Chapter Seven: Concern
Sephiroth braced himself outside the door to his apartment, pausing for just a moment before entering. It was quiet on the other side of the door, but he knew the tranquility would end the moment he opened it. He had been gone for far longer than was acceptable to his companion, and he fully expected to hear all about it. One corner of his mouth turned upward in a slight smirk as he placed a gloved hand on the doorknob.
As expected, the reaction was immediate. There was a loud thump followed by heavy footsteps pounding across the wooden floor from the direction of the master bedroom. A high-pitched whine filled the air as the massive form of Sephiroth's dog turned the corner and tore across the living room to greet him. His tail was wagging furiously as he pushed his wet nose firmly into his master's hand before turning and crossing the room to a large box of toys. He quickly selected a green plush chocobo and grabbed it in his strong jaws, jogging back to Sephiroth and proudly displaying the possession. It was not a gift, as Blade never actually dropped the toy or agreed to release his grip upon it during his greetings. But for some reason the presentation was a compulsion the canine simply had to act out any time his beloved human returned to their home. It didn't matter how long or short the absence, his reaction was always highly spirited and enthusiastic.
Blade continued to pace back and forth at full speed, still whining even with his mouth full of plush. His brown eyes were shining with pleasure and his normally upright ears rested back nearly against his skull. Every so often he would brush up against Sephiroth as he shrugged out of his trench coat and hung his sword on the hook just inside the door, but he was far too excited to remain still for petting. The swordsman could not help but be amused, secretly adoring the way his new companion so openly adored him. The creature was highly illogical and wore his emotions on his collar, but it was endearing and often quite entertaining as well. Sephiroth had never wanted a pet before, but ever since finding the homeless Great Dane he had come to realize how much they added to one's life. Between Blade and his temperamental chocobo, Nightmare, his existence had definitely been enriched since settling in Junon Harbor nearly nine months before.
"It sounds like somebody really missed you!"
Sephiroth turned from unloading his equipment and found Aeris crossing the room, carefully dodging Blade's thick tail as she made her way around the pacing canine. When she reached his side, she wrapped her slender arms around him in a tight embrace. She didn't seem to care that he was a bit sweaty and likely didn't smell very good after hours of slaughtering mutated wolves, and Sephiroth hugged her back tightly. Blade was quick to attempt to squeeze his head between them, making a plaintive sound that made it clear he was jealous. Aeris giggled as she took a step backward, shaking her head at the large dog and playfully placing her hands on her hips.
"We can share him, can't we?"
Blade only whined in response, throwing his weight against his favorite human and leaning against him heavily. Sephiroth smirked and took a moment to scratch his back, watching as the dog arched his body upward and shivered with pleasure. A moment later, Blade trotted off and laid down in his bed, happily getting to work on a large rawhide bone he'd been too depressed to chew while his owner was away. Sephiroth headed for the couch and sat down, beginning to unlace his boots as Aeris joined him.
"How did your day with the Turks go?" he asked her, glad to be able to remove his footwear. It had been far too long since he'd been out of the base on a mission, and he admitted to himself that he was actually tired. The concerns that had been weighing heavily on his mind did not help matters, and he could feel the beginnings of a tension headache forming behind his eyes.
He could practically hear Aeris grinning as he unlaced his second boot and set the pair off to the side of the couch. "Great!" she said, shifting over closer to him and laying one of her hands over his. "We actually had a good time, and they seemed to enjoy planting all of the flowers around town. Especially Rude."
Sephiroth arched a silver eyebrow as he leaned back into the cushions, stifling a yawn as he got comfortable beside his wife. "Really…"
"Yep! He's got a green thumb and really seemed to enjoy himself. I had to keep fighting not to giggle when I looked at him… He was so serious about it. Elena seemed a bit nervous, but she perked up after we met Yuffie, Tseng and Reno for lunch. She's really sweet."
"Vincent was a bit worried about leaving Yuffie in charge of them. I assume nothing catastrophic happened?""Oh, they seemed fine together. Reno kept teasing her, though, and I couldn't decide if it was like an annoying brother or a boy with a crush."
Sephiroth blinked, the idea of the latter highly disturbing. Aeris giggled at the stunned expression he worse, shaking her head in amusement.
"I think all of them are going to fit in just fine around here. Tseng isn't going to do anything to jeopardize their sanctuary here while Elena is pregnant, and the others seem to do whatever he says. They're harmless, and good workers, too!"
"Hmph." Sephiroth remained undecided on how he felt about taking in the former Turks after they had fled Shin-ra Incorporated. He still didn't trust them and would continue to keep a close eye on them, but Aeris' belief that they would not cause any trouble did ease his mind a little.
"And what about you and Vincent? Did everything go all right?"
"Yes, our mission was a success…" he began, frowning with hesitation. He was extremely concerned after witnessing the obvious difficulty Vincent seemed to be having containing Chaos, and knew he needed to tell her. But at the same time it felt as if he was betraying his father by revealing something he did not want anyone to know. He could feel Aeris' eyes upon him as he stared down at her small hand resting upon his, struggling with his decision.
"But…?"
He sighed, turning to look into her warm green eyes. He could feel the faint brush of her mind against his, her concern and affection for him spreading throughout his body like a comforting blanket. Sometimes the unusual connection between them disturbed him and left him feeling exposed and vulnerable, but more often than not he was grateful for it and comforted to know how well she understood him. That she already seemed to know something was bothering him made what he had to say much less difficult.
"He… Something is wrong with him," Sephiroth began awkwardly, feeling Aeris squeeze his hand to encourage him to continue. "Something is not right…"
"How so?" she asked gently, tilting her head as she maintained eye contact. Early in their relationship, he had been intimidated by the way she seemed to be able to gaze into his soul and would quickly look away, but now it relaxed him and made it easier to share his thoughts. Even if he didn't want to, he had a feeling she would soon know what was on his mind anyway. Whatever caused the near-telepathic bond between them had removed the walls Sephiroth spent his entire life building around his true self, and there were no secrets left between them. When he was with Aeris, he could finally be himself without fear of being judged and rejected. Coming home to her brought a peace to the swordsman he had never imagined possible, even when there was something so serious on his mind. Together, he felt they could handle almost anything.
"It is Chaos," he finally managed to continue, his usual frown deepening as he spoke the demon's name. "He seems… almost unable to contain it. I saw him nearly transform after a battle due to a slight injury, and perhaps the exposure to blood. Afterwards, he did not seem able to recover as he normally does, and he continued to act as though he was being influenced and may lose control again at any moment…"
"Oh no," Aeris nearly whispered, biting her lower lip. "I… I think may have witnessed something similar the day the Turks arrived. But I didn't think much of it because Tseng and Elena's story must have reminded him so much of what happened to he and your mother. It made sense that it would upset him to hear. I didn't realize it was something more frequent…"
"Do you suppose… learning of their situation and perhaps… Hojo's death… has upset him enough that he is now unable to control himself?" It was a terrifying thought, one he'd been hesitant to voice. He had been haunted all day by concern for Vincent and his mother, and if anyone would understand and know what to do, it was Aeris.
"Maybe…" she said slowly, looking thoughtful. "I guess that could be stressful enough to affect him like this. But I think it's more than that… He's seemed on edge as of late, even more so than usual. Something is really bothering him… I noticed it, too, but wasn't sure if I ought to say anything. He's such a private person."
"I don't think my mother realizes what is going on, either. When I asked him if she knew he was having difficulty controlling Chaos, he became evasive and refused to discuss it. I am afraid she is in danger and unaware of it…"
"Vincent loves your mother more than life itself, Seph," Aeris said, shaking her head. "He would never do anything to hurt her, you know that."
"But would Chaos?"
The question hung in the air between them for long moments, only the sound of Blade's chewing breaking the silence. Sephiroth could feel the shared concern radiating from his wife, slightly comforted to know that she felt the same and he was not overreacting or alone with his fears. Finally, she lifted a hand and rested it softly against his cheek, instantly easing much of his rising tension. His eyes began to close as he leaned into her touch, the stress flowing out of him and the pain in his head beginning to ease. He was amazed yet again by the power of the connection between them, the effect she had upon him stronger than any force on the Planet.
"Do you want me to talk to her?" Aeris asked quietly, watching his closely. "I agree with you, from what Vincent has told me I don't think that she knows very much about Chaos other than very basic information…. And I think he's been very good at hiding it from her so far. I can try to find out if everything is okay between them, and if she's noticed anything strange. She may be just as worried as we are and need someone to talk to."
Sephiroth forced his eyes opened and nodded, suddenly exhausted and wanting nothing more than to curl up in his bed for a long nap. "That is a good idea… Perhaps everything is fine and I am worrying for nothing. I am sure she would be happy to meet with you regardless."
Aeris smiled and rose to her feet, though he instantly sensed that she did not believe his half-hearted attempt to dismiss their fears. He didn't either, though he desperately hoped what he had witnessed was an isolated event and that everything between his parents was actually fine. He could not bear to think that his mother might be in danger again, not when she had just returned to his life. He admitted that he was concerned for Vincent as well, though those feelings were far harder for him to accept or understand.
"Come on, Seph, you look like you're about to pass out," she said, shaking him from his thoughts as she once again seemed to read his mind. She took a hold of his hand and tugged lightly, and he allowed her to help him to his feet and lead him toward their bedroom. Blade was instantly at his side, intent on joining him wherever he went. "Why don't you lay down and rest, and I'll see about making us some dinner? Then I'll call and set up a lunch date with your mom… I'm sure we can sort things out and everything will be all right."
Sephiroth nodded as he followed her, badly wanting to believe her and share her optimism. But as he climbed into bed with his dog stretched out at his side, he couldn't shake the feeling of dread that seemed to hang in the air around him. Something was amiss, and he knew with uncomfortable certainty that it would soon surface.
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Some time after midnight…
Lucrecia woke with a start and bolted into a sitting position, a cold sweat covering her body and goose bumps running the length of her bare limbs. She had been having a nightmare, one in which Vincent was gone and she couldn't find him no matter how hard she looked. She quickly turned her head to the left and squinted into the darkness, her heart racing, already knowing what she was about to discover.
It wasn't a nightmare. Her lover was once again missing from their bed, his place beside her as alarmingly empty as a vacant grave.
Tears burned her eyes as she stared at the place he should have been, terrifying thoughts racing through her mind. She felt nauseous, swallowing hard against the bile rising in her throat. Proof that his disappearance just one night prior was not an isolated event was right before her eyes, and she fought to understand what was happening to the man she loved and trusted. Where had he gone in the middle of the night again? Everything had seemed fine between them when Lucrecia fell asleep in his arms several hours before. There were the usual moments of awkwardness that evening, but she assumed that was normal for a couple getting reacquainted after over thirty years apart. The love and passion between them was as strong as ever. But if that were true, why had he quietly left her side once more?
The thought of where he might be and why was too much to bear. Lucrecia lay back down and curled into a ball, wrapping the blankets tightly around her body as she began to sob in despair. The loneliness she felt in that moment was a crushing force, tearing at her heart with its cruel talons as unwanted images flashed before her mind's eye. All she wanted was for Vincent to return home. But when he did, she was terrified of what might happen to their relationship.
((Author's Notes: As promised, I didn't take forever to update this time! Thank you all SO MUCH for all the wonderful reviews for Chapter Six. As I said before, I have the most amazing readers out there! Much love and gratitude for the favs and follows as well. Now that the numbers show when the fic is listed, I appreciate them so much more as I imagine a high amount helps encourage others to check it out. Anyway, Sephiroth and Aeris are on to Vincent and his issues, and Lucrecia can't stay in denial when the problem is right in front of her again. I liked working with the contrast between the two couples… Seph and Aeris are so comfortable together and have come so far, while Vincent and Lucrecia are still struggling just to learn how to talk to each other again. Vincent can't hide his problems forever. Or can he? He is awfully sneaky and determined not to lose his love by scaring her off. Next chapter, he attempts to avoid a confrontation with Lucrecia over his absences, but may end up in one with someone else instead! SOMEone is going to be on the receiving end of a visit from Chaos, and it ain't gonna be pretty. So stay tuned as the plot thickens. Thanks again! ~ JenesisX ))
