pity for him that was building up inside me was a factor! The cat was coming out the bag…slowly yet surely my hatred for him was evaporating into something totally different. And he knew this.
"No you haven't." He smiled again. Why wouldn't he stop that?
"Yeah I have. Yep, definitely." I collapse down on the bed and stare dully at a wall. He sits.
"You're fine." He looked over at me. "You've just been here a long time without any…intimate companionship.." The guy was trying to rationalize my behavior for me. Trying to make me feel better about it no doubt.
"Dammit, why couldn't you have killed me!" I snapped, blaming him for my whole situation. He frowned at me.
"Grow up. It's not the end of the world. Well, not anymore that is…" He corrected himself.
We fell silent again.
Those feelings from when I first saw him in SOLDIER were returning. The younger Cloud, who wanted to be nothing short of Sephiroth himself, was surfacing. I never told anyone, but secretly…I had a crush on him. I was too ashamed to admit it. But now those damn emotions were back. And their timing couldn't be worse. I wasn't even sure if I could completely trust him yet. His plans were still locked away from me. But how am I suppose to kill the very same person I wanted to make-out with?
My eyes moved over to him once again. He was daydreaming out a window or something. I probably caused his brain to crash. I wasn't really sure how he was reading the moment. One way to find out…
"…Have I confused you?" I asked stupidly. He shook his head no.
"How are you able to deal with the loneliness? Haven't you ever felt like you wanted to be with someone?"
He turned from the window to me. "I've always been lonely, Cloud. Its nothing exactly new to me." His words were sadly bitter. Then my vision came to mind. How he, as a toddler, had to draw friends on a piece of paper. My heart ached for him at that moment. No one, even him, should have to grow up that way.
I guess he must have figured I was feeling sorry for him. So he slowly scooted closer to me and placed his hand over mine. That launched me out of my thoughts. I felt my face blush. He was focusing in on me, but not in a negative way. It was like he was really looking at me for the first time. It was giving me butterflies in my stomach.
"You know, they say opposites attract." He spoke gently. Was it possible he felt the same way about me? Holy-…
"You don't say…" I laughed a nervous laugh. Wow was he delivering a herd of vibes! He leans in closer to me. So close I could feel him breathing gently against me. My hands clutched the sheets in anticipation. I understood his actions. He wanted to kiss me but wasn't sure if he should.
My shyness was angering me. So I pushed through it and leaned in, placing my lips on his. It felt so good. His hand eased up and caressed the side of my face as he tenderly deepened our kiss. I quivered with delight. After a few seconds of this, he broke it. His hand dropped from my face to my shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. I adverted my eyes from him. God, he was making me feel like a little teen virgin.
"I could get used to this…" My ex-nemesis smirked at me. I smiled.
"..Me too."
He got up and exited my room. I sat there in silence. There is a thin line between love and hate…Obviously, I've crossed it. How could I have fallen for him so quickly? I guess the crush-like feelings I had for him never really went away. I just bottled them up in a far corner of my mind. I'm not sure if this is what I truly wanted. But it felt way too right to be wrong.