7: By a Hair

-----

The mornings in Wutai felt so surreal, somehow; both in and out of this world of ours. There was an energy here I hadn't experienced in forever, if at all. I almost caught myself fretting if the Planet was doing something, something that would've only been akin to the things Sephiroth liked doing. And for a minute it frightened me, but then I'd instantly drive my thoughts back to the wonderful energy that filtered into me from the land. I could only assume.

There came an urge to dance out of bed that morning, but Sephiroth had me pinned. Of course. To solve the problem of not enough sheets to go around for one futon, he pulled and piled ours together. Beneath it all, I grumbled and pushed him away, quickly and clumsily hovering to my feet thereafter. The sun stole into my eyes from the high window, dim but warm and all around pleasing. I snatched it up between my fingers and on my palms.

"You're so spirited today," that voice lilted.

I sighed in exasperation. "You can't feel it? There's so much life here. I wish we could live here…"

"One day."

I sensed arms snake around my waist from out of nowhere, then lift me off my feet. I struggled to get out of Sephiroth's grasp, though I knew it was never any use. I dangled there, staring at my knees and wriggling toes. I could have tolerated it, like so many instances long before. I could have. But a moist, soft feeling crept against the drawn crook of my neck, startling me not out of abruptness, but slight revulsion.

"The Lifestream's virtually streaming out of your skin," he uttered. "If I'd known Wutai would make you this excited, I would have brought you sooner. Now that would be the greatest feast..."

"How can you be so disgusting?" I groaned. Harsh words, I thought, were effective for moments like this.

He wasn't fazed.

In response, he produced this certain hotness against my back. That sure sign, or almost sure sign, of Sephiroth's intentions. Wanting to needing to feeding like some sort of bloodsucker was a favorite, though rare, pastime of his. Favorite, a word that when used was punishable by a lot of things, if only because of the wrong ways I used it. But his feeding... He would crumple— another loaded word— to quaking knees after a truly up close and personal bite, like a mean-faced doll with his strings snapped. The fury he radiated afterwards was tribute to the roiling weakness such, otherwise lethal, ecstasy gave him. He loved the taste but hated what it did to him. I had to admit to loving the sight, the shame within his feline eyes when it all made him like jelly. These cases showed that he couldn't always keep up that perfect apathetic veneer, even when he was my captor.

"You know that-"

"Yes, I know, I know. But we'll always be vulnerable to something... It's the soft skin, I think. H-human skin. If we had pelts like a monster, then maybe…"

"The Lifestream is just so pure. It is in your power, after all..." Sephiroth drew my wrist up to his lips, but refrained from taking a much wanted taste. He laid my hand against my chest, then slipped by me towards the bathroom. His hair did little to hide the taut muscle of his backside, forcing a blush into my cheeks. The situation was funny somehow, but then I realized I'd lost my chance to bathe before he did, as if it mattered.

Then he called, "You never think about taking one with me? For shame."

"No thanks," I blurted out.

"You know, a little common courtesy goes a long way. Humor me. Where did all your manners go?"

"When you start treating me with the utmost respect, maybe I'll return the favor." I nodded decisively. I almost felt as if I were quoting someone else. These sensations tended to leave me nonplussed. Were my words not my own? But what I said still held true. Sephiroth had to learn I wasn't a toy, which I'm sure was still his consideration of me.

My arm flew towards the doorway into the bathroom, yanking me along with it. I caught myself on the jamb, resisting Sephiroth's pull with vengeance. I laughed aloud, squatting down to the floor to try to find some sort of leverage.

"This isn't funny!" I cried. "You should be glad I don't know the things you do, because, oh boy, you'd be in a heap of trouble!"

"I didn't know you had such a sense of humor," he cackled over sounds of running water.

"One day, one day."

--

Elena wandered into Turtle Paradise, dressed down in a flowery red bikini and sarong, to which the innkeeper gave an ample eye. Her buddies were seated in the corner of the bar, swirling cocktails and lazing the mid-morning away. She pouted; how they could let themselves waste away like this on their 'time off' was beyond her. But now, top brass had plans for them. And she just had to please Tseng.

"Reno! Rude! Are you guys like literally glued to those seats? This place can't be that great." The young woman shot an inoffensive glance at the innkeeper. "When the boss brought us to Wutai, he expected us to have a good time, not just sit around and drown in booze…"

"Little girls like you would never understand," Reno sneered, lifting a glass.

"We live for the job," Rude added succinctly.

"So if you can't work, you just get smashed?" She hooted. "Wow, great logic."

"I'm sure you have some cock sucking to do, Elena. Tseng's waiting."

Elena blushed furiously.

"For your information, the boss received a request for our services. If you two aren't too busy being low-lives, maybe we can do what we do best."

Reno perked, running slender fingers through his fiery, pony-tailed mop. The Turks would never die. Like his comrade-in-arms said so simply, they lived for the job. And it lived for them.

"Oh yeah? Well, what's Rufus got waiting for us?" the beguiling Turk asked.

"Apparently... we got ourselves a great zombie general."

Rude's sunglasses slipped down the thick slope of his nose. His dusky brown eyes, normally so well hidden behind those shades, shot bursting rays of awe. His companion slapped him in the chest, hoping to thrust him back into reality.

"You serious?" Reno howled delightedly. "Oh man, I tell ya, Rufus's got a crazy sense of humor. Or did Tseng put you up to this? Either way-"

"Get off your asses and go see for yourselves."

"... you're serious."

--

I glanced down the stairs to see a young, sunny-headed woman clad for beachgoing. She was heatedly chatting with the two barflies, who each sported unusually rapt faces. I found myself curious enough to want to approach them, but demurred. Whatever was being said, the red-haired man seemed to bristle with feral excitement. On the other hand, the bald man just sat there like a rock, though a rock full of wonder.

My foot landed on a rather squeaky part of the stairs, raising heads in my direction.

I inconveniently lacked my hood.

I hadn't expected to still see those same men on our last morning in Wutai. And with Sephiroth in the shower, there was no one to tell me I needed to cover myself. So I had wandered on down for a new pitcher of water with nary a care.

"Well, spank my ass," said the fiery one, his tone like coy silk.

I lifted and bundled my hair in the crook of my left arm, speaking not a word.

"Nice legs. Now, how about a face to match?"

"Reno!" the woman's voice intoned, followed by a smacking sound.

"Ouch, watch it, bitch!"

"You're the bitch! We need to report to the boss. Now. Move it."

I heard the men quickly depart, ushered away by the young woman. I heaved a sigh from my chest. They hadn't seen my face— I hoped— thanks to the fact that I'd hardly made that great a descent down the stairs. I waited there, just to be sure they were gone from Turtle Paradise, and finally seated myself on the creaky step. I pondered. This land did indeed hold some interesting people, native or no. It was only a shame that I couldn't easily interact with them, not with Sephiroth's paranoia so doggedly latched to me. He wouldn't rest until sure his possession of me stayed uncontested.

"Sad…"