The SOLDIER

1990

The lamps were shining upon the street when Mera and Sephiroth sat on the cliff separating the slums from the plate. They weren't scared of falling off, feet landing in the void. They had sneaked out the Shinra, and both of them were atrociously aware the TURK would take no time to find them. But tonight was different, tonight wounded the two pre-teens astonishingly hard.

"You will come back, huh?" asked the brunette with a timid smile as she twirled her fingers together.

"You don't trust me enough to assume I won't?"

She shook her head vividly, brushing off all doubts from the conversation at its sole beginning. No. It wasn't that she didn't believe in him, not at all. For a fact, she trusted him more than anybody else.

"I'm just scared. It's a war. You always think things will never touch you except when you face them."

"Who's the philosophe you caught that from?"

She frowned, taking a sip from her multi-fruit juice.

"Nobody. I'm just worried for you."

"You always overthink. Lessen the grip, Mera."

She sighed. Yes, maybe she was thinking too much, thoughts were like an ocean : spilling, or at least, it was the case in her twelve-year-old head. Sephiroth, on his hand, tried avoiding the topic. Sure, he was anxious but… Wasn't it all he was prepared for ? Fighting and winning?

No, nothing could go wrong.

"Can you just promise me something ?" suggested the girl, tremolos in her voice.

He gifted her of a shrug, curious.

"Promise you'll come back. I don't wanna be alone there."