Disclaimer: I do not own Genesis, Aeris or Final Fantasy.
If fear was water Aeris would be drowned in it. Her knees met the ground. For the first time Aeris felt Genesis losing control. And that made her even more afraid than she already was. Was he angry she tried to attack him or that she tried to touch that stupid book of his, she wondered. Was it that precious to elicit such a reaction from him? At least it stopped his... actions momentarily, she thought and blushed.
She didn't dare to look up but she could feel him still standing tall behind her. The anticipation was killing her. Would he hit her or kill her even? But nothing... She pricked her ears. She could hear him breathing heavily. She slowly bent forward and tried to crawl away from him. Where she would go she had no idea though. It wasn't that she had plenty of options... She stopped, raised her head up and in an unsteady movement she stood up. Hesitantly she turned around to face him. He was holding that book of his and...
Aeris blinked.
...and he was looking at it. In fact it seemed as if he was reading it. No, he was actually reading it, Aeris realised in confusion. And out of nowhere, an idea formed in her mind. She had to try, she thought. Who knows, maybe there was some hope left for her still...
She slowly approached him, her eyes on him. His own eyes were still on the open book. How could he even see in such darkness, she wondered in amazement. But she let the thought pass and with hesitant steps she came closer. Her face was now on the same level with the book. She took a look on the cover. LOVELESS, it read.
Aeris took a deep breath and raised her trembling hand but stopped halfway through.
"Genesis?" she uttered in a voice that she hoped would not betray her fear.
"Yes... Aeris?" he answered, never looking up. He looked entranced.
Aeris hesitated. She looked at his hands holding the book. They looked delicate and strong at the same time. They could both be tender or used as killing machines, she thought. She shivered. She had to go ahead though. What else could she do?
Genesis was about to turn another leaf on his beloved book but Aeris' hand stopped him in mid-air.
Aeris bit her lip and waited for his reaction. Genesis finally separated his eyes from the book and looked up to meet her eyes. Silence... Aeris felt like losing her voice again. On close inspection, he just looked out-worldly. And for a brief moment she marvelled at his outrageous beauty. His eyes were a mesmerising sea of glowing blue, his features aristocratic. But still dangerous, she thought, and felt her mouth dry. She held his gaze though, and with her right hand still holding his, she slipped her fingers on the top of the book.
With a bold and brave movement she forced it shut. She waited...
Nothing...
No reaction...
Aeris gulped.
Genesis was still looking at her. He hadn't even blinked once. Nor had she, she realised. She took a deep breath and tried to pry the book away from his hands. Preparing to fight for it, she frowned and let out a deep sigh. Surprisingly, she met no resistance.
Aeris took the book on her free hand and then extended her arm to put it on a side wall close by, while at the same time noting its position.
She then returned her eyes on him. The blood rushing on her head was making her feel dizzy. She wasn't sure if her legs would obey her but she managed to take a small step forward. Then another one, bringing her in a terribly small distance from her captor. She had no other choice.
Aeris could feel his hot breath on her forehead. She felt lightheaded as she raised her head, eyes falling on his lips and then on his eyes; and then back on his lips again.
What was she doing she thought, as panic was threatening to strike her with all its might. She could not kiss him... She wasn't even experienced. She would not just kiss strangers like that. Especially not like that... But that was no ordinary situation, she thought. She had no time to waste and she had nothing to lose anyway. She just prayed her plan would work eventually.
She stood on her toes and brought her trembling hands on either side of his neck, while she slowly extended them over his broad shoulders to encircle him fully. Her fingers brushed off his chestnut hair while his dangling earring lightly scratched the top of her hand. After a few seconds she felt his own arms encircling her lightly. She pressed herself closer to him. He felt warm. In a different situation, perhaps she would have enjoyed this.
It was now or never. In an audacious and swift movement, Aeris aimed for his lips. And if it wasn't for a brief moment's hesitation, she would be kissing him. Instead, she shifted slightly on her toes and her nose painfully met his jaw bone making her wince.
"Aaaow!" she cried, backing off and holding her nose on her hand. It hurt. It really hurt.
In between tears, she heard the sound of intense and deep laughter coming from him.
"Ha ha ha! I suppose... you ...are not... very... experienced... are you?" he said in between deep inhalations of air while holding his stomach. He then bent and lowered his hands over his knees still laughing.
Great, not only it didn't work, now he is laughing at me, she desperately thought. She looked at him in a deep frown.
"Perhaps... you need... someone... to... teach you..." Genesis looked up at her grinning and then winked at her.
Aeris growled shooting a thousand daggers at him. If looks could kill he'd be dead by then. If only she was bigger and stronger, she would wipe that stupid grin off his face, Aeris considered, surprised at her own violent thoughts. If only...
On that instant she caught a glimpse of the book resting on top of the side wall. Maybe this was her chance, she thought. He seemed distracted enough, she hoped.
With a graceful and swift move she grabbed the copy of LOVELESS and run towards the edge of the platform.
She had succeeded. His laughter was cut short. She couldn't help but smile at his reaction. Obviously she was right in thinking the book meant a lot to him, she thought.
"Don't move!" she screamed when she saw him approaching. His walk was slow but steady. The playful look on his eyes was now gone. It was replaced by a manic stare. He looked menacing and dangerous.
"Don't move!"she repeated holding the book over the abyss below. "Come any closer, and your precious book will be no more!" she shouted in a brave voice, which faltered once she realised he had not stopped moving. With widening eyes she saw him getting closer and closer.
"Aeris... give me the book..." Genesis said in a deceivingly sweet voice, but which in reality could barely contain his fury.
Aeris looked around her. There was no escape. Of course there was no escape, she thought. What was she thinking enraging him like that? She then looked towards the dark depths of the chasm below her. Only a few inches separated her from certain depth. On the other hand, things were not looking rosy on her level either, she thought in despair.
Aeris couldn't think anymore. She grabbed a page and slowly started tearing it. It seemed to her that this just might have brought the desired result. Genesis had stopped moving. With renewed hope she looked at him.
"Promise to let me go and show me a way out of here, or this gets totally destroyed!" she screamed; and with that, she tore it just a little bit further so as to emphasise her point.
"Aeris... stay away from the platform edge" Genesis warned her, and he slowly raised his hand towards her desperately scared figure. He took one step closer.
"Don't... Don't! DON'T! DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!! Aeris screamed on top of her lungs and took one step backwards only to be met with the slippery brink of the platform.
It happened in an instant. Her balance was lost... her foot was met with the void. Empty space... cold wind... torn pages swirling all around her... a voice screaming her name... and then... blissful darkness...
Oh no... what an escape! Did Aeris fall to her death??
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