Title: Happily Ever After
Chapter: Camping
Author: Raserei Hojo
Summary: FF Crossover. When you die, you're not really gone. In separate worlds, two men died. They were brought together in the darkness and a friendship began to grow. In an attempt to see an opera, magic is used, and witchcraft is called.
Rating: T
Feedback: Very much so desired!
Story Warnings: Male/Male, shounen-ai
Pairings: Kuja/Sephiroth
Disclaimer: Any recognizable characters of Final Fantasy VII or Final Fantasy IX belong to Squaresoft. Any that are NOT recognizable belong to me. However, feel free to use them in any story you wish.

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The stars glowed softly, barely bright enough to be seen in the dead of night. Even the moon seemed dim, covered by thin, transparent clouds. Beneath the still-darkening sky, Sephiroth and Kuja had set up camp as best they could.

"We can't keep the fire going for long," Sephiroth whispered. He took the fern pieces he had collected and spread them out into makeshift beds. "They could be looking for us."

Kuja's was silent, the image of the fire reflecting in his softened cerulean colored eyes. "My I ask you a personal question? It's not too personal, but I'd thought I would just ask for your permission.

Sephiroth looked up, silver locks falling into his face, covering his eyes. "What is it?"

Looking aside, Kuja chewed on his bottom lip, pondering how to put his question into words. Sephiroth seemed to have a split personality at times, and if he was spoken to in the slightest wrong manner, the results were opaque. Unsure of how to say his thoughts, Kuja decided bluntly would have to do.

"Why did you come with me?

"I do believe it was you who took me by the arm anda dragged me out into the wilderness."

Kuja nodded slowly. "Yes, but you didn't have to stay. If they catch you with me, they'll kill you too. I don't want my hands soiled with another death."

With a frown, Sephiroth sat on the ground and furrowed his brows together. "I'm not quite sure why I'm still here with you. Usually, I would have left a person alone to deal with the situation themselves. But you're different, I guess. You're almost like a friend."

"A friend…"

It was strange to actually have something called a "friend." For a moment, he smiled as he remembered his short time with Sephiroth. Even in the past few weeks he had known Sephiroth, he was truly a unique man with the most bewildering personality he had ever seen.

In an attempt to continue their conversation, Kuja decided he would attempt to learn more about Sephiroth. He would have to if he and Sephiroth considered themselves "friends."

"Tell me about your world, Sephiroth…" The curiosity had taken over Kuja's mind, and he couldn't stand to not know any longer.

Sephiroth absentmindedly sprinkled dirt onto the flames. "It couldn't have been much different from yours."

"Well, were there airships? Those are so fascinating."

"Of course there were airships." Sephiroth continued to snuff out the fire. "Airships, trains, automobiles, all sorts of transportation. My world didn't delve too deeply into the arts—such as your fascination with plays, the people from my planet wouldn't have even thought of going to something so frivolous."

Kuja laughed delightedly. "I see! In my world, you either traveled on foot, by airship, or my least favorite, on the back of a Chocobo."

At that, Sephiroth laughed. "We have Chocobos as well. They're also very lovely cooked, the meat is very tender and falls right off the bone."

"You're…barbaric." The image of a fluffy, yellow feathered Chocobo entered his mind, and then Sephiroth skinning it and eating it raw. His stomach churned, now having lost his appetite. Shenter had said something about needs like hunger and thirst not being existent outside of Terra-Matra, but the hunger had been gnawing at him all evening.

"We had to eat. Besides, it's not like they're going to be extinct. It's not…like I'll be there to see it anyway…." Sephiroth sighed softly. "So strange. I think I'm actually growing homesick."

"Well, if you could go back, would you?"

Sephiroth merely shrugged. "Maybe, but I'm quite content here, camping out with you. I feel like I'm taking my SOLDIER test, sitting out on the battlefield, waiting for my commanding officer to give me an order… Haha… I'm feeling so reminiscent. But truly, I don't mind being here with you. It's a bit fun, actually. I like the idea that our lives are in danger and it's up to us to survive."

"Haha, yes, it certainly is fun running away from a town that wants me dead. So tell me, was there a girl you fancied back home?"

Sephiroth's gaze turned very suspicious. "Maybe." He stared calmly at Kuja, examining his face. "Why?"

Kuja blinked a few times, not understanding Sephiroth's expression. And then it dawned on him. "Oh! No, no! That wasn't what I meant, honestly! I was just curious as to how popular you were with the women. After all, not everyone is as tall and handsome and strong as you."

"Right."

"You don't believe me? I swear, I wasn't trying to flirt with you, I just wanted to continue the conversation."

"You act as if I'm a man-whore or something."

"Uhm, well, are you?"

"Does it look like I am to you, Kuja?"

Kuja looked Sephiroth up and down, trying not to gaze too long at the stern expression cast upon Sephiroth's face. He was just too pretty to have not bedded a woman by now, and he had to be in his early thirties. "I'm not sure, but from the looks of things, you've had a few women to yourself."

Sephiroth shrugged again. "If you must know, I've dated a few women. I've fooled around a bit, but nothing too serious. Never any penetration."

"Never…?"

"Never."

"So...you're…a virgin?"

Another shrug. "If you want to call me that, I suppose. I was never too interested in sex. Always on the battlefield…too busy wondering if I was going to make it through the day. The training was harsh, and Shin-Ra was mostly men anyway. The women I've been with were nice, but the ones that were always chasing me were sluts. Whores."

"Wow…" Sephiroth's being really open… It's strange. I would have assumed he would have told me it was none of his business. It really…surprises me.

"What about you?"

"Ah…me?" Now Sephiroth was actually interested in his personal life? What the hell was going on with him? "Well… I suppose I had been too busy trying to live and not submitting myself to Garland… I had all this power, and right when I had it, I died. Maybe if I had lived I would have found a nice girl… or something."

Sephiroth leaned in closer. "Are Genomes different?"

"Different? What do you mean?" He remembered my race's name? Very strange indeed…

"Well, do they all look like you? Do they all feel the same things you do?"

"That's like asking if all humans are identical. They're not similar to me, but they are similar to each other. They all have blonde hair and blue eyes and they used to walk around on Terra staring at a bright blue light that would 'eventually' turn red. It never did, until I destroyed it."

"And then it was red with blood and explosions?"

Kuja couldn't help but laugh at Sephiroth's eagerness. "Well, explosions. No blood. My brother managed to get the soulless Genomes off of Terra using the Invincible, a Terran airship. Damn little thief…! I loved that ship."

"Poor little Kuja…"

Kuja slowly looked at Sephiroth, amazed to see a content smile and warm green eyes focused on him. "You've never been interested in anything about me, and you've never been very interested in sharing information about yourself. Why the sudden change of heart?"

"I'm not sure… When I'm around you I don't feel like I have to seclude myself. I can sort of be myself, and I know you might get mad, but it won't last for long. You're just… really understanding. Nothing at all like the people from my home world…"

"The people of Gaia were cruel too. Not so much to me, I was busy terrorizing them with my magic." His eyes glanced down towards the handcuffs. "But they treated those who looked different than them like dirt. My Black Mages were hated and despised, my brother was made fun of for his tail, the Burmecians had troubles wherever they went…"

"I don't understand what the big deal is. The outside appearance doesn't matter."

Kuja smiled softly, finding that he had in fact grown quite close to him already. It was nice to have someone around…someone who didn't have weapon every minute of the day.

"Well then, I guess we should get some sleep, eh?" Sephiroth stood and brushed himself off, heading to the makeshift beds. "The fire should be dead at around midnight, so we'll be fine.

"Oh…right…"

"Goodnight, Kuja."

Slowly standing himself and crossing to his bed, he nodded towards Sephiroth, "Goodnight…"

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Why does it smell like…eggs? And meat…? Really, really good meat…Kuja opened his eyes to see Sephiroth, his back turned to Kuja, cooking. He was using a thin rock for a frying pan and the fire from last night. The rock was even propped up securely with sticks. "And I'm resourceful?"

"Do you like your present?"

"My…present?"

"Look down."

Kuja, confused and weary, looked down, and saw that his hands were free of the handcuffs. He held up his hands and twisted his wrists.

"You're a very heavy sleeper."

Laughing nervously, Kuja rubbed his sore wrists. "Yeah… How'd you get the handcuffs off?"

"Magic."

"Magic?"

"No, no, not your kind of magic. My kind of magic." His hand groped around in the grass for a small colored ball of glass. "This is Materia. A fire Materia at that. I just used a weak spell and the chains melted right off." Sephiroth stood and glanced at Kuja. "Would you care for some breakfast?"

"Sure!"

Sephiroth passed Kuja a thin, clean rock, with scrambled eggs and a meat that looked like ham. When Kuja eyed it suspiciously, Sephiroth gave a smirk.

"Go on, eat it. I swear, I'm a great cook. I can even bake cakes."

Delicately, Kuja picked up a piece of the meat and tasted it. "It's… good…" The most tender, delicious meat he had ever eaten, to be honest.

"Good! It's Chocobo meat."

Kuja stared at the meat on the rock still. "Choco…bo…" He swallowed the remaining meat in his mouth. "…meat?"

"Mhmm."

"Sephiroth!"

"Haha, I'm kidding. Go on, eat, I swear! It's not Chocobo meat."

Kuja growled, but silently ate his food. He was starving, he couldn't help it.

And, it would remain Sephiroth's little secret that it was indeed Chocobo meat and Chocobo eggs that Kuja was eating.