The End is the beginning
Chapter 12 - An Ordinary Romance, part 1
The young man retrieved the tiny piece of crumpled paper from the bottom of his pocket. It was an old, half-torn raffle ticket, its ink faded over time. He read the few words scrawled on the back once more. No doubt about it, he was in the right place. There was also no doubt about the identity of the person behind this message. Few people in Midgar could slip a piece of paper under his shoulder armor without him noticing.
But why, by Gaia, had she chosen such a dilapidated location for their meeting? In the depths of a narrow alleyway in the slums of Sector 3, an old, decrepit building stood, defying gravity with its state of disrepair. The only hint of its nature was a fluorescent blue neon sign that read "motel." Its walls were covered with torn posters, peeling paint, and mold, while some broken window panes had been patched up with makeshift materials.
The warrior hesitated for a moment in front of the perfectly decrepit gate of the hotel. He scanned the surroundings. The alley was deserted in the downpour, save for the flickering shadows cast by defective streetlights. Adjusting his hood over his forehead, he approached the entrance, which creaked horribly as it opened.
In the dimly lit lobby, worn-out furniture was scattered about, seemingly waiting for visitors for centuries. An empty reception desk stood before him, covered in dust with an old, yellowed register carelessly placed on the counter. A flickering light bulb hung precariously from the ceiling, casting a ghostly glow over the scene.
Puzzled, the SOLDIER cautiously moved down the dark hallway. His footsteps echoed on the cracked floor, and he wondered what had driven him to follow this mysterious note to such a sinister place. Yet, part of him was also driven by an irrepressible curiosity. Yes, he knew exactly who had left him this ticket, and he would be lying if he said their previous encounter hadn't... well, quite "unsettled" him.
It had happened a few weeks earlier, at the annual Shinra gala celebrating the holiday season. The reception, designed to showcase luxury and prestige, took place in the vast entrance hall of the tower, transformed for the occasion into a splendid setting. Glittering chandeliers hung from the ceiling, majestically illuminating the immense room, while light garlands adorned the walls, creating a magical atmosphere. Elegantly set tables were laden with exquisite dishes and fine wines. The entire high society of Midgar, along with all Shinra employees, was invited to this grand feast.
Given his notoriety, attending these social events had always been part of his obligations. However, lately, he had managed to limit his presence to a brief appearance without anyone reproaching him.
After answering a few tedious questions from some scoop-hungry journalists, he had discreetly taken his leave. He took the opportunity to patrol the tower, thus ensuring the safety of the festivities. A task normally assigned to the TURKs, but one he also enjoyed. And besides, apart from a few unfortunate young recruits, the rest were undoubtedly enjoying the party's open bar. A TURK would always be a TURK! It was as if an addiction to alcohol was part of their resume!
After walking through the first few floors, he had finally decided to take the elevator to the upper levels. In truth, he was mostly seeking some peace and quiet that night, and this part of the tower was likely to be deserted.
As he ascended slowly, his journey was interrupted at the twelfth floor. When the doors opened, he had not expected to find himself face-to-face with "her."
He had clearly seen in her eyes that she hadn't expected to find him there either. Nonchalantly, she stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the floor below his.
Dressed for the occasion, and unlike him who had opted for his eternal trench coat, she had left her SOLDIER uniform in the closet and chosen a three-piece suit with a black tailcoat and a small bow tie. This outfit made her look absolutely adorable, and knowing the shape she hid beneath it awakened in him... an indescribable sensation. A kind of attraction that slightly unnerved him. He couldn't help but notice the delicacy of her features, the softness of her smile, and the mischievous sparkle in her azure eyes.
As they stood side by side, the elevator resumed its ascent. A tense atmosphere hung between them. After a brief silence, she finally spoke, her voice tinged with reproach:
"You're avoiding me. Can I know why?"
He hesitated for a moment before responding impassively, "I don't know what you mean."
She shot him a piercing look before retorting, "You know exactly what I mean! I was always chosen to go on missions with you before that Modoeheim assignment! And since then, nothing! Even Lazard must find it strange that you suddenly changed your partner! You're going to attract suspicion onto me by acting this way!
"Lazard doesn't care who I choose to assist me," he replied calmly but firmly. "If you're no longer accompanying me, it's simply because I've found someone more competent to assist me."
Sephiroth struggled to understand his own behavior. It was not only false but also hurtful. She had never done anything to warrant being treated this way by him. But the unsettling feeling that now overwhelmed him whenever he was in her company disturbed him.
"Zack Fair, right?"
"He's an excellent SOLDIER. Besides, he's First Class."
The little redhead narrowed her eyes, irritated.
She knew he was lying. This kind of disparaging remark was completely out of character for him. It was discovering that she was a woman that had led him to exclude her from his missions. She was now convinced of it. But why did it bother him? He didn't seem to be a misogynist! So, what was it? Was it the fact that she disguised herself and broke the rules that bothered him so much?
"Pfff! What a lame excuse!" she scoffed, letting out a sigh of exasperation.
Gradually, the scenery outside the window shrank as the numbers indicating the floor above the door ticked upward.
"It's not an excuse," he assured her.
Arms still crossed, he leaned against the glass. She stared at him suspiciously before retorting, "You're a terrible liar, you know that!"
"It's you who's imagining things."
"Oh really?"
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her press the emergency stop button, then turn to face him with a determined step, a glint of challenge in her eyes.
"What are you doing?"
"What? The great hero is shy?"
He hated that title, especially coming from her. She continued to step closer. Closer still. And even though he maintained an outward calm, a quiet panic began to grip him.
He grabbed her arm roughly to stop her, a warning. Yet, the mere fact that she was a woman made him restrain his strength despite his instinctive reaction.
"I don't know what game you're playing, but stop it! Now!" he ordered harshly.
"And what if I refuse?" she shot back, provocatively, challenging his limits.
She seemed completely unfazed by the iron grip encircling her forearm.
"Stop it, please!" he pleaded, feeling a wave of urgency.
She smiled mockingly, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "It's funny! You look like a rabbit trapped in a hutch, facing a fox!"
"Stop it, Arèth," he implored again, trying to maintain an emotional distance.
"My real name is 'Theia'," she whispered as she stood on her tiptoes.
At that moment, he felt her lips gently brush against his. He could have pushed her away. He could have easily stopped her. But something inside him desired this kiss more than anything. For once in his life, he abandoned all rational thought and let his instincts take over. His lips responded to hers. A shiver ran down his spine. His hand relaxed its grip on her arm and gently rested on the small of her back. Meanwhile, her palms slid over the leather straps across his chest, sending shivers across his skin. For a few minutes, time seemed to disappear, and they shared the tenderest of kisses.
Then, she slowly pulled away. She stepped back and reactivated the elevator. A broad smile on her face, she let out a small, crystalline laugh and whispered to him, "Does the rest of the world know?"
"Know what?"
"That you're not what they all think you are! That, in reality, you're... you're really cute!"
Her remark should have vexed him, but it did the exact opposite. No one had ever told him he was "cute."
The doors opened. With a wink, she left him standing there, his heart still pounding.
This was why Sephiroth now found himself standing in the middle of a dingy motel hallway, in front of a door with the number matching the old, torn ticket. He took a deep breath before knocking a few times.
"Come in!" a voice responded.
Inside, the room was bathed in a dim light emanating from a large oil lamp perched on a wooden crate, doubling as a nightstand. In one corner, a small round table held half of a puzzle, its pieces partially assembled.
The young woman rose and stood next to the chair, her figure cloaked in the semi-darkness.
"I really didn't think you'd come, so I brought something to keep myself busy!" she confessed, noticing his cat-like eyes lingering on the puzzle.
"Can you explain why you had me come here, using this?" he asked, showing her the crumpled piece of paper.
"Seems pretty obvious to me," she replied, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
Dressed as she was, she had shed any trace of androgyny. The dress she wore, short and slit slightly on both sides of her thighs, perfectly hugged her feminine curves, accentuating her silhouette with grace and sensuality. Made of shimmering silk in a vibrant cyan, the high collar, adorned with delicate golden embroidery, featured traditional Wutai motifs, and the short, slightly flared sleeves revealed her shoulders delicately.
In front, polished pearl buttons decorated the closure, adding a touch of finesse to the remarkable piece. The dress ended just above her thighs, revealing her slender legs.
"That's the outfit of Wutai pleasure house girls," he finally said, his gaze filled with incomprehension.
"Oh... oh... the seller just told me it was from Wutai!" she declared, a bit surprised. "I've never worn a dress like this before! So I wanted to try it!"
The light makeup she had applied enhanced her features and highlighted the color of her eyes. She was more than desirable, and that was precisely what disturbed him.
"And how do you know that?" she teased, a spark of curiosity in her eyes.
He remained silent, disconcerted by the turn of the conversation. With a hint of amusement in her voice, she continued:
"Well, at least things are clear!"
With a feline grace, she slowly approached him. Her silhouette was outlined gracefully in the dim room. Her azure eyes fixed intently on him, and he felt his throat tighten. Embarrassed, he protested sharply:
"And you really expected me to... to treat you like... like a common whore?"
"Well... why not?" she murmured audaciously.
Gifted with an innate talent for acting, she orchestrated this little scene with a sense of personal pride. Since their return from Modeoheim a few months earlier, she had been forced to accept an undeniable reality: she had fallen in love. How could it have been otherwise? Not only was he breathtakingly handsome, but he also possessed the soul of a true hero. His courage, sense of duty, loyalty, and honor were indisputable.
Since then, his rejection had deeply hurt her. Why did he act this way, just because she was a woman? Did he distrust her now because she had lied to him? Or was there something else?
Whatever the case, that day in the elevator, she couldn't resist the need to clarify the situation. At first, she was merely trying to buy time. Precious time.
Indeed, while the festivities captivated all the company's personnel, a few members of AVALANCHE were secretly conducting a special operation at Shinra. Taking advantage of the event to divert the employees' attention, these sleeper agents had devised a clever scheme to retrieve the plans they coveted.
In the engineering sector, an accomplice's mission was to seize computer files concerning the reactors' architecture, while Theia and another collaborator ensured no one approached the offices in question. Hidden in the shadows of a stairwell corner, a laptop on her knees, the redhead navigated skillfully through the hacked security camera systems. An earpiece and a microphone kept her in constant contact with her teammates.
Their accomplice was silently progressing toward the objective. The servers containing sensitive data were within reach; just a few more minutes and he would complete the mission.
Suddenly, Theia heard the frantic voice of her colleague in the earpiece:
"Someone just took the elevator and is heading to the wrong floor!"
"Are you sure?"
"Certain. It's indicated on the control monitor. You need to intercept and buy us some time! Ten minutes should suffice!"
"OK, I'm on it!"
She hastily packed her laptop and microphone into her bag and rushed to the elevator. Luckily, she arrived in time to intercept it. When the doors opened, she tried to conceal her astonishment upon seeing who stood before her.
To be perfectly honest, she didn't really know what had driven her to provoke the warrior like that. If she had gotten to know him in the field, his private life remained a complete mystery to her. Over the past weeks, she had conducted her own little investigation. Having never been interested in newspapers, especially when they talked about the Great Hero, she had resorted to subterfuge to gather information from the biggest gossip in SOLDIER: Second Class Kunzel. Always in the know, if anyone had more information on the love life of the famous Golden Boy than any tabloid scribbler or fan club groupie, it was him.
And... nothing. He knew ABSOLUTELY nothing! At least, nothing more than the aforementioned scribblers or the fan club groupies. Sometimes depicted as a true Casanova, sometimes as a homosexual with secretive and depraved habits... In reality, everyone was clueless.
On a whim, she decided to take her chance. After all, she had little to lose. At worst, he would push her away. And that's what she had expected. Yet, he hadn't done that. He had let her kiss him. He had even responded.
Since then, that scene had replayed in her mind endlessly. She needed to see him face-to-face. Away from the tower, away from prying eyes and ears. She had managed to slip him a message by brushing past him discreetly in one of the corridors on the SOLDIER floor. There was no doubt he would know who had left him the note.
Without expecting an idyllic romance, she could at least hope for a simple fling. After all, when she wasn't in disguise, she wasn't so unattractive! And unless she encountered the "homosexual with depraved habits" version, she might have a chance!
It was a calculated risk, an audacious attempt to seize an opportunity that might never come again. Despite the doubts that plagued her, she was determined to act on her feelings and explore this connection that had begun to emerge between them.
She had carefully chosen the time and place. It was imperative they meet in a discreet location, away from prying eyes and, especially, where no journalist would dare to poke their nose! This little motel in the depths of the slums was undoubtedly the perfect hideout!
And so, she had taken the time to make herself as feminine as possible...
And now she found herself here, pulling out all the stops to try and seduce him. Deep down, she wasn't truly confident. With no romantic experience, she tried to play the part, like in the romantic novels she used to read as a young teenager.
The warrior's heart beat a little faster as she approached, captivated by the grace with which she moved.
"You know, you're the only one in Midgar who knows I'm not a boy. So I thought maybe we could..."
She let her sentence trail off. The situation was clear enough that she didn't need to finish. She stopped a few inches from him, and seeing he remained silent, she continued:
"I'm not that repulsive, am I? And don't tell me you don't know how!"
The sudden discomfort in his jade eyes didn't escape her notice. Surprised, she stammered:
"Wait, don't…don't tell me that…that you've never…"
"Of course I have!" he objected suddenly.
He had lowered his head, his long fringe obscuring part of his face.
"Once… sort of… and… I hated it..."
The girl stood in stunned silence. She had to admit she didn't understand. Once? Sort of? And why did he hate it?
"I shouldn't have come here," he muttered. "I refuse to play your game!"
Sephiroth moved toward the door, ready to leave, but she stopped him:
"Wait! You won't get very far without this, I think!"
Between her thumb and forefinger, Theia held up the magnetic keycard she had expertly picked from his pocket three seconds earlier.
He shot her an icy glare.
"Give it back," he ordered.
"Mmmh… No."
He took a few steps toward her and repeated, extending his hand:
"Give it back. Now."
"Calm down. Of course, I'll give it back! But first, I want to understand."
"Understand what exactly?" he asked coldly, his voice echoing in the room.
"What happened with…with that person? Everyone thinks you're a heartbreaker, you know…" she continued, suddenly serious.
The young man let out a bitter laugh.
"They think a lot of things about me," he replied wearily.
"Explain it to me. Please."
She had sat down quietly on the edge of the bed, hands clasped on her knees.
"After that, I'll give you your card back. You have my word," she promised, raising her palm.
He nodded slightly, accepting the exchange.
"It's nothing scandalous, you know," he remarked with a sigh.
"I don't care about scandals. I just want to understand you. Like… like a friend."
She had dropped her mischievous look and now gave him a smile full of tenderness and understanding. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, before beginning resolutely:
"It was several years ago. I had just turned eighteen. We were in the middle of the war, in Wutai. We had been on the front lines for months and… my best friend had a habit of visiting… those kinds of places. He insisted I go with him. It was his birthday, so I couldn't refuse. It was the first time I set foot in such a place..."
To be continued