Author note: sorry this is a week behind, I got caught up trying go wrangle with Sephiroth. Also Fire Emblem Engage came out today, and I'm resisting buying it until I finish my replay of FF15 Royal addition. I forgot how annoying the grind was for that game. Enjoy the chapter, lovelies!

Chapter start

To my ultimate surprise the hound lived past the night. And onwards. After the first night I dumped it into a bath, running the wash cloth over and over until the water ran clean. It was disturbing how much dried blood and dirt flaked off the short fur and skin.

Rufus had made good on his threat of grounding me to my room. Notably he popped in the third day to check up on me. He'd taken one look at me, curled on my bed with a book, the hound beside me. It perked up, growling warningly, until I brushed a hand against its head.

"Good enough," he commented. With a gesture a parade of supplies for the hound were brought in. Members of the Turks dropped everything onto the table, filing in and out in a neat line, like ants.

Tseng brought in an intricately plush dog bed, setting it up near to the bed. Of course Rufus would utilize the Turks for something like this.

While the room was adjusted to make a dog like creature comfortable, Rufus settled on the bed. "Have you named the creature?"

Ah, a name. Having not intended the hound to survive this long, a name hadn't been high priority. Rufus was giving me an expectant look, as I pat its head.

"Hmm, Boulder?"

"Are you asking or telling me?" His brow cocked, causing me to suppress my grimace.

It'd been the first thing that came to mind. The Hound was heavy, heavier than a puppy had any right to be.

"Telling," I muttered, tossing the book aside. Rufus always demanded full attention regardless of the situation.

"How apt," he returned. His own fingers caressed the top of Boulders head as well. This the hound allowed, huffing in what I assumed was satisfaction.

"Yes, dear Brother mine?" I asked him after a moment of silence, realizing he had something to say. Tseng was a silent observer of the room. I wondered if I hurled the book at him if he'd dodge. Might be nice to see a red mark on him.

"Will you be getting dressed any time soon?"

"I don't see much point. I can't leave the room, so I'll be catching up on sleep and reading."

Rufus snorted. "What on Gaia could possibly cause you to need to catch up on sleep?"

I hummed, shrugging. "It can be very tiring, creating entertainment in this place."

"If you're aware, perhaps you could cease causing so much trouble," Rufus rejoined.

"Worrying about me, Brother? I knew you loved me."

Rufus gave me a look. Truthfully, I teased far too much. It was getting worse as I spun uselessly like a hamster on a wheel. Too much energy built in my body but there wasn't much to do. I wasn't allowed to learn a weapon, and really, I didn't want to. There was something to be said about being raised that murder is wrong.

I knew something had to be done though, eventually. This world was totally capable of housing all kinds of nasty beasties. Huge snakes, Dragons, large insects. Pools of liquid death in the form of mako. Natural dangers that could be avoided, mostly. It was also full of people trained and born simply to slaughter everyone. Shinra created an army of them, one day.

For now, I teased and ran with half baked plans. Rufus sighed, ruffling my hair. I had never heard him say those words. Truthfully, I'd probably have a heart attack if he were to utter them. Rufus had never been raised with those words of affirmation, probably rarely received praise in general if not for me randomly dropping it.

Things like that were easier when I was still a toddler, not that I would ever go back go that willingly. It was one thing for a toddler to say "Brother, good job!" or "Pretty Brother!" Innocently proclaiming him to be the best ever. The words had spilled forth easily then, wanting only to erase frowns that no kid his age should have had.

Before leaving he reminded me to stay in the room. I cheerily waved to him. I did halt Tseng though. My small hand gripped his jacket, causing him to pause and turn those inscrutable eyes on mine.

"Yes?" Guessing his thoughts would take a literal God to do.

"Is Vergil okay?"

His lashes lowered, stance shifting. "You are aware his mission is classified. I'm unable to-"

"I know all that! I'm not asking for details. Just that he is okay."

I didn't know what he thought of me. Still, he gripped my hand, tugging it off his jacket gently. "He is fine. You need not worry, Princess."

Oh, my gods! A small smirk had appeared on his face, and warmth spread across my cheeks. Who on earth gave these men the right to be so damned cocky? Worse, gave them the looks to back it up. An average person could easily be taken under with these sorts of dangers around.

Of course he knew of that damned nickname, started by Vergil and carried over by many higher up. Only Rufus refrained from that nickname, finding nicknames largely useless in general.

Still a part of me settled. Really and truly I loved Vergil. I knew what a Turk was and what they were capable of. This mission could have been killing or terrorizing innocent people. But I loved him, loved his candid nature, and even the protective barrier he surrounded me in. My worry could settle for a time now.

Once I was the only human in the room again, I took a look around. The new dog bed was over kill alone, a pale blue that many noticed I favored for my clothing style. The damnable thing towered like a castle, over the top in fluff and overall plumpness. It looked to be more comfortable than my own bed, which was somewhat insulting. Toys had been placed next to it in an open chest, overflowing already.

Curiously, I went to the table and opened a bag. Inside were dozens of collars. They dumped onto the table and I scattered them. Another knock on my door caused me to pause, head tilted.

"It's me!"

Well nobody could say Rufus was ever unfair to me. Even grounded to my room, he still tried to make sure I was entertained. I went to the door and pressed the release. Once the door swished open I about had heart failure. Sephiroth stood there, causing me to gasp and press a hand against my suddenly thumping heart.

I swallowed however, biting my tongue to stop the small scream. I cleared my throat and leaned on my doorframe.

"Why Aerith, how tall and manly you've become. What's the secret?"

"Don't be foolish," he said as giggles erupted behind him.

Aerith popped out from his already tall frame, waving happily. Then she launched into my arms, sending me off balance. The stumble sent us both into the room, and I waited for the inevitable crash on the carpet. Least it was thick.

It didn't come though. Instead, different and unfamiliar arms cocooned around us both, righting us so that we didn't topple. I blinked in mild confusion. Aerith had a large smile on, no sign of the previous hesitation in her. Really, her adaptability was legendary already.

I was aware Aerith didn't have the strength to stop a fall like that. Still, the warmth of those arms lulled me, causing me to merely glance up. Blue eyes met vivid green, face as stoic as ever. The few times emotion flickered across the face were ones I never counted as happy. Bits of silver tickled along my cheek, and my fingers longed to trace one, to confirm the silky texture.

"My apologies," he said as he released us both.

Aerith actually beamed at him and he didn't react to the thankful pat she gave to his arm. I'd been gone essentially three days, and she'd forged a friendship. Fledgling, at best most likely acquaintances, yet more than there ever was to my knowledge. A beginning. Part one of a half baked plan, already gaining traction. Gods, don't let it crash and burn.

"Thank you," I murmured.

Aerith had grabbed one of my hands, idly bouncing on her toes. I'd noticed it very quickly. Aerith had a need for touch at this stage. Always she hugged or was quick to place a hand on someone. I believed it was due to her not having anyone besides her Mother before I'd accidently collided into her life. I wasn't sure if it was being touch starved or what. It was noticeable, yes, but not annoying. I was willing to indulge it, maybe because I knew she wouldn't be in my life much longer.

Noticing that Sephiroth seemed amenable or indifferent to little touches gave me an idea. Beyond the glare he'd sent her the first time I'd not noticed any more negative reaction from him. Even had witnessed him protecting her, keeping the girl from getting between the charged situation between Rufus and me.

I had to be strong, now. For Aerith, for Rufus, even for myself in this dangerous world. My fingers still trembled when they made contact with his arm, feeling the solid muscle with the slight brush. Warmth suffused my fingertips, and I felt him tense, somehow even more rigid than he'd been.

"What are you doing here," I asked with a smile.

Aerith answered before he could be bothered. "He's our bodyguard!"

The echo of those words made me pause. "Bodyguard?" I glanced from between them and waited for him to nod.

"Indeed. Your Brother is quite protective of you." His eyes flickered to Aerith. "Both of you."

I hummed, not knowing what to say to that. Happy was one word, for I knew Sephiroth wasn't a liar. Even at his craziest, he never lied. So, I was happy to hear that Rufus was obvious in his caring for Aerith now. Well, as obvious as that emotionally stunted man could be.

Still… "And we're to share you? Unless you have some super speed, or a shadow twin, you can't be two places at once."

His head tilted as Aerith suddenly let me go, darting instead to Boulder. The Hound yipped in fear for a moment, making me tense. Aerith paused, and I heard her soft murmuring.

"I'm mainly to guard you for now. There is a Turk assigned to her as always, however when you two our together you both will be my responsibility."

"You look like your younger than Rufus. Wont we be a hassle if something happens?" My eyes were still on Aerith but I made it a point to keep my hand on his arm.

I saw his smirk from the corner of my vision. "You underestimate me."

I resisted the shudder at his words. Aerith had made it to her fingers brushing down Boulders back, the hound trembling a tad. The words accompanied by that smirk made me remember vividly that there was a chaos deep into his bones.

My plan was nuts, and I had to remember. For someone to snap as completely as he had there also had to be a well of anger already inside. An insanity.

Boulder bolted all of a sudden, launching from the bed and slamming into my chest. Breath leaving me in a whoosh from the unexpected weight, I once again found Sephiroth steadying me into an upright position. Was this my life now, just endlessly getting knocked over?

"Thanks again," I said with a sigh, hefting the heavy hound and cooing a little. "Some guard dog you are. Willing to bite Rufus but a little girl scares you."

There was less tremors in my grip when I grasped Sephiroth by the arm and tugged him forward. My lips smiled at Aerith. "Help me pick a collar out for the coward hound."

She clapped her hands, already at the table. Sephiroth removed my hand after a moment and I settled Boulder onto the table. He sat immediately, nails and paws scratching the table cloth settled along the surface but I didn't care. Of all the things to be irritated of, an animal wasn't something that could stir me. Least he was clean, which sadly made the patches of missing fur stand out even more from the stubble that covered most of his body.

Aerith hummed to herself as she shifted through the collars, holding some up to Boulder before dropping them.

"Rufus really went overboard," she murmured.

"He always does. In the weirdest ways."

I finally settled on a beautifully crafted mint green collar, humming with satisfaction as I attached it around his neck. Aerith giggled when I told her his name. Sephiroth scoffed, a small hum coming from him.

I would befriend him, somehow someway. My goal that day had been to scope him out a little, see if I could gather any tidbit about the lonely experiment. I hadn't intended to involve myself with him until Aerith was gone, and I could have leveraged myself as a lonely child that had lost her only friend. It would have been an excuse to cleave to Sephiroth, and hope his own loneliness would cause him to accept it.

In game verse his only friends were Genesis and Angeal, but I'd made a distinct difference in the relationship between the trio. We'd been supposed to believe they were good friends, to the point Sephiroth refused point blank to hunt them. His loyalty to them was obvious. Theirs to him… I counted more jealousy on the part of Genesis, Angeal a bit harder to discern. But he chose Genesis in the end, making it clear where his main loyalty lay, which was with his childhood friend. Which was fine. I couldn't hold that against him.

Genesis though, I always wanted to wring his neck. He'd essentially abandoned Sephiroth until he'd needed him, as a last ditch effort to save himself. Leading to that famous line "you will rot", uttered by the Silver General, and the first act of cruelty. Caused by a flurry of emotions yes, but cruel none the less. If I could keep him from Nibelheim then I wondered…

The plan had adapted though, as Boulder had been an urge and complication I'd never have foreseen. Aerith running into Sephiroth, a wrench to trip over. She knew being lonely, and despite the planets warning to her, she didn't have it in her to avoid anyone. Could the Sephiroth who valued his friends really kill one, if he had hopefully fond memories of the girl?

Still, watching her draw him into an admittedly stilted conversation I felt some hope mix with my fears. Saving Rufus had quickly evolved to saving her, and now here I sat with the guy who initiated it all, feeling sorry for him more and more.

His conversational skills were lacking, only responding when spoken to, or when he had advice, it seemed. He didn't smile. Rather had a half smirk when something amused him. Boulder oddly had no fear of him, and I wondered why since he'd been startled by Aerith. Predator recognizing predator, maybe?

Either way, he was here. And he took a cookie when I offered it, glancing to Aerith who was already happily munching. Freaking sugar fiend.

I pretended not to see when he, after taking a small bite, fed the rest to Boulder. Maybe he didn't enjoy sweets, something I filed away. Maybe he'd never had them before so never developed a taste of them. I imagined anything fed by Hojo, while balanced for max nutrition levels, would be bland as fuck.

"So, something weird is happening with my Mom," Aerith mentioned it casually.

Sephiroth reclined into a chair, leg crossed over, with arms folded. He looked at her blankly, and I wondered if he would have any sage advice for any parental situation. Probably not. Had he ever known Hojo was his sperm donor?

I paused in my pets of Boulder, feeding him another cookie. "What do you mean?"

Aerith fidgeted, eyes glancing to Sephiroth to me. "Well, she heard about what happened, somehow. She's been talking to herself a lot, too. The last few days…"

"When we went to the Science labs," I guessed correctly. I tapped my finger against my chin. "Weird. I thought the incident had been classified like everything else here."

"It was," Sephiroth huffed. "Regardless of who you are, a child managing to steal a subject isn't to be broadcast."

"Then how?" Aerith asked, brows furrowed.

The contempt in his voice dripped along every syllable. "Professor Hojo. He's never been good at keeping his opinion to himself."

I supposed it was a point to me he seemed to hate Hojo. Did anyone like the slimy man?

Aerith deflated a bit, tensing. "That… makes sense. Mom works with him a lot."

Works with… phrased in a way to make it seem a choice. Aeriths Mom tried to shield her in the ways she could. I hadn't ever wondered how aware the half Ancient was to what was happening in the science Division.

Sephiroth had a look I couldn't place. Subtly I shook my head, knowing the motion would catch his eye. He sent me an inscrutable gaze and then his lashes lowered, hiding from me.

"What's she saying," I asked quietly.

Aerith half shrugged. "I think she's talking to HER. She's really worried about something, something that's wrong."

"There is plenty wrong here." Sephiroth shifted.

Aerith gasped, her eyes shooting to him. I knew what her Mom meant. Aerith did too, if she would think about it. Sephiroth was wrong. I was wrong. And now we were orbiting around Aerith, the planets only chance to summon Holy in this timeline. Aerith was still too young to see it all, I think.

One day, she'd speak to this HER, who I thought must have been the planet, and she would know things. Things she didn't want to know. I wondered if she'd be horrified when she realized she'd been friends with her killer. Or just sad.

The somber mood was shaken off shortly after, Aerith brushing it off like it was dust. She devoured all of the cookies that Boulder didn't end up getting, courtesy of Sephiroth and me, and even reached over confidently to take my juice.

Sephiroth observed the dynamic, watching her exuberance for life, as she played with Boulder and chatted about anything.

He responded to her with growing ease, although the answers stayed aloof and not personal. This gave me hope, despite Ilfana and the planets worries.

End chapter

Review responses

PHOENIX: Sing it! At the least for Rufus, he really does only want to keep her out of trouble. She's surrounding herself with lonely children right now, really. But she has a plan, even if it might not be the best one. She's also bored which means she's acting out more. Now that Sephiroth is there maybe Sophie will settle down, since Aerith can't stop her when she really wants to do something yet. Here's hoping this chapter was amazing to read, and gave some good vibes.

XENOCANAAN: Of course, I had to involve Sephiroth with them more. Whether they'll three musketeer their way through the fic isn't determined yet, but the girls are definitely willing to drag him along. I actually had written Rufus to hit Sophie, but it seemed so odd and forced, I realized it didn't roll with their familial bond at all. Rufus spoils her, and won't let anyone hurt her or even touch her around him. I can't wait to explore Aerith and Sephiroth though, their dynamic is fun to fiddle with. I'm so glad you enjoyed, and I hope this chapter was good too!